M.L. Sparrow's Blog, page 11
March 4, 2018
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells 
Blurb:No one would have believed in the last years of the 19th century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinized and studied. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. Then, late one night, in the middle of the English countryside, they landed.My Review'The classic tale of alien invasion, and still the best' - this is what The Times says on the back of the copy of the book I own, unfortunately, I have to disagree. I was really excited to read this book; it's been on my shelf for so long, but I've just never got around to it until now. I was exited because this book is supposed to be such a classic, however, I was left disappointed.The story itself was clever, especially the ending (thought I couldn't help but feel like it was a little anticlimactic) and I especially enjoyed that it was set in the English country side and mentioned a lot of places I know since I grew up in the area. I also thought it was very interesting that although this is primarily science-fiction, there is quite a lot of speculative themes, like the way humans treat other species, since we consider them 'lesser', much as the Martians considered the humans less than them - at least, that's what I read into this - however, it's also saddening that this was written in the 1800's, yet, despite animal rights movements etc, we still treat animals as beneath us, as unfeeling and almost deserving of mistreatment simply because they are "inferior" to us...Also, I can appreciate that when this was first published in 1898, it would have been groundbreaking. It would have been amazing that someone could produce something so far outside of most peoples understanding, something so dark and imaginative and with such a view towards future mechanical advancements. When I think about that and the age in which it was written, I think it's a great book, yet reading it as a modern reader, I was bored.For the most part, I enjoyed the story, especially once it got to 'Book Two', but I just found the writing style so boring and for me that's what brought it down. I had to trudge through this book.
My favourite quotes from 'The War of the Worlds':'And before we judge them too harshly, we must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only on animals ... but upon its own inferior races.''What good is religion if it collapses at calamity?''... the fear and empire of man had passed away.''It never was a war, any more than there's war between men and ants.'
Blurb:No one would have believed in the last years of the 19th century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinized and studied. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. Then, late one night, in the middle of the English countryside, they landed.My Review'The classic tale of alien invasion, and still the best' - this is what The Times says on the back of the copy of the book I own, unfortunately, I have to disagree. I was really excited to read this book; it's been on my shelf for so long, but I've just never got around to it until now. I was exited because this book is supposed to be such a classic, however, I was left disappointed.The story itself was clever, especially the ending (thought I couldn't help but feel like it was a little anticlimactic) and I especially enjoyed that it was set in the English country side and mentioned a lot of places I know since I grew up in the area. I also thought it was very interesting that although this is primarily science-fiction, there is quite a lot of speculative themes, like the way humans treat other species, since we consider them 'lesser', much as the Martians considered the humans less than them - at least, that's what I read into this - however, it's also saddening that this was written in the 1800's, yet, despite animal rights movements etc, we still treat animals as beneath us, as unfeeling and almost deserving of mistreatment simply because they are "inferior" to us...Also, I can appreciate that when this was first published in 1898, it would have been groundbreaking. It would have been amazing that someone could produce something so far outside of most peoples understanding, something so dark and imaginative and with such a view towards future mechanical advancements. When I think about that and the age in which it was written, I think it's a great book, yet reading it as a modern reader, I was bored.For the most part, I enjoyed the story, especially once it got to 'Book Two', but I just found the writing style so boring and for me that's what brought it down. I had to trudge through this book.My favourite quotes from 'The War of the Worlds':'And before we judge them too harshly, we must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only on animals ... but upon its own inferior races.''What good is religion if it collapses at calamity?''... the fear and empire of man had passed away.''It never was a war, any more than there's war between men and ants.'
February 27, 2018
This Is Where It Ends
This Is Where It Ends, by Marieke Nijkamp
Blurb:10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open. 10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting. Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.My ReviewWhen I finished this book last night - after only starting it in the morning, before work - I was ready to give it a raving 5 star review. Sure, it's not perfect but it totally hooked me. Not to mention how much emotion and food for thought are in this book. However, after thinking about it, I decided to downgrade it to a 4 star and here's why... Although the rest of the book hooked me, I found Claire's POV very boring and although I felt like the book needed a POV from someone outside the school I felt like it could have been done so much better. Claire could have made the whole book so much more emotional, especially since her brother was inside, but it just fell flat and I didn't feel any of the desperation she was supposedly feeling.Then there was Tyler, the shooter. I never felt like his motivation was explained; clearly he had a tough time, but how did he turn into that person, especially when Claire's memories show him as a caring boyfriend. I just didn't feel like the motivation and reasons given were enough, or at least they weren't explained enough, or shown well enough.And finally... the characters made seriously stupid decisions sometimes, which is fair enough since its hard to be clear minded in such a situation, however, it felt like it was just done to move them from one scene to something else and it was kind of irritating. Like I said, there are some problems with this book... And yet... It is such an important book. Not only is the subject matter important considering current events, but it's also beautifully but simply written and the emotion is staggering. It's about friendship, love and standing together. I loved that there were multiple POV, so that we could see the situation from different sides and Tomas was definitely my favourite character, which made the ending even sadder for me, though it also made the story feel more realistic.I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy of this book - even if you just want it for the gorgeous cover! - and making up your own mind. :-) 
My favourite quotes from 'This Is Where It Ends':'The only things that give us purpose are the stories that tie us together.' 'Terror is out strongest force because we're only afraid when we have something to lose - our lives, our loves... our dignity.''We might not be able to beat this together, but we definitely can't face it alone.''Together we could be so strong, but the gun has made us individuals.' 'We're more than our mistakes. We're more than what people expect of us.''How could I possibly push you away when you were nowhere to be found?''I'm not sure if I pushed her away or never had her at all.''I don't need to die for him to kill me.''we may not have forever. But we still have tomorrow.'
