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Christine A. (965 KP) rated Extinction Of All Children (Extinction Of All Children #1) in Books
Apr 10, 2019
1st book in the Extinction Of All Children trilogy
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Extinction Of All Children is the 1st book in a trilogy by L.J. Epps. I have seen it referred to as both the Extinction and the Extinction of All Children trilogy. If I really like a book I hate to wait for more in the series. Fortunately, all 3 books have been published.
At first, I am not sure why but the series reminded me of the Shadow Children 7 book series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. (If you have not read the Shadow Children you should definitely check it out.) Both were written well and involved societies in which children were not allowed to be born. That is where the similarities end.
In Extinction, the world is divided into 3 classes - the rich, the working class, and the poor - in which they live in separate territories and are not allowed to mix. The poor are forbidden to have any children. This series focuses on Emma, the last child born in Territory L. Any children born after her were taken to be killed. She is the last to turn 18. She knows this is wrong and you will need to read the book to find out what she does about it.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/10/19.
Extinction Of All Children is the 1st book in a trilogy by L.J. Epps. I have seen it referred to as both the Extinction and the Extinction of All Children trilogy. If I really like a book I hate to wait for more in the series. Fortunately, all 3 books have been published.
At first, I am not sure why but the series reminded me of the Shadow Children 7 book series by Margaret Peterson Haddix. (If you have not read the Shadow Children you should definitely check it out.) Both were written well and involved societies in which children were not allowed to be born. That is where the similarities end.
In Extinction, the world is divided into 3 classes - the rich, the working class, and the poor - in which they live in separate territories and are not allowed to mix. The poor are forbidden to have any children. This series focuses on Emma, the last child born in Territory L. Any children born after her were taken to be killed. She is the last to turn 18. She knows this is wrong and you will need to read the book to find out what she does about it.
Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/10/19.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Demon Next Door in Books
Apr 19, 2019
Informative but no depth
When audible originals offered this book up as part of their two free originals a month program, I just had to snag it. One of the weird quirks I have is that I hate mysteries, but I LOVE true crime. This 2 hour and 45-minute novella was right up my alley. When I was looking for something short to listen to, I decided that this something different than the romance books that I'm currently reading.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
The information in this novella was interesting and well researched but still lacked depth. Most of the information that was presented in this book felt glossed over. One of the things I thought Bryan Burrough was exceptional at was not being too graphic about the crimes. Unfortunately, it seems that that lack of detail was present throughout the entire book. I would have loved to see more information about the background of the individuals and the town itself.
Something else that felt off in this audiobook was the narration. Steve White is an excellent narrator, but I don't feel that he was the right choice for this book. His intonations seemed to be too upbeat for a true crime novel about rape and murder. I would have preferred a more somber tone & his voice did not do this book justice.
All in all, this was an okay book. The details were interesting, but I wish that there would have been more depth to it.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated As Long as We Both Shall Live in Books
May 22, 2019
My wife! I think shes dead! Matt frantically calls to park rangers, explaining that he and his wife, Marie, were out hiking when she stumbled on a cliff edge and fell into the raging river below. They start a search but arent hopeful: no one could have survived that fall.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Its a tragic accident.
But when police discover Matts first wife also died in suspicious circumstances a fire in their family home they have a lot more questions for him.
Is Matt a grieving husband, or has he just killed his second wife? Detectives Loren and Spengler dig into the couples lives to see what they can unearth. And they find that loves got teeth, its got claws, and once it hitches you to a person, its tough to rip yourself free.
So what happens when youre done making it work?
Well this is one crazy warped marriage ride!
Seriously I found myself laughing at the antics and thoughts of these two at times; then on the flip side being gripped by the suspense.
I really enjoyed this one.
Read what happens when 20 years of marriage becomes a minefield of love/hate.
If you love psychological twisty thrillers as much as me then you need to read this one!
Recommend reading.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-book ARC to read and review. This is my honest voluntary review.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Girl In The Rearview Mirror in Books
May 26, 2019
Not the best book........
