Ann has
211 books
(87 selected)
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| # | cover | title | author | isbn | isbn13 | asin | num pages | avg rating | num ratings | date pub | date pub (ed.) | rating | my rating | review | notes | recommender | comments | votes | read count | date started | date read |
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date purchased | owned | purchase location | condition | format | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0373210698
| 9780373210695
| 4.44
| 2,284
| Apr 30, 2013
| Apr 30, 2013
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None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Feb 25, 2013
| Feb 27, 2013
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Feb 25, 2013
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| B009JVSDN2
| unknown
| 4.50
| 2
| Oct 01, 2012
| Oct 01, 2012
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None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jan 20, 2013
| Feb 18, 2013
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Jan 20, 2013
| ebook
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| 0441018521
| 9780441018529
| 4.51
| 20,384
| May 25, 2010
| May 25, 2010
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None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jan 13, 2013
| Jan 14, 2013
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Jan 13, 2013
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0441017029
| 9780441017027
| 4.46
| 21,332
| Aug 06, 2009
| Apr 2009
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None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jan 12, 2013
| Jan 12, 2013
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Jan 12, 2013
| Paperback
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| 0765332450
| 9780765332455
| 3.88
| 1,001
| Aug 20, 2012
| Nov 13, 2012
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Renegade manages to blend old world aristocratic charm with the spectacular technological wonders that are the bones and heart of Elysium; a bubble in...more
Renegade manages to blend old world aristocratic charm with the spectacular technological wonders that are the bones and heart of Elysium; a bubble in the deep blue sea, like the fabled lost city of Atlantis. Separated from the violent and unruly surface, the people of Elysium live a charmed and orderly life with designations for their jobs, who they have kids with and where they live. In the gardens of this paradise we meet Evelyn - the chosen Daughter of the People, where she explains that her life is "Just about perfect." But pobody's nerfect... The cover speaks a lot about the story itself and it's not until you read it that you realize the significance of the hair and the roses, or the drops of blood and the mix of technology and scenery blended into the cover. But to me it feels like the head to body proportion is off a bit. Almost as if the neck is too short and the hair makes everything look too heavy. It just throws me off a bit. We first meet Evelyn in her prized rose garden elaborating about Elysium and how everything works. It was hard to get into her narrative voice at first because it felt so stiff and rehearsed, but it wasn't until her days literally - and even the words that were coming out of her mouth started repeating themselves that I was intrigued. Being trained to lead the people of Elysium after Mother, Evelyn has to be absolutely perfect - right down to the genetics that give her the blond hair and blue eyes (sounding eerily familiar yet?) that Mother prizes. But when she steps out of line Mother has her dealt with....crafting a carefully scripted daughter every time. Under the superficial title as Daughter of the People, Evelyn is naturally curious and does what's right...even when it goes against everything she's been taught. Gavin, the gruff survivalist surface dweller that stumbles into their little slice of heaven is in for a rude awakening as he's hunted down ruthlessly. But upon meeting Evelyn he sees a glimmer of hope for getting out of this incredibly tough situation. I don't really have strong feelings about Gavin. He's the usual head strong, run in without forethought kind of guy that wants the girl and to live happily ever after. He has really sweet moments though, especially at the end. Their relationship is an unconventional one. At first Evelyn wants to save him out of pure curiosity - she's never met a surface dweller before and this might be her only chance. What starts out as a thirst for knowledge slowly starts to grow into something more as she gets to know Gavin and soon Evelyn's own loyalties are tested as Mother gets suspicious of her interest in the surface dweller. Their relationship takes on hilarious twist, but after Evelyn starts seeing the cracks in the illusion of her perfect world she throws all her chips in with Gavin in hopes of escaping Mother's clutches. However, every step closer to the surface reveals a secret about Mother and Evelyn's own past... I loved watching Evelyn break past the brain washing, her voice and tone noticeably changes from formal to more emotional and passionate so that when brain washing moments do happen there's a distinct demarcation in her attitude. For most of the book the story felt almost like a role playing video game. There is a droning monotony especially when the characters ran from one end of the dome to the other, back and forth completing little quests along the way while avoiding the authorities in order to get to their grand escape plan. It was a bit predictable unfortunately. But where the story really picks up and completely gripped me is the the last 1/4 of the book. It takes on a really dark tone as all of the skeleton's in Mother's closet are revealed and Evelyn's character does a complete 180 and becomes a lethal ticking time bomb while there's hordes of crazy zombie-esque creatures between them and freedom. Here Souders builds an air of desperation, intense action and where I could finally jump on the Evelyn and Gavin train to cheer for their success! It's a really interesting concept when it's all revealed. But it's the stuttering, repetition and awkwardness of the first half of the story that was a bit hard to get through. The whole situation at the end though was spectacular and I'm really curious as to where Souders might take the rest of the series.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Jan 03, 2013
| Jan 27, 2013
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Jan 03, 2013
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0441015832
| 9780441015832
| 4.33
| 20,365
| Apr 2008
| Apr 2008
|
None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Dec 31, 2012
| Jan 2013
|
Dec 31, 2012
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 0061726826
| 9780061726828
| 4.08
| 114,602
| Feb 01, 2011
| Feb 03, 2011
|
Set in a version of the United States where the borders are closed to the rest of the world to control the spread of the deadly and rampant Amor delir...more
Set in a version of the United States where the borders are closed to the rest of the world to control the spread of the deadly and rampant Amor deliria nervosa - aka 'love'. Strict curfews, guards and a religious government control every aspect of a teenager's life to prevent a resurgence of this disease and in return citizens live long, "healthy" and conflict free lives. The story follows Lena, months away from the procedure that'll prevent this devastating illness that has cast a dark shadow over her entire life - but then someone unexpected happens, and soon she finds herself torn between her perfect life and the truth...or is it just Amor deliria nervosa taking root? There was so much hype for each of the books released that I just knew I had to read this book, but at 411 pages it seemed quite daunting. So knowing I'd be spending a lot of time on the beach in Mexico I figured it'd be a perfect companion. I ended up finishing this book in a couple of sittings, it was absolutely engrossing! The beginning of the chapters contain a little snippet with a bit of the history of this alternate world, or facts about their society and the disease. Oliver considers every tiny detail and builds this intricate culture and an incredibly realistic disease. When I was reading the descriptions of the disease I'd end up stopping to think and compare my own life experiences with love to the checklist (I've definitely got it bad....) and marveling at the conviction of the government to control this disease. Lena, the main character was surprisingly complex and multifaceted. On one hand she had absolute confidence in her elders, and that the path she's set on is the right one. While she regurgitates all the right answers, and does as she's told there's this wonderful rebellious spark to her that pops out unexpectedly! I loved watching her evolution from this reserved law abiding citizen, to someone who craved life and love and would do anything for it. Alex - love interest extraordinaire and just full of surprises! He's hardworking, devoted and risks everything for even the slightest chance at love. With a painful past, and full of secrets I was definitely as intrigued as Lena about this boy! While it took me a little bit of time to get used to the rigid style of writing that occurs in the beginning, I quickly realized that like Lena, there was a bold divide where the writing takes on the excitement and passion that the characters go through. It works wonders for contrasting the strictness of the city to the wild abandon of The Wilds! Oliver takes these two on a whirlwind romance of summer lovin'. But as Lena learns more about a whole other world she was completely ignorant about, the more her own world starts to crumble as her deadline for the treatment quickly approaches. Oliver had me so captivated by the characters, and the tense situations they were in that I never even saw the major reveals and twists! Also...THAT ENDING! OH MY THAT ENDING! Oliver's writing is marvelously paced in a twisted world where love is a debilitating disease and with characters that live like there's no tomorrow. Go read it if you haven't already!!(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Dec 05, 2012
| Jan 2013
|
Dec 05, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1442436646
| 9781442436640
| 4.20
| 6,396
| Oct 01, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
|
I've never read a book by Cole before and after reading her first foray into the YA realm, I'm going to have to go back for all those awesome adult s...more
