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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Stolen Ones (Jessica Balzano & Kevin Byrne, #7) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
A cold case comes to live with the discovery of a new body, a new murder, and multiple new connections. A two-year-old child is found standing in the middle of the street. A mysterious man in ragged clothing appears in a little girls closet completely out of nowhere. A woman disappears from her basement without having left her house. With the help of the rest of the experts in the Philadelphia Police Department, Detectives Jessica Balzano and Kevin Byrne unravel a chilling series of dream-like murders.
The Stolen Ones is book 7 of a series of detective novels. At the time of request, I was unaware of this fact, and I hoped that I would not be confused because I hadn’t read the others. I’m happy to say that I had no trouble at all getting lost in this story. I am totally in love with Kevin Byrne and his snarky Irish attitude, and Jessica’s tough-girl-who-is-here-to-kick-ass mentality.
The story was incredibly complex, and a few times I found myself stopping and saying “wait, what? I’m confused.” I had to check to make sure I hadn’t skipped a track in the audiobook. I hadn’t, all was well… there were just some jarring sections that I think were hard to interpret because it was audio instead of printed. however all things considered it wasn’t enough to negatively affect the story.
The performance by William Hope was very good. I liked his voices and interpretations of the characters a lot, especially Kevin Byrne. He has done quite a few audiobooks, and his experience is obvious; he reads with a good authority, pace, and energy.
There were some gruesome details of violence so it is not for the faint of heart or stomach. It was enough to shock me, but it wasn’t anything I would regret listening to. I’d definitely recommend it to ages 18+ who are into the crime thriller genre.
The Stolen Ones is book 7 of a series of detective novels. At the time of request, I was unaware of this fact, and I hoped that I would not be confused because I hadn’t read the others. I’m happy to say that I had no trouble at all getting lost in this story. I am totally in love with Kevin Byrne and his snarky Irish attitude, and Jessica’s tough-girl-who-is-here-to-kick-ass mentality.
The story was incredibly complex, and a few times I found myself stopping and saying “wait, what? I’m confused.” I had to check to make sure I hadn’t skipped a track in the audiobook. I hadn’t, all was well… there were just some jarring sections that I think were hard to interpret because it was audio instead of printed. however all things considered it wasn’t enough to negatively affect the story.
The performance by William Hope was very good. I liked his voices and interpretations of the characters a lot, especially Kevin Byrne. He has done quite a few audiobooks, and his experience is obvious; he reads with a good authority, pace, and energy.
There were some gruesome details of violence so it is not for the faint of heart or stomach. It was enough to shock me, but it wasn’t anything I would regret listening to. I’d definitely recommend it to ages 18+ who are into the crime thriller genre.
Amy Norman (1048 KP) rated Cursed in TV
Sep 25, 2020
I so wanted to like this! It has exactly all the elements I would look for in a fantasy programme.
Unfortunately, it just felt obscenely average. It was like a low budget Game of Thrones, but without half the intrigue, or interesting characters.
I enjoyed that the majority of the cast were actors I wasn't really familiar with, as it meant I wasn't lead with thinking things like "oh they will be important", or struggled to separate them from a previous role.
However, overall it just didn't work on this occasion. Most of them are forgettable, and no one in particular stood out to me as someone I either liked or hated (apart from one character but I think the audience is suppose to like them, or find them cheeky🤦🏼♀️).
The main antagonist was not imposing, or threatening, in any way. There is a lot of awful stuff that happens but I didn't feel that bothered by it, there was no tension, fear, or worry.
The magical and diverse creatures, looked like humans had covered themselves in glue, and rolled around in whatever environment was relevant to their clan.
The character development was flat, and almost childish for every single character. I'm not sure any of them were any different at the end, but they are supposed to have been on this 'journey'.
There were some gorgeous stylised transitions between scenes but again these feel wasted, as they were occasionally laughable to what they transitioned in to.
A great deal of the story felt very choppy, although oddly the story does flow but scene on scene felt like there was occasionally something missing in between.
The soundtrack was like some angsty young adult was selecting a soundtrack for their current break up, or favourite teen drama.
It is obviously an easy enough watch, and I think some young adults would really enjoy it, as it is uncomplicated, and some of it does look good.
As someone that loves all things fantasy, I just couldn't get on with it myself, which is a shame!
I will however be reading the book, so fingers crossed that is better.
Unfortunately, it just felt obscenely average. It was like a low budget Game of Thrones, but without half the intrigue, or interesting characters.
