Search
Search results
Hadley (567 KP) rated A Luminous Republic in Books
Aug 13, 2020
Well-written (1 more)
Unpredictable
Andres Barba's A Luminous Republic has feral children, senseless murders, and a plot that keeps the story moving enough that the reader won't want to put the book down. This story creatively combines politics, murder, fear and family - - - but the best part is, the book is unpredictable.
We first meet our main character, whose name is never given throughout the entire story, when he and his family are moving to San Cristobal because of a job opportunity. He works for the Department of Social Affairs, and has just received a promotion because he has come up with a very successful plan: " I had developed a social integration program for indigenous communities. The idea was simple and the program proved to be an effective model; it consisted of granting the indigenous exclusive rights to farm certain specific product." Our main character believes that this plan will bring the farmers more money. And he is more than happy to go back to the city where he fell in-love with his now wife, Maia - - - a violin teacher who had a daughter before meeting him, who he calls 'girl' throughout the story because she is also named Maia.
While on his way to work one day, our main character comes across one of the unknown children of the jungle, which shakes him up a bit. The unknown jungle children were known to beg at street lights for money and food, but one of the grimy, frizzy-haired boys stared the man down, only to end up giving him a very wide smile. "The boy's smile unsettled me because it confirmed that there had been a connection between us, that something had begun in me ended in him." Pretty soon after, he begins to notice these unknown jungle children running around a lot more, and that sometimes their intentions are not always innocent - - - he and the 'girl' witness an elderly woman get robbed of her groceries by a group of these children in the middle of the street in a subtle but violent way.
The unknown jungle children soon begin to rob several people,and when a police officer is killed while being attacked by them, the Mayor and the police want the children off the streets as soon as possible. Working with our main character, the former and the latter try to figure out the strange language these children use, whom may be the leader among them, and where they disappear to at night. Since the story is being told from our main character's past, the book is written like a True Crime story, with names of professionals and such being cited throughout. Our main character brings up a woman, who was a young girl at the time of the jungle children's invasion on San Cristobal: Teresa Otano, who happened to 'publish' her diary from that time, which gives readers insights into the jungle children: "Often, some of the thirty-two [jungle children], on their nightly journey back to the jungle, congregated next to Teresa's house, on one corner of Antartida Avenue. At first, Teresa, enthralled, simply makes notes, logging the days on which they appeared, whether there were three, four or five of them, what they were wearing, and so forth. She establishes patterns and identifies a few of the kids..." our main character explains to the reader.
But soon, the children cross a line that they can never come back from; being told by our main character from the view of surveillance video tapes, he describes to us that the jungle children entered a supermarket after an incident with a guard that works there, they block the entrance doors and begin to destroy items throughout the store, but the chaos quickly escalates, and two adults are murdered by the children - - - fear now holds the town in its grip, causing search parties to sweep through the dense jungle after the children fled.
But murder wasn't something new to San Cristobal, our main character explains to us that the suburbs of this area usually had a murder a week all year long, and that on the outskirts of the jungle, there were known spots for drug trafficking and assaults. What made the 'Dakota Supermarket' murders scare the town was that the residents' own children began to behave differently afterwards - - - they start to play a 'game' where they put their ears to the ground, believing that they can hear the jungle children talking to them. Our main character even walks in on the 'girl' playing this exact game. "For a second it was as if I were witnessing a ritual invented by a twelve-year-old girl, and I thought of how afraid my daughter must have felt when I found her in the bathroom that day. People often remark on the self-assured quality of the invocation, its instruction-manual tone, but I'd say that its intensity actually stems from what it dispenses: adult logic, a world that no longer serves. How could our children possibly have explained to us what they were doing? We weren't prepared for their world or their logic. Somewhere out there, underground, that dissonant sound was being sent, in code: down below, chaos. "
This phenomenon attracts the attention of money/fame seekers, which includes the Zapata children. Four siblings, ranging from the ages of five to nine, claimed that the jungle children were speaking to them through their dreams. They would make drawings from what they were told by the jungle children, but state that even they didn't know what the drawings meant. The media quickly jumped on them and put them in front of a camera, causing the family's home to be surrounded by civilians at all hours of the day and night. One night, the crowd outside becomes anxious, and breaks into the house, stealing not only the drawings from the Zapata children, but also the life savings of the family. At this point, the Zapatas had had enough, and retreat from the story altogether for reasons I won't disclose here. I can't give away much more of the book without ruining the story.
