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Starboard (Voyagers #2)
10.0
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Dylan: I’ve lived my adult life under the Hollywood spotlight, but no one really sees who I am....
Contemporary MM Romance
D.B. and Me
Book
In the gripping tale of D.B. and Me, the enigmatic hijacker, D.B. Cooper, parachutes into the...
Contemporary MM Romance True Crime Suspense Mystery
tapestry100 (306 KP) rated The Queen of the Night in Books
Aug 2, 2017
I'm not really sure what to say about Alexander Chee's novel The Queen of the Night other than it is magnificent. A sprawling, epic tale that put me in mind of Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha, we follow Paris Opera sensation Lilliet Berne as she recounts her life from her humble beginnings as an orphaned American child, who tried to make her way to Europe to the only family she new of after the death of her family and ended up being swept up by one circumstance after another into the spectacle that was the Second French Empire. We follow her life from her time with a traveling circus, to becoming a prostitute in one of Paris' more prestigious whorehouses, to her time as a dresser for Empress Eugénie de Montijo at the Tuileries, until she finally makes her debut at the French Opera. Through this tale, she is trying to discover who might know of her secrets, as each time she took on a new role, she also cast off her old life and name and reinvented herself at each turn, trying to finally free herself from her own past and come into the life that she wants for herself.
Chee seems to have thoroughly researched his setting for Lillet's journey, and his writing is strong and precise. Lilliet's life is quite an adventure, but it never seems to be dull, and I never felt like I was wishing that her tale would hurry along. I listened to the audio version, and Lisa Flanagan's narration is spot on; she truly became the voice of Lilliet for me. The only thing that I added to my own listening of the book that I think could possibly benefit other readers is that I listened to selections of the operas and other musical pieces that are mentioned in the book, to add that next level of enjoyment to the story.
Chee is an extraordinary storyteller and I'll definitely be reading more by him in the future.
Chee seems to have thoroughly researched his setting for Lillet's journey, and his writing is strong and precise. Lilliet's life is quite an adventure, but it never seems to be dull, and I never felt like I was wishing that her tale would hurry along. I listened to the audio version, and Lisa Flanagan's narration is spot on; she truly became the voice of Lilliet for me. The only thing that I added to my own listening of the book that I think could possibly benefit other readers is that I listened to selections of the operas and other musical pieces that are mentioned in the book, to add that next level of enjoyment to the story.
Chee is an extraordinary storyteller and I'll definitely be reading more by him in the future.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2387 KP) rated Becoming Superman in Books
Aug 10, 2019
Leaving Behind a Past of Kryptonite
In this book, author J. Michael Stracyznski (JMS to his fans) tells the story of his family and his life. Starting with his grandparents, he gives us some background before telling us about his childhood under an abusive father and a distant mother. In between moving every few months to stay ahead of creditors, JMS discovered ways to escape via TV shows, comic books, and science fiction. As he discovered the power of words, he vowed to become a writer. That desire eventually lead him to a career in comic books and in Hollywood on such things as He-Man; She-Ra; The Real Ghostbusters; Babylon 5; Murder, She Wrote; Sense8; and the movies Changeling, Thor, and World War Z.
I picked up this book because I am an obsessive Babylon 5 fan. Those picking it up for lots of Hollywood behind the scenes stories will be disappoint, although we do get some in the second half. Instead, it is more a story of his family, their secrets, and how they impacted his life. At times, it is a hard read. JMS’s life for his first 20 plus years was not easy or fun. But, ultimately, this is a story of triumph as he works to overcome his baggage. It is a powerful story that proves where you start doesn’t have to be where you finish if you are willing to take responsibility for yourself, your actions, and your choices, something we need more of in our society today. I think this book will change my view of Babylon 5 the next time I watch it, something I need to do soon as I think knowing the man behind the story will make some things mean more and be even more powerful. This is not light reading, but it is powerful reading and worth the time spent in the book.
I picked up this book because I am an obsessive Babylon 5 fan. Those picking it up for lots of Hollywood behind the scenes stories will be disappoint, although we do get some in the second half. Instead, it is more a story of his family, their secrets, and how they impacted his life. At times, it is a hard read. JMS’s life for his first 20 plus years was not easy or fun. But, ultimately, this is a story of triumph as he works to overcome his baggage. It is a powerful story that proves where you start doesn’t have to be where you finish if you are willing to take responsibility for yourself, your actions, and your choices, something we need more of in our society today. I think this book will change my view of Babylon 5 the next time I watch it, something I need to do soon as I think knowing the man behind the story will make some things mean more and be even more powerful. This is not light reading, but it is powerful reading and worth the time spent in the book.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The Madwoman Upstairs in Books
Dec 21, 2018
I thought this sounded a really interesting idea, modern day woman, descended from the Bronte family uncovers secrets from the history of her family. While I didn't dislike it, I didn't really love it either. For about the first half of the book I found it a bit of a struggle as I found the protagonist, Samantha Whipple, rather hard to like. I'm not even sure I liked her that much by the end of the book to be honest.
