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Circus of Horrors
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WARNING: THIS IS A DISTURBING TALE! IT IS FOR FANS OF BIZARRE, ADULT HORROR. THERE IS GRAPHIC...
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Dead School in Books
Mar 2, 2019
A quick, enjoyable, quirky read that does not fit into the usual slots for describing a book.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Dead School by Laura Gia West was described by reviewer David Nora on Goodreads as "Harry Potter meets Beetlejuice". I would not agree completely with the description but it is close.
Tina Crocker hates Valentine's Day and school. She failed at life, love, and everything else she has tried except for playing her guitar. She decides to participate in the school's talent school, kills it, and dies on stage. She is transported to Dead School where she finds out just how much of a failure she has been. Can she pass Dead School or will she fail at this too?
Dead School is not a dark novel and many reviewers did not like the book because they expected it to be. Reading the description shows it is not. In her debut novel, West takes a different look at being dead. Her main character is a failure, sarcastic, flawed person in life and the hereafter but she is likeable.
Dead School is a quick, enjoyable, quirky read that does not fit into the usual slots for describing a book. Go into this with an open mind and just enjoy it.
I am looking forward to reading more from Laura Gia West.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/2/19.
Dead School by Laura Gia West was described by reviewer David Nora on Goodreads as "Harry Potter meets Beetlejuice". I would not agree completely with the description but it is close.
Tina Crocker hates Valentine's Day and school. She failed at life, love, and everything else she has tried except for playing her guitar. She decides to participate in the school's talent school, kills it, and dies on stage. She is transported to Dead School where she finds out just how much of a failure she has been. Can she pass Dead School or will she fail at this too?
Dead School is not a dark novel and many reviewers did not like the book because they expected it to be. Reading the description shows it is not. In her debut novel, West takes a different look at being dead. Her main character is a failure, sarcastic, flawed person in life and the hereafter but she is likeable.
Dead School is a quick, enjoyable, quirky read that does not fit into the usual slots for describing a book. Go into this with an open mind and just enjoy it.
I am looking forward to reading more from Laura Gia West.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com, Smashbomb, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble on 3/2/19.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Truth or Die (D.S. Imogen Grey, #5) in Books
Jul 31, 2019 (Updated Jul 31, 2019)
Book #5 of DS Imogen Grey series
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Truth or Die is the 5th book in the D.S. Imogen Grey series by Katerina Diamond. I did not realize it was part of a series until I was finished reading it. Reading the earlier books may help with understanding the characters and their behavior better, but it is not necessary. This book can stand alone.
DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are partners who are very close in work and out. There is an attraction between them which is a storyline throughout the book and, according to reviewers on Goodreads, has been a slow-building theme woven throughout the entire series. However, the main storyline is the case they are investigating, the brutal murder of a college professor.
The cover has a warning indicating this is not for the faint-hearted. This is a fast-paced police procedural novel that is also a violent, dark, and graphic read. These scenes are not part of the book for mere shock value. They enhance the story and our understanding of the killer's thoughts and actions.
A 6th book is not listed on Goodreads, but I will be looking for it. In the meantime, I do plan to read the series from the beginning.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/30/19.
Truth or Die is the 5th book in the D.S. Imogen Grey series by Katerina Diamond. I did not realize it was part of a series until I was finished reading it. Reading the earlier books may help with understanding the characters and their behavior better, but it is not necessary. This book can stand alone.
DS Imogen Grey and DS Adrian Miles are partners who are very close in work and out. There is an attraction between them which is a storyline throughout the book and, according to reviewers on Goodreads, has been a slow-building theme woven throughout the entire series. However, the main storyline is the case they are investigating, the brutal murder of a college professor.
The cover has a warning indicating this is not for the faint-hearted. This is a fast-paced police procedural novel that is also a violent, dark, and graphic read. These scenes are not part of the book for mere shock value. They enhance the story and our understanding of the killer's thoughts and actions.
