I saw this tag on Marie's Book Blog and it looks like a lot of fun. The lists are not in a particular order.
1. Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
I am beyond eager to read Firefight and hopefully it is as much a page turner as Steelheart is.
2. The Giver by Lois Lowry
While not my first time reading The Giver this is the first year I have read the whole series. Still one of my favorite books to this day.
3. The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Another Sanderson book, I am a huge fan of Mr. Sanderson and I love how he writes a variety of different types of stories.
4. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
I saw the movie first and finally got around to reading the book. I am kicking myself for putting it off for so long. While different from the movie the book does not disappoint.
5. The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost
I debated putting The Paladin Prophecy on my list. Amazing first book that I could not stop reading but the second book was a huge let down. It suffered the dreaded second book curse for sure.
6. Vain by Fisher Amelie
Hard to get into at first I ended up totally loving Vain and I am glad I stuck with it.
7. Gap Creek by Robert Morgan
A total emotional rollercoaster and I loved every second of it. I cried, laughed, raged, and just flat out wanted to hug characters throughout the whole book.
8. The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
A wonderful take on London, the steampunk was done amazing well, the mystery did not disappoint, and the character totally believable.
9. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
I put off reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children due to the cover freaking me out a bit. I am so glad I overcame that irrational freak out since the book was amazing!
10. Golden Blood by Melissa Pearl
One evening I was bored and downloaded a sample of Golden Blood. After reading a couple pages I could not get enough. I loved the whole series but the Golden Blood was my favorite.
Top 10 books I wanted to read this
year but didn't, this is the harder of the two lists since several books I wanted to read but could not afford to buy, the library has a huge waiting list, or not enough time in the day to read as much as I desire to.
1. Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
I really want to read Mr. Sanderson's debut book but I was unable to get a copy of the book this year.
2. City of Bones by
Cassandra Clare
I have the book sitting here but I did not get a chance to start it this year.
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
4. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
I read a sample and while it intrigued me it did not really pull me however I keep thinking about it in the back of my mind and I want to know more of the story now.
5. The Book of Deacon by
Joseph R. Lallo
I am a huge high fantasy fan and my friend told me The Book of Deacon is high fantasy. I kept meaning to get to it this year but I never made time.
6. Fall of Giants by Ken Follet
I have heard amazing things about Mr. Follet but I have yet to read one of his books.
7. Unfettered by many authors
Since Unfettered is not for sale in any bookstores, at least it was not when I tried to get it, I have yet to read it but several short stories in it I want to read. Mainly the one relating to The Wheel of Time.
8. Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes,
Michelle Rowen
The cover is so awesome that I want to know the story.
9. Clariel by Garth Nix
I need to re-read the first three books before attempting Clariel but I am eager to learn something new about the Old Kingdom.
10. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Another recommendation from a friend I did not get to.
I hope to read all these books/series in 2015! Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
Monday, December 29, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
Firefly Lane - Firefly Lane #1
I had no clue that Firefly Lane was as series when I started it and I despite the book being amazing I have no desire to read the sequel.
So many times I wanted to throw the book through the window or in the trash, I could relate to Tully and her issues with her mother more then I like to admit. That was the only redeeming quality I found in Tully she drove me crazy and I have no clue why Katie continued to be friends with her. Self-center, petty, rude, and brash are just a few words to describe Tully. If not for Katie most likely Tully's life would have turned out very different.
Katie was the light of hope in Tully's life and despite being treated horribly she kept going back to Tully like she needed her to be noticed. It was sad to see how dependent upon Tully she could be. While smart and dedicated Katie was a total follower and let Tully rule her life.
The whole story centers on the relationship between the two girls and everything else is on the back burner. While a longer book I did not really notice it as being a heavy read, I just seemed to fly through it but now that I am done I cannot really put into words why I enjoyed reading it.
Kristin Hannah is an amazing author, some of the best writing I have read recently. It just flowed so smoothly and evenly, I only noticed one typo. All in all an alright read that is very different from what I normally go for.
So many times I wanted to throw the book through the window or in the trash, I could relate to Tully and her issues with her mother more then I like to admit. That was the only redeeming quality I found in Tully she drove me crazy and I have no clue why Katie continued to be friends with her. Self-center, petty, rude, and brash are just a few words to describe Tully. If not for Katie most likely Tully's life would have turned out very different.
Katie was the light of hope in Tully's life and despite being treated horribly she kept going back to Tully like she needed her to be noticed. It was sad to see how dependent upon Tully she could be. While smart and dedicated Katie was a total follower and let Tully rule her life.
The whole story centers on the relationship between the two girls and everything else is on the back burner. While a longer book I did not really notice it as being a heavy read, I just seemed to fly through it but now that I am done I cannot really put into words why I enjoyed reading it.
Kristin Hannah is an amazing author, some of the best writing I have read recently. It just flowed so smoothly and evenly, I only noticed one typo. All in all an alright read that is very different from what I normally go for.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Christmas Carol Book Tag
I saw this on Marie's Blog and it looked like fun.
"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"
A Character that You Love to Hate:
Such a tough choice since I have a love hate relationship with several characters. I have to go with James Rampling from Confessions: The Paris Mysteries. I never trusted James from the start and his true colors show through in Confessions: The Paris Mysteries.
"All I Want for Christmas is You"
What Book You Most Want to See Under Your Christmas Tree:
Harry Potter: The Creature Vault: The Creatures and Plants of the Harry Potter Films has some awesome looking pictures in it. I could see myself spending hours just looking at the pictures.
"Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer"
Favorite Character Who Had to Overcome an Obstacle:
This one is hard for me since I am in the middle of reading a lot of series and while several characters show promise I wont be sure until I finish the series. That is why I am going with Charles Fitzgerald from The Black Sheep's Redemption. Having to deal with the trauma of his wife leaving him, PTS from his time in Afghanistan, and watching his family being accused of covering up the murder of his nanny to keep him out of prison gives Charles plenty to overcome.
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
A Character at the Top of Santa's Nice List and a Character at the Top of Santa's Naughty List:
Top of Santa's nice list has got to be Owen Palmer from Enchanted Inc. Owen seriously wrote the book on going out of ones way to do the right thing and be a nice guy while doing it.
Top of Santa's naught list A.D. Janson from the The Maze Runner trilogy. I seriously wanted to sock Janson more time then I can count.
"Frosty the Snowman"
A Book that Melts Your Heart:
Takes a lot for a book to get to me but Vain had me in tears several times.
"Feliz Navidad"
A Book or Series that Takes Place in a Country Other Than Your Own:
Austenland was mainly set in Europe. A little bit in the US but I did not read too many books set in other countries this year.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
A Book You Read to Get in the Christmas Spirit:
I know it is cliche but A Christmas Carol always gets me in the Christmas spirit.
"Sleigh Ride"
A Character You Most Want to Spend Christmas With:
Ethan from Glimmerglass, while he may be a player he still knows how to have fun and he can do magic. Ensuring I have a white Christmas.
"Baby, It's Cold Outside"
A Book You Hate So Much that You'd Burn it to Stay Warm:
Well I am not usually one for burning books but I will make an exception for Dante's Kiss. It was beyond horrible in every way. I think my brain cells died while trying to read it, only good thing was I did not pay money for the it. It is an insult to literature in my opinion.
"Do You Hear What I Hear?"
A Book You'd Recommend to Everyone:
Another hard one but I am going with Steelheart. Superheros are crazy popular right now and Steelheart twists that around into something new and fresh. It is an interesting taking on the whole save the world thing.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Much Ado About Magic - Enchanted Inc. #5
Just a warning this review could contain spoilers.
Much Ado About Magic started off a bit slower then I am used to and I had to really push myself to keep reading. I am glad I did. Once I got past the first few chapters things really picked up and got interesting.
Katie was once again amazing. Not only did she keep a level head but she was able to deduce what was going on magically without any assistance from the colleagues she usually relied on. While magical mayham is a huge part of Katie's life she usually just notices it and leaves her colleagues to deal with it. Things did not work out that way this time, Katie had to figure out the magic and way to counter it since no one believed her on what was going on.