Blurb:10:00 a.m. The principal of Opportunity High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02 a.m. The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03 a.m. The auditorium doors won't open. 10:05 a.m. Someone starts shooting. Told from four different perspectives over the span of fifty-four harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.My ReviewWhen I finished this book last night - after only starting it in the morning, before work - I was ready to give it a raving 5 star review. Sure, it's not perfect but it totally hooked me. Not to mention how much emotion and food for thought are in this book. However, after thinking about it, I decided to downgrade it to a 4 star and here's why... Although the rest of the book hooked me, I found Claire's POV very boring and although I felt like the book needed a POV from someone outside the school I felt like it could have been done so much better. Claire could have made the whole book so much more emotional, especially since her brother was inside, but it just fell flat and I didn't feel any of the desperation she was supposedly feeling.Then there was Tyler, the shooter. I never felt like his motivation was explained; clearly he had a tough time, but how did he turn into that person, especially when Claire's memories show him as a caring boyfriend. I just didn't feel like the motivation and reasons given were enough, or at least they weren't explained enough, or shown well enough.And finally... the characters made seriously stupid decisions sometimes, which is fair enough since its hard to be clear minded in such a situation, however, it felt like it was just done to move them from one scene to something else and it was kind of irritating. Like I said, there are some problems with this book... And yet... It is such an important book. Not only is the subject matter important considering current events, but it's also beautifully but simply written and the emotion is staggering. It's about friendship, love and standing together. I loved that there were multiple POV, so that we could see the situation from different sides and Tomas was definitely my favourite character, which made the ending even sadder for me, though it also made the story feel more realistic.I'd definitely recommend grabbing a copy of this book - even if you just want it for the gorgeous cover! - and making up your own mind. :-) My favourite quotes from 'This Is Where It Ends':'The only things that give us purpose are the stories that tie us together.' 'Terror is out strongest force because we're only afraid when we have something to lose - our lives, our loves... our dignity.''We might not be able to beat this together, but we definitely can't face it alone.''Together we could be so strong, but the gun has made us individuals.' 'We're more than our mistakes. We're more than what people expect of us.''How could I possibly push you away when you were nowhere to be found?''I'm not sure if I pushed her away or never had her at all.''I don't need to die for him to kill me.''we may not have forever. But we still have tomorrow.'
February 24, 2018
Risuko
Risuko: A Kunoichi Tale (Season of the Sword, Book 1), by David Kudler 
Blurb:My name is Kano Murasaki, but most people call me Risuko. Squirrel. I am from Serenity Province, though I was not born there. My nation has been at war for a hundred years, Serenity is under attack, my family is in disgrace, but some people think that I can bring victory. That I can be a very special kind of woman. All I want to do is climb. My name is Kano Murasaki, but everyone calls me Squirrel.My ReviewThe cover is what originally drew me to this book, because it's absolutely gorgeous! Also, I love books set in Japan in this time period, especially when they're about female 'soldiers'. However, I was left a little disappointed; there wasn't much action until the end and a little at the beginning, but the middle was a long stretch of what read almost like a schoolgirl memoire... I knew this book as YA when I picked it up, but it seemed to be written for the younger end of the spectrum.It's a shame that it was so slow going in the middle because this book is full of beautiful writing and I loved the premise of it, I just feel like most of what was in this book could have been skipped or condensed down so that we could get to the action and adventure which I think/hope will be in the second book which isn't out yet. 
Blurb:My name is Kano Murasaki, but most people call me Risuko. Squirrel. I am from Serenity Province, though I was not born there. My nation has been at war for a hundred years, Serenity is under attack, my family is in disgrace, but some people think that I can bring victory. That I can be a very special kind of woman. All I want to do is climb. My name is Kano Murasaki, but everyone calls me Squirrel.My ReviewThe cover is what originally drew me to this book, because it's absolutely gorgeous! Also, I love books set in Japan in this time period, especially when they're about female 'soldiers'. However, I was left a little disappointed; there wasn't much action until the end and a little at the beginning, but the middle was a long stretch of what read almost like a schoolgirl memoire... I knew this book as YA when I picked it up, but it seemed to be written for the younger end of the spectrum.It's a shame that it was so slow going in the middle because this book is full of beautiful writing and I loved the premise of it, I just feel like most of what was in this book could have been skipped or condensed down so that we could get to the action and adventure which I think/hope will be in the second book which isn't out yet.
