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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Read and Gone (The Haunted Library Mysteries, #2) in Books
Oct 2, 2020
This is the second book of the series, and even though I haven’t read the first part, I was able to follow this book quite easily. There are a few references to the past and you can quickly realise what happened. Though, if you wish to read the series, don’t start with #2, because there are a few spoilers here that you wish you hadn’t read if you read book #1. I won’t be reading #1 because the spoilers in this book ruined it for me. But I am sure it’s an amazing story as well.
Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.
This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.
I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.
All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)
Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.
This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.
I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.
All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Faking Friends in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The main characters in this novel are Amy and Melissa, two best friends who become worst enemies. This book was a real emotional roller coaster for me: I was laughing, getting angry, feeling pity and upset throughout this book. And all that was caused by the characters which were chosen for this book. I really liked Amy as a character, I think she was charming, very believable and relatable in some way. I absolutely could not stand Melissa though, I think she is an absolute lowlife who is a disgrace to womankind. Everything about her pissed me off, EVERYTHING! Jack and Simon in this book were not better as well, they were just plain stupid. But that was what made this book so indulging. The variety of characters and their unbelievably silly actions somehow made it really entertaining.
The plot of this book really hooked me, the constant drama, action, twists and turns didn’t let me sleep till 4 am in the morning. I just had to find out how it will end. I really appreciate that author used different perspectives in this book, it made it much more gripping and interesting, and it did allow to understand the characters way better. Another thing which I found really cool was the jumps between the past and present, it made the whole story richer and explained their friendship’s nuances to the reader. I really enjoyed all Fallon’s personal experience such as: movie industry and how it works, acting and it’s struggles, general knowledge of London (places, student life, renting options, shops etc.) It was really enlightening to me and I do feel sympathy for all the actors out there.
In this book Jane Fallon stayed true to her writing style, offering multiple perspectives, suspense, interesting topics and absolutely stunning writing itself. The language used was easy to understand, however, there were some swear words. The chapters were not very long, and it kept me going, as I really wanted to find out what will happen next. I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up the story very nicely and left me satisfied. So to conclude, I absolutely loved this book, it gave me everything I need in good Chick – lit book, it has different types of characters, amusing and absorbing plot and interesting topics, and I do strongly recommend this novel. Enjoy 🙂
The plot of this book really hooked me, the constant drama, action, twists and turns didn’t let me sleep till 4 am in the morning. I just had to find out how it will end. I really appreciate that author used different perspectives in this book, it made it much more gripping and interesting, and it did allow to understand the characters way better. Another thing which I found really cool was the jumps between the past and present, it made the whole story richer and explained their friendship’s nuances to the reader. I really enjoyed all Fallon’s personal experience such as: movie industry and how it works, acting and it’s struggles, general knowledge of London (places, student life, renting options, shops etc.) It was really enlightening to me and I do feel sympathy for all the actors out there.
In this book Jane Fallon stayed true to her writing style, offering multiple perspectives, suspense, interesting topics and absolutely stunning writing itself. The language used was easy to understand, however, there were some swear words. The chapters were not very long, and it kept me going, as I really wanted to find out what will happen next. I really liked the ending of this book, I think it rounded up the story very nicely and left me satisfied. So to conclude, I absolutely loved this book, it gave me everything I need in good Chick – lit book, it has different types of characters, amusing and absorbing plot and interesting topics, and I do strongly recommend this novel. Enjoy 🙂
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Happy Hour of the Damned (Amanda Feral, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Snarky, crude, smart, bitchy, strange, dirty (in more ways than one), superficial, gory and more-y, HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAMNED is a hard book to describe in few words. Besides calling it zombie chick-lit urban fantasy, which is such a disservice. Amanda isn't the type of main character I usually enjoy reading about, I admit I'd rather read about someone more sympathetic than a label-conscious, cocktail swigging, loose, uppity, self-absorbed diva. But guess what, I actually liked her. Go figure. Now I wouldn't want to hang out with someone like her in real life, but in a book, it's all in good fun and I definitely will pick up the next two Amanda Feral books and hope there's more to come.
I loved the snarkiness, the footnotes (how many fiction authors actually do that?), the memoir-style writing, the cleverness of it all, it's a very good book. So why didn't I give it a higher rating, you may be thinking. Or maybe you're not. Whatever. Well, it did lose me a couple places and the plot meandered a bit in the beginning, and I'm still not sure what the master plot entailed (or is it entrailed? LMAO :D) exactly, as the plot did get a bit confusing towards the end. That could have just been me, I'm not the brightest at times. However, I think I did get the gist of the whole thing, so I wasn't left completely confused. In addition, I didn't find myself absorbed in the book, meaning I could put it down without withdrawal symptoms, so that brings my rating down slightly. I found the best thing to do with HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAMNED was to just let the book take me for the bizarre and fun ride the author had in store for the readers.
