I'm hosting a giveaway for a copy of Lucky Bastard and for all 3 novellas by Deborah Coonts here!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of Lucky Bastard was pr...moreI'm hosting a giveaway for a copy of Lucky Bastard and for all 3 novellas by Deborah Coonts here!
My rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of Lucky Bastard was provided to me by Forge Books for review purposes.
Lucky O'Toole is the Vice President of Customer Relations of the affluent Babylon casino in Las Vegas. She's a busy woman and her plate is always full but after recent events even Lucky has bitten off more than she can chew. After a woman is found on the hood of a Ferrari in the Babylon's dealership with a stiletto stuck in her neck and the evidence points to a close-friend being the killer, Lucky knows there's more evidence to be found. Once she begins digging though she finds far more than she bargained for.
In addition to her work issues, she's dealing with a broken heart after her long-time love Teddie has chosen a life on the road and fame instead of a comfortable life at home with her. The new French chef Jean-Charles Bouclet has kept her thoughts occupied as he continues to pursue her. Lucky just doesn't seem to have time to sort through her personal problems as the bodies are piling up and evidence starts pointing to her.
I've gotta say, all of the Lucky O'Toole mysteries have left me unaware throughout the book. There are always a crazy amount of facets to these stories, it always keeps you guessing and leaves you questioning everything. Exciting and thrilling, these are definite page-turners.
Lucky has had a crazy love life from the very first installment. What I love is despite that, I can definitely appreciate that it doesn't consume the story completely. The detailed mystery is first and foremost with snippets of Lucky's personal life added in as something extra. The romance definitely took the forefront towards the end setting up for some emotional drama in the next installment.
What didn't work for me (and has been a common trait in this series) is how Lucky completely takes on the police work involved in solving murders. I would be more apt to accept this if she was a member of a security team with the Casino but she's the Vice President of Customer Relations, tasked to maintain the happiness of the hotel guests. Lucky is one chick that definitely goes above and beyond the call of duty. Lucky doesn't always make the most genius decisions but they aren't so outrageous that they're not forgivable. She usually realizes (in retrospect) that she makes some pretty dumb decisions so at least she realizes it, albeit a tad late. Regardless, these books are definitely fun reads.
This series would likely fall under the terms of a 'cozy-mystery' except the mystery itself manages to be quite serious. Killing people with stilettos, people getting cyanide thrown in their face, etc. Despite the seriousness though, Lucky possesses a sarcastic humor throughout which lightens the story considerably and makes it a lot of fun.
Lucky Bastard is my fourth Lucky novel, fifth if you count a novella, and I've really enjoyed watching the character growth in Lucky. She's a hard-working woman who's had her heart broken but doesn't let it get her down. Her actions are honest and understandable. The Lucky O' Toole series is a must for cozy mystery fans and readers looking for a fun, memorable heroine.(less)
"In Catawissa sometimes the dead don't stay where you put them."
Verity Boone is returning to her hometown in small town Catawissa after fifteen long y...more"In Catawissa sometimes the dead don't stay where you put them."
Verity Boone is returning to her hometown in small town Catawissa after fifteen long years. When her mother became ill and died unexpectedly when Verity was just two years old, her father sent her away to relatives fearing he would not be able to care for her properly. She's returning home after agreeing to marry Nathaniel McClure, a man she's only met in letters. Upon arriving, she's shocked to discover that not only is her mothers grave buried on unconsecrated ground but there's a strange mystery cage on top of it. No one is forthcoming with information and Verity is determined to find out what her mother did in life to deserve such treatment in death.
I really loved the mysterious gothic-like element of the caged graves and was extremely eager to read more about them. I loved hearing that the author actually based this story off real-life caged graves that she discovered in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. You can read more (and see the actual pictures) here. It was quite mysterious and in the beginning reminded me a lot of Long Lankin but wasn't quite as paranormal as I had originally thought (and hoped) it would be.
In addition to the caged grave topic of the book, the romance took up an exceptionally large portion, or to be more specific the love-triangle. *cue groans of agony* Yes, unfortunately I wasn't a fan of that addition to the story considering it took up such a huge portion of the story. To me, it felt like she had a good idea going with the caged grave bit, but didn't have ENOUGH to make that the center of the entire story. So instead, a romance that caused much raging (from me) was inserted as filler.
"There was something seductive about his transparent feelings for her - feelings he scarcely tried to hide even in front of Nate. He was like a bright, flickering flame, and she was a brainless moth, wanting to fly closer and burn herself." - Verity
I get it. She's young, she's in an arranged marriage and barely knows the guy (although the more she learns about him the more there is to love), so I understand the normality behind her being torn between two guys. But the comment about it being seductive that he's flirting with her in front of her fiance? That's a bit uncouth don't you think? Or maybe just brainless, like she said.
It was really difficult to get a good grasp on whether or not I liked any of the love interests either. Her intended, Nate, was so wishy-washy and one moment he'd do something terribly cute like bring her a baby kitten he saved and next minute he's talking about their upcoming marriage like a business arrangement. It was very off-putting. I could have liked the other love interest, Hadley, a lot except for the fact that he was so obviously being disrespectful and trying to steal her away from Nate by flirting with her constantly, even in front of him. There are better ways to show you care and being an outright ass isn't one of them.
Bottom line, the caged grave story line had huge potential but fell flat when that became less the focus of the story. Regardless, this was a well-written historical fiction novel with an intriguing story line that just happened to be saddled with a bad romance.
