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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Mary Rose in Books
Mar 15, 2018
3.5 stars
I wasnt sure what to think about this book when I first saw the synopsis, I couldnt tell whether it was going to be a horror or something else. It turned out to be something else.
Going into this book I was impressed with the writing and the building of characters. Both elements really helped set the mysterious, brooding tone that this book portrays.
I began the book enjoying Simons character but eventually, like a lot of over-bearing husband characters, he got on my nerves. I understand the books whole thing was about protecting Mary Rose but the way he crawled around on all fours for her got really irritating. I understand this was done to add a layer to the story, however, I didnt enjoy that aspect of it. I much prefer books that arent all loved up and mushy. I think my annoyance with the characters in this ruined a certain aspect of the book and made it less enjoyable for me overall.
I really liked the story for this one, however. A twenty year old mystery of how a young girl when missing on a mysterious and creepy Scottish island is definitely the sort of book I like. The tension and paranoia built throughout the story is superb and youre really stuck wondering is Mary Rose dead? Is Mary Rose a portal to some sort of dark magic? Is the island really filled with paranormal things? Its a great book that keeps you guessing all the way through.
This book does give all it secrets up at once, which normally isnt my kind of mystery book, but it worked in this one. I know many people are disappointed by the ending but I thought it was equally shocking as it was poignant. Reading the afterthought bit about the original story of Mary Rose and Hitchcocks ideas for a movie of it really helped me understand and appreciate how the novel ended.
I would recommend this novel for readers who have a slightly different taste in mysteries than me. If you like themes such as love and loss, then you will really get on with this one. I personally thought it was going to be more spooky and less emotional, but I still enjoyed the bulk of it.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley, Adaptive Books and Sunshine Sachs for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
I wasnt sure what to think about this book when I first saw the synopsis, I couldnt tell whether it was going to be a horror or something else. It turned out to be something else.
Going into this book I was impressed with the writing and the building of characters. Both elements really helped set the mysterious, brooding tone that this book portrays.
I began the book enjoying Simons character but eventually, like a lot of over-bearing husband characters, he got on my nerves. I understand the books whole thing was about protecting Mary Rose but the way he crawled around on all fours for her got really irritating. I understand this was done to add a layer to the story, however, I didnt enjoy that aspect of it. I much prefer books that arent all loved up and mushy. I think my annoyance with the characters in this ruined a certain aspect of the book and made it less enjoyable for me overall.
I really liked the story for this one, however. A twenty year old mystery of how a young girl when missing on a mysterious and creepy Scottish island is definitely the sort of book I like. The tension and paranoia built throughout the story is superb and youre really stuck wondering is Mary Rose dead? Is Mary Rose a portal to some sort of dark magic? Is the island really filled with paranormal things? Its a great book that keeps you guessing all the way through.
This book does give all it secrets up at once, which normally isnt my kind of mystery book, but it worked in this one. I know many people are disappointed by the ending but I thought it was equally shocking as it was poignant. Reading the afterthought bit about the original story of Mary Rose and Hitchcocks ideas for a movie of it really helped me understand and appreciate how the novel ended.
I would recommend this novel for readers who have a slightly different taste in mysteries than me. If you like themes such as love and loss, then you will really get on with this one. I personally thought it was going to be more spooky and less emotional, but I still enjoyed the bulk of it.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley, Adaptive Books and Sunshine Sachs for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Future Home of the Living God in Books
Mar 25, 2018
Minority Representation (1 more)
Interesting premise
NO ANSWERS (1 more)
No resolution
Well that was a waste of time. This book spends its entire length asking one real question. Will the main character's baby survive? There are a number of smaller questions - Will the baby be born normal? Why is evolution turning backwards, or sideways? What happened to the main character's father? What happened to her friend from the hospital? What happened to her husband? Does she ever find freedom?
THE BOOK ANSWERS NONE OF THESE QUESTIONS.
I am really frustrated with this book. Why did I bother reading it if it refuses to resolve any of its plotlines?
