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ClareR (5561 KP) rated Beautiful Shining People in Books
Aug 5, 2023
“”Beautiful, shining kami in the sky. All different. All unique. Just like us”…After that, whenever we went camping, I would always tell my parents I couldn’t wait until nightfall so I could see the beautiful shining people in the sky.”
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this, but I quickly realised that I was loving what I was reading. I do like both speculative and science fiction, so I knew we’d be off to a good start.
This is so much more though. It’s about relationships, both with others and oneself. It’s about loneliness, feeling cut off from others and trying to make a connection.
Both John, a young American tech genius, and Neotnia, are loners. Neither of them want to be alone. John is trying to escape his past and his past self, and Neotnia wants to find her past. They’re both very caring, likeable characters, Neotnia in particular, especially in her interactions with the elderly residents of a home she volunteers at.
My particular favourite was the cafe owner and Neotnia’s guardian - Goeido. He has an interesting and sad past as a Sumo, and this is probably the reason why he is so protective towards Neotnia.
Some of the themes have their place in our society too. The rise of AI, tense relationships between superpowers, terrorist attacks, deep fakes, cyber attacks, fake news - all of these affect us today.
Tokyo as a setting was inspired. All of the AI and robots didn’t seem out of place. I mean, we expect them there, don’t we? Robots taking your order in a fast food restaurant and helping you with directions in the street seem not too far a reach of the imagination in Japan (you can probably tell I’ve never been there!).
The last chapter or so, was so powerful. It was sad and explained all of what had gone before. It was emotional, and the ending was perfect.
Many, many thanks to Orenda for sending me a copy as a part of their book club. I’m really glad I read it!
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this, but I quickly realised that I was loving what I was reading. I do like both speculative and science fiction, so I knew we’d be off to a good start.
This is so much more though. It’s about relationships, both with others and oneself. It’s about loneliness, feeling cut off from others and trying to make a connection.
Both John, a young American tech genius, and Neotnia, are loners. Neither of them want to be alone. John is trying to escape his past and his past self, and Neotnia wants to find her past. They’re both very caring, likeable characters, Neotnia in particular, especially in her interactions with the elderly residents of a home she volunteers at.
My particular favourite was the cafe owner and Neotnia’s guardian - Goeido. He has an interesting and sad past as a Sumo, and this is probably the reason why he is so protective towards Neotnia.
Some of the themes have their place in our society too. The rise of AI, tense relationships between superpowers, terrorist attacks, deep fakes, cyber attacks, fake news - all of these affect us today.
Tokyo as a setting was inspired. All of the AI and robots didn’t seem out of place. I mean, we expect them there, don’t we? Robots taking your order in a fast food restaurant and helping you with directions in the street seem not too far a reach of the imagination in Japan (you can probably tell I’ve never been there!).
The last chapter or so, was so powerful. It was sad and explained all of what had gone before. It was emotional, and the ending was perfect.
Many, many thanks to Orenda for sending me a copy as a part of their book club. I’m really glad I read it!
If Hitler Comes: A Cautionary Tale
Christopher Serpell and Douglas Brown
Book
This novel was first published by Faber in August 1940 under the title, "The Loss of Eden". It was...
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated No Less Days in Books
May 29, 2018
I won a copy of this book and I didn't know it was Christian Fiction. Definitely not something I would grab for myself to read. I was not turned off by the religious aspects of it though, as most are subtle and not in your face. I tended to glaze over them, which makes me believe this book would have been just as good without them. I won't say they didn't add anything as that's not my place to judge, but I won't judge the book either on parts that I wasn't particularly interested in. I wouldn't judge a mystery on it being mysterious, or a romance for being romantic. So now that we're past that...
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
The premise of this story is really cool. I admit, it reminded me of that Blake Lively move, Age of Adeline, but WAY better. There was thought here, and it drew me in the second I started reading.
The main focus of the story is that David Galloway cannot die. It should have happened, many times. But nope. Still here... 100 some odd years later and still looking every bit a healthy 35 year old man. We learn a lot of David's history, as well as his present situation, and we wonder: How did he become this way? Are there others like him? Will he ever die? How does he live live without ever aging?
I read this book really fast as I honestly wanted to find out what would happen. Page after page, it kept me riveted. I would give it 5 Stars, but I had some issues with parts of the story. Particularly all the themes going on - some felt really unnecessary. There was a lot of mystery, racial stuff, domestic abuse, love stories, historical references, religion, murders, celebrity, books.... I'm probably missing more. I felt like too much was happening and a lot could be toned down or eliminated. And it's very obviously set up for a sequel, but the way this "strange character" just showed up and then left... felt really disjointed and out of place.
I'm also not a big Speculative Fiction reader as well as the Christian Fiction genre. I would have never bought this book and read it on my own. But that is how you lose certain generalizations about things, and find some of the best stories. I took a chance, and I won :)
I'm happy to have read this book. And I'm pretty sure this is a sequel in the works, and I'll most likely seek that one out to read!