Barba's attempt at making a different kind of Lord of the Flies was done well, but the lack of emotion is felt throughout the entire story which makes the characters flat, especially our main character, who I didn't find likable in any such way. He calls a grieving woman a 'whore,' and he seems rude towards his family, especially his step-daughter.
A Luminous Republic is redeemed by is unpredictability, which is something that doesn't come along in fiction that often anymore. I enjoyed that the story was written like a True Crime novel, with fictitious documentaries, news reports and books. So, I would recommend this book to people who like True Crime and Mysteries.
We first meet our main character, whose name is never given throughout the entire story, when he and his family are moving to San Cristobal because of a job opportunity. He works for the Department of Social Affairs, and has just received a promotion because he has come up with a very successful plan: " I had developed a social integration program for indigenous communities. The idea was simple and the program proved to be an effective model; it consisted of granting the indigenous exclusive rights to farm certain specific product." Our main character believes that this plan will bring the farmers more money. And he is more than happy to go back to the city where he fell in-love with his now wife, Maia - - - a violin teacher who had a daughter before meeting him, who he calls 'girl' throughout the story because she is also named Maia.
While on his way to work one day, our main character comes across one of the unknown children of the jungle, which shakes him up a bit. The unknown jungle children were known to beg at street lights for money and food, but one of the grimy, frizzy-haired boys stared the man down, only to end up giving him a very wide smile. "The boy's smile unsettled me because it confirmed that there had been a connection between us, that something had begun in me ended in him." Pretty soon after, he begins to notice these unknown jungle children running around a lot more, and that sometimes their intentions are not always innocent - - - he and the 'girl' witness an elderly woman get robbed of her groceries by a group of these children in the middle of the street in a subtle but violent way.
The unknown jungle children soon begin to rob several people,and when a police officer is killed while being attacked by them, the Mayor and the police want the children off the streets as soon as possible. Working with our main character, the former and the latter try to figure out the strange language these children use, whom may be the leader among them, and where they disappear to at night. Since the story is being told from our main character's past, the book is written like a True Crime story, with names of professionals and such being cited throughout. Our main character brings up a woman, who was a young girl at the time of the jungle children's invasion on San Cristobal: Teresa Otano, who happened to 'publish' her diary from that time, which gives readers insights into the jungle children: "Often, some of the thirty-two [jungle children], on their nightly journey back to the jungle, congregated next to Teresa's house, on one corner of Antartida Avenue. At first, Teresa, enthralled, simply makes notes, logging the days on which they appeared, whether there were three, four or five of them, what they were wearing, and so forth. She establishes patterns and identifies a few of the kids..." our main character explains to the reader.
But soon, the children cross a line that they can never come back from; being told by our main character from the view of surveillance video tapes, he describes to us that the jungle children entered a supermarket after an incident with a guard that works there, they block the entrance doors and begin to destroy items throughout the store, but the chaos quickly escalates, and two adults are murdered by the children - - - fear now holds the town in its grip, causing search parties to sweep through the dense jungle after the children fled.
But murder wasn't something new to San Cristobal, our main character explains to us that the suburbs of this area usually had a murder a week all year long, and that on the outskirts of the jungle, there were known spots for drug trafficking and assaults. What made the 'Dakota Supermarket' murders scare the town was that the residents' own children began to behave differently afterwards - - - they start to play a 'game' where they put their ears to the ground, believing that they can hear the jungle children talking to them. Our main character even walks in on the 'girl' playing this exact game. "For a second it was as if I were witnessing a ritual invented by a twelve-year-old girl, and I thought of how afraid my daughter must have felt when I found her in the bathroom that day. People often remark on the self-assured quality of the invocation, its instruction-manual tone, but I'd say that its intensity actually stems from what it dispenses: adult logic, a world that no longer serves. How could our children possibly have explained to us what they were doing? We weren't prepared for their world or their logic. Somewhere out there, underground, that dissonant sound was being sent, in code: down below, chaos. "
This phenomenon attracts the attention of money/fame seekers, which includes the Zapata children. Four siblings, ranging from the ages of five to nine, claimed that the jungle children were speaking to them through their dreams. They would make drawings from what they were told by the jungle children, but state that even they didn't know what the drawings meant. The media quickly jumped on them and put them in front of a camera, causing the family's home to be surrounded by civilians at all hours of the day and night. One night, the crowd outside becomes anxious, and breaks into the house, stealing not only the drawings from the Zapata children, but also the life savings of the family. At this point, the Zapatas had had enough, and retreat from the story altogether for reasons I won't disclose here. I can't give away much more of the book without ruining the story.