Owen did not disappoint. In a lot of ways Much Ado About Magic was his story. One thing I loved was even though Owen was going through some tough times he did not give in nor did he change from his usual personality. This did leave some things predictable but it also made things believable. I just wanted to hug Owen for most of the book and I have serious respect for his desire to do the right thing no matter the price.
Considering the ending left me in anguish I definitely want to read the next book.
Much Ado About Magic started off a bit slower then I am used to and I had to really push myself to keep reading. I am glad I did. Once I got past the first few chapters things really picked up and got interesting.
Katie was once again amazing. Not only did she keep a level head but she was able to deduce what was going on magically without any assistance from the colleagues she usually relied on. While magical mayham is a huge part of Katie's life she usually just notices it and leaves her colleagues to deal with it. Things did not work out that way this time, Katie had to figure out the magic and way to counter it since no one believed her on what was going on.
Owen did not disappoint. In a lot of ways Much Ado About Magic was his story. One thing I loved was even though Owen was going through some tough times he did not give in nor did he change from his usual personality. This did leave some things predictable but it also made things believable. I just wanted to hug Owen for most of the book and I have serious respect for his desire to do the right thing no matter the price.
Considering the ending left me in anguish I definitely want to read the next book.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Tis the Season Book Tag
I saw this tag on Marie's book blog and it looked like fun.
1. Do you have a favorite winter read?
A Game of Thrones, I got the book for Christmas and I seem to read it every time winter rolls around.
2. Find a book with blue on the cover!
A Crown of Swords!
3. Find a book you'd use as the star on a Christmas Tree!
Hmm this one is a bit hard since I like several covers but I am going for a more traditional one.
Home in Time for Christmas has a wonderful balance of color and looks magical.
4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation!
This is hard since I like snow but all the places I know of that have snow I would not want to visit. I guess I will go with Luster so I can hang out with an array of magical creatures.
5. Pick one fictional character you would like with you on your winter break!
Owen Palmer from Enchanted Inc, no doubt he could use his magic to make it snow, he is a gentlemen, and intelligent.
6. Name one book on your wish list this year!
This is so hard since almost all the books I was eying got pushed back to next year.
The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones is more like an encyclopedia but it still looks interesting.
7. Favorite holiday drink, treat, and movie?
Peppermint hot chocolate, homemade sugar cookies, and while I love a lot of holiday movies Borrowed Hearts is one of my all time favorites.
1. Do you have a favorite winter read?
A Game of Thrones, I got the book for Christmas and I seem to read it every time winter rolls around.
2. Find a book with blue on the cover!
A Crown of Swords!
3. Find a book you'd use as the star on a Christmas Tree!
Hmm this one is a bit hard since I like several covers but I am going for a more traditional one.
Home in Time for Christmas has a wonderful balance of color and looks magical.
4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation!
This is hard since I like snow but all the places I know of that have snow I would not want to visit. I guess I will go with Luster so I can hang out with an array of magical creatures.
5. Pick one fictional character you would like with you on your winter break!
Owen Palmer from Enchanted Inc, no doubt he could use his magic to make it snow, he is a gentlemen, and intelligent.
6. Name one book on your wish list this year!
This is so hard since almost all the books I was eying got pushed back to next year.
The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones is more like an encyclopedia but it still looks interesting.
7. Favorite holiday drink, treat, and movie?
Peppermint hot chocolate, homemade sugar cookies, and while I love a lot of holiday movies Borrowed Hearts is one of my all time favorites.
Monday, December 15, 2014
The Cinderella Murders
I have been craving a good mystery for awhile and The Cinderella Murders did not disappoint.
Kelly is one heck of a character, upon her return from a work related trip to Europe she learns her younger sister never came back from her vacation. Determined to find out why Kelly goes looking for Meg and ends up playing part of a deadly game. The police want nothing to do with Kelly and insist that Meg ran off with a prince charming thus keeping the reputation of their small tourist town pristine. Kelly knows better and starts investigating Meg's disappearance on her own.
Luke was an intense character and at times I could not figure out his angle but it worked to his advantage. Well written Luke never struck me as the unbelievable type of guy. He is an officer of the law and wanted to keep everyone safe while catching a kidnapper and possible murder.
The writing flowed smoothly and the plot had no huge holes that I could see. I only found one part a bit unbelievable but I don't want to post any spoilers.
Kelly is one heck of a character, upon her return from a work related trip to Europe she learns her younger sister never came back from her vacation. Determined to find out why Kelly goes looking for Meg and ends up playing part of a deadly game. The police want nothing to do with Kelly and insist that Meg ran off with a prince charming thus keeping the reputation of their small tourist town pristine. Kelly knows better and starts investigating Meg's disappearance on her own.
Luke was an intense character and at times I could not figure out his angle but it worked to his advantage. Well written Luke never struck me as the unbelievable type of guy. He is an officer of the law and wanted to keep everyone safe while catching a kidnapper and possible murder.
The writing flowed smoothly and the plot had no huge holes that I could see. I only found one part a bit unbelievable but I don't want to post any spoilers.
Friday, December 12, 2014
Don't Hex with Texas - Enchanted, Inc. #4
Thank goodness Don't Hex with Texas made up for Damsel Under Stress. Totally on par with the first two books and I highly enjoyed every second of it.
Katie knew she was the weak link for Owen and had to change that to keep everyone as safe as possible. Going back to Texas seemed like the perfect way out for her despite what she really wanted. I felt so bad for Katie in doing the right thing and having to give up the new life she built especially when magic followed her home.
Owen, I still desire to know more about him but I just wanted to hug him for most of the book. His gentle and quiet personality fit with everything perfectly in the plot. Normally he is so quiet that he blends in and is easily forgotten but not in Don't Hex with Texas, he made a wonderful statement.
Getting to know more of Katie's family was awesome. Everyone was diverse and while some were extrentic it was not taken over the top.
I eagerly look forward to the next adventure Katie will have with various members of the magical community.
Katie knew she was the weak link for Owen and had to change that to keep everyone as safe as possible. Going back to Texas seemed like the perfect way out for her despite what she really wanted. I felt so bad for Katie in doing the right thing and having to give up the new life she built especially when magic followed her home.
Owen, I still desire to know more about him but I just wanted to hug him for most of the book. His gentle and quiet personality fit with everything perfectly in the plot. Normally he is so quiet that he blends in and is easily forgotten but not in Don't Hex with Texas, he made a wonderful statement.
Getting to know more of Katie's family was awesome. Everyone was diverse and while some were extrentic it was not taken over the top.
I eagerly look forward to the next adventure Katie will have with various members of the magical community.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Damsel Under Stress - Enchanted Inc #3
I was hoping for more from Damsel Under Stress since the first two books were amazing. Sadly Damsel Under Stress seems to suffer from the dreaded second book curse despite being the third book in the series.
Katie seems to have everything going for her, she has a good job, is loving life in New York, and dating the man of her dreams. The good times last for about two chapters before disaster strikes again. Despite being magically immune Katie seems to attract magic like it is going out of style. Every time she turns around some magical interference is trying to mess with her life. In the previous books the scenarios were funny, believable, and enjoyable. Sadly Damsel Under Stress seemed to try too hard at times to make things funny and chaotic.
I did enjoy learning more about Owen. He is still a huge mystery and one I would like to know more about. Since it has been mentioned in all three books how powerful Owen's magical ability is I want to see him do more big magic. Owen's relationship with Katie is super cute and I love how he is not cookie cutter. While he is an all around nice guy he is also awkward and more like a boy with a crush at times but it totally suits his personality.
The writing was not as well done this time. I saw mistakes in several spots and things just did not flow as well. I might have noticed the mistakes this time due to not enjoying the story as much as the previous stories.
Katie seems to have everything going for her, she has a good job, is loving life in New York, and dating the man of her dreams. The good times last for about two chapters before disaster strikes again. Despite being magically immune Katie seems to attract magic like it is going out of style. Every time she turns around some magical interference is trying to mess with her life. In the previous books the scenarios were funny, believable, and enjoyable. Sadly Damsel Under Stress seemed to try too hard at times to make things funny and chaotic.