I'm sorry to hear that the series is in trouble, as it's much better than a lot of urban fantasy out there. We snarks of the world need these brainy reads (the fun kind) to survive, so in a way, we're zombies too. You may be wondering, "What can I do to help a good author out?" Well, go buy it! But only if you don't mind foul language, queasy and disgustingly gory scenes and imagery, sex in all it's kinkiness (which is mostly mentioned in passing), brand name designers, in-the-gutter-humor and more! All for the low, low price of $6.99. Have your credit card handy, operators are standing by - okay, I'm done with my infomercial sales pitch now. But really, if you do mind the aforementioned descriptions of what's covered inside, why are you looking at a zombie book anyway?
3.75 stars - just because I can.
I loved the snarkiness, the footnotes (how many fiction authors actually do that?), the memoir-style writing, the cleverness of it all, it's a very good book. So why didn't I give it a higher rating, you may be thinking. Or maybe you're not. Whatever. Well, it did lose me a couple places and the plot meandered a bit in the beginning, and I'm still not sure what the master plot entailed (or is it entrailed? LMAO :D) exactly, as the plot did get a bit confusing towards the end. That could have just been me, I'm not the brightest at times. However, I think I did get the gist of the whole thing, so I wasn't left completely confused. In addition, I didn't find myself absorbed in the book, meaning I could put it down without withdrawal symptoms, so that brings my rating down slightly. I found the best thing to do with HAPPY HOUR OF THE DAMNED was to just let the book take me for the bizarre and fun ride the author had in store for the readers.
I'm sorry to hear that the series is in trouble, as it's much better than a lot of urban fantasy out there. We snarks of the world need these brainy reads (the fun kind) to survive, so in a way, we're zombies too. You may be wondering, "What can I do to help a good author out?" Well, go buy it! But only if you don't mind foul language, queasy and disgustingly gory scenes and imagery, sex in all it's kinkiness (which is mostly mentioned in passing), brand name designers, in-the-gutter-humor and more! All for the low, low price of $6.99. Have your credit card handy, operators are standing by - okay, I'm done with my infomercial sales pitch now. But really, if you do mind the aforementioned descriptions of what's covered inside, why are you looking at a zombie book anyway?
3.75 stars - just because I can.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Sarong Party Girls in Books
Feb 3, 2020
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<b>A quick Chick-Lit, written in Singlish, an English-based patois that Singaporeans speak to each other. It was interesting and unique, and given the fact that I haven’t read anything like this before, I genuinely enjoyed the writing. This is my first book from Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.
Our main heroine in this book is Jazzy, a 27-year-old, born and living in Singapore. In her mind, she is getting old and her time to get married is running out. </b>
But Jazzy doesn’t want to just marry anyone, especially not the Asian boys she keeps seeing in the clubs, or the ones that are so traditional and bring her mum soup in the mornings. She wants to marry an English Man, become rich, move abroad and have his babies.
To achieve this, Jazzy and her friends make a deal to start going into clubs and places and meet their perfect English men. They become Sarong Party Girls, and from chapter to chapter we read about new adventures and troubles that Jazzy gets herself into.
This book is unique in many ways, there are a lot of immoral scenes that teach us moral lessons. There is so much culture in this book and it’s nice to see how people tolerate moral levels differently in another part of the world.
I didn’t like Jazzy, and I didn’t agree with almost anything she was doing. From chapter to chapter she kept making stupid decisions, and even though she learnt a little bit in the end, she was still clueless at so many things, which I find annoying.
As much as I loved the refreshing taste of culture this book gave me, I also didn’t enjoy the main character at all, and am struggling to give it anything more than three stars.
<b><i>It is an amazing book, with quality writing that I am sure represents Singaporeans well, culture a plenty and many scenes that trigger discussions. But if you are looking for your perfect character, you won’t find this is Jazzy. You won’t find it in Sarong Party Girls. </i></b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Book-Review-Banner-1.png"/>;
<b>A quick Chick-Lit, written in Singlish, an English-based patois that Singaporeans speak to each other. It was interesting and unique, and given the fact that I haven’t read anything like this before, I genuinely enjoyed the writing. This is my first book from Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan.
Our main heroine in this book is Jazzy, a 27-year-old, born and living in Singapore. In her mind, she is getting old and her time to get married is running out. </b>
But Jazzy doesn’t want to just marry anyone, especially not the Asian boys she keeps seeing in the clubs, or the ones that are so traditional and bring her mum soup in the mornings. She wants to marry an English Man, become rich, move abroad and have his babies.
To achieve this, Jazzy and her friends make a deal to start going into clubs and places and meet their perfect English men. They become Sarong Party Girls, and from chapter to chapter we read about new adventures and troubles that Jazzy gets herself into.