I've never read a book by Cole before and after reading her first foray into the YA realm, I'm going to have to go back for all those awesome adult sexy times in her Immortals After Dark series. Cole capture's the reader's attention the first few pages in when we're introduced to the very shady character of Arthur as we read from his perspective on ensnaring the innocent and trusting Evie into his sadistic nest. I was genuinely afraid for Evie, but then it turns out Arthur likes a good story and so Evie takes us back to the beginning... Poison Princess is very much a compare and contrast book. Cole really uses this to drive home the point that Evie is completely out of her element. There was Evie's rich, comfortable life before "The Flash" that killed everything, and there was the desperate starving life after. The safe boring relationship she had before, and the all consuming hot blooded male that is Jack after. I loved these important milestones that Cole sets, they leave a scorching impression in your mind as you read and it gives a well rounded out perspective of each character. Evie Greene is the apple of her successful mother's eye, and her life is going splendidly as the most popular girl at school with the rich hot boyfriend and devoted best friend. But then the visions started - horrifying depictions of burning, death and creatures that couldn't possibly be real - until her visions come true. When I first met Evie in the first few pages, I had pegged her as naive and darn near useless. This was pretty much confirmed by the time I got into the thick of it, so don't go in expecting a super strong kick-ass heroine. But surprisingly I didn't find her annoying. She acknowledges her weaknesses, and I have to give her credit for determination and always trying to do the right thing. She's always on this verge of becoming someone new, while fighting her old self. She hasn't quite grasped that it's a changed world, but she's learning and I loved watching how each trial leaves a mark on Evie's unblemished skin. Jack Deveaux, the tough Cajun from the wrong side of the bayou is your classic bad boy that you love, hate and just want to see naked already. A lot of authors use accents in creating a character, usually just by stating it and using some phonetic words to get that accent going in your head. Cole takes it one step further and fully immerses the reader in Cajun French that just oozes old world charm and had me fanning myself every time Jack opened his mouth. Jack is constantly conflicted, which makes him hot and cold towards Evie depending on the situation. It's what drives the bad boy mentality in books, there's moments where I was cheering him on and he's logical, and then moments where he pulls some attitude out of left field and you just want to smack him. But you can always count on 'ole Jack. Cole perfectly balances steamy romance, snippets of humour and visceral action with a unique lore revolving around Tarot cards. Admittedly, I didn't know much about Tarot cards or the symbolism of each card but by the end of this book I really wanted to learn more. Cole also paints a dismal wasteland world full of pillaging militia, hungry cannibals and a unique twist to zombies as Evie and Cole try to make their way to Evie's grandmother to figure out what's going on. Guided by visions and voices, Evie and Jack soon start accruing a little band of misfits. But it's not as simple as that when the pieces start clicking into place and the horrifying truth is revealed that this has all happened before....it's all happening again...and it's going to be down to the last one standing... I thoroughly enjoyed the Tarot card lore, the hot bad boy Jack and the magical elements that Cole manages to weave in. Cole does an excellent job with the tension building in the romance between Jack and Evie - but it got a little bit irksome when the same preconceptions kept driving a wedge between them. When we come full circle at the end, and I look at the beginning I have to do a slow clap here for Cole. It was an incredible ending that left me clamoring for the next installment! This book is like post apocalypse Survivor, X-Men style with a bit of The Hunger Games thrown in. (less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Nov 16, 2012
| Nov 24, 2012
|
Nov 16, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| B00ALIQ30M
| unknown
| 4.20
| 191
| Nov 21, 2012
| Dec 08, 2012
|
For someone so young, Chase has seen a lot of death and destruction and it doesn't look like it's going to be ending soon. This time around in the thi...more
For someone so young, Chase has seen a lot of death and destruction and it doesn't look like it's going to be ending soon. This time around in the third installment of Merrick's Protector Series, Chase's title as The Protector is heavily challenged as he's hunted by the psychotic multi-shifter Arian, while racing his father Riley from dimension to dimension to get to Ithreal's soul pieces to prevent worldwide annihilation and keeping his friends breathing. But after the events of Exiled and Shift, Chase is cut off from the Gods and now his powers start going haywire, it seems like this whole saving the world thing would have to been done the old fashioned way with a little elbow grease and a good dagger. I love the covers of these series, they're always so mysterious and their full meaning isn't revealed until well into the story and everything clicks and you have an "aha!" moment. Chase has always been pretty hot headed, and with so many elements burning in his core he needs to learn emotional control fast - but with everyone rushing to deal with the coming onslaught, I felt like he was pretty isolated and left to figure things out on his own for the most part. I was really proud that he took so much initiative and really proved his worth as a leader and The Protector in some of the most trying situations. Sometimes intriguing secondary characters never get their day, but I was so surprised how much depth and history Merrick revealed in Released that added to the growth of several characters and their story arcs in addition to Chase's story. This was especially true with Willy (my absolute favorite character) and his tragic past in conjunction with the vampire Vincent's familial problems that end up being a large thorn in Chase's side. I especially loved that Chase's friends end up playing a more integral role to his character development. Tiki acts like The Protector's conscience, gently reminding Chase of his obligations to every poor soul in any world that needs help. They constantly clash for a while, but it's important in the road to Chase fully accepting his role as The Protector. Since more or less solidifying their relationship in Shift, Rayna and Chase this time around are a bit more subdued. I was a bit sad that we didn't get to see more of them together (but this story isn't meant to be a bad teen romance), but the stolen moments that they do get are so cute and give such a bright flare of hope for Chase to keep trudging through the dark. Merrick continues The Protector Series with his sharp wit, distinctive and alluring demonic dimensions and of course thrilling visceral action sequences. But here's the thing, I was so used to Merrick's action sequences I thought I knew how they'd play out - because it was formulaic. There's some equal sparring, a sudden dire situation and desperation but it all works out in the end because that's how a heroes story goes. I have to hand a slow appreciative clap to Merrick right here because while these sequences kept me entertained, they lulled me into such a deep sense of security that I was completely blind sided by the ending. I mean, Merrick had to have some serious cajones to pull that ending off, I am both shocked and supremely pissed and can't wait to see what happens in the next installment!(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Nov 15, 2012
| Dec 31, 2012
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Nov 15, 2012
| Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| 1406311529
| 9781406311525
| 4.34
| 15,349
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
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None
| Notes are private!
| none
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1
| not set
| not set
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Oct 31, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1594744769
| 9781594744761
| 3.72
| 118,019
| Jun 07, 2011
| Jun 07, 2011
|
Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather Abe's stories of fantastical and harrowing adventures, most stemming from the orphanage he grew up in - Mis...more
Jacob grew up listening to his grandfather Abe's stories of fantastical and harrowing adventures, most stemming from the orphanage he grew up in - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. How peculiar exactly are these children? Just judging from the photos on the covers - things get really weird. I had seen this book at the bookstore several times, and I was always creeped out by the photos and the premise doesn't give much away. It wasn't until I actually bought the book and really looked at it that I noticed the girl on the cover is levitating, it just made me all that more excited to find out what was going on. Our main character Jacob loved his grandfather Abe and his stories about the war, and the unique children he befriended at the orphanage he grew up in with their unusual abilities. But like any child, he got older and became increasingly skeptical about how real these stories could be. It's incredible how we rationalize everything, even when there's real physical photographic proof in front of us and Jacob is no different. But when his grandfather dies in a horrific accident, Jacob starts to question his sanity while plagued with nightmares and his grandfather's last request. Piecing the fragments of his grandfather's life together, Jacob ends up on a remote isle off the coast of Wales to search for answers - but he soon gets sucked into a world full of wonders and dangers he couldn't even begin to imagine. Grandfather Abe completely reminds me of Grandpa Abe from The Simpsons. He tells war stories, and each time the version changes a little bit and it gets wilder and couldn't possibly be true. Soon relatives start brushing him off and thinking he's not that mentally stable anymore. But boy are you in for a surprise when the truth about Abe's life is uncovered and how hard he tried to the very end to fend off the things that go bump in the night. This book is definitely a work of art; from the eerie photos to the end papers, to the in between chapter papers and the handwritten letters - it's all gorgeous and makes this an enveloping and engaging read. Although I don't think I'll ever be able to look at the photos for more than a few seconds - it feels like their unblinking eyes are just boring into your soul, even after we get to know some of these peculiar children. The story immediately draws you in with the photos, and Abe's unfortunate end, but then it lulls a bit as Jacob struggles to figure things out. But Riggs does an excellent job contrasting Jacob's life before and after these life altering events so that when he does find the orphanage he easily fits in and it just feels right that he's there. However, for me this is where the story shifted gears completely. It was no longer a creepy mystery and I just didn't feel as invested in the story as I did before. It turns into a superheroes unite to save the world kind of situation and while I still wanted to know what happens, the last half of the story ends up as a predictable set up for the sequel and left a lot of questions unanswered. This story definitely has a unique and intriguing plot bolstered by old fashioned photos (and apparently they're all real?) and I generally enjoyed it. I had expected a lot of suspense and horror, but I never really got apprehensive at any point. It was like listening to your grandfather tell you a story and just watching it all unfold safely from a distance.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Oct 23, 2012