A 6th book is not listed on Goodreads, but I will be looking for it. In the meantime, I do plan to read the series from the beginning.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/30/19.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Briar Rose in Books
Sep 6, 2019
I received this book as a first reads copy via GoodReads and My Kinda Book.
I'll start by saying I love the cover of this book.
Then: I'm a big Jana Oliver fan, having loved her Demon Trappers series so when I saw the First Reads giveaway on Goodreads for this I just had to enter and luckily for me, I was picked as one of the winners.
I have to admit that I, too have always liked the idea of Princes and Princess' and fairy tale endings and this was a unique take on it, with the twisted fairy tale one that is almost of Briar Rose's own making.
I kinda wish I could say more but I don't want to ruin it for those who are going to read this...sorry ;D
Saying that, it was very unique to me, as I have never seen or heard of anything like this before, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the authors style which I can easily fall into or maybe it was the idea of the story but I was captivated by it from early on.
I also really liked all the major characters though it took a while for Pat to grow on me. The rest; Briar, Joshua, Reena and Ruric were all pretty cool from the start.
If you're a fan of the author then you should give this a try, as well as those who like fantasy books as this is no ordinary fairy tale.
I'll start by saying I love the cover of this book.
Then: I'm a big Jana Oliver fan, having loved her Demon Trappers series so when I saw the First Reads giveaway on Goodreads for this I just had to enter and luckily for me, I was picked as one of the winners.
I have to admit that I, too have always liked the idea of Princes and Princess' and fairy tale endings and this was a unique take on it, with the twisted fairy tale one that is almost of Briar Rose's own making.
I kinda wish I could say more but I don't want to ruin it for those who are going to read this...sorry ;D
Saying that, it was very unique to me, as I have never seen or heard of anything like this before, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the authors style which I can easily fall into or maybe it was the idea of the story but I was captivated by it from early on.
I also really liked all the major characters though it took a while for Pat to grow on me. The rest; Briar, Joshua, Reena and Ruric were all pretty cool from the start.
If you're a fan of the author then you should give this a try, as well as those who like fantasy books as this is no ordinary fairy tale.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Shadows in Books
Aug 24, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.
While I have "read" audiobooks for years now, this is the first one I was given to review. Let me catch my breath before starting. Wow! OK. Wow! That needed to be said.
Alex North's "debut" novel, The Whisper Man, was a 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery & Thriller. When I finished reading it, I immediately added his second book, The Shadows, to my must-read list.
The narrators of The Shadows are Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan. The combination of North's writing and Arterton and Heffernan's narration provides a story that feels as if the narrators are the characters themselves, sitting by a fire, retelling North's story, and not merely reading the story. It is their narration that helps North bring the listener down the rabbit hole and ending up questioning everything they thought was true. I needed to reread sections to see how I could have gotten everything so wrong.
North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. According to Goodreads, this is Arterton's first narration. While Heffernan has narrated a few novels, he writes mostly for film and TV but also wrote Driver For The Dead, his first comic book series.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/14/20 and updated on 8/24/20.
While I have "read" audiobooks for years now, this is the first one I was given to review. Let me catch my breath before starting. Wow! OK. Wow! That needed to be said.
Alex North's "debut" novel, The Whisper Man, was a 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery & Thriller. When I finished reading it, I immediately added his second book, The Shadows, to my must-read list.
The narrators of The Shadows are Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan. The combination of North's writing and Arterton and Heffernan's narration provides a story that feels as if the narrators are the characters themselves, sitting by a fire, retelling North's story, and not merely reading the story. It is their narration that helps North bring the listener down the rabbit hole and ending up questioning everything they thought was true. I needed to reread sections to see how I could have gotten everything so wrong.
North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. According to Goodreads, this is Arterton's first narration. While Heffernan has narrated a few novels, he writes mostly for film and TV but also wrote Driver For The Dead, his first comic book series.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/14/20 and updated on 8/24/20.