We're going to get a little bit into writing theory here. It has been a classic recommendation to have the climax of your book 2/3 of the way through the book, and have the last third be denouement. Wrap-up. Show us how the climax affected the characters and the world. John Green does this well - all his books follow a standard plot line. Character A is introduced. A meets B. B changes A's life. B leaves A's life. (Those last two are usually incorporated in the climax of the book.) A has to learn how to live without B in a world changed by B's existence in it. It's a little formulaic, but it works for Green, and his books are great. Some books do not do this so well. Wheel of Time had 5-6 pages of denouement after the series climax, and nothing was really revealed about how the events changed the world for the better. Future Home of the Living God had TWO. TWO PAGES AFTER THE CLIMAX. AND THEY ANSWER NOTHING. The main character talks about missing winter.
I finished the book and almost threw it across the room. I probably would have, except for two things: I was at a friend's house, and it was a library book. That's all that saved it from that fate. I have stacks of books I want to read, and I feel like I just wasted a few hours on this piece of crap.
The writing was actually pretty good, and the main character is an Ojibwe Indian, so there's minority representation, but the book as a whole was just CRAP. Wrap up your plotlines. Answer the questions you ask. (At least the ones having to do with your plot - you can leave unanswered philosophical questions, that's fine.)
Hard pass on this book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
THE BOOK ANSWERS NONE OF THESE QUESTIONS.
I am really frustrated with this book. Why did I bother reading it if it refuses to resolve any of its plotlines?
We're going to get a little bit into writing theory here. It has been a classic recommendation to have the climax of your book 2/3 of the way through the book, and have the last third be denouement. Wrap-up. Show us how the climax affected the characters and the world. John Green does this well - all his books follow a standard plot line. Character A is introduced. A meets B. B changes A's life. B leaves A's life. (Those last two are usually incorporated in the climax of the book.) A has to learn how to live without B in a world changed by B's existence in it. It's a little formulaic, but it works for Green, and his books are great. Some books do not do this so well. Wheel of Time had 5-6 pages of denouement after the series climax, and nothing was really revealed about how the events changed the world for the better. Future Home of the Living God had TWO. TWO PAGES AFTER THE CLIMAX. AND THEY ANSWER NOTHING. The main character talks about missing winter.
I finished the book and almost threw it across the room. I probably would have, except for two things: I was at a friend's house, and it was a library book. That's all that saved it from that fate. I have stacks of books I want to read, and I feel like I just wasted a few hours on this piece of crap.
The writing was actually pretty good, and the main character is an Ojibwe Indian, so there's minority representation, but the book as a whole was just CRAP. Wrap up your plotlines. Answer the questions you ask. (At least the ones having to do with your plot - you can leave unanswered philosophical questions, that's fine.)
Hard pass on this book.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated No Less Days in Books
May 29, 2018
I won a copy of this book and I didn't know it was Christian Fiction. Definitely not something I would grab for myself to read. I was not turned off by the religious aspects of it though, as most are subtle and not in your face. I tended to glaze over them, which makes me believe this book would have been just as good without them. I won't say they didn't add anything as that's not my place to judge, but I won't judge the book either on parts that I wasn't particularly interested in. I wouldn't judge a mystery on it being mysterious, or a romance for being romantic. So now that we're past that...
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Everyone knows the story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, or at least Disney’s version with Ariel and her friends Sebastian and Flounder. People will also recall the evil sea witch (Disney’s Ursula) but has anyone ever wondered how the octopus-human hybrid came into being? Why is she considered evil? Why is she alone under the sea? Sarah Henning, a journalist from the US has asked these questions and come up with an answer in her debut novel Sea Witch.
The story begins on a ship many years ago in part of Denmark with the crown prince’s birthday party. Narrated by Evie, a commoner who also happens to be the prince’s best friend, the story flits between present day and four years previously when Evie and Prince Nik’s friend Anna drowned. Whilst Nik is celebrating his sixteenth birthday, Anna should have been celebrating her fifteenth, therefore, when Evie sees a face peering through the porthole of Nik’s ship, she believes it is only in her imagination that it resembled her long lost friend.