| Oct 30, 2012
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Oct 23, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0399256768
| 9780399256769
| 4.32
| 11,541
| Jan 29, 2013
| Jan 29, 2013
|
On the heels of their great escape June and (the presumed dead) Day try to track down the last of their friends and family before they make a run for...more
On the heels of their great escape June and (the presumed dead) Day try to track down the last of their friends and family before they make a run for it to the fabled Colonies - where life is supposed to be better. But their plan comes crumbling down as The Republic has its own shake up when the Elector Primo dies and his young son Anden takes his place as the new figurehead. With The Republic in such a fragile state of transition the Patriot rebels seize the opportunity and offers Day everything he could want: retribution against The Republic for his family's death, his brother back and a better life in the Colonies ... the catch? The two biggest celebrities of The Republic have to come out of hiding to very publicly execute the new Elector. I love the cover and its more grungy spray painted feel. Like the symbol on Legend, the meaning of the falcon like bird is revealed in the book, so it's a cover with a deeper meaning! I'm also a total sucker for deckle edged binding (uneven feathery paper edges). Aesthetically my favorite part of these books is the contrasting font colors for Day and June. This time Day get's this gorgeous deep blue instead of gold. While it might not add much to the story, it's a small detail that sticks out in a reader's mind and helps mark the transition from June to Day easily while reading. I know a lot of people were disappointed that Legend didn't tell us much about how The Republic was formed or the rest of the world. Prodigy reveals it all! Or at least everything important. We get a quick world history lesson and if you thought life in The Republic was bad, wait until you see what's outside. Lu creates a shocking and eerily probable world in The Colonies that will leave you wondering where you would rather be. June - the prodigy of The Republic and at one point their greatest weapon. She gave up her life of luxury and prestige to be with Day and to fight against the festering corruption and secrets that were plaguing The Republic. She grows so much in this book! While she still kicks a tonne of butt, we get to see her more analytical and political side. The way she reasons and rations situations, plots and interacts with others makes me completely forget that she's only 15 years old! Day - the champion and hero of the poor just wants to pick up the broken pieces of his life and move on. He's willing to do anything for it, even something he hates like killing. I'm glad that even though he was a pawn in a plan he didn't forget who he was at his core, and his values. People's ideas and opinions about him and June constantly assault at him but he keeps up healthy amount of skepticism and trust in June. This time characters that make a somewhat brief appearance in Legend are a bit more central to the plot such as Tess and Anden. Tess - who was this innocent street urchin that was like a little sister to Day. Her attitude shift completely surprised me, the persistence and dogma in her words made her seem like a master interrogator of the Patriots. When I first met Anden - I approached it like a paranoid Patriot with a "kill all Republic scum!" [heh Star Wars] kind of attitude and I was just waiting for Anden to slip up and reveal his true nature. But Lu doesn't make it so easy. She creates villains that hide in plain sight and I was never sure who was going to betray whom until the big reveal! With these two characters Lu drives a wedge in early on between Day and June and we end up with this love 'U' that I was both uneasy and curious about at the same time. Class and wealth will always be a problem between Day and June - I just wished that it wasn't repeated so often by absolutely everyone. Loaded with action, political tension and a few stolen moments between June and Day the ending is what took the cake. In a spectacular bout of action, death defying flight and riots Lu manages to craft an ending that gives hope for a better world but at a terrible cost. That ending, *sigh* it just gets you right in the feels. That ending leaves me so conflicted for what I think/want/hope for in the next installment now entitled 'Champion'.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Jan 28, 2013
| Feb 07, 2013
|
Oct 17, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0765368978
| 9780765368973
| 3.63
| 649
| Oct 30, 2012
| Oct 30, 2012
|
Earth has become a nearly unlivable wasteland, polluted and dying. So in a stroke of luck explorers from Earth find a planet that has everything they...more
Earth has become a nearly unlivable wasteland, polluted and dying. So in a stroke of luck explorers from Earth find a planet that has everything they could ever want - lush green landscapes, fresh air and water; but there's a caveat. In their rush to colonize the planet, an alien life form suddenly begins to appear....in the form of a dead loved one, each attached to a specific colonist. If you saw a someone who made a deep impression on you that was supposed to be dead, how would you react? Embracing them with loving arms or with hostility and fear; could you abide by the Ghost Protocol? I love the mirror imagery of the cover, with a ghostly Elizabeth and a determined Murphy over the backdrop of a forest hidden in the dark - making it difficult to determine its state. The story begins innocuously enough, Elizabeth a psychology student arriving for her residency on Ardagh 1 and is quickly greeted by her new supervisor Grayson Murphy. These two quickly hit it off, and even discover that they had briefly met on Earth years earlier. But then it becomes apparent that something's off, especially when Elizabeth starts tripping the Ghost sensors and failing every imaginable Ghost test. I do wish that the synopsis would have left out how she died. It is important to know that she dies, it just took away from the shock of the reveal when we're already told. Nonetheless, I love how this book starts! There's a sharp contrast in how Elizabeth is treated before and after. In the beginning she's like any other guest, Murphy provides food and excellent (and flirty) conversation. But as soon as they discover the truth; that she's a ghost and attached to none other than the creator of the Ghost Protocol - which states that there is to be absolutely no contact between ghost and human in order to keep the ghosts complacent and the humans sane enough to continue their jobs. The ghosts were interesting entities. They had physical form, and everyone could seem them. But the way that Ghost Protocol works has made them into zombie like shells of their former selves and they drift about very much like what you'd think a ghost would be like - screaming for attention but never getting a reaction. I loved the character of Elizabeth! She's extremely intelligent, strong willed and confident. She readily adapts to her situation, and my favorite parts were how she found an endless amount of loopholes in the Ghost Protocol to get what she needed, I couldn't help but smile at her ingenuity. She's constantly curious and asks a million questions; which is a refreshing change from characters that just go along with it until something is revealed. Elizabeth actively searches for the answers and has a healthy sense of skepticism when presented with something that seems too good to be true. Fisher crafted a main character that was complex and had a history. Over the course of the story her past clashes with her present as it goes tumbling into her future, and the reader gets to see how she grows and evolves. Murphy - head of Psychology on Ardagh 1 and creator of the Ghost Protocol think's he's met the girl of his dreams, but things couldn't just stay that simple. She's dead, and an alien and completely hands off now. There's so much internal struggle with Murphy, especially since Elizabeth made such an impression on him in the first few moments of the book. My only complaint would be that Murphy is Irish, and I never really got an impression of an Irish lilt when he was speaking; he'd drop a "love" at the end of sentences but to me that immediately made me think of a British accent. Elizabeth and Murphy's romance is forbidden, and difficult to describe. One thing for sure is that it isn't instant love. There are feelings there, and there's a mix of trust, conversations and hardships in conjunction with their alien bond that creates a solid relationship. By the end though, I was completely rooting for these two to work out because they're so adorable together. Fisher takes elements from Biology and Psychology and manages to blend them into this plot with aliens and romance perfectly. There are some terms (especially biology ones) that are used; but fear not, they're expertly explained. Fisher has this amazing knack for showing the reader each possible perspective, and it definitely made me question the ethical implications of what they're doing on this planet. The landscape of this story was constantly changing and evolving as things were revealed. It kept an excellent pace and I never found myself guessing what would happen next - not that I could. This story is like a blend of Jame's Cameron's Avatar and Stephenie Meyer's The Host. Fans of either one will LOVE Ghost Planet. For me it was a thoroughly enjoyable read! The ending seemingly ties everything up, and leaves a spark of hope; but I still have burning questions as to what happens to these characters after the book ends! (less) | Notes are private!