February 16, 2018
A Darker Shade of Magic
A Darker Shade of Magic, (Shades of Magic, Book 1), by V.E. Schwab
Blurb: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.My ReviewOkay, so I'm definitely jumping on the V.E. Schwab band-wagon! Vicious and Dark Duet have been on my TBR list for a while, but I picked up this book randomly when shopping (I brought it because of the gorgeous cover, but I actually have to say I prefer the cover by Tor Books; I think it's more unique). It took me a while to get around to reading it and now I'm kicking myself for not reading this authors work sooner. Here's why... The writing is utterly beautiful, harshly poetic at times, but also simple enough that the worlds, which could have been very complex and confusing, were easily understood. The world building was brilliant and I was instantly intrigued and drawn into the story. It is a bit of a slow-burn to begin with, but I liked that, I liked seeing the worlds and understanding them before being thrown into the action and boy was there action! My only compliant would be that the battles ended too soon, but maybe that was just me reading too fast! And then there's the characters... They're all so different, but all amazing and developed and totally engaging. Kell was great hero, but I did find myself drawn towards Holland and I'm desperately hoping he wasn't actually dead and we see more of him - I feel like he may be redeemable now he's no longer under Athos' control... However, my favourite character was definitely Lila; she was the most kick-ass heroine I've read about in a long time and I loved the fact that, being a thief, she straddled the line of good and bad, shifting back and forth, although she definitely had a good heart and I know we'll see more of her in the other books. Also, I hope we see more of Rhy in the other books, since I felt like he didn't get much time in this one and he's another character I was intrigued about.My only problem was that I felt there were a few loose ends that didn't get tied up, not that it really mattered but I thought the magical enthusiasts (Ned) would have something to do with the story and the mad king, too. But maybe they'll have roles in later books... Now, I'm off to buy the other two books in this trilogy!
My favourite quotes from 'A Darker Shade of Magic':'A respectable prison is still a prison,' 'Well might have cut him some slack, but men who waded into waters claiming they could swim should not need a raft.' ' "Just because you make it look easy doesn't mean it is." ' 'Saying yes would have meant staying, and staying would have meant settling.' ' "I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here. ... I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still." ' ' "Do you know what makes you weak?" said Holland. "You've never had to be strong, You've never had to try. You've never had to fight ..." ' '... the problem with forcing people to do things they didn't want to do. You had to be specific. They had no choice but to follow orders, but they probably weren't inclined to go above and beyond them.'
Blurb: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.My ReviewOkay, so I'm definitely jumping on the V.E. Schwab band-wagon! Vicious and Dark Duet have been on my TBR list for a while, but I picked up this book randomly when shopping (I brought it because of the gorgeous cover, but I actually have to say I prefer the cover by Tor Books; I think it's more unique). It took me a while to get around to reading it and now I'm kicking myself for not reading this authors work sooner. Here's why... The writing is utterly beautiful, harshly poetic at times, but also simple enough that the worlds, which could have been very complex and confusing, were easily understood. The world building was brilliant and I was instantly intrigued and drawn into the story. It is a bit of a slow-burn to begin with, but I liked that, I liked seeing the worlds and understanding them before being thrown into the action and boy was there action! My only compliant would be that the battles ended too soon, but maybe that was just me reading too fast! And then there's the characters... They're all so different, but all amazing and developed and totally engaging. Kell was great hero, but I did find myself drawn towards Holland and I'm desperately hoping he wasn't actually dead and we see more of him - I feel like he may be redeemable now he's no longer under Athos' control... However, my favourite character was definitely Lila; she was the most kick-ass heroine I've read about in a long time and I loved the fact that, being a thief, she straddled the line of good and bad, shifting back and forth, although she definitely had a good heart and I know we'll see more of her in the other books. Also, I hope we see more of Rhy in the other books, since I felt like he didn't get much time in this one and he's another character I was intrigued about.My only problem was that I felt there were a few loose ends that didn't get tied up, not that it really mattered but I thought the magical enthusiasts (Ned) would have something to do with the story and the mad king, too. But maybe they'll have roles in later books... Now, I'm off to buy the other two books in this trilogy!My favourite quotes from 'A Darker Shade of Magic':'A respectable prison is still a prison,' 'Well might have cut him some slack, but men who waded into waters claiming they could swim should not need a raft.' ' "Just because you make it look easy doesn't mean it is." ' 'Saying yes would have meant staying, and staying would have meant settling.' ' "I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here. ... I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still." ' ' "Do you know what makes you weak?" said Holland. "You've never had to be strong, You've never had to try. You've never had to fight ..." ' '... the problem with forcing people to do things they didn't want to do. You had to be specific. They had no choice but to follow orders, but they probably weren't inclined to go above and beyond them.'
