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ArecRain (8 KP) rated Indecent/Wicked in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I was not expecting this omnibus to be as great as it was. When I requested it, I thought it was just going to be another run of the mill erotic novel. And while there really wasnt anything special about it, I still love it more than I should.
First, I loved the complication of the characters. They each have their story, their dirty little secrets, and what makes them tick. There was nothing glamorous or fairytale like to this story. It showed the ugly side of the relationships along with the good, which was usually the sex. The erotic scenes were pretty spicy, but nothing fantastic. I was reading it more for the story than the erotic factor.
The first story has to do with Lucky and Colin. Lucky has her own inner demons and a past that has messed with her perception of men. Colin is a psychologist who seem to cant turn it off when interacting with Lucky who doesnt want him digging in her brain. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed and how they dealt with each others faults.
The second story concerns Luckys co-worker and friends Renae and Colins best friend Will. Will thinks Renae is a lesbian which is was initially stopped him from chasing her tail. Currently, he is courting someone else, but when Renae makes the first move, Will is certainly not passing up the chance. Will and Renaes relationship is less complicated than Colin and Luckys, but that still doesnt mean they dont have their issues to work through.
This novel was so realistic to me in terms of relationships, the troubles that come with them, and how the couple works through them. It was something refreshingly new, especially since, while they didnt get the happy endings we normal expect from such novels, everything still worked out in the end.
First, I loved the complication of the characters. They each have their story, their dirty little secrets, and what makes them tick. There was nothing glamorous or fairytale like to this story. It showed the ugly side of the relationships along with the good, which was usually the sex. The erotic scenes were pretty spicy, but nothing fantastic. I was reading it more for the story than the erotic factor.
The first story has to do with Lucky and Colin. Lucky has her own inner demons and a past that has messed with her perception of men. Colin is a psychologist who seem to cant turn it off when interacting with Lucky who doesnt want him digging in her brain. It was interesting to see how their relationship developed and how they dealt with each others faults.
The second story concerns Luckys co-worker and friends Renae and Colins best friend Will. Will thinks Renae is a lesbian which is was initially stopped him from chasing her tail. Currently, he is courting someone else, but when Renae makes the first move, Will is certainly not passing up the chance. Will and Renaes relationship is less complicated than Colin and Luckys, but that still doesnt mean they dont have their issues to work through.
This novel was so realistic to me in terms of relationships, the troubles that come with them, and how the couple works through them. It was something refreshingly new, especially since, while they didnt get the happy endings we normal expect from such novels, everything still worked out in the end.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Turtles All The Way Down in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Excellent descriptions of mental illness (1 more)
Unique main character
Another excellent book from John Green
So what the cover description of this book doesn't explicitly mention is that Aza, the main character, has a pretty severe anxiety disorder. That's really the core topic of the book - her thought spirals and dealing with life while caught in them. I trust John Green to write about these because he also suffers from severe anxiety. He's talked about it in interviews and on his vlogbrothers Youtube channel. (I'm a big Green brothers fan - what's known as a nerdfighter.) So when John Green writes a character with anxiety, I believe that it's a realistic portrayal. I loved the integration of technology in the story - two characters don't just text each other, the text conversation is on the page, formatted differently, so it's obvious these are text messages. I always love books that do that.
There's not a whole lot I can say about the book without giving things away; a lot of John Green's characters tend to wax eloquently about philosophy and things outside themselves, and Aza doesn't do that because she's so trapped within her own thoughts. She can't think of the future or existential dread because she's too worried about the microbes in her stomach getting out of control and giving her diseases. Definitely a departure from his usual story, though it does fit his standard MO of Main character meets other character who profoundly changes main character's life in some way. (There's a third part that is also consistent with most of John Green's novels but it's a spoiler.)
I think the book is a really good book for anyone who loves someone with anxiety. Or even for those who have anxiety themselves, to see that they're not alone.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
There's not a whole lot I can say about the book without giving things away; a lot of John Green's characters tend to wax eloquently about philosophy and things outside themselves, and Aza doesn't do that because she's so trapped within her own thoughts. She can't think of the future or existential dread because she's too worried about the microbes in her stomach getting out of control and giving her diseases. Definitely a departure from his usual story, though it does fit his standard MO of Main character meets other character who profoundly changes main character's life in some way. (There's a third part that is also consistent with most of John Green's novels but it's a spoiler.)