| none
|
1
| Oct 09, 2012
| Oct 10, 2012
|
Oct 09, 2012
| Mass Market Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 1597480592
| 9781597480598
| unknown
| 3.78
| 367
| Sep 23, 2012
| Sep 24, 2012
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At the end of Never Say Never (Never Knights, #1), Never (Neve) thought she'd hit the jackpot. Her band has since shot to stardom; travelling the wor...more
At the end of Never Say Never (Never Knights, #1), Never (Neve) thought she'd hit the jackpot. Her band has since shot to stardom; travelling the world, opening for some of the hottest bands on the scene, on the cover of magazines and they're on their way to recording their first album. But not everything is going as fantastic as the tabloids portray. The fragile peace forged between her hot blooded male band mates since Danny Blue's departure is starting to break down as tensions rise all around Neve, threatening everything she's worked hard for. With her own band now, Neve is trying to shake the famous shadow that her parents cast. I love her determination and persistence in this and the conviction in what direction she wants to go in all aspects of her life. But when the troubles start piling on, ranging from the band, to paparazzi and her relationship with Danny Blue, it all completely overwhelms her. She gets broken down pretty badly and there isn't much she could do watching this train wreck unfold. Her confidence is shaken, and even though I wanted her to get up and fight back - I figured her reaction was pretty realistic because I'd probably be in a fetal position in the corner if I went through what she did. But Neve, ever the optimist holds out for that glimmer of hope. This time around we're in Danny's element in London. Just when I thought all of Danny's secrets were revealed in Never Say Never, Gow manages to pile on so many layers of jaw dropping and completely shocking secrets that I didn't think it was possible, but oh is it ever delicious to know these things. It's like celebrity gossip at its finest - something so disastrous that it both repels and intrigues. Although I am a bit disappointed in Danny and Neve's relationship. Neve's trying to make it a bit more serious, but Danny is still carrying all this massive baggage with him (further exacerbated by the current drama in his life) that it gets difficult and they both just seem to make do with just their physical relationship because it's convenient - but really at that age what else do you really want with an attractive musician? Her relationship with her band mates end up getting more complicated and conflicted. There's still a tonne of awkwardness from all the declarations of love last time that never really fully get resolved, and the events near the end; WOW Neve sure knows how to stir up drama. I think Gow may be heading towards a love triangle, and honestly I think it's going to be a pretty epic battle for Neve because the two suitors are just so radically different and they each have something Neve craves. But what completely sealed the deal for me this time around was Gow's incredible knack for creating some of the most disturbing and creepy villainous characters EVER. I mean they gave me goosebumps, set me on edge and I'm still thinking about how horribly things went for Neve. There were times where I was genuinely afraid that it was going to be it for Neve and that there was no way she was getting out of this situation. Gow is a master at crafting fast paced, upbeat and addictive stories that you'll just fly through. This book ended with so many questions and loose ends that it feels more like a set up for the next book. I just need to know what happens to the band, and their career, and the relationships and DANNY BLUE!!! Sigh, but I have to wait a bit longer for that. I loved the cross continent adventure this time, and how Gow completely immerses the reader into the drama filled lives of the rich and famous. Never Land was a quick and satisfying read filled with fun and sexy times! (less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Oct 03, 2012
| Oct 03, 2012
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Oct 03, 2012
| Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 0316228532
| 9780316228534
| 3.27
| 73,233
| Jan 01, 2012
| Sep 27, 2012
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I know why you've either read, or are going to read this book. It's because you're curious. Curious as to what has Rowling come up with for adults pos...more
I know why you've either read, or are going to read this book. It's because you're curious. Curious as to what has Rowling come up with for adults post Potter, and if it can live up to the legend of Potter or not. I went into this with my mind still set in the idyllic childish world of Harry Potter (you really shouldn't, clear your mind and just read this book as it is) and I can tell you the exact moment that Rowling effectively shattered any childhood fantasies that I had left (it was when she dropped about 7 f-bombs in the span of two consecutive pages really early on). Back when I was a kid we only had three channels, one was french, one was usually news and one always seemingly played the long running (and still going) British soap opera Coronation Street. That's what The Casual Vacancy reminds me exactly of, a bunch of old ladies that live for gossip, teenagers being teenagers and just life as you would expect in a small town with some deep secrets. The premise is that Barry Fairbrother dies suddenly, and he leaves his seat open on the Parish Council of Pagford that needs to be filled (a casual vacancy if you will). But in this little town there's a bigger and more volatile problem that has divided the council long before Barry's death. The Fields - basically Pagford's version of a slum, where there's dilapidated low income housing filled with druggies, prostitutes and other unsavory characters. Soon it becomes a heated race between sides to fill the seat to either evict or save Fields. Unfortunately, The Casual Vacancy is painfully slow. There's so many characters (I don't think I'll cover them all because it'd swallow up this whole post) that it takes forever to set each one up in their dull lives and the role they have in the community. Rowling takes an approach where she takes several story lines and weaves them so that will catastrophically crash together. She adds a 'shock' factor to each character to try and make them memorable, but I still had issues telling them apart or remembering them or really connecting with them - I felt like I was an observer to the story instead of really being drawn into it. It took me much longer to get through this book because I got bored and had to put it book down for a time before I'd find the will to keep reading again - but by then I'd forgotten who was who. So your best bet is to probably take notes, or read it in continuously. Since Rowling started out writing for kids, there's a certain level of innocence that she had to maintain in the Potter books. But here - WOW does she ever let loose. Her characters hit everything from extremely conservative god fearing racist homophobic upper middle class folk, to stringent foreign parents, drug abusing prostitutes, rapists, child molestation, domestic violence, incest, bullying, self harm, affairs and teenagers experimenting with everything from drugs (I wasn't all that surprised with Rowling's extensive knowledge of marijuana, heh.), voyeur sex, masturbation and pornography. She even manages to sneak in some health problems like obesity, diabetes and stroke. However, things get really dark at some points, I had to sit back and actually remind myself that this was the same woman that wrote Harry Potter - I think if I ever go back and read those again it'll definitely be in a different light. I have to admit I got really uncomfortable at certain parts, like when characters were calling others racial slurs, or being incredibly homophobic, or being exceptionally cruel to someone. Rowling does an excellent job getting you to think about all these things, and that they are a reality - but in the end it seems that nothing fully got resolved. There wasn't much retribution to be had against these high and mighty characters, and the lowly just seemed to sink a bit lower. Maybe that's what she wants you to think about - how crappy life can be and how it goes on, but it's not what I wanted in my fictional reads. I wanted some good feelings at the end, and I definitely didn't feel very satisfied - there were too many "but what happens to these people after??" kind of moments. There's a lot of British slang and jokes that took some re-reads before I actually got it. So that did slow down my enjoyment and speed at which I read. To show the class division, Rowling even uses a cockney accent - which was amusing at first, but I quickly grew tired of trying to decipher it (I'm TERRIBLE with accents, even written ones apparently). I can't say that the plot was completely predictable, I didn't really try to. I spent most of my time just watching and observing the intense secrets and drama unfold - which was really quite good. Ironically, all the adults seemed to be shallow and condescending, and once again it's her teenage characters that stole the show with creativity, pain, angst and the dire situations that their parents have put them in. It was too slow for my liking, with too many characters to keep track of. Rowling may have packed too much drama into this by addressing so many intense issues altogether, but the way it ended may just end up fueling the destructive fires in other communities that are facing these same problems. There are some redeeming qualities, but I just overall didn't enjoy it that much. If you really need to satisfy your curiosity about this one, definitely borrow it.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Sep 29, 2012
| Oct 19, 2012
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Sep 29, 2012
| Hardcover
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| 0765330598
| 9780765330598
| 3.33
| 1,118
| Oct 02, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
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The story begins with an introduction to Jane, a survivor of The Great War against the fey. But she's not without scars, hers just happens to be a pa...more
The story begins with an introduction to Jane, a survivor of The Great War against the fey. But she's not without scars, hers just happens to be a particularly angry one left behind on her face - a parting gift from the fey. She hides behind an iron mask and veils, but it doesn't stop the constant whispers and paranoia of people around her as she tries to survive in a post war world. She works as a governess when she can, but her employers never fully trust her - until she responds to an ad for a governess at Silver Birch Hall, for a very unique case. I was completely lured to this book by the stunning cover. If I didn't know better I'd think she was going to a masquerade ball with a gorgeous mask and dress in high society. But Jane's life isn't as glamorous as that... When the history behind Jane's scar is revealed - it shows how much she's suffered and lost at the hands of the fey and how much strength it must take to go on with life. I do admire her creativity, and her persistence - especially in dealing with the stubborn Dorie, but she's held back by her scars. Her longing for a normal face is a major obstacle, and I could see why, since the book is set in the time of approximately the Industrial Revolution - women didn't really have many prospects in life except to marry and those options are severely limited when you're cursed. She was a bit irritating in that she was constantly wavering in her decisions to love Rochart or not, to keep trying with Dorie or not, and especially between her actual beauty and her idea of beauty. The secondary characters were much more interesting. Rochart resides in quiet obscurity as a tortured artist who crafts ethereal faces for the obscenely rich and who is barely present for his fey cursed daughter Dorie. But he's a bit too much of a mystery for my liking, and always talking in a cryptic ominous kind of way. Dorie's chased off countless governesses with her "gifts", and admittedly she sounds and acts like one of those little ghost girls you'd find in a haunted house who would lead you to your death. Dorie doesn't say much, but with her tiny but ferocious presence she manages to leave a very disturbing impression on the reader. The story is