Search
Search results
ArecRain (8 KP) rated The Magic of You (Malory-Anderson Family, #4) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I really wanted to love this book. I really did. As a Malory novel, I was so sure that it would be just as amazing as the others I have read. In fact, when my grandmother gave it to me, I couldnt wait to read it and bypassed a pile of books I had lined up to read.
Disappointment always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
While the novel still held Lindseys easy straightforward style, lovable characters, and hilarious dialogue, it lacks the magic that I experienced with the others. I think this is because the lead female protagonist, Amy, annoyed me beyond reason. I dont think I have ever read a novel where the lead female was so obnoxious that I almost threw the book.
I give Amy props for being determined, but it reaches a certain point where I just believed her pathetic, to be honest. If she annoyed the hell out of me, I cant imagine how Warren felt. It annoys me just as much that apparently sex can make people fall in love. Sorry romance novels, it doesnt work that way.
However, I found myself laughing with this novel more than I did the others.
Disappointment always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
While the novel still held Lindseys easy straightforward style, lovable characters, and hilarious dialogue, it lacks the magic that I experienced with the others. I think this is because the lead female protagonist, Amy, annoyed me beyond reason. I dont think I have ever read a novel where the lead female was so obnoxious that I almost threw the book.
I give Amy props for being determined, but it reaches a certain point where I just believed her pathetic, to be honest. If she annoyed the hell out of me, I cant imagine how Warren felt. It annoys me just as much that apparently sex can make people fall in love. Sorry romance novels, it doesnt work that way.
However, I found myself laughing with this novel more than I did the others.
I loved this book because of the subject it deals with. Very rarely are we given a good girl willing to do bad things to make their situation. Usually, the heroine is a hard-working woman with strict morals. While Emily is a hard-working young woman, she is tired of working so hard and not getting anywhere. She is tired of being poor. Enter Eric, an equally hard-working American man who wants to be able to live his dream of being a photographer while still debtors prisoner.
In each other, they see a way to achieve their dreams and embark on a journey that doesnt exactly turn out how they imagine. They didnt dream of falling for each other.
The novel doesnt show their lives in a glamorous way. In fact, it shows them how they really are as they struggle with their situations. What I loved the most was the development of their relationship. Romance novels where the couple is suddenly in love is annoying on so many levels. In </i>Mistress</i>, the reader watches them want each other and eventually fall for each other. Of course, there are many bumps along the way.
In each other, they see a way to achieve their dreams and embark on a journey that doesnt exactly turn out how they imagine. They didnt dream of falling for each other.
The novel doesnt show their lives in a glamorous way. In fact, it shows them how they really are as they struggle with their situations. What I loved the most was the development of their relationship. Romance novels where the couple is suddenly in love is annoying on so many levels. In </i>Mistress</i>, the reader watches them want each other and eventually fall for each other. Of course, there are many bumps along the way.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Eye of Minds (The Mortality Doctrine, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
As technology advances and virtual reality becomes a standard in gaming - the storyline of Eye of Minds becomes more possible. All you have to do is lay down, let these wires invade your body and the virtual becomes your reality. It simulates pain, hunger and all other aspects of daily life. You can play games similar to Call of Duty by running around and pulling the trigger yourself rather than mashing controller buttons. You can spend real world money to upgrade your games or yourself. Whether your virtual self actually resembles you or not is a matter of personal preference.
We meet Michael, Sarah, and Bryson in the VirtNet. They are best friends even though they have never met before in "the wake" or real life. The three get drafted by the VNS, VirtNet Security, to find a dangerous man called Kaine who has been destroying people' virtual and waking lives.
Their coding abilities and determination are put to the test in a series of trials. They don't make it out unscathed and their lives are changed forever. A must read if you're a fan of the author, books involving technology or action, or just YA novels in general. I definitely recommend it and can't wait to finish the series.
We meet Michael, Sarah, and Bryson in the VirtNet. They are best friends even though they have never met before in "the wake" or real life. The three get drafted by the VNS, VirtNet Security, to find a dangerous man called Kaine who has been destroying people' virtual and waking lives.