What do I say about this book? I wanted to like it so much. But, I just couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t hate it. I just simple didn’t like it. I liked the premise behind the story, but the characters didn’t flow. They felt forced and fake. I like my characters to grip me in to the story as much as the story itself. If I can’t feel that, then I can’t like a book the way I want to because I have to try too hard to get into the story.
That said, the plot line/premise is a good one. I can tell where the author wanted to go with this one, with the secrets, the twists and turns, but with out that captivating connection with the characters, I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense with this one. I didn’t feel like I was watching a movie play out like I like to see with this style of book.
Sadly, I have to give this one 5 bombs. But, don’t let my opinion deter you from trying this book. What I found lacking, you may find absolutely gripping. Dimberg shows great effort where her talents are concerned. I do look forward to trying more of her books in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from LibraryThing, William Morrow and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
That said, the plot line/premise is a good one. I can tell where the author wanted to go with this one, with the secrets, the twists and turns, but with out that captivating connection with the characters, I didn’t get the edge of your seat suspense with this one. I didn’t feel like I was watching a movie play out like I like to see with this style of book.
Sadly, I have to give this one 5 bombs. But, don’t let my opinion deter you from trying this book. What I found lacking, you may find absolutely gripping. Dimberg shows great effort where her talents are concerned. I do look forward to trying more of her books in the future.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from LibraryThing, William Morrow and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Hazel (2934 KP) rated All That's Dead in Books
May 27, 2019
Darkly humorous and thrilling
Having read and thoroughly loved one of Mr MacBride's previous outings starring Logan McRae - A Dark So Deadly - I was thrilled to be accepted by the publisher, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, via NetGalley to read and review "All That's Dead" before publication in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This instalment had a lot to live up to and, overall, it hit the mark with it's dark humour, the fantastic characters, the setting, the twists and all wrapped up in an excellent plot amongst the backdrop of domestic terrorism and the independence movement in Scotland which although results in a fair bit of English-bashing, does mirror Brexit (oh how I hate that word!) in many respects which makes it topical and current too!
I did have a few niggles that did irritate me somewhat ... one or two of the characters who were supposed to be Police Officers did not come across as very believable; they were overly childish and not very good at their jobs. In addition, I found the word "sooked" extremely annoying for some reason - not sure why but it just wound me up.
I am absolutely certain that it would be better to read the series in order, it does work as a standalone pretty successfully and although the niggles prevented me from awarding this a 5 star read, I would still recommend it.
This instalment had a lot to live up to and, overall, it hit the mark with it's dark humour, the fantastic characters, the setting, the twists and all wrapped up in an excellent plot amongst the backdrop of domestic terrorism and the independence movement in Scotland which although results in a fair bit of English-bashing, does mirror Brexit (oh how I hate that word!) in many respects which makes it topical and current too!
I did have a few niggles that did irritate me somewhat ... one or two of the characters who were supposed to be Police Officers did not come across as very believable; they were overly childish and not very good at their jobs. In addition, I found the word "sooked" extremely annoying for some reason - not sure why but it just wound me up.
I am absolutely certain that it would be better to read the series in order, it does work as a standalone pretty successfully and although the niggles prevented me from awarding this a 5 star read, I would still recommend it.
Elli H Burton (1288 KP) rated My Daughter, My Mother in Books
Jun 16, 2019 (Updated Jun 16, 2019)
Hard to get into but easy to finish
I usually go for books set a lot earlier that 1984 so when I picked this up I was full of anticipating I would immediately hate it and stop reading. Luckily that wasn't the case!
It jumps back and forth from past to present and includes real life issues going on in the world at that time. I personally love to see a story include real life problems as it feels like it actually happened and makes it so much more interesting to read. Don't worry, I know these people don't actually exist!!
It took me a few chapters to get into it but once I did I began to love it. Although the actual plot on both sides if good, it feels rushed to get the story out and some bits are quite difficult to grasp.