February 11, 2018
Lord of the Flies
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding 
Blurb:William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At 1st, it seems as though it's all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious & life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic & death. As ordinary standards of behavior collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them—the world of cricket & homework & adventure stories—& another world is revealed beneath, primitive & terrible.My Review... This book has a lot of mixed reviews and I can totally understand why; the writing is strange and sometimes confusing and the characters are pretty interchangeable except for Ralph, Jack and Piggy. But, but, but... I was totally hooked! The first chapter was slow going and I wondered if I'd like it because of the writing style, but then the story began in ernest and the writing no longer bugged me so much.This book is very dark and depressing and not for the faint hearted. There is a lot of violence, which I knew to expect but was quite shocked by considering this is supposedly a YA book - honestly, some parts were more violent and shocking than some of the adult horror stories I've read. However, perhaps it just seemed that was because I was always very conscious that this was a book written for teenagers, based around a group of young boys, therefore, it seemed more disturbing... Yet, this was one of the things I liked about this book. It was disturbing, but it didn't shy away from the violence or ignore it and I enjoyed the theme - the breakdown of society rules when there is no society to enforce them, but also (in Ralph) showing why such rules are necessary for order.There are so many different themes and historical parallels to uncover in this story and I think every reader will see something different.
Blurb:William Golding's compelling story about a group of very ordinary small boys marooned on a coral island has become a modern classic. At 1st, it seems as though it's all going to be great fun; but the fun before long becomes furious & life on the island turns into a nightmare of panic & death. As ordinary standards of behavior collapse, the whole world the boys know collapses with them—the world of cricket & homework & adventure stories—& another world is revealed beneath, primitive & terrible.My Review... This book has a lot of mixed reviews and I can totally understand why; the writing is strange and sometimes confusing and the characters are pretty interchangeable except for Ralph, Jack and Piggy. But, but, but... I was totally hooked! The first chapter was slow going and I wondered if I'd like it because of the writing style, but then the story began in ernest and the writing no longer bugged me so much.This book is very dark and depressing and not for the faint hearted. There is a lot of violence, which I knew to expect but was quite shocked by considering this is supposedly a YA book - honestly, some parts were more violent and shocking than some of the adult horror stories I've read. However, perhaps it just seemed that was because I was always very conscious that this was a book written for teenagers, based around a group of young boys, therefore, it seemed more disturbing... Yet, this was one of the things I liked about this book. It was disturbing, but it didn't shy away from the violence or ignore it and I enjoyed the theme - the breakdown of society rules when there is no society to enforce them, but also (in Ralph) showing why such rules are necessary for order.There are so many different themes and historical parallels to uncover in this story and I think every reader will see something different.
February 8, 2018
Pansies
Pansies, (Spires Universe), by Alexis Hall 
Blurb:Alfie Bell is . . . fine. He’s got a six-figure salary, a penthouse in Canary Wharf, the car he swore he’d buy when he was eighteen, and a bunch of fancy London friends. It’s rough, though, going back to South Shields now that they all know he’s a fully paid-up pansy. It’s the last place he’s expecting to pull. But Fen’s gorgeous, with his pink-tipped hair and hipster glasses, full of the sort of courage Alfie’s never had. It should be a one-night thing, but Alfie’s never met anyone like Fen before. Except he has. At school, when Alfie was everything he was supposed to be, and Fen was the stubborn little gay boy who wouldn’t keep his head down. And now it’s a proper mess: Fen might have slept with Alfie, but he’ll probably never forgive him, and Fen’s got all this other stuff going on anyway, with his mam and her flower shop and the life he left down south. Alfie just wants to make it right. But how can he, when all they’ve got in common is the nowhere town they both ran away from.My ReviewThis is the second time I've read this book and, even knowing what was going to happen, it didn't disappoint. I just love the characters in this book and Alexis Hall's style of writing. There's no action in this book, it's mainly about two men discovering who they are, overcoming hardship and falling in love against all odds.Even the second time around, it surprised me how easy it was for me to love Alfie, considering what he did to Fen as a kid - this wasn't just a little bullying, it was intense sticking heads down the toilet, physically beating up bullying - however, I felt that the fact he'd so obviously turned himself around and become a better person was a really endearing quality and I actually found it impossible not to love him, although he did annoy me at first when he was insisting the bullying wasn't that bad. Seriously, you shoved his head down a toilet? In fact, he turned out to be so kind and sweet and adorably confused sometimes that it was hard for me to even think of him as a former bully. When I started reading this for the first time, I was also a little concerned about how the bullying would be forgiven; I didn't want it brushed off or taken lightly, but at the same time he was a stupid kid then and his character has so clearly changed into a decent, good-hearted adult... Thankfully, Alexis Hall handled it perfectly. Alfie has to earn Fen's forgiveness and I've seen in some of the Goodreads reviews that people complain that Fen took too long to forgive Alfie and made him jump through hoops, which makes me wonder if these people were ever bullied. I don't think I'd be able to forgive as quickly as Fen... And then we have Fen, who was also such an amazing character but in a completely different way... I love that he knew exactly who he was, yes, he's going through a tough time but he's also so very in touch with himself and what he likes, dislikes and who he is, which is very refreshing, especially when you have him