This book is unique in many ways, there are a lot of immoral scenes that teach us moral lessons. There is so much culture in this book and it’s nice to see how people tolerate moral levels differently in another part of the world.
I didn’t like Jazzy, and I didn’t agree with almost anything she was doing. From chapter to chapter she kept making stupid decisions, and even though she learnt a little bit in the end, she was still clueless at so many things, which I find annoying.
As much as I loved the refreshing taste of culture this book gave me, I also didn’t enjoy the main character at all, and am struggling to give it anything more than three stars.
<b><i>It is an amazing book, with quality writing that I am sure represents Singaporeans well, culture a plenty and many scenes that trigger discussions. But if you are looking for your perfect character, you won’t find this is Jazzy. You won’t find it in Sarong Party Girls. </i></b>
Thank you to ReadersFirst and Allen & Unwin for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Dinner At The Happy Skeleton in Books
Sep 24, 2020
For more reviews please visit https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
When I was approached by the author, I was a little bit unsure, how I am going to react to this book. Before this book, I haven’t read other books about gay guys, but because I like to read different types of books (you will not know whether you like it until you try it), I decided to give this book a go, and I had very educational experience with this novel.
The blurb above described this novel very very accurately. The main character in this novel is Dan, and the whole book was told from Dan’s perspective. I really liked Dan’s personality in this book, I think he is very believable, funny, nice person, and I would like to have a friend like Dan.
The whole narrative of this book felt a lot like a diary. I really enjoyed reading not only Dan’s present life events but also, his memories about his ex-boyfriend, who brought Dan a lot of trust issues. As a person, who knows very little about gay people’s lives, I found this book very educational. I learned about gay guys lifestyle, and it was very interesting to have an insight into how they feel. This book for me felt a lot like reading a Chick lit book, but instead of a girl telling a story, it was a guy. (I hope you get what I mean…) The whole story is flowing very evenly, and I was missing the depth in this book, some deep conflict, which Dan could battle. The whole plot of this book has very close resemblance with author’s bio down below, so I strongly believe, that there are some true facts and stories which author shared in this novel, and it just increased my curiosity, of which parts are true, and which ones are fictional.
The writing style of this book is really pleasant and I really enjoyed how Chris Chalmers portrayed all the little details about London, Dan’s personal feelings and interesting experiences. The chapters used in this novel are pretty short, so it was easy to read and it didn’t leave me bored. I would like to throw in a DISCLAIMER, that there is quite a lot of sex scenes/ talks in this book. The ending of this novel left me satisfied, as it is well deserved and rounds up this book really nicely. So, to conclude, it was a very interesting experience for me, where I got to feed my curiosity, and read some pretty interesting stories, which could’ve been based on true facts, and I do recommend to give it a try, you never know, you might enjoy it. 🙂
Was given this book by the author for an honest review.
When I was approached by the author, I was a little bit unsure, how I am going to react to this book. Before this book, I haven’t read other books about gay guys, but because I like to read different types of books (you will not know whether you like it until you try it), I decided to give this book a go, and I had very educational experience with this novel.
The blurb above described this novel very very accurately. The main character in this novel is Dan, and the whole book was told from Dan’s perspective. I really liked Dan’s personality in this book, I think he is very believable, funny, nice person, and I would like to have a friend like Dan.
The whole narrative of this book felt a lot like a diary. I really enjoyed reading not only Dan’s present life events but also, his memories about his ex-boyfriend, who brought Dan a lot of trust issues. As a person, who knows very little about gay people’s lives, I found this book very educational. I learned about gay guys lifestyle, and it was very interesting to have an insight into how they feel. This book for me felt a lot like reading a Chick lit book, but instead of a girl telling a story, it was a guy. (I hope you get what I mean…) The whole story is flowing very evenly, and I was missing the depth in this book, some deep conflict, which Dan could battle. The whole plot of this book has very close resemblance with author’s bio down below, so I strongly believe, that there are some true facts and stories which author shared in this novel, and it just increased my curiosity, of which parts are true, and which ones are fictional.
The writing style of this book is really pleasant and I really enjoyed how Chris Chalmers portrayed all the little details about London, Dan’s personal feelings and interesting experiences. The chapters used in this novel are pretty short, so it was easy to read and it didn’t leave me bored. I would like to throw in a DISCLAIMER, that there is quite a lot of sex scenes/ talks in this book. The ending of this novel left me satisfied, as it is well deserved and rounds up this book really nicely. So, to conclude, it was a very interesting experience for me, where I got to feed my curiosity, and read some pretty interesting stories, which could’ve been based on true facts, and I do recommend to give it a try, you never know, you might enjoy it. 🙂
Was given this book by the author for an honest review.
