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The Philosopher's Flight
The Philosopher's Flight
Tom Miller | 2018
10
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
For anyone who has been suffering withdrawal from the end of a certain magical boy wizard series, The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller is the perfect antidote! It's clever, and sharp, but also a quick read based on alternative history where special "powers" can do different things, and one boys journey to"fit in" this world where girls rule! The opposite sexism is interesting (women typically have the most refined powers and go to war, do the dangerous stuff, etc.) and Robert wants to do everything the women do - and we see if he attains that goal, while facing some pretty crazy "roadblocks" along the way.

I love stories that take me away to another place - get me out of reality and imagine what life would be like if things were "different". And this book does just that. It's very clever how it's pretty historically accurate, just with this twist of Sigilry, these signs and symbols drawn to move energy and ultimately produce some sort of effect (hovering/flying, restoring health, moving an object, sending messages). There are great stories of friendship, interesting characters, and stories of love as well. All wrapped up in a creative story of action, adventure and social-awareness.

There are a few "racy" scenes...so I'd recommend a more mature audience, but its fantastic all-around in general. I'm excited to see if the Philosopher Flies Again! Thanks NetGalley!
  
The Crown (The Selection, #5)
The Crown (The Selection, #5)
Kiera Cass | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
4
7.2 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh...My...I can not tell you the crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions Kiera Cass took me on in this series. Now that it is all said and done and I look back, I am SO glad I finally picked up The Selection. I will say that the first three books (America's selection) are the BEST part of the series. I totally binge read them and would probably do so again in the future. However, I was disappointed with the Eadlyn's selection story. The Heir and The Crown have a very different feel than the first three books. Eadlyn is a very different person than America and that is to be expected. I did enjoy watching Eadlyn mature and become her own person. She has a strength that I admire. And I was happy with the final result of her selection, however the story as a whole felt a little too forced. There was a lot of fluff that wasn't wholly necessary. That being said, although I think it would have been better to end the series with The One, it was good to read the continuing stories of so many characters from the original books. I doubt I will read The Heir and The Crown again, but the first three book of The Selection series are among my favorite books I have read this year. Overall, I did not enjoy The Crown...It fell very short of my expectations.
  
Public Secrets
Public Secrets
Nora Roberts | 1990 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well written and complex characters (7 more)
Covers a broad range of social topics such as addiction, domestic violence, and homosexuality in a way which is both well written and accurate with the times
Strong character dynamics
Not nearly as cheesy as the romance novels of which she is known for writing
At times creepy or psychologically disturbing in a way which makes you care even more about the life of the main character
Strong ensemble cast
Great nostalgic look at music and cinema from the 60s up through the 90s
Excellent and unpredictable plot twists
Murder Mystery set in the world of the Music Industry
The illegitimate daughter of a young rock star witnesses the accidental murder of her baby brother when she is still very young, and due to a case of isolated amnesia, cannot identify the murderer. As she grows up under the public eye, amidst the tragedy and its effects on her family, struggling to let go of her nightmares of that fateful night while struggling to find her own identity aside from the shadow of her father and the legendary status of her family, she faces many struggles and challenges just to prove an identity of her own. Yet as she grows up into a mature young woman, she learns that there are some tragedies from her past which were worth suffering through if she were to finally help bring justice for her brother and their family.
  
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Rob Halford recommended Revolver by The Beatles in Music (curated)

 
Revolver by The Beatles
Revolver by The Beatles
1966 | Pop, Psychedelic, Rock

"It's just the way that they manage to get so much done in such a short space of time. It's three minutes. Change. Two minutes. Change. But they manage to get all of these beautiful things to happen, and I think you can sense that something amazing is about to happen. With the transition in British pop music at the time, it was losing a lot of the peace and love and starting to get quite moody. It reflected a lot of things that were happening, or at least on the horizon, at the time. The economy, the Vietnam war, the Troubles in Ireland, all of these different things. You could sense that something was happening to The Beatles on Revolver. It was exciting for me as well, because the stuff on this album is a long way off from 'She Loves You'. It was all quite mature and sophisticated. From day one I was a Beatles fan though. Those tunes are infectious and it's impossible not to like them. There's just something about their instant communication that I really love. I still listen to them now, and I find their music very inspiring. They were a direct influence on 'Breaking The Law' and 'Living After Midnight'. Those two songs are straight out of the Beatles songbook as far as simplicity and getting to the point goes. Short, little songs that sail away in a short space of time and are packed with hooks, melody and riffs."

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The Temptation of Gracie
The Temptation of Gracie
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book kept me gripped and made me smile (0 more)
I usually read these types of books so was looking forward to it.
I enjoyed the romance in this book and the different stories of the other people involved. You got the full story - past and present. It wasn't hard to keep track of the past and present which can sometimes be the case. I think this was because the story was told in a story.
It took my about a couple of chapters to get into the book but once I did I was hooked. I couldn't put it down.
I was happy when reading the book and I fell in love with the characters. It gave me a good feeling.
The story stated the characters would grow and the author made sure this happened. I got to watch and feel the characters change, mature and grow.
I don't feel the book was aimed at a specific age. When I first started reading I thought it may of been for an older audience but as I read on I don't feel like this anymore. Anyone can read and love this book like I did.
The descriptions of Italy in the book made me want to visit. It sounded so serene and was described so well and in great deal. You can just see the place as your read the book.
The book exceeded the blurb. The blurb caught my attention but the book had me gripped.