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TheBookMother (105 KP) rated Christine in Books
May 26, 2019
Think classic slasher come Top Gear.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Like alot of my recent reads I picked up a very well loved copy from a supermarket fundraising bookcase.
Now, I do feel quite conflicted in critiquing the master that is Stephen King especially as it's not all positive. It's probably the same feeling if you kicked your Nan or when you've hidden your son's favourite toy that drives you crazy and watch him scour the house for it for days on end.
It started off in true King fashion. I've read a few of his repertoire including the classics. I have come to recognise his tone and the way he sets the scene.
We begin by meeting Dennis who is recalling past events which include his friend Arnie and his obsession with his new car Christine. We soon find out Christine is a bit more than your average first car and anyone who seems to cross Arnie will feel her very gory and murderous wrath. We learn that her previous owner LeBay begins to possess Arnie. Dennis sets out to try and save his friend from the evil clutch(es) (I had to sorry!) of Christine and stop her once and for all.
Tense, descriptive with an air of paranormal/ supernatural you generally know what you're getting with King and you know there will tend to be a twist or scare along the way.
However, I did find this abit of a slow burner and not what expected it to be.
I think it could be because this is 20+ years old and I am probably desensitised by slashers it did feel quite cliché in places.
I did at times feel slightly confused as we were introduced to Christine the possessed car but then we learn it's all to do with Lebay taking over and even ageing Arnie. It did remind me abit of Ghost Rider.
I enjoyed the music lyrics at the beginning of each chapter and throughout as it really did help set scene and help with showing the difference between Arnie and Lebay's ages.
I have to admit I was distracted alot and do put it down frequently but I did pick up and finish it eventually.
I normally finish a book in 2-3 days (children, work and life permitting!) But this took a while longer. Perhaps, as I felt it was a tad stagnant in places.
It was never the less an okay read, it's a good slasher come supernatural story but one I did think I would have enjoyed alot more.
Now, I do feel quite conflicted in critiquing the master that is Stephen King especially as it's not all positive. It's probably the same feeling if you kicked your Nan or when you've hidden your son's favourite toy that drives you crazy and watch him scour the house for it for days on end.
It started off in true King fashion. I've read a few of his repertoire including the classics. I have come to recognise his tone and the way he sets the scene.
We begin by meeting Dennis who is recalling past events which include his friend Arnie and his obsession with his new car Christine. We soon find out Christine is a bit more than your average first car and anyone who seems to cross Arnie will feel her very gory and murderous wrath. We learn that her previous owner LeBay begins to possess Arnie. Dennis sets out to try and save his friend from the evil clutch(es) (I had to sorry!) of Christine and stop her once and for all.
Tense, descriptive with an air of paranormal/ supernatural you generally know what you're getting with King and you know there will tend to be a twist or scare along the way.
However, I did find this abit of a slow burner and not what expected it to be.
I think it could be because this is 20+ years old and I am probably desensitised by slashers it did feel quite cliché in places.
I did at times feel slightly confused as we were introduced to Christine the possessed car but then we learn it's all to do with Lebay taking over and even ageing Arnie. It did remind me abit of Ghost Rider.
I enjoyed the music lyrics at the beginning of each chapter and throughout as it really did help set scene and help with showing the difference between Arnie and Lebay's ages.
I have to admit I was distracted alot and do put it down frequently but I did pick up and finish it eventually.
I normally finish a book in 2-3 days (children, work and life permitting!) But this took a while longer. Perhaps, as I felt it was a tad stagnant in places.
It was never the less an okay read, it's a good slasher come supernatural story but one I did think I would have enjoyed alot more.
Night Reader Reviews (683 KP) rated The Mandore Rose in Books
Jan 9, 2020
The Mandore Rose by Cyril James Morris is set in the early 1950s yet, for the most part, it feels like it could be set in modern-day. It also has a prologue from the 1700s but it takes a while for the connection to be made. This book can easily be read in a day or two.
Just Riley is a young Romany girl who is ordered by her elder to take her caravan and run away. This is not because of anything she has done. She must run in order to protect herself from the man pretending to be her uncle after her mother died just so he can steal from her. Just Riley now has to survive on her own with her horse Pixe and her spirit guide, The Bangled Lady for companions. That is until an accident at the beach puts her in contact with Big Pierre and Rhys.
Rhys teaches her how to hunt for crabs and they quickly become friends. Big Pierre owns and works on a crabbing boat and gives Just Riley some work. When Pierre takes Riley with him one day she meets the Monks and Lady Caldey on their island. The Lady agrees to have an instrument repaired for Just Riley and the two feel a bond right away. After learning to trust one another Just Riley learns that they each have a ring identical to the other. It is with these rings and a little bit of luck that they start on an adventure that may lead them to the truth about who Just Riley really is.
