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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce, #7) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
I can't help it. I just find Flavia de Luce absolutely delightful. I want to be her friend, her confidante, her laboratory buddy. I confess that the last Flavia novel, The Dead in their Vaulted Arches, was probably my least favorite of the series (though still a fun read), and I was a bit tentative about this one. And it's true, I missed Buckshaw a lot (though probably not as much as Flavia). This novel finds Flavia in Canada, navigating boarding school after discovery that she's to be inducted in the same secret society as her mother.
Perhaps I envisioned a bit more secret-spy training for Flavia than the book delivered - instead, immediately upon her arrival, a dead body falls out of a chimney, and Flavia sets upon her usual course - proving the adults wrong and finding out whodunnit. It's a formula that still hasn't gotten old, because Bradley simply writes Flavia so well. She is such an amazing character - so likable, so true to herself. I can just picture her in the situations in which she finds herself, and imagine the adults around her and their expressions. Flavia has some good interactions with both her fellow students and teachers at this new academy -- many of whom knew her mother. the late Harriet. She proves herself a worthy detective, again, of course, using her wits and chemistry.
The whole Nide business is still a bit odd and confusing to me. I suppose that's the point, but it's hard not to have some resolution - though I suppose we are supposed to be sharing Flavia's similar frustration at this point.
Nevertheless, I am amazed at Bradley's ability to continue to write books that so embody this character. I often try to envision a Flavia film and then find myself hoping it never happens, as I would hate to have the Flavia in my head ruined by the movies.
Definitely worth a read, as always, and now I'm left bereft that I'll have to wait over a year for the next installment of Flavia's adventures.
(Note, I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Perhaps I envisioned a bit more secret-spy training for Flavia than the book delivered - instead, immediately upon her arrival, a dead body falls out of a chimney, and Flavia sets upon her usual course - proving the adults wrong and finding out whodunnit. It's a formula that still hasn't gotten old, because Bradley simply writes Flavia so well. She is such an amazing character - so likable, so true to herself. I can just picture her in the situations in which she finds herself, and imagine the adults around her and their expressions. Flavia has some good interactions with both her fellow students and teachers at this new academy -- many of whom knew her mother. the late Harriet. She proves herself a worthy detective, again, of course, using her wits and chemistry.
The whole Nide business is still a bit odd and confusing to me. I suppose that's the point, but it's hard not to have some resolution - though I suppose we are supposed to be sharing Flavia's similar frustration at this point.
Nevertheless, I am amazed at Bradley's ability to continue to write books that so embody this character. I often try to envision a Flavia film and then find myself hoping it never happens, as I would hate to have the Flavia in my head ruined by the movies.
Definitely worth a read, as always, and now I'm left bereft that I'll have to wait over a year for the next installment of Flavia's adventures.
(Note, I received an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Hello From the Gillespies in Books
Feb 13, 2018
McInerney's new novel, Hello from the Gillespies, takes place in Australia, and focuses on Angela Gillespie, a displaced Londoner, living with her husband on a station in the Australian outback. Every year, Angela sends out a sunny Christmas card (now email) with the title "Hello from the Gillespies" chronicling life with her husband Nick, their three daughters, and young son. This year, though, her life has gone a bit awry and the typical happy words don't flow. She ends up writing a bitter (but true) diatribe (think way personal journal entry) and not sending it. When she's called away to tend to her injured son, she doesn't close down the computer. Her husband finds it later that evening--and knowing how much the Christmas letter means to his wife--sends her innermost personal thoughts out to a 100 of their closest family and friends without even reading it.
From there, the story unfolds in somewhat predictable ways - I mean, you sort of know how the tale will end. There's a little bit of an outlandish twist, as well. However, having read previous McInerney books, I think that's a bit of what you come for. Some comforting, family tales that are believable despite their craziness. The novel is completely engrossing. Personally, I was fascinated by the relationship of her older twin daughters (having two year-old twin daughters myself and wondering what they'll be like as adults - hopefully not as confused and wayward as Angela's girls, although they had good hearts!). McInerney is wonderful at creating completely different and believable characters that you can completely picture - each of the daughters and the son, "Ig" were perfectly drawn. Overall, I think McInerney captures the ups and downs of marriage and family life quite accurately and poignantly and reminds us never to take things (or our loved ones) for granted -- even if our day-to-day lives aren't quite as fantastical as the Gillespies. I'd rate this 3.5 stars on 5 star scale.