A copy of Golden was provided to me by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/Edelweiss for review purposes.
"Tell me, what do you plan to do with...moreA copy of Golden was provided to me by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/Edelweiss for review purposes.
"Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one wild and precious life."
Parker Frost has always lived her life with the future in mind. She has always studied hard and received good grades in hopes that she can attend Stanford after graduation and become a doctor. There has never been an alternate path for her, no detours or side streets to take, she has only had the one goal. When she stumbles upon an old notebook that sheds light on the town mystery, she thinks she knows the answers but she couldn't be further from the truth. When this revelation comes to light, Parker starts to wonder what she would do with her one wild and precious life and begins to question if the path she's on is really the answer.
Life can be so very distracting at times. You can find yourself so caught up in everything when there comes a day you stop and look around and have to truly wonder how you got to that point. Worse, is when you realize you've been on the wrong path the entire time. Parker is a strong and vivid character that was incredibly easy to empathize with.
The town mystery felt at first like a separate part of the story entirely except you realize that Parker's life choices begin reforming as the pieces of the mystery begin coming together, both intertwined. She begins realizing the immensity of making your own life choices because this is your one wild and precious life. You don't have another.
This was a beautifully written coming-of-age novel about a girl who decides to take chances when she never has before. Golden is an inspiring novel of hope, of not being scared to take the leap, and realizing that not everything is golden.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of School Spirits was provided to me by Disney-Hyperion/Netgalley for review purposes.
Izzy Brannick comes from a long...moreMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of School Spirits was provided to me by Disney-Hyperion/Netgalley for review purposes.
Izzy Brannick comes from a long line of monster hunters. Her family hunts them all for the Prodigium, the council that governs them all. The council that her cousin Sophie Mercer is in charge of. Izzy hasn't been the same since her sister went missing on a job both of them were supposed to be working on. She blames herself since she was supposed to be with her but ended up letting her go off by herself. Add to that, she just screwed up her last solo job and her mom has given her a lame assignment. It involves a ghost. And a high school. Which she has to personally attend.
I was a bit undecided when I heard about this spin-off series but when I got my hands on it my love of Hex Hall that had lay dormant sudden came alive again and I had to read this immediately. And in a single day. Hex Hall fans will love this spin-off, I have no doubt.
Izzy is such a charming yet completely clueless girl when it comes to the normal lives of teenagers. She considers black a satisfactory color for her entire wardrobe and she lacks any sort of social skills considering she's never been social and has never attended public school. So when she finds out she's going to have to actually attend a high school in order to get the necessary information to bring down the ghost that's currently haunting its halls, she's at a loss on how to acclimate. She buys all the teen magazines and the goofy teen TV shows in order to 'understand' more and... suffice it to say, it's hilarious.
Despite her lack of social skills, there still manages to be a completely adorable romance. Izzy and Dex are hilarious and awkward and it was completely endearing. It totally gave the warm fuzzies, I only wish it had gone on for more pages (this was an extremely quick read!) but fortunately this is the first in a new series so I look forward to seeing more Dex and Izzy time. Dex was definitely my favorite character with his peppy one-liners, but there were tons of characters to love in these pages. Torin, the 400-year old warlock currently trapped in Izzy's bedroom mirror, was a runner-up favorite.
Despite my gushing, I wasn't completely content with the ending. It wasn't so off-putting that I won't be continuing this series, but it'll be interesting to see where the story leads.
School Spirits is a delightful paranormal series with an unforgettable set of characters. Fun and full of witty banter, this is the perfect read for anyone looking for some quick mystical entertainment.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of The School for Good and Evil was provided to me by HarperCollins/Edelweiss for review purposes.
'[...]whether you ar...moreMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of The School for Good and Evil was provided to me by HarperCollins/Edelweiss for review purposes.
'[...]whether you are Good or Evil, an Ever or a Never, you must learn to respect one another, for no matter how different you may seem, you cannot exist without the other. The line between princess and witch is a thin one indeed...'
The residents of the small town of Gavaldon are all raised on fairy tales, and they all believe them to be real. Every four years, The School Master takes two children over the age of 12 and one child is placed in The School of Good and the other Evil. It's been four years.
Sophie, lover of pink and a self-proclaimed princess, dreams of going to The School of Good and meeting her Prince and living happily ever after. Agatha, lover of black and silence and solitude with her cat, isn't quite sure if she believes in the schools but she knows if she was destined to go there would be no better place for her than The School of Evil. Sophie and Agatha are best friends and when both are chosen for The School's, it comes as quite a shock when their placements are switched. Agatha is definitely not Good and Sophie can't possibly be Evil...
What worked for me: The writing is vibrant and extremely visual with alternating POV's between Sophie and Agatha which provided the reader with a glimpse of both schools through their eyes. Sophie was quite an unbearable character but I do believe that was the purpose (and only solidified her position with The School of Evil). Agatha managed to become the real heart of the story and a truly good person. Both girls struggle throughout the story to retain their friendship due to the constant stereotype that Good can't possibly be friends with Evil.
What didn't work for me: The story was excessively long and would have benefited from some additional editing. Also, once I got the gist of the backwards type fairy tale going on it did become a tad predictable. I understand that it was a Grimm-type fairy tale and was dark and malevolent, but I really hated the way Sophie treated Agatha considering they were supposed to be best friends and considering Sophie was Agatha's only friend. The biggest flaw in my opinion was the ending though. It was so strange and seemed a bit out of left field. There's 'didn't see that coming! wow what a shocker!' and 'didn't see that coming because that doesn't even make any sense.' I requested this book solely because of that fabulous book trailer so my expectations were high from the start. This wasn't a disappointment but it didn't live up to my high expectations.