Autumn (430 KP) rated There's Someone In Your House in Books
Sep 28, 2017
The premise. (1 more)
The mind games. Adds some suspense, even though you come to expect it since it’s the killer’s trademark.
The romance. Too much for this type of book. (2 more)
The identity was revealed too early.
The motive.
Overall, it was a fun, quick read. I wouldn’t call it scary, though.
I like a good slasher movie, and even some bad ones, but have come across few books with a similar story. So, I applaud this author for taking a risk and writing it, especially since this isn’t her typical genre. It kept my attention and I enjoyed it, even though there were a few things that bothered me.
I received an arc of this book through a giveaway by the publisher, giveaway was posted on Goodreads.
I like a good slasher movie, and even some bad ones, but have come across few books with a similar story. So, I applaud this author for taking a risk and writing it, especially since this isn’t her typical genre. It kept my attention and I enjoyed it, even though there were a few things that bothered me.
I received an arc of this book through a giveaway by the publisher, giveaway was posted on Goodreads.
Briannabrown1019 (799 KP) rated Goodreads: Book Reviews in Apps
Jun 18, 2018
Easy to keep track of my book lists (2 more)
Easy to navigate
Giveaways!
My most used app
I love goodreads, and I honestly believe it is the most used app on both my phone and my tablet. I love to read and this app makes it so easy for me to keep track of my reading lists, reviews, and what my friends are reading. They also do a lot of giveaways, and I've received some awesome stuff from them, like advance readers copies of books. I also find the yearly reading challenge super satisfying to work towards. Overall, I think anyone who frequently reads, needs book suggestions, or wants an information source for their books should use this app. 10/10 for me.
Samantha Reece (16 KP) rated The Enchanted (Faerie Tale, #1) in Books
Nov 14, 2018
First of all, all I can say is what a beautiful and enchanting world Genevra Thorne has created with fairies and talking trees and all sorts of wonders.
Secondly, her characters are so well developed. I loved Taryn's free and playful spirit and Prince Gabriel's tough yet kind demeanor. Also, the way their relationship builds is just a perfect speed throughout the novel. I absolutely LOVED this book! Anyone who enjoys fairy tales and romance will want to read this. I cannot wait for the next one! So, go ahead and do yourself a favor: get The Enchanted and start reading. :) *I received this book at the GoodReads Lovers of Paranormal Group for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
Secondly, her characters are so well developed. I loved Taryn's free and playful spirit and Prince Gabriel's tough yet kind demeanor. Also, the way their relationship builds is just a perfect speed throughout the novel. I absolutely LOVED this book! Anyone who enjoys fairy tales and romance will want to read this. I cannot wait for the next one! So, go ahead and do yourself a favor: get The Enchanted and start reading. :) *I received this book at the GoodReads Lovers of Paranormal Group for free in exchange for a fair and honest review.*
Millie (22 KP) rated Duck the Halls (Meg Langslow, #16) in Books
Jan 27, 2020
So, I started this book around Christmas and am just now finishing it. I think that was a result not so much of the book itself - it wasn't poorly written or anything, I just kept picking up other books instead. Overall, it was a nice, fluffy, cozy mystery that I probably would have enjoyed more if I had read the whole thing at Christmastime. Yes, there were a lot of religious undertones, but I sort of expected that with a Christmas book. I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a book to get into the Chistmas mood.
*Although I did receive this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own.
*Although I did receive this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Millie (22 KP) rated The Island Decides in Books
Jan 27, 2020
This book did a good job of helping me envision life on Maui during the late 60s and early 70s. The imagery was beautiful and has definitely inspired me to visit the island of Maui on my next trip to Hawaii. However, the main character, Carrie Ann, was not always likable to me. I found her extremely naive and a bit annoying at times. Also, prepare yourself for some heavy topics towards the end. All in all I enjoyed the book, but due to my dislike towards Carrie Ann during certain points and some minor grammar errors, I give it 4 stars.
*Although I did receive this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own.
*Although I did receive this book for free through Goodreads First Reads, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own.