I think the book is a really good book for anyone who loves someone with anxiety. Or even for those who have anxiety themselves, to see that they're not alone.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Jennifer Kirkland (1 KP) created a post
Jan 25, 2018
Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2; Liaden Universe, #14) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
[b:Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2)|6669085|Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) (Liaden Universe, #13)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276362333s/6669085.jpg|6131174] is good enough that I finished [b:Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1)|5585180|Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256005889s/5585180.jpg|5756422], then read it in one sitting. It simply has the sort of momentum that doesn't allow for good stopping points — something that is true of many of the Liaden Universe novels.
At the end of Fledgling, Theo was sponsored into pilot school by Scout Cho sig'Radia. Saltation begins with her time there, just as politically naive as ever, but a much more confident person than she was at the beginning of Fledgling. Many of the characters from Fledgling reappear, including Win Ton, Kamele, and Jen Sar. There are new characters too, though, such as Kara ven'Arith and Orn Ald yos'Senchul (who, by the way, also appear in a free story, <a href="http://baen.com/LandedAlien.asp">Landed Alien</a>, that has just been released at the Baen web site and should be read after Saltation).
Theo is a legal adult now, but a very young one, and she has plenty of growing up left to do. That said, this is a young ADULT novel, not a children's book — while it isn't discussed specifically, Theo does take a lover.
She continues to flex and stretch into an admirable heroine. She isn't perfect, by any means, being sometimes short-tempered and not understanding social cues easily. She's someone readers can relate to, though, and that is important. We were brought up concurrent with the end of [b:I Dare|1103876|I Dare (Liaden Universe, #11)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181013406s/1103876.jpg|1644933], which was vastly satisfying. I will go right on with reading [b:Ghost Ship|9762449|Ghost Ship (Liaden Universe, #14, Theo Waitley, #3)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880001s/9762449.jpg|14651808], because I definitely want to know more!
At the end of Fledgling, Theo was sponsored into pilot school by Scout Cho sig'Radia. Saltation begins with her time there, just as politically naive as ever, but a much more confident person than she was at the beginning of Fledgling. Many of the characters from Fledgling reappear, including Win Ton, Kamele, and Jen Sar. There are new characters too, though, such as Kara ven'Arith and Orn Ald yos'Senchul (who, by the way, also appear in a free story, <a href="http://baen.com/LandedAlien.asp">Landed Alien</a>, that has just been released at the Baen web site and should be read after Saltation).
Theo is a legal adult now, but a very young one, and she has plenty of growing up left to do. That said, this is a young ADULT novel, not a children's book — while it isn't discussed specifically, Theo does take a lover.
She continues to flex and stretch into an admirable heroine. She isn't perfect, by any means, being sometimes short-tempered and not understanding social cues easily. She's someone readers can relate to, though, and that is important. We were brought up concurrent with the end of [b:I Dare|1103876|I Dare (Liaden Universe, #11)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181013406s/1103876.jpg|1644933], which was vastly satisfying. I will go right on with reading [b:Ghost Ship|9762449|Ghost Ship (Liaden Universe, #14, Theo Waitley, #3)|Sharon Lee|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327880001s/9762449.jpg|14651808], because I definitely want to know more!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Same Sky in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Amanda Eyre Ward's latest novel is just a beautiful book. Ward's writing is simply lovely and magical. When I finished the book, I was left feeling a bit disappointed - not by the plot or the writing, but that it was over. It's one of those novels that I'll be recommending to everyone.
The Same Sky tells the story of two unique individuals. The first is Alice, a forty-year-old living in Texas, with her husband. Together, they run a successful BBQ restaurant and appear incredibly happy. But they've been through a long and sad string of infertility, and Alice is left empty by the latest episode - a birth-mother taking back a baby promised to her, after Alice spent the night with the baby she thought was going to be hers.
Alice's chapters alternate with those of Carla, a young girl in Honduras. Carla's mother leaves for America early in the story, leaving Carla with her grandmother and one of her younger twin brothers. Carla's voice is just amazing. Ward captures this young teenager perfectly. I'm not sure how you can read this book and not fall completely for Carla. There are times when I didn't completely love Alice, or when I wanted to shake her, but Carla - I just wanted to hug her and take her home.
As you read the novel, Alice and Carla's stories are completely separate, which is fascinating. They provide an intriguing commentary on our society and the American Dream -- Alice seems to have it all in America, but she feels empty due to her childless state. And Carla wants nothing more than to come to America with her mother.