The party comes to a sudden end with a storm causing guests to flee below decks, leaving Evie, Nik and his cousin Iker to try to steer the ship to safety. In a terrible moment, Nik is swept overboard by a rogue wave and Evie fears he will be lost forever. Fortunately, Nik is found washed up on shore, but Evie is sure she saw a mermaid hovering over him.
Things become stranger for Evie when a homeless girl arrives on the beach a few days later. Claiming to have run away from home, Evie is startled by the girl’s appearance – she looks just like Anna. To make things even odder, the girl’s name is Annemette, a name so similar to Evie’s missing friend.
Evie and Annemette quickly become firm friends and both catch the eyes of the Princes Nik and Iker. With romance, Evie wonders if both girls will get their happily ever after. However, there is dark magic in the air and not everything is as true as it appears.
With a dark twist at the end, Sea Witch is a story full of magic, secrets and love. Although the blurb hints of the connection to The Little Mermaid, it is unclear until the very end what characters tally up. Unpredictable and exciting, Sea Witch is a story for those with a sense of adventure, a lover of fairytales, a romantic or a history buff, however, remember, not all fairytales have happy endings.
Everyone knows the story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, or at least Disney’s version with Ariel and her friends Sebastian and Flounder. People will also recall the evil sea witch (Disney’s Ursula) but has anyone ever wondered how the octopus-human hybrid came into being? Why is she considered evil? Why is she alone under the sea? Sarah Henning, a journalist from the US has asked these questions and come up with an answer in her debut novel Sea Witch.
The story begins on a ship many years ago in part of Denmark with the crown prince’s birthday party. Narrated by Evie, a commoner who also happens to be the prince’s best friend, the story flits between present day and four years previously when Evie and Prince Nik’s friend Anna drowned. Whilst Nik is celebrating his sixteenth birthday, Anna should have been celebrating her fifteenth, therefore, when Evie sees a face peering through the porthole of Nik’s ship, she believes it is only in her imagination that it resembled her long lost friend.
The party comes to a sudden end with a storm causing guests to flee below decks, leaving Evie, Nik and his cousin Iker to try to steer the ship to safety. In a terrible moment, Nik is swept overboard by a rogue wave and Evie fears he will be lost forever. Fortunately, Nik is found washed up on shore, but Evie is sure she saw a mermaid hovering over him.
Things become stranger for Evie when a homeless girl arrives on the beach a few days later. Claiming to have run away from home, Evie is startled by the girl’s appearance – she looks just like Anna. To make things even odder, the girl’s name is Annemette, a name so similar to Evie’s missing friend.
Evie and Annemette quickly become firm friends and both catch the eyes of the Princes Nik and Iker. With romance, Evie wonders if both girls will get their happily ever after. However, there is dark magic in the air and not everything is as true as it appears.
With a dark twist at the end, Sea Witch is a story full of magic, secrets and love. Although the blurb hints of the connection to The Little Mermaid, it is unclear until the very end what characters tally up. Unpredictable and exciting, Sea Witch is a story for those with a sense of adventure, a lover of fairytales, a romantic or a history buff, however, remember, not all fairytales have happy endings.
Loz Hughes (80 KP) rated The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013) in Movies
Jul 15, 2018
The panoramas (3 more)
The soundtrack
The movie's tone and message
The humour
My Antidepressant movie.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I rated this movie as a ten not because I am a Ben stiller fan per se but because of this movie's message and how I identify with the lead character.
Whilst most people will mark this movie lower, they are not wrong in their opinions, for many it may not seem anything special as such.
However I always watch this film whenever I am feeling low or life feels a bit much, because to me, it portrays that its never too late to achieve your dreams and start your adventure.
The film itself opens to an introduction of Walter (Ben stiller), an employee of Life magazine whose job has very much taken over his life, it shows his passion for his work and how he wishes very much, to be more like the adventurous photographer he chronicles. Walter is ridiculed and undermined by his work colleagues for his "spaced out" episodes where he dreams of what he would do or achieve if he were braver, smarter, more confident etc, like an alter ego of sorts.
