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David McK (3557 KP) rated Fall of Kings (Troy #3) in Books
May 14, 2023
The final part in David Gemmell's 'Troy' trilogy, this was also the final book he ever wrote, as he passed away (in 2006) before it was finished by his wife Stella Gemmell and published in 2007.
As evidenced by the title, this particular volume deals with events leading up to and the actual fall of the city of Troy itself, with the Trojan Horse largely responsible (still) for this fall, but having a more mundane explanation than in the legend.
The same characters appear in this version: Agamemnon, Odysseus and Hektor chief among them, with supporting work by Cassandra and both Andromache (Hektor's wife) and Helikaon proving to be more prominent than I remember from that legend (both of whom were also prominent in the first two entries in this series i.e. 'Lord of the Silver Bow' and 'Shield of Thunder'). There's also room for some of the cast of those earlier novels (such as Banokles or Gershom), but this particular entry, I felt, was not so much about them as about the 'power players' (if you will) of Hektor, Achilles and Odysseus.
As evidenced by the title, this particular volume deals with events leading up to and the actual fall of the city of Troy itself, with the Trojan Horse largely responsible (still) for this fall, but having a more mundane explanation than in the legend.
The same characters appear in this version: Agamemnon, Odysseus and Hektor chief among them, with supporting work by Cassandra and both Andromache (Hektor's wife) and Helikaon proving to be more prominent than I remember from that legend (both of whom were also prominent in the first two entries in this series i.e. 'Lord of the Silver Bow' and 'Shield of Thunder'). There's also room for some of the cast of those earlier novels (such as Banokles or Gershom), but this particular entry, I felt, was not so much about them as about the 'power players' (if you will) of Hektor, Achilles and Odysseus.
David McK (3557 KP) rated Lord of War (Warrior #5) in Books
Jun 3, 2023
The final part of Simon Scarrow and Tj Andrews's 'Warrior' series of novellas, and I now have a confession to make: whilst I have been reviewing each part individually, I actually read them all as one when they were published as a collected work (which may have made the 'intro' and 'outro' of each individual component more obvious).
Anyway, this actually breaks with the previous entries in that it did *not* start in Rome with the sub-plot of Caratacus recounting his experiences to a historian and hence possible bringing that historian some unwelcome attention, but instead picks up from where the last entry left off.
The main thrust of this particular story is also about a battle between the two main tribes of the Atrabates and the Catuvellaunians for control of the settlement of Lhandain, with Caratacus discovering there is a traitor in their midst but with that traitor - as the story ends - not yet unmasked.
Possibly for another series before/alongside the Roman invasion depicted in the Cato and Macro novels?
Anyway, this actually breaks with the previous entries in that it did *not* start in Rome with the sub-plot of Caratacus recounting his experiences to a historian and hence possible bringing that historian some unwelcome attention, but instead picks up from where the last entry left off.
The main thrust of this particular story is also about a battle between the two main tribes of the Atrabates and the Catuvellaunians for control of the settlement of Lhandain, with Caratacus discovering there is a traitor in their midst but with that traitor - as the story ends - not yet unmasked.
Possibly for another series before/alongside the Roman invasion depicted in the Cato and Macro novels?
David McK (3557 KP) rated Warriorborn (The Cinder Spires 1.5) in Books
Dec 27, 2023
It's been like, what, eight years since the last (and first) of Jim Butcher's Cinder Spires novels (The Aeronaut's Windlass)?
I actually re-read that recently, as entry #2 had been released (The Olympian Affair) and it had been so long since the first that, whilst I could remember the general gist (steampunk, basically), not so much the actual ins and outs.
Which is probably a long-winded way of saying that I feel that this novella was released for others in the same boat: to ease them back in, as it were, to the world and its inhabitants.
In this, the Warriorborn Benedict Sorelin-Lancaster is charged by the Spirearch of Albion to investigate the mysterious reason why the colony of Dependence has cut off all contact with the outside world, and finds himself in charge of a cadre of other Warriorborns, all of whom he has arrested in the past and who have reason to mistrust him. It also shows more why the denizens of this world are so afraid of the surface than I remember from the previous entry ...