I enjoyed that the majority of the cast were actors I wasn't really familiar with, as it meant I wasn't lead with thinking things like "oh they will be important", or struggled to separate them from a previous role.
However, overall it just didn't work on this occasion. Most of them are forgettable, and no one in particular stood out to me as someone I either liked or hated (apart from one character but I think the audience is suppose to like them, or find them cheeky🤦🏼♀️).
The main antagonist was not imposing, or threatening, in any way. There is a lot of awful stuff that happens but I didn't feel that bothered by it, there was no tension, fear, or worry.
The magical and diverse creatures, looked like humans had covered themselves in glue, and rolled around in whatever environment was relevant to their clan.
The character development was flat, and almost childish for every single character. I'm not sure any of them were any different at the end, but they are supposed to have been on this 'journey'.
There were some gorgeous stylised transitions between scenes but again these feel wasted, as they were occasionally laughable to what they transitioned in to.
A great deal of the story felt very choppy, although oddly the story does flow but scene on scene felt like there was occasionally something missing in between.
The soundtrack was like some angsty young adult was selecting a soundtrack for their current break up, or favourite teen drama.
It is obviously an easy enough watch, and I think some young adults would really enjoy it, as it is uncomplicated, and some of it does look good.
As someone that loves all things fantasy, I just couldn't get on with it myself, which is a shame!
I will however be reading the book, so fingers crossed that is better.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Attachments in Books
May 10, 2018
Attachments was a really cute story. It's one of the weirdest love stories that you will ever root for!
Lincoln works in the IT department of The Courier, the local newspaper. But Lincoln doesn't have a typical IT job. It's his job to flag any email messages that contain personal messages or any kind of threat against the paper. For the most part, the job is a mindless night of not having much to do. But nearly every night he's got something in his folder that has been flagged. Mostly, it's the emails between the movie reviewer, Beth and her best friend, copy editor, Jennifer. There isn't anything harmful in the emails, but they are all deeply personal. When Lincoln finds himself falling in love with one of these women just through their email correspondence, he's not sure how he's going to be able to face her without telling her how he knows her.
Through a series of strange encounters and near misses, the opportunity never arises for them to formally meet, and to top it all off, she already has a boyfriend. Will Lincoln ever find a way to tell this girl how he feels? Will she ever feel the same way knowing what he had done? Would they ever find a love that would "leave the lights on all the time"?
The thing I liked best about the book, is that there aren't any overly handsome or beautiful people in it. The characters could be your friends or your neighbors, or the person you are sitting next to at work. It's a story we can all get behind. This is the first book I have read by Rainbow Rowell, but not the first one that I had put on my TBR list. I am for sure going to read more!
Lincoln works in the IT department of The Courier, the local newspaper. But Lincoln doesn't have a typical IT job. It's his job to flag any email messages that contain personal messages or any kind of threat against the paper. For the most part, the job is a mindless night of not having much to do. But nearly every night he's got something in his folder that has been flagged. Mostly, it's the emails between the movie reviewer, Beth and her best friend, copy editor, Jennifer. There isn't anything harmful in the emails, but they are all deeply personal. When Lincoln finds himself falling in love with one of these women just through their email correspondence, he's not sure how he's going to be able to face her without telling her how he knows her.
Through a series of strange encounters and near misses, the opportunity never arises for them to formally meet, and to top it all off, she already has a boyfriend. Will Lincoln ever find a way to tell this girl how he feels? Will she ever feel the same way knowing what he had done? Would they ever find a love that would "leave the lights on all the time"?
The thing I liked best about the book, is that there aren't any overly handsome or beautiful people in it. The characters could be your friends or your neighbors, or the person you are sitting next to at work. It's a story we can all get behind. This is the first book I have read by Rainbow Rowell, but not the first one that I had put on my TBR list. I am for sure going to read more!
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Suicide Tree in Books
Jan 9, 2020
Honest Review for Free Copy of Book
The Suicide Tree by Shayla Raquel was a surprisingly good book. It was not quite what I expected but after reading it I am honestly not sure what I was expecting. Early on it talks about the Suicide Tree being a real tree and I could not help but look it up. What I found is that the Suicide Tree is actually a tree called Cerbera Odollam and is found in Asia and India. I find it interesting Knox uses this tree’s nickname for his tag because of the specific properties this tree has. I will leave it up to the interested reader to look up those properties for themselves. The story was so good that I am afraid to say too much without the risk of spoilers.
Trigger Warning: Although I don’t usually feel like I need to add these to my reviews I feel this may be an exception. The death of Knox’s parents is a tragedy and a large part of the story and is brought up very frequently.
