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Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Bone Clocks in Books

Dec 29, 2017  
The Bone Clocks
The Bone Clocks
David Mitchell | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.3 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a very unusual book. Not quite in the realms of Cloud Atlas, but it’s still a strange and interesting read.

This is unusual because it starts off as a character driven life story, and a very good one at that, with a few odd snippets of a underlying fantasy subplot that create quite a lot of intrigue. Even when the focus of a chapter shifts to a different main character, it doesn’t lose the interest and great writing. It shows a great take on a dystopian future and it’s almost disturbing to read as it’s a future most of us could imagine coming true.


It’s also unusual as the main fantasy subplot isn’t fully revealed until well over two thirds of the way through the book. But for me, this is where the problem starts as the fantasy strands turn out to be the main plot and it’s a bit of a letdown. It isn’t complete nonsense, it just seems very overcomplicated and out of place with the rest of the novel. Parts of it could have worked well, but it has perhaps been a little overthought.
  
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Lenard (726 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies

May 8, 2019 (Updated Jun 15, 2019)  
Shazam! (2019)
Shazam! (2019)
2019 | Action, Sci-Fi
Did you ever dream of becoming a superhero? Thaddeus Sivana does. Bullied by his father and older brother because they think he is weak, Thaddeus dreams of becoming the most powerful being in the world. However, Wizard, the last remaining guardian of the secrets of the universe, doesn't think he is pure of heart and worthy of being a superhero. Thaddeus decides to become a supervillain and waits for a champion of the downtrodden, Captain Marvel (I refuse to call him Shazam since he IS Captain Marvel unlike Carol Danvers who got a promotion to Captain after being Ms Marvel for decades). A couple decades later, Billy Batson who was abandoned by his mother at a state fair spends his day researching and looking for the woman who abandoned him while running away from various foster homes. That is, until he is placed in a foster home full of damaged children. He learns the value of family while learning how to be a hero. I watched the TV series every Saturday growing up and while the movie is good, the show remains a pivotal time in my life.
  
When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder. Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it. The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both. But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty. When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover. What might it be?

This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
With Malice
With Malice
Eileen Cook | 2016 | Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
10
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
With Malice by Eileen Cook is a Young Adult (YA) thriller that is enjoyable to read. The story is about an 18-year old named Jill, who wakes up in the hospital but the twist is that she has no memory of the previous six weeks of her life. She is told that she spent part of that time in Italy with her best friend but was involved in a fatal car accident. Two Jill the car accident does seem to be so accidental based on what she is being told.

The main character is unreliable yet it add a level of suspense and creativity, which kept me interested in the story. Jill's narration was spot on yet it allowed me to form my own ideas and theories regarding the mystery.
There are different points of view and clues from investigators to reporters to followers. Overall, I enjoyed the story very much. I found it interesting and a good breathe of fresh wait to the YA genre.

I received this book from the published via NetGalley for an honest review.
  
Running in Circles
Running in Circles
Claire Gray | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A good start to a new series!
Lucy works on a very small newspaper on a Thai island. She arrives after a traumatic experience back home in England, hoping to escape the memories of whatever has happened to her.
However, she becomes involved in some traumatic events on the island: a bomb goes off across from the hostel that she lives in, killing many people in the bars nearby, and a body washes sup on the beach - an investor in her newspaper. Lucy and her boss, Steve, decide to investigate these two occurrences and consequently become involved in some very disturbing events.
I really liked this. There is a feeling of 'disconnect' with Lucy. Her former trauma has left its mark on her, she is finding life difficult, and the author writes this feeling really well. I thought the whole atmosphere was well written - I could feel the humidity, the claustrophobia and the sadness and fear post bombing.
I'll be interested to read the next book in this series when it comes out - I rather like Lucy and Steve.
Many thanks to Sapere Books for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.