Truer to a Grimm Fairy Tale rather than Disney, The School for Good and Evil was intense and distressingly amoral yet still contained what all fairy tales possess: a valuable lesson. One surety about this book, there is truly nothing like it. The School for Good and Evil is a fairy tale that's been shaken up; it's all backwards and mismatched but still manages to retain at least the structure of the classic fairy tale that we all know and love. If you're a fan of fairy tales (especially of the Grimm nature) then this is a story for you.
A copy of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die was provided to me by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)/Netgalley for review purposes.
'[...]my mind shut down. Went...moreA copy of The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die was provided to me by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)/Netgalley for review purposes.
'[...]my mind shut down. Went blank. Went someplace where I wouldn't have to remember.'
What would you do if you woke up to find you had been kidnapped? What would you do if you somehow manage to escape but realize you have no idea where you were? What would you do if you didn't have any idea who you were? The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die is a riveting thriller of a girl who has to piece together the past so she can live to see the future.
I've read April Henry's 'The Night She Disappeared' and it's an incredibly short yet fast-paced mystery which I really enjoyed. To me, 'The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die' is also short and fast-paced yet more complex and required more pages in order to properly flush out the mystery. The pieces of the puzzle don't start coming together until near the very end and once the pieces started forming they left me with an unnaturally rushed feeling that I felt could have been avoided with more explanation/pages.
There were a few issues I had in particular: The 'bad guys' were inherently bad and lacked any sort of complexity thus making them quite a bore. Plus, it always makes me giggle when the bad guys completely reveal all their plans right before they intent on killing you. Also, there was a strange and unnecessary reference to a gay character. 'His voice swoops up and down. He sounds more gay than before. I wonder if he's doing it deliberately - to make them think there would be no reason for him to give a girl shelter.' Which... makes zero sense. Because he's a gay man he couldn't possibly have any 'girl' friends? Or even possible care about their well-being? That passage just struck me as completely irrelevant. Also, there wasn't a love-interest exactly but there was a male character that became involved in her drama trouble. After meeting him while trying to hide from the 'bad guys' he realizes she's in dire need of help and assists in getting her past them. In my opinion, that should have been the end of their relationship but instead this guy basically risks the possible destruction of any future he may have for this girl he doesn't know. It just wasn't plausible. There was a slight explanation given for his 'need' to help her and it kind of make sense but still didn't completely work for me in way of explanation.
Despite my issues, I did still mostly enjoy The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. It is fast-paced, exciting, and definitely suspenseful.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of Loki's Wolves was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
Matt Thorsen has alwa...moreMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of Loki's Wolves was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
Matt Thorsen has always had big shoes to fill considering his family are the descendants of the Norse god, Thor. When he has a dream of Ragnarok, the battle leading up to the end of the world, he doesn't consider it being anything but a dream. Soon after, a town meeting is called and everyone is told that signs point to Ragnarok happening, and soon. When Matt is named champion he realizes he must seek out other descendant's of the Gods if he has any hope of saving the world from destruction.
Regardless of the fact that this story closely resembles a Percy Jackson storyline and even Harry Potter at times, there are sufficient enough differences to make Loki's Wolves stand apart.
First of all, I loved that the story wasn't told solely through the POV of the 'main character', Matt the descendant of Thor. The POV was shared between the three main members of their team including Fen and Laurie, descendant's of Loki. Each character was distinctive and well-written and it was enjoyable seeing the story from a set of different eyes.
Then there was also, of course, the difference that this book deals with Norse mythology. This was an exceptionally fun aspect for me considering I haven't read too much relating to Norse mythology before so it was a bit of an educational experience for me.
This was an extremely fun and exciting thrill-ride of a novel; I enjoyed every minute of it. The ending was slightly abrupt, however, this is a trilogy and I do realize it had to end somewhere. There was a bit of a cliffhanger and no real resolution as their adventure is far from over. Highly recommended for adventurous Middle-Graders and Adults alike!
*spoilers from Immortal Rules. Please don't read if you haven't read the first installment!*
Admittedly, Eternity Cure was not a planned read for me. I...more*spoilers from Immortal Rules. Please don't read if you haven't read the first installment!*
Admittedly, Eternity Cure was not a planned read for me. I wasn't a big fan of Immortal Rules, I gave it 3 stars but it was a reluctant 3 stars because when I think back it was deserving of less because it was dreadfully dull at times and took me forever to get through. There was so much potential but it was severely lacking... in what? I can't quite put my finger on it but it could have been much better. The outpouring of immense love for Eternity Cure started rolling in and as soon as I read those magical words "even better than the first" I knew I had to give this one more chance. For those of you, like me, who weren't in complete love with Immortal Rules I suggest you check this installment out. It's not perfect but it's immensely more exciting.
The story picks up right where Immortal Rules left off: Allison has continued her quest to free Kanin after leaving Zeke and the rest of the human group in their new home, Eden. After teaming up to save their master, Jackal and Allison set aside their differences and join forces against the much imbalanced Sarren who has captured Kanin after a many years long grudge.