(Note: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
From there, the story unfolds in somewhat predictable ways - I mean, you sort of know how the tale will end. There's a little bit of an outlandish twist, as well. However, having read previous McInerney books, I think that's a bit of what you come for. Some comforting, family tales that are believable despite their craziness. The novel is completely engrossing. Personally, I was fascinated by the relationship of her older twin daughters (having two year-old twin daughters myself and wondering what they'll be like as adults - hopefully not as confused and wayward as Angela's girls, although they had good hearts!). McInerney is wonderful at creating completely different and believable characters that you can completely picture - each of the daughters and the son, "Ig" were perfectly drawn. Overall, I think McInerney captures the ups and downs of marriage and family life quite accurately and poignantly and reminds us never to take things (or our loved ones) for granted -- even if our day-to-day lives aren't quite as fantastical as the Gillespies. I'd rate this 3.5 stars on 5 star scale.
(Note: I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.)
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Add this book to the short list of must-reads for every True Geek, right alongside [b:Snow Crash|830|Snow Crash|Neal Stephenson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320544000s/830.jpg|493634]. It's a gleeful homage to geekdom and pop culture.
Wade explains to the reader that he was born after humanity wore the world out and escaped to OASIS, a massive simulation that has replaced the internet and all other forms of entertainment. Nobody seems to spend time in reality any more, because it sucks. There are multiple wars going on over the few energy sources that are left. Poverty, hunger, and homelessness are rampant everywhere.
Most people who are fortunate enough to live indoors at all are like Wade, who lives with his aunt and her latest boyfriend in a three-bedroom doublewide trailer shared with 17 people. The trailer is at least near the top of a stack, which is just what it sounds like: a stack of trailers 10 or so high, so many across and wide, so that 500 or more trailers are held together with rusted scaffolding, chains, and whatever other reinforcements people have added over the years. Stack collapses are common.
Wade spends most of his time in his hideout, the back of an old van that's parked in a junkyard and crammed in a stack of vehicles. That's where he keeps his computer and other equipment, so he can attend school (in OASIS, of course) and spend time research The Contest, which is the center of his life.
The creater of OASIS, James Halliday, created The Contest in his will. Whoever wins it will inherit Halliday's vast fortune and control of OASIS. At the opening of the novel, it has been five years since Halliday died and contestants are ridiculed in everyday society as obsessive losers.
Wade's quest through The Contest and his fight to simply survive is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I'll also admit to being entertained by the 80s trivia that pops up throughout the book (integral to The Contest). I'm biased, as I was a teen during those years.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's one of the very few that I'll be saving to re-read in the future.
Wade explains to the reader that he was born after humanity wore the world out and escaped to OASIS, a massive simulation that has replaced the internet and all other forms of entertainment. Nobody seems to spend time in reality any more, because it sucks. There are multiple wars going on over the few energy sources that are left. Poverty, hunger, and homelessness are rampant everywhere.
Most people who are fortunate enough to live indoors at all are like Wade, who lives with his aunt and her latest boyfriend in a three-bedroom doublewide trailer shared with 17 people. The trailer is at least near the top of a stack, which is just what it sounds like: a stack of trailers 10 or so high, so many across and wide, so that 500 or more trailers are held together with rusted scaffolding, chains, and whatever other reinforcements people have added over the years. Stack collapses are common.
Wade spends most of his time in his hideout, the back of an old van that's parked in a junkyard and crammed in a stack of vehicles. That's where he keeps his computer and other equipment, so he can attend school (in OASIS, of course) and spend time research The Contest, which is the center of his life.
The creater of OASIS, James Halliday, created The Contest in his will. Whoever wins it will inherit Halliday's vast fortune and control of OASIS. At the opening of the novel, it has been five years since Halliday died and contestants are ridiculed in everyday society as obsessive losers.
Wade's quest through The Contest and his fight to simply survive is far more interesting than I thought it would be. I'll also admit to being entertained by the 80s trivia that pops up throughout the book (integral to The Contest). I'm biased, as I was a teen during those years.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It's one of the very few that I'll be saving to re-read in the future.