Samantha has had rather an odd upbringing, which would account for some of her strangeness. We see her early on arriving at a fictional Oxford college to study English Literature although she seems to hate practically all writers and seems incapable of constructing a reasonable critical argument! She is rather like a spoilt child, and as such I found her hard to like. I'm also pretty good at suspending my disbelief but it takes some stretch of the imagination to accept that someone like Samantha would have been able to gain a place on an English Literature course at an Oxford college! Or that she would be housed on the fifth floor of a tower with no windows in her room and apparently there is only a bathroom on the ground floor. Must have been a bit of an issue when she sprained her ankle, but this is glossed over.
Samantha's tutor is a young, handsome (naturally!) Englishman with the unlikely name of Dr James Timothy Orville III. For most of the book he is referred to simply as 'Orville'. If you are of my generation you might understand why this seemed a bit off-putting and why I've had 'I Wish I Could Fly....' in my head for the past few days!
In conclusion, it wasn't a bad book, the writing was OK (a few Americanisms slipping into the mouths of supposedly British characters....) but it just didn't work for me - there were too many things that were rather improbable and the protagonist was, at times, idiotic.
Samantha has had rather an odd upbringing, which would account for some of her strangeness. We see her early on arriving at a fictional Oxford college to study English Literature although she seems to hate practically all writers and seems incapable of constructing a reasonable critical argument! She is rather like a spoilt child, and as such I found her hard to like. I'm also pretty good at suspending my disbelief but it takes some stretch of the imagination to accept that someone like Samantha would have been able to gain a place on an English Literature course at an Oxford college! Or that she would be housed on the fifth floor of a tower with no windows in her room and apparently there is only a bathroom on the ground floor. Must have been a bit of an issue when she sprained her ankle, but this is glossed over.
Samantha's tutor is a young, handsome (naturally!) Englishman with the unlikely name of Dr James Timothy Orville III. For most of the book he is referred to simply as 'Orville'. If you are of my generation you might understand why this seemed a bit off-putting and why I've had 'I Wish I Could Fly....' in my head for the past few days!
In conclusion, it wasn't a bad book, the writing was OK (a few Americanisms slipping into the mouths of supposedly British characters....) but it just didn't work for me - there were too many things that were rather improbable and the protagonist was, at times, idiotic.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girl in the Letter in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This novel is told from multiple perspectives, so there is no single protagonist in this novel. Sam is a journalist who finds a letter from Ivy, written in 1956, and she is trying to find out who Ivy was and is she related to her own family. Even though we learn about Ivy through her letters, the whole story kind of circles around her. I really liked all the characters chosen for this novel, I think they are well well developed and truly intriguing. I liked Sam, and her personality, but my most favourite one was Ivy. Her story is mesmerizing, and the way everything unfolds as you carry on reading left me unsettled.
The narrative of this novel is very creatively written, the plot keeps travelling between the present and the past, unravelling long forgotten secrets and mysteries. There is plenty of great turns and twists in this book, and I was kept on my toes page after page. There is plenty of great topics discussed in this book, such as mother-baby bond, couple relationships, family dramas, cruelty and abuse from church workers, revenge, and many more. I really loved the research done for this novel, I could feel the pain Ivy felt and see how this kind of institutions ruined lives instead of saving them.
The writing style of this book is easy to read but difficult emotionally. The setting of this novel constantly changes between different characters, so it doesn’t leave the reader bored. The chapters are pretty short and flew by really quickly for me. The ending rounded up the novel very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it is a really powerful book, filled with pain, love, and broken lives. The characters are very well crafted and the narrative just sucked me in from the first pages. If you, like me, like the books about haunting and scary institutions from the past, this book is definitely for you!
The narrative of this novel is very creatively written, the plot keeps travelling between the present and the past, unravelling long forgotten secrets and mysteries. There is plenty of great turns and twists in this book, and I was kept on my toes page after page. There is plenty of great topics discussed in this book, such as mother-baby bond, couple relationships, family dramas, cruelty and abuse from church workers, revenge, and many more. I really loved the research done for this novel, I could feel the pain Ivy felt and see how this kind of institutions ruined lives instead of saving them.
The writing style of this book is easy to read but difficult emotionally. The setting of this novel constantly changes between different characters, so it doesn’t leave the reader bored. The chapters are pretty short and flew by really quickly for me. The ending rounded up the novel very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it is a really powerful book, filled with pain, love, and broken lives. The characters are very well crafted and the narrative just sucked me in from the first pages. If you, like me, like the books about haunting and scary institutions from the past, this book is definitely for you!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Invisible Girl in Books
Oct 29, 2020
A dark, creepy read full of surprises
Owen Pick, a teacher in his thirties, has never had a relationship with a women. He's barely even had a successful date. He's teased by the young female students at the college where he works. He lives in a flat owned by his elderly aunt and recently has found solace on incel forums. Across the street from Owen lives the Fours family. They, frankly, find Owen creepy, especially mom Cate and her teenage daughter. Dad, Roan, a child psychologist, is too busy with work to care that much, while their teenage son is basically the only one Cate doesn't need to worry about. And then there's Saffyre Maddox. Now seventeen, Saffyre, was once a patient of Roan's. She misses their connection and seeks to maintain it by following him. Then, one night, Saffyre disappears, and it seems like Owen was the last person to see her. What truly happened to Saffyre?
