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ClareR (5784 KP) rated The Beautiful Ones: A Novel in Books
Jul 22, 2022
How could I not enjoy The Beautiful Ones? It’s basically Jane Austen with added magic!
Nina has been sent to Losail for her debut into fashionable society - and more importantly, to find a husband. But the chances of her becoming one of the Beautiful Ones is remote. She has the reputation of being the Witch of Oldhouse, and struggles to control her telekinesis. Beautiful ones do not show off any gifts they might have in public.
However when Nina meets the mysterious entertainer Hector Auvray, she falls for him: his life experience and his ability to control his telekinesis. What’s more, he starts to help Nina control her own talents.
Nina is sheltered and naive. Everything she has learnt about romance has come from the pages of a book, and life just isn’t like that, especially for socialites who must marry for advantage and connections.
I could feel Nina’s frustration at her limitations (and agreed with her), and wanted so much to warn her. SO MANY TIMES!
Nina’s cousins wife is awful. Shes a sad, vindictive woman that I loved to hate.
The descriptions of clothing and etiquette were both captivating and frankly, mind blowing. I would most certainly have been a peasant- there’s no way I could have lived like that! The attention to ‘historical’ detail made me believe this could have genuinely happened. Just excellent world building!
I loved this book ❤️
Nina has been sent to Losail for her debut into fashionable society - and more importantly, to find a husband. But the chances of her becoming one of the Beautiful Ones is remote. She has the reputation of being the Witch of Oldhouse, and struggles to control her telekinesis. Beautiful ones do not show off any gifts they might have in public.
However when Nina meets the mysterious entertainer Hector Auvray, she falls for him: his life experience and his ability to control his telekinesis. What’s more, he starts to help Nina control her own talents.
Nina is sheltered and naive. Everything she has learnt about romance has come from the pages of a book, and life just isn’t like that, especially for socialites who must marry for advantage and connections.
I could feel Nina’s frustration at her limitations (and agreed with her), and wanted so much to warn her. SO MANY TIMES!
Nina’s cousins wife is awful. Shes a sad, vindictive woman that I loved to hate.
The descriptions of clothing and etiquette were both captivating and frankly, mind blowing. I would most certainly have been a peasant- there’s no way I could have lived like that! The attention to ‘historical’ detail made me believe this could have genuinely happened. Just excellent world building!
I loved this book ❤️
Merissa (12374 KP) rated My Soul Immortal (Fated Eternals #1) in Books
May 17, 2023
Don't you just love it when you get a book that is completely different from anything you have read before? I know I do, which is why I thoroughly enjoyed this story by Jen Printy. She has set up a world completely different from anything I have read before, with not a vampire or werewolf in sight. Instead, it is a whole new world, most of which you learn from Jack's point of view. This, as well, makes a nice change, to read it mainly from the male's perspective.
The writing and editing were fantastic and I didn't spot any errors in here at all. There is a lot that goes on, from how we first meet Jack, to his moving to Portland, to meeting Leah and so on. That being said, I did feel that certain parts of the book could have done with being tightened up somehow. It just felt a bit 'slow' in places, which is not a bad thing!
For a fresh and new story with excellent world-building and characters, then I can definitely recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading more in this series, as I certainly want to know how the new trainee copes!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 16, 2016
The writing and editing were fantastic and I didn't spot any errors in here at all. There is a lot that goes on, from how we first meet Jack, to his moving to Portland, to meeting Leah and so on. That being said, I did feel that certain parts of the book could have done with being tightened up somehow. It just felt a bit 'slow' in places, which is not a bad thing!
For a fresh and new story with excellent world-building and characters, then I can definitely recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading more in this series, as I certainly want to know how the new trainee copes!!
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 16, 2016
Merissa (12374 KP) rated In a New York Minute in Books
May 22, 2023
IN A NEW YORK MINUTE is a standalone with a couple of cameos but nothing that would confuse you. It is a sweet and tender story of grown-up problems and mature responses. I simply adored this story from start to finish.