Nikki Massey (8 KP) rated In the Midst of Life in Books
Feb 7, 2019
When I picked up this book to read, it was because I wanted something far removed from what I would normally turn to. Usually I'm very much a 'chick-lit' reader. But I've been finding these magazine/tabloid style novels all follow the same formula and are so predictable. Time for something new.
I hadn't previously heard of Jennifer Worth but was aware of Call the Midwife, although I hadn't read it or seen the series.
These memoirs show what a full and rewarding life Jennifer has lived. A simple and loving life, but she made quite an impact. The way Jennifer can recall so many interesting characters, people and tales from over the years during her nursing career just goes to show how much she cared. Plus the fact that she obviously inspired her nieces to follow her footsteps in the career path.
She talks about her experiences with life and death and how procedures, and perhaps opinions, have changed in her lifetime.
It often gave a very detail and graphic insight to health problems and what occurs in the lead up to end of life as we know it. I have had health issues myself, so to me this didn't come across as too out of the ordinary or gruesome but I can understand that it might be quite horrific to others.
In reading this book I feel more of a sense of calm of what I will one day face. We all will die. This is a fact. Whether it comes about from some unfortunate accident or illness or simply 'growing old' we will all one day breathe our last breath.
It gives new incentive to make the most of life and those we share it with.
I had always seen death as something terrifying. I felt that dying was a personal event and that the individual should be allowed privacy. I felt this gave the most dignity. But I now believe I was wrong. You repeatedly hear how having a loved one there can bring on a sense of calm and peace. It is a very spiritual, and almost intimate time, that helps both the one who is passing and the people left behind.
I would recommend this book to everyone who works in the medical field. I have seen time and time again the heartless doctors Jennifer talks about but the caring nurses and assistants who brighten your day.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has had medical issues. It gives a sense of calm about death when you know your life expectancy isn't quite as long as you had hoped.
I would recommend this book to those with depression or suicidal feelings. I have been suffering myself for the past year but reading this helped me see that others are suffering more than myself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a heart and soul. It is a very touching read.
I hadn't previously heard of Jennifer Worth but was aware of Call the Midwife, although I hadn't read it or seen the series.
These memoirs show what a full and rewarding life Jennifer has lived. A simple and loving life, but she made quite an impact. The way Jennifer can recall so many interesting characters, people and tales from over the years during her nursing career just goes to show how much she cared. Plus the fact that she obviously inspired her nieces to follow her footsteps in the career path.
She talks about her experiences with life and death and how procedures, and perhaps opinions, have changed in her lifetime.
It often gave a very detail and graphic insight to health problems and what occurs in the lead up to end of life as we know it. I have had health issues myself, so to me this didn't come across as too out of the ordinary or gruesome but I can understand that it might be quite horrific to others.
In reading this book I feel more of a sense of calm of what I will one day face. We all will die. This is a fact. Whether it comes about from some unfortunate accident or illness or simply 'growing old' we will all one day breathe our last breath.
It gives new incentive to make the most of life and those we share it with.
I had always seen death as something terrifying. I felt that dying was a personal event and that the individual should be allowed privacy. I felt this gave the most dignity. But I now believe I was wrong. You repeatedly hear how having a loved one there can bring on a sense of calm and peace. It is a very spiritual, and almost intimate time, that helps both the one who is passing and the people left behind.
I would recommend this book to everyone who works in the medical field. I have seen time and time again the heartless doctors Jennifer talks about but the caring nurses and assistants who brighten your day.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has had medical issues. It gives a sense of calm about death when you know your life expectancy isn't quite as long as you had hoped.
I would recommend this book to those with depression or suicidal feelings. I have been suffering myself for the past year but reading this helped me see that others are suffering more than myself.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has a heart and soul. It is a very touching read.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Paris Secret in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The Paris Secret</i> is Karen Swan’s latest contemporary novel of light mystery, surprises and a hint of romance. A rich family man in France has recently learnt of an abandoned apartment belonging to his long-deceased father. What was even more astonishing was the discovery that the place is stacked top to bottom with famous artwork. Flora Sykes, a British Fine Art Agent, is hired to tell the family more about their newfound possessions.
Although Flora comes from a wealthy family, the opulence of the Vermeil family is overwhelming. Despite the initial welcoming, Flora is disconcerted by the behaviour of their rotten daughter, Natascha, and terse yet handsome son, Xavier. Feeling like she is already unwanted, things get worse after her research exposes a devastating secret about the family’s history. Fearing she is to blame for the Vermeil’s downfall, Flora tries to focus on her work, but her confusing feelings towards Xavier are driving her to distraction.
For art lovers, <i>The Paris Secret</i> will hold great appeal. A vast amount of research has gone into the novel to be able to include such detail about famous painters, artwork, auctions and much more. While the story primarily focuses on said topic, there is also the added touch of romance developing in the latter stages as well as a continuous theme of brotherly sisterly bonds.