Cosmic Cabaret
Rosalie Redd, Jayne Fury, C.J. Cade, Kat Vancil, Blaire Edens, Diana Rivis, Tessa McFionn, Dena Garson, Selene Grace Silver, Cailin Briste, Athena Grayson , Jenna Lincoln and Kerry Adrienne
8.0
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Book
Where Hearts Collide in the Greatest Show in Space Join us aboard Blue Star Line’s crown jewel,...
Science_Fiction Romance Anthology
SMART Futures for a Flourishing World
10.0
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Book
We know we have to change but the question is how. Many of us feel powerless to solve the looming...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Those People in Books
Apr 20, 2019
Enthralling Read
I must admit that I was sucked into Those People by Louise Candlish as soon as I read the synopsis. I had a feeling this was going to be a good read, and I was correct. I found this book to be very interesting.
The plot of Those People really held my attention. Basically, the short of it is, Lowland Way, the road where the story takes place, is full of rich people. When neighbors Darren and Jodie inherit a house from a relative, they make their neighbors' lives a nightmare by being loud, playing loud music all day and night, taking up a lot of space with their car business, and not following the neighborly rules of being good neighbors. When a murder occurs, the rich folk of Lowland Way think it will be an open and shut case and that their lives will return to normal. However, nothing could be further from the truth. After reading about Darren and Jodie, I could definitely relate to the feelings of the people on Lowland Way because I've had some pretty bad neighbors. Luckily, they've never been as bad as Darren and Jodie though. I found the plot to be extreme, but it was believable. Sometimes people will go too far if they are driven mad enough (not that I agreed with their actions) as was the case in Those People. There were a few good plot twists. However, I felt like I need more closure at the end of the book. Those People is not part of a series, so I feel like I will never get answers. It's more of a speculative ending which I am never a fan of.
I did enjoy reading about the lives of the characters in Those People. I felt they were all written perfectly and were fleshed out enough to feel like real people instead of just characters in a book. I did find many of the characters to be snobby especially Naomi. She was written really well, but I felt her character had a giant chip on her shoulder. Emma was a complete basket case. I get that she just had a baby, but some of her actions were quite extreme. However, I do know someone like her in real life. Sissy was my overall favorite character. She was the oldest, and she also had the most to lose especially as Darren and Jodie's actions were causing her to lose her bed and breakfast business. My heart really went out to her. I did think Darren and Jodie made for great baddies. I like how Darren would keep his cool for the most part when the others of Lowland Way would lose their cool towards him. For the most part, I felt that females in this book overshadowed the men with the exception of Darren and Jodie. The females seemed to be the stronger characters. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing though.
The pacing for Those People always stayed consistent and held my attention throughout. In fact, I never wanted to put this book down because I was so entranced with what was going on and what would happen next.
Trigger warnings for Those People include violence, death, profanity, and alcohol and drug use.
Overall, Those People is a really good read. I was consistently absorbed by all the drama happening at Lowland Way. The characters were written well, and the plot definitely held my attention. I would definitely recommend Those People by Louise Candlish to everyone aged 18+ especially those who have ever had to deal with some horrible neighbors.
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of Those People by Louise Candlish in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot of Those People really held my attention. Basically, the short of it is, Lowland Way, the road where the story takes place, is full of rich people. When neighbors Darren and Jodie inherit a house from a relative, they make their neighbors' lives a nightmare by being loud, playing loud music all day and night, taking up a lot of space with their car business, and not following the neighborly rules of being good neighbors. When a murder occurs, the rich folk of Lowland Way think it will be an open and shut case and that their lives will return to normal. However, nothing could be further from the truth. After reading about Darren and Jodie, I could definitely relate to the feelings of the people on Lowland Way because I've had some pretty bad neighbors. Luckily, they've never been as bad as Darren and Jodie though. I found the plot to be extreme, but it was believable. Sometimes people will go too far if they are driven mad enough (not that I agreed with their actions) as was the case in Those People. There were a few good plot twists. However, I felt like I need more closure at the end of the book. Those People is not part of a series, so I feel like I will never get answers. It's more of a speculative ending which I am never a fan of.
I did enjoy reading about the lives of the characters in Those People. I felt they were all written perfectly and were fleshed out enough to feel like real people instead of just characters in a book. I did find many of the characters to be snobby especially Naomi. She was written really well, but I felt her character had a giant chip on her shoulder. Emma was a complete basket case. I get that she just had a baby, but some of her actions were quite extreme. However, I do know someone like her in real life. Sissy was my overall favorite character. She was the oldest, and she also had the most to lose especially as Darren and Jodie's actions were causing her to lose her bed and breakfast business. My heart really went out to her. I did think Darren and Jodie made for great baddies. I like how Darren would keep his cool for the most part when the others of Lowland Way would lose their cool towards him. For the most part, I felt that females in this book overshadowed the men with the exception of Darren and Jodie. The females seemed to be the stronger characters. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing though.
The pacing for Those People always stayed consistent and held my attention throughout. In fact, I never wanted to put this book down because I was so entranced with what was going on and what would happen next.
Trigger warnings for Those People include violence, death, profanity, and alcohol and drug use.