next to Alfie, who is still very confused and stuck with the ideologies he grew up with.The one thing that I didn't like in this book was near the end... The leaving because it's 'the right thing to do'. I hate this in a book and although I liked that Alfie's friends talked sense back into him (I loved his friends, by the way, and all their conversations!) it still annoyed me a little. All in all though, I love this book. It's purely character driven, but those characters are amazing and really, really hard not to love. Despite their past and their differences, they're a great couple! My favourite quotes from 'Pansies':'She would no more have thought to keep him as she would have thought to hold the waves. She simply loved him,''What difference did it make, really, promises given in buildings and written in books? These things that let the world believe in what you had.' ' "Generally ... when people do ridiculous things, it's because they feel they don't have a choice." ' '... just because it's trivial to you, doesn't mean it's trivial to him.''Life isn't a race to socially significant events.' ' "Then tell me, Alfie Bell, why the fuck should I be reasonable? Why do I owe you that?" ' ' "I don't want to be a better person. I want to make you feel bad." ' ' "I was a vegan for a while, so you can congratulate yourself on a lucky escape.""I'd still have asked you to dinner. You just wouldn't have been able to eat anything."'' "I wasn't the one who died.""No, but it's harder, sometimes, to live with choices that aren't yours." ' ' "I know having you boss me around is cute sometimes, but respect a fucking boundary..." ' 'She didn't answer. Hirt, probably. Which was fair enough. But, also, not fair. Because wasn't he allowed to be hurt too?' 'I'm not the man I was before you died. And I'm glad because I don't want to be. I don't want to be unchanged by the loss of you.'
Blurb:Alfie Bell is . . . fine. He’s got a six-figure salary, a penthouse in Canary Wharf, the car he swore he’d buy when he was eighteen, and a bunch of fancy London friends. It’s rough, though, going back to South Shields now that they all know he’s a fully paid-up pansy. It’s the last place he’s expecting to pull. But Fen’s gorgeous, with his pink-tipped hair and hipster glasses, full of the sort of courage Alfie’s never had. It should be a one-night thing, but Alfie’s never met anyone like Fen before. Except he has. At school, when Alfie was everything he was supposed to be, and Fen was the stubborn little gay boy who wouldn’t keep his head down. And now it’s a proper mess: Fen might have slept with Alfie, but he’ll probably never forgive him, and Fen’s got all this other stuff going on anyway, with his mam and her flower shop and the life he left down south. Alfie just wants to make it right. But how can he, when all they’ve got in common is the nowhere town they both ran away from.My ReviewThis is the second time I've read this book and, even knowing what was going to happen, it didn't disappoint. I just love the characters in this book and Alexis Hall's style of writing. There's no action in this book, it's mainly about two men discovering who they are, overcoming hardship and falling in love against all odds.Even the second time around, it surprised me how easy it was for me to love Alfie, considering what he did to Fen as a kid - this wasn't just a little bullying, it was intense sticking heads down the toilet, physically beating up bullying - however, I felt that the fact he'd so obviously turned himself around and become a better person was a really endearing quality and I actually found it impossible not to love him, although he did annoy me at first when he was insisting the bullying wasn't that bad. Seriously, you shoved his head down a toilet? In fact, he turned out to be so kind and sweet and adorably confused sometimes that it was hard for me to even think of him as a former bully. When I started reading this for the first time, I was also a little concerned about how the bullying would be forgiven; I didn't want it brushed off or taken lightly, but at the same time he was a stupid kid then and his character has so clearly changed into a decent, good-hearted adult... Thankfully, Alexis Hall handled it perfectly. Alfie has to earn Fen's forgiveness and I've seen in some of the Goodreads reviews that people complain that Fen took too long to forgive Alfie and made him jump through hoops, which makes me wonder if these people were ever bullied. I don't think I'd be able to forgive as quickly as Fen... And then we have Fen, who was also such an amazing character but in a completely different way... I love that he knew exactly who he was, yes, he's going through a tough time but he's also so very in touch with himself and what he likes, dislikes and who he is, which is very refreshing, especially when you have him next to Alfie, who is still very confused and stuck with the ideologies he grew up with.The one thing that I didn't like in this book was near the end... The leaving because it's 'the right thing to do'. I hate this in a book and although I liked that Alfie's friends talked sense back into him (I loved his friends, by the way, and all their conversations!) it still annoyed me a little. All in all though, I love this book. It's purely character driven, but those characters are amazing and really, really hard not to love. Despite their past and their differences, they're a great couple! My favourite quotes from 'Pansies':'She would no more have thought to keep him as she would have thought to hold the waves. She simply loved him,''What difference did it make, really, promises given in buildings and written in books? These things that let the world believe in what you had.' ' "Generally ... when people do ridiculous things, it's because they feel they don't have a choice." ' '... just because it's trivial to you, doesn't mean it's trivial to him.''Life isn't a race to socially significant events.' ' "Then tell me, Alfie Bell, why the fuck should I be reasonable? Why do I owe you that?" ' ' "I don't want to be a better person. I want to make you feel bad." ' ' "I was a vegan for a while, so you can congratulate yourself on a lucky escape.""I'd still have asked you to dinner. You just wouldn't have been able to eat anything."'' "I wasn't the one who died.""No, but it's harder, sometimes, to live with choices that aren't yours." ' ' "I know having you boss me around is cute sometimes, but respect a fucking boundary..." ' 'She didn't answer. Hirt, probably. Which was fair enough. But, also, not fair. Because wasn't he allowed to be hurt too?' 'I'm not the man I was before you died. And I'm glad because I don't want to be. I don't want to be unchanged by the loss of you.'