Cynthia Armistead (17 KP) rated Charmed (Ghost Hunters, #0.5; Winston Brothers, #2) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
I picked up this book to read just one of the four novellas, "Pandora's Bottle" by Eileen Wilks, because I've enjoyed her Lupi books. Honestly, it was the weakest of the four. (Seriously—why would a djinn's magic be tied in any way to Halloween?)
Ordinarily, I would have moved on to another book right away. <i>Charmed</i> is very clearly a romance anthology, and I'm not a romance fan.
On the other hand, I was doing something involving a lot of waiting, and <i>Charmed</i> happened to be the book that was in my hands. I decided to try something new for me, so I read the other stories and tried to judge them <b>as</b> romance stories. Failing that, I tried to at least be less annoyed at the standard romance "stuff" (look, it's almost 5am and I do not know where my thesaurus is).
So—Jayne Castle's "Bridal Jitters" was set in a world I'd like to know more about. The relationship barrier was a bit contrived, but at least it was relatively fresh (to me).
Julie Beard's "Man in the Mirror" started with a handicap: I detest all those modern-person-goes-back-to-good-old-days stories, <b>especially</b> the romances. She saved the tale from total suckage by turning things around a bit.
Finally, "Tangled Dreams" by Lori Foster is our obligatory ghost story. The ghosts are the good people here, and they're matchmaking merrily while trying to warn the living occupant of their house that all is not well. From her prose, I have to wonder if Ms. Foster really thinks that the scenes she describes are "kinky" to most people? There's nothing to get your harness in a knot over, though, just a little light bondage.
So the volume wasn't torturous, and it did provide me with some distraction. Changing my attitude almost certainly helped me enjoy these stories a bit more. I don't think I'm likely to start seeking out romances, but with so much "paranormal romance" all over the shelves, I should probably get used to having somebody's romance in my fantasy.
Ordinarily, I would have moved on to another book right away. <i>Charmed</i> is very clearly a romance anthology, and I'm not a romance fan.
On the other hand, I was doing something involving a lot of waiting, and <i>Charmed</i> happened to be the book that was in my hands. I decided to try something new for me, so I read the other stories and tried to judge them <b>as</b> romance stories. Failing that, I tried to at least be less annoyed at the standard romance "stuff" (look, it's almost 5am and I do not know where my thesaurus is).
So—Jayne Castle's "Bridal Jitters" was set in a world I'd like to know more about. The relationship barrier was a bit contrived, but at least it was relatively fresh (to me).
Julie Beard's "Man in the Mirror" started with a handicap: I detest all those modern-person-goes-back-to-good-old-days stories, <b>especially</b> the romances. She saved the tale from total suckage by turning things around a bit.
Finally, "Tangled Dreams" by Lori Foster is our obligatory ghost story. The ghosts are the good people here, and they're matchmaking merrily while trying to warn the living occupant of their house that all is not well. From her prose, I have to wonder if Ms. Foster really thinks that the scenes she describes are "kinky" to most people? There's nothing to get your harness in a knot over, though, just a little light bondage.
So the volume wasn't torturous, and it did provide me with some distraction. Changing my attitude almost certainly helped me enjoy these stories a bit more. I don't think I'm likely to start seeking out romances, but with so much "paranormal romance" all over the shelves, I should probably get used to having somebody's romance in my fantasy.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Our Endless Numbered Days in Books
Sep 26, 2018
I don't like unreliable narrators. I didn't realize, at first, that Peggy was one. Even though she mentions at the start of the book that a doctor said she had Korsakoff's syndrome - meaning malnutrition has messed with her memories - I assumed that it was just because her experiences were so unbelievable that the doctor thought she'd made things up. I also don't like unreliable narrators because the author obviously knows what truly happened. Leaving the reader in the dark about it seems rude.
Peggy's narration does seem childlike, often. While at the beginning of the book, that can be excused because she is eight years old, by the end she is seventeen, yet still talking about things with a child's understanding. I thought that was the effect of Korsakoff's syndrome, not that she was entirely making some things up.