Barba's attempt at making a different kind of Lord of the Flies was done well, but the lack of emotion is felt throughout the entire story which makes the characters flat, especially our main character, who I didn't find likable in any such way. He calls a grieving woman a 'whore,' and he seems rude towards his family, especially his step-daughter.
A Luminous Republic is redeemed by is unpredictability, which is something that doesn't come along in fiction that often anymore. I enjoyed that the story was written like a True Crime novel, with fictitious documentaries, news reports and books. So, I would recommend this book to people who like True Crime and Mysteries.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Better Part of Darkness (Charlie Madigan, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS by Kelly Gay
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Crime Thriller, Romance
Rating: 5/5
My Summary: Charlie isn’t your average detective/police officer—she works for the new futuristic law enforcement department called ITF. The world has changed since the other dimensions have been discovered. Aliens (who hate being called aliens) now live on earth with humans, and some humans possess supernatural powers. Charlie and her Siren-partner, Hank, have been working on a disastrous case—trying to track down the source and destroy a new drug that is putting people all over Atlanta in comas. But after they begin digging deeper, they discover a whole new level of their assignment: one that puts Charlie, her ex-husband, her daughter whom she loves more than anyone or anything in the whole world, everyone in Atlanta, and the rest of the world, at stake… and only Charlie Madigan can save them.
The Better Part of Darkness is a fast-paces riveting debut novel that holds you by the neck until the last page. I’ve never enjoyed science fiction so much in my life.
This book had the perfect combination of sci-fi, crime, thriller, and romance to make it an addicting read to lover of any genre. The writing makes it wonderfully plausible and incredibly witty, and the characters were the kinds that you cheered for.
Charlie was my kind of girl—totally kick-butt in every way, shape, and form. She was tough as nails, rock-hard, dedicated to her job, but she had her soft spots for those that she held closest to her.
I will be sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel of this book, titled “The Darkest Edge of Dawn.” 5 stars and two thumbs up to you, Kelly Gay: you just made my bookshelf.
Content: This book is not for the easily offended. There was language and sexual aspects of the book that make it an adult novel, though there were no sex scenes.
Recommendation: Ages 17+ to anyone who wants to read a really exceptional book.
**Thank you to Sarah from pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
~Haleyknitz
Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Crime Thriller, Romance
Rating: 5/5
My Summary: Charlie isn’t your average detective/police officer—she works for the new futuristic law enforcement department called ITF. The world has changed since the other dimensions have been discovered. Aliens (who hate being called aliens) now live on earth with humans, and some humans possess supernatural powers. Charlie and her Siren-partner, Hank, have been working on a disastrous case—trying to track down the source and destroy a new drug that is putting people all over Atlanta in comas. But after they begin digging deeper, they discover a whole new level of their assignment: one that puts Charlie, her ex-husband, her daughter whom she loves more than anyone or anything in the whole world, everyone in Atlanta, and the rest of the world, at stake… and only Charlie Madigan can save them.
The Better Part of Darkness is a fast-paces riveting debut novel that holds you by the neck until the last page. I’ve never enjoyed science fiction so much in my life.
This book had the perfect combination of sci-fi, crime, thriller, and romance to make it an addicting read to lover of any genre. The writing makes it wonderfully plausible and incredibly witty, and the characters were the kinds that you cheered for.
Charlie was my kind of girl—totally kick-butt in every way, shape, and form. She was tough as nails, rock-hard, dedicated to her job, but she had her soft spots for those that she held closest to her.
I will be sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel of this book, titled “The Darkest Edge of Dawn.” 5 stars and two thumbs up to you, Kelly Gay: you just made my bookshelf.