There is a family in the book that are sikh which despite my religious education at school I don't know much about so to an extent this book taught me something about sikhs. This is also hard because there are certain aspects to the writing i found hard to understand.
I like to see the good in every story so I'd say have a read of it yourself and see what you think.
It jumps back and forth from past to present and includes real life issues going on in the world at that time. I personally love to see a story include real life problems as it feels like it actually happened and makes it so much more interesting to read. Don't worry, I know these people don't actually exist!!
It took me a few chapters to get into it but once I did I began to love it. Although the actual plot on both sides if good, it feels rushed to get the story out and some bits are quite difficult to grasp.
There is a family in the book that are sikh which despite my religious education at school I don't know much about so to an extent this book taught me something about sikhs. This is also hard because there are certain aspects to the writing i found hard to understand.
I like to see the good in every story so I'd say have a read of it yourself and see what you think.
Darren Smith (1 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Feb 3, 2018
Storyline (1 more)
Not confusing
Better than people suggest
I've been a fan of Star Wars ever since I was a child seeing "A New Hope" for the first time. Having gone through the sequels, prequels, another sequel, another story, its back to a sequel again and this didn't disappoint like some of the other films did.
First off, I can understand why some people don't like the film. I've never been someone who takes films too seriously. If they don't follow a particular arc, or don't follow stick to a book for instance, it's no big deal.
My main regret in watching this film, is that I should have watched "The Force Awakens" again, just to remind myself of who the new characters are.
The pace of the film is just right and leaves the story at the right point for the inevitable conclusion.
The storyline with Luke Skywalker seems to be the main beef among people who hate the film. I just accepted it for what it is, basing his change of mood on loneliness, regret, age (becoming cantankerous) and other factors that might affect him.
I still can't get my head around Kylo Ren. The character is good, the actor who plays him is not.
Hard to write a review without leaving spoilers, but my main advice is just go with an open mind, don't be judgemental and sit back and enjoy
First off, I can understand why some people don't like the film. I've never been someone who takes films too seriously. If they don't follow a particular arc, or don't follow stick to a book for instance, it's no big deal.
My main regret in watching this film, is that I should have watched "The Force Awakens" again, just to remind myself of who the new characters are.
The pace of the film is just right and leaves the story at the right point for the inevitable conclusion.
The storyline with Luke Skywalker seems to be the main beef among people who hate the film. I just accepted it for what it is, basing his change of mood on loneliness, regret, age (becoming cantankerous) and other factors that might affect him.
I still can't get my head around Kylo Ren. The character is good, the actor who plays him is not.
Hard to write a review without leaving spoilers, but my main advice is just go with an open mind, don't be judgemental and sit back and enjoy
Kyera (8 KP) rated Amina's Voice in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Aminas Voice is a powerful middle-grade novel that I believe is so important for young readers to experience. Amina is a Pakistani-American, so we are given a wonderfully diverse, young voice to understand her world and it is so important in the current world climate. We, as a people, need to foster a sense of understanding and acceptance rather than fear and hate.
One of the events that happen in the books is heartbreaking and you wonder how people could behave in that manner. Unfortunately, these things happen in the real world and its dismaying to see people treat other fellow human beings in a less than honourable and respectful manner. It was so wonderful to see the community come together after the event, no matter their race or religion to help their neighbors. It is a ray of light in the darkness.
This short book follows Aminas life from her sixth-grade classes and middle school friends to her time at the Mosque with her Muslim friends and family. The tale is honest and heartwarming, allowing us into her mind and connecting with her family. Although it is a short tale, it is no less important to read. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade readers (and really anyone else who is open to middle-grade fiction) because it is such a powerful and important read.
One of the events that happen in the books is heartbreaking and you wonder how people could behave in that manner. Unfortunately, these things happen in the real world and its dismaying to see people treat other fellow human beings in a less than honourable and respectful manner. It was so wonderful to see the community come together after the event, no matter their race or religion to help their neighbors. It is a ray of light in the darkness.