I actually re-read that recently, as entry #2 had been released (The Olympian Affair) and it had been so long since the first that, whilst I could remember the general gist (steampunk, basically), not so much the actual ins and outs.
Which is probably a long-winded way of saying that I feel that this novella was released for others in the same boat: to ease them back in, as it were, to the world and its inhabitants.
In this, the Warriorborn Benedict Sorelin-Lancaster is charged by the Spirearch of Albion to investigate the mysterious reason why the colony of Dependence has cut off all contact with the outside world, and finds himself in charge of a cadre of other Warriorborns, all of whom he has arrested in the past and who have reason to mistrust him. It also shows more why the denizens of this world are so afraid of the surface than I remember from the previous entry ...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated All the Crooked Saints in Books
Jan 10, 2018 (Updated Jan 10, 2018)
Story of love, loss, and sadness that everyone can appreciate
Maggie Stiefvater's latest--a stand-alone novel--tells the tale of the Soria family, who live in Bicho Raro, Colorado in the 1960s. On the family compound, you'll find the extended Soria family, including the three cousins: Beatriz, Daniel, and Joaquin. Beatriz is scientific-minded; so much, in fact, that she believes she has no feelings. Daniel is the Saint of Bicho Raro, and performs miracles for the Pilgrims who come in droves for the magic the Sorias can offer. Joaquin loves music and performs as Diablo Diablo on an illegal radio station he operates. The Sorias live apart from the Pilgrims they serve, believing helping and interfering with them after performing the first miracle will only bring on darkness. After all, it happened with Daniel's late parents. But when Daniel becomes involved with a Pilgrim named Marisita and a young man named Pete arrives at Bicho Raro looking for work, the Sorias are forced to confront many of their long-held beliefs.
I won't lie: it's a little hard to review this book, beyond saying that it's very much a Maggie Stiefvater novel. If you haven't read one of Stiefvater's novels before, I'm not sure I'd start with this one, even if it is one of her few stand-alone books. Her novels are typically full of all things fancy and fantastical, forcing the reader to suspend reality and be prepared to come along fully for the ride. If you can't do that, or don't enjoy such books, this isn't for you. Even I, who am familiar with her style, had a little trouble with this one at points.
Stiefvater has a way with language; she loves words and weaving a spell with them, and her novels are dense with beauty and picturesque scenes. She uses a repetitious style here in many of her sentences and the overall structure: again, something you might have to get used to.
Still, this book is bizarre but compelling. I put it aside the first night I started it and wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, but when I picked it up again, I was sucked into the Soria's story. The cousins are all rather enthralling characters, and you truly become a part of their journey. Sure, the miracle idea seems a little crazy, but it really just is part of the book, along with the owls, a giant, the moving earth, etc. It's really lovely at times, and I enjoyed the comparisons between miracles and radio waves.
As mentioned, Daniel, Beatriz, and Joaquin are all fascinating characters, and I also really grew to care for Pete, as well, along with another character named Tony. Even Marisita grew on me. There's a bit of suspense and tension to the novel, and you'll find yourself intrigued to see how things turn out. The themes of humanity, darkness, and family are well-done overall.
This probably isn't my favorite of Stiefvater's books; I love the Shiver series and The Raven Boys series, much like this novel, is even more mystical, but features the same sort of compelling characters as here. However, the story and characters grew on me, and I don't regret reading it. It's enjoyable, albeit somewhat odd at times. The story of love, loss, and sadness at its core is one everyone can appreciate.
I won't lie: it's a little hard to review this book, beyond saying that it's very much a Maggie Stiefvater novel. If you haven't read one of Stiefvater's novels before, I'm not sure I'd start with this one, even if it is one of her few stand-alone books. Her novels are typically full of all things fancy and fantastical, forcing the reader to suspend reality and be prepared to come along fully for the ride. If you can't do that, or don't enjoy such books, this isn't for you. Even I, who am familiar with her style, had a little trouble with this one at points.
Stiefvater has a way with language; she loves words and weaving a spell with them, and her novels are dense with beauty and picturesque scenes. She uses a repetitious style here in many of her sentences and the overall structure: again, something you might have to get used to.