Jackal and Allison were quite the pair. Definitely entertaining, these two together really added some much needed humor to the story that made me love it infinitely more than the first. And I can't even begin to explain to you the excitement. This for me, was the best part of the whole thing. My biggest complaint about Immortal Rules was the parts that dragged on for far too long. With Eternity Cure, it was non-stop excitement and there was always something going on. This was truly an edge of your seat thriller and there were twists you will not see coming and turns that will leave your jaw on the ground.
The relationships... for me this was a huge flaw in Immortal Rules. I never quite understood Allison's need or desire to continue staying with the human party despite their ongoing terrible treatment towards her (despite even knowing she's a vampire) and her ongoing blood lust which made it extremely hard to travel with them. The relationship with Zeke was so touching and sweet and really made Allison's ongoing desire to remain human make complete and utter sense. To me, this is what truly sets this series apart from the rest of the 'typical' vampire stories. Allison has constantly struggled to retain her sense of humanity and still has a desire to remain a 'decent human being' minus all the feelings of entitlement like her brother Jackal has. She doesn't feel she's better in any ways to the humans and wishes to be like them but has no way of ever making this a reality. Her feelings were true and something that I could completely understand and empathize with.
And guys.
Yeah, seriously. That ending?
I have to wait how long to find out what happens? Cliffhanger... yes. Mind blown... yes. Well worth it... definitely yes. This is one thrill-ride of an installment you won't want to miss.(less)
I'm not clear what went wrong here. Mindset? Narrator? Storyline? I have no idea but I couldn't get into this one to save my life. Will have to try an...moreI'm not clear what went wrong here. Mindset? Narrator? Storyline? I have no idea but I couldn't get into this one to save my life. Will have to try and pick this one up at a later date.(less)
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of A Textbook Case was provided to me by Grand Central Publishing/Netgalley for review purposes.
'It was clear that the...moreMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of A Textbook Case was provided to me by Grand Central Publishing/Netgalley for review purposes.
'It was clear that the classic textbook procedure for running a case forensically wasn't going to work.'
Lincoln Rhyme is renowned for his forensic knowledge but even he is tested when a recent murder is buried, literally, in evidence. The perpetrator has attempted to cover any evidence they personally left in the smartest way possible; by flooding the scene full of incidental evidence. Extremely smart, except he detailed that exact scenario in his highly prominent forensic textbook. The more digging his team does in uncovering the relevant pieces of evidence, the greater Rhyme's suspicion that someone may be using his textbook against him to get away with murder.
I've read eight of Jeffery Deaver's 'Lincoln Rhyme' novels but this is my first short story of his. His books always contain a mystery so skilfully constructed it's almost as if you're watching a puzzle slowly disassemble itself as you turn each page. All of his novels are quite large and the disassembling takes time so I was interested in seeing how well he's able to build a mystery with so few pages. Admittedly it doesn't have the same flair that his full-length novels have but it was still an enjoyable and quick read. Any of the Lincoln Rhyme novels work fairly well as a stand-alone, but if you're a newbie to Deaver's works I'd recommend A Textbook Case to give you a glimpse at what he's capable of.
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars A copy of Reboot was provided to me by HarperTeen/Edelweiss for review purposes.
I was extremely excited for this debut becaus...moreMy rating: 2.5 of 5 stars A copy of Reboot was provided to me by HarperTeen/Edelweiss for review purposes.
I was extremely excited for this debut because that summary could not sound any more awesome. Wren 178 is the strongest and deadliest reboot because she was dead 178 minutes before her body rebooted and she came back to life. Reboots are all stronger and faster and heal faster than ordinary humans. The other main difference is their complete lack of emotions making them the perfect super soldier. So basically reboots are some terminator zombie type thing...yep, sign me up for that.
I've seen this time and time again: an interesting and original concept that's thoroughly lacking in execution. Now, I'm not saying this was a complete disaster but it definitely failed to live up to the anticipation the summary generated. It was all just very 'meh' for me.
The first major issue I had was the world-building. The beginning part of the story felt like one massive info-dump that never really succeeded at explaining anything. And there were so many questions I had that were never quite explained. Like why the reboots continued aging even though they're basically a zombie, how it is that they're still able to have children (regarding the reference that upon rebooting they're given a birth control shot) and why in the world they become "attractive" upon rebooting. Strange additions to the Reboot world that I didn't find made much sense.
But the second and main issue I had was the romance. Wren is supposed to be the most unemotional reboot of the bunch yet she becomes immediately intrigued by the newest reboot, Callum 22. I just couldn't buy it, period. It was so half-hazardly thrown together, completely lacking in credibility and was extremely ill-fitting with the rest of the story. Wren is supposed to be a super solider. A complete badass. Yet the romance aspect turned her into every other typical girl with zero original qualities. The aspect of the story that she's been their perfect soldier and obeys all orders until she begins to rebel... perfect. But something other than a corny romance needed to be the catalyst for her rebellion.
Wren's 'voice' felt very authentic to me as she always seemed very monotone and didn't elicit much excitement when recounting anything. Despite it being authentic, it still felt very tiresome to read. There were some very exciting scenes though and I just wish there wasn't so much I had issue with since it inevitably ruined the better parts for me as a whole. Reboot fortunately doesn't leave you with a whopper of a cliffhanger but unfortunately I still don't see this series and I continuing.
A copy of The Cats of Tanglewood Forest was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
"Everything is a lesson if you...moreA copy of The Cats of Tanglewood Forest was provided to me by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for review purposes.