This short book follows Aminas life from her sixth-grade classes and middle school friends to her time at the Mosque with her Muslim friends and family. The tale is honest and heartwarming, allowing us into her mind and connecting with her family. Although it is a short tale, it is no less important to read. I would highly recommend it to middle-grade readers (and really anyone else who is open to middle-grade fiction) because it is such a powerful and important read.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Twenty Days of Turin in Books
Mar 15, 2018
This may seem like an unfair review but I can only give this 3 stars because I didnt exactly understand it. I think thats mainly because Im a little slow to the mark sometimes and because I read this in a distracting environment, but this disappointed me and didnt scare me like I hoped it would.
It was well written, especially since its a translation, but parts of it felt disjointed and I found it hard to follow the uncovering of the Librarys secrets and the cause of the disturbing and brutal murders. There was well built tension in this and the white-as-a-sheet nun was pretty terrifying to imagine, but in general, I missed a whole lot of the horror in this.
Reading the translator's introduction (after I had finished the book) definitely helped me get it a bit more. Maybe if I had known more about Turins history to begin with, I could have connected to the story on a deeper level, but since I had no idea about Turins unrest in the 1970s, that whole subplot went completely over my head.
I hate giving such a little known book a very average review, I like supporting small time authors, but I cant say much about this author and his work when I have no idea what the hell went on. (OK, thats an over exaggeration, I half got it).
It was well written, especially since its a translation, but parts of it felt disjointed and I found it hard to follow the uncovering of the Librarys secrets and the cause of the disturbing and brutal murders. There was well built tension in this and the white-as-a-sheet nun was pretty terrifying to imagine, but in general, I missed a whole lot of the horror in this.
Reading the translator's introduction (after I had finished the book) definitely helped me get it a bit more. Maybe if I had known more about Turins history to begin with, I could have connected to the story on a deeper level, but since I had no idea about Turins unrest in the 1970s, that whole subplot went completely over my head.
I hate giving such a little known book a very average review, I like supporting small time authors, but I cant say much about this author and his work when I have no idea what the hell went on. (OK, thats an over exaggeration, I half got it).
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Out Of The Ocean in Books
Mar 25, 2018
a good solid 3 stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, was gifted my copy of this book.
Cal and Scott come together, when their boats are destroyed in the storm. They are fighting for their lives, out at sea, and the inevitable happens, they get close just as they get rescued and split up. With Scott in Germany and Cal in the States, will they fight for what they want, for WHO they want??
I liked this book, I really did, I just didn't love it. It's very well written from both Cal and Scott's point of view, and I saw no editing or spelling errors. I just, I dunno, couldn't love it!
I did find Scott a little ....insipid....a bit of a spolit brat.... when standing up to his dad! He DOES stand up to him, but only at the risk of losing Cal, when it should have been way before then for a mid 30's guy!
I just....oh! Don't you just HATE not being able to word what you want!!
It's not overly explicit, but it does get a little yukkie while they are floating in the life raft, but eating raw fish, eyes and guts and all weren't never gonna be a picnic in the park, now was it?? Bit gross!
A nice book, just one that didn't blow me away. Only short, some 100 pages, an hour reading time for.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Cal and Scott come together, when their boats are destroyed in the storm. They are fighting for their lives, out at sea, and the inevitable happens, they get close just as they get rescued and split up. With Scott in Germany and Cal in the States, will they fight for what they want, for WHO they want??
I liked this book, I really did, I just didn't love it. It's very well written from both Cal and Scott's point of view, and I saw no editing or spelling errors. I just, I dunno, couldn't love it!
I did find Scott a little ....insipid....a bit of a spolit brat.... when standing up to his dad! He DOES stand up to him, but only at the risk of losing Cal, when it should have been way before then for a mid 30's guy!
I just....oh! Don't you just HATE not being able to word what you want!!
It's not overly explicit, but it does get a little yukkie while they are floating in the life raft, but eating raw fish, eyes and guts and all weren't never gonna be a picnic in the park, now was it?? Bit gross!
A nice book, just one that didn't blow me away. Only short, some 100 pages, an hour reading time for.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**