Content: This book is not for the easily offended. There was language and sexual aspects of the book that make it an adult novel, though there were no sex scenes.
Recommendation: Ages 17+ to anyone who wants to read a really exceptional book.
**Thank you to Sarah from pocketbooks for supplying my review copy!**
~Haleyknitz
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Matchmaker in Books
May 10, 2018
Dabney Kimball Beach is the head of the Nantucket Chamber of Commerce. She is also known as the island's resident Matchmaker. As summer begins in Nantucket, she receives an email from her ex-boyfriend some 27 years before, Clendenan Hughes, that he will be back on the island the very next day. Dabney wasn't sure what to make of this news or what she was going to do when she saw Clen again. He has been the love of her life, the father of her child and the man she was supposed to be with. But now, she is married to John "Box" Miller Beach and they have a wonderful life together on Nantucket, with their daughter Agnes who is now and adult and living her own life in New York City. But this summer is going to be one that none of them will ever forget.
I am really starting to enjoy Elin Hilderbrand's books. They are perfect for the summer and they make me want to visit Nantucket. I haven't really visited to many northern beaches always preferring to go south.
This was a cute story about a woman who had matched over 40 couples in her life. Whenever she saw people that should be together, there was a rosy aura around them that only she could see. When they weren't a match, the aura was green and murky. I'm not sure what kind of special powers she had, but it was an interesting concept. Most of Nantucket loved Dabney she was always there whenever she was needed and kind to everyone. But this summer is different. Dabney isn't herself. She thinks, it's because she is love sick with Clen being back in the picture and she is married to Box. She sneaks away from work to see Clen to see if what they had in the past can be rekindled.
My reviews are always shorter with the books that I listen to, since I don't feel as immersed in it as if I had read it myself. But I did enjoy this book and I think I'm going to read more from Ms. Hilderbrand this summer.
I am really starting to enjoy Elin Hilderbrand's books. They are perfect for the summer and they make me want to visit Nantucket. I haven't really visited to many northern beaches always preferring to go south.
This was a cute story about a woman who had matched over 40 couples in her life. Whenever she saw people that should be together, there was a rosy aura around them that only she could see. When they weren't a match, the aura was green and murky. I'm not sure what kind of special powers she had, but it was an interesting concept. Most of Nantucket loved Dabney she was always there whenever she was needed and kind to everyone. But this summer is different. Dabney isn't herself. She thinks, it's because she is love sick with Clen being back in the picture and she is married to Box. She sneaks away from work to see Clen to see if what they had in the past can be rekindled.
My reviews are always shorter with the books that I listen to, since I don't feel as immersed in it as if I had read it myself. But I did enjoy this book and I think I'm going to read more from Ms. Hilderbrand this summer.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Everything You Want Me to Be in Books
May 10, 2018
Henrietta 'Hattie' Hoffman is starting her senior year in high school. She lives in a small farming town and Minnesota and knows this is not the place for her. She has big hopes and dreams and she will stop at nothing to achieve them, even if it means deceiving others. But when Hattie turns up dead after opening night of Macbeth, there are all kinds of speculations as to why this could have happened and who could have done it. Told from the perspective of Hattie; Dell, the Chief of Police and; Peter the new English teacher. We are taken on a journey from the months leading up to Hattie's death to the months following it. Who killed Hattie and why?
From the very beginning of the book you can see that there is going to be a twist to this case. Everything is not going to be so easily spelled out for you. Just when you think you know who did it, you will find that you are wrong. I was wrong from the beginning. When it got down to the confession part I was jumping for joy because I had nailed the killer, but later I found out it was not so.
This is the first book I have read by Mindy Mejia. If her other books are similar to this, I will be reading them all.
To put it lightly, Hattie is a sociopath. Just at the title suggests she is everything everyone else wants her to be, but no one really knows her at all. She lies to her parents and her friends, being the good student, the good daughter, the loyal girlfriend, but Hattie has secrets. The first thing that shocked me about this book was not that Hattie had an affair with her high school teacher, it was how she laid out her plans to fool the whole town into believing she was the perfect girl next door. No one could have imagined what she had in store in her own mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a twisty tale.