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Both Garrett and Remi have their own baggage but they don't just jump off the deep end when something happens they didn't expect. They pass the time until they are able to speak privately and then work it out. I'm not saying it's all easy but communication does make things easier.
Bubbe and Grandpa Sol are both outstanding characters and I would love to see more of them. Pringle was an excellent example of prejudice that is still around today, even if the bloody Pringles catchphrase leapt into my head every time I saw his name. For him, it was certainly a case of "once you pop, you just can't stop." I really hope he got his comeuppance. Jeffrey stole my heart and I honestly NEED for them to get their story. All of the other characters are fantastic though, whether you like them or not.
A fantastic addition to Felice Steven's repertoire that I have no hesitation in recommending. Absolutely brilliant!
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 22, 2023
Merissa (12374 KP) rated Elemental Love (Warlocks #1) in Books
May 31, 2023
This book starts with the birth of Evrain, as Agatha and Gregory speak whilst they are waiting. Immediately you get a rough idea of what is going on, but as the story continues, the gaps are filled and a clear picture is given. As with everything and everyone, there is good and bad, and in this instance, Evrain is basically good, although the Wild Magic can still corrupt him. As a warlock, he needs to find his partner, the one that will steady his power and make him stronger. In Evrain's case, that turns out to be Dominic, the shy gardener that fascinates Evrain. Through circumstances beyond their control, they are forced together (although neither of them fights it much!) and a warlock makes him move against them.
In this book, you are given an excellent viewpoint of how the partnership can work, with loving and strong foundations, as with Gregory and Coryn, or you see how it can be abused, and used without love, as with Symeon and Damon. With plenty of action, romance, and humour, this is a fantastic start to the Warlocks series and one that I will be reading again. Highly recommended
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 29, 2016
In this book, you are given an excellent viewpoint of how the partnership can work, with loving and strong foundations, as with Gregory and Coryn, or you see how it can be abused, and used without love, as with Symeon and Damon. With plenty of action, romance, and humour, this is a fantastic start to the Warlocks series and one that I will be reading again. Highly recommended
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 29, 2016
ClareR (5784 KP) rated The Beholders in Books
Jan 19, 2024
This was such a good book. I felt thoroughly ill at ease throughout, and the excellent narration by Ashley Tucker, Harriet Carmichael and Elliot Fitzgerald added to that. Victorian society is always portrayed as being very primitive and proper and on the surface, the Gethins are. But dig a little deeper and there are a lot of frightening things going on in this house.
Ralph Gethin MP, owner of the house, isn’t at all what he seems, and there’s a simple explanation why all of the staff are so attractive.
Clara Gethin’s attitude towards her baby did puzzle me, though. It’s understandable that she doesn’t like her husband and what he and his friends get up to, but why she should distance herself from her baby seemed to be out of character. There would (to me) always be the hope that Clara could influence her sons attitudes towards the staff and those less fortunate and make him less swayed by his father.
Harriet’s diary entries are a really good way of showing just how claustrophobic life as a servant could be: in one house all day, every day, not even able to get fresh air in the grounds, not really able to form friendships. It sounds awful.
This was a gripping listen, made more impactful by the different narrators. I didn’t want to stop listening!
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Ralph Gethin MP, owner of the house, isn’t at all what he seems, and there’s a simple explanation why all of the staff are so attractive.
Clara Gethin’s attitude towards her baby did puzzle me, though. It’s understandable that she doesn’t like her husband and what he and his friends get up to, but why she should distance herself from her baby seemed to be out of character. There would (to me) always be the hope that Clara could influence her sons attitudes towards the staff and those less fortunate and make him less swayed by his father.
Harriet’s diary entries are a really good way of showing just how claustrophobic life as a servant could be: in one house all day, every day, not even able to get fresh air in the grounds, not really able to form friendships. It sounds awful.
This was a gripping listen, made more impactful by the different narrators. I didn’t want to stop listening!
I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2275 KP) rated Fatal Reunion in Books
Jan 28, 2025 (Updated Jan 28, 2025)
Is the Past Repeating Itself?