I simply loved the book - I won't give away any more of the plot, but it was well-written and beautiful. I don't think you could be disappointed in reading The Same Sky - I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(Note: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
The Same Sky tells the story of two unique individuals. The first is Alice, a forty-year-old living in Texas, with her husband. Together, they run a successful BBQ restaurant and appear incredibly happy. But they've been through a long and sad string of infertility, and Alice is left empty by the latest episode - a birth-mother taking back a baby promised to her, after Alice spent the night with the baby she thought was going to be hers.
Alice's chapters alternate with those of Carla, a young girl in Honduras. Carla's mother leaves for America early in the story, leaving Carla with her grandmother and one of her younger twin brothers. Carla's voice is just amazing. Ward captures this young teenager perfectly. I'm not sure how you can read this book and not fall completely for Carla. There are times when I didn't completely love Alice, or when I wanted to shake her, but Carla - I just wanted to hug her and take her home.
As you read the novel, Alice and Carla's stories are completely separate, which is fascinating. They provide an intriguing commentary on our society and the American Dream -- Alice seems to have it all in America, but she feels empty due to her childless state. And Carla wants nothing more than to come to America with her mother.
I simply loved the book - I won't give away any more of the plot, but it was well-written and beautiful. I don't think you could be disappointed in reading The Same Sky - I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(Note: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Gray Mountain in Books
Feb 13, 2018
It's a little unfair to John Grisham, but I probably would have rated this book 4 stars if he didn't write it. It was a pretty good book, but I kept waiting for the typical Grisham-flair to pop up - a huge courtroom battle, an epic good versus evil duel, etc.
Instead, the battle and storyline I would have really wanted to read about goes on in the background as a secondary storyline. The main plot follows Samantha Kofer, a young law associate at a powerful firm in New York City. However, when the recession hits in '08, Samantha finds herself furloughed and in order to keep her health insurance, and to potentially get her old job back, must intern at a rural legal aid clinic in Brady, Virginia.
There Samantha meets a cast of characters, including Mattie, who runs the clinic; her nephew, Donovan, also a lawyer; Donovan's shady brother, Jeff; and a host of other rural townsfolk. She also gets her first taste of real law. We, the reader, learn about the atrocities of Big Coal and strip mining, including Black Lung Disease, which the book goes into in great detail (and which personally, makes me want to become a lawyer or social worker, as it's all awful).
It's interesting to have Grisham write in the voice of a young female. It takes me back to Darby Shaw (of "The Pelican Brief" - one of my all-time favorite Grisham novels), though Samantha is *no* Darby Shaw, by any stretch of the imagination. She's a bit spineless, though, really, she's not given much story to work with. The first 3/4 of the book I mostly enjoyed and then the last 1/4 just sort of tapers off. It almost seems as if a sequel is in order, but who knows.
Again, I think I might have liked Samantha and her story a bit more if it wasn't Grisham, as I might have expected a bit less. It's a good read, but leaves you wanting more.
Instead, the battle and storyline I would have really wanted to read about goes on in the background as a secondary storyline. The main plot follows Samantha Kofer, a young law associate at a powerful firm in New York City. However, when the recession hits in '08, Samantha finds herself furloughed and in order to keep her health insurance, and to potentially get her old job back, must intern at a rural legal aid clinic in Brady, Virginia.
There Samantha meets a cast of characters, including Mattie, who runs the clinic; her nephew, Donovan, also a lawyer; Donovan's shady brother, Jeff; and a host of other rural townsfolk. She also gets her first taste of real law. We, the reader, learn about the atrocities of Big Coal and strip mining, including Black Lung Disease, which the book goes into in great detail (and which personally, makes me want to become a lawyer or social worker, as it's all awful).
It's interesting to have Grisham write in the voice of a young female. It takes me back to Darby Shaw (of "The Pelican Brief" - one of my all-time favorite Grisham novels), though Samantha is *no* Darby Shaw, by any stretch of the imagination. She's a bit spineless, though, really, she's not given much story to work with. The first 3/4 of the book I mostly enjoyed and then the last 1/4 just sort of tapers off. It almost seems as if a sequel is in order, but who knows.
Again, I think I might have liked Samantha and her story a bit more if it wasn't Grisham, as I might have expected a bit less. It's a good read, but leaves you wanting more.
Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated The Bone Clocks in Books
Mar 15, 2018
David Mitchell is one of the best authors working today, and his latest novel only serves to solidify that opinion. Much like his previous work, "Cloud Atlas", "The Bone Clocks" is structured as a series of unique, but interconnected novellas. Unlike "Cloud Atlas" however, this book functions much more as a logical, complete story. In the first section we meet British teenager Holly Sykes, who runs away from home after a fight with her mother and a bad breakup with her first boyfriend. Each section after that is from a different person's perspective, and is written in their unique voices, with Holly appearing in each to varying degrees of importance. As things move along, it also becomes gradually more and more apparent that something fantastical in nature is occurring and that all the characters so far are somehow involved, before the 5th section, when the book goes into all out fantasy mode. Some don't like the very bleak, sci-fi 6th section that wraps things up, but I personally loved it, and felt it provided just the right amount of closure without being cloyingly sweet. The characters in this novel are all wonderful, and there are bits of brilliant dialogue scattered heavily throughout. The overarching plot is engaging and wraps up very nicely. So many little things that happen in the beginning come back to matter at the end, it is mind-boggling just how much effort Mr. Mitchell must have to put into plotting his novels out. And the very, very end is so satisfying, it qualifies as one of the best individual "moments" in literature this year, possibly this decade. Everything that came before adds together to one perfectly planned out moment, when the ultimate message becomes clear: That everything we do matters, and all of our lives have a purpose. Honestly, I would love to know what happens next.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Nutshell in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I’ve never read any of Ian McEwan’s work before, but it seems like I started on a good one, because almost everyone is saying this is his best yet!
This has such an intriguing and unique plot, it would be hard to pass it up if you saw it in store. Are there actually <i>any</i> other novels out there told from the PoV of a foetus?
Considering no one actually knows what it’s like to be a foetus, that is to say, we’ve all been one, but we don’t remember back that far, I feel like McEwan really <i>got</i> what it’s like to be in the womb through the third trimester.. I wasn’t sure how anyone could write as an unborn child but it was done so well in this! The child was a very likable character, he was witty, intelligent and interesting - certainly not things I would think to associate with an unborn child.
The overall plot was certainly different and intriguing, but it wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be. I didn’t expect this unborn child to be able to solve a murder or stop a crime etc, but I did think it was going to be more of a thriller mystery than it was. That’s not to the say that the plot made the story any less fun to read, I just had to alter my mindset into accepting this as a different sort of book.
Unfortunately for me, this didn’t move me as much as it has done other readers because this is a <i>Hamlet</i> retelling, but I’ve never read <i>Hamlet.</i> (I have pretty much no time for the “classics”, they tend to just bore me, there’s no way around that, I’m just not that kind of girl). So maybe some of the beauty of this was a bit lost on me?
Anyway, this was a very enjoyable read. A solid piece of fiction that has and will appeal to thousands.
This has such an intriguing and unique plot, it would be hard to pass it up if you saw it in store. Are there actually <i>any</i> other novels out there told from the PoV of a foetus?
Considering no one actually knows what it’s like to be a foetus, that is to say, we’ve all been one, but we don’t remember back that far, I feel like McEwan really <i>got</i> what it’s like to be in the womb through the third trimester.. I wasn’t sure how anyone could write as an unborn child but it was done so well in this! The child was a very likable character, he was witty, intelligent and interesting - certainly not things I would think to associate with an unborn child.
The overall plot was certainly different and intriguing, but it wasn’t exactly what I thought it was going to be. I didn’t expect this unborn child to be able to solve a murder or stop a crime etc, but I did think it was going to be more of a thriller mystery than it was. That’s not to the say that the plot made the story any less fun to read, I just had to alter my mindset into accepting this as a different sort of book.
Unfortunately for me, this didn’t move me as much as it has done other readers because this is a <i>Hamlet</i> retelling, but I’ve never read <i>Hamlet.</i> (I have pretty much no time for the “classics”, they tend to just bore me, there’s no way around that, I’m just not that kind of girl). So maybe some of the beauty of this was a bit lost on me?
Anyway, this was a very enjoyable read. A solid piece of fiction that has and will appeal to thousands.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Im obsessed with true crime novels. There, I said it. I just find them so fascinating, especially when you find a book about a crime / criminal youve never heard of before
Introducing Jean-Claude Romand. A narcissistic liar and cheater who swindled his family out of all their money, lied to them about who he really was for 18 years and then murdered them. This sounds like something out of a fictional novel, but ladies & gents, this is all 100% real.