From the very beginning of the book you can see that there is going to be a twist to this case. Everything is not going to be so easily spelled out for you. Just when you think you know who did it, you will find that you are wrong. I was wrong from the beginning. When it got down to the confession part I was jumping for joy because I had nailed the killer, but later I found out it was not so.
This is the first book I have read by Mindy Mejia. If her other books are similar to this, I will be reading them all.
To put it lightly, Hattie is a sociopath. Just at the title suggests she is everything everyone else wants her to be, but no one really knows her at all. She lies to her parents and her friends, being the good student, the good daughter, the loyal girlfriend, but Hattie has secrets. The first thing that shocked me about this book was not that Hattie had an affair with her high school teacher, it was how she laid out her plans to fool the whole town into believing she was the perfect girl next door. No one could have imagined what she had in store in her own mind.
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a twisty tale.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Nails (2017) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
If you’re looking for a film packed with clichés and continuity issues, I recommend Nails – an Irish film currently available on Netflix. I ended up watching it yesterday with my sister-in-law and while it isn’t absolutely awful, it was definitely something I won’t be watching again.
The movie begins with a bam, jumping immediately into what can be read in the above synopsis. There’s not much of a build up and the characters are awfully flat. In fact, we don’t really get much of a chance to learn anything about them other than that Dana Milgrom, the main character, is helpless and dismissed by her healthcare professionals, and Steve Milgrom is a cheating asshole (because hey, what movie does that not happen in?). There’s also a daughter, and while she plays a major role toward the end of the film, she’s fairly minor otherwise.
What bothers me most about Nails isn’t its dry characters, though. The film is riddled with continuity errors. For instance, Dana is struck by a car and hits the pavement, but her face appears to have been severely burnt after the fact. Also Dana’s broken arm somehow heals faster than her face. Similarly, her stitches don’t lighten up or begin to heal. Later, there’s a scene where she’s tossed haphazardly over a wheelchair, then magically has repositioned herself.
As for clichés, here’s a list of them:
-Creepy scenes accompanied with ear shattering music
-Borderline creeper psychiatrist
-Eric Nilsson is an “angel of mercy” that killed five children then, surprise, killed himself in the same room Dana just happens to be stuck in.
-Hospital has a prior nefarious history and record of poor choices
Steve’s affair
-The dismissal of Dana’s concerns as being a mental issue (though this does have some importance when you consider the current mental health battles, it is hugely overplayed in horror movies without actually addressing the issue itself)
This is just a short compilation of issues I found with the movie. It’s one saving grace really is the type of monster being radically different from what you usually see. I felt Nails, the entity itself, was unique enough to save this movie from a one skull rating. Nonetheless, it could have been a lot better.
The movie begins with a bam, jumping immediately into what can be read in the above synopsis. There’s not much of a build up and the characters are awfully flat. In fact, we don’t really get much of a chance to learn anything about them other than that Dana Milgrom, the main character, is helpless and dismissed by her healthcare professionals, and Steve Milgrom is a cheating asshole (because hey, what movie does that not happen in?). There’s also a daughter, and while she plays a major role toward the end of the film, she’s fairly minor otherwise.
What bothers me most about Nails isn’t its dry characters, though. The film is riddled with continuity errors. For instance, Dana is struck by a car and hits the pavement, but her face appears to have been severely burnt after the fact. Also Dana’s broken arm somehow heals faster than her face. Similarly, her stitches don’t lighten up or begin to heal. Later, there’s a scene where she’s tossed haphazardly over a wheelchair, then magically has repositioned herself.
As for clichés, here’s a list of them:
-Creepy scenes accompanied with ear shattering music
-Borderline creeper psychiatrist
-Eric Nilsson is an “angel of mercy” that killed five children then, surprise, killed himself in the same room Dana just happens to be stuck in.