"Everything is a lesson if you're willing to learn something from it."
Twelve year old Lillian is an adventurous little girl who traverses the Tanglewood forest searching for fairies that she's convinced exist. After she's tragically bitten by a snake and dies, she hovers above her body long enough to witness the ring of cats that has surrounded her. Next thing she knows, she's awake again and is now furry with paws. Seeking to find a way to rectify the situation, she seeks to change the past but in turn ends up living an even worse existence after her Aunt dies after being bitten by the snake instead.
"Maybe there's a reason why the snake bit you, the cats changed you, and you're no longer a girl. Maybe there's something you can learn from being a cat instead of a girl."
Tanglewood's main lesson centers around how small choices can lead to surprisingly large consequences that you may not realize until it's too late. Despite it's fantasy elements, it still manages to be a lesson that can be understood and appreciated. Charles de Lint has crafted a perfectly charming folktale story and in addition to the enchanting art of Charles Vess this is one that children and adults both are sure to enjoy.(less)
Oh, cat books. As hard as I try and stay away from your infinite silliness, it's forever a losing battle. Like air boxing.
But their cuteness cannot be...moreOh, cat books. As hard as I try and stay away from your infinite silliness, it's forever a losing battle. Like air boxing.
But their cuteness cannot be denied. Admit it. Cats can be crazy cute.
But... of course they have their moments. Moments where one can only stare in horror and wonder what monster you brought home to live with you.
They're basically just a furry paper weight that lacks any true purpose.
But what would do you think your cat would say to you if it could speak? Or if it could even write you a letter? Well, this book is the answer to all your questions! Why they need 12+ hours of sleep, why they have such a strange love for grass, and it even discusses their dislike for our perfume. Yes, all the questions we've always wanted to ask are now answered. Cute kitty letters with even cuter kitty pictures... what more could you ask for. (less)
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars A copy of Gossip was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
'Interesting how things change: the people you thou...moreMy rating: 1.5 of 5 stars A copy of Gossip was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
'Interesting how things change: the people you thought would be friends forever disappear, and others become more and more important to you over time.'
Lovie French is a sixty year old boutique owner living in Manhattan and is the narrator of the story. She is still close to her two best friends, Avis and Dinah, that she went to school with when they were young and over time their families have become family to her. Lovie details how their lives unfolded over time and who they loved and lost and the ongoing gossip that prevailed.
There was a strange detachment in the writing that made Gossip feel very lackluster which in turn made it hard to connect to any of the characters. It's written as a retelling of past events and I couldn't help but think it would have been more interesting and easier to connect to if it was written in present tense and as a form of flashback rather than a long series of recollections which would have lessened the 'info-dump' feel.
I felt Lovie was a strange narrator choice even though she was a part of the story she didn't seem to have as much relevance. The story being told from Nicky or maybe even Grace (or both?) would have been a better choice as their story became the main feature in the end. The focus on the rest of the family formed the story as a whole but I would have liked to see more focus on Nicky and Grace to get a better idea of what led them up to the end events.
There were some beautiful moments of writing and I felt that the story had a lot of potential if not for the loose stitching that bound the multiple characters story lines together. Lacking in depth and a true connection to the characters, this was ultimately quite forgettable. (less)
My rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of All You Could Ask For was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Brooke, Samantha and Katherine all hav...moreMy rating: 3 of 5 stars A copy of All You Could Ask For was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Brooke, Samantha and Katherine all have established and successful lives, each with their own different definition of success. Brooke has been happily married to her college sweetheart for 15 years. Samantha is a competitive athlete who after a whirlwind marriage finds evidence of her husband's infidelity 2 days into their honeymoon but it's the best thing that could have happened to her. Katherine is an extremely successful business-woman who decides to take her first vacation ever after a disastrous blind date on her birthday. All lead separate lives and have never met each other, but they will become forever entwined with one another when they all are forced to suffer through the same diagnosis forever changing their lives.
On my Goodreads shelf I currently have 79 books classified as Chick-Lit and of those 79 only one is written by a male author. This book. Now that's not to say that he's the ONLY male author that has ever written Chick-Lit but it's the only one that I've bothered trying out. The fact of the matter is Chick-Lit is not a commonly written genre by males, my guess is because of the difficulty they have in writing a solid and realistic female character. Well, not only has Mike Greenberg managed to write a solid and realistic female character, he was able to write three of them.
I was so very pleased when I first began this book. I loved the humor and I loved the individuality of each of the characters. I enjoyed learning the details of their lives and who they were as people. It was all very realistic and made these characters very distinguishable. Suffice it to say, I loved these characters and eagerly awaited the moment where their lives coalesced. While the second half of the story was what brought these characters together, it was my least favorite part of the book. It took a much too serious turn and I would have preferred to see the lightness that the first half of the story possessed to continue. While I understand the reason behind this since it aided in strengthening the characters further, I simply expected a much lighter read and would have enjoyed it more.
This is a definite must for fans of Jane Green, Emily Griffin, Jodi Picoult and fans of the like. All You Could Ask For possesses seemingly everyday characters with a powerful inspiring story of strength.(less)
This was an extremely strangely written story for me as I had never read anything written in second person narrative before.
'Thank you, but I'll wait...moreThis was an extremely strangely written story for me as I had never read anything written in second person narrative before.
'Thank you, but I'll wait to eat them. Stained fingers, stained map, you said.