I did enjoy learning more about Owen. He is still a huge mystery and one I would like to know more about. Since it has been mentioned in all three books how powerful Owen's magical ability is I want to see him do more big magic. Owen's relationship with Katie is super cute and I love how he is not cookie cutter. While he is an all around nice guy he is also awkward and more like a boy with a crush at times but it totally suits his personality.
The writing was not as well done this time. I saw mistakes in several spots and things just did not flow as well. I might have noticed the mistakes this time due to not enjoying the story as much as the previous stories.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Sacrifice - Elemental #5
Sacrifice was defiantly not what I was expecting for the final book in the Elemental series. The whole series changed a lot from the first book and while I liked some changes in the series others I was not overly fond of.
Michael was a pretty awesome character and I loved how he kept trying to do the right thing no matter what. His behavior was totally believable and pulled at my emotions. Everything about him was brilliant but everyone else was less than stellar.
Hannah drove me crazy. I dreaded reading the parts from her point of view and just wanted them to end. I found her to be a whinny child in an adults body who threw a fit because she felt people treated her like a child which is how she acted a lot of the time.
The overall plot seemed well thought out but I would have liked a chance to know the guides a bit more. It made it hard for the reader to really feel anything but malice towards them. Maybe that was the goal of Kemmerer though.
I did not like the end of the series I felt it was too abrupt and not thought out enough. An epilogue set a year in the future would have been nice.
Michael was a pretty awesome character and I loved how he kept trying to do the right thing no matter what. His behavior was totally believable and pulled at my emotions. Everything about him was brilliant but everyone else was less than stellar.
Hannah drove me crazy. I dreaded reading the parts from her point of view and just wanted them to end. I found her to be a whinny child in an adults body who threw a fit because she felt people treated her like a child which is how she acted a lot of the time.
The overall plot seemed well thought out but I would have liked a chance to know the guides a bit more. It made it hard for the reader to really feel anything but malice towards them. Maybe that was the goal of Kemmerer though.
I did not like the end of the series I felt it was too abrupt and not thought out enough. An epilogue set a year in the future would have been nice.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Paris Mysteries - Confessions #3
I loved the first two books in the Confessions series but The Paris Mysteries seemed highly out of place.
Like usual Tandy was knee deep in mysteries to solve but unlike the previous books the mysteries seemed weak, not thought at all, and no real resolution was provided. Tandy has come a long way from the girl she use to. Having not felt emotion for the majority of her life due to pills her parents gave her she is understandably having a hard time coping with emotions overwhelming her. I was highly impressed with the way she handled her emotions. Tandy's growth was the only thing I liked.
I don't even know what to say about the plot, I found it boring, predictable, and scattered all about with very little holding it together. The writing was not well done either, makes me wonder what was going on with the authors since it did not feel anything like the previous books in the series.
All in all a serious let down.
Like usual Tandy was knee deep in mysteries to solve but unlike the previous books the mysteries seemed weak, not thought at all, and no real resolution was provided. Tandy has come a long way from the girl she use to. Having not felt emotion for the majority of her life due to pills her parents gave her she is understandably having a hard time coping with emotions overwhelming her. I was highly impressed with the way she handled her emotions. Tandy's growth was the only thing I liked.
I don't even know what to say about the plot, I found it boring, predictable, and scattered all about with very little holding it together. The writing was not well done either, makes me wonder what was going on with the authors since it did not feel anything like the previous books in the series.
All in all a serious let down.
Monday, December 1, 2014
The Black Sheep's Redemption - Fitzgerald Bay #5
From the first few pages I was hooked on The Black Sheep's Redemption and could not put it down. I was eager to learn more about Demi and about the person stalking her.
Sadly I did have a couple issues with Demi for someone suffering from amnesia she seemed well put together a good deal of the time and seemed to know herself pretty well which I found a bit odd. Despite that I liked Demi even though she played the card of wanting the police or Charles to protect her. Considering she was attacked pretty badly I can totally see her not wanting to rely on herself to stay safe.
I was excited to see Charles was the main male in The Black Sheep's Redemption. I was eager to know more about him since the first book. Employer to the deceased Olivia. Never once did I think he killed Olivia but it was nice to see things from his point of view.
Once again clues about Olivia surfaced leaving me wondering who did it. The person I thought all along who was the killer is clearly not so now I am a loss for who it could be.
The writing was smooth and read quickly. I cannot wait to read the final.
Sadly I did have a couple issues with Demi for someone suffering from amnesia she seemed well put together a good deal of the time and seemed to know herself pretty well which I found a bit odd. Despite that I liked Demi even though she played the card of wanting the police or Charles to protect her. Considering she was attacked pretty badly I can totally see her not wanting to rely on herself to stay safe.
I was excited to see Charles was the main male in The Black Sheep's Redemption. I was eager to know more about him since the first book. Employer to the deceased Olivia. Never once did I think he killed Olivia but it was nice to see things from his point of view.
Once again clues about Olivia surfaced leaving me wondering who did it. The person I thought all along who was the killer is clearly not so now I am a loss for who it could be.
The writing was smooth and read quickly. I cannot wait to read the final.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Shatter Me - Shatter Me #1
I was not really sure what I was getting into when I picked up Shatter Me for one thing the title turned me off and the description did not have much to go off of. Despite that I am glad I gave it a try since I could not put it down.
Juliette was not how I expected her to be at all. In some ways I found her character unbelievable and in other ways too believable. She seemed to go through bouts of madness and my own personal opinion is that she is crazy in some ways but not others. Definitely not crazy enough to warrant being locked in an asylum. Normally clingy females bother the daylights out of me but seeing as how Juliette had to deal with everything alone for the majority of her life I can understand why she was clingy at times.
I would like to know more about Adam, I am not fully sure I trust everything about him. He honestly seems too good to be true and I don't like that in a lot of ways. His relationship with Juliette was a bit unbelievable at times and portrayed in what I feel was a clumsy way.
Normally I do not care for the figures portrayed as the "villain" but I thought Warner was well done, developed, and I want to know more about why he is the way he is.
The writing bothered me at times. The styled jumped around a good deal and at times I had to re-read to figure out what was going on. I did like the style of how writing was crossed out at times, it made Juliette seem more real at times. I look forward to the sequel and learning the rest of Juliette's story.
Juliette was not how I expected her to be at all. In some ways I found her character unbelievable and in other ways too believable. She seemed to go through bouts of madness and my own personal opinion is that she is crazy in some ways but not others. Definitely not crazy enough to warrant being locked in an asylum. Normally clingy females bother the daylights out of me but seeing as how Juliette had to deal with everything alone for the majority of her life I can understand why she was clingy at times.
I would like to know more about Adam, I am not fully sure I trust everything about him. He honestly seems too good to be true and I don't like that in a lot of ways. His relationship with Juliette was a bit unbelievable at times and portrayed in what I feel was a clumsy way.
Normally I do not care for the figures portrayed as the "villain" but I thought Warner was well done, developed, and I want to know more about why he is the way he is.
The writing bothered me at times. The styled jumped around a good deal and at times I had to re-read to figure out what was going on. I did like the style of how writing was crossed out at times, it made Juliette seem more real at times. I look forward to the sequel and learning the rest of Juliette's story.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Austenland - Austenland #1
Having seen the movie I decided I wanted to give Austenland a try. Thankfully I was not disappointed and am still able to enjoy the movie.
Jane was one heck of a character and I highly enjoyed the struggle displayed by her as she grew throughout the story. Obsessed with the BBC Pride and Prejudice she feels she lets it rule her life to the point she hides the DVD behind a house plant. This does nothing to fix her problem though and she just continue to compare previous men in her life to Mr. Darcey. This causes her no end of trouble until she is able go to Austenland and live out her dream of socializing with regency period gentlemen.
Mr. Nobley was certainly a different kind of character. He was hard to read throughout most of the book since he was an actor and hired to flatter the ladies. However it seems at times he went way overboard but I could also see this as him diving into his role fully.