February 2, 2018
Trust and Treachery
Trust and Treachery, (Echoes of Sol, Book 1), by Charissa Dufour 
Blurb: When space freighter pilot Calen Macleef accidentally wins Larissa “Bit” Earnest in a lucky hand of poker, his main concern is what his gruff and uncompromising brother Jack will say about it. Jack Macleef is the captain of the ship in a world where space travel has only recently become the norm and space piracy abounds. Painful memories of prior abuse surface for Bit as she finds herself on a freighter full of rowdy, ungentlemanly merchant marines. Jack works to find a safe place for frightened Bit amongst the ungentlemanly crew, but good looks and innocent ways continually charm the men. With tension and danger running high, each begins to wonder: will they survive the pirates... and each other?This is a hard book for me to reviews, since I really enjoyed the story, however, I did have a few issues. My main issue is that this book really needs a thorough edit. Hopefully another round of edits by the author would get rid of the errors, like words in the wrong place and meaning the wrong thing and his instead or hers, but I personally feel like it also needs a second professional edit to help with the pacing and unnecessary sentencing that just slowed the story down. That was my main issue, which is a shame because, like I said, I really enjoyed the story but kept getting distracted by errors and things that should have been caught whilst editing.My second issue is that I felt Bit recovered from her past trauma too quickly. Character development is a good thing, however, this is a really short book (I read it in the first two hours of a long-haul flight) and there are five other books in this series, therefore, there was no need to rush her recovery and the fact that she's standing up to people and has changed so drastically within a few days of being with the crew just seems unrealistic.My finally issue is that there's no set love interest, instead there are many. Personally, I like Blaine, but I can't help but wonder (and cringe at the thought), that the other books may find Bit floating indecisively between guys, which I really dislike. From my little rant, your probably thinking that I didn't actually like this book, but you actually couldn't be more wrong. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I practically devoured it. I liked the characters, the story and the writing, despite the numerous errors, which is why I'm upset about the issues because I feel like this book could have been amazing, but when you take into account the issues I've named, it was just average... All in all, I'll probably read the rest of this series at some point, but I do hope the author gets a professional editor. My favourite quotes from 'Trust and Treachery': 'She's strong. Just give her a chance to realize it.''No one on this ship is to be unable to defend themselves, including her. Especially her.' 'I'm teaching you to defend yourself. I don't want you to go picking' fights just 'cause you know stuff.' '... she was more afraid of actually killing someone than getting killed herself.'
Blurb: When space freighter pilot Calen Macleef accidentally wins Larissa “Bit” Earnest in a lucky hand of poker, his main concern is what his gruff and uncompromising brother Jack will say about it. Jack Macleef is the captain of the ship in a world where space travel has only recently become the norm and space piracy abounds. Painful memories of prior abuse surface for Bit as she finds herself on a freighter full of rowdy, ungentlemanly merchant marines. Jack works to find a safe place for frightened Bit amongst the ungentlemanly crew, but good looks and innocent ways continually charm the men. With tension and danger running high, each begins to wonder: will they survive the pirates... and each other?This is a hard book for me to reviews, since I really enjoyed the story, however, I did have a few issues. My main issue is that this book really needs a thorough edit. Hopefully another round of edits by the author would get rid of the errors, like words in the wrong place and meaning the wrong thing and his instead or hers, but I personally feel like it also needs a second professional edit to help with the pacing and unnecessary sentencing that just slowed the story down. That was my main issue, which is a shame because, like I said, I really enjoyed the story but kept getting distracted by errors and things that should have been caught whilst editing.My second issue is that I felt Bit recovered from her past trauma too quickly. Character development is a good thing, however, this is a really short book (I read it in the first two hours of a long-haul flight) and there are five other books in this series, therefore, there was no need to rush her recovery and the fact that she's standing up to people and has changed so drastically within a few days of being with the crew just seems unrealistic.My finally issue is that there's no set love interest, instead there are many. Personally, I like Blaine, but I can't help but wonder (and cringe at the thought), that the other books may find Bit floating indecisively between guys, which I really dislike. From my little rant, your probably thinking that I didn't actually like this book, but you actually couldn't be more wrong. I really enjoyed this book, in fact, I practically devoured it. I liked the characters, the story and the writing, despite the numerous errors, which is why I'm upset about the issues because I feel like this book could have been amazing, but when you take into account the issues I've named, it was just average... All in all, I'll probably read the rest of this series at some point, but I do hope the author gets a professional editor. My favourite quotes from 'Trust and Treachery': 'She's strong. Just give her a chance to realize it.''No one on this ship is to be unable to defend themselves, including her. Especially her.' 'I'm teaching you to defend yourself. I don't want you to go picking' fights just 'cause you know stuff.' '... she was more afraid of actually killing someone than getting killed herself.'