When a missing high school teen’s body is found in a remote area of the county, Zoe Chambers Adams has flashbacks to her senior year of high school. There are too many similarities to three teen girls who were killed all those years ago. Back then, the police had a suspect, but he committed suicide before he was charged. The killings stopped, so everyone moved on. While Zoe’s new husband, Police Chief Pete Adams, is busy looking at modern suspects and motives for the death, Zoe can’t help but wonder if a killer has been roaming free all these years. And, with her twentieth high school reunion happening, she’s wondering if the killer is in town for the event. Is what is happening today tied into what happened two decades ago?
This is another excellent book in this series. As always, Zoe and Pete share the third person narration, and that gives us insight into the characters and story. It’s great to spend time with the returning characters, and the new ones are just as well drawn. The plot grabs you from the beginning and keeps you engaged until you reach the satisfying solution. These books are not cozies, so pick them up expecting something darker, and you’ll be fine. I’m hoping to get to the next two books in this series soon. If you are looking for fantastic mysteries, you won’t be disappointed you met Zoe.
This is another excellent book in this series. As always, Zoe and Pete share the third person narration, and that gives us insight into the characters and story. It’s great to spend time with the returning characters, and the new ones are just as well drawn. The plot grabs you from the beginning and keeps you engaged until you reach the satisfying solution. These books are not cozies, so pick them up expecting something darker, and you’ll be fine. I’m hoping to get to the next two books in this series soon. If you are looking for fantastic mysteries, you won’t be disappointed you met Zoe.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire in Tabletop Games
Feb 22, 2021
Excellent Work Placement Game
The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire- is a excellent work placement game. I love work placement games and this one is one of them. Lets talk more about the game.
Players sit in the roles of countries trying to develop industry and energy production over a period of time roughly from the end of World War II to the present day. Throughout the game, players will construct buildings, power plants as dice, and manage the pollution in their environment with the aim of scoring the most points.
To begin play, the main board for Energy Empire is seeded with starting Building cards. These are divided into three different sectors: Government spaces, Industry spaces, and Commerce spaces. A set of pollution tokens, depending on the number of players, is also stacked on a track as the game timer.
Once the game begins, it flows continuously without rounds. Each player chooses, on their turn, to take a Work Turn or a Generate Turn.
Work Turn- During this type of turn, players must place a single worker on the main board on one of the spaces which represent activities and resources to collect. For example, this may be gaining science, steel, or purchasing oil. Afterwards, depending on which sector the player placed their worker, they can activate any previously purchased buildings, assuming they have enough workers and/or energy. Players can also activate their nation card and move up on the United Nations track, which is a pure competition for end game points. Energy is also used if a player wishes to place a worker on a space occupied by another worker. The player must place additional energy under the worker until their placement stack is larger than any other already placed.
Generate Turn: This type of turn represents the player resetting their work potential for a new set of placing workers. They do this by first potentially collecting an achievement which represents end game points for a variety of goals. They then recall any workers to their Player Mat and discard all Energy tokens. Players can also spend any oil resources to gain oil power plant dice. Finally the player rolls any or all power plant dice they have. This might include Solar/Wind (green dice), Hydro Power (blue dice, limited to one per player), Coal (black dice), and Nuclear (yellow dice). The resulting number of lightning bolts on the dice are delivered as energy tokens to the player. If a clean energy source rolled the highest cardinal number, the player does not collect pollution. If coal, oil, or nuclear dice resulted in the highest number, then the player places a single pollution token into their environment. Players continue this process one after another until a predesignated number of pollution tokens are removed from the game. Players get one final turn and then points are tallied. Players receive points for keeping their player mat free of pollution, building power plants, the United Nations track, and various points for each building constructed.
The most engaging part of the game and the main reason to seek it out, comes from the theme of global power intrigue. The building cards show off the exceptional art in the game.
Manhattan Project: Energy Empire Cards
The global impact cards for the first half of the game are green with a milder impact. Once they go red, prepare for some serious negative events. On top of this theme, the actions associated with everything in the game fit just right. The concept in game actions connect directly to the theme concept. In addition, the country actions to move up on the United Nations track also represent the tone and success formulas for those countries. The mechanism for rolling dice to gain energy and how much pollution is delivered feels just perfect given the competing goals of clean environments and high energy production.