You're tame enough to feed by hand, said he.'
Adding to the confusing way of writing was the complete lack of quotation marks which I have seen more and more of in literature these days and still am not clear as to why this is done. I dislike it greatly. Unfortunately, the story didn't benefit from these choices in writing styles; it actually diminished my interest because it was a constant struggle trying to grasp what was being said.
The story itself had huge potential and I was eager to start this but was greatly disappointed at the disjointed nature I felt was created by using that form of narrative. (less)
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars A copy of Frances and Bernard was provided to me by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Netgalley for review purposes.
An epistolary nov...moreMy rating: 2.5 of 5 stars A copy of Frances and Bernard was provided to me by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Netgalley for review purposes.
An epistolary novel, or a novel written solely in personal letters mainly between main characters Frances and Bernard. The novel is said to of been influenced by the lives of Flannery O’Connor and Robert Lowell, however, Frances and Bernard are far from a carbon copy. In an author interview with Publisher's Weekly, Carlene stated, "I didn’t want to write historical fiction, but I want readers to know that it was the temperaments, minds, and voices of these specific people that set me off."
The beautiful writing was the only redeeming quality of this book for me, and it was quite beautiful. The story was heavily steeped in religious fervor. I found both Frances and Bernard to be quite a bore and their fanatical beliefs and constant discussion of them was really quite tiresome. As much personal details which are given in their letters there still managed to be a lack of connection between the reader and the characters themselves. I would naturally blame the style of writing, however, I was quite fond of the letters back and forth to one another. Reading a certain bit of the authors flawless prose was like a beacon of light, I only wish the entire novel shone more brightly as a whole.(less)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars A copy of New Lands was provided to me by Putnam for review purposes.
After being completely charmed by 'Deadweather and Sunrise...moreMy rating: 4 of 5 stars A copy of New Lands was provided to me by Putnam for review purposes.
After being completely charmed by 'Deadweather and Sunrise' picking up 'New Lands' was a given. Comparatively, New Lands is less funny and more serious but still so full of heart. Egg and Guts set out on a journey to discover the Fire King's lost treasure before it can fall into the hands of the wrong man. Their journey is a bleak one and considering what they seek, it's difficult for them to judge just who is honest and worth trusting.
Guts was once again my favorite character and definitely managed to always make light of a serious situation.
"Ain't nobody calls me cow-ears without a fight." - Guts
You can't help but love Guts and his crazy antics.
I found New Lands to be a solemn installment and had a slight shortage of the swashbuckling action seen in the previous installment. Regardless, I think this section of Egg's story is most vital to his development as a character. His maturity had already begun to show towards the end of New Lands, but considering the trying times he had been through it was completely understandable.
New Lands is a story of perseverance and about digging deep to find that strength necessary to continue. This series has made me a lover of Middle Grade and is one series I will continue to seek out. (less)
ARC Giveaway for Everbound on my blog! U.S. addresses only. Sorry international followers! Giveaway ends January 29th, 2013
**Spoilers to follow for tho...moreARC Giveaway for Everbound on my blog! U.S. addresses only. Sorry international followers! Giveaway ends January 29th, 2013
**Spoilers to follow for those of you who have not yet read Everneath!**
Everbound was quite the adventure! I wasn't the hugest fan of the first installment was this one was fun, entertaining, and even a bit exciting. Everbound picks up where the last left off with Nikki desperately trying to come up with a plan to rescue Jack. Once she realizes that she requires Cole's help for this to ever be possible, she also realizes she has to put more trust in him than she ever has before. He's never given her a reason to trust him but she's not left with much choice if she ever wants to see Jack again.
Over 100 of the first pages is wasted on Nikki and her planning on how to save Jack. I understand the need for developing but I can't help but feel some of it could have been cut out because once the action really started, it was quite the interesting story. Everbound took bits from several mythological stories: Persephone and Hades (Greek), Orpheus and Eurydice (Greek), Inanna and her descent into the underworld (Sumerian), Daedalus' labyrinth (Greek), and Dante's Inferno (Italian). The entire plot of the story was heavily based on these myths and it was interesting to see how these myths were altered to suit the story.
Everbound put major focus on the development of Cole and Nikki's relationship which continued building that love triangle that I knew was inevitably coming. Considering I was a bigger fan of Cole than Jack, this wasn't too big of a gripe for me. It's a sure bet readers will end up liking Cole a lot more as the story progresses, as he shows a noble and honest side to him that wasn't evident previously.
This was an extremely close to a 4 star read for me... until the end. The ending really ruined any fun I had over the course of the previous 350+ pages and made me confused and irritable and other related adjectives. I know I will now have to read the final installment in the trilogy and hope that all the time I spent on this series ends up being worth it. As it stands right now though I'm not impressed and I'm crossing my fingers for a big finish at the very least.
A copy of Life After Life was provided to me by Reagan Arthur Books/Netgalley for review purposes.
"What if you had the chance to do it again and again...moreA copy of Life After Life was provided to me by Reagan Arthur Books/Netgalley for review purposes.
"What if you had the chance to do it again and again, until you got it right? Would you do it?" -Edward Beresford Todd
This is the story of Ursula Todd's live(s), and of her death(s), and of how she lives when given a second chance. Each time she dies (and returns) she obtains a sense of deja vu from her past lives. She uses these bits of knowledge from these previous scenes of life to "get it right" and to change the outcome of her life now. Practice makes perfect after all.