Walter is then faced with a choice to accept failure and ridicule when he loses a negative in his care or embrace the unknown and not forsake his pride in a journey to hunt down its original owner.
Throughout the film you follow Walter in his quest to search for the missing negative and also his journey on the path of becoming the man he always hoped he would be as a teenager.
Along the way, stunning vistas and scenery set the scene and the humour keeps it from being boring.
Sure the film is a little fanciful but anyone with a good imagination and an element of Walter in them will appreciate it.
My favourite scene is when he is nearly attacked by a shark.."okay. That is not a porpoise" cracks me up every time.
I know a lot of people will mark this film lower and they wont be wrong in their opinions, it doesnt really contain many special effects, it does have a really awkward romance (but lets face it, reality is full of those moments you wish you had been more charming and less of a babbling idiot) and the storyline is a bit far fetched.
However I find it fun, uplifting, charming in its own way and enjoy the travel aspect of it.
Whilst most people will mark this movie lower, they are not wrong in their opinions, for many it may not seem anything special as such.
However I always watch this film whenever I am feeling low or life feels a bit much, because to me, it portrays that its never too late to achieve your dreams and start your adventure.
The film itself opens to an introduction of Walter (Ben stiller), an employee of Life magazine whose job has very much taken over his life, it shows his passion for his work and how he wishes very much, to be more like the adventurous photographer he chronicles. Walter is ridiculed and undermined by his work colleagues for his "spaced out" episodes where he dreams of what he would do or achieve if he were braver, smarter, more confident etc, like an alter ego of sorts.
Walter is then faced with a choice to accept failure and ridicule when he loses a negative in his care or embrace the unknown and not forsake his pride in a journey to hunt down its original owner.
Throughout the film you follow Walter in his quest to search for the missing negative and also his journey on the path of becoming the man he always hoped he would be as a teenager.
Along the way, stunning vistas and scenery set the scene and the humour keeps it from being boring.
Sure the film is a little fanciful but anyone with a good imagination and an element of Walter in them will appreciate it.
My favourite scene is when he is nearly attacked by a shark.."okay. That is not a porpoise" cracks me up every time.
I know a lot of people will mark this film lower and they wont be wrong in their opinions, it doesnt really contain many special effects, it does have a really awkward romance (but lets face it, reality is full of those moments you wish you had been more charming and less of a babbling idiot) and the storyline is a bit far fetched.
However I find it fun, uplifting, charming in its own way and enjoy the travel aspect of it.
Alice (12 KP) rated Hanging Tree: The Sixth PC Grant Mystery in Books
Jul 3, 2018
What can I say about The Hanging Tree that isn’t good? It was a satisfying installment to the series but there was still something missing for me. It had the usual characters and the usual awkwardness with Peter Grant and the Met and the demi-monde which as always was written to the same standard.
However, there were a few parts of this book that bugged me which I’ll go through shortly.
The Hanging Tree is the sixth installment of the bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers of London series and finally there is some proper river action. This book centers around Tyburn or Lady Ty as she is affectionately known. Lady Ty for those of you who don’t know is an overwhelming bitch with a major Goddess complex – with good reason really.
This book follows Peter as he helps to investigate the murder of a teenager – don’t let this fool you, the principal suspect in the murder is one of the family Rivers. This kicks off simultaneous police investigations and Folly blow-ups abound.
First, the things I liked:
The reappearance of much loved characters such as Nightingale, Molly, Guleed, Stefanopaulos and even Seawoll.
The introduction of new characters
The familiar writing style
The monologuing of Peter Grant
The plot
The return of some characters I won’t name and
The revelations!!!
Now, I hate to do this really (and I despise using bullet points as a side note) but needs must.
Things I disliked:
The overuse of the term white to describe characters that had no context and almost no bearing on the story-line whatsoever – I’m almost positive I counted at least 15 uses of the word “white” in the first 30% of the book, sometimes more than once a page. The worst use of this – for me – was “a scary white waitress”, I don’t know about you, but the need to describe a character based solely on their skin tone is a big no no for me. It lacked context and bearing on the part of the story at hand.