The Buried Giant
The Buried Giant, by Kazuo Ishiguro 
Blurb:The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl and Beatrice, a couple of elderly Britons, decide that now is the time, finally, for them to set off across this troubled land of mist and rain to find the son they have not seen for years, the son they can scarcely remember. They know they will face many hazards--some strange and otherworldly--but they cannot foresee how their journey will reveal to them the dark and forgotten corners of their love for each other. Nor can they foresee that they will be joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight--each of them, like Axl and Beatrice, lost in some way to his own past, but drawn inexorably toward the comfort, and the burden, of the fullness of a life's memories.Okay, so this is the first book I've read by Kazuo Ishiguro and to be honest I found it lacking in many ways. This is an author people rave about and who wins all sorts of prizes for his work, therefore, I felt like I should have been deeply moved, inspired and impressed by his work. However, that just wasn't the case. Personally, I just found this story boring. Although, I loved the idea of it, I just didn't like the actual story. It was slow paced and I felt detached from the characters. It started to get interesting at the end with the return of the memories, but then it ended rather abruptly and with so many unanswered questions. It felt liked the story ended where it should have begun.I considered that maybe I was missing something - maybe I'm just not smart enough to grasp the meaning in this book! - but I don't think I am. I get that the boatman is equivalent to a Grim Reaper and the Island is where dead people go, therefore, although sad, the ending wasn't much of a surprise - it was Beatrice's time to go, but not her husbands, however, the boatman seems genuinely sad to see Axl walk away and it makes you wonder if Axl could have gone with her but chose not to, that, along with the return of their memories and past events makes you wonder if their love was real, if they had managed to keep their promise to love each other despite the return of bad memories... All in all, I found some parts of this story interesting, which is why I continued reading, but I don't think it's anything to rave about and wouldn't actually recommend it to a friend.My favourite quotes from 'The Buried Giant': " 'How will you and your husband prove your love for each other when you can't remember the past you've shared?' ""... the work of a creature more playful than evil..."" '... This warrior may be your foe, but he is not yet mine.' ... 'What reason have I to take arms against a man simply for being a stranger?...' "'... it's vengeance to be relished in advance by those not able to take it in its proper place.' 'Your Christian god of mercy gives men license to pursue their greed, their lust for land and blood, knowing a few prayers and a little penance will bring forgiveness and blessing.' 'When the hour's too late for rescue, it's still early enough for revenge.' 'A great king, like God himself, must perform deeds mortals flinch from!'
Blurb:The Romans have long since departed and Britain is steadily declining into ruin. But, at least, the wars that once ravaged the country have ceased. Axl and Beatrice, a couple of elderly Britons, decide that now is the time, finally, for them to set off across this troubled land of mist and rain to find the son they have not seen for years, the son they can scarcely remember. They know they will face many hazards--some strange and otherworldly--but they cannot foresee how their journey will reveal to them the dark and forgotten corners of their love for each other. Nor can they foresee that they will be joined on their journey by a Saxon warrior, his orphan charge, and a knight--each of them, like Axl and Beatrice, lost in some way to his own past, but drawn inexorably toward the comfort, and the burden, of the fullness of a life's memories.Okay, so this is the first book I've read by Kazuo Ishiguro and to be honest I found it lacking in many ways. This is an author people rave about and who wins all sorts of prizes for his work, therefore, I felt like I should have been deeply moved, inspired and impressed by his work. However, that just wasn't the case. Personally, I just found this story boring. Although, I loved the idea of it, I just didn't like the actual story. It was slow paced and I felt detached from the characters. It started to get interesting at the end with the return of the memories, but then it ended rather abruptly and with so many unanswered questions. It felt liked the story ended where it should have begun.I considered that maybe I was missing something - maybe I'm just not smart enough to grasp the meaning in this book! - but I don't think I am. I get that the boatman is equivalent to a Grim Reaper and the Island is where dead people go, therefore, although sad, the ending wasn't much of a surprise - it was Beatrice's time to go, but not her husbands, however, the boatman seems genuinely sad to see Axl walk away and it makes you wonder if Axl could have gone with her but chose not to, that, along with the return of their memories and past events makes you wonder if their love was real, if they had managed to keep their promise to love each other despite the return of bad memories... All in all, I found some parts of this story interesting, which is why I continued reading, but I don't think it's anything to rave about and wouldn't actually recommend it to a friend.My favourite quotes from 'The Buried Giant': " 'How will you and your husband prove your love for each other when you can't remember the past you've shared?' ""... the work of a creature more playful than evil..."" '... This warrior may be your foe, but he is not yet mine.' ... 'What reason have I to take arms against a man simply for being a stranger?...' "'... it's vengeance to be relished in advance by those not able to take it in its proper place.' 'Your Christian god of mercy gives men license to pursue their greed, their lust for land and blood, knowing a few prayers and a little penance will bring forgiveness and blessing.' 'When the hour's too late for rescue, it's still early enough for revenge.' 'A great king, like God himself, must perform deeds mortals flinch from!'