What I liked most was how the main character is called Just Riley. At first, I found this to be annoying and awkward, but after the reason is explained I fund it to be cute, if not a little sad as well. What I did not like was that I wish the book would have explained the difference between Romany and Gypsey. This is because on multiple occasions people in the book confuse the two and Riley seems to be insulted by that. I feel like many people (myself included) do not know the difference and would benefit from the explanation.
People who enjoy historical mysteries would enjoy this book the most. This book is appropriate for just about all readers even those in middle school. It is not too heavily historical that it is not enjoyable. I give this book a 3 out of 4 ratings. While there is not anything wrong with this book I could not give it a perfect score. The book just was not compelling to read. While it is classified as a mystery it really doesn't have a quality that made me curious about what was happening.
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Just Riley is a young Romany girl who is ordered by her elder to take her caravan and run away. This is not because of anything she has done. She must run in order to protect herself from the man pretending to be her uncle after her mother died just so he can steal from her. Just Riley now has to survive on her own with her horse Pixe and her spirit guide, The Bangled Lady for companions. That is until an accident at the beach puts her in contact with Big Pierre and Rhys.
Rhys teaches her how to hunt for crabs and they quickly become friends. Big Pierre owns and works on a crabbing boat and gives Just Riley some work. When Pierre takes Riley with him one day she meets the Monks and Lady Caldey on their island. The Lady agrees to have an instrument repaired for Just Riley and the two feel a bond right away. After learning to trust one another Just Riley learns that they each have a ring identical to the other. It is with these rings and a little bit of luck that they start on an adventure that may lead them to the truth about who Just Riley really is.
What I liked most was how the main character is called Just Riley. At first, I found this to be annoying and awkward, but after the reason is explained I fund it to be cute, if not a little sad as well. What I did not like was that I wish the book would have explained the difference between Romany and Gypsey. This is because on multiple occasions people in the book confuse the two and Riley seems to be insulted by that. I feel like many people (myself included) do not know the difference and would benefit from the explanation.
People who enjoy historical mysteries would enjoy this book the most. This book is appropriate for just about all readers even those in middle school. It is not too heavily historical that it is not enjoyable. I give this book a 3 out of 4 ratings. While there is not anything wrong with this book I could not give it a perfect score. The book just was not compelling to read. While it is classified as a mystery it really doesn't have a quality that made me curious about what was happening.
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https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/mandore-rose
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Good Intentions (The Road to Hell, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
This another read for my A-Z challenge on Goodreads. P.S. My cover is different to the one above but I can't find it.
It starts following River as a 8/9 year old as a lot of planes fly over her house, causing car alarms to shriek and windows to rattle. Then on the news it shows that something has happened in the middle of the country, a mushroom cloud is billowing into the air. War has arrived.
Fast forward 13 years and River is now 22. She's the main provider in her house, fishing and trading her catches for other things her brothers need. The army arrive every six months or so to collect volunteers who are going to go help out at the wall - a giant structure that separates the ravaged America from the safer areas. Everything changes for River when she is forced to go to the wall and finds out the truth of what really happened all those years ago.
I'll be honest and admit that the first 20% or so was quite slow. We spent a lot of time with River in her coastal town. I'll admit I was starting to think about DNF'ing this but then we got to the wall and we met Kobal and the rest of the soldiers and I was suddenly intrigued.
I wanted to know exactly what had happened. Who they were? Why were they looking for gifted individuals? What was on the other side of the wall? What did the new volunteers end up doing?
From that point on I was pretty much hooked by the story. It is a bit of information overload as River asks questions and Kobal answers them but they do get spread out over several chapters so it wasn't that bad.
I wasn't that interested in the history of it all anyway. It was more the heat that was flaring between them that had me hooked. I swear I read about 45% straight from the moment I realised something was going to happen and it was only after they'd finally slept together that I put it down around 11.30pm (20/10) and went to sleep. I did pick it up first thing the next morning knowing there wasn't all that much of the book left but work got in the way.
I know it's a four part series and this has ended suitably for the time being. River has some decisions to make (and I'm pretty sure I know which way she's going to go) about her relationship and what is going to do down when they get to the rift. I'll be reading it at some point in the future.
It starts following River as a 8/9 year old as a lot of planes fly over her house, causing car alarms to shriek and windows to rattle. Then on the news it shows that something has happened in the middle of the country, a mushroom cloud is billowing into the air. War has arrived.