based loosely on Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I've never read Jane Eyre, and I know it's one of those "classics" that one should read, but I won't. It's not my kind of book. I had to read Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen for an English course once, and I only made it halfway all while rereading sentences and passages because it just wasn't clicking, it was painfully dull. Unfortunately, this story takes on a similar style of writing and tone. This kind of writing always makes me feel displaced from the story, like I'm just observing it from the outside. I couldn't really connect with the characters and I end up not caring about their petty lives. Everything is so stiff and formal. Several points were also repeated constantly throughout the book, at first it was a good reminder, but after awhile it just felt like Connolly was trying to fill space. The slightest saving grace to the story was that there'd be the odd intrusion of fey technology and magic that shatters this monotony - and that's what kept me reading. What I craved to know was the history and reasoning behind the fey war, and their mysterious disappearance. Although the first 3/4 of the book is excruciatingly slow, the last 1/4 is like this completely different story. It takes the reader on a hurtling reveal of all the secrets and recounts until everything horrific is shown to a now stronger and more confident Jane. The concept is definitely intriguing, but I never felt fully drawn into the world and story. But when fey magic finally rears its head, it didn't seem that believable, and everything was confusing and shaky - it's like an action scene in a movie where the camera never actually captures anything - but at the end the hero has the villain dead at his feet but you're not sure how he got there. This book just wasn't for me, and I think Bronte purists might either love it or hate it.(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Sep 24, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
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Sep 24, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1597480169
| 9781597480161
| 3.63
| 821
| Aug 12, 2012
| Aug 13, 2012
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I spent a huge portion of my teenage years in the basements of churches, civic centers and .... sneaking into bars - not to drink of course, but to mo...more
I spent a huge portion of my teenage years in the basements of churches, civic centers and .... sneaking into bars - not to drink of course, but to mosh around in a pit of sweaty writhing bodies charged with the electricity of an (usually) awesome indie band that was on their way to making it big. In Never Say Never Gow completely brings me back to that awesome time but from a band's perspective. Neve grew up surrounded by music, so it only seemed natural to start her own band. Starting at a young age with her band mates, they've spent years honing their sound. Now that they're all off to college together they play gigs when they can and attend classes most days - until their dreams nearly come true one night when a scout approaches them with the possibility of a deal with a record label. But it all comes quickly crashing down when a band member makes an untimely exit and it seems like all their hard work was for naught....until the very talented Danny Blue shows up... Gow has Neve address the shadier side of being a rock star, like the drugs, alcohol and groupie one night stands. These things can become overpowering and often leads to the downfall of a lot of bands. But I loved that Neve was this perfect balance of fun and serious. She knows when to let loose, but she has this rigid determination to achieve a goal she's dedicated her life to. Neve's never given much thought to pursuing relationships, especially when she's surrounded by her all boy band mates who seem more like brothers than potential love interests. So she's made it her number 1 rule to never date any of her band members...but rules are made to be broken. Kyle, Luc and Geoff all have it hard for Neve. Each vying and competing for her attention and each one approaching it differently. Sometimes it got very awkward and when I got to know these guys I squirmed right along with Neve. They've all been 'friendzoned' and Neve tries to do it as tactfully as possible but it's all bound to come crumbling down. I'm glad that at least one band member - Steve - seemed like he was genuinely not interested in Neve and he provided a great go-between and a voice of reason. Oh Danny boy...I have a thing for British accented guitarists. They will always bring me back to James Marsters as Spike from Buffy the Vampire slayer *sigh*. Danny is someone that Neve can easily relate to. They both love music, he has the mental maturity that Neve needs but he's also got the whole tortured musician going for him too. Danny's back story was just constantly evolving the plot of the main story and it all pulled together perfectly - the boy's got some serious secrets! Neve and Danny's romance starts out cute and innocent and quickly gets HOT. They fight the attraction to each other for the sake of the band and it just builds up the sexual tension until it finally explodes. The sex scenes are steamy but not over the top or particularly graphic. They enhanced the romance and play a pivotal role to Neve's development. Gow's style is casual and upbeat, which makes it a super enjoyable and quick read. The character's each have a distinct voice and there's some hilarious moments of innuendo and wit. The plot of the story is pretty predictable but the way it was presented still made it engaging so that I was interested in seeing it to the end - which by the way was a doozie of an ending!! I was pretty much screaming NOOOOO at the end because I was so invested in the characters by that point - now I have to wait for the next book to see how this is going to play out... Gow takes a reader on an exhilarating journey of love, friendship that proves that passion can drive you both on stage and off! (less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Sep 12, 2012
| Sep 13, 2012
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Sep 12, 2012
| Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 145165801X
| 9781451658019
| 3.93
| 6,389
| Jul 10, 2012
| Jul 10, 2012
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When people see the term 'White Trash' they immediately conjure up a very stereotypical image of a moldy aluminum trailer, a young uneducated irrespon...more
When people see the term 'White Trash' they immediately conjure up a very stereotypical image of a moldy aluminum trailer, a young uneducated irresponsible mother that depends on a quick succession of boyfriends to live, and whom runs from every money problem under the sun. Sadly, Leah Jones lives that exact reality from one trailer park to another as her mother perpetually gambles away their lives one pawned TV at a time. Having grown up in such an environment, Leah has been left to fend for herself; rationing food, wearing clothes threadbare and generally biding her time until that eviction notice arrived. But an unexpected benefit to living in trailer parks located next to airstrips was that a love of planes would develop and it drives Leah to one day seek out a job at the airport in her own backyard in Heaven Beach. The cover is what drew me to this book in the first place. Hair can be so expressive, and when you look at this cover you get that intense feeling of a rushing howl of wind at your back (like when riding a roller coaster). It just gives me shivers of excitement looking at it! In the beginning, the story is told by looking at snippets of the past and how Leah learns the skills that lands her in between Grayson and Alec in the present. Young Leah, while working at the airport she excels in the simple daily tasks while she soaks in all that she can about aviation. But just being around planes isn't enough, she's itching to fly in one. Saving up each penny that she can keep from her mother's grabby fingers, Leah convinces Mr. Hall to give her a flight lesson - and one lesson is all it takes to get her hooked. I was completely surprised by the complexity of Leah's character. At times she seems resigned to the stereotypes that come with living in a trailer park (namely that she's easy and poor) and sometimes wallows in it. Then there's times where she's this completely different girl that's strong, willful and has this insane drive to do the impossible. She wavers between the two, and I'm so glad that the other characters don't just let this slide, they call her out on it. Twins Grayson and Alec Hall couldn't be more different. Alec is super adorkable - he's just an all around sweet and nice guy. But it's the black sheep of the family, the reckless adrenaline junkie Grayson that captures and holds your attention. Looking at the Grayson from Leah's flashbacks and the present Grayson, there's a very visible divide between the two. Just when I thought I had Grayson figured out he'd surprise me equally with bouts of anger or random acts of kindness. On his road to emotional recovery, his decisions take him down a very dark path with a hidden agenda that made me blaze through this book because I couldn't stop asking why right along with Leah. Echols does an incredible job crafting her characters, no matter how brief they appear they all had such vivid personalities that I could connect with them instantly and they managed to stay in the back of my mind throughout the book. The romance aspect is completely believable. It's not instant love, there's lots of hardships and tests. I wouldn't say there's an obvious love triangle going on here, but Echols brings on some very mature situations which I loved seeing, because let's be honest here - it's not like teenagers aren't already doing these things why awkwardly dance around it? That being said, this is definitely for older YA readers, there are some scenes that I never would've expected to encounter. This is easily one of my favorite books of 2012. It's got death defying action, social class drama, family dysfunction, hilarious outbursts and really good looking fly boys. What more could you ask for? I'm so glad I bought this one because it's one of those feel good books I'd love to read again and again when I need an inspirational pick me up. Also I've never read anything by Jennifer Echols before, but I'll definitely be looking into her other works! (less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Sep 11, 2012
| Sep 11, 2012
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Sep 11, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1442421762
| 9781442421769
| 4.07
| 25,383
| Sep 27, 2011
| Sep 27, 2011
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I remember reading the synopsis for this and I was immediately intrigued by how it gave NOTHING away. Even the cover with its eerie water logged cloth...more