Still, this book is bizarre but compelling. I put it aside the first night I started it and wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, but when I picked it up again, I was sucked into the Soria's story. The cousins are all rather enthralling characters, and you truly become a part of their journey. Sure, the miracle idea seems a little crazy, but it really just is part of the book, along with the owls, a giant, the moving earth, etc. It's really lovely at times, and I enjoyed the comparisons between miracles and radio waves.
As mentioned, Daniel, Beatriz, and Joaquin are all fascinating characters, and I also really grew to care for Pete, as well, along with another character named Tony. Even Marisita grew on me. There's a bit of suspense and tension to the novel, and you'll find yourself intrigued to see how things turn out. The themes of humanity, darkness, and family are well-done overall.
This probably isn't my favorite of Stiefvater's books; I love the Shiver series and The Raven Boys series, much like this novel, is even more mystical, but features the same sort of compelling characters as here. However, the story and characters grew on me, and I don't regret reading it. It's enjoyable, albeit somewhat odd at times. The story of love, loss, and sadness at its core is one everyone can appreciate.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Queen of Shadows in Books
Feb 1, 2018
In the fourth book of the Throne of Glass series, Queen of Shadows is the most epic in scope and storyline of Sarah J Maas' ToG books yet. We finally get to experience life outside of Rifthold on a grand scale. She continues switching perspectives in her chapters, bringing us more from the Prince, Aelin, Manon, etc. with the addition of Elide who is located in Morath.
World building is one of my favourite parts of novels, so the inclusion of many new places was wonderful. We got to see places that we had only heard of before, even if they were just brief glimpses. There still was not enough Abraxos in this novel for my liking, where is my favourite character?
I love seeing character development in novels and being the fourth book, the author has had a lot of storylines to play with and allow her characters to grow. While Aelin and Chaol seemed to have experienced personality changes between the first two and second two novels in the series, the other characters walked the line between interesting character development and outright personality changes. I enjoyed getting more of a glimpse into Rowan, Manon and Lysandra's heads.
That being said, I do feel that at times the characterization felt forced so that she could get to a plot point more quickly. I would have loved to experience a more authentic building of relationships, change of emotions because overall it felt too abrupt. There was a sense of insta-love, insta-friendship, insta-everything. The book is quite long, so I understand not being able to dedicate the pages to that development, but it is disappointing not to see it.
Overall, these abrupt personality changes and character interactions made the book feel like the author had decided halfway through writing Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows that she wanted the series to go in a different direction. It's not entirely cohesive, but I still highly enjoyed the read because it is engaging and fun. I don't want it to seem like I didn't enjoy the read, I just want to be clear about the pitfalls of the book.
One major concern I had with the series is Sarah J Maas' portrayal of relationships. Sometimes you might feel warm and fuzzy about how cute they are together or how protective one is, but sometimes it goes too far. When the relationships become territorial or obsessive or commanding, essentially dictating what one party can do - that's when it slips into an unhealthy territory. As long as younger readers are aware that this is a fictional relationship and not to idealize it, I think that it is fine. I just worry that teens might internalize it as the right way (like Twilight, which is also unhealthy), so I wanted my concerns with the portrayal to be known.
Overall, this is a long but enjoyable read. I know a lot of people had struggled with Heir of Fire being so different from her first two books in the series. She did seem to change her mind about what she wanted to be and where the plot was going. Although this book continues that plotline, it is definitely better than its predecessor so it might be worth taking a chance on again. There is also a lot of action in Empire of Storms, the fifth book in the series. It has some great fight sequences and Abraxos, which is important, so you really need to read this book to get to that point.
World building is one of my favourite parts of novels, so the inclusion of many new places was wonderful. We got to see places that we had only heard of before, even if they were just brief glimpses. There still was not enough Abraxos in this novel for my liking, where is my favourite character?
I love seeing character development in novels and being the fourth book, the author has had a lot of storylines to play with and allow her characters to grow. While Aelin and Chaol seemed to have experienced personality changes between the first two and second two novels in the series, the other characters walked the line between interesting character development and outright personality changes. I enjoyed getting more of a glimpse into Rowan, Manon and Lysandra's heads.