Fast forward 13 years and River is now 22. She's the main provider in her house, fishing and trading her catches for other things her brothers need. The army arrive every six months or so to collect volunteers who are going to go help out at the wall - a giant structure that separates the ravaged America from the safer areas. Everything changes for River when she is forced to go to the wall and finds out the truth of what really happened all those years ago.
I'll be honest and admit that the first 20% or so was quite slow. We spent a lot of time with River in her coastal town. I'll admit I was starting to think about DNF'ing this but then we got to the wall and we met Kobal and the rest of the soldiers and I was suddenly intrigued.
I wanted to know exactly what had happened. Who they were? Why were they looking for gifted individuals? What was on the other side of the wall? What did the new volunteers end up doing?
From that point on I was pretty much hooked by the story. It is a bit of information overload as River asks questions and Kobal answers them but they do get spread out over several chapters so it wasn't that bad.
I wasn't that interested in the history of it all anyway. It was more the heat that was flaring between them that had me hooked. I swear I read about 45% straight from the moment I realised something was going to happen and it was only after they'd finally slept together that I put it down around 11.30pm (20/10) and went to sleep. I did pick it up first thing the next morning knowing there wasn't all that much of the book left but work got in the way.
I know it's a four part series and this has ended suitably for the time being. River has some decisions to make (and I'm pretty sure I know which way she's going to go) about her relationship and what is going to do down when they get to the rift. I'll be reading it at some point in the future.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Tin Man in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I would like to begin by saying, that I heard so much about this novel and I didn’t expect this book to be so tiny. It is only around 197 pages, but it has a really powerful punch to throw.
This novel carries a story of two friends, Ellis and Michael. They are the main characters in this book and the whole book was told from their perspectives. I shouldn’t forget Annie as well, even though she is kind of a silent character, she plays an integral part in the essence of this novel. All the characters are exceptionally crafted and incredibly complex. The whole novel got my brain working and imagination just flew free. I loved that author allowed the reader to paint the characters themselves, she allows you to know the story, but at the same time, there are so many details missing and so many questions left unanswered. I am not really sure whether I liked those gaps or not… because everything made so much sense. I found all the characters very likable and their internal relationship very amusing.
The narrative of this book was very confusing to me, it always keeps jumping between present and past, filling this book with romantic, but at the same time heartbreaking stories. I really enjoyed all the twists which author brought in, it made this book even more deeper and unexpected. I really liked the topics Sarah Winman was highlighting in this novel, such as homosexuality, friendship, HIV, family issues, loneliness etc. HIV hasn’t been discussed in the books for a while now, and I am great full for this reminder.
This was my first encounter with Sarah Winman’s writing, but there is no doubt that her writing style is very unique and absolutely masterful. The thing is, even though I admire her writing gift and I strongly believe she should be awarded for it, I am not a very big fan of it. Too many unanswered questions and I was not very satisfied with the closure of this book. Another thing what nagged me was the length of the chapters. Even though the book is not very long, the chapters were pretty long for my liking and it kind of dragged sometimes. So, to conclude, even though there were some things which were not for me, I truly think this book is a must-read, the characters and the plot are absolutely unique and very creative, and the prose is absolutely gorgeous and mentally challenging. Get it, read it, and I hope you will enjoy it! 🙂 (I know it is a confusing review and sometimes sentences contradict themselves, but that how this book made me feel… 🙂 )
This novel carries a story of two friends, Ellis and Michael. They are the main characters in this book and the whole book was told from their perspectives. I shouldn’t forget Annie as well, even though she is kind of a silent character, she plays an integral part in the essence of this novel. All the characters are exceptionally crafted and incredibly complex. The whole novel got my brain working and imagination just flew free. I loved that author allowed the reader to paint the characters themselves, she allows you to know the story, but at the same time, there are so many details missing and so many questions left unanswered. I am not really sure whether I liked those gaps or not… because everything made so much sense. I found all the characters very likable and their internal relationship very amusing.
The narrative of this book was very confusing to me, it always keeps jumping between present and past, filling this book with romantic, but at the same time heartbreaking stories. I really enjoyed all the twists which author brought in, it made this book even more deeper and unexpected. I really liked the topics Sarah Winman was highlighting in this novel, such as homosexuality, friendship, HIV, family issues, loneliness etc. HIV hasn’t been discussed in the books for a while now, and I am great full for this reminder.