In our endless numbered days, Peggy is effectively kidnapped by her father when she is eight, and taken to some place deep in the German forest. She spends the next nine years alone in the forest with him, trapping squirrels, gathering roots and berries, and growing simple crops in a small vegetable patch. He tells her, repeatedly, making her repeat it back to him, that the rest of the world was destroyed in a massive storm. They are the last two people alive in their small, sheltered valley. She doesn't question it until she sees a man in their forest, and that eventually leads her to find civilization again. The book is told in two timelines, flashing back and forth from her memories of her time in the forest, and the present where she's attempting to re-acclimate to London.
I'm not really sure what to believe; Peggy's memory or what her mother thinks happened. There are just enough oddities to make either story plausible. I think I prefer Peggy's version. But that's the trouble with unreliable narrators; there's no way to actually know. I don't like ending a book frustrated. Books should make you feel things, yes, but frustration is an odd emotion to aim for.
This book is odd.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Peggy's narration does seem childlike, often. While at the beginning of the book, that can be excused because she is eight years old, by the end she is seventeen, yet still talking about things with a child's understanding. I thought that was the effect of Korsakoff's syndrome, not that she was entirely making some things up.
In our endless numbered days, Peggy is effectively kidnapped by her father when she is eight, and taken to some place deep in the German forest. She spends the next nine years alone in the forest with him, trapping squirrels, gathering roots and berries, and growing simple crops in a small vegetable patch. He tells her, repeatedly, making her repeat it back to him, that the rest of the world was destroyed in a massive storm. They are the last two people alive in their small, sheltered valley. She doesn't question it until she sees a man in their forest, and that eventually leads her to find civilization again. The book is told in two timelines, flashing back and forth from her memories of her time in the forest, and the present where she's attempting to re-acclimate to London.
I'm not really sure what to believe; Peggy's memory or what her mother thinks happened. There are just enough oddities to make either story plausible. I think I prefer Peggy's version. But that's the trouble with unreliable narrators; there's no way to actually know. I don't like ending a book frustrated. Books should make you feel things, yes, but frustration is an odd emotion to aim for.
This book is odd.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
This book was provided as a complimentary and signed copy from the author, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to review another piece of writing by this talented author.
The story is told by Bullheaded Black, the horse of Alexander the Great, or Alex as the horse calls him. It covers the basic history of the life and triumphs of Alexander from a young boy and even includes some overarching history to help the reader grasp the overall history of the era and the other ancient peoples involved in the tale.
I have always been taught to be honest, and that is exactly what I will do, I felt this style of writing, at times, oversimplified the history. Now, I think I find that less appealing as I am an avid reader of history books of a much more detailed level, however, for the target audience, I feel it was pitched quite well. The history covered is interestingly put to the reader and is well described in context, which I think helps you absorb more of the history.
It was quite slow to get going, and never really gained a great pace, however I would find this very useful as a classroom text to introduce this era of history to any child over about 7 years old as it is at a level that they could understand. Also, the novelty of using the horse to tell the story is something that I feel would appeal to the intended audience, perhaps a little more than it did to me!
Overall, this is a good book for younger children and teenagers to learn about history in a fun and interesting way. It is written in a very different style to the author's other works I have read, which only goes to show his versatility in writing for the adult and children's market! Despite the apparently low rating, 3 stars means I liked it, and I would recommend it to younger readers, and to my teaching friends who are looking for some interesting historical fiction to assist their own knowledge, and to engage the children in a fantastic era of history.
The story is told by Bullheaded Black, the horse of Alexander the Great, or Alex as the horse calls him. It covers the basic history of the life and triumphs of Alexander from a young boy and even includes some overarching history to help the reader grasp the overall history of the era and the other ancient peoples involved in the tale.
I have always been taught to be honest, and that is exactly what I will do, I felt this style of writing, at times, oversimplified the history. Now, I think I find that less appealing as I am an avid reader of history books of a much more detailed level, however, for the target audience, I feel it was pitched quite well. The history covered is interestingly put to the reader and is well described in context, which I think helps you absorb more of the history.
It was quite slow to get going, and never really gained a great pace, however I would find this very useful as a classroom text to introduce this era of history to any child over about 7 years old as it is at a level that they could understand. Also, the novelty of using the horse to tell the story is something that I feel would appeal to the intended audience, perhaps a little more than it did to me!