Martin, I did not care for him much he seemed out of place in Austenland. A gardener who breaks the regency rules to talk with the customers, that seems too much of place.
Miss Charming was my favorite of the female characters and I wish more had been written about her but I can kind of see why she was not given more spotlight since she might come off as annoying.
As for the other cast of characters all of them were unique and well thought out even if they were not a huge part of the plot line.
The writing was elegant and well done. I laughed, got angry, and just thoroughly enjoyed everything Austenland had to offer.
Jane was one heck of a character and I highly enjoyed the struggle displayed by her as she grew throughout the story. Obsessed with the BBC Pride and Prejudice she feels she lets it rule her life to the point she hides the DVD behind a house plant. This does nothing to fix her problem though and she just continue to compare previous men in her life to Mr. Darcey. This causes her no end of trouble until she is able go to Austenland and live out her dream of socializing with regency period gentlemen.
Mr. Nobley was certainly a different kind of character. He was hard to read throughout most of the book since he was an actor and hired to flatter the ladies. However it seems at times he went way overboard but I could also see this as him diving into his role fully.
Martin, I did not care for him much he seemed out of place in Austenland. A gardener who breaks the regency rules to talk with the customers, that seems too much of place.
Miss Charming was my favorite of the female characters and I wish more had been written about her but I can kind of see why she was not given more spotlight since she might come off as annoying.
As for the other cast of characters all of them were unique and well thought out even if they were not a huge part of the plot line.
The writing was elegant and well done. I laughed, got angry, and just thoroughly enjoyed everything Austenland had to offer.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Gathering Blue - The Giver Quartlet #2
I read Gathering Blue out of order because the waiting list at the library was huge.
It was nice to learn Kira's story, she is an awesome character. Strong, dedicated, and willing to work hard no matter the cost. I love how she embraced the way she was born instead of condemning herself to just feeling sorry for her handicap.
Thomas was an interesting character as well and I wish that some of the story had been told from his point of view. While Jo was a young girl I found her unique and inspiring in a lot of ways. I feel bad fro the fate in store for her.
Matt was my favorite and while I knew his story from the third book it was nice to see him before he joined the healing village.
Once again I am not sure I got the allegory that Mrs. Lowry was going for. I did notice a couple grammar mistakes but otherwise the writing was smooth.
It was nice to learn Kira's story, she is an awesome character. Strong, dedicated, and willing to work hard no matter the cost. I love how she embraced the way she was born instead of condemning herself to just feeling sorry for her handicap.
Thomas was an interesting character as well and I wish that some of the story had been told from his point of view. While Jo was a young girl I found her unique and inspiring in a lot of ways. I feel bad fro the fate in store for her.
Matt was my favorite and while I knew his story from the third book it was nice to see him before he joined the healing village.
Once again I am not sure I got the allegory that Mrs. Lowry was going for. I did notice a couple grammar mistakes but otherwise the writing was smooth.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Once Upon Stilettos - Enchanted Inc #2
I was happy to see Once Upon Stilettos did not suffer the dreaded sequel curse, I actually enjoyed it more then Enchanted Inc.
I adore Katie she is a strong character who likes to handle things herself though it does keep coming back to hurt her in the end I find it believable. She did not just change overnight like a lot of female characters seem to. The humor was not overkill and serious times occurred to balance everything out.
Ethan was never my favorite character but several times I wanted to punch him in the face for his behavior. He just flat out drove me crazy. I really hope he is in future books less. Instead I would rather know more about Rod's past. I feel like Owen is getting a bit overkill as well but I see why he is mentioned so much.
I loved the added element of mystery to the book and the way Katie was tying to sleuth out the spy. While Katie is clearly no spy she is also very through in her investigations.
The writing was well done and enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I adore Katie she is a strong character who likes to handle things herself though it does keep coming back to hurt her in the end I find it believable. She did not just change overnight like a lot of female characters seem to. The humor was not overkill and serious times occurred to balance everything out.
Ethan was never my favorite character but several times I wanted to punch him in the face for his behavior. He just flat out drove me crazy. I really hope he is in future books less. Instead I would rather know more about Rod's past. I feel like Owen is getting a bit overkill as well but I see why he is mentioned so much.
I loved the added element of mystery to the book and the way Katie was tying to sleuth out the spy. While Katie is clearly no spy she is also very through in her investigations.
The writing was well done and enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Howl's Moving Castle - Howl's Moving Castle #1
Howl's Moving Castle was beyond awesome, exciting, well written, enticing, enchanting, and all around amazing. I wanted to read the book because I love the movie.
Sophie is a one of a kind character and I doubt no matter how many books I read I will come to find someone just like her. Determined to do her duty as the eldest Sophie never complains about the life her step-mother Fanny choose for her and bears the responsibility because she is the eldest. No matter what Sophie does in her life she does it with a flair and her own style. No matter what happened I was cheering for Sophie the entire time. Even better Sophie never rolled over and cried like many female leads seem to.
Howl, I do not think a few words can give Howl justice. While he is arrogant, self-centered, vain, a coward, and childish something about his charm that I cannot help but like him. One of the most powerful wizards of the land I would have thought he would maintain a strong sense of duty to himself and others but I was totally wrong. Howl is only interested in himself and being able to woe as many young girls as he desires.
Micheal was a bit of a surprise since he was apprenticed to Howl I expected him to be a bit like Howl but that was not the case. Hard working, dedicated, intelligent, and a bit self conscious was pretty much what Micheal was made of.
Calcifer is just awesome, a scary fire demon who made a contract with a wizard. I would have loved to see a bit of the story from his point of view. No doubt Calcifer knows things that no one else knew.
While all the relationships between the characters were well thought out, believable, and interesting my favorite relationship was Sophie and Howl. Both came off as stubborn people who refused to change to make the others life easier. At times I want to punch them both in the face for the way they were acting towards each other.
The writing was lovely, believable, and enchanting. I did not notice any grammar mistakes but I was highly adsorbed in the book so if they exist that is most likely why I missed them. I most definitely want to read more of Mrs. Jones work.
Sophie is a one of a kind character and I doubt no matter how many books I read I will come to find someone just like her. Determined to do her duty as the eldest Sophie never complains about the life her step-mother Fanny choose for her and bears the responsibility because she is the eldest. No matter what Sophie does in her life she does it with a flair and her own style. No matter what happened I was cheering for Sophie the entire time. Even better Sophie never rolled over and cried like many female leads seem to.
Howl, I do not think a few words can give Howl justice. While he is arrogant, self-centered, vain, a coward, and childish something about his charm that I cannot help but like him. One of the most powerful wizards of the land I would have thought he would maintain a strong sense of duty to himself and others but I was totally wrong. Howl is only interested in himself and being able to woe as many young girls as he desires.
Micheal was a bit of a surprise since he was apprenticed to Howl I expected him to be a bit like Howl but that was not the case. Hard working, dedicated, intelligent, and a bit self conscious was pretty much what Micheal was made of.
Calcifer is just awesome, a scary fire demon who made a contract with a wizard. I would have loved to see a bit of the story from his point of view. No doubt Calcifer knows things that no one else knew.
While all the relationships between the characters were well thought out, believable, and interesting my favorite relationship was Sophie and Howl. Both came off as stubborn people who refused to change to make the others life easier. At times I want to punch them both in the face for the way they were acting towards each other.
The writing was lovely, believable, and enchanting. I did not notice any grammar mistakes but I was highly adsorbed in the book so if they exist that is most likely why I missed them. I most definitely want to read more of Mrs. Jones work.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
The Widow's Protector - Fitzgerald Bay #4
For some reason I did not care for The Widow's Protector as much as I thought I would. While I really enjoyed the first and third book in the Fitzgerald Bay series the second and fourth book were both let downs for me. Since the overall plot is pretty close to the same for all four and the theme of figuring out who killed Olivia is key in all the books I believe the writing is what turned me off. Each book is written by a different author.
Fiona was an interesting character, it was nice to see a female lead know what she wanted and do what she could to make it happen. Despite her husband dying she embraced God and moved on with her life and with raising her son Sean all the while with her best friend Hunter supporting her. I enjoyed how she came to realization of how she felt about Hunter.