A real-life scenario in which a Paris apartment was discovered after being shut up since the Second World War inspired Karen Swan to write this enthralling story. Using this as the bare bones, Swan tried to imagine what the discovery would have been like for the family, how it would alter their futures, and most importantly what it would change about the knowledge of their history. What emerges is a gripping book that emphasizes the importance of family, prejudices and the continued effects of past war.
In a way,<i> The Paris Secret</i> can be viewed as a piece of Chick Lit – it is about a twenty something woman who has never been in love. On the other hand, is there enough romance for it to sit comfortable under this heading? Perhaps not, but that helps to improve the overall storyline. The inevitable romance scenes do not detract from the Art History plot, thankfully limiting the amount of pages some readers may find uncomfortable.
In all honesty you will need to have a little interest, or enough knowledge of the fine art world to get the most out of this book. Although a leisurely read, <i>The Paris Secret</i> contains many highbrow topics and less of the unpretentious lovey-dovey stuff. Flora is an easy character to like and the narrative flows exceptionally well. Karen Swan is a worthy author to keep in mind when browsing for something to read.
The Paris Secret</i> is Karen Swan’s latest contemporary novel of light mystery, surprises and a hint of romance. A rich family man in France has recently learnt of an abandoned apartment belonging to his long-deceased father. What was even more astonishing was the discovery that the place is stacked top to bottom with famous artwork. Flora Sykes, a British Fine Art Agent, is hired to tell the family more about their newfound possessions.
Although Flora comes from a wealthy family, the opulence of the Vermeil family is overwhelming. Despite the initial welcoming, Flora is disconcerted by the behaviour of their rotten daughter, Natascha, and terse yet handsome son, Xavier. Feeling like she is already unwanted, things get worse after her research exposes a devastating secret about the family’s history. Fearing she is to blame for the Vermeil’s downfall, Flora tries to focus on her work, but her confusing feelings towards Xavier are driving her to distraction.
For art lovers, <i>The Paris Secret</i> will hold great appeal. A vast amount of research has gone into the novel to be able to include such detail about famous painters, artwork, auctions and much more. While the story primarily focuses on said topic, there is also the added touch of romance developing in the latter stages as well as a continuous theme of brotherly sisterly bonds.
A real-life scenario in which a Paris apartment was discovered after being shut up since the Second World War inspired Karen Swan to write this enthralling story. Using this as the bare bones, Swan tried to imagine what the discovery would have been like for the family, how it would alter their futures, and most importantly what it would change about the knowledge of their history. What emerges is a gripping book that emphasizes the importance of family, prejudices and the continued effects of past war.
In a way,<i> The Paris Secret</i> can be viewed as a piece of Chick Lit – it is about a twenty something woman who has never been in love. On the other hand, is there enough romance for it to sit comfortable under this heading? Perhaps not, but that helps to improve the overall storyline. The inevitable romance scenes do not detract from the Art History plot, thankfully limiting the amount of pages some readers may find uncomfortable.
In all honesty you will need to have a little interest, or enough knowledge of the fine art world to get the most out of this book. Although a leisurely read, <i>The Paris Secret</i> contains many highbrow topics and less of the unpretentious lovey-dovey stuff. Flora is an easy character to like and the narrative flows exceptionally well. Karen Swan is a worthy author to keep in mind when browsing for something to read.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Year of No Rules in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The blurb of this book, describes it quite accurately, however, there is way more to this book. It goes through all the parts of the relationship: love, separation, depression, acceptance and moving on.
The main characters of this book were Sasha and Kirk, later joined by Sam. The whole narrative was told only from Sasha’s perspective, so we have to believe of how Sasha portrayed them and don’t really have an insight into their personalities to judge them ourselves. Even though Sasha was the lead in this story, my favorite character in this book was Sam. I honestly liked him for his charisma, understanding nature, and all women should have a partner like him. Some of Sasha’s actions really annoyed me, it’s like watching a horror movie, where the actress is going to a dark cellar willingly when we know she is going to die. In these cases, I really want to shout to her “danger, don’t go!”/ “don’t be stupid, you are going to die!”, but the actress still does it and gets hurt in the end… Why Sasha? Why?
The whole book was divided into three parts: “The year with rules”; “After Kirk”; “The year of no rules”. In the first part, Sasha was sharing her life with Kirk. How their dates used to go, what Kirk did in the past, and how she loved to spoil him. In the second part, Sasha was telling how she was dealing (or not) with her life after Kirk walked off. She shared he sorrows, memories, and how Kirk was psychologically tormenting her even many months after their break up. (Sasha why did you allow it? WHY?) In the third part, Sasha started to gather her life again, by setting little goals to fight her major depression and finding a fantastic man.