Their coding abilities and determination are put to the test in a series of trials. They don't make it out unscathed and their lives are changed forever. A must read if you're a fan of the author, books involving technology or action, or just YA novels in general. I definitely recommend it and can't wait to finish the series.
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Unfettered in Books
Mar 1, 2018
What a wonderful anthology! I have fallen off on reading collections lately, but I am such a total Kevin Hearne fangirl that I started looking for this one as soon as he mentioned it on Facebook. I bought it as soon as I heard of its release, and womanfully resisted skipping straight to the Iron Druid story.
I truly enjoyed most of the stories included. I did just stop reading the baseball story when I realized that it was horror, and skipped over "Dogs" for the same reason. Terry Brooks' piece did nothing for me, but that probably had more to do with the fact that I haven't read anything of the novels that seem to be vital to having it truly make sense. I haven't read any of The Wheel of Time, either, but the Sanderson/Jordan contribution was a good enough story that it stood on its own. I will definitely be seeking out more of some authors' works, like Speakman and O'Roullian. Getting leads on more good reading is always exciting!
All in all, the book is more than worth its cover price. There is absolutely no question of it being worth the time spent reading it.
I truly enjoyed most of the stories included. I did just stop reading the baseball story when I realized that it was horror, and skipped over "Dogs" for the same reason. Terry Brooks' piece did nothing for me, but that probably had more to do with the fact that I haven't read anything of the novels that seem to be vital to having it truly make sense. I haven't read any of The Wheel of Time, either, but the Sanderson/Jordan contribution was a good enough story that it stood on its own. I will definitely be seeking out more of some authors' works, like Speakman and O'Roullian. Getting leads on more good reading is always exciting!
All in all, the book is more than worth its cover price. There is absolutely no question of it being worth the time spent reading it.
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Though Not Dead (Kate Shugak, #18) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Wow. What a great read!
I don't give out many 5-star ratings, even to my favorite authors. They should be reserved for really special books. This one counts.
I doubt that any information about the book itself would be very meaningful to anyone who hasn't read the previous 17 novels, honestly. I just can't imagine starting any series anywhere but in the beginning, but this work, in particular, will be much more enjoyable if read with the full knowledge of all that has come before.
I did enjoy the occasional flashbacks into the past as they occurred. Some authors don't handle that technique well, but Stabenow keeps readers anchored well enough that I never felt whipsawed back and forth.
As with the last entry into the Shugak series, the miscreants weren't obvious this time. That's always such a blessing with any mystery! Too many authors either toss in an entire school of obvious red herrings or beat the reader over the head with the identity of the villain, causing me, at least to wonder how the supposed hero could avoid knowing his or her identity too.
I always look forward to more books from Stabenow. She's a wonderfully reliable author and will always be on my "Yes! But whatever she puts out NOW!" list.
I don't give out many 5-star ratings, even to my favorite authors. They should be reserved for really special books. This one counts.
I doubt that any information about the book itself would be very meaningful to anyone who hasn't read the previous 17 novels, honestly. I just can't imagine starting any series anywhere but in the beginning, but this work, in particular, will be much more enjoyable if read with the full knowledge of all that has come before.
I did enjoy the occasional flashbacks into the past as they occurred. Some authors don't handle that technique well, but Stabenow keeps readers anchored well enough that I never felt whipsawed back and forth.
As with the last entry into the Shugak series, the miscreants weren't obvious this time. That's always such a blessing with any mystery! Too many authors either toss in an entire school of obvious red herrings or beat the reader over the head with the identity of the villain, causing me, at least to wonder how the supposed hero could avoid knowing his or her identity too.
I always look forward to more books from Stabenow. She's a wonderfully reliable author and will always be on my "Yes! But whatever she puts out NOW!" list.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Precipice (Mike Bowditch, #6) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I won my copy in a Goodreads First to Read Giveaway***
Mike Bowditch is a Maine game warden along the Appalachian Trail. When two young female hikers go missing, Mike and his girlfriend, wildlife biologist Stacey Stevens, join in the search. Once the bodies are found with teeth marks on the bones, the locals fear they may have been killed by coyotes. Stacey is sure that they weren't, and both she and Mike continue investigating, determined to find the truth of what happened to the two young women.