That being said, I do feel that at times the characterization felt forced so that she could get to a plot point more quickly. I would have loved to experience a more authentic building of relationships, change of emotions because overall it felt too abrupt. There was a sense of insta-love, insta-friendship, insta-everything. The book is quite long, so I understand not being able to dedicate the pages to that development, but it is disappointing not to see it.
Overall, these abrupt personality changes and character interactions made the book feel like the author had decided halfway through writing Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows that she wanted the series to go in a different direction. It's not entirely cohesive, but I still highly enjoyed the read because it is engaging and fun. I don't want it to seem like I didn't enjoy the read, I just want to be clear about the pitfalls of the book.
One major concern I had with the series is Sarah J Maas' portrayal of relationships. Sometimes you might feel warm and fuzzy about how cute they are together or how protective one is, but sometimes it goes too far. When the relationships become territorial or obsessive or commanding, essentially dictating what one party can do - that's when it slips into an unhealthy territory. As long as younger readers are aware that this is a fictional relationship and not to idealize it, I think that it is fine. I just worry that teens might internalize it as the right way (like Twilight, which is also unhealthy), so I wanted my concerns with the portrayal to be known.
Overall, this is a long but enjoyable read. I know a lot of people had struggled with Heir of Fire being so different from her first two books in the series. She did seem to change her mind about what she wanted to be and where the plot was going. Although this book continues that plotline, it is definitely better than its predecessor so it might be worth taking a chance on again. There is also a lot of action in Empire of Storms, the fifth book in the series. It has some great fight sequences and Abraxos, which is important, so you really need to read this book to get to that point.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Camino Island in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Princeton University houses five valuable manuscripts--all the originals of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels. They are housed in the basement under a veil of security, but not enough to stop a band of clever thieves from breaking in and stealing them. This sets loose a chain of events and angers both the FBI, who is trying to track down the criminals, and the insurance company, as they are on the hook for $25 million unless the manuscripts are returned. Meanwhile, on touristy Camino Island, Bruce Cable runs a popular bookstore/coffee shop. Thanks to a lot of persistence and hard work, he's managed to keep it profitable even in the digital age. He's also a major backer of the many authors who come through his town on book tours. But few of those authors, or Bruce's patrons, know that Bruce keeps a vault in his shop housing a variety of rare books and manuscripts--some stolen. Finally, we turn to Mercer Mann--Mercer's just lost her teaching position, and she's three years overdue on delivering her next book to her publisher. She's also drowning in student loans. Mercer's approached by a beautiful and elegant woman who offers her a lot of money to get close to Bruce Cable and learn all about his web of secrets. Trouble, as you may guess, ensues.
I have a soft spot for Grisham, that's for sure. I fell in love with his first novels as a young teen, and I still love Darby Shaw, Gray Grantham, Mark Sway, Reverend Roy, and Reggie Love as if they were real people. Grisham and his family have a home in my town, and we claim him as one of our own. His books are often an easy escape, and CAMINO ISLAND falls into that category. Is it as memorable as [b:The Pelican Brief|32499|The Pelican Brief|John Grisham|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389486877s/32499.jpg|490324] or [b:The Client|5359|The Client|John Grisham|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388632222s/5359.jpg|137715]? No. Is it a fun diversion for a few days? Sure.
CAMINO ISLAND is a change from most of Grisham's legal thrillers--there are no lawyers or court room scenes here, just some tricky criminals, a heist, and the aftermath. You'll need to keep track of the various bad guys in the beginning, but once you get past that, it's an easy breezy read--much like the Florida setting where most of the novel is set. Mercer's a pleasant, albeit not very complicated protagonist, and Bruce Cable is a trip. It's also a detailed exploration into the world of rare books--something I knew little to nothing about.
Overall, this is fun, easy thriller. There are a few twists and turns along the way to keep you interested, and Grisham's characters are always enjoyable. The ending wraps up fairly quickly after all the build-up, so be prepared for that. Is it Grisham's best? No. But it will keep you entertained for a couple of days. 3.5 stars.