The worker placement mechanism itself (largest stack among existing workers) is not new, but it is just the right mechanism to promote the overall feeling of energy competition. Choosing the space on which to place a worker is highly engaging and the choices tense to maximize efficiency. It is easy to connect with both strategy and tactics in this game.
Even with this engagement, it is also easy to see optimal routes for gaining points assuming opponents follow their strategies. It’s not “easy”, but it is possible to not even worry about opponents blocking a particular path to victory with low numbers of players.
Its a excellent work placement game. One i highly recordmend getting and play.
Players sit in the roles of countries trying to develop industry and energy production over a period of time roughly from the end of World War II to the present day. Throughout the game, players will construct buildings, power plants as dice, and manage the pollution in their environment with the aim of scoring the most points.
To begin play, the main board for Energy Empire is seeded with starting Building cards. These are divided into three different sectors: Government spaces, Industry spaces, and Commerce spaces. A set of pollution tokens, depending on the number of players, is also stacked on a track as the game timer.
Once the game begins, it flows continuously without rounds. Each player chooses, on their turn, to take a Work Turn or a Generate Turn.
Work Turn- During this type of turn, players must place a single worker on the main board on one of the spaces which represent activities and resources to collect. For example, this may be gaining science, steel, or purchasing oil. Afterwards, depending on which sector the player placed their worker, they can activate any previously purchased buildings, assuming they have enough workers and/or energy. Players can also activate their nation card and move up on the United Nations track, which is a pure competition for end game points. Energy is also used if a player wishes to place a worker on a space occupied by another worker. The player must place additional energy under the worker until their placement stack is larger than any other already placed.
Generate Turn: This type of turn represents the player resetting their work potential for a new set of placing workers. They do this by first potentially collecting an achievement which represents end game points for a variety of goals. They then recall any workers to their Player Mat and discard all Energy tokens. Players can also spend any oil resources to gain oil power plant dice. Finally the player rolls any or all power plant dice they have. This might include Solar/Wind (green dice), Hydro Power (blue dice, limited to one per player), Coal (black dice), and Nuclear (yellow dice). The resulting number of lightning bolts on the dice are delivered as energy tokens to the player. If a clean energy source rolled the highest cardinal number, the player does not collect pollution. If coal, oil, or nuclear dice resulted in the highest number, then the player places a single pollution token into their environment. Players continue this process one after another until a predesignated number of pollution tokens are removed from the game. Players get one final turn and then points are tallied. Players receive points for keeping their player mat free of pollution, building power plants, the United Nations track, and various points for each building constructed.
The most engaging part of the game and the main reason to seek it out, comes from the theme of global power intrigue. The building cards show off the exceptional art in the game.
Manhattan Project: Energy Empire Cards
The global impact cards for the first half of the game are green with a milder impact. Once they go red, prepare for some serious negative events. On top of this theme, the actions associated with everything in the game fit just right. The concept in game actions connect directly to the theme concept. In addition, the country actions to move up on the United Nations track also represent the tone and success formulas for those countries. The mechanism for rolling dice to gain energy and how much pollution is delivered feels just perfect given the competing goals of clean environments and high energy production.
The worker placement mechanism itself (largest stack among existing workers) is not new, but it is just the right mechanism to promote the overall feeling of energy competition. Choosing the space on which to place a worker is highly engaging and the choices tense to maximize efficiency. It is easy to connect with both strategy and tactics in this game.
Even with this engagement, it is also easy to see optimal routes for gaining points assuming opponents follow their strategies. It’s not “easy”, but it is possible to not even worry about opponents blocking a particular path to victory with low numbers of players.
Its a excellent work placement game. One i highly recordmend getting and play.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated 2012 (2009) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Roland Emmerich does big budget disaster flicks as well as Dairylea does cheese. However, some of his most recent attempts to dominate the box office have been panned by viewers and critics alike, who say that he has become too reliant on special effects.