The return of some characters I won’t name – what the actual fuck Ben? That’s wrong! They can’t be better than Peter!
Now despite my reservations and the things I disliked, I did enjoy this book. In the end. It took about 60% for this book to grab my attention with both hands which I suppose could be construed as a bad thing, however that first two thirds set up the ending in a great way. The culmination of multiple prolonged story arcs were a welcome wrap up to this installment and I look forward to the next.
However, there were a few parts of this book that bugged me which I’ll go through shortly.
The Hanging Tree is the sixth installment of the bestselling Peter Grant/Rivers of London series and finally there is some proper river action. This book centers around Tyburn or Lady Ty as she is affectionately known. Lady Ty for those of you who don’t know is an overwhelming bitch with a major Goddess complex – with good reason really.
This book follows Peter as he helps to investigate the murder of a teenager – don’t let this fool you, the principal suspect in the murder is one of the family Rivers. This kicks off simultaneous police investigations and Folly blow-ups abound.
First, the things I liked:
The reappearance of much loved characters such as Nightingale, Molly, Guleed, Stefanopaulos and even Seawoll.
The introduction of new characters
The familiar writing style
The monologuing of Peter Grant
The plot
The return of some characters I won’t name and
The revelations!!!
Now, I hate to do this really (and I despise using bullet points as a side note) but needs must.
Things I disliked:
The overuse of the term white to describe characters that had no context and almost no bearing on the story-line whatsoever – I’m almost positive I counted at least 15 uses of the word “white” in the first 30% of the book, sometimes more than once a page. The worst use of this – for me – was “a scary white waitress”, I don’t know about you, but the need to describe a character based solely on their skin tone is a big no no for me. It lacked context and bearing on the part of the story at hand.
The return of some characters I won’t name – what the actual fuck Ben? That’s wrong! They can’t be better than Peter!
Now despite my reservations and the things I disliked, I did enjoy this book. In the end. It took about 60% for this book to grab my attention with both hands which I suppose could be construed as a bad thing, however that first two thirds set up the ending in a great way. The culmination of multiple prolonged story arcs were a welcome wrap up to this installment and I look forward to the next.
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Timeless in Books
Oct 18, 2018
I missed out on a lot!
Contains spoilers, click to show
***Spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned***
It’s greatly recommended you read previous novels leading up to this one. Mind you, it would help immensely if you read the entire Drizzt timeline (which is a lot!) but since that is a lot of books to catch up on, the last few trilogies leading up to this one would likely help. My mistake was not doing so and I was left with lots of gaps and holes that I didn't quite understand. A lot of references were made about past adventures. Admittedly, I was lost for some parts of the book but, since I love Drizzt and his buddies I definitely will go back and reread this one and read the past novels to catch up on what I have missed.
The best part of about this book is Zaknafein and how he meets up with Jarlaxle - which is always an adventure in itself. The chapters are divided evenly into both past and present. I preferred the chapters featuring Zaknafein and Jalaxle. You had past characters appear again and that old nostalgic feeling comes back when you’re reading about them. Their adventures and intrigue were fun to read, the fighting scenes excellent, and there’s even a slight comedic section of Jalaxle and the subject of his hair.
The chapters set in the present are all right. Zaknafein is resurrected to reasons unknown and it’s encountered with suspicion. You’ll have all your characters coming back and naturally you’ll be happy to see them. I noticed some things have definitely changed with them. So it really felt like I was missing something (I probably did, hence why I have to go back and read the past novels for this) I like the exchanges between Zaknafein and Drizzt. Ah but the fighting scenes that included them both were enjoyable to read. They were in sync and it felt like watching a dance. It was beautifully descriptive.
The plot was good and it obviously leaves room for more to come. That being said, I can’t wait to hear further and read more about Zaknafein. He’s got a long way ahead of him and lots to catch up on. I look forward to it. In the meantime, I think it’s time to play catch up on Drizzt and company.
