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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Before You Sleep in Books
Jul 7, 2020
124 of 200
Kindle
Before you sleep: three horrors
By Adam Nevill
A trilogy of horror stories from the award-winning writer's first collection of short stories - SOME WILL NOT SLEEP - and an introduction to the nightmarish visions and ghastly spectres that have been disturbing the sleep of readers for years. In this book you'll find two ghost stories and a tale of ancestral demoniac horror.
In the big white house on the hill angels are said to appear . . .
When the children left the house, their toys remained . . .
A confused and vengeful presence occupies the home of a first-time buyer . . .
1. Where Angels come in
So reading this in the dark is so bloody frightening but the only way to read it! This reminds me of all the creepy places we used to dare each other to go as kids. There are images from this story that are going to stay with me for a while! Brilliant short!!
2. Ancestors
Well that was bloody creepy as hell!! One I think I’m hiding all the toys in a locked box!! Also don’t go poking your nose in where it’s not needed!
3. Florrie
This sent shivers down my spine. I also felt a little sad at the lives just being left and florrie still being tied to the house. Think he would have listened to his mother though! A very strange story!
Overall!
I’m a huge fan of Adam Nevill’s work and have been for years his books truly terrify me. I find myself jumping at stupid noises in the house that I know are normal! I highly recommend his books!
Kindle
Before you sleep: three horrors
By Adam Nevill
A trilogy of horror stories from the award-winning writer's first collection of short stories - SOME WILL NOT SLEEP - and an introduction to the nightmarish visions and ghastly spectres that have been disturbing the sleep of readers for years. In this book you'll find two ghost stories and a tale of ancestral demoniac horror.
In the big white house on the hill angels are said to appear . . .
When the children left the house, their toys remained . . .
A confused and vengeful presence occupies the home of a first-time buyer . . .
1. Where Angels come in
So reading this in the dark is so bloody frightening but the only way to read it! This reminds me of all the creepy places we used to dare each other to go as kids. There are images from this story that are going to stay with me for a while! Brilliant short!!
2. Ancestors
Well that was bloody creepy as hell!! One I think I’m hiding all the toys in a locked box!! Also don’t go poking your nose in where it’s not needed!
3. Florrie
This sent shivers down my spine. I also felt a little sad at the lives just being left and florrie still being tied to the house. Think he would have listened to his mother though! A very strange story!
Overall!
I’m a huge fan of Adam Nevill’s work and have been for years his books truly terrify me. I find myself jumping at stupid noises in the house that I know are normal! I highly recommend his books!
Becs (244 KP) rated Of Mice and Men in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a (somewhat) great historical fiction novel. I was just appalled by how slow the middle of the book was. I was so excited to read this book, as I’ve heard such great things about it. When I started, it was a little bumpy but as I kept reading, the road just kept becoming almost unbearable to continue. The ending though, spot on and definitely kicked my attention back into place. In all aspects, Of Mice and Men deserves a solid four gold stars. Reasons why below.
Genre: Literary classic, historical fiction
Audience: I definitely recommend at least a high schooler or up to read it. As it’s a little controversial and a bit harder of a read for a younger crowd.
Difficulty Reading: I almost put this down to never pick up and read again. I was about a millimeter away from doing it. But I have a thing against never finishing a book or DNF. If I’m going to pick something up and start reading it, I HAVE TO finish it, something about having an unfinished book doesn’t sit right with me. So, the answer is yes. This was a bit more of a difficult read. Now that it’s finished, I’m glad I stuck through and read the rest of the novel.
Insights: John Steinbeck is a great author and writer. I’ve read a few of his other novels and have loved them. Of Mice and Men just does not compare to the others. Maybe it’s the way that the characters speak. Maybe it’s the topic. Maybe it’s just Steinbeck lost touch with his writing when creating Of Mice and Men. Who knows, apparently some think that this novel is a piece of art. I mean, it’s still being sold nationwide. That must mean it’s somewhat good, right?