Hunter was a pretty generic character but despite that I wanted to smack him at times for upsetting Fiona. Just because he could not get over the guilt of Jimmy, Fiona's deceased husband, dying in a fire he had to continue to push Fiona away and hurt her.
The clues about the mystery with Olivia were a bit more subtle then suddenly shoved in your face. I just did not care for the execution of it at all.
I saw a few typos and bag grammar in The Widow's Protector but the writing style just was not cutting it for me overall.
Fiona was an interesting character, it was nice to see a female lead know what she wanted and do what she could to make it happen. Despite her husband dying she embraced God and moved on with her life and with raising her son Sean all the while with her best friend Hunter supporting her. I enjoyed how she came to realization of how she felt about Hunter.
Hunter was a pretty generic character but despite that I wanted to smack him at times for upsetting Fiona. Just because he could not get over the guilt of Jimmy, Fiona's deceased husband, dying in a fire he had to continue to push Fiona away and hurt her.
The clues about the mystery with Olivia were a bit more subtle then suddenly shoved in your face. I just did not care for the execution of it at all.
I saw a few typos and bag grammar in The Widow's Protector but the writing style just was not cutting it for me overall.
Friday, November 14, 2014
The Kill Order - The Maze Runner 0.5
I definitely did not get what I was expecting when I read The Kill Order and it was not in a good way either.
Mark seemed a bit cookie cutter to me and since the story was told entirely from his point of view he got boring quickly. Add in the fact that the majority of characters were going crazy from the Flare little chance was left for Mark to grow.
My biggest issue was the amount of gore, blood, torture, and disgusting parts. Throughout the majority of the book Mark got the stuffing beat out of him and yet he was able to keep going despite not resting, eating, or getting medical treatment. I get that he was running on adrenaline for a lot of the fights but surely that would not last for days.
The only reason I kept reading was I wanted to know more about the origins of WICKED and not much was really shared sadly since Mark was not part of the WICKED group. All in all The Kill Order was a huge let down.
Mark seemed a bit cookie cutter to me and since the story was told entirely from his point of view he got boring quickly. Add in the fact that the majority of characters were going crazy from the Flare little chance was left for Mark to grow.
My biggest issue was the amount of gore, blood, torture, and disgusting parts. Throughout the majority of the book Mark got the stuffing beat out of him and yet he was able to keep going despite not resting, eating, or getting medical treatment. I get that he was running on adrenaline for a lot of the fights but surely that would not last for days.
The only reason I kept reading was I wanted to know more about the origins of WICKED and not much was really shared sadly since Mark was not part of the WICKED group. All in all The Kill Order was a huge let down.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Full House - Full #1
Full House was not really what I am used to getting from Janet Evanovich. I have read several of her books and liked all of them. While I did not dislike Full House it is just different from other books she has written.
Billie came off as a totally normal mom with two kids dealing with a divorce while trying to keep a sense of normality for her children. She was very stubborn, independent, and all about the rules. Well until she meet Nick that is.
Nick did not strike me as the typical rich kid who could have anything he wanted growing up. Instead he seemed to rebel against his parents and do basic things for himself like cooking. I did find it odd how quickly he became attached to Billie though. Maybe it was her no nonsense attitude that had him falling for her.
Deedee was a very different sort of character and I liked the parts with the light humor she added to the story. Her younger brother Max was far more interesting. A genius who was ignored by his parents and had no clue how to deal with being so smart.
All in all I liked the book well enough to read more of the series.
Billie came off as a totally normal mom with two kids dealing with a divorce while trying to keep a sense of normality for her children. She was very stubborn, independent, and all about the rules. Well until she meet Nick that is.
Nick did not strike me as the typical rich kid who could have anything he wanted growing up. Instead he seemed to rebel against his parents and do basic things for himself like cooking. I did find it odd how quickly he became attached to Billie though. Maybe it was her no nonsense attitude that had him falling for her.
Deedee was a very different sort of character and I liked the parts with the light humor she added to the story. Her younger brother Max was far more interesting. A genius who was ignored by his parents and had no clue how to deal with being so smart.
All in all I liked the book well enough to read more of the series.
The Detective's Secret Daughter - Fitzgerald Bay #3
The Detective's Secret Daughter was a wonderful read. Action packed and fast paced for the entire book.
Each book in the Fitzgerald Bay series is about a different member of the Fitzgerald family. The Detective's Secret Daughter focused on Owen who is a police officer in the community. All the Fitzgerald's are family oriented and family comes first so when Victoria shows up with her nine year old daughter and Owen learns he is the father sparks fly.
Victoria was an inspiring character, while I get that it is categorized as an Inspirational read nothing with Victoria and her faith seemed unbelievable or overbearing. One thing after another kept occurring at the Sugar Plum leaving Victoria scrambling for the truth. Unlike women who just fling themselves upon a man for an easy answer Victoria's stubborn streak came out and she continued to move on relying on herself.
Despite The Detective's Secret Daughter being about Victoria and Owen other characters did show up. Including Keira and Nick who seem to be doing well. Even more exciting for me was the scene between Merry and Douglas. It is nice to know what continues to happen to the people in the previous books.
For the fans who want to know more about Olivia and why she was killed never fear a new exciting clue is presented in The Detective's Secret Daughter. Despite the clue I still have not figure out the killer
The writing was smooth and I only saw one typo near the end. At first I was weary of The Fitzgerald Bay series since each book is written by a different author but I like seeing the big picture come together with so many different writers working together. I eagerly look forward to reading the fourth book.
Each book in the Fitzgerald Bay series is about a different member of the Fitzgerald family. The Detective's Secret Daughter focused on Owen who is a police officer in the community. All the Fitzgerald's are family oriented and family comes first so when Victoria shows up with her nine year old daughter and Owen learns he is the father sparks fly.
Victoria was an inspiring character, while I get that it is categorized as an Inspirational read nothing with Victoria and her faith seemed unbelievable or overbearing. One thing after another kept occurring at the Sugar Plum leaving Victoria scrambling for the truth. Unlike women who just fling themselves upon a man for an easy answer Victoria's stubborn streak came out and she continued to move on relying on herself.
Despite The Detective's Secret Daughter being about Victoria and Owen other characters did show up. Including Keira and Nick who seem to be doing well. Even more exciting for me was the scene between Merry and Douglas. It is nice to know what continues to happen to the people in the previous books.
For the fans who want to know more about Olivia and why she was killed never fear a new exciting clue is presented in The Detective's Secret Daughter. Despite the clue I still have not figure out the killer
The writing was smooth and I only saw one typo near the end. At first I was weary of The Fitzgerald Bay series since each book is written by a different author but I like seeing the big picture come together with so many different writers working together. I eagerly look forward to reading the fourth book.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Son - The Giver Quartlet #4
I liked and disliked parts of Son. The first and third book were my favorite parts and while I understood the need for the second book I was not overly fond of it. In a way I sort of related it to Plato's The Cave, which was not one of my favorite reads.
The first part of Son has Claire living in The Community and is basically a retelling of the Giver from a different point of view which I adored. It was nice to get some questions answered about Birthmothers and how that process worked.
Claire was an amazing character, I loved how she just started stumbling into her own realizations. Jonas had the Giver to help him and Claire in a sense had no one. While she did learn about her son Gabe she still could not depend on him for advice since he was a toddler. The other part I enjoyed immensely was seeing the Community's reaction to Jonas leaving. I had imagined what had happened several times to the Community once Jonas left so it was nice to have some of those gaps filled in.
Once Claire left the Community that is where thinks started to go downhill for me a bit. I just did not overly enjoy reading about the time she spent in the fishing village. Maybe if it had been shorter I would have enjoyed it more.
The third book is where things really picked up for me. I loved the story moving to Gabe and Jonas. Things started with Jonas only fitting they end with Jonas. Plus I always adored Gabe so it was nice to what kind of young man he grew into.
Like all of Lowry's books the writing was lovely and elegant. I really enjoy the style of writing and the well done editing.