-Hospital has a prior nefarious history and record of poor choices
Steve’s affair
-The dismissal of Dana’s concerns as being a mental issue (though this does have some importance when you consider the current mental health battles, it is hugely overplayed in horror movies without actually addressing the issue itself)
This is just a short compilation of issues I found with the movie. It’s one saving grace really is the type of monster being radically different from what you usually see. I felt Nails, the entity itself, was unique enough to save this movie from a one skull rating. Nonetheless, it could have been a lot better.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Blue Zone in Books
May 10, 2018
From the outside, the Rabb family looks like the perfect family. They live in an amazing house, drive nice cars, their oldest daughter is a research assistant at the local University, their son get great grades, and the youngest is a ranked squash player. Benjamin Rabb is a gold dealer, and for the past twenty years has been doing very well for his family. When Benjamin Rabb is investigated by the FBI for money laundering, fraud, and conspiracy with known drug dealers, his family is placed in the Witness Protection Program. All, except Kate, who is old enough to do her own thing. When Kate makes some interesting discoveries and strange things start to happen, she may find that her perfect family may not be just so.
This is the first solo authored book I have read by Andrew Gross. I am pleased to say that this book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning to the very end. So many different surprises and twists in this book. The book centers around Kate rabb and her life after her father has testified in court against the Mercado Family and her family has been in Witness Protection for more than a year. The thing I really like about this book is that I never knew what was going to happen next or who I could trust. Everytime you turn around, another something falls in your face that makes you yell expletives at the book. Not knowing who to believe and where to turn for help, makes a person feel lost. Kate's determination to find the truth and get her family back together, has her in the fight of her life, in more ways than one.
I listened to the audio of this book and it was read by Ilyana Kadushin. She gave an excellent performance and made me feel as if I was a part of the action. I could see the action as it played out. I can't wait to read other solo authored books by Andrew Gross. Another great author to add to my every growing list of favorites.
This is the first solo authored book I have read by Andrew Gross. I am pleased to say that this book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning to the very end. So many different surprises and twists in this book. The book centers around Kate rabb and her life after her father has testified in court against the Mercado Family and her family has been in Witness Protection for more than a year. The thing I really like about this book is that I never knew what was going to happen next or who I could trust. Everytime you turn around, another something falls in your face that makes you yell expletives at the book. Not knowing who to believe and where to turn for help, makes a person feel lost. Kate's determination to find the truth and get her family back together, has her in the fight of her life, in more ways than one.
I listened to the audio of this book and it was read by Ilyana Kadushin. She gave an excellent performance and made me feel as if I was a part of the action. I could see the action as it played out. I can't wait to read other solo authored books by Andrew Gross. Another great author to add to my every growing list of favorites.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Innocent: A Vanessa Michael Munroe Novel in Books
May 10, 2018
Vanessa Michael Munroe is one serious chick and one you don't want to mess with. When her best friend, Logan asked her for help locating his daughter, who had been taken from her mother and brought back to the cult they had grown up in, she is eager to help. She has the skill set to get the job done. Logan, along with other member of the cult, The Chosen, help with the background information to help Munroe infiltrate the Havens. Will she be able to find the girl before she is discovered? Will the ex-Chosen members use their own agendas and compromise the mission?
This is the second Vanessa Michael Munroe book I have read and the second in the series. She is a strong woman and I would not like to cross her bad side at all. She is the type of person you want to make sure you always keep on your side. She is small, but powerful and can make the strongest man, cry like a baby. This book definitely sent me on a roller coaster ride. Set mostly in Argentina, the adventure begins from the start of the book. After Logan approaches Vanessa for this mission, she dives right into it. She doesn't questions anything, she is just there to help a friend and will stop at nothing to complete the request. Inserting herself into the cult, with the promise of a healthy monetary contribution, Munroe, finds the girl and then has to plan how to remove her without them both being hurt. Once the plan is in motion, there is no turning back.
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Waiting to find out if Munroe is really as good as she claims to be. I would like to read all of the books in this series, and unfortunately, I haven't been able to read them in order the way I would prefer to do, but I am enjoying them none the less. I still haven't discovered what makes her tick and decide to learn the skills that she has, but I can't wait to find it out.
This is the second Vanessa Michael Munroe book I have read and the second in the series. She is a strong woman and I would not like to cross her bad side at all. She is the type of person you want to make sure you always keep on your side. She is small, but powerful and can make the strongest man, cry like a baby. This book definitely sent me on a roller coaster ride. Set mostly in Argentina, the adventure begins from the start of the book. After Logan approaches Vanessa for this mission, she dives right into it. She doesn't questions anything, she is just there to help a friend and will stop at nothing to complete the request. Inserting herself into the cult, with the promise of a healthy monetary contribution, Munroe, finds the girl and then has to plan how to remove her without them both being hurt. Once the plan is in motion, there is no turning back.