Maybe my 5 star rating is a little bias because I love true crime so much, but this book ticked all the boxes for me. Firstly, it was about such a bizarre and extraordinary crime, I was enthralled by every part of it, and secondly Carrère writes in such a simple and beautiful way that you forget youre reading fact.
What astounds me so much about this novel is its subject. Jean-Claude Romand lived 18 years of his life (thats only 2 years younger than I am right now) living a lie. How does a person get away with lying about everything for 18 years without getting caught? I cant go into much detail in this review, otherwise Im just going to spoil the whole thing, and once I get talking about it, Ill never stop. But I mean really, how his friends & family trusted this man so much as to believe everything he said amazes me. However, its also made me very aware that you dont question the people you trust, Im sure people could get away with so much before anyone noticed!
This book is incredible, shocking and mind-boggling. It reads like poetry but it packs a very real punch. I loved it! If youre a true crime fan, like myself, pick this one up quick!
<i>Thank you to Penguin Random House UK & Vintage for sending me an arc copy for review.</i>
Maybe my 5 star rating is a little bias because I love true crime so much, but this book ticked all the boxes for me. Firstly, it was about such a bizarre and extraordinary crime, I was enthralled by every part of it, and secondly Carrère writes in such a simple and beautiful way that you forget youre reading fact.
What astounds me so much about this novel is its subject. Jean-Claude Romand lived 18 years of his life (thats only 2 years younger than I am right now) living a lie. How does a person get away with lying about everything for 18 years without getting caught? I cant go into much detail in this review, otherwise Im just going to spoil the whole thing, and once I get talking about it, Ill never stop. But I mean really, how his friends & family trusted this man so much as to believe everything he said amazes me. However, its also made me very aware that you dont question the people you trust, Im sure people could get away with so much before anyone noticed!
This book is incredible, shocking and mind-boggling. It reads like poetry but it packs a very real punch. I loved it! If youre a true crime fan, like myself, pick this one up quick!
<i>Thank you to Penguin Random House UK & Vintage for sending me an arc copy for review.</i>
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Sixteen Trees of the Somme in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Im going to start this review off with an apology at the quality of it. Ive tried and tried to think of some things to say about this book but my mind is drawing a blank. I read this novel during a bit of a slump and I feel as though I just drifted through it.
I know I enjoyed it, not as much as Id hoped, but enough to not dislike it. And I know that it got very emotional and I had a bit of a cry fest at the end. But from there, Im a bit stuck How do I do this review thing again?
Characters in this one are different. You feel like you really get to know them throughout the story, but when youve finished the book you realise you didnt really know them at all. They were well developed and were talked about enough, but it was as though they were behind a screen. The characters themselves talked about how another character was hiding behind a mask, but you come to realise that all the characters were wearing masks, not just from each other, but from the reader too.
The story is a bit of a strange one and I felt it losing me in some points. It was a story about love, loss, grief and mystery. But very different to the kinds of mystery youre used to seeing on my page. This one is certainly unique, but is definitely a slow mover, so anyone looking for something fast-paced, pass this one up.
I cant work out what more to say. If you like emotional, slow moving novels in moody settings with distant characters, this book is definitely something for you. Im glad I stepped a little out of my comfort zone with this one because I did enjoy it, but its not the type of book I could read a lot.
I know I enjoyed it, not as much as Id hoped, but enough to not dislike it. And I know that it got very emotional and I had a bit of a cry fest at the end. But from there, Im a bit stuck How do I do this review thing again?
Characters in this one are different. You feel like you really get to know them throughout the story, but when youve finished the book you realise you didnt really know them at all. They were well developed and were talked about enough, but it was as though they were behind a screen. The characters themselves talked about how another character was hiding behind a mask, but you come to realise that all the characters were wearing masks, not just from each other, but from the reader too.
The story is a bit of a strange one and I felt it losing me in some points. It was a story about love, loss, grief and mystery. But very different to the kinds of mystery youre used to seeing on my page. This one is certainly unique, but is definitely a slow mover, so anyone looking for something fast-paced, pass this one up.
I cant work out what more to say. If you like emotional, slow moving novels in moody settings with distant characters, this book is definitely something for you. Im glad I stepped a little out of my comfort zone with this one because I did enjoy it, but its not the type of book I could read a lot.