I do not want to ruin anything for anyone but the Trademaster was awesome and I love the arc that played out with him.
The first part of Son has Claire living in The Community and is basically a retelling of the Giver from a different point of view which I adored. It was nice to get some questions answered about Birthmothers and how that process worked.
Claire was an amazing character, I loved how she just started stumbling into her own realizations. Jonas had the Giver to help him and Claire in a sense had no one. While she did learn about her son Gabe she still could not depend on him for advice since he was a toddler. The other part I enjoyed immensely was seeing the Community's reaction to Jonas leaving. I had imagined what had happened several times to the Community once Jonas left so it was nice to have some of those gaps filled in.
Once Claire left the Community that is where thinks started to go downhill for me a bit. I just did not overly enjoy reading about the time she spent in the fishing village. Maybe if it had been shorter I would have enjoyed it more.
The third book is where things really picked up for me. I loved the story moving to Gabe and Jonas. Things started with Jonas only fitting they end with Jonas. Plus I always adored Gabe so it was nice to what kind of young man he grew into.
Like all of Lowry's books the writing was lovely and elegant. I really enjoy the style of writing and the well done editing.
I do not want to ruin anything for anyone but the Trademaster was awesome and I love the arc that played out with him.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
The Killer of Little Shepherds was nothing like I was expecting. This was more like two books in one, the story of the serial killer Joesph Vacher and several intelligent individuals who ushered the age of forensic science into existence.
The Killer of Little Shepherds was written from two points of view, the chapters switched between Vasher and his travels to the scientists trying to standardize the birth of forensic science. Later after Vasher was apprehended the two points of view began to merge and were discussed together in the same chapter.
Vasher was a brutal serial killer and as such The Killer of Little Shepherds dose have parts that are gruesome and gory. Yet Starr does an amazing job showing that Vasher was human at times as well. Starr does a wonderful job including parts of Vasher's life that show he was a capable individual able to think coherently and thus know he was committing a crime when he did kill or attack someone.
The writing was smooth, well thought out, researched, and displayed in an easy to follow format.
The Killer of Little Shepherds was written from two points of view, the chapters switched between Vasher and his travels to the scientists trying to standardize the birth of forensic science. Later after Vasher was apprehended the two points of view began to merge and were discussed together in the same chapter.
Vasher was a brutal serial killer and as such The Killer of Little Shepherds dose have parts that are gruesome and gory. Yet Starr does an amazing job showing that Vasher was human at times as well. Starr does a wonderful job including parts of Vasher's life that show he was a capable individual able to think coherently and thus know he was committing a crime when he did kill or attack someone.
The writing was smooth, well thought out, researched, and displayed in an easy to follow format.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Black Ice
I was super excited to read Black Ice and I turned out severely disappointed. In my opinion a good thriller leaves me on the edge of the seat genuinely fearing what will happen to the characters. I never felt this for any of the characters in Black Ice.
Britt has the potential to be an awesome character but she never lived up to it in my opinion. She always seemed to take the easy way out and while she was better then Korbie who drove me insanely crazy any time she spoke. Shaun and Mason did not cut it as characters for me either. They just did not seem believable.
The love story aspects bothered me as well. It was not believable and seemed to be forced in for some reason.
The plot was a nightmare in my opinion. I like surprises in thrillers I read and this one had none for me. I had everything figured out not too far into the book. I hoped I was wrong at times just so the book would get more exciting but I was not.
Despite my complaints Black Ice does have a redeeming quality for me. I love the writing style. Fitzpatrick has a distinct style that I enjoy reading.
Britt has the potential to be an awesome character but she never lived up to it in my opinion. She always seemed to take the easy way out and while she was better then Korbie who drove me insanely crazy any time she spoke. Shaun and Mason did not cut it as characters for me either. They just did not seem believable.
The love story aspects bothered me as well. It was not believable and seemed to be forced in for some reason.
The plot was a nightmare in my opinion. I like surprises in thrillers I read and this one had none for me. I had everything figured out not too far into the book. I hoped I was wrong at times just so the book would get more exciting but I was not.
Despite my complaints Black Ice does have a redeeming quality for me. I love the writing style. Fitzpatrick has a distinct style that I enjoy reading.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Initiate & The Transfer - Divergent .01 &.02
Both are short stories and both focus on Four. While I did not really care for the Divergent trilogy I enjoyed Four a lot in the books and wanted to get to know more about him.
The Transfer was a bit hard for me to read in parts since it detailed physical abuse which makes me cringe. I loved the inner struggled Four displayed and it came off as believable to me. The writing was well done because I ended up hating Marcus and rooting for Four to find the courage to break free.
The Initiate I did not care for too much. The story did not seem that strong to me and while it was nice to see more of Four I am not sure that the idea for the short story was really enough for a short story.
Really short reviews since both books were short stories.
The Transfer was a bit hard for me to read in parts since it detailed physical abuse which makes me cringe. I loved the inner struggled Four displayed and it came off as believable to me. The writing was well done because I ended up hating Marcus and rooting for Four to find the courage to break free.
The Initiate I did not care for too much. The story did not seem that strong to me and while it was nice to see more of Four I am not sure that the idea for the short story was really enough for a short story.
Really short reviews since both books were short stories.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Messenger - The Giver Quartet #3
I was eager to read Messenger but it turned out to be a let down.
The writing was lovely like all of the writing in Lowry's books I have read but the plot just did not do it for me. Everything started out strong and wonderful but then it seemed to sort of move away from the path that Lowry started down onto a different path that I did not care for much. While I understand Lowry's work is an allegory Messenger's hidden meaning went over my head.
Matty was an interesting character but I do not like how everything turned out with him. The way Matty was portrayed was creative yet the final arc with him was just a disappointment for me at least.
My favorite part was the mention of Gabe in the very begining. I liked Gabe in The Giver a lot so it was nice to see a few sentences about him.
The writing was lovely like all of the writing in Lowry's books I have read but the plot just did not do it for me. Everything started out strong and wonderful but then it seemed to sort of move away from the path that Lowry started down onto a different path that I did not care for much. While I understand Lowry's work is an allegory Messenger's hidden meaning went over my head.
Matty was an interesting character but I do not like how everything turned out with him. The way Matty was portrayed was creative yet the final arc with him was just a disappointment for me at least.
My favorite part was the mention of Gabe in the very begining. I liked Gabe in The Giver a lot so it was nice to see a few sentences about him.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
The Giver - The Giver Quartet #1
I first read The Giver when I was in middle school and since that first reading I have read it at least a handful of times. The title suits the book well since every time I read it I receive something different from the reading.
Jonas is a very interesting character. Having followed the rules and lived in a society of sameness where everyone is well cared for and supposedly content with their life Jonas never thought to question anything until he is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory. From that point on Jonas starts to change drastically as a character and it is interesting to see how someone who never had free choice suddenly deals with the many choices in their life.
I wish more was written about The Giver since he is such an interesting character. I do understand why he was in the background though and it leaves me free to imagine more about him in my own way.
The writing is wonderful and flows smoothly.
No doubt at some point in the future I will read The Giver and see a new take on the story.
Jonas is a very interesting character. Having followed the rules and lived in a society of sameness where everyone is well cared for and supposedly content with their life Jonas never thought to question anything until he is chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory. From that point on Jonas starts to change drastically as a character and it is interesting to see how someone who never had free choice suddenly deals with the many choices in their life.
I wish more was written about The Giver since he is such an interesting character. I do understand why he was in the background though and it leaves me free to imagine more about him in my own way.
The writing is wonderful and flows smoothly.
No doubt at some point in the future I will read The Giver and see a new take on the story.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Grave Mercy - His Fair Assissan #1
I was attracted to Grave Mercy through the cover. A girl with a crossbow, I so cannot see her playing the damsel in distress and I was happy that was true.