Ah-Ha Moment: When I found out that Lennie has a bit of a mental handicap issue. (This honestly sounds so bad in writing but I’m not trying to be rude about people who are mentally handicapped. I use to work as a caretaker for them and I loved it.) To continue on. You typically don’t see this style of character in this novels era. It was refreshing and different from other literary classic novels.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Favorite Quotes: “Trouble with mice is you always kill ’em. ” – Honestly, this is a perfect short, one sentence summary of the novel. If you don’t want to read Of Mice and Men, what happens is: you have George and Lennie, always traveling together. Lennie is mentally handicapped and likes to pet soft things. He gets in trouble in Weed by touching a female’s dress and not letting go when she screams. They run and come to find work bucking barley. Here, Lennie kills a newborn pup then kills Curley’s wife. George shoots Lennie in the back of the head and the novel ends.
***END OF SPOILERS***
“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.” – I mean, you’re not wrong George. Ranchhands are typically pretty lonely, especially in those olden days.
What will you gain: A love-hate relationship for this novel. Seriously. I love it so much I gave it four gold stars. But I hate it so much because man, it was a bit of a bore.
“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
Genre: Literary classic, historical fiction
Audience: I definitely recommend at least a high schooler or up to read it. As it’s a little controversial and a bit harder of a read for a younger crowd.
Difficulty Reading: I almost put this down to never pick up and read again. I was about a millimeter away from doing it. But I have a thing against never finishing a book or DNF. If I’m going to pick something up and start reading it, I HAVE TO finish it, something about having an unfinished book doesn’t sit right with me. So, the answer is yes. This was a bit more of a difficult read. Now that it’s finished, I’m glad I stuck through and read the rest of the novel.
Insights: John Steinbeck is a great author and writer. I’ve read a few of his other novels and have loved them. Of Mice and Men just does not compare to the others. Maybe it’s the way that the characters speak. Maybe it’s the topic. Maybe it’s just Steinbeck lost touch with his writing when creating Of Mice and Men. Who knows, apparently some think that this novel is a piece of art. I mean, it’s still being sold nationwide. That must mean it’s somewhat good, right?
Ah-Ha Moment: When I found out that Lennie has a bit of a mental handicap issue. (This honestly sounds so bad in writing but I’m not trying to be rude about people who are mentally handicapped. I use to work as a caretaker for them and I loved it.) To continue on. You typically don’t see this style of character in this novels era. It was refreshing and different from other literary classic novels.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
Favorite Quotes: “Trouble with mice is you always kill ’em. ” – Honestly, this is a perfect short, one sentence summary of the novel. If you don’t want to read Of Mice and Men, what happens is: you have George and Lennie, always traveling together. Lennie is mentally handicapped and likes to pet soft things. He gets in trouble in Weed by touching a female’s dress and not letting go when she screams. They run and come to find work bucking barley. Here, Lennie kills a newborn pup then kills Curley’s wife. George shoots Lennie in the back of the head and the novel ends.
***END OF SPOILERS***
“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.” – I mean, you’re not wrong George. Ranchhands are typically pretty lonely, especially in those olden days.
What will you gain: A love-hate relationship for this novel. Seriously. I love it so much I gave it four gold stars. But I hate it so much because man, it was a bit of a bore.
“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea in Books
Nov 15, 2017 (Updated Nov 15, 2017)
Unflinching tales from North Korea
The Accusation shines a light on the dark half of the Korean peninsula with stories that are as readable as they are important. Written by a North Korean dissident still living in the country, the book is extremely unique - the manuscript having been smuggled out of the country by a fleeing relative.
Bandi, (not his real name) focuses on the period between 1989 and 1995 when Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il were in power. Seven short stories, each pointing an accusing finger at the ruling regime, shine a light on North Korea's truly fathomless darkness. While most of the stories are fictional, they are based on real events, but names have been changed to protect identities. It is almost Orwellian in nature, it's unbelievable that there is a place in the world where 1984 is a reality.
The seven stories aptly convey the hardships and constant trauma that people face in a country cut off from the rest of the world. Written with deep emotion and elegance. A sensational read.
Bandi, (not his real name) focuses on the period between 1989 and 1995 when Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il were in power. Seven short stories, each pointing an accusing finger at the ruling regime, shine a light on North Korea's truly fathomless darkness. While most of the stories are fictional, they are based on real events, but names have been changed to protect identities. It is almost Orwellian in nature, it's unbelievable that there is a place in the world where 1984 is a reality.