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Waiting to find out if Munroe is really as good as she claims to be. I would like to read all of the books in this series, and unfortunately, I haven't been able to read them in order the way I would prefer to do, but I am enjoying them none the less. I still haven't discovered what makes her tick and decide to learn the skills that she has, but I can't wait to find it out.
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated The Possibility of Everything in Books
May 25, 2018
I wanted to read this book mainly because I have been to Belize - not the touristy cruise ship parts of Belize, but the tiny towns with 100 foot long air strips and as authentic in culture as it gets. And I love to read about anyone's experiences in this beautiful country with such rich culture. I am also well aware and intrigued by the Mayan healing that goes on deep in some of the rainforests there.
Hope writes a lot of Mommy books.. which I unfortunately do not relate to - so there is push and pull of my interests here.. but I find that it just brings my curiosity out when that happens. She writes in this one, a memoir, about a journey, to take her 3-year-old daughter Maya on a “journey of faith” because she is convinced her daughters imaginary friend “Dodo” is evil. Already I’m wanting to know more.
Her and her husband take her to a shaman in Belize who practices Mayan healing arts. Her journey is rich with Belizean culture and I imagine myself back in the beautiful surroundings with nostalgia. The beautiful people, the rich history - it’s all described so colorfully.
Her book is mostly nostalgia as well, as it’s written about 10 years after the fact. “In Belize, there is a greater sense of connection to other people. It was a tremendous relief to be in a culture where people treat the spiritual dimension quite practically. This gave me the clarity I felt lacking in my life.” I love this quote, and the strength behind it. Belize just has that effect on your soul.
I wonder what I would have done in this situation. I don’t know if I would have ever taken it to this extreme, but again, not a mother. And I imagine the family structure can suffer under such circumstances as hers does with Uzi. She’s doing the best she can, but it’s hard to read the of struggles families got though when a child is “ill.”
I’m glad I read this - it was interesting, and colorful, and I found myself enthralled just waiting to find out what would happen, and if Maya would get “better."
Hope writes a lot of Mommy books.. which I unfortunately do not relate to - so there is push and pull of my interests here.. but I find that it just brings my curiosity out when that happens. She writes in this one, a memoir, about a journey, to take her 3-year-old daughter Maya on a “journey of faith” because she is convinced her daughters imaginary friend “Dodo” is evil. Already I’m wanting to know more.
Her and her husband take her to a shaman in Belize who practices Mayan healing arts. Her journey is rich with Belizean culture and I imagine myself back in the beautiful surroundings with nostalgia. The beautiful people, the rich history - it’s all described so colorfully.
Her book is mostly nostalgia as well, as it’s written about 10 years after the fact. “In Belize, there is a greater sense of connection to other people. It was a tremendous relief to be in a culture where people treat the spiritual dimension quite practically. This gave me the clarity I felt lacking in my life.” I love this quote, and the strength behind it. Belize just has that effect on your soul.
I wonder what I would have done in this situation. I don’t know if I would have ever taken it to this extreme, but again, not a mother. And I imagine the family structure can suffer under such circumstances as hers does with Uzi. She’s doing the best she can, but it’s hard to read the of struggles families got though when a child is “ill.”
I’m glad I read this - it was interesting, and colorful, and I found myself enthralled just waiting to find out what would happen, and if Maya would get “better."
Rachel King (13 KP) rated At Grave's End (Night Huntress, #3) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I find it funny that with all of the vampire books I have read over the years, I still have not tired of the theme. In this third book in the Night Huntress series, Jeaniene Frost continues to make life interesting for Cat and Bones and friends by adding a little magic to the mix, specifically from the legendary Cleopatra's daughter-turned-vampire, Patra, who also happens to be Bones's grandsire-turned-partner, Mancheres's wife. Life as a vampire only becomes more convoluted for Cat as Bones gains a few new abilities, and Cat learns why vamps are not allowed to practice magic. When they learn that Patra has sent "the grave" after Bones, I had visions of horror movies dancing in my head - and I was not that far off in my guesses. Since I am not a fan of this particular fad in fantasy fiction, I was glad that Frost depicted these paranormal creatures so horrifically.