You can read my reviews of Grisham's novels GRAY MOUNTAIN <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707959-gray-mountain">here</a>; and ROGUE LAWYER <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25387351-rogue-lawyer">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
I have a soft spot for Grisham, that's for sure. I fell in love with his first novels as a young teen, and I still love Darby Shaw, Gray Grantham, Mark Sway, Reverend Roy, and Reggie Love as if they were real people. Grisham and his family have a home in my town, and we claim him as one of our own. His books are often an easy escape, and CAMINO ISLAND falls into that category. Is it as memorable as [b:The Pelican Brief|32499|The Pelican Brief|John Grisham|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1389486877s/32499.jpg|490324] or [b:The Client|5359|The Client|John Grisham|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388632222s/5359.jpg|137715]? No. Is it a fun diversion for a few days? Sure.
CAMINO ISLAND is a change from most of Grisham's legal thrillers--there are no lawyers or court room scenes here, just some tricky criminals, a heist, and the aftermath. You'll need to keep track of the various bad guys in the beginning, but once you get past that, it's an easy breezy read--much like the Florida setting where most of the novel is set. Mercer's a pleasant, albeit not very complicated protagonist, and Bruce Cable is a trip. It's also a detailed exploration into the world of rare books--something I knew little to nothing about.
Overall, this is fun, easy thriller. There are a few twists and turns along the way to keep you interested, and Grisham's characters are always enjoyable. The ending wraps up fairly quickly after all the build-up, so be prepared for that. Is it Grisham's best? No. But it will keep you entertained for a couple of days. 3.5 stars.
You can read my reviews of Grisham's novels GRAY MOUNTAIN <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707959-gray-mountain">here</a>; and ROGUE LAWYER <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25387351-rogue-lawyer">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justacatandabook/">Instagram</a>; </center>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated A Missing, Presumed in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/missing-presumed-by-susie-steiner
AVAILABLE NOW IN THE UK!
There aren’t really any more avenues for detective novel writers to go down, each story follows a very similar storyline to the last but still we pick them up. Why? Because some are shite and others are amazing but it’s so hard to tell by just reading the synopsis. This one? Well it’s certainly similar to other novels <i>but</i> it’s refreshingly lighthearted, still managing to tackle dark subjects but in an easy-to-read way.
My one problem with the book that I noticed straight away was <b>too many narrators.</b> Luckily, as the novel went on, it got easier to remember who was who so it wasn’t as annoying as in the beginning but it was a little confusing at the start.
Other than my hatred for having to focus so much on whose chapter it was, I actually liked all of the characters in this book! It was so nice to have a police based book where none of them were arseholes and they all managed to get along, like most colleagues do in the real world! Even the SIO was normal! Though, I will admit, I found reading about Miriam a bit dull, I could have done without most of her stuff.
Manon was such a realistic person, she really reminds me of an actual human being rather than that fuddy duddy police machine type robot you find in so many of the these types of books. I loved that she had a life outside of work that we got to see, that wasn’t only depressing. Granted it was a little sad that she was so lonely but her internet dates were so funny and that made everything a lot nicer to read. Also, her whole spiel on hobbies was hilarious!
<b><i>”I’ve decided to get hobbied up.”
“And how is that going?” asks Davy, with hopefulness that would imply he’d never met Manon.
“Awful. I hate it. I mean, what’s the point of doing something just for the sake of it, when it isn’t your job?”</b></i>
Davy was by far my favourite character in the book. It was so refreshing to find an officer who thoroughly enjoyed their job and time with their colleagues. He was a total sweetheart, I loved him! I also loved the mystery that was Kim, she was a funny ol’ character to have as an extra, just brightening up a scene every now and then with her strangeness.
I felt the plot for this novel was more of a character building plot, rather than a fast paced mystery thriller, but that was something I didn’t mind when it came to this book because all of the characters were worth getting to know.
The resolution of the novel kind of disappointed me. It wasn’t how I would have pictured the missing person's case to have ended up, but I was happy with how the ending chapters gave us an insight into how everyone on the force was doing and how their personal lives ended up.
I’m glad to hear that Manon will be featured in other novels by the author because she was a great character and I will definitely be reading more novels with her in!
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
AVAILABLE NOW IN THE UK!