Knox Kevel’s parents died in an explosion three years before the story begins. Knox, being almost a computer genius becomes a hacker known as The Suicide Tree while his parents are still alive. After their death, he works for people on the black market and attracts the attention of the FBI. The FBI gets ahold of him twice and he is facing prison time when Arlo Jenson pops in. Arlo wants Knox to work for him and if Knox agrees Arlo will call in a favor with the DA and have Knox’s charges dropped.
Knox ends up flying to Italy with Arlo, in hopes of finding the person who hurt Arlo as a child. Knox and Arlo stay with Norah, Arlo’s sister, and her daughter Jessa. The four of them team up and travel to many well-known cities in Italy trying to discover the truth. The truth about what? Well, you will just have to read The Suicide Tree to find out for yourself.
What I liked most about this book was the interwoven stories of Knox, Arlo, and the mysterious person who harmed Arlo. It was actually hard to find something that I didn’t really like about this book. After thinking about it I would say that the reasoning behind Arlo’s childhood assault (for lack of a better term) was a bit on the anti-climatic side. I was hoping for something a little more in-depth than what was offered.
In all honesty, I believe just about anyone could read this book. There is little in the lines on inappropriate material in this book. The book is also relatively short and does not require a lot of dedication making it perfect for the occasional reader. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 because the plot line was well thought out and there was very little that I questioned after finishing the book. The story was strong and extremely entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read.
Trigger Warning: Although I don’t usually feel like I need to add these to my reviews I feel this may be an exception. The death of Knox’s parents is a tragedy and a large part of the story and is brought up very frequently.
Knox Kevel’s parents died in an explosion three years before the story begins. Knox, being almost a computer genius becomes a hacker known as The Suicide Tree while his parents are still alive. After their death, he works for people on the black market and attracts the attention of the FBI. The FBI gets ahold of him twice and he is facing prison time when Arlo Jenson pops in. Arlo wants Knox to work for him and if Knox agrees Arlo will call in a favor with the DA and have Knox’s charges dropped.
Knox ends up flying to Italy with Arlo, in hopes of finding the person who hurt Arlo as a child. Knox and Arlo stay with Norah, Arlo’s sister, and her daughter Jessa. The four of them team up and travel to many well-known cities in Italy trying to discover the truth. The truth about what? Well, you will just have to read The Suicide Tree to find out for yourself.
What I liked most about this book was the interwoven stories of Knox, Arlo, and the mysterious person who harmed Arlo. It was actually hard to find something that I didn’t really like about this book. After thinking about it I would say that the reasoning behind Arlo’s childhood assault (for lack of a better term) was a bit on the anti-climatic side. I was hoping for something a little more in-depth than what was offered.
In all honesty, I believe just about anyone could read this book. There is little in the lines on inappropriate material in this book. The book is also relatively short and does not require a lot of dedication making it perfect for the occasional reader. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 because the plot line was well thought out and there was very little that I questioned after finishing the book. The story was strong and extremely entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a quick read.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated The Most Wicked of Sins (Seven Deadly Sins, #2) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
While there was nothing about this book that made it special and I found the "Seven Deadly Sins" theme cliche, it was a pleasure to read. This is the kind of romance novel that makes you sigh with happiness when you finish the last page, the type of novel that is truly a delight to fans of romance. The couple doesn't argue the entire time. In fact, the only arguing was the female protagonist's, Ivy's, arguing with herself and her emotions. This is quite refreshing among the endless stream of novels where the couples are always butting heads and arguing to the point that I want to rip my hair out.
The only problem I had was Ivy's behavior. I have read so many historical novels where the women act as free as the women today. It's irritating. If those women really acted that way, then they would be complete outcasts of society no matter what their status or money. I am also sure that the menfolk would simply not allow such behavior.
The male protagonist, Dominic Sheridan, stole my heart away. He was sweet and endearing to Ivy, that it grabbed my heart strings. At first, it was amusing to watch the two's playful banter, and then watch how their behavior changed so subtly when the two began to fall in love. It was cute.
I actually liked the light-hearted feel of this novel so much, I rented the other two currently published.
The only problem I had was Ivy's behavior. I have read so many historical novels where the women act as free as the women today. It's irritating. If those women really acted that way, then they would be complete outcasts of society no matter what their status or money. I am also sure that the menfolk would simply not allow such behavior.