Overall, this is a good book for younger children and teenagers to learn about history in a fun and interesting way. It is written in a very different style to the author's other works I have read, which only goes to show his versatility in writing for the adult and children's market! Despite the apparently low rating, 3 stars means I liked it, and I would recommend it to younger readers, and to my teaching friends who are looking for some interesting historical fiction to assist their own knowledge, and to engage the children in a fantastic era of history.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated One Pink Line in Books
Nov 26, 2018
A Feel Good Kind of Story
Normally, I'm not a women's fiction kind of person. However, I have been pleasantly surprised with the books I've read in this genre, so I decided to give One Pink Line by Dina Silver a go.
I found the plot and world building of One Pink Line to be very well written and enjoyable. As you can already guess from the title, this book deals with pregnancy and is a very straight forward but sweet story. This also wasn't a very long novel. It was enjoyable to read about Sydney's ups and downs with her pregnancy, and it was interesting to read about how Grace felt about everything from her perspective as well. There weren't any plot twists that I can remember, but this book didn't need any to be good. There also weren't any cliff hangers at the end of the book, and all of my questions were answered.
The characters in One Pink Line were all very enjoyable to read about. As I've said before, I enjoyed reading about how Sydney dealt with her pregnancy as well as her feelings with her life, the pregnancy, and her love life. Grace struggled with learning that the dad she had come to know wasn't actually her biological dad. It was interesting to read things from her point of view as show grows up from a 5th grader to a 22 year old woman. I admired Ethan and how loving he was throughout everything. I also loved Ethan's mom and how doting she was.
I enjoyed the pacing very much in One Pink Line. The story flowed very well, and not once did I find myself becoming bored. In fact, I looked forward to each time I could read more about Sydney's and Grace's life.
Trigger warnings for One Pink Line include some profanity, alcohol use, implied sex, and an unwed pregnancy.
All in all, One Pink Line is a feel good kind of story. It is such a sweet book that will definitely leave you with happy feelings long after you've finished it. I would definitely recommend One Pink Line by Dina Silver to all women aged 16+.
I found the plot and world building of One Pink Line to be very well written and enjoyable. As you can already guess from the title, this book deals with pregnancy and is a very straight forward but sweet story. This also wasn't a very long novel. It was enjoyable to read about Sydney's ups and downs with her pregnancy, and it was interesting to read about how Grace felt about everything from her perspective as well. There weren't any plot twists that I can remember, but this book didn't need any to be good. There also weren't any cliff hangers at the end of the book, and all of my questions were answered.
The characters in One Pink Line were all very enjoyable to read about. As I've said before, I enjoyed reading about how Sydney dealt with her pregnancy as well as her feelings with her life, the pregnancy, and her love life. Grace struggled with learning that the dad she had come to know wasn't actually her biological dad. It was interesting to read things from her point of view as show grows up from a 5th grader to a 22 year old woman. I admired Ethan and how loving he was throughout everything. I also loved Ethan's mom and how doting she was.
I enjoyed the pacing very much in One Pink Line. The story flowed very well, and not once did I find myself becoming bored. In fact, I looked forward to each time I could read more about Sydney's and Grace's life.
Trigger warnings for One Pink Line include some profanity, alcohol use, implied sex, and an unwed pregnancy.
All in all, One Pink Line is a feel good kind of story. It is such a sweet book that will definitely leave you with happy feelings long after you've finished it. I would definitely recommend One Pink Line by Dina Silver to all women aged 16+.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Musical Mayhem (Totally Twins, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Musical Mayhem</i> is the first book in the <i>Totally Twins</i> series aimed at ten-year-old girls. Subtitled <i>The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut</i>, the series is about the life of identical sisters from one twin’s point of view. Portia and Persephone may look the same, share friends and borrow each other’s clothes, but inside they are polar opposites. Starting a diary is the only way Persephone can have something that is entirely her own, where she can write about how she really feels.
The main storyline revolves around the upcoming end of term musical at the twins’ school. Persephone only joined the drama class at Portia’s insistence, whereas in reality she is a shy girl with absolutely no singing ability. Persephone writes about her dread of the auditions and the hurtful teasing from her perfect sister.