Unfortunately, those critics better look away now, as his new film is the biggest yet.
2012 takes place, well, in 2012 for the most part and features an array of big Hollywood names attracted none the less by the huge box office forecasts for the film. The premise is simple; here comes the end of the world and god should we run!
With a reported budget of over $200m which is more than Michael Bay spent on his worldwide smash Transformers: Revenge of the fallen, Emmerich was certainly able to splash out on some eye popping CGI.
2012 reads like The Day After Tomorrow on a steroid, which is no bad thing, but that film had some hideously underdeveloped characters and lacked the depth needed to allow viewers to share compassion for the people who had been affected by the global crisis.
Thankfully it seems that Emmerich has learnt his lesson here and has provided us with a back-story and it comes in many different forms. Thandie Newton and Danny Glover play president’s daughter and president respectively, a great deal of emotion has gone into writing these two characters and their on-screen scenes together, albeit a small amount, are wonderful.
John Cusack and Amanda Peet play divorced parents Jackson and Kate, only united by the love they share for their two young children and predictably later on in the film, a few deeper emotions. Unfortunately these two share no chemistry together and their on-screen scenes are flawed as a result.
2012 doesn’t have a huge deal of character development but it does improve on what was seen in The Day After Tomorrow and more recently, 10,000BC, with a deeper understanding of the characters. It ultimately succeeds in making the viewers share compassion for even the heartless characters in the film.
Moving on to the saving grace of all disaster films; the special effects, fans of major cities being destroyed are going to be pleased here with some eye-watering action pieces really showing why perhaps Emmerich overshadows even Michael Bay and has become the king of destroying anything that can be destroyed. There are a few questionable scenes, which look rather less than realistic, but this is a small point that doesn’t need to be taken into account.
Whilst all this may seem excellent, it all feels familiar, it’s all been seen and done before, so in reality 2012 adds nothing new to the genre which is unfortunate because it really is an excellent film.
Overall, 2012 is a mouth-watering treat in cinema engineering, apart from some lapses in scientific accuracy and some shaky special effects; it surpasses The Day After Tomorrow and similar disaster films by sheer depth. On the downside it adds nothing new to the formula, but if you want sheer popcorn fodder then please, look no further.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/18/2012-2009/
Unfortunately, those critics better look away now, as his new film is the biggest yet.
2012 takes place, well, in 2012 for the most part and features an array of big Hollywood names attracted none the less by the huge box office forecasts for the film. The premise is simple; here comes the end of the world and god should we run!
With a reported budget of over $200m which is more than Michael Bay spent on his worldwide smash Transformers: Revenge of the fallen, Emmerich was certainly able to splash out on some eye popping CGI.
2012 reads like The Day After Tomorrow on a steroid, which is no bad thing, but that film had some hideously underdeveloped characters and lacked the depth needed to allow viewers to share compassion for the people who had been affected by the global crisis.
Thankfully it seems that Emmerich has learnt his lesson here and has provided us with a back-story and it comes in many different forms. Thandie Newton and Danny Glover play president’s daughter and president respectively, a great deal of emotion has gone into writing these two characters and their on-screen scenes together, albeit a small amount, are wonderful.
John Cusack and Amanda Peet play divorced parents Jackson and Kate, only united by the love they share for their two young children and predictably later on in the film, a few deeper emotions. Unfortunately these two share no chemistry together and their on-screen scenes are flawed as a result.
2012 doesn’t have a huge deal of character development but it does improve on what was seen in The Day After Tomorrow and more recently, 10,000BC, with a deeper understanding of the characters. It ultimately succeeds in making the viewers share compassion for even the heartless characters in the film.
Moving on to the saving grace of all disaster films; the special effects, fans of major cities being destroyed are going to be pleased here with some eye-watering action pieces really showing why perhaps Emmerich overshadows even Michael Bay and has become the king of destroying anything that can be destroyed. There are a few questionable scenes, which look rather less than realistic, but this is a small point that doesn’t need to be taken into account.
Whilst all this may seem excellent, it all feels familiar, it’s all been seen and done before, so in reality 2012 adds nothing new to the genre which is unfortunate because it really is an excellent film.