The seven stories aptly convey the hardships and constant trauma that people face in a country cut off from the rest of the world. Written with deep emotion and elegance. A sensational read.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Hearing from God Each Morning: 365 Daily Devotions in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Joyce Meyer shares personal experiences and examples from scripture that give you a daily dose of inspiration and peace. Every morning devotion starts with a Bible verse, then there is a few paragraphs to meditate through. It concludes with a short and sweet piece of advice or something to remember throughout the day. This is a wonderful source of encouragement, thought-provoking, and easy to read.
My only complaint about this book is that there isn’t quite enough Bible in it for me. There is one verse per day—and I need a little more than that. It would be nice if there was recommended reading, or a Bible-in-a-year plan or something.
Recommendation: Any age. This is a great side-tool to go with your daily devotions. I would recommend reading the whole chapter referenced in the devotion (for the sake of both context and more than a verse a day), reading the devotion, and journaling your thoughts about it.
Joyce Meyer shares personal experiences and examples from scripture that give you a daily dose of inspiration and peace. Every morning devotion starts with a Bible verse, then there is a few paragraphs to meditate through. It concludes with a short and sweet piece of advice or something to remember throughout the day. This is a wonderful source of encouragement, thought-provoking, and easy to read.
My only complaint about this book is that there isn’t quite enough Bible in it for me. There is one verse per day—and I need a little more than that. It would be nice if there was recommended reading, or a Bible-in-a-year plan or something.
Recommendation: Any age. This is a great side-tool to go with your daily devotions. I would recommend reading the whole chapter referenced in the devotion (for the sake of both context and more than a verse a day), reading the devotion, and journaling your thoughts about it.
Merissa (12660 KP) rated A Late Summer Night's Dream in Books
Feb 14, 2019
A Late Summer Night's Dream by Eleanor Harkstead & Catherine Curzon
A Late Summer Night's Dream is the delightful story of a young man working on his P.H.D., who has a mix up with his seat at the theatre. What could have been an embarrassing evening turns into a night full of laughter and flirtation.
This is a genteel book, with an old-fashioned style of writing that perfectly fits this story. There is an age gap physically, but mentally and emotionally, these two are the perfect fit for each other. This is only a short book, but the pacing is spot on for it, not feeling rushed at all. The descriptions for Oxford will make many a person want to visit there.
With characters that are instantly recognisable, this is a heartwarming story I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a genteel book, with an old-fashioned style of writing that perfectly fits this story. There is an age gap physically, but mentally and emotionally, these two are the perfect fit for each other. This is only a short book, but the pacing is spot on for it, not feeling rushed at all. The descriptions for Oxford will make many a person want to visit there.
With characters that are instantly recognisable, this is a heartwarming story I have no hesitation in recommending.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Winter's Child: A Retelling of The Snow Queen in Books
Feb 15, 2019
While WINTER'S CHILD is an easy, entertaining read, it does suffer from some short-comings. I realize that this book is not only about the Winter Child, but about how many different stories come together to make up one complete story, but there were one or two that were unnecessary to the plot as a whole. At around the three-fourths point, I was taken aback by the story going into a completely different direction than where I had hoped. This is where my main problem lays. Had some of the extra storylines been taken out and replaced with more of the development of the main plot and characters, I believe I would have been happier and completely fine with how everything turned out. Sadly, I ended up feeling somewhat cheated with the end and left unsatisfied. However, the first one-hundred pages are magical and beautifully written, and show everything I love about Cameron Dokey's work. Too bad it had to start high and then end on a low note.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated One with You in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Unfortunately, this is where the journey of Gideon and Eva Cross ends. For the past few years we have read about their short relationship. In this "episode"Eva and Gideon have finally worked out the kinks in their relationship. They have secretly gotten married without their family's knowledge and are in the process of planning a public ceremony and making sue that their marriage is as strong as it can be.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Crossfire series and I'm very sad to see it come to an end. I was so invested in the characters that after I was finished reading the book, I even dreamed about what would happen next. I want to thank Sylvia Day for allowing me the opportunity to catch a quick glimpse into the lives of Eva and Gideon. And it certainly was a quick glimpse, with the five differnt books spanning just a few months.
I look forward to the next book series that starts with the book So Close and this series will take place over a few years instead of months.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Crossfire series and I'm very sad to see it come to an end. I was so invested in the characters that after I was finished reading the book, I even dreamed about what would happen next. I want to thank Sylvia Day for allowing me the opportunity to catch a quick glimpse into the lives of Eva and Gideon. And it certainly was a quick glimpse, with the five differnt books spanning just a few months.