Many young girls (and boys), like the author herself, wish at some point to have a twin. Portia and Persephone may have a special connection that other siblings do not, but as this diary reveals, having a twin is not all sunshine and rainbows. Persephone also writes about her parents’ divorce, her alternate therapy obsessed Mum and her hopes and dreams for the future. There are many things for young girls to relate to.
Illustrator Serena Geddes completes the book with her simple drawings. <i>Musical Mayhem</i> is not a children’s’ picture book; it is a step between child and teenager novels. For an adult reader the storyline is uninspiring, however a child of ten would enjoy the characters, humour and the issues expressed.
<i>Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem</i> is a great start to a unique series of short books for girls. It is something that junior school children will love to collect to build up their own personal library. The book jackets are attractive and will look great when all together as a set. If you are looking for a present for a young girl, I recommend considering this book.
Musical Mayhem</i> is the first book in the <i>Totally Twins</i> series aimed at ten-year-old girls. Subtitled <i>The Fabulous Diary of Persephone Pinchgut</i>, the series is about the life of identical sisters from one twin’s point of view. Portia and Persephone may look the same, share friends and borrow each other’s clothes, but inside they are polar opposites. Starting a diary is the only way Persephone can have something that is entirely her own, where she can write about how she really feels.
The main storyline revolves around the upcoming end of term musical at the twins’ school. Persephone only joined the drama class at Portia’s insistence, whereas in reality she is a shy girl with absolutely no singing ability. Persephone writes about her dread of the auditions and the hurtful teasing from her perfect sister.
Many young girls (and boys), like the author herself, wish at some point to have a twin. Portia and Persephone may have a special connection that other siblings do not, but as this diary reveals, having a twin is not all sunshine and rainbows. Persephone also writes about her parents’ divorce, her alternate therapy obsessed Mum and her hopes and dreams for the future. There are many things for young girls to relate to.
Illustrator Serena Geddes completes the book with her simple drawings. <i>Musical Mayhem</i> is not a children’s’ picture book; it is a step between child and teenager novels. For an adult reader the storyline is uninspiring, however a child of ten would enjoy the characters, humour and the issues expressed.
<i>Totally Twins: Musical Mayhem</i> is a great start to a unique series of short books for girls. It is something that junior school children will love to collect to build up their own personal library. The book jackets are attractive and will look great when all together as a set. If you are looking for a present for a young girl, I recommend considering this book.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1) in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through a Books With Bite giveaway.</i>
Ally Carter has become well known for her <i>Gallagher Girls</i> series, which was followed by <i>Heist Society</i>. Now she is back with a brand new young adult series: <i>Embassy Row</i>. After witnessing the death of her mother three years earlier, sixteen year old Grace is shipped off to Adria to live with her ambassador grandfather at the United States embassy. Well known for her dare devil, rebellious history, she is now expected to settle down, become more ladylike and attend international balls. Grace, however, has other plans.
Grace is convinced her mother was murdered and that she knows whom the murderer was. The only problem is no one believes her; not her grandfather, not the many psychiatrists; and even her friends have their doubts. So, Grace does what any “self-respecting mentally unbalanced teenager” would do and takes matters into her own hands.
It is exciting to read about Grace putting pieces of the puzzle together by investigating underground tunnels, tailing a scarred man around the city and, all in all, behaving rather like James Bond. As the plot begins to climax it is difficult not to rush through the novel to discover how it ends, where the reader is left with another mystery.
As well as the mystery storyline, Ally Carter also explores the theme of mental health. Naturally Grace has had issues since the death of her mother and finds herself, time and again, trying to convince people she is not crazy. Readers who have experienced mental health problems may relate to not being taken seriously and understand Grace’s frustration.
Overall, <i>All Fall Down</i> is a fantastic and exciting story to read. The air of mystery and feeling of suspense keeps the reader on their toes as they race through the book. It is also refreshing to read a young adult novel that does not focus on a teenage love story. The only problem is the wait for the second book to be published!
Ally Carter has become well known for her <i>Gallagher Girls</i> series, which was followed by <i>Heist Society</i>. Now she is back with a brand new young adult series: <i>Embassy Row</i>. After witnessing the death of her mother three years earlier, sixteen year old Grace is shipped off to Adria to live with her ambassador grandfather at the United States embassy. Well known for her dare devil, rebellious history, she is now expected to settle down, become more ladylike and attend international balls. Grace, however, has other plans.