The writing was flawless, albeit a tad hard to grasp at first. There's a constant flipping back and forth between time and it was supremely difficult to determine which story went with which one, however it all comes together in the end. I found it best to simply read, absorb, and watch the story unfold without putting too much thought into it or keeping notes regarding what is happening with each date (speaking from personal experience, it's completely unnecessary).
"No point in thinking, you just have to get on with life. We only have one after all, we should try and do our best. We can never get it right, but we must try."
Despite her multiple chances to "get it right", Ursula did not always succeed. She may have avoided one obstacle she encountered in a previous life only to run into another. As Ursula said, "We can never get it right, but we must try." Life isn't perfect, and even if you had multiple chances to go back and change things it still won't be perfect. I think it also meant that sometimes we need to experience these imperfections in order to truly know how to "get it right".
It was amazing to watch each scene transpire and be able to witness how one single act not only resulted in evading death (the second time around of course) but how drastically different her life often was. But what was even more amazing was finishing the story and fully grasping all the story lines that had been going on and having them all come together harmoniously. There truly aren't enough adjectives in existence for me to properly describe how truly amazing I found this book to be. Life After Life was genius, superbly written, intricately detailed, and capable of an emotional resonance you won't see coming.
A copy of Indiscretion was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Indiscretion in·dis·cre·tion [in-di-skresh-uhn] noun 1. The quality or st...moreA copy of Indiscretion was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Indiscretion in·dis·cre·tion [in-di-skresh-uhn] noun 1. The quality or state of being indiscreet; want of discretion; imprudence; rashness. 2. An indiscreet or imprudent act; indiscreet behavior. 3. A brief sexual liaison.
'His betrayal was as natural as a disease, as a cancer that builds up quietly inside the body and then erupts unbidden when there is nothing else to keep it in check. And when it happened, it consumed him.'
Indiscretion tells the story of the excitingly attractive couple Harry and Madeleine, and the seemingly innocent girl who came in to their lives only to destroy it completely. Claire became wholly absorbed in the lives of Harry and Madeleine equally, however, her love for Harry became much more prominent and as the story goes with many indiscretions, there was a moment of weakness which ended up spiraling out of control.
'...he has discovered that there is something more, something he had never known about before, an extra dimension where time and space exist on a different plane. Like an explorer who has discovered an earthly paradise, he has lost his taste for the world beyond and all he can think of is crossing the snow bridge back to Shangri-la.'
As Claire and Harry's fling continued it became clear that there was no turning back now and lives had already been irrevocably changed. But even if either of them could take back their actions, they had both become so intertwined in one another that life before the indiscretion became a blur, a life forgotten.
'Why am I the narrator of this story? I am because it is the story of my life - and of the people I love most. I have tried to be as scrupulous as possible in my telling of it. I wasn't a participant in everything that happened, but after I knew the ending, I had to fill in the missing pieces through glimpses that meant nothing to me at the time, memories that flash back with new significance, old legal pads, sentences jotted down in notebooks and on the backs of aging photographs.'
The narrator choice seemed quite unsuitable as Walter wasn't exactly one of the main characters but more like an onlooker reporting his findings. That's not particularly an issue in itself, but what was odd was the fact that many sections of the story never even involved him which left the question how he was able to remain a reliable narrator. Oftentimes there would be a random mentioning of 'Why do I know what happened? Well, Harry wrote it down. He's a writer and that's what he does and I read it and that's how I know' or something to that effect, It was a strange explanation and one that I didn't wholly accept. It seems the choice of narrator should be something that is flawlessly accepted which requires no specific explanation.
The author is a self-professed fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and it is clear it has influenced his style of writing greatly. I would also compare the style of writing to Diana Tartt's 'The Secret History' and also the story itself slightly as it tells the story of wealthy individuals and their downfall. The key with this type of storyline is to draw the readers in and not only keep them interested and invested in the characters themselves but still manage to draw a certain amount of compassion for them. I don't believe Dubow succeeded as well as he had intended as the characters failed to derive any sort of sympathy from me. The writing still managed to be stunning as a whole and kept me enrapt while the pages flew. Indiscretion is Charles Dubow's debut novel and an impressive one at that.
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of Vanity Fare was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Molly thought she had hit rock bottom when her...moreMy rating: 3.5 of 5 stars A copy of Vanity Fare was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.
Molly thought she had hit rock bottom when her husband of 10 years left her and their six year-old son for a younger woman. That wasn't rock bottom though. Rock bottom came when she finds out her soon to be ex-husband has also lost his job (and his ability to pay her child support) and also depleted their savings leaving Molly with nothing to pay the bills. She ends up being hired as a copywriter for a new up and coming bakery. But on top of finding a job she may have also found a new romance. Or two.
Anyone who knows my typical book preferences would likely find it laughable that I decided to read a book regardless of the fact that it stated in the summary that there was a love triangle. Typically? I'd be running for the hills but the concept of this story was too cute to pass up.
I am total sucker for foodie type books in general but I completely fell in love with the concept for this book. I also made full scale plans of starting my own bakery just to be able to do something like this. Molly is hired to come up with a 'hook' for potential customers and it needed to be closely related to the library (which the bakery is across the street from) and/or literature in general. She comes up with the idea to use double entendres to name menu items and the store itself (Vanity Fare). A few of my favorites? The Bun Also Rises. A Room of Ones Scone. Of Mousse and Men. Much Ado About Muffins. And the best? Tart of Darkness. There are even real recipes included at the back of the book for several of these (including Tart of Darkness which I will so be trying, it sounds delicious!)