I remember reading the synopsis for this and I was immediately intrigued by how it gave NOTHING away. Even the cover with its eerie water logged clothes, with a sense of weightlessness - however captivating, still didn't explain any of the secrets hidden away in the pages. In fact, all this vagueness irritated me to the point where I had to find out exactly who was this Mara Dyer, and what her story was. So I ran out and bought it (random aside: a book store employee tried to ward me off it by saying she didn't enjoy it, this is a huge pet peeve for me and I'm glad I didn't listen to her), but it wasn't until Just a Lil' Lost's August read-a-long that I finally got around to reading it and unraveling the mystery that is Mara. Parts of the book are broken up into segments: 'before' the accident and 'after' the accident. Before the accident we get a look into Mara's life with her friends while they were still alive and their strained interactions. Then we fast forward to after the accident - Mara has woken up and doesn't remember a thing from the night that killed her friends. In an attempt to get past the loss, she packs up her life and moves to Florida to start fresh at a new school. But running away from her past isn't as easy as Mara would like. Soon strange incidences start happening and it starts pushing her to figure out what's real and what isn't before more bodies start piling up. I love Mara from the beginning to the end of the book. She's solid in dealing with the shock of losing her friends in such a horrific way and in the post traumatic stress that she's dealing with. She has a clear tone of voice full of sarcasm and snappy comebacks. I especially loved her dynamics with her siblings - sure they bickered (what siblings don't?) - but they had these amazing genuine loving moments together. As the story progresses and the pieces fall into place - she changes and it gets kind of scary. So I'm really wondering how this is going to play out in the next book! Noah Shaw, love interest and bad boy extraordinaire. I'll admit he rubbed me the wrong way at first (bleh he's a smoker, womanizer by reputation and pretty full of himself). He's supposed to be British, and while it gives him an above and beyond sense of entitlement that he fully embraces- I had a bit of a difficult time putting a British accent to his voice and it wasn't until some kind of European reference was stated that I'd remember "Oh right...he's British..". But where he won me over was in his absolutely vulgar/sexual innuendo laced banter with Mara, I just couldn't help but laugh. He's full of secrets and motives, and I could never quite place where he was going. But the reveals at the end definitely has my attention glued to what's in store for Noah Shaw. Eventually the 'before' and 'after' parts of the story start blurring as reality and fantasy start violently colliding for Mara. I was never sure if anything was just a coincidence, or if it was actually real. I love stories like this. It kept me guessing throughout the whole story and kept me up all night reading to find out what exactly it was that made Mara Dyer so Unbecoming...(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Aug 29, 2012
| Aug 30, 2012
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Aug 29, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 1608981231
| 9781608981236
| 3.95
| 294
| Jan 01, 2012
| Sep 01, 2012
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When I requested this book on NetGalley, I was in a different mindset than usual. It was right after a politician who shall not be named made the grie...more
When I requested this book on NetGalley, I was in a different mindset than usual. It was right after a politician who shall not be named made the grievous error of telling people how the female reproductive systems works in cases of "legitimate rape" and watching the aftermath of it blowing up on the internet. So when I saw this book on NetGalley, I just knew I had to read it. It was a far departure from the usual fantasy/paranormal/science that I read, but I'm glad I gave it a chance. At only 126 pages, it's a short read, but Klein manages to explore the characters and situations in depth without turning an already difficult subject into a long arduous read. The story begins with a confession, a confession that takes all the strength in the world to say. Valerie, after days of trying to bottle up the trauma of her rape, breaks down and tells her mom everything. The book isn't graphic about the rape. But the starkness in images that Klein paints in her words are more than enough to send chills down my spine. However, the consequences of reporting it to the police don't go quite the way Valerie hopes. In fact it completely backfires in her face. Soon she becomes the town pariah, with everyone whispering and glaring - thinking they know what really happened. So what's the truth? It all plays out in a series of flashbacks - Valerie reminiscing about the events leading up to the rape interspersed with the present and the proceedings she has to go through. To me Valerie seemed to be your typical teenager. She's smart, she has a loving family, a best friend and a major crush on one of the most sought after guys in the school. But being a teenager - especially now a days, comes with a lot of pressure to fit in and be cool. It's difficult to fight peer pressure, so when an opportunity arises that leaves Valerie without parental supervision for the weekend - you can guess what happens - DRUNKEN UNDERAGE PARTY! I loved the character of Valerie - she's definitely easy to relate to. She does make some really questionable decisions (what teenager doesn't?) but where she completely surprises me is in her will and strength. She goes through something terrible - and the darkness that follows is definitely to be expected. I'm so glad that while Klein acknowledges the difficulty in trying to deal with this - it's not something that drags on. Valerie picks herself up and trudges onward fiercely. I kind of wish that Adam's name would have been left out of the book description especially since in the flashback where Valerie is taking us through the first few moments of the party (before it all goes downhill), she takes in all the people and names off all the males students currently in her home. This had me flinging suspicion left and right at who the perpetrator would be, but it was obvious as soon as Adam walked in. In a small religious town Adam is that boy, the one who is strong, good looking, popular and who can absolutely do no wrong. So when news gets out that the town's golden boy might not be so perfect, all hell breaks loose. He gets scary, although his physical presence is minimal his influence is substantial. There were times where I was terrified for Valerie with all the fervor and mob mentality that he was stirring up. The accusations eventually get really heartbreaking, and some moments were just enraging. Valerie's family was incredible above all else. Her mom is a pillar of strength in her calm and rational actions through such a difficult time. Her brother has the natural big brother reaction (to beat the guy to a bloody pulp) and her sister while she is still very young - understands that something horrible happened to her sister. While her family tries to be supportive, each one harbors a dark secret in connection to her rape that threatens to tear the whole family apart. Rape Girl takes us to some very miserable places in high school drama/politics. But it's not all doom and gloom, there's sparks of hope in some very unassuming characters, which lends a tremendous amount of strength to moving forward for Valerie. My only real complaint would be that the book might have been a bit too heavy with religion. I get that it's an important aspect of this town, but since I have no solid knowledge of certain aspects of some religions (like what Mormon missionaries do), so I felt a bit out of place there - but it wasn't a huge hindrance. This read was an emotional roller coaster, I was shocked one moment, terrified another, laughing, crying, raging - it goes on. It was an amazing experience. While the ending wasn't quite what I expected it left me with a very vivid picture and ultimately satisfied with how Valerie will go on.(less) | Notes are private!
| none
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1
| Aug 27, 2012
| Aug 27, 2012
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Aug 27, 2012
| Hardcover
| |||||||||||||||
| 0312583516
| 9780312583514
| 3.62
| 3,905
| Oct 02, 2012
| Oct 02, 2012
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The book starts out with a bang! literally, Eve gets smooshed by a speeding truck. What better way to grab your reader's attention than to immediately...more
The book starts out with a bang! literally, Eve gets smooshed by a speeding truck. What better way to grab your reader's attention than to immediately kill off your main character? Oh but I didn't mention that Eve survives, and in the ensuing hours she miraculously stays conscious through the whole ordeal. But the oddity of how quickly she's healing is overshadowed by the project her mother - head of Spiker Biotech - assigns her to keep her busy. You'd think it'd be easy to design the perfect male specimen right? It just happens to get a little bit complicated with the gorgeous and mysterious Solo hovering nearby, Eve's best friend Aislin getting into trouble non-stop on top of the ominous rumblings in the bowels of Spiker Biotech. I love the cover so much. With the title being Eve & Adam, and using the apple as the traditional iconic symbol to allude to the story of creation, it's fitting for this tale of girl creates boy - with a slight Frankenstein science fiction twist to the cover, it blends the two themes together perfectly! I walked into this book thinking it'd be set in a futuristic world where impossible technology ruled, but turns out it's set in present day with lots of inside jokes about current video games (I giggled at the mention of Portal), and common gadgets (like iPads). So it was a bit surprising, but given the context of how Eve is presented with her project I think this setting was a good choice. This husband wife writing duo manages to nail the characters right on the head. The story is told from alternating points of view between Eve and Solo - each chapter is distinguished by name. But the voices are written in a way that it's easy to distinct between Eve with a more structured professional academic voice versus Solo's darker, casual but calculated voice. I liked Eve well enough. She over thinks things a bit too much sometimes, and it ends up giving her tunnel vision, which causes her to miss crucial facts that are blaring at her. Eve has never wanted for anything in her life, but her life isn't as perfect as you think. She's lived with a very tightly controlled leash, and because of this she's both insanely intelligent but lacks common sense life skills. She's driven to do well, but like any sane teenager she tests her mothers limits. She gets her bouts of rebellion in where she can, mostly in the form of her best friend Aislin. Aislin is that friend I think we all knew at one point. She makes some of the worst relationship decisions ever, loves to party and you always feel like you need to rescue her from herself. Which is Eve's role in this friendship, she ends up living vicariously through Aislin's crazy adventures while picking up the pieces afterwards. Aislin, although a secondary character seemed to play a huge role in the story. Her mess of a life is what drives most of the conflict. I will give Aislin credit, at least she knows what she wants and she decides quickly, it made Eve's constant indecision a bit more bearable. Solo Plissken has a lot in common with Eve. He's clever, smart, snarky and at times just a little bit hormonally awkward. But unlike Eve, he has the ability to think quickly on his feet, and street smarts to survive in the cut throat environment of Spiker Biotech. At first I wasn't sure if I liked him, he was a bit of an ass. But Solo is like a fungus, he grows on you. I was a bit disappointed that Eve's designing of her perfect boy takes a bit of a backseat to all the drama that Aislin and Solo brings to the party. But once things get going I was more concerned with each character's personal struggles instead of her project. The darker undertow of the whole story does however end up drawing all these strings together into one fantastic reveal. It gets a bit philosophical towards the end, but I figure the ramifications and ethics of such a project should likely be discussed. The style and language used makes this a surprisingly quick read. The science isn't overly technical, the romance isn't steamy but it's cute in a geeks get together kind of way. All in all you will laugh and be entertained! The ending didn't leave me for wanting, but it does look like it could be turned into a series. (less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Aug 23, 2012
| Aug 25, 2012
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Aug 23, 2012
| Hardcover
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| 0765328666
| 9780765328663
| 4.00
| 5,669
| Aug 07, 2012
| Aug 07, 2012
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When I read the first book Anna Dressed in Blood, I compared it to Supernatural. Especially with the ending where Anna goes to Hell and Cas desperatel...more