Overall, Those People is a really good read. I was consistently absorbed by all the drama happening at Lowland Way. The characters were written well, and the plot definitely held my attention. I would definitely recommend Those People by Louise Candlish to everyone aged 18+ especially those who have ever had to deal with some horrible neighbors.
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of Those People by Louise Candlish in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly in Books
Feb 5, 2020
After watching Sacred Lies on Facebook Watch and finding out it was based on a book, I knew I had to find a copy of the novel! I was beyond happy (and surprised) that my local library had a copy of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes lying around.
Minnow Bly has been part of the Kevinian cult since she was 5 years old. When police find her next to the badly beaten body of a teenage boy, they are shocked to learn that she has no hands. After being placed in juvenile detention, Minnow starts to learn new things about the world. After an FBI agent takes an interest in her case, Minnow must decide if she wants to tell him the truth of what really went on in the cult or if some things are better left unsaid.
The plot for The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was incredibly interesting. Oakes did a fantastic job of making Minnow's world come to life. I was instantly transported to the settings of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly quite easily each time I started reading this book. There are some really emotional scenes in this book such as some of the scenes with Minnow and Jude, Minnow's hands being chopped off, and the scene towards the end with Minnow's sister Constance. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was definitely an emotional roller coaster for sure. There were plenty of plot twists throughout the book which would leave me with my mouth hanging open quite a bit. The pacing is perfect throughout this novel. All of my questions were answered by the ending of the book. However, the ending of the book is quite speculative about Minnow's future.
The characters in The Scared Lies of Minnow Bly were all very fleshed out and realistic sounding. Many times it felt as if I was reading about something that actually happened instead of a fictitious story. My heart went out to Minnow with all she had to go through, but I admired her strength and determination to not be a victim. I loved her curious nature and how she wanted to learn as much as possible. Minnow's resolve was so strong. I loved Jude so much. He was such a sweet and caring boy who had also been through more than he should. I loved how he wanted to take care of Minnow and how much he truly cared about her. I loved reading about Minnow's and Jude's relationship blossoming. Dr. Wilson was another great character. I wish there would have been a bit more back story for Dr. Wilson, but I did like how he cared about Minnow and her story and how he challenged her to think for herself. One of my favorite characters was Angel, Minnow's cellmate. She's another who challenged Minnow's beliefs and wanted to help educate Minnow. It was a nice touch to see this hardened girl really go out of her way to take care of Minnow and to make sure Minnow thrived.
Trigger warnings The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly include profanity, violence, death, sex (though not graphic at all), and brainwashing.
Overall, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was such a fascinating read. It had such a fantastic plot and a great cast of characters. It was too easy to get lost in their world. I would definitely recommend The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes to everyone aged 15+ who want to get lost in a fantastically written novel! The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly won't leave you disappointed at all.
Minnow Bly has been part of the Kevinian cult since she was 5 years old. When police find her next to the badly beaten body of a teenage boy, they are shocked to learn that she has no hands. After being placed in juvenile detention, Minnow starts to learn new things about the world. After an FBI agent takes an interest in her case, Minnow must decide if she wants to tell him the truth of what really went on in the cult or if some things are better left unsaid.
The plot for The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was incredibly interesting. Oakes did a fantastic job of making Minnow's world come to life. I was instantly transported to the settings of The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly quite easily each time I started reading this book. There are some really emotional scenes in this book such as some of the scenes with Minnow and Jude, Minnow's hands being chopped off, and the scene towards the end with Minnow's sister Constance. The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was definitely an emotional roller coaster for sure. There were plenty of plot twists throughout the book which would leave me with my mouth hanging open quite a bit. The pacing is perfect throughout this novel. All of my questions were answered by the ending of the book. However, the ending of the book is quite speculative about Minnow's future.
The characters in The Scared Lies of Minnow Bly were all very fleshed out and realistic sounding. Many times it felt as if I was reading about something that actually happened instead of a fictitious story. My heart went out to Minnow with all she had to go through, but I admired her strength and determination to not be a victim. I loved her curious nature and how she wanted to learn as much as possible. Minnow's resolve was so strong. I loved Jude so much. He was such a sweet and caring boy who had also been through more than he should. I loved how he wanted to take care of Minnow and how much he truly cared about her. I loved reading about Minnow's and Jude's relationship blossoming. Dr. Wilson was another great character. I wish there would have been a bit more back story for Dr. Wilson, but I did like how he cared about Minnow and her story and how he challenged her to think for herself. One of my favorite characters was Angel, Minnow's cellmate. She's another who challenged Minnow's beliefs and wanted to help educate Minnow. It was a nice touch to see this hardened girl really go out of her way to take care of Minnow and to make sure Minnow thrived.
Trigger warnings The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly include profanity, violence, death, sex (though not graphic at all), and brainwashing.
Overall, The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly was such a fascinating read. It had such a fantastic plot and a great cast of characters. It was too easy to get lost in their world. I would definitely recommend The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes to everyone aged 15+ who want to get lost in a fantastically written novel! The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly won't leave you disappointed at all.