The romance(s) played a huge part of the story (and possible more than I would have preferred) which I suppose should have been expected as this can definitely be considered a chick-lit novel. But I have a total soft spot for chick-lit and these romances were quite entertaining. The main character, Molly, truly made this book though. She was witty, had a wonderful dry sense of humor, and was such a realistic character just struggling to not give in and let life beat her down. I found the story (and Molly) to be quite inspiring.
A four star rating (and possibly more) was totally in the bag but alas, I found the ending with Nick's big "secret" to not be worth all the build up that led up to the reveal. Overall though this is a fun and delightful chick-lit novel that manages to be charming while still full of laughs.(less)
A copy of Me Before You was provided to me by PENGUIN GROUP Viking and Netgalley for review purposes.
My heart was not prepared for those kind of feels...moreA copy of Me Before You was provided to me by PENGUIN GROUP Viking and Netgalley for review purposes.
My heart was not prepared for those kind of feels... *sigh*
'The thing about being catapulted into a whole new life - or at least shoved up so hard against someone else's life that you might as well have your face pressed against their window - is that it forces you to rethink your idea of who you are. Or how you might seem to other people.'
Louisa's life is lackluster and she's completely content with 'playing it safe' at life. Not that she's ever allowed herself to contemplate how different things could possibly be. She goes to her job at the tea shop, she goes home to her windowless room at her parents house, and she occasionally spends time with her boyfriend Patrick who is far more concerned with his exercise regiment than he is with her. But when she loses her job at the tea shop she accepts a temporary 6 month position as a caregiver to a quadriplegic, Will Traynor.
Louisa and Will are complete opposites and the first few weeks of them knowing each other the quite truly hated each other. Will was oftentimes irrationally difficult and Louisa was ready to quit, but she stuck it out and slowly they developed an extremely touching friendship.
All I can say is that you make me...you make me into someone I couldn't even imagine. You make me happy, even when you're awful.I would rather be with you- even the you that you seem to think is diminished- than with anyone else in the world.'
Their blossoming romance was one of the most convincing I've read in a long time and was truly uplifting. They changed each other in massive ways in such a short period of time. Louisa gave Will happiness that he hadn't experienced for a very long time and Will gave Louisa the determination to do something with her life and not let it go to waste.
Calling this book chick-lit isn't doing this book any sort of justice; the subject matter is simply far too thought-provoking for that kind of label. The real meat of the story focuses on Will's decision to end his life by assisted suicide, which is the reason behind Louisa's 'temporary' position as he promised his parents he would give them another 6 months but no more. Convinced that he just needs something to live for, his parents hire Louisa who is bright, fun and talkative in hopes that she can convince him that he still has something to live for.
“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
It was certainly a tough subject matter to read but was so well written and managed to actually make me laugh out loud at several parts. I loved Louisa and Will's wittiness and constant banter, it was the perfect addition to this poignant story. It was hard not to picture what it would be like if you were put into a situation such as Louisa and Will's. What you would do, if you would actually do anything different. All I know is that they both had an incredibly difficult decision to make and either way was bound to lead to heartache.
This was an incredible story that was so painful (in that crazy heart hurting kind of way) to read but I simply could not put it down. Me Before You is a heartbreaking story about finding what makes life worth living and making the decision whether it's truly enough. Definitely a new favorite and one that my heart won't be forgetting any time soon.
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars A copy of Shadow on the Crown was provided to me by Viking Adult/Netgalley for review purposes.
"You must ever be prepared wit...moreMy rating: 4.5 of 5 stars A copy of Shadow on the Crown was provided to me by Viking Adult/Netgalley for review purposes.
"You must ever be prepared within yourself to face what trials may lay in store for you. let this be your first lesson: No one else must see you like this, Emma. Do you hear me? However great the provocation you must never allow anyone to see your fear."
I'm a huge fan of historical fiction novels but to be honest, I don't branch out enough outside of my comfortable safe-zone known as the Tudor time period. This one caught my eye primarily because it is still set in England, however, it's in a very, very early England. After this one, I do believe I have learned my lesson and I need to take more chances with my historical fiction picks. Shadow on the Crown was superbly done.
'Their destinies were like two rivers that flowed ever in the same direction, within sight of each other but never meant to meet, to touch, to join as one.'
What worked incredibly well was the evidence of research that was done in preparation for this novel. The author has stated that Shadow on the Crown is based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, but it's evident the author has the ability to take pieces of history and create a truly stirring story. Also, I really appreciated her interpretation of the romances. In most historical fiction novels the romances are portrayed similarly to a historical romance (bodice ripper) and just comes off as corny rather than genuine.
Each character was given their own unique voice and even though they were not a main character their bits in the story still shown. Emma was an amazingly strong character and it was a joy to read (the majority of) this story through her eyes. The POV does occasionally switch up but is not overdone and provides additional and necessary facets of this story.
What truly blows me away about this novel is that it's a debut novel. The few historical fiction debut novels I've read in the past have all read like the author is re-wording their history books. Patricia Bracewell managed to re-tell a piece of history and imbue something vibrant into it. It's quite obvious that the author is passionate about history and this time period in general but her passion is addicting and made it a true joy to read. Shadow on the Crown does not tell all of Emma's story so I'm very much looking forward to future books.(less)
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