This was my first encounter with Sarah Winman’s writing, but there is no doubt that her writing style is very unique and absolutely masterful. The thing is, even though I admire her writing gift and I strongly believe she should be awarded for it, I am not a very big fan of it. Too many unanswered questions and I was not very satisfied with the closure of this book. Another thing what nagged me was the length of the chapters. Even though the book is not very long, the chapters were pretty long for my liking and it kind of dragged sometimes. So, to conclude, even though there were some things which were not for me, I truly think this book is a must-read, the characters and the plot are absolutely unique and very creative, and the prose is absolutely gorgeous and mentally challenging. Get it, read it, and I hope you will enjoy it! 🙂 (I know it is a confusing review and sometimes sentences contradict themselves, but that how this book made me feel… 🙂 )
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Christmas Love Year Round (Kindred Lake #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Cami Richardson is good at chasing away the men in her life: first Gavin Kinkaid, a former classmate she’d helped to bully, and later, her husband who left her widowed and a single mom. Now all she wants is to bring a smile back to her eight-year-old son. What she doesn’t expect is for Gavin to become her new neighbor.
Gavin wants to settle down after serving in the Air Force and mend the separation between him and his dad. What he didn’t count on is his changing feelings when he sees Cami as a kind woman instead of his former adversary.
When Cami’s son blindsides them both during the Christmas season, is their reunion at risk or will it grow stronger?
My Thoughts: A wonderful book just in time for the holidays! This book was an enjoyable read that is full of many lessons. This novel is not only about family, forgiveness and letting go, but also about bullying and what it can create. Bullying, name calling is something I believe we have all faced at one time in our lives. Beautifully written with a flowing storyline that keeps the reader interested.
The characters are interesting, down to earth and easy to relate to. This is an enjoyable romance novel with lessons to learn that the reader can read during the holiday season or any time of the year! I look forward to reading more from Elaine Stock.
Gavin wants to settle down after serving in the Air Force and mend the separation between him and his dad. What he didn’t count on is his changing feelings when he sees Cami as a kind woman instead of his former adversary.
When Cami’s son blindsides them both during the Christmas season, is their reunion at risk or will it grow stronger?
My Thoughts: A wonderful book just in time for the holidays! This book was an enjoyable read that is full of many lessons. This novel is not only about family, forgiveness and letting go, but also about bullying and what it can create. Bullying, name calling is something I believe we have all faced at one time in our lives. Beautifully written with a flowing storyline that keeps the reader interested.
The characters are interesting, down to earth and easy to relate to. This is an enjoyable romance novel with lessons to learn that the reader can read during the holiday season or any time of the year! I look forward to reading more from Elaine Stock.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Walk in the Flesh in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I was provided a free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review***
In Walk in the Flesh, Neil, an ex-soldier on the brink of death, is given the chance to live on and exact revenge on the people who killed his wife in a terrorist attack. The British government will use nanotechnology to insert his consciousness into host bodies, allowing him to carry out covert missions undetected. Now, besides becoming a perfect killing machine, Neil has also become a monster. Or perhaps he was one all along
The story has a very scary premise and one that technology might not be too far away from making a possibility. There is no shortage of action in this thriller, and I was caught up in it right away. The story moves quickly, but it takes a while to really understand what is happening with Neil. Eventually the reader knows more about him than he does himself. The most suspenseful bits come near the end when he has a young woman travelling with him, and youre left guessing at his motivations.
There were a few editing issues. Once or twice I had to re-read a sentence due to a missing word, but the issues were infrequent or the story kept moving well enough for me not to notice too much.
If you enjoy military adventure novels, cyberpunk, or techno-thrillers, this one is worth a read.
In Walk in the Flesh, Neil, an ex-soldier on the brink of death, is given the chance to live on and exact revenge on the people who killed his wife in a terrorist attack. The British government will use nanotechnology to insert his consciousness into host bodies, allowing him to carry out covert missions undetected. Now, besides becoming a perfect killing machine, Neil has also become a monster. Or perhaps he was one all along
The story has a very scary premise and one that technology might not be too far away from making a possibility. There is no shortage of action in this thriller, and I was caught up in it right away. The story moves quickly, but it takes a while to really understand what is happening with Neil. Eventually the reader knows more about him than he does himself. The most suspenseful bits come near the end when he has a young woman travelling with him, and youre left guessing at his motivations.
There were a few editing issues. Once or twice I had to re-read a sentence due to a missing word, but the issues were infrequent or the story kept moving well enough for me not to notice too much.
If you enjoy military adventure novels, cyberpunk, or techno-thrillers, this one is worth a read.