After a bit of a slump with thrillers, I'm on a roll (though what's with ambiguous endings lately?). This was a creepy and ominous read! There is a lot going on here--Saffyre and her childhood issues; Owen and his many problems with women; and the complete dysfunction of the Fours family--but Jewell does a good job weaving them all together. The result is a tense and dark novel that keeps you guessing the entire time.
"I have a dark past, and I have dark thoughts." ~Saffyre
This is an engaging read, with Saffyre, Cate, and Owen turning into dynamic and unique voices. It's also ominous, with the overriding sense that something bad is going to happen. Secrets are the name of the game here, and Jewell turns the sexual predator theme on its head a bit. There's also plenty of revenge and strong women, which is great.
I wasn't a fan of the ending, which leaves things up in the end, but this is still a twisty ride with interesting characters and a different plot. 4 stars.
After a bit of a slump with thrillers, I'm on a roll (though what's with ambiguous endings lately?). This was a creepy and ominous read! There is a lot going on here--Saffyre and her childhood issues; Owen and his many problems with women; and the complete dysfunction of the Fours family--but Jewell does a good job weaving them all together. The result is a tense and dark novel that keeps you guessing the entire time.
"I have a dark past, and I have dark thoughts." ~Saffyre
This is an engaging read, with Saffyre, Cate, and Owen turning into dynamic and unique voices. It's also ominous, with the overriding sense that something bad is going to happen. Secrets are the name of the game here, and Jewell turns the sexual predator theme on its head a bit. There's also plenty of revenge and strong women, which is great.
I wasn't a fan of the ending, which leaves things up in the end, but this is still a twisty ride with interesting characters and a different plot. 4 stars.
The Other Daughter
8.0
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Twenty-one year-old Scarlett Strohman has had to walk a difficult path thus far in her young life....
Contemporary Romance
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Perfected (Perfected, #1) in Books
Jul 10, 2023
Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch
This book has been sat on my bookshelf for as long as I can remember, which is why i finally decided to pick it up.
The book was originally published in 2014, around the height of YA Dystopian books. And if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about this book allow me to continue.
After creating a new law which allows for the creation of human pets, congressman Kimball bought Ella. She is a pet designed and trained specifically for entertaining the Elite as the most prestigious family companion.
But for Ella, things aren't what they seem. Family secrets arise; she is kidnapped; and the dark world under her pampered life shows itself; and she cannot help but fall for the congressman's son, Penn. She is forced to question her existence. But if she chooses to act on these new revelations, she may face a fate worse than death.
Not to be rude, but this book is just like any other YA book written of its time. It draws a lot of similarities to Lauren DeStefano's Wither Trilogy. Its beautifully written, with lots of potential, but lacks execution. Ella is a very basic character for me. She is passive and her only motives for pushing herself derive from Penn, her love interest.
It seems the author tried to go for a hate to love relationship, but it fell flat with the instalovey trope. Even then, their love seemed more like lust to me. They didn't really build any foundations and connection. At least not enough to justify Ella's actions and motives.
Had I read this in my teens when the book came out, I would probably have loved it. But I'm older and nore cynical now.
I have already bought the second book on Audible and the book wasn't so terrible that I won't at least give it a try, but I'm apprehensive to say the least.
The book was originally published in 2014, around the height of YA Dystopian books. And if that doesn't tell you everything you need to know about this book allow me to continue.
After creating a new law which allows for the creation of human pets, congressman Kimball bought Ella. She is a pet designed and trained specifically for entertaining the Elite as the most prestigious family companion.
But for Ella, things aren't what they seem. Family secrets arise; she is kidnapped; and the dark world under her pampered life shows itself; and she cannot help but fall for the congressman's son, Penn. She is forced to question her existence. But if she chooses to act on these new revelations, she may face a fate worse than death.
Not to be rude, but this book is just like any other YA book written of its time. It draws a lot of similarities to Lauren DeStefano's Wither Trilogy. Its beautifully written, with lots of potential, but lacks execution. Ella is a very basic character for me. She is passive and her only motives for pushing herself derive from Penn, her love interest.
It seems the author tried to go for a hate to love relationship, but it fell flat with the instalovey trope. Even then, their love seemed more like lust to me. They didn't really build any foundations and connection. At least not enough to justify Ella's actions and motives.
Had I read this in my teens when the book came out, I would probably have loved it. But I'm older and nore cynical now.
I have already bought the second book on Audible and the book wasn't so terrible that I won't at least give it a try, but I'm apprehensive to say the least.
The Messenger of Luci
Book
Have you ever felt as though you were being watched? Have you ever had the feeling that there was...
Self-help Family Personal development