The plot of this novel often jumped between past and present through Sasha’s memories about Kirk and their relationship. What I loved the most about this book, was the topics which McClelland discussed in this book: the danger of controlling partners; forgiving person even after grand betrayal; major depression and how people can fight it; how to deal with broken trust. I think this book can really help women who were/are in Sasha’s situation and need help, I think it could be a guide to taking those first steps to help yourself.
The writing style of this book was pleasant and really easy to read, with short chapters, which made it a great weekend read. It has a nice ending to the book, I would say realistic ending, not “happily ever after” one, which you can read in most fiction books. So, to conclude, even though there are many, many Sasha’s actions which made me question “Woman, why would you do this?”, I loved this book because it is funny, carries a strong message, and how relate-able it can be to some people. I do recommend it to all chick lit fans, and to all who are going through a nasty break up. Enjoy! :)
Was given this book by the author for honest review.
The main characters of this book were Sasha and Kirk, later joined by Sam. The whole narrative was told only from Sasha’s perspective, so we have to believe of how Sasha portrayed them and don’t really have an insight into their personalities to judge them ourselves. Even though Sasha was the lead in this story, my favorite character in this book was Sam. I honestly liked him for his charisma, understanding nature, and all women should have a partner like him. Some of Sasha’s actions really annoyed me, it’s like watching a horror movie, where the actress is going to a dark cellar willingly when we know she is going to die. In these cases, I really want to shout to her “danger, don’t go!”/ “don’t be stupid, you are going to die!”, but the actress still does it and gets hurt in the end… Why Sasha? Why?
The whole book was divided into three parts: “The year with rules”; “After Kirk”; “The year of no rules”. In the first part, Sasha was sharing her life with Kirk. How their dates used to go, what Kirk did in the past, and how she loved to spoil him. In the second part, Sasha was telling how she was dealing (or not) with her life after Kirk walked off. She shared he sorrows, memories, and how Kirk was psychologically tormenting her even many months after their break up. (Sasha why did you allow it? WHY?) In the third part, Sasha started to gather her life again, by setting little goals to fight her major depression and finding a fantastic man.
The plot of this novel often jumped between past and present through Sasha’s memories about Kirk and their relationship. What I loved the most about this book, was the topics which McClelland discussed in this book: the danger of controlling partners; forgiving person even after grand betrayal; major depression and how people can fight it; how to deal with broken trust. I think this book can really help women who were/are in Sasha’s situation and need help, I think it could be a guide to taking those first steps to help yourself.
The writing style of this book was pleasant and really easy to read, with short chapters, which made it a great weekend read. It has a nice ending to the book, I would say realistic ending, not “happily ever after” one, which you can read in most fiction books. So, to conclude, even though there are many, many Sasha’s actions which made me question “Woman, why would you do this?”, I loved this book because it is funny, carries a strong message, and how relate-able it can be to some people. I do recommend it to all chick lit fans, and to all who are going through a nasty break up. Enjoy! :)
Was given this book by the author for honest review.
Asiza Tait (139 KP) rated Where'd You Go, Bernadette? in Books
Feb 1, 2018
4.9 Stars out of 5
Bream Reading Club met tonight to review Where’d You Go Bernadette? By Maria Semple.
We all agreed that it is a brilliant book, thought provoking, satirical, profound and very well written. One thing we didn’t like was the cover of the book! It gave the impression that the target audience were those who love ‘chick lit’ or something trivial – something the book very well is not. We all agreed that we would not have picked it up if given the choice. In this case it was me who took a gamble and reserved the book and thankfully I hit upon a gem.
The book touches on many themes, the main one in our view being destruction and reconstitution. The 20 Mile House was the beginning of the destruction, of a house and a life, and it didn’t end until rebuilding truly began at the end of the book.
We saw the dilapidated state of the house at Straight Gate as a mirror for Bernadette herself. The house was barely liveable, certain areas were completely barricaded off because of being so hazardous and Bernadette’s tactics to get by in the house were the same type of skills she was using to get by in life. Ultimately the house would come down, and so does Bernadette, as only in that way can rebuilding begin.
The relationship between Bernadette and her neighbour Audrey is at once comedic and sad and perhaps even stereotypical of the super involved PTA mum not getting on with parents who are not as involved, no matter what their reasons may be. Audrey’s character is obnoxious at best but she does redeem herself and the reading club imagined that Bernadette and Audrey may get along quite well after the change in both their perspectives.
Coming to the relationship between Bernadette and Elgie (her husband) is a show of how a marriage falls apart when partners do not communicate with each other. Bernadette leans on ‘Manjula’ the virtual assistant to get normal life done and keeps it from Elgie as she knows he will only get mad about it. We found her behaviour to be reasonable considering what she had been through and was still going through. She clearly had depression, anxiety and was hiding away from life in general, especially being in trailer a great deal of the time. The only one who really understood her was Bee her daughter.