I look forward to the next book series that starts with the book So Close and this series will take place over a few years instead of months.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Florida in Books
Jan 17, 2018
Wonderful short stories, despite disjointed flow
For those who are unfamiliar of the landscape and society of Florida, Lauren Groff's collection of stories is enticing and varied. Ranging from the usual depictions of alligators, to the atypical descriptions of those who just want to get away, Groff attempts to show the various characters found in the sweltering heat and stormy climes of southern USA.
I particularly enjoyed the story of the mother who takes her two young sons to France to escape the tropical summers and her restless life. It is detailed and you get a sense of her edginess throughout, worried that something may happen to her children or to have an unpleasant encounter with their overbearing landlord.
My only gripe would be that because each story is not clearly signposted, the flow of the stories become confusing and it takes a minute to realise you've begun a whole new chapter. It is a bit jarring, so shorter stories became completely unmemorable as a result. However, it is a pleasant read overall, I enjoyed her writing style.
I particularly enjoyed the story of the mother who takes her two young sons to France to escape the tropical summers and her restless life. It is detailed and you get a sense of her edginess throughout, worried that something may happen to her children or to have an unpleasant encounter with their overbearing landlord.
My only gripe would be that because each story is not clearly signposted, the flow of the stories become confusing and it takes a minute to realise you've begun a whole new chapter. It is a bit jarring, so shorter stories became completely unmemorable as a result. However, it is a pleasant read overall, I enjoyed her writing style.
Lindsay (1735 KP) rated The Sky Throne in Books
Feb 8, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
Chris Ledbetter is a new author to me. His storytelling is nice and well written. I enjoyed his book “The Sky Throne” a fantasy and mythology book. It tells a story about a young Zeus and somewhat of how he comes to be a Geek God.
Will Zeus and his classmates find out what they are to do? The adventures they take are thrilling. Don is short for “Poseidon”. Is this book to tell the story of ancient Greek or is it more geared towards Modern? You will have to read the book to find out for yourself and decide. Though the story of young Zeus is about ancient Greek and becoming Greek God.
Hyperion coming to Create after young Zeus pulls enough pranks to get himself and his best friend expelled from Crete Lower Prep. Will he learn his lesson or will he continue with the pranks? Once his best friend is killed and his mother injured he is sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia. He sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia he as one question “Who is his real Mother”?
Will Zeus and his classmates find out what they are to do? The adventures they take are thrilling. Don is short for “Poseidon”. Is this book to tell the story of ancient Greek or is it more geared towards Modern? You will have to read the book to find out for yourself and decide. Though the story of young Zeus is about ancient Greek and becoming Greek God.
Hyperion coming to Create after young Zeus pulls enough pranks to get himself and his best friend expelled from Crete Lower Prep. Will he learn his lesson or will he continue with the pranks? Once his best friend is killed and his mother injured he is sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia. He sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory Academia he as one question “Who is his real Mother”?
Lindsay (1735 KP) rated The Bride Wore Blue (The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek, #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2018
This book was something that keep interest to the end. Vivian and her Aunt Alma start out on the train to Cripple Creek. Vivian Aunt is only staying for a week or two before she head back to Maine. Vivian has her only ideas and what she wants to do.
Carter is a lawman who seem determined to keep Cripple Creek safe. He been dealing with bank robberies. He here that the train was robbed of the cash book by two men. When the train travels in to Cripple Creek. Carter see a young woman and she the one who tripped the short man. It really a strange that Carter and Vivian would see each other often somewhere in town.
Vivian and Carter do not that they will help each other and find love that the same time. They both start with their own struggles. They were needing find Grace and Forgiveness though God and there mistakes. Do they overcome their fears and struggles and mistakes? Read it to find out.
Carter is a lawman who seem determined to keep Cripple Creek safe. He been dealing with bank robberies. He here that the train was robbed of the cash book by two men. When the train travels in to Cripple Creek. Carter see a young woman and she the one who tripped the short man. It really a strange that Carter and Vivian would see each other often somewhere in town.
Vivian and Carter do not that they will help each other and find love that the same time. They both start with their own struggles. They were needing find Grace and Forgiveness though God and there mistakes. Do they overcome their fears and struggles and mistakes? Read it to find out.