The male protagonist, Dominic Sheridan, stole my heart away. He was sweet and endearing to Ivy, that it grabbed my heart strings. At first, it was amusing to watch the two's playful banter, and then watch how their behavior changed so subtly when the two began to fall in love. It was cute.
I actually liked the light-hearted feel of this novel so much, I rented the other two currently published.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben) (2018) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)
I can guarantee that Everybody Knows was woefully under scheduled in cinemas across the country. I luckily got to see this while I was travelling for work, there's the occasional handy perk!
A certain amount of people find foreign language films a little daunting (I may have said this when I watched the Kobiety Mafii series, if I did, apologies). Everybody Knows certainly has its issues, mainly there are a lot of characters and when you couple this with the subtitles you miss a certain amount of introductions because they're so quick.
Initially the film doesn't really flow well and I was concerned that this might be consistent through the rest, however once we get into it thankfully that changes.
Spanish farmland always seems to offer the opportunity for fantastic scenic shots and they definitely took advantage of this in the early sequences. The drone shots at the wedding were particularly stunning to see from that vantage point.
Laura is an interesting character, she's got complicated relationships all over the place, her husband, Paco and then tensions rise within the family as we progress. Penélope Cruz is incredible in this role, she adapts to every situation as it arises and brings Laura to life with an emotional performance throughout. There's a stark change in her from before to after the wedding, everything adapts to support this, acting, wardrobe, make-up. In a movie full of good things this is probably the best.
Paco, played by Javier Bardem, is a great match for Laura. He's strong, loyal and he has a very clear sense of right and wrong. The connection between the two characters is incredible, which I'm sure is due in part to the fact that they're married in real life. Paco's journey is fraught, there's confusion and frustration through a lot of it. I can' say I was overly happy with how his story ended, but then I guess not everything ends the way you want it to.
I liked the idea behind the main story, it wasn't over complicated which allowed us to connect with the characters more. I was surprised when I came out that the film had been quite so long, at no point did it feel its length, it was incredibly well paced.
Suspicions were formed fairly early on (by me) about the twist. The film presents you with a few options, I'm glad that I didn't guess correctly.
Collectively this film is wonderful, Cruz had me crying like a baby, there were surprising moments of suspense and it had a laid back Spanish attitude to it, nothing was rushed but it still manages to keep you jogging along at a quick pace.
Apart from that initial issue with the flow there is little to quibble about. It's a very enjoyable (I'm not sure that enjoyable is the right word) film. I'm not sure that I could watch it again and get the same fire out of it that I did the first time now that I know what happens.
What you should do
You should absolutely try this one, good story and good acting come together for a tear-filled journey. Cruz will make you feel so many things.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
A vineyard, summer sun, wine made by my own fair hands... *sigh*
A certain amount of people find foreign language films a little daunting (I may have said this when I watched the Kobiety Mafii series, if I did, apologies). Everybody Knows certainly has its issues, mainly there are a lot of characters and when you couple this with the subtitles you miss a certain amount of introductions because they're so quick.
Initially the film doesn't really flow well and I was concerned that this might be consistent through the rest, however once we get into it thankfully that changes.
Spanish farmland always seems to offer the opportunity for fantastic scenic shots and they definitely took advantage of this in the early sequences. The drone shots at the wedding were particularly stunning to see from that vantage point.
Laura is an interesting character, she's got complicated relationships all over the place, her husband, Paco and then tensions rise within the family as we progress. Penélope Cruz is incredible in this role, she adapts to every situation as it arises and brings Laura to life with an emotional performance throughout. There's a stark change in her from before to after the wedding, everything adapts to support this, acting, wardrobe, make-up. In a movie full of good things this is probably the best.
Paco, played by Javier Bardem, is a great match for Laura. He's strong, loyal and he has a very clear sense of right and wrong. The connection between the two characters is incredible, which I'm sure is due in part to the fact that they're married in real life. Paco's journey is fraught, there's confusion and frustration through a lot of it. I can' say I was overly happy with how his story ended, but then I guess not everything ends the way you want it to.
I liked the idea behind the main story, it wasn't over complicated which allowed us to connect with the characters more. I was surprised when I came out that the film had been quite so long, at no point did it feel its length, it was incredibly well paced.
Suspicions were formed fairly early on (by me) about the twist. The film presents you with a few options, I'm glad that I didn't guess correctly.
Collectively this film is wonderful, Cruz had me crying like a baby, there were surprising moments of suspense and it had a laid back Spanish attitude to it, nothing was rushed but it still manages to keep you jogging along at a quick pace.