A moment in the book that irritated us badly was Elgie giving in and sleeping with this assistant. Yes, he was vulnerable and she was hero worshipping him and almost stalking him, but that is still a poor excuse and we labelled him weak willed. We also thought that perhaps in a small way he was getting back at Bernadette over her lying to him about ‘Manjula’ and exposing their identities and finances to a stranger, who in reality was not a virtual assistant but Russian criminals were posing as such.
The most steadfast relationship is between Bernadette and Bee. No matter what happens Bee with her astonishing level of maturity sees things for what they are and she is committed to Bernadette’s cause. She appears to be in denial about her mother’s disappearance but in reality she is the one who knows more than the adults.
The trip to Antarctica is where much of the hurt and miscommunication is finally resolved. Bee asks her father what the difference is between Manjula and Samantha 2 (his huge Microsoft project) which helps him to see that Bernadette’s transgression isn’t as unforgiveable as he thinks. During the trip Bee and her father’s relationships is mended, and Elgie himself finally sees hope in finding Bernadette and gives himself completely to it. Bee’s belief is completely vindicated. The happy ending is especially poignant because in Bee’s searching for her mother, Bernadette has had the time to find herself.
Bream Reading Club met tonight to review Where’d You Go Bernadette? By Maria Semple.
We all agreed that it is a brilliant book, thought provoking, satirical, profound and very well written. One thing we didn’t like was the cover of the book! It gave the impression that the target audience were those who love ‘chick lit’ or something trivial – something the book very well is not. We all agreed that we would not have picked it up if given the choice. In this case it was me who took a gamble and reserved the book and thankfully I hit upon a gem.
The book touches on many themes, the main one in our view being destruction and reconstitution. The 20 Mile House was the beginning of the destruction, of a house and a life, and it didn’t end until rebuilding truly began at the end of the book.
We saw the dilapidated state of the house at Straight Gate as a mirror for Bernadette herself. The house was barely liveable, certain areas were completely barricaded off because of being so hazardous and Bernadette’s tactics to get by in the house were the same type of skills she was using to get by in life. Ultimately the house would come down, and so does Bernadette, as only in that way can rebuilding begin.
The relationship between Bernadette and her neighbour Audrey is at once comedic and sad and perhaps even stereotypical of the super involved PTA mum not getting on with parents who are not as involved, no matter what their reasons may be. Audrey’s character is obnoxious at best but she does redeem herself and the reading club imagined that Bernadette and Audrey may get along quite well after the change in both their perspectives.
Coming to the relationship between Bernadette and Elgie (her husband) is a show of how a marriage falls apart when partners do not communicate with each other. Bernadette leans on ‘Manjula’ the virtual assistant to get normal life done and keeps it from Elgie as she knows he will only get mad about it. We found her behaviour to be reasonable considering what she had been through and was still going through. She clearly had depression, anxiety and was hiding away from life in general, especially being in trailer a great deal of the time. The only one who really understood her was Bee her daughter.
A moment in the book that irritated us badly was Elgie giving in and sleeping with this assistant. Yes, he was vulnerable and she was hero worshipping him and almost stalking him, but that is still a poor excuse and we labelled him weak willed. We also thought that perhaps in a small way he was getting back at Bernadette over her lying to him about ‘Manjula’ and exposing their identities and finances to a stranger, who in reality was not a virtual assistant but Russian criminals were posing as such.
The most steadfast relationship is between Bernadette and Bee. No matter what happens Bee with her astonishing level of maturity sees things for what they are and she is committed to Bernadette’s cause. She appears to be in denial about her mother’s disappearance but in reality she is the one who knows more than the adults.
The trip to Antarctica is where much of the hurt and miscommunication is finally resolved. Bee asks her father what the difference is between Manjula and Samantha 2 (his huge Microsoft project) which helps him to see that Bernadette’s transgression isn’t as unforgiveable as he thinks. During the trip Bee and her father’s relationships is mended, and Elgie himself finally sees hope in finding Bernadette and gives himself completely to it. Bee’s belief is completely vindicated. The happy ending is especially poignant because in Bee’s searching for her mother, Bernadette has had the time to find herself.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated The Magic of Terry Pratchett in Books
May 27, 2020
As a child who was brought up in a house of Discworld stories, with a stepfather who (still) proudly displays the Clarecraft Rincewind figurine which bears an uncanny likeness to him, and a mother who has a matching Nanny Ogg (it bears no likeness but let’s just say encompasses a couple of her characteristics), this was an ARC that I was frankly desperate to read. I have to thank Netgalley and Marc Burrows for granting me this opportunity. My opinions are enthusiastic, and entirely my own.