When I read the first book Anna Dressed in Blood, I compared it to Supernatural. Especially with the ending where Anna goes to Hell and Cas desperately wants to know what became of her. I was afraid Blake was going to keep beating the dead horse with a stick exactly like Supernatural and the two of them would be trapped in a never ending loop of sacrifice. I'm glad to say that this ISN'T the case with Girl of Nightmares! I love these cover so much. The gorgeously rendered Anna is set in a smoldering hell with tortured souls grasping at her. She has this look that lures you into the pages of her story. It's been months after Anna's sacrifice, Cas has decided to stay in Thunder Bay, Ontario and live a semi-normal life. As normal as it gets when you hunt ghosts on the side with your mini-ghost buster club of friends: Thomas the psychic witch and Carmel the pretty and popular sidekick. What should have been a routine hunt for them, a simple lure and stab quickly dissolves into a dire situation when Anna suddenly shows up looking tortured and desperate. Anna keeps appearing, but to Cas only and his nightmares of her agony start to bleed into reality as his friends worry he's losing his mind. Cas has been hunting for answers since that night, but he pursues it ferociously now that he's seen Anna again. Cas in the beginning is a hollow shell of the hunter he once was. The obsession and puzzle that is Anna has completely consumed him. It's made him a bit more reckless and it nearly costs him his friends. The way Blake executes the scenes with Anna pulls the reader into the love that Cas has for Anna as well as the debt he feels that needs to be paid - and a hunter always pays his debts. He has a dogged determination to figure things out, that hasn't changed and he starts regaining his confidence when a more concrete plan develops. At the end I was back to cheering for our headstrong Cas! Thomas has grown so much over his time with Cas. He still has moments where he's a bit shy and quiet, but he's a bit more inclined to forge is own path now and he isn't going to take crap from people anymore. His loyalty to Cas was awe inspiring, he's the kind of unwavering friend that anyone would want by their side to the bitter end. Carmel will always be that character that completely surprises me. Just when I think I've gotten her figured out and I'm disappointed in her she comes back with an ass kicking vengeance! I found that the beginning of Girl of Nightmares was a bit slow. It builds up Anna's situation interspersed with some action packed ghost hunts. It also takes a deeper look into the history of the athame. It's a knife full of secrets and those who would kill for the athame. But when all the pieces are in place in the last half of the story, Blake doesn't give you a moment's rest until Cas' blood debt is paid! Blake always creates amazing creepy scenes, but she might have outdone herself this time with a certain forest at the end. I won't tell you what happens, but if you've ever seen the new Dr. Who episodes where they feature the Weeping Angels you'll know how terrifying it can get. The ending was absolutely perfect, we get closure and the major strings are tied up. It's left a bit open ended so that Blake could come back to it in a whole new way if she wanted, but for now it's definitely enough.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Aug 18, 2012
| Sep 10, 2012
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Aug 18, 2012
| Hardcover
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| 1620610124
| 9781620610121
| 4.47
| 22,534
| Aug 14, 2012
| Aug 14, 2012
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After the explosive events of Obsidian, Katy finds herself inexplicably attached to Daemon with an invisible tether; making their attraction undeniabl...more
After the explosive events of Obsidian, Katy finds herself inexplicably attached to Daemon with an invisible tether; making their attraction undeniably hard to resist. But Katy fights him off - thinking that Daemon's feelings are just a result of the connection. It just makes Daemon more determined to show her that his feelings are true - which makes him all the more alluring. But as their connection morphs into something more - weird things start to happen to Katy and with the Department of Defense closing in on the site of their fireworks show in Obsidian and some new characters appearing in their dreamy little town the lines become blurred on who Katy can trust and what monumental secrets people are hiding. I'm loving that Armentrout has continued with the Pepe and Sztella featured cover models and that these two have become the hallmark images for Daemon and Katy! In keeping with Armentrout's trademark ability to create sexual tension between Katy and Daemon like no other we get a lot of teasing, a little smidgen of a reward and then we're left hanging with mouths open going that's it?! Katy is still a bit miffed from how badly Daemon treated her in Obsidian, and that's fair - he was a major jerk, so she makes him work for it this time. The tension builds and builds until you just want to take Katy and push her and Daemon into a closet and have them just get it over with! But alas Armentrout keeps us on a roller coaster, and while it creates entertaining scenes and allows Katy to build a true relationship with Daemon I felt like it got dragged out a bit too long. This indecision about Daemon made Katy a bit annoying and whiny, but she does eventually grow into this incredibly strong character later on that's going to be incredible to see in Opal! Daemon in his determination to win Katy over is still at times a bit irritating, then a bit stalkerish and then it finally clicks in his head and he turns into this super adorable guy that will have you "aww"-ing and sighing. I'm still loving Armentrout's upbeat writing filled with snarky humor, physics defying action and twists on seemingly innocuous characters that I couldn't see coming! We also get a little bit more insight into Daemon and the collective Luxen's past as it catches up to them in the form of ghosts. The biggest thing was [HOLY SMOKES] what a cliffhanger ending, good thing the third book Opal is already out because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! Overall: 4/5 Hot Cups of Tea Delicious sexual tension meshed with the high stakes gamble of living a secret alien life in a town where nothing is as it appears - Onyx is a great sequel to Obsidian with Armentrout's highly addictive storytelling. If you haven't read the Lux series, or anything by Armentrout - do it! You'll become 'one of us...one of us...'(less) | Notes are private!
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| Aug 14, 2012
| Aug 19, 2012
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Aug 14, 2012
| ebook
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| 1612130607
| 9781612130606
| 3.92
| 248,841
| 2011
| Jan 19, 2012
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1
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Aug 09, 2012
| Paperback
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| 1612130585
| 9781612130583
| 3.95
| 273,605
| Jan 01, 2011
| Sep 15, 2011
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Aug 09, 2012
| Paperback
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| 1612130291
| 9781612130293
| 3.60
| 518,951
| 2011
| Apr 2012
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When I first heard about this book, I heard the following things: it was originally Twilight fan fiction and thus described as "mommy porn" for those...more
When I first heard about this book, I heard the following things: it was originally Twilight fan fiction and thus described as "mommy porn" for those Twi-hard moms and secondly it was BDSM. I'm not really into BDSM, and based on the explosions of shock and awe on Twitter and review sites I gathered that it was really dark BDSM. In my mind I was thinking Cleveland steamers, lots of anal related play and really torturous fetishes. But apparently my imagination ran wild with that one and I was envisioning far more disturbing scenarios than what it was. I should have known that the loudest proponents of this book were likely pretty sexually repressed adults that haven't really read many erotica/romance novels - let alone BDSM. But it was something new and adult themed that they could latch onto during the Twilight off season. I read this article awhile back, that attributes the success of the series to its relatively tame covers and I definitely have to agree. The innocuousness of a tie, and a very nondescript title made it less embarrassing for the aforementioned sexually repressed readers to buy it and or read it in public without ridicule (although by now I'm pretty sure everyone knows what it's about), since there isn't a half naked man ravaging a half naked woman on the cover (I don't read these in public either because I hate having to stop reading every 5 minutes in order to listen to some old biddy yelling at me that I'm going to hell for reading smut - I live in a very conservative city). Anyways, we're first introduced to shy, sexually inexperienced virgin Anastasia Steele (to be fair this sounds like a bad porno name to begin with) who in a twist of fate has to fill in for her best friend for an interview with Seattle's most eligible and successful bachelor Christian Grey. Ana has a penchant for running an internal monologue - and generally that's okay to talk to yourself in your head I mean I'm doing it now, but Ana takes it to a whole new level. She ends up splitting herself into multiple personalities - her immature sex drive the "Inner Goddess" that sounds and acts like a child with a shiny new toy and then there's her "subconscious" that's a bit abusive. These two are silly and simplistic in their exchanges with Ana, and soon it gets really bothersome. All in all, Ana irritated me from her inability to say no, to rationalizing abuse, to not even owning a freaking computer - she's easily molded and manipulated and quieted with sex. Christian Grey, I can see why people would love this rich, charming, sophisticated, absurdly possessive and domineering man that demands subservience from his women - in some really odd ways (you have to eat, but you have to stay skinny). For me he definitely makes the book, but not for the aforementioned reasons. To me he's a psychologists (at this point it could be literally and figuratively) wet dream with all that childhood trauma, sexual abuse and psycho-sexual dysfunction that even I could see a mile away before it was even hinted at in the plot. That's what kept me reading this train wreck of a series, I wanted to know if and how he'd overcome all his mentally and physically erected barriers to intimacy. The sex and sexual acts in this is by no means anything new, okay except one thing that involves a female personal hygiene product that I can never look at the same way again, it just kills the mood right then and there. I know it's a reality, but it's not something I want to see in my fiction and there is NOTHING sexy about it. The BDSM aspect is MILD. Control freak Grey sets some stringent rules, and limits most of the interactions to getting off on physical abuse of his submissive. From my understanding BDSM is supposed to be consensual and pleasurable for both parties involve, and I'm pretty sure it's not really pleasurable when you're getting your ass beat and tears are streaming in pain and anger. But these two are in the honey moon phase (they've just met), and like the cycle of relationship abuse they apologize, she gives him more and more chances and we keep going on. As this was originally Twilight fan fiction, I spent a good portion of the book finding the correlations between the two. It's everywhere, and James is not subtle about it. It gets mixed around a bit, but it's very obvious in the music discussions and the obsessions with expensive toy cars. The style of writing is kept extremely simple, repetitive to drive home the point and dances along at an upbeat tempo. There's a lot of ups and downs, and James definitely knows how to hook the readers into the next book with a heartbreaking ending. What I think keeps, especially women reading this (I've seen a lot of guys reading this lately, and I'm really wondering what's drawing them to this, curiosity?) is the spoiling riches and the possibility that it may be possible that a guy will actually change drastically for the woman he loves if she just tries hard enough. It's started a BDSM erotica fever... and while I may not have liked this much at all, hey it's gotten people to read (and maybe be the doorway to better stories?) and get out of their shells a bit right? Read it because you're beyond curious about the fuss, then try some other erotica. Might I suggest Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour, #1) by Olivia Cunning.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Jan 06, 2013
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Aug 09, 2012
| ebook
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| B00522V6DQ
| 4.30
| 18,240
| Feb 14, 2012
| May 21, 2011
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| Notes are private!