Ismae is one of my favorite literary characters. Having been belittled and ran down by her father for her childhood left her with a strong will to survive and fight back. Lacking the skills she tried to survive the only way she knew how to by being meek and obeying the men in her life. All that changes when the Covenant of St. Mortain takes Ismae under their protection. Even better despite spending years at the Covenant Ismae's issues with men does not just disappear overnight. Still holding onto her grude against men she accepts her tasks from the Covenant and is pushed into a court full of people wishing to better their own interests.
Even though I was able to figure out a lot of what was going on I was still caught off guard a few times and I loved that. The intricate web of affairs occurring through the court and Covenant was pulled of brilliantly. Everything was tired together in an amazing tapestry of storytelling.
While I was familiar of the story of the young duchess promised to many suitors I had no issues that Robin LaFevers changed history to make it work with the story. Even better LaFevers worked hard to fit everything into a correct time period and I loved how she tied in Old Gods with a new and changing world without making the Old Gods seem out of place.
The love aspect was amazing and done with an air of elegance while adding in some spunk and one hundred totally believable aspects to everything. Having feared men Ismae was not about to open up to any man and thus the romantic interactions show this while leaving me actually cheering for Duval to make progess without scaring Ismae off permanently.
The writing was lovely, elegant, and I could not get enough.
I had a whole range of emotions going while reading Grave Mercy, everything from laughter to tears.
The only downfall for me is that the next book in the series is not about Ismae and I loved her so much I wanted to read more about her.
Ismae is one of my favorite literary characters. Having been belittled and ran down by her father for her childhood left her with a strong will to survive and fight back. Lacking the skills she tried to survive the only way she knew how to by being meek and obeying the men in her life. All that changes when the Covenant of St. Mortain takes Ismae under their protection. Even better despite spending years at the Covenant Ismae's issues with men does not just disappear overnight. Still holding onto her grude against men she accepts her tasks from the Covenant and is pushed into a court full of people wishing to better their own interests.
Even though I was able to figure out a lot of what was going on I was still caught off guard a few times and I loved that. The intricate web of affairs occurring through the court and Covenant was pulled of brilliantly. Everything was tired together in an amazing tapestry of storytelling.
While I was familiar of the story of the young duchess promised to many suitors I had no issues that Robin LaFevers changed history to make it work with the story. Even better LaFevers worked hard to fit everything into a correct time period and I loved how she tied in Old Gods with a new and changing world without making the Old Gods seem out of place.
The love aspect was amazing and done with an air of elegance while adding in some spunk and one hundred totally believable aspects to everything. Having feared men Ismae was not about to open up to any man and thus the romantic interactions show this while leaving me actually cheering for Duval to make progess without scaring Ismae off permanently.
The writing was lovely, elegant, and I could not get enough.
I had a whole range of emotions going while reading Grave Mercy, everything from laughter to tears.
The only downfall for me is that the next book in the series is not about Ismae and I loved her so much I wanted to read more about her.
Enchanted Inc. - Enchanted Inc. #1
The first thing that drew me to Enchanted Inc. was the cover. I love it and even better the cover fits the story.
Katie was an amazing character and the way she dealt with everything going on in her life was priceless. It is even touched upon in the story how most people cannot deal with seeing things that should not be happening and have a mental breakdown from it. The way Katie dealt with what she was seeing was believable.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the array of side characters. They were all interesting and even though the story did not focus on them the interactions they shared with Katie gave the reader a glimpse of who they are. The one downfall I can see possible love triangles occurring in later stories since Katie was working with several single men around her age that were all attractive to her in some way.
The writing was just fun. If there were annoying grammar mistakes I did not notice them since I was so adsorbed in the story itself.
Seeing all the funny little things from fairy tales and old sayings incorporated into the story just made me enjoyed Enchanted Inc. all the more.
I definitely want to read the second book in the series.
Katie was an amazing character and the way she dealt with everything going on in her life was priceless. It is even touched upon in the story how most people cannot deal with seeing things that should not be happening and have a mental breakdown from it. The way Katie dealt with what she was seeing was believable.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the array of side characters. They were all interesting and even though the story did not focus on them the interactions they shared with Katie gave the reader a glimpse of who they are. The one downfall I can see possible love triangles occurring in later stories since Katie was working with several single men around her age that were all attractive to her in some way.
The writing was just fun. If there were annoying grammar mistakes I did not notice them since I was so adsorbed in the story itself.
Seeing all the funny little things from fairy tales and old sayings incorporated into the story just made me enjoyed Enchanted Inc. all the more.
I definitely want to read the second book in the series.
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Creatures of the Night Book Tag
One of my favorite bloggers was curious to know what I would choose for this tag.
1. Vampire
Unfortunately I cannot think of a single vampire book I have ever read. One day I will have to change that.
2. Werewolf
Since I have only read one werewolf book that I can recall My Wolf's Bane is the winner. I actually enjoyed My Wolf's Bane a good deal and am wanting to read more in the series. It is a pure romance book with bits of action in parts.
3. Zombie
Once again I cannot recall ever having read a single zombie book.
4. Ghost
While I am fairly sure I have read several books with ghosts in them the only one that I can recall is Spirited. The beginning was definitely better then the end and it was predictable at times but I loved how no matter what Jules went through she never stopped trying to help people or ghosts/spirits.
5. Witch/Warlock/Spellcaster
No competition in this category, hands down for me it is The Eye of the World. Stunning, compelling, with layer upon layer of plot developments. I consider it a true masterpiece of the written word.
6. Fairy/Fae
Glimmerglass is my fae choice. Even though I have mixed feelings about the series as a whole Glimmerglass was an amazing start to what could have been an epic series.
7. Demon
I have not read too many demon books but Eramane immediately comes to mind. While it is never totally stated what Eramane is I feel that demon describes her well. The drawback to Eramane is that it scared me so badly I have no desire to read the sequel.
8. Angel
I have not read many books with angels in them but of the few I have read the only one that stood out to me was Hush Hush. While I did find a few parts unbelievable with interaction between Nora and Patch I still ending up loving the story.
9. Alien
While it has been many years since I read Acorna: The Unicorn Girl in no way have I forgotten it. I need to re-read the whole series.
10. Superpowered Human
Hands down, Steelheart. While the main character lacks super powers plenty of characters have awesome super powers. I loved the way the tables are turned and how the people with the super powers are not the good guys coming to save the day.
Those are my picks. First time doing something like this so thanks for bearing with me. Have a fun and happy Halloween everyone!
1. Vampire
Unfortunately I cannot think of a single vampire book I have ever read. One day I will have to change that.
2. Werewolf
Since I have only read one werewolf book that I can recall My Wolf's Bane is the winner. I actually enjoyed My Wolf's Bane a good deal and am wanting to read more in the series. It is a pure romance book with bits of action in parts.
3. Zombie
Once again I cannot recall ever having read a single zombie book.
4. Ghost
While I am fairly sure I have read several books with ghosts in them the only one that I can recall is Spirited. The beginning was definitely better then the end and it was predictable at times but I loved how no matter what Jules went through she never stopped trying to help people or ghosts/spirits.
5. Witch/Warlock/Spellcaster
No competition in this category, hands down for me it is The Eye of the World. Stunning, compelling, with layer upon layer of plot developments. I consider it a true masterpiece of the written word.
6. Fairy/Fae
Glimmerglass is my fae choice. Even though I have mixed feelings about the series as a whole Glimmerglass was an amazing start to what could have been an epic series.
7. Demon
I have not read too many demon books but Eramane immediately comes to mind. While it is never totally stated what Eramane is I feel that demon describes her well. The drawback to Eramane is that it scared me so badly I have no desire to read the sequel.
8. Angel
I have not read many books with angels in them but of the few I have read the only one that stood out to me was Hush Hush. While I did find a few parts unbelievable with interaction between Nora and Patch I still ending up loving the story.
9. Alien
While it has been many years since I read Acorna: The Unicorn Girl in no way have I forgotten it. I need to re-read the whole series.
10. Superpowered Human
Hands down, Steelheart. While the main character lacks super powers plenty of characters have awesome super powers. I loved the way the tables are turned and how the people with the super powers are not the good guys coming to save the day.