Overall, 2012 is a mouth-watering treat in cinema engineering, apart from some lapses in scientific accuracy and some shaky special effects; it surpasses The Day After Tomorrow and similar disaster films by sheer depth. On the downside it adds nothing new to the formula, but if you want sheer popcorn fodder then please, look no further.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2010/10/18/2012-2009/
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Read Me Like a Book in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Ashleigh Walker's life is crumbling around her. Her parents are fighting constantly, she's not doing well in school, and her boyfriend, Dylan, doesn't exactly make her heart sing. Suddenly, the one bright spot in Ash's life becomes her new English teacher, Miss Murray. Young and hip, Miss Murray engages Ash in a way she's never felt before. She's even joined the debate club, for pete's sake, and started working hard on her English submissions. But there's more to it than that. Miss Murray makes Ash feel something else. If she really admits it, Miss Murray makes Ash feel what Dylan (and other boys) should. Is something wrong with Ash? And more importantly, Ash starts to think... does Miss Murray feel the same way?
This is a lovely gem of a book. It's the perfect blend of heartbreaking and funny. Kessler, who, as I mentioned, has previously written a series of books for young teens, expertly captures the older teen voice in this novel (which was actually her first book, finally published and updated for the more modern, digital era). She creates a picture as she writes, allowing you to vividly imagine her multi-faceted and complicated characters. Ash is no one-dimensional teen: she's intricate and her own person. As she deals with the agony of her parents' own issues, plus her own inner angst about her love life, your heart goes out to the girl.
Kessler easily paints the angst one feels when in love with a teacher, especially if LGBT - coupled with the delusion that comes with youth, no matter your sexual orientation. Ash's feelings are so real, so strong, and she seems so alone. It's an excellent portrayal of what young teens go through as they wrestle with their sexuality (believe me, I know; it took me back to some tough times in high school).
If anything, some of the resolution is a little too easy, a bit quick and forced at times, but it really doesn't diminish from the force of the book. Watching Ash grow up before our eyes is rather magical. There are some excellent comedic portions from the novel to balance out the heaviness, coupled with a great supporting cast of characters, including Ash's best friend, Cat, and some other youth she meets via school, family, and friends. The novel is perfect for teens struggling with their own sexuality, or needing to see someone "like them" in print, and those looking to support a LGBT best friend, but should also be given to parents of those teens -- as Ash's parents play a role in the story as well.
Overall, I found myself completely wrapped in Ash's coming of age (and coming out) tale. Books with a true to life, multi-dimensional lesbian heroine are still sadly hard to come by, it seems, but Kessler's novel certainly tries to change that.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This is a lovely gem of a book. It's the perfect blend of heartbreaking and funny. Kessler, who, as I mentioned, has previously written a series of books for young teens, expertly captures the older teen voice in this novel (which was actually her first book, finally published and updated for the more modern, digital era). She creates a picture as she writes, allowing you to vividly imagine her multi-faceted and complicated characters. Ash is no one-dimensional teen: she's intricate and her own person. As she deals with the agony of her parents' own issues, plus her own inner angst about her love life, your heart goes out to the girl.
Kessler easily paints the angst one feels when in love with a teacher, especially if LGBT - coupled with the delusion that comes with youth, no matter your sexual orientation. Ash's feelings are so real, so strong, and she seems so alone. It's an excellent portrayal of what young teens go through as they wrestle with their sexuality (believe me, I know; it took me back to some tough times in high school).
If anything, some of the resolution is a little too easy, a bit quick and forced at times, but it really doesn't diminish from the force of the book. Watching Ash grow up before our eyes is rather magical. There are some excellent comedic portions from the novel to balance out the heaviness, coupled with a great supporting cast of characters, including Ash's best friend, Cat, and some other youth she meets via school, family, and friends. The novel is perfect for teens struggling with their own sexuality, or needing to see someone "like them" in print, and those looking to support a LGBT best friend, but should also be given to parents of those teens -- as Ash's parents play a role in the story as well.