This was a well-written thriller, with believable characters and an interesting locale. The narrator did a nice job keeping his Maine accent where needed, without being over the top or distracting.
I didn't realize when I first started listening that this was book #6, but it was easy enough to figure out from the frequent references to Mike's past that it wasn't the beginning of a series. The book worked fine as a standalone novel, but I think I would have liked it even more had I read some of the earlier novels first. I will probably read more in this series, but I will start back at the beginning so I can watch Mike grow up into the man he is in this novel.
Mike Bowditch is a Maine game warden along the Appalachian Trail. When two young female hikers go missing, Mike and his girlfriend, wildlife biologist Stacey Stevens, join in the search. Once the bodies are found with teeth marks on the bones, the locals fear they may have been killed by coyotes. Stacey is sure that they weren't, and both she and Mike continue investigating, determined to find the truth of what happened to the two young women.
This was a well-written thriller, with believable characters and an interesting locale. The narrator did a nice job keeping his Maine accent where needed, without being over the top or distracting.
I didn't realize when I first started listening that this was book #6, but it was easy enough to figure out from the frequent references to Mike's past that it wasn't the beginning of a series. The book worked fine as a standalone novel, but I think I would have liked it even more had I read some of the earlier novels first. I will probably read more in this series, but I will start back at the beginning so I can watch Mike grow up into the man he is in this novel.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Outsider in Books
Jul 13, 2018
King does it again
My main worry about this book was that it didn't sound enough like King - on paper it almost sounded like a bog standard crime thriller. Fortunately though that wasn't the case!
This is yet another brilliantly written King novel, filled with intrigue, suspense and a lot of fairly gruesome horror. The characters are, as always, well written and the story centres mainly around the lovable detective Ralph Anderson (although chapters centred around other characters offer some nice variety). The central supernatural plot is one that I've seen/read before in other works of fiction, but it definitely doesn't get boring seeing it from King's point of view. There are some unexpected links to some other of King's stories - one obvious and direct, but another link for me was more of a similarity to a previous character - neither of which is a bad thing.
My only criticisms of this book are fairly minor. The first is that the ending seems fairly rushed in comparison with the slow build of the rest of the book. And the second is that although it is a very good and enthralling read, it doesn't quite have the impact of some of his older epic novels (The Dark Tower series, The Stand, Needful Things etc).
This is yet another brilliantly written King novel, filled with intrigue, suspense and a lot of fairly gruesome horror. The characters are, as always, well written and the story centres mainly around the lovable detective Ralph Anderson (although chapters centred around other characters offer some nice variety). The central supernatural plot is one that I've seen/read before in other works of fiction, but it definitely doesn't get boring seeing it from King's point of view. There are some unexpected links to some other of King's stories - one obvious and direct, but another link for me was more of a similarity to a previous character - neither of which is a bad thing.
My only criticisms of this book are fairly minor. The first is that the ending seems fairly rushed in comparison with the slow build of the rest of the book. And the second is that although it is a very good and enthralling read, it doesn't quite have the impact of some of his older epic novels (The Dark Tower series, The Stand, Needful Things etc).
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Sea Before Us (Sunrise at Normandy, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
No matter how many books I read (Fiction and Non Fiction), there is always an aspect of WWII that I have yet to discover. The Sea Before Us is the perfect example. While I KNEW the Navy was heavily involved in D-Day, I have never thought about them doing much more than ferrying the men across the channel to Normandy. Sarah Sundin approaches D-Day from a new perspective.
It was fascinating and intense to read about this historic invasion of WWII form the sea. I stayed up waaaaay too late and at one point had to put the book down because my eyes would NOT stay open any longer...RIGHT in the middle of D-Day! I told the husband, "You KNOW I am tired when I put a book down in the middle of D-Day!"