As a 32 year old female, mother and accountant you may be forgiven for expecting my book reviews to be based around chick-lit or classical novels and, although it is the case that I own several very well-read copies of Pride & Prejudice, I am wholly a child of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Terry Pratchett novels sit alongside George RR Martin, Terry Brooks, David Eddings and Ursula Le Guin in my house; I owned and loved Discworld computer games and probably know every word to the film Labyrinth.
It could therefore be said that I would find Marc Burrow’s biography fascinating regardless: however, I am ashamed to say that, before reading this book, I knew very little about the life of the author whose books I admire so much.
Burrows structures his writing predictably enough, running through the life of Terry Pratchett chronologically, from his working-class upbringing; his career in journalism; the progression in popularity of his novels; his knighthood all the way up to his untimely death from Alzheimer’s. However, this is where an affiliation to any standard biography ends.
It is immediately apparent that Marc Burrows is an avid Terry Pratchett fan, even without reading his foreword, due to the inclusion of footnotes: a writing style which is synonymous with Pratchett. This allows Burrows, as it did with Pratchett, to provide little notes and details which cannot be in the main text without limiting the reading experience. It also allows both authors to inject a large amount of humour into their writing.
It should also be mentioned that no book has gripped me from the introduction in a long time, although I am fairly sure no other book would use the word “crotch” before we even reach Chapter One!
‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett’ is a clever, well-informed biography which perfectly encompasses the humour of the Discworld creator whilst educating the reader of his journey to becoming the icon that he is today. I have no doubt that this has been a labour of love for Marc Burrows: when the kindle says you have 20 minutes reading time left and you have reached the bibliography, you know that a whole lot of research has been done!
Sir Terry also had the tendency to embellish his stories and this is a factor Burrows does not try to hide; highlighting when facts don't quite add up and almost analysing the situation to try and discern the truth. This was such a refreshing approach to a biography: the wool is not pulled over the eyes of the reader, nor the subject blindly believed for convenience.
It is important to note that this book transgresses the existence of Discworld and “the business with the elephant” and encompasses all of Sir Terry’s work: from short stories in the local paper to his TV documentary on assisted death.
The reader will also learn of the involvement of Rhianna Pratchett in her father’s work and discover that the “man in the hat” was not always the easiest man to work with.
I am going to need at least 3 copies upon release- can we preorder?
As a 32 year old female, mother and accountant you may be forgiven for expecting my book reviews to be based around chick-lit or classical novels and, although it is the case that I own several very well-read copies of Pride & Prejudice, I am wholly a child of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. Terry Pratchett novels sit alongside George RR Martin, Terry Brooks, David Eddings and Ursula Le Guin in my house; I owned and loved Discworld computer games and probably know every word to the film Labyrinth.
It could therefore be said that I would find Marc Burrow’s biography fascinating regardless: however, I am ashamed to say that, before reading this book, I knew very little about the life of the author whose books I admire so much.
Burrows structures his writing predictably enough, running through the life of Terry Pratchett chronologically, from his working-class upbringing; his career in journalism; the progression in popularity of his novels; his knighthood all the way up to his untimely death from Alzheimer’s. However, this is where an affiliation to any standard biography ends.
It is immediately apparent that Marc Burrows is an avid Terry Pratchett fan, even without reading his foreword, due to the inclusion of footnotes: a writing style which is synonymous with Pratchett. This allows Burrows, as it did with Pratchett, to provide little notes and details which cannot be in the main text without limiting the reading experience. It also allows both authors to inject a large amount of humour into their writing.
It should also be mentioned that no book has gripped me from the introduction in a long time, although I am fairly sure no other book would use the word “crotch” before we even reach Chapter One!
‘The Magic of Terry Pratchett’ is a clever, well-informed biography which perfectly encompasses the humour of the Discworld creator whilst educating the reader of his journey to becoming the icon that he is today. I have no doubt that this has been a labour of love for Marc Burrows: when the kindle says you have 20 minutes reading time left and you have reached the bibliography, you know that a whole lot of research has been done!
Sir Terry also had the tendency to embellish his stories and this is a factor Burrows does not try to hide; highlighting when facts don't quite add up and almost analysing the situation to try and discern the truth. This was such a refreshing approach to a biography: the wool is not pulled over the eyes of the reader, nor the subject blindly believed for convenience.
It is important to note that this book transgresses the existence of Discworld and “the business with the elephant” and encompasses all of Sir Terry’s work: from short stories in the local paper to his TV documentary on assisted death.
The reader will also learn of the involvement of Rhianna Pratchett in her father’s work and discover that the “man in the hat” was not always the easiest man to work with.
I am going to need at least 3 copies upon release- can we preorder?