There aren’t really any more avenues for detective novel writers to go down, each story follows a very similar storyline to the last but still we pick them up. Why? Because some are shite and others are amazing but it’s so hard to tell by just reading the synopsis. This one? Well it’s certainly similar to other novels <i>but</i> it’s refreshingly lighthearted, still managing to tackle dark subjects but in an easy-to-read way.
My one problem with the book that I noticed straight away was <b>too many narrators.</b> Luckily, as the novel went on, it got easier to remember who was who so it wasn’t as annoying as in the beginning but it was a little confusing at the start.
Other than my hatred for having to focus so much on whose chapter it was, I actually liked all of the characters in this book! It was so nice to have a police based book where none of them were arseholes and they all managed to get along, like most colleagues do in the real world! Even the SIO was normal! Though, I will admit, I found reading about Miriam a bit dull, I could have done without most of her stuff.
Manon was such a realistic person, she really reminds me of an actual human being rather than that fuddy duddy police machine type robot you find in so many of the these types of books. I loved that she had a life outside of work that we got to see, that wasn’t only depressing. Granted it was a little sad that she was so lonely but her internet dates were so funny and that made everything a lot nicer to read. Also, her whole spiel on hobbies was hilarious!
<b><i>”I’ve decided to get hobbied up.”
“And how is that going?” asks Davy, with hopefulness that would imply he’d never met Manon.
“Awful. I hate it. I mean, what’s the point of doing something just for the sake of it, when it isn’t your job?”</b></i>
Davy was by far my favourite character in the book. It was so refreshing to find an officer who thoroughly enjoyed their job and time with their colleagues. He was a total sweetheart, I loved him! I also loved the mystery that was Kim, she was a funny ol’ character to have as an extra, just brightening up a scene every now and then with her strangeness.
I felt the plot for this novel was more of a character building plot, rather than a fast paced mystery thriller, but that was something I didn’t mind when it came to this book because all of the characters were worth getting to know.
The resolution of the novel kind of disappointed me. It wasn’t how I would have pictured the missing person's case to have ended up, but I was happy with how the ending chapters gave us an insight into how everyone on the force was doing and how their personal lives ended up.
I’m glad to hear that Manon will be featured in other novels by the author because she was a great character and I will definitely be reading more novels with her in!
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated A Very Austen Valentine in Books
Nov 4, 2019
ix beloved authors deliver romantic Valentine novellas set in Jane Austens Regency world. Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, and Barbara Cornthwaite, together with Susan Kaye and Mandy Cook, share variations of Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility, featuring your favorite characters in sequels, adaptations, and spinoffs of Austens adored novels. Experience uplifting romance, laugh-out-loud humor, and poignant regret as these authors deftly tug on your heartstrings this Valentines Day.
I Dream of You by Robin Helm
Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasions Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austens worst snobs.
My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook Mandy H. Cook
Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
The Lovers Ruse by Susan Kaye
In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworths love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. The Lovers Rusefollows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.
My Thoughts: These six charming novellas centered around Valentines will entice all those who adore Jane Austen's writings. Based on characters from Jane Austen's novels; I enjoyed reading into the lives of the Darcy's; I was impressed that the writers Robin Helm, Wendi Sotis and Mandy H. Cook are all centered their novellas around the same family. Each storytelling its own unique view of their lives.
Each story is fun to read, and takes the reader back to a simpler time, of love, romance, and proper etiquette. Each story has it's own charm and brings the reader closer to the characters.
My favorites have to be the novellas containing the characters Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, my absolute favorite being "I Dream of You". In this novella we learn how to give rather than to receive and the joys we can draw from each act of kindness.
If you love historical fiction, and Jane Austen novels, then this is certainly a book for you.
I Dream of You by Robin Helm
Newly-married Elizabeth Darcy has a plan: to charm her too-busy husband into desiring her company as much as he did when he was courting her. A series of romantic dreams gives her just the push she needs to put that plan into action.
Sir Walter Takes a Wife by Laura Hile
Faced with a lonely future and finding himself strapped for cash, Persuasions Sir Walter Elliot manfully decides to marry again. But his careful plans go sadly awry! A lighthearted Valentine mash-up featuring two of Jane Austens worst snobs.