If you have read any of Sarah's novels, you know that her research, quality, and characters are exceptional! You won't want to miss out on this brand new series centered around D-Day.
I received a complimentary copy of The Sea Before Us from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
It was fascinating and intense to read about this historic invasion of WWII form the sea. I stayed up waaaaay too late and at one point had to put the book down because my eyes would NOT stay open any longer...RIGHT in the middle of D-Day! I told the husband, "You KNOW I am tired when I put a book down in the middle of D-Day!"
If you have read any of Sarah's novels, you know that her research, quality, and characters are exceptional! You won't want to miss out on this brand new series centered around D-Day.
I received a complimentary copy of The Sea Before Us from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
David McK (3557 KP) rated Lieutenant Hornblower in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Chronologically the second of [a:C.S. Forester|932179|C.S. Forester|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1218219226p2/932179.jpg]'s Hornblower series, this is actually the seventh by Publication date, and is a marked contrast to most of the other Hornblower novels in that, while Horatio Hornblower is indeed the main character this is not told from his point of view, but rather from that of Lieutenant William Bush, who's date of commission makes him senior to Hornblower (who is, in fact, the junior lieutenant on board the HMS Renown).
Over the course of the novel, Bush sees how Hornblower becomes integral to dealing with an insane captain, as well as to the Renowns mission to the Spanish held possession of Santa Domingo (and the capture of one of the forts there) and finally back to England to see how the fact that peace has 'broken out' has dealt with Hornblower: the latter part showing him down on his luck, with his commission to post rank refused due to this peace, and with the Admiralty requiring him to pay back the excess pay he had withdrawn over the period between his (now refused) commission and his return home.
Like all of the Hornblower books, well worth a read!
Over the course of the novel, Bush sees how Hornblower becomes integral to dealing with an insane captain, as well as to the Renowns mission to the Spanish held possession of Santa Domingo (and the capture of one of the forts there) and finally back to England to see how the fact that peace has 'broken out' has dealt with Hornblower: the latter part showing him down on his luck, with his commission to post rank refused due to this peace, and with the Admiralty requiring him to pay back the excess pay he had withdrawn over the period between his (now refused) commission and his return home.
Like all of the Hornblower books, well worth a read!
David McK (3557 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Jun 18, 2020)
This is one of those books/films that I've heard of, but never actually got round to reading before now (perhaps as a sub-conscious reaction to the perceived 'it's just for teenage girls' feeling)
I've previously heard it described as a bloodless <i>Battle Royale</i> for teenagers, but never having read that, I'm not really in a position to compare. What I did notice, though, were the more-than-a-few similarities to Stephen King/Richard Bachman novel <i>The Running Man</i> or even David Brin's <i>The Postman</i> in the dystopian setting (as the latter), and in the idea of a televised game show where people die (the former), and with a wide gap between the haves (i.e The Capitol) and the have-not's (anyone else)(again, from the former).
I'm happy to report, however, that's it's not *just* a for-teenage-girls-only novel: while there is the set-up for a 3-way love triangle to (presumably) later follow, that's actually not the main focus. It's also rather unusual in that it is told in both the present-tense and first person and, while I was never *really* hooked, it was also one of those novels that before I realized it I was more than half-way through!
I've previously heard it described as a bloodless <i>Battle Royale</i> for teenagers, but never having read that, I'm not really in a position to compare. What I did notice, though, were the more-than-a-few similarities to Stephen King/Richard Bachman novel <i>The Running Man</i> or even David Brin's <i>The Postman</i> in the dystopian setting (as the latter), and in the idea of a televised game show where people die (the former), and with a wide gap between the haves (i.e The Capitol) and the have-not's (anyone else)(again, from the former).
I'm happy to report, however, that's it's not *just* a for-teenage-girls-only novel: while there is the set-up for a 3-way love triangle to (presumably) later follow, that's actually not the main focus. It's also rather unusual in that it is told in both the present-tense and first person and, while I was never *really* hooked, it was also one of those novels that before I realized it I was more than half-way through!