Apart from that initial issue with the flow there is little to quibble about. It's a very enjoyable (I'm not sure that enjoyable is the right word) film. I'm not sure that I could watch it again and get the same fire out of it that I did the first time now that I know what happens.
What you should do
You should absolutely try this one, good story and good acting come together for a tear-filled journey. Cruz will make you feel so many things.
Movie thing you wish you could take home
A vineyard, summer sun, wine made by my own fair hands... *sigh*
Debbiereadsbook (1424 KP) rated Island Detour (Sunrise Island #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2024
throughly enjoyable 4 star read
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Sophie is accused of doing something she knew she did not do, and is suspended from her teaching post. Taking a job in Florida, helping out a friend, seemed the best thing to do during that time. But she was unprepared for taking a lead role in the school and she was totally unprepared for Max, another teacher at the school, trying to get his environmental institute off the ground. They both have demons to fight, but will they be stronger together?
What I especially liked about this book was the slow burn between Sophie and Max. There was immediate attraction, sure, but Max thinks Sophie has ulterior motives for being at the school and he trusts so rarely. It takes him time to see that Sophie can calm his demons, and he, hers. They both just need to admit, trust and give in to each other.
Both Max and Sophie get a say, and I'm glad they did.
There is passion, heat and love here, but I found the smexy times were very much faded to black and I liked that. I do like the smexy books, sure, but I can also appreciate a fade to black book, if the story is a good one.
And this is a good book! It's a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, my first by this author. I'd like to read something else, something with a bit more bite.
A thoroughly enjoyable 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Sophie is accused of doing something she knew she did not do, and is suspended from her teaching post. Taking a job in Florida, helping out a friend, seemed the best thing to do during that time. But she was unprepared for taking a lead role in the school and she was totally unprepared for Max, another teacher at the school, trying to get his environmental institute off the ground. They both have demons to fight, but will they be stronger together?
What I especially liked about this book was the slow burn between Sophie and Max. There was immediate attraction, sure, but Max thinks Sophie has ulterior motives for being at the school and he trusts so rarely. It takes him time to see that Sophie can calm his demons, and he, hers. They both just need to admit, trust and give in to each other.
Both Max and Sophie get a say, and I'm glad they did.
There is passion, heat and love here, but I found the smexy times were very much faded to black and I liked that. I do like the smexy books, sure, but I can also appreciate a fade to black book, if the story is a good one.
And this is a good book! It's a great book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, my first by this author. I'd like to read something else, something with a bit more bite.
A thoroughly enjoyable 4 star read.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Returners in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I have a vague recollection of reading this some time in the past which is kind of ironic considering the topic of the book itself. While I felt a repeated deja vu throughout this book, I can't seem to remember when I actually would have read it before. I also couldn't remember much of the main plot, which is pretty weird.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
Debbiereadsbook (1424 KP) rated Snowed In: Ross and Ashton in Books
Feb 4, 2019
kinda fell into this one, loved it!
Totally unprepared for the snow storm, Ash drives to his new job. Or at least, he tries to. He runs his car off the road and is found by Ross. The same Ross who broke his heart in college. But Ross doesn't recognise Ash straight away, although he thinks him familiar. When the penny finally drops, all the heartbreak that both suffered all those years ago comes rushing back, along with the intense chemistry they had. Can they survive the monster storm? Could they try again?
I REALLY enjoyed this! It was a great easy read, and I mean that in a good way!
Sometimes, you just need a book that isn't too complicate, not to taxing on the old brain. A book that throws enough hints at you that you know there was something that happened, but you aren't sure what. A book that pulls you in, and doesn't let you in for the next hour or so, the 90 pages that this book is.
Ash knows his rescuer straight away but it takes time for Ross to know it's Ash. But Ross hasn't seen Ash since college, and Ash has been dropping into Ross' social media from time to time, cos he's a sucker for punishment.
What I particularly liked about this book, was how much BOTH men were affected by what happened all those years ago. For very different reasons. But they are different men now. I'm not going into spoiler, really I'm not, but it's great reading the same situation from both sides, and seeing both of them realise just what could have been.
It's not overly explicit but that's not needed here. The whole book takes place over a matter of HOURS so there really isn't a lot of hot and steamy stuff. It is sexy though, what's here.
I just FELL into this book and I really REALLY enjoyed it!
Ah sod it! I wrote 4 stars at the top of the page when I wrote this review, but now I'm typing it up? Can't figure out a single reason why!
So!
5 full and snow covered stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I REALLY enjoyed this! It was a great easy read, and I mean that in a good way!