My Forever Valentine by Wendi Sotis
Jane and Charles Bingley have married, even though Miss Elizabeth Bennet remains certain Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy gave his best effort to keep them apart. After Mr. Darcy refused to stand up with Bingley and did not attend the wedding, she despises the gentleman more than ever and finds his company intolerable. How will she endure her visit to Kent if Mr. Darcy turns up everywhere she goes?
Pretence and Prejudice by Barbara Cornthwaite
A chance encounter with a handsome stranger forces Elizabeth to resort to subterfuge in order to discover his true intentions.
My Valentine by Mandy H. Cook Mandy H. Cook
Little Charlotte was always determined and independent, traits which served her well as she battled a serious childhood illness and later as she took on Polite Society. Will those traits now deprive her of true love? Or would her lifelong Valentine win her heart?
The Lovers Ruse by Susan Kaye
In this Persuasion alteration, Anne is so altered by Wentworths love in the summer of 1806, she refuses to give him up when both her godmother and father try to persuade her. The Lovers Rusefollows Frederick and Anne through their whirlwind courtship and their secret engagement. When Wentworth returns for his Annie girl, the cat comes out of the bag.
My Thoughts: These six charming novellas centered around Valentines will entice all those who adore Jane Austen's writings. Based on characters from Jane Austen's novels; I enjoyed reading into the lives of the Darcy's; I was impressed that the writers Robin Helm, Wendi Sotis and Mandy H. Cook are all centered their novellas around the same family. Each storytelling its own unique view of their lives.
Each story is fun to read, and takes the reader back to a simpler time, of love, romance, and proper etiquette. Each story has it's own charm and brings the reader closer to the characters.
My favorites have to be the novellas containing the characters Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy, my absolute favorite being "I Dream of You". In this novella we learn how to give rather than to receive and the joys we can draw from each act of kindness.
If you love historical fiction, and Jane Austen novels, then this is certainly a book for you.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Painkiller in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also read my review here: http://bookbum.weebly.com/book-reviews/painkiller-by-n-j-fountain
<i><b>I cannot go on like this. I feel such a burden to you. You are young and can start again. You deserve that chance. By the time you read this I will be dead. Do not grieve for me, for I am now without pain.</i></b>
This was a real page-turner from page one! Would have been unputdownable if it hadnt been for the fact that I <i>had</i> to put it down while at work.
I found myself absolutely loving Monicas character. Ive seen a couple of reviews that state her as unlikable but I thought she was very likable! She was a really unique character due to her constant pain and the way that affects her daily life and relationships. I loved that she could be sassy, lovely, and angry all in one go, she was a really fun character to immerse yourself in.
The plot of the unreliable narrator, the secretive husband etc wasnt unique, Ive read several books very similar to it in the past year in fact, but there was a certain edge to this book that made it so much more intriguing than some of the others Ive read. Its not that the twists were much better or more unpredictable than those in the other novels, its just simply that I enjoyed the writing style, characters and pace of this book more. For a mystery like this, novels usually try to cram as much as they can into the story to make the biggest number of twists possible, to get the reader excited, but this was nice and slow paced. It had just the right amount of shock moments in it, you didnt feel overwhelmed by it at all.
The ending really got to me and was certainly not how I expected this book to end up. Ill admit that I got a little emotional. If youre a mystery thriller junkie like me, I definitely recommend this, its one of the best Ive read this year.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
<i><b>I cannot go on like this. I feel such a burden to you. You are young and can start again. You deserve that chance. By the time you read this I will be dead. Do not grieve for me, for I am now without pain.</i></b>
This was a real page-turner from page one! Would have been unputdownable if it hadnt been for the fact that I <i>had</i> to put it down while at work.
I found myself absolutely loving Monicas character. Ive seen a couple of reviews that state her as unlikable but I thought she was very likable! She was a really unique character due to her constant pain and the way that affects her daily life and relationships. I loved that she could be sassy, lovely, and angry all in one go, she was a really fun character to immerse yourself in.