Overall, I found myself completely wrapped in Ash's coming of age (and coming out) tale. Books with a true to life, multi-dimensional lesbian heroine are still sadly hard to come by, it seems, but Kessler's novel certainly tries to change that.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Secret Place in Books
Feb 13, 2018
The fifth installment in Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad series reintroduces some familiar faces, notably Holly Mackey, Frank Mackey, and Stephen Moran from French's [b:Faithful Place|7093952|Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #3)|Tana French|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1291165900s/7093952.jpg|7350661]. Detective Moran is toiling away in Cold Cases, dreaming of joining the Murder Squad, when Holly shows up. She holds in her hand a card reading "I know who killed him," featuring a photo of Chris Harper, a handsome boy from a private school who was killed a year ago. Suddenly, Stephen finds himself inserted into the middle of St. Kilda's School, Holly's private all-girls' school, the neighborhood school to Chris', and the place where his body was found. Stephen joins up with the Murder Squad's Detective Antoinette Conway, one of the original leads on Chris' case, to find out what happened. But Stephen quickly realizes that Antoinette isn't a popular figure in the Squad, and that the girls of St. Kilda's are a tight-knit, complicated bunch whose interconnected relationships present Conway and Moran many obstacles in finding Chris' killer. Can they find the killer before the girls close ranks for good?
This was a typical Tana French mystery in many ways. This novel is compelling, as always, featuring thoughtful and reflective characters and a detailed, well-plotted mystery. The story is told in alternating chapters by Stephen (in the present-day) and then flashes back to various sections told by the girls of St. Kilda's, who are telling bits of the story leading up to Chris' death. It's an excellent technique because Stephen's portion covers basically 24 hours, as he and Antoinette rush to solve the crime before the girls can cover their tracks once and for all. But by going into the past, French effectively builds suspense and allows us to meet the various teens in her tale (about eight in all, which is a lot at times).
Overall, she does an good job of capturing teen culture: particularly, I'm sure, the culture of British teens in boarding school (shockingly, something I'm not too familiar with). While the descriptions of the girls gets a little tedious (a lot of blond, straightened hair), their personalities are clear and develop easily over the course of the novel. The commentary on the bonds of teen friendship is excellent. For me, Stephen wasn't one of my all-time favorite French protagonists, but I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Conway and how the window into their lives is basically less than 24 hours.
The mystery portion was a little less enjoyable for me than some of French's other novels and a bit of a let down at the end, but it was still a great read. One of my favorite things about French's books is how they easily transport you into another world while reading--you find yourself lost in the characters and their world--and this one was no exception. 3.5 strong stars. I'm looking forward to her next novel, which is supposed to feature Conway again.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;
This was a typical Tana French mystery in many ways. This novel is compelling, as always, featuring thoughtful and reflective characters and a detailed, well-plotted mystery. The story is told in alternating chapters by Stephen (in the present-day) and then flashes back to various sections told by the girls of St. Kilda's, who are telling bits of the story leading up to Chris' death. It's an excellent technique because Stephen's portion covers basically 24 hours, as he and Antoinette rush to solve the crime before the girls can cover their tracks once and for all. But by going into the past, French effectively builds suspense and allows us to meet the various teens in her tale (about eight in all, which is a lot at times).
Overall, she does an good job of capturing teen culture: particularly, I'm sure, the culture of British teens in boarding school (shockingly, something I'm not too familiar with). While the descriptions of the girls gets a little tedious (a lot of blond, straightened hair), their personalities are clear and develop easily over the course of the novel. The commentary on the bonds of teen friendship is excellent. For me, Stephen wasn't one of my all-time favorite French protagonists, but I enjoyed the dynamic between him and Conway and how the window into their lives is basically less than 24 hours.
The mystery portion was a little less enjoyable for me than some of French's other novels and a bit of a let down at the end, but it was still a great read. One of my favorite things about French's books is how they easily transport you into another world while reading--you find yourself lost in the characters and their world--and this one was no exception. 3.5 strong stars. I'm looking forward to her next novel, which is supposed to feature Conway again.
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>;