Sometimes, you just need a book that isn't too complicate, not to taxing on the old brain. A book that throws enough hints at you that you know there was something that happened, but you aren't sure what. A book that pulls you in, and doesn't let you in for the next hour or so, the 90 pages that this book is.
Ash knows his rescuer straight away but it takes time for Ross to know it's Ash. But Ross hasn't seen Ash since college, and Ash has been dropping into Ross' social media from time to time, cos he's a sucker for punishment.
What I particularly liked about this book, was how much BOTH men were affected by what happened all those years ago. For very different reasons. But they are different men now. I'm not going into spoiler, really I'm not, but it's great reading the same situation from both sides, and seeing both of them realise just what could have been.
It's not overly explicit but that's not needed here. The whole book takes place over a matter of HOURS so there really isn't a lot of hot and steamy stuff. It is sexy though, what's here.
I just FELL into this book and I really REALLY enjoyed it!
Ah sod it! I wrote 4 stars at the top of the page when I wrote this review, but now I'm typing it up? Can't figure out a single reason why!
So!
5 full and snow covered stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated American Gods in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I'm trying to remember whether or not I've read any of Gaiman's other novels before, and I'm fairly certain that I haven't. I read [b:Good Omens|12067|Good Omens|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266659394s/12067.jpg|4110990], but that was co-written with [a:Terry Pratchett|1654|Terry Pratchett|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1235562205p2/1654.jpg], and the collaboration was genius. I know that the entire world seems to love Sandman, of course, but I'm just not a fan of graphic novels. In fact, it took me a while to realize that the Good Omens co-author and the Sandman author were one and the same.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.
I've certainly read some short stories, too. The most memorable, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow,_Glass,_Apples">"Snow, Glass, Apples"</a> was reprinted in an anthology I read recently. I find it disturbing, so I won't re-read it. Well-written, of course—it wouldn't be so very memorably distressing if it weren't so masterfully done! (I found the <a href="http://www.holycow.com/dreaming/stories/snow-glass-apples">text online</a> if you care to read it, but please understand that the story deals with pedophilia, necrophilia, and incest here. It is the polar opposite of all things Disney.) Snow White was never one of of my favorite fairy tales, and Gaiman definitely pushed it much farther down the list.
In any case, I don't know what I was expecting from Gaiman, but <i>American Gods</i> wasn't it. I like stories with happy endings, and within the first few chapters I was fairly sure that there wouldn't be one. Is Gaiman fundamentally opposed to joy, or is it just happiness that he doesn't allow?
The novel is epic. It is masterful. All that stuff from the big critics is dead on. The book could be used as the backbone of a mythological scavenger hunt if a teacher were willing to run a very unstructured but engaging course that way. I certainly enjoyed that aspect of it, and it made me glad that I was reading it on my iTouch so that I could look up anything I liked online at any time, no matter where I happened to be (which was almost always at home or somewhere else that had wifi access, happily).
I seldom want to see illustrations in any book, but yes, I think I would like to see good pictures of some of the characters Gaiman described in this one. On the other hand, without artwork I spent time imagining what the characters looked like based on the descriptions. I don't normally stop to do that, as such matters as seldom relevant to a plot, but these beings caught my fancy. Not enough that I would sit through an entire graphic novel, I'm afraid, but if I saw one now I might flip through it to see how the artist's renderings compare with my versions.
I'm seldom able to identify an overall Theme to the books I read. Most of them, honestly, are fluff. I'm fine with that. I read them because they entertain me. <i>American Gods</i> is different. It is entertaining, but it isn't light or fluffy in the least. It definitely has an easily identifiably Theme and Tropes and all those elements that I recall from long-ago classes, the sorts of things that put me off from my original English major because I hated tearing other author's works apart instead of writing anything original. (Now, I begin to understand that we were being taught to recognize what makes for good writing so we might have some hope of possibly creating some of it one day.)
I somewhat timidly conclude that <i>American Gods</i> is the first piece of Literature I've read in a very long time, and well worth the time spent reading it. (I find it rather amusing that it would be British Literature, despite its title, due to the author's nationality.) I'm not going to state the theme, because that would be a spoiler, and I hate putting those in reviews—but it's something that I see as a Truth, and one that needs to be stated far more often, especiallly today. It's even more interesting that it took a Brit to say it.
The book is dark, although it does have some very bright spots in it. I will acknowledge that I was going through a particularly bad time with regards to my health when I was reading it, but I still think it might be best for some people to read this one when in a fairly positive state of mind.