The plot of the unreliable narrator, the secretive husband etc wasnt unique, Ive read several books very similar to it in the past year in fact, but there was a certain edge to this book that made it so much more intriguing than some of the others Ive read. Its not that the twists were much better or more unpredictable than those in the other novels, its just simply that I enjoyed the writing style, characters and pace of this book more. For a mystery like this, novels usually try to cram as much as they can into the story to make the biggest number of twists possible, to get the reader excited, but this was nice and slow paced. It had just the right amount of shock moments in it, you didnt feel overwhelmed by it at all.
The ending really got to me and was certainly not how I expected this book to end up. Ill admit that I got a little emotional. If youre a mystery thriller junkie like me, I definitely recommend this, its one of the best Ive read this year.
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated What We Left Behind in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Gretchen and Toni are high school sweethearts who believe they will be together forever, but will they cope being apart at different universities? Toni is off to Harvard and Gretchen to New York where they plan to meet up every weekend however things get in the way, and not just coursework.
The main theme of<i> What We Left Behind</i> is sexual orientation and gender. Both Gretchen and Toni are attracted to girls, however Toni identifies as genderqueer. Throughout school, this never bothered Gretchen, though when Toni begins feeling a connection with a group of transgender students, Gretchen begins to question her position in Toni’s life.
Unlike Talley’s previous novel <i>Lies We Tell Ourselves</i>, which deals with ethnic minorities and homosexuality during a time when it was seen as completely unacceptable, <i>What We Left Behind</i> is set in the present day where peoples’ sexual preferences are accepted in society – mostly. What Talley is attempting to prove with this novel is that everyone, regardless of gender, can experience love, and that long distance relationships can be difficult for everyone. Most importantly this story expresses how difficult it is to understand trans sexuality, genderqueer, gender nonconforming etc. There are characters that are horrified by the idea, comfortable with it, or, like Gretchen, confused about how it effects themselves and their relationship. And then there is Toni. Toni is probably the most confused of all: who is s/he really?
Talley tries to make the reader experience the difficulties the main characters face with the use, or lack of pronouns. For someone who identifies as neither he nor she, Toni has a very hard time trying to find a label Toni feels comfortable with.
I did not enjoy <i>What We Left Behind</i> as much as <i>Lies We Tell Ourselves</i>, not because it was not good – it was – but I am not that into romance novels. After a while the story began to feel boring and repetitive, particularly in terms of Gretchen and Toni’s relationship. It is, however, worth a read. There are not many novels that focus on transgender issues, especially in such a positive way. Therefore I am sure this young adult novel is going to interest a large amount of readers.
Gretchen and Toni are high school sweethearts who believe they will be together forever, but will they cope being apart at different universities? Toni is off to Harvard and Gretchen to New York where they plan to meet up every weekend however things get in the way, and not just coursework.
The main theme of<i> What We Left Behind</i> is sexual orientation and gender. Both Gretchen and Toni are attracted to girls, however Toni identifies as genderqueer. Throughout school, this never bothered Gretchen, though when Toni begins feeling a connection with a group of transgender students, Gretchen begins to question her position in Toni’s life.
Unlike Talley’s previous novel <i>Lies We Tell Ourselves</i>, which deals with ethnic minorities and homosexuality during a time when it was seen as completely unacceptable, <i>What We Left Behind</i> is set in the present day where peoples’ sexual preferences are accepted in society – mostly. What Talley is attempting to prove with this novel is that everyone, regardless of gender, can experience love, and that long distance relationships can be difficult for everyone. Most importantly this story expresses how difficult it is to understand trans sexuality, genderqueer, gender nonconforming etc. There are characters that are horrified by the idea, comfortable with it, or, like Gretchen, confused about how it effects themselves and their relationship. And then there is Toni. Toni is probably the most confused of all: who is s/he really?
Talley tries to make the reader experience the difficulties the main characters face with the use, or lack of pronouns. For someone who identifies as neither he nor she, Toni has a very hard time trying to find a label Toni feels comfortable with.
I did not enjoy <i>What We Left Behind</i> as much as <i>Lies We Tell Ourselves</i>, not because it was not good – it was – but I am not that into romance novels. After a while the story began to feel boring and repetitive, particularly in terms of Gretchen and Toni’s relationship. It is, however, worth a read. There are not many novels that focus on transgender issues, especially in such a positive way. Therefore I am sure this young adult novel is going to interest a large amount of readers.