Grace is convinced her mother was murdered and that she knows whom the murderer was. The only problem is no one believes her; not her grandfather, not the many psychiatrists; and even her friends have their doubts. So, Grace does what any “self-respecting mentally unbalanced teenager” would do and takes matters into her own hands.
It is exciting to read about Grace putting pieces of the puzzle together by investigating underground tunnels, tailing a scarred man around the city and, all in all, behaving rather like James Bond. As the plot begins to climax it is difficult not to rush through the novel to discover how it ends, where the reader is left with another mystery.
As well as the mystery storyline, Ally Carter also explores the theme of mental health. Naturally Grace has had issues since the death of her mother and finds herself, time and again, trying to convince people she is not crazy. Readers who have experienced mental health problems may relate to not being taken seriously and understand Grace’s frustration.
Overall, <i>All Fall Down</i> is a fantastic and exciting story to read. The air of mystery and feeling of suspense keeps the reader on their toes as they race through the book. It is also refreshing to read a young adult novel that does not focus on a teenage love story. The only problem is the wait for the second book to be published!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Etta and Otto and Russell and James in Books
Dec 14, 2018
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Emma Hooper's novel Etta and Otto and Russell and James explores both the present and the past of three particular characters. Etta is an elderly woman suffering with Alzheimer's who decides to go for a walk and never come home. She first met her husband Otto in her late teens shortly before he enlisted in the army to fight abroad. Russell lives on the farm next to Etta and Otto and was also a childhood friend of Otto and quite close to Etta whilst Otto was away.
Etta's walk becomes public knowledge as she is observed walking through long grass in the company of a coyote whom she named James. She has very little on her, the most important being a note reading " Etta Gloria Kinnick of Deerdale Farm. 83 years old in August." This is to remind her of who she is in case she ever forgets.
The character's pasts are interesting to read about, in particularly the contrast between Etta's more comfortable upbringing and Otto's life on the farm being the seventh child in an extremely large family. The present day, however, was not as interesting. I never understood the significance of Etta's walk and the latter half of the novel became really confusing. At some points I was uncertain which character was being spoken about. Although the name Otto was used, the scene seemed more appropriate for Etta's situation. Whether this was intentional or a mistake I am unsure.
Another thing that made the story confusing to read was the lack of speech punctuation. Occasionally it was hard to determine who was speaking and who was replying; what was speech and what was not. I have read other books that use this structure and even though it's purpose may have related to the type of story being told, it does make it hard to fully comprehend.
This book gets off to a shaky start but I was always expecting it to improve. Unfortunately I was left disappointed.
Emma Hooper's novel Etta and Otto and Russell and James explores both the present and the past of three particular characters. Etta is an elderly woman suffering with Alzheimer's who decides to go for a walk and never come home. She first met her husband Otto in her late teens shortly before he enlisted in the army to fight abroad. Russell lives on the farm next to Etta and Otto and was also a childhood friend of Otto and quite close to Etta whilst Otto was away.
Etta's walk becomes public knowledge as she is observed walking through long grass in the company of a coyote whom she named James. She has very little on her, the most important being a note reading " Etta Gloria Kinnick of Deerdale Farm. 83 years old in August." This is to remind her of who she is in case she ever forgets.
The character's pasts are interesting to read about, in particularly the contrast between Etta's more comfortable upbringing and Otto's life on the farm being the seventh child in an extremely large family. The present day, however, was not as interesting. I never understood the significance of Etta's walk and the latter half of the novel became really confusing. At some points I was uncertain which character was being spoken about. Although the name Otto was used, the scene seemed more appropriate for Etta's situation. Whether this was intentional or a mistake I am unsure.
Another thing that made the story confusing to read was the lack of speech punctuation. Occasionally it was hard to determine who was speaking and who was replying; what was speech and what was not. I have read other books that use this structure and even though it's purpose may have related to the type of story being told, it does make it hard to fully comprehend.
This book gets off to a shaky start but I was always expecting it to improve. Unfortunately I was left disappointed.