As mentioned earlier, really don’t recommend if you haven’t read Drizzt before. You’ll be lost and the read won’t be as enjoyable. I suspect if read in the particular order, it will be a great read and can’t be missed.
It’s greatly recommended you read previous novels leading up to this one. Mind you, it would help immensely if you read the entire Drizzt timeline (which is a lot!) but since that is a lot of books to catch up on, the last few trilogies leading up to this one would likely help. My mistake was not doing so and I was left with lots of gaps and holes that I didn't quite understand. A lot of references were made about past adventures. Admittedly, I was lost for some parts of the book but, since I love Drizzt and his buddies I definitely will go back and reread this one and read the past novels to catch up on what I have missed.
The best part of about this book is Zaknafein and how he meets up with Jarlaxle - which is always an adventure in itself. The chapters are divided evenly into both past and present. I preferred the chapters featuring Zaknafein and Jalaxle. You had past characters appear again and that old nostalgic feeling comes back when you’re reading about them. Their adventures and intrigue were fun to read, the fighting scenes excellent, and there’s even a slight comedic section of Jalaxle and the subject of his hair.
The chapters set in the present are all right. Zaknafein is resurrected to reasons unknown and it’s encountered with suspicion. You’ll have all your characters coming back and naturally you’ll be happy to see them. I noticed some things have definitely changed with them. So it really felt like I was missing something (I probably did, hence why I have to go back and read the past novels for this) I like the exchanges between Zaknafein and Drizzt. Ah but the fighting scenes that included them both were enjoyable to read. They were in sync and it felt like watching a dance. It was beautifully descriptive.
The plot was good and it obviously leaves room for more to come. That being said, I can’t wait to hear further and read more about Zaknafein. He’s got a long way ahead of him and lots to catch up on. I look forward to it. In the meantime, I think it’s time to play catch up on Drizzt and company.
As mentioned earlier, really don’t recommend if you haven’t read Drizzt before. You’ll be lost and the read won’t be as enjoyable. I suspect if read in the particular order, it will be a great read and can’t be missed.
Debbiereadsbook (1407 KP) rated Fearless (Somerton Security #3) in Books
Nov 16, 2018
far darker than the others, but equally brilliant!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book direct from the author, and I thank Ms Dyer for that!
This is book three in the Somerton Security series and I would strongly recommend that you read books one, Defenseless and book two, Relentless before you read this one. There is some of an on-going story arc, and I don't think you'll get the full benefit of THIS book, if you don't. And,I mean, both are five star reads too!
We haven't met Will or Cooper before, but we know of Will. He is Georgia's brother and we thought him long dead. Cooper is a sniper, and they have talked before, Will and Coop, long intimate conversations, but never got round to meeting. When Coop's life is threatened by her actions on orders, she needs Will to find the answers and clear her name. She just needs to free Will from his captivity.
I loved this one, too!
It's far darker than the other two, because some of Will's torture is described, in detail, as it happens and as memories surfacing, but it's needed. You NEED to know what happened to Will, while he was held all that time, because it has some baring on what happens later in the book. Quite graphic, but absolutely necessary.
Will and Coop's history is all phone calls and texts, but I loved that the full picture isn't immediately clear. You're left guessing at the clues and I love being kept on my toes.
I loved that Coop could SEE Will, you know, under all that dirt and grime and all those scars. She could see the man he was, will be again, even if Will couldn't. Loved that Will knew he had to let Coop go, if he was going to keep her and LOVED how he pulled her back!! I was like, way to go man!!
Parker and Georgia, and Ethan and Natalia all pop up, if only towards the end but it was nice that they did.
There is a character here who has piqued my interest, particularly after what he says to Coop and Will when the sh*t hits the fan, and more importantly, it was the WAY he said it. Makes me think that HIS story could be next, and he isn't quite the bad guy he portrays here. Maybe he is, but I think there is a teeny tiny soft spot in his heart for a certain doctor who is missing.