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| Aug 09, 2012
| Aug 09, 2012
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Aug 09, 2012
| Kindle Edition
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| 0385738935
| 9780385738934
| 3.75
| 156,417
| Dec 08, 2009
| Dec 08, 2009
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1
| Jul 27, 2012
| Jul 29, 2012
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Jul 27, 2012
| Hardcover
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| 0345525485
| 9780345525482
| 3.94
| 1,679
| Jul 10, 2012
| Jul 10, 2012
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This graphic novel combines two of my absolute favorite things: art and Karen Marie Moning into one gloriously beautiful book. But the cover of this b...more
This graphic novel combines two of my absolute favorite things: art and Karen Marie Moning into one gloriously beautiful book. But the cover of this book, doesn't even begin to do justice to the exquisitely rendered art inside. The story begins with a rehash of all of the important events up to about midway of the last book in the Fever series: Shadowfever narrated by none other than Mac so that if you don’t remember what happened (how could you not remember?!), it gives you a great refresher before diving into the main plot. So it’s a good idea to have read the Fever series before picking this up or else you’ll ruin some of the huge “aha!” moments for yourself. This chapter in the Fever series is made in the classic super hero comic formula. The villain does horrendous things to innocent people, it attracts the attention of the hero, the hero goes on this murder mystery quest for information, add in some ass-kicking and viola! The hero triumphs! Which means that the Fear Dorcha story is pretty simplistic. It has been adapted by David Lawrence for this type of format, so while it maintains Moning’s essence in the story and characters, the clipped sentences and thought bubbles here and there will frustrate a lot of people. I was a huge comic book and then manga fanatic in my teen years, so none of this really phases me. You know that old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words”? This is absolutely true for this book! What it may have lacked in written word it definitely made up in the expressiveness of the art. I could just gape at his incredible artwork for hours. A lot of people will dislike the art, and that really can't be helped. Everyone's imagination runs differently and they come up with a vision that will never be fully realized the way they want, but for me Rio definitely comes close. Rio manages to capture Mac’s carefree innocence in her life before, and contrasts it with this deadly sexy kickass Mac after. He even depicts one of the most disturbing and pivotal Mac changing moments in such a raw and powerful way. I was surprised at how much I loved his rendition of Barrons. Rio delivered the seductiveness of Barrons with the gruffness that we all know and love. We even get to see first hand some very special alter ego creatures that will definitely give fans of the series something to be excited about! The story features most of the main cast of characters: Jericho Barrons, Mac, Dani, Ryodan and we even get some more backstory into the Unseelie King and his Concubine! Rio also managed to incorporate little but distinct details from the Fever universe such as Mac’s Juicy clothes, the cars and even the MacHalo, which definitely brought a huge smile to my face. Where Rio’s work really shines is in Mac’s kick ass super hero action stills where she’s slicing and disembowling with nothing barring her. He captures her in such epic moments you just have to stop and take it all in inch by inch because there’s so much going on. Unfortunately Rio passed away midway through this undertaking and his talent will be sorely missed. However, Cliff Richards did an impeccable job finishing up, it was difficult to see where Rio ended and Cliff started. If you’re a huge fan of Moning, you’ll definitely want to buy this one for collector’s purposes. The art in itself is definitely worth it, I hope that Al Rio’s family is beyond proud of how incredible his last piece of work is.(less) | Notes are private!
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| Jul 13, 2012
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Jul 16, 2012
| Hardcover
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| 9780985763800
| 4.43
| 14
| Jun 25, 2012
| Jun 25, 2012
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I loved the first book in the Telepathic Clans series (entitled The Succubus Gift) and I thought I'd have to wait a year or more before I'd get my han...more
I loved the first book in the Telepathic Clans series (entitled The Succubus Gift) and I thought I'd have to wait a year or more before I'd get my hands on the second one. So imagine how ecstatic I was when I saw just a few months after I had finished the first one that the second book's release was imminent! The first book was incredibly intricate with lots of plot points. The poignant points stuck with me, but there were some more subtle parts that I may have forgotten. But not to worry Kingsolver opens with a great refresher forward of what Brenna O'Donnell went through in The Succubus Gift with a sneak peak for what was in store for this installment. The cover this time around is a unique blend of realism mixed with animated power swirling around. I think I might like this cover more than the first. It definitely portrays the stronger version of Brenna. Succubus Unleashed picks up immediately where the last one left off. As a result of the events of the last book, Brenna has become far more comfortable and confident in the powers and needs of being a Succubus. Brenna's also being acclimated into her family, and introduced to her very very vast fortunes. Which she uses to take the reader on a lust worthy shopping trip. Kingsolver has an amazing talent for taking several stories that offshoot into different directions, and pulling them together into one cohesive story where they play on and enhance each other. This time around there's a lot of focus on family politics with questions of inheritance, relationship drama, mysterious kidnapping of Succubi and a huge discovery that completely changes the way that Succubus will live. While the story still focuses on Brenna, I feel that the other characters get their share of front page time equally. Which is awesome because I pretty much love all the secondary characters just as much, if not more than Brenna. We get glimpses into their personal lives and as well as working together as an unstoppable team. They get into some pretty epic street battles (I kid you not, it's like Street Fighter, fists and balls of energy flying everywhere - it's freaking AWESOME!). Brenna has changed in leaps and bounds this time around. I love that while she is still a strong and intelligent character, she manages to maintain a certain air of youth but in certain situations she becomes this dead serious all-business woman that isn't to be trifled with - it provided surprising moments for both me and the other characters at times. Collin - Brenna's now boyfriend is still my absolute favorite! He's strong, supportive and all around adorable. In this part of the story, we even get a sneak peak into some of his relationships, which causes some major tension but also leads him down a new road in his life. Rebecca - Brenna's best friend, with Brenna's discovery that Succubus gene carriers are prone to intense sexual urges, I feel that Rebecca has definitely grown up. She's taken control of her life and doesn't feel so ashamed any more. It was great to see this, I always wanted Rebecca to be okay with herself and now that she is a bit more she's become confident and this confidence ends up translating to other aspects of her life! Succubus Unleashed takes a more intimate look at the inner workings of the clans, and especially the role of the Succubus. We're introduced to very old and familiar iconic pagan rituals that are presided over and sealed by a priestess. While Brenna is initiated into all of this, the reader is opened up to this wonderfully enlightened world where women are revered and respected for their sexuality. I loved this so much! Especially in today's world where women's rights are slowly being stripped away and where women are shamed for being confident in their sexual wants and needs - Kingsolver isn't afraid to embrace the fact that it's a part of our nature and that it's totally okay to relish in it. With this in mind, Kingsolver takes her sex scenes up a notch, which one of the lines in the book perfectly describes as "... the most civilized and discreet orgy you'll ever attend." (loc 1948). But what really blew me away was Kingsolver's use of realistic science to explain key aspects related to the clan abilities. It's so rare for authors to actually bother to explain things like this, let alone explain it in perfect clarity and have it work so well in the story. Plus it completely spoke to my Biology Major side - I totally squealed and went "I KNOW WHAT THAT DOES!" before she even fully explained it. I love having these light bulb moments while reading. The Telepathic Clans series has a little bit of everything for everyone. International mystery, romance, political drama, paranormal abilities, epic smack downs and to-die-for shopping trips. I don't think I'll ever be disappointed by what Kingsolver writes, and I'm already eagerly bouncing around waiting for the next in the series!(less) | Notes are private!
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1
| Jun 30, 2012
| Jul 2012
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Jun 30, 2012
| ebook
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