Those are my picks. First time doing something like this so thanks for bearing with me. Have a fun and happy Halloween everyone!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Vain - The Seven Deadly #1
Vain took me by surprise, I was not expecting half the things that happened over the course of the story nor was I expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.
The premise starts out like a fair number of books I have read. Spoiled rich girl who gets anything she wants that costs money. Father and Mother non existent so the child turns to partying and illegal actives. Due to this I had a hard time getting into Vain. I actually read the first chapter then put it down for almost two weeks before trying again and I am glad I tired again. Never did I think Sophie would end up paying for her "fun" in some other way then jail time.
Sophie drove me crazy at first. I could not stand her self-entitled rich brat attitude which is what I am fairly sure the author wanted to portray. Thankfully the more I read the more I started to like Sophie. Her transformation was breathtaking and totally believable. Sophie's relationships with the people around her were amazing. Not only was everyone able to deal with her spoiled brat attitude at first but they just slowly changed her with the one thing she had never felt like she had love and it was beautiful.
Despite all the ups, downs, and major feels in Vain it did not make me cry which sort of surprised me since it had some moments that were suppose to tug at the reader's heart hard core.
Another huge plus of the book the writing was amazing. Smooth, flowing, lovely, a work of art in it's own.
I could easily see myself re-reading Vain some time in the future.
The premise starts out like a fair number of books I have read. Spoiled rich girl who gets anything she wants that costs money. Father and Mother non existent so the child turns to partying and illegal actives. Due to this I had a hard time getting into Vain. I actually read the first chapter then put it down for almost two weeks before trying again and I am glad I tired again. Never did I think Sophie would end up paying for her "fun" in some other way then jail time.
Sophie drove me crazy at first. I could not stand her self-entitled rich brat attitude which is what I am fairly sure the author wanted to portray. Thankfully the more I read the more I started to like Sophie. Her transformation was breathtaking and totally believable. Sophie's relationships with the people around her were amazing. Not only was everyone able to deal with her spoiled brat attitude at first but they just slowly changed her with the one thing she had never felt like she had love and it was beautiful.
Despite all the ups, downs, and major feels in Vain it did not make me cry which sort of surprised me since it had some moments that were suppose to tug at the reader's heart hard core.
Another huge plus of the book the writing was amazing. Smooth, flowing, lovely, a work of art in it's own.
I could easily see myself re-reading Vain some time in the future.
Friday, October 3, 2014
The Death Cure - The Maze Runner #3
I am not even really sure what to say about The Death Cure. It was not what I was expecting at all and that is not a good thing. The Maze Runner trilogy started out amazing and just went downhill with The Scorch Trials and especially The Death Cure.
The best part for me by far was Thomas. He never stopped being an interesting character and I loved how defiant he was. Doing what felt right to him and going with that. Despite numerous struggles in his life Thomas never gave up but part of that could have been him never having the chance to really dwell on anything going on since everything continued to move very quickly throughout the book.
The Maze Runner was a solid well written book but it feels like James Dashner did not know where he was going with the series so he just sort of did something with the rest of the series. Answers were not really provided on most things and several partial answers were given that left the reader to interpret things. One thing I did appreciate was that the repetitiveness I saw in The Scorch Trials went away for the most part, that is pretty much what let me finish reading the book.
The best part for me by far was Thomas. He never stopped being an interesting character and I loved how defiant he was. Doing what felt right to him and going with that. Despite numerous struggles in his life Thomas never gave up but part of that could have been him never having the chance to really dwell on anything going on since everything continued to move very quickly throughout the book.
The Maze Runner was a solid well written book but it feels like James Dashner did not know where he was going with the series so he just sort of did something with the rest of the series. Answers were not really provided on most things and several partial answers were given that left the reader to interpret things. One thing I did appreciate was that the repetitiveness I saw in The Scorch Trials went away for the most part, that is pretty much what let me finish reading the book.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Scorch Trials - The Maze Runner #2
I was looking forward to The Scorch Trials but it was a huge let down. While I understand the series is a trilogy I really hoped for a little more information on what was going on. At times I had to force myself to keep reading and The Scorch Trials had several boring parts that did not really seem to fit the story well.
The story starts out with a good deal of filler and to me at least it did not seem the real story started until several chapters in. Once the plot picked up it got a bit more interesting but after a chapter or so of the same thing occurring I was quickly bored with things.
Thomas started out as a very interesting character and I loved the growth he showed in The Maze Runner. I saw none of that growth in The Scorch Trials. Seems like the only thing that Thomas did was fall asleep or pass out which got old fast. Instead of trying to work at figuring things out Thomas just seemed a bit content to let other people do the work and seemed to give up many times.
Another huge disappointment was Teresa, I liked the route that was being taken with her in The Maze Runner but that seems to have been forgotten for The Scorch Trials. Teresa was not around much of the time and when she was around I was like what the heck is going on. I hope for more of her in The Death Cure and hopefully her parts will be more solid.
While the writing flowed smoothly the jittery plot and repetitiveness of things with Thomas just had me wanting The Scorch Trials to end.
The overall feel I got for The Scorch Trials was Dashner did not know where he was going with the story so he just went all over the place with the plot which was not the best strategy. If not for the teaser of the third book at the end I would not bother to continue the series.
The story starts out with a good deal of filler and to me at least it did not seem the real story started until several chapters in. Once the plot picked up it got a bit more interesting but after a chapter or so of the same thing occurring I was quickly bored with things.
Thomas started out as a very interesting character and I loved the growth he showed in The Maze Runner. I saw none of that growth in The Scorch Trials. Seems like the only thing that Thomas did was fall asleep or pass out which got old fast. Instead of trying to work at figuring things out Thomas just seemed a bit content to let other people do the work and seemed to give up many times.
Another huge disappointment was Teresa, I liked the route that was being taken with her in The Maze Runner but that seems to have been forgotten for The Scorch Trials. Teresa was not around much of the time and when she was around I was like what the heck is going on. I hope for more of her in The Death Cure and hopefully her parts will be more solid.
While the writing flowed smoothly the jittery plot and repetitiveness of things with Thomas just had me wanting The Scorch Trials to end.
The overall feel I got for The Scorch Trials was Dashner did not know where he was going with the story so he just went all over the place with the plot which was not the best strategy. If not for the teaser of the third book at the end I would not bother to continue the series.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
The Maze Runner
I had been meaning to read The Maze Runner for awhile and seeing it was made into a movie motivated me to finally start it.
First off I was totally freaked out by the whole book. The Grievers sent shivers up and down my spine to the point that I had to stop and take a step back from The Maze Runner a few times. A few other parts got to me as well but I don't want to post spoilers.
Tom was an interesting character and while he seemed to grow I had a few issues with the way he handled some things that happened to him. Tom was very inquisitive when he first arrived in the maze and had a million questions. That seemed to die down as the story progressed but never left totally.
Teresa immediately had me intrigued and I instantly wanted to know more about her. Sadly not much information was provided on her and I hope future books explore her character more.
The writing was fast paced, interesting, and well done. I could not wait to keep turning the pages to learn what was going to happen to the boys. Like usual I saw a couple grammar mistake but nothing so blaring that it took away the enjoyment of the plot line.
While some questions were answered I was left with a lot of burning ones which is the driving factor in me to want to read the next book in the series.
First off I was totally freaked out by the whole book. The Grievers sent shivers up and down my spine to the point that I had to stop and take a step back from The Maze Runner a few times. A few other parts got to me as well but I don't want to post spoilers.
Tom was an interesting character and while he seemed to grow I had a few issues with the way he handled some things that happened to him. Tom was very inquisitive when he first arrived in the maze and had a million questions. That seemed to die down as the story progressed but never left totally.
Teresa immediately had me intrigued and I instantly wanted to know more about her. Sadly not much information was provided on her and I hope future books explore her character more.
The writing was fast paced, interesting, and well done. I could not wait to keep turning the pages to learn what was going to happen to the boys. Like usual I saw a couple grammar mistake but nothing so blaring that it took away the enjoyment of the plot line.
While some questions were answered I was left with a lot of burning ones which is the driving factor in me to want to read the next book in the series.
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