Please keep these coming!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book three in the Somerton Security series and I would strongly recommend that you read books one, Defenseless and book two, Relentless before you read this one. There is some of an on-going story arc, and I don't think you'll get the full benefit of THIS book, if you don't. And,I mean, both are five star reads too!
We haven't met Will or Cooper before, but we know of Will. He is Georgia's brother and we thought him long dead. Cooper is a sniper, and they have talked before, Will and Coop, long intimate conversations, but never got round to meeting. When Coop's life is threatened by her actions on orders, she needs Will to find the answers and clear her name. She just needs to free Will from his captivity.
I loved this one, too!
It's far darker than the other two, because some of Will's torture is described, in detail, as it happens and as memories surfacing, but it's needed. You NEED to know what happened to Will, while he was held all that time, because it has some baring on what happens later in the book. Quite graphic, but absolutely necessary.
Will and Coop's history is all phone calls and texts, but I loved that the full picture isn't immediately clear. You're left guessing at the clues and I love being kept on my toes.
I loved that Coop could SEE Will, you know, under all that dirt and grime and all those scars. She could see the man he was, will be again, even if Will couldn't. Loved that Will knew he had to let Coop go, if he was going to keep her and LOVED how he pulled her back!! I was like, way to go man!!
Parker and Georgia, and Ethan and Natalia all pop up, if only towards the end but it was nice that they did.
There is a character here who has piqued my interest, particularly after what he says to Coop and Will when the sh*t hits the fan, and more importantly, it was the WAY he said it. Makes me think that HIS story could be next, and he isn't quite the bad guy he portrays here. Maybe he is, but I think there is a teeny tiny soft spot in his heart for a certain doctor who is missing.
Please keep these coming!!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated I Found You in Books
Nov 19, 2018
Great Characters (1 more)
Interesting Plot
A Thrilling Read!
I found out about I Found You by Lisa Jewell in a magazine about upcoming books. When I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it. It sounded really good! Luckily, it didn't disappoint.
The pacing was a little slow in places. However, it was still decently paced enough to hold my attention. The last quarter of the book was fast paced, but not in a bad way where I didn't know what was going on. For the last quarter of I Found You, I found myself fully immersed within the pages. I had to know what was going to happen next.
The world building is very believable. It's not something that happens every day, but I can still picture it happening. The plot of I Found You was very enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. It was interesting to read about the past as well as the story from two different women's point of view. It was also very interesting to see how their worlds were about to collide. There are a couple of plot twists that I had been trying to figure out from the the beginning which I got wrong. All of my questions about the story were answered by the end of the book as well as any loose ends.
I thought the characters in I Found You were very well written and fleshed out perfectly. All of them felt very real. I would have liked to learn more about Alice's past, but she was still a well written character. I enjoyed reading about Frank as he tried to get his memory back, and it was very interesting going along for the ride with Lily as she tried to find her missing husband. I loved how protective Gray was of his sister Kirsty and how much he loved her. I hated Mark, but that was the point. Mark was written to be a horrible person.
Trigger warnings include drug use, underage and of age alcohol use, violence, swearing, sexual assault, death, and implied sex.
Overall, I Found You was an enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting, and the characters felt very real. The pacing was a bit slow sometimes, but it always held my attention. I would definitely recommend I Found You by Lisa Jewell to everyone aged 16+. It is a thrilling read for sure!
The pacing was a little slow in places. However, it was still decently paced enough to hold my attention. The last quarter of the book was fast paced, but not in a bad way where I didn't know what was going on. For the last quarter of I Found You, I found myself fully immersed within the pages. I had to know what was going to happen next.
The world building is very believable. It's not something that happens every day, but I can still picture it happening. The plot of I Found You was very enjoyable. I don't think I've ever read anything like it. It was interesting to read about the past as well as the story from two different women's point of view. It was also very interesting to see how their worlds were about to collide. There are a couple of plot twists that I had been trying to figure out from the the beginning which I got wrong. All of my questions about the story were answered by the end of the book as well as any loose ends.