Russ Troutt (291 KP) rated Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll in Books
Jul 18, 2019
For those not familiar with the name Sam Phillips, he is the man who started up Sun Records in Memphis, TN. And it was there at 706 Union Avenue that Sam invented rock n roll. Now, he didn't invent the music or the soul behind rock n roll, rock n roll was cooked up by the men and women working in the cotton fields, folks in the churches singing hymns, heartbreak, and good times goofing off with friends; just to name a few ingredients. With any recipe, no matter how great the ingredients, a great cook is needed; and Sam Phillips was a five star chef ahead of his time. Thankfully for all us, he made it his time. He produced and laid down the first tracks for some of the greats, such as Howlin' Wolf, Ike Turner, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis just to name a few. I wouldn't say he discovered these great musicians, but rather helped them discover themselves. Back to the book, that's only a small portion of his story. Learning more about the man, who and what made him who he was, all of his accomplishments, and all of the details of what most know and a lot of what you had no idea about, made for a very fascinating read. If you have a love for music, then this is a must read book.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor in Books
Mar 30, 2020
Adam Kay was a junior doctor from 2004 until 2010, before a devastating experience on a ward caused him to reconsider his future. He kept a diary throughout his training, and This Is Going to Hurt intersperses tales from the front line of the NHS with reflections on the current crisis. The result is a first-hand account of life as a junior doctor in all its joy, pain, sacrifice and maddening bureaucracy, and a love letter to those who might at any moment be holding our lives in their hands.
I happened to win this book in a competition @smashbomb it's not something I would normally buy myself but I'm so glad I did! I have laughed, felt physically sick and cried and Adams recounts. After having a lot of issues on a personal level with birthing 4 children one of which was preterm and died at 18 days old I can see the constant struggle in our maternity wards. The second begin now I face endometrial pre cancerous cells and need an Hysterectomy, its quite funny that I chose to read this during our covid 19 lockdown it brought so much home. We should be celebrating doctors like Adam and our staff in the NHS as they keep battling on against budget cuts, long hours, shit pay and a barrage of patient abuse!!! Please read this book and please next time you use our NHS say thank you it goes a long way!!
I happened to win this book in a competition @smashbomb it's not something I would normally buy myself but I'm so glad I did! I have laughed, felt physically sick and cried and Adams recounts. After having a lot of issues on a personal level with birthing 4 children one of which was preterm and died at 18 days old I can see the constant struggle in our maternity wards. The second begin now I face endometrial pre cancerous cells and need an Hysterectomy, its quite funny that I chose to read this during our covid 19 lockdown it brought so much home. We should be celebrating doctors like Adam and our staff in the NHS as they keep battling on against budget cuts, long hours, shit pay and a barrage of patient abuse!!! Please read this book and please next time you use our NHS say thank you it goes a long way!!
Beliefs: And the World They Have Created
Book
An accessible, objective understanding of what the major 'beliefs' are about. The major beliefs...
Sarah (7800 KP) rated Corrupt Bodies: Death and Dirty Dealing in a London Morgue in Books
Oct 25, 2020
Very interesting
Have to give a big thanks to @AJaneClark for recommending this book following from Richard Shepherd’s Unnatural Causes. It was a great idea to read this straight after, as the similar themes and topics complement each other but yet still showing completely different sides of the post-mortem.
Everett’s book follows the workings of a mortuary, and focuses a lot more on the criminality involved both at the mortuary itself and of the crime scenes Everett attends. It’s fascinating and I never knew until now what sort of state mortuaries in the UK were in less than a few decades ago. To think black market organ dealing was still happening as late as the 1980s is crazy. What’s also crazy is the similarities between Everett and Shepherd’s personal stories. Whilst Everett doesn’t quite go into as much detail about his private life, it’s concerning to read about how their mental health was affected by working in this sort of profession.
I don’t think I enjoyed this quite as much as Unnatural Causes. I’m not sure why, it may be related to the writing style or the focus on the non-scientific side of post-mortems. But despite this I still really enjoyed reading about such an interesting topic and about all of Everett's cases, and it’s good to hear that his story turned out alright in the end.
Everett’s book follows the workings of a mortuary, and focuses a lot more on the criminality involved both at the mortuary itself and of the crime scenes Everett attends. It’s fascinating and I never knew until now what sort of state mortuaries in the UK were in less than a few decades ago. To think black market organ dealing was still happening as late as the 1980s is crazy. What’s also crazy is the similarities between Everett and Shepherd’s personal stories. Whilst Everett doesn’t quite go into as much detail about his private life, it’s concerning to read about how their mental health was affected by working in this sort of profession.
I don’t think I enjoyed this quite as much as Unnatural Causes. I’m not sure why, it may be related to the writing style or the focus on the non-scientific side of post-mortems. But despite this I still really enjoyed reading about such an interesting topic and about all of Everett's cases, and it’s good to hear that his story turned out alright in the end.