One of the elements that I also like about this series is the humor - which Frost delivers in the form of Cat's mother, who embraces the circumstances of Cat and friends' protection with surprising relish. Without spoiling this juicy tidbit, I will say I laughed out loud when I read about the change in Cat's mother.
On the flip side, when anguish hits Cat hard, I felt her pain more than I expected to, even though I harbored doubts about what had really occurred. The emotion that Frost conveys in this section of the plot feels as real as if I felt the same loss as Cat.
There are many other interesting tidbits in the book, such as what almost occurs with Tate - and the result, Juan's decision, as well as the truce that develops between Annette and Cat. This is why I love series - side characters get more plot time, subplots can continue to mature, and I don't have to leave the imagined world behind just because I closed the book! I can't wait for the next book, Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress, Book 4).
One of the elements that I also like about this series is the humor - which Frost delivers in the form of Cat's mother, who embraces the circumstances of Cat and friends' protection with surprising relish. Without spoiling this juicy tidbit, I will say I laughed out loud when I read about the change in Cat's mother.
On the flip side, when anguish hits Cat hard, I felt her pain more than I expected to, even though I harbored doubts about what had really occurred. The emotion that Frost conveys in this section of the plot feels as real as if I felt the same loss as Cat.
There are many other interesting tidbits in the book, such as what almost occurs with Tate - and the result, Juan's decision, as well as the truce that develops between Annette and Cat. This is why I love series - side characters get more plot time, subplots can continue to mature, and I don't have to leave the imagined world behind just because I closed the book! I can't wait for the next book, Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress, Book 4).
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Silver Tomorrows in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Silver Tomorrows was a beautiful romance with wonderful characters. Emily is a modern day woman who's never felt at home in her time and is sent back to 1882 Colorado. She meets two men, Teigue and his nephew, Royle. While Teigue adopts her as his daughter and believes she's a good person, Royle refuses to see the good in her and is suspect.
I picked this up after reading a Civil War time-travel and wanted another set in the same era. Even though I'm somewhat organized, I still have books scattered around and the only time-travel romance I could find was set in post-war time, so it would have to do. I am so glad that I had this around to read!
The story unfolds marvelously and I love how logical Emily is, it's really refreshing change from a lot of romances. She doesn't try to convince them she's from the future, and really, the time-travel plays a very little part in the book. Royle is pigheaded in ignoring his feelings for what he thinks he has to do, but of course he can't fight forever (although it might seem so at times) and the chemistry between him and Emily is sizzling. I loved what Teigue added to plot and the direction the story went. I don't want to give too much away but I loved every second of it - a lot was covered, from mining in Colorado to a bit of society in post-war Williamsburg, Virginia over the course of six or so months.
For some reason I'm holding back on a perfect rating, the only thing I can think of is that I didn't get to read it in one sitting. The more I think about it though, the more I appreciate the book and how the author brought everything to life. Even if you don't like time-travel, I would recommend this because it's not an issue in the book, except for Emily finding a home and her logic. The romance is just lovely and that's why romance lovers should read it.
4.5 stars
I picked this up after reading a Civil War time-travel and wanted another set in the same era. Even though I'm somewhat organized, I still have books scattered around and the only time-travel romance I could find was set in post-war time, so it would have to do. I am so glad that I had this around to read!
The story unfolds marvelously and I love how logical Emily is, it's really refreshing change from a lot of romances. She doesn't try to convince them she's from the future, and really, the time-travel plays a very little part in the book. Royle is pigheaded in ignoring his feelings for what he thinks he has to do, but of course he can't fight forever (although it might seem so at times) and the chemistry between him and Emily is sizzling. I loved what Teigue added to plot and the direction the story went. I don't want to give too much away but I loved every second of it - a lot was covered, from mining in Colorado to a bit of society in post-war Williamsburg, Virginia over the course of six or so months.
For some reason I'm holding back on a perfect rating, the only thing I can think of is that I didn't get to read it in one sitting. The more I think about it though, the more I appreciate the book and how the author brought everything to life. Even if you don't like time-travel, I would recommend this because it's not an issue in the book, except for Emily finding a home and her logic. The romance is just lovely and that's why romance lovers should read it.
4.5 stars