I thought the characters in I Found You were very well written and fleshed out perfectly. All of them felt very real. I would have liked to learn more about Alice's past, but she was still a well written character. I enjoyed reading about Frank as he tried to get his memory back, and it was very interesting going along for the ride with Lily as she tried to find her missing husband. I loved how protective Gray was of his sister Kirsty and how much he loved her. I hated Mark, but that was the point. Mark was written to be a horrible person.
Trigger warnings include drug use, underage and of age alcohol use, violence, swearing, sexual assault, death, and implied sex.
Overall, I Found You was an enjoyable read. The plot was very interesting, and the characters felt very real. The pacing was a bit slow sometimes, but it always held my attention. I would definitely recommend I Found You by Lisa Jewell to everyone aged 16+. It is a thrilling read for sure!
Kayleigh (12 KP) rated Changeling (Order of Darkness, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I knew I had to read this book after this <a href="http://busyteacher.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/changeling-by-philippa-gregory-book-review/">review</a>; alerted me to Philippa Gregory’s foray into YA literature. I’m definitely a fan of her writing, having read a couple of her books, the most impressive, in my opinion, being The Other Boleyn Girl. I am a complete history geek, and had really high hopes, as I’m usually kept transfixed.
For the most part, I enjoyed it. I liked the mysteries that seemed difficult to explain, and the sense of injustice felt at Isolde’s plight (a very plausible situation, back then) kept me interested throughout the book at what would become of her. It was also good when various characters (and not just Luca) were able to shed some light on the piece of the puzzle – it made it seem a little more realistic. I really liked the character of Freize, and how he reacts around pretty much everyone!
However, there was some sort of sparkle missing, especially given my expectations of the author. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was this morning, when I finished the book, but I think I’ve got the gist now. This may be my natural cynicism, but it seemed as though Luca and Isolde were both a little too perfect – they’re both great looking and have sexual chemistry, which, given that it’s supposed to be staying relatively historically accurate, doesn’t seem entirely appropriate, unless in later books they manage to resist each other.
Then, there are some moments that are only half-arsedly explained. <spoiler>Firstly, it is suggested that Freize did not, as he said, release them from the dungeon, but no reason is given for this. Then, the werewolf is given as a little boy lost years before. All well and good, but can a wild child really be mistaken for an animal? I must admit, it stretched my imagination a little far!</spoiler>
Despite my criticism though, it wasn’t a bad book, and I probably would read the other books in the series. The Changeling aspect was barely touched upon, which is odd considering it’s the title of the book! The plot was good, and if the character development gets a little better, I will probably be rating them higher than this one!
This review is also on my <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com">blog</a>;. If you liked it, please check it out!
For the most part, I enjoyed it. I liked the mysteries that seemed difficult to explain, and the sense of injustice felt at Isolde’s plight (a very plausible situation, back then) kept me interested throughout the book at what would become of her. It was also good when various characters (and not just Luca) were able to shed some light on the piece of the puzzle – it made it seem a little more realistic. I really liked the character of Freize, and how he reacts around pretty much everyone!
However, there was some sort of sparkle missing, especially given my expectations of the author. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was this morning, when I finished the book, but I think I’ve got the gist now. This may be my natural cynicism, but it seemed as though Luca and Isolde were both a little too perfect – they’re both great looking and have sexual chemistry, which, given that it’s supposed to be staying relatively historically accurate, doesn’t seem entirely appropriate, unless in later books they manage to resist each other.
Then, there are some moments that are only half-arsedly explained. <spoiler>Firstly, it is suggested that Freize did not, as he said, release them from the dungeon, but no reason is given for this. Then, the werewolf is given as a little boy lost years before. All well and good, but can a wild child really be mistaken for an animal? I must admit, it stretched my imagination a little far!</spoiler>
Despite my criticism though, it wasn’t a bad book, and I probably would read the other books in the series. The Changeling aspect was barely touched upon, which is odd considering it’s the title of the book! The plot was good, and if the character development gets a little better, I will probably be rating them higher than this one!
This review is also on my <a href="http://awowords.wordpress.com">blog</a>;. If you liked it, please check it out!