January 29, 2018
Midnight Blue
Midnight Blue, by L.J. Shen
Blurb:It should have been easy. I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death. I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent. The worst part is that I should have known better. Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes. “Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.” Guess what? I didn’t listen. I signed the contract. World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows. My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god. Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too. Then he took my heart. Then he took my all.Okay, so I gave up on reading contemporary romance novels a long time ago, unless they were written by authors I'd previously enjoyed or were recommended by people I trusted, however, I caved with this book, since I saw a lot about it on Twitter. Unfortunately, it reminded me why I stopped indiscriminately buying romance books in the first place. The writing was decent but nothing special, which wouldn't usually bother me, except there was nothing to distract from it. I didn't like the characters - Alex was an arsehole and not in a good, redeemable, kind of way and Libby was one of those girls who says she won't take the bullshit but does. I just got bored of them and although there were good parts between them I never really accepted their romance because I didn't feel like either of them developed through the book. This story could have been good, it's the kind of romance I love to read occasionally, but it just didn't live up to the potential.My favourite quotes from 'Midnight Blue':'Alex Winslow was, in fact, a pile of stereotypes sewn together into a persona even he wouldn't distinguish anymore.' ' "What do you want from me, Alex?"Everything, I want everything, and then all the things you've given away to other people. I want them back, too.' 'He took care of the people around him, because he didn't know he had the option not to.' 'Because when Alex was hurting, he wanted the entire world to hurt with him. And in that moment in time, I was his world.' 'It killed me from the inside to know that the man who came up with some of the most inspiring words about love was also capable of offering something so half-asses, partly-backed, and indecisive.' 'Then again, if Fallon were Indie, I wouldn't have fallen so far down the rabbit hole. I would've stayed above water just in case I needed to save her, too.'
Blurb:It should have been easy. I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death. I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent. The worst part is that I should have known better. Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes. “Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.” Guess what? I didn’t listen. I signed the contract. World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows. My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god. Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too. Then he took my heart. Then he took my all.Okay, so I gave up on reading contemporary romance novels a long time ago, unless they were written by authors I'd previously enjoyed or were recommended by people I trusted, however, I caved with this book, since I saw a lot about it on Twitter. Unfortunately, it reminded me why I stopped indiscriminately buying romance books in the first place. The writing was decent but nothing special, which wouldn't usually bother me, except there was nothing to distract from it. I didn't like the characters - Alex was an arsehole and not in a good, redeemable, kind of way and Libby was one of those girls who says she won't take the bullshit but does. I just got bored of them and although there were good parts between them I never really accepted their romance because I didn't feel like either of them developed through the book. This story could have been good, it's the kind of romance I love to read occasionally, but it just didn't live up to the potential.My favourite quotes from 'Midnight Blue':'Alex Winslow was, in fact, a pile of stereotypes sewn together into a persona even he wouldn't distinguish anymore.' ' "What do you want from me, Alex?"Everything, I want everything, and then all the things you've given away to other people. I want them back, too.' 'He took care of the people around him, because he didn't know he had the option not to.' 'Because when Alex was hurting, he wanted the entire world to hurt with him. And in that moment in time, I was his world.' 'It killed me from the inside to know that the man who came up with some of the most inspiring words about love was also capable of offering something so half-asses, partly-backed, and indecisive.' 'Then again, if Fallon were Indie, I wouldn't have fallen so far down the rabbit hole. I would've stayed above water just in case I needed to save her, too.'
January 28, 2018
Nothing to Envy
Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea, by Barbara Demick
Blurb:Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the devastation of a far-ranging famine that killed one-fifth of the population. Taking us into a landscape most of us have never before seen, award-winning journalist Barbara Demick brings to life what it means to be living under the most repressive totalitarian regime today—an Orwellian world that is by choice not connected to the Internet, in which radio and television dials are welded to the one government station, and where displays of affection are punished; a police state where informants are rewarded and where an offhand remark can send a person to the gulag for life. Demick takes us deep inside the country, beyond the reach of government censors. Through meticulous and sensitive reporting, we see her six subjects—average North Korean citizens—fall in love, raise families, nurture ambitions, and struggle for survival. One by one, we experience the moments when they realize that their government has betrayed them.Okay, so I freely admit that I brought this book for the cover; something about it just grabbed me, however, I'm also curious about the lives of people in North Korea and thought it would be an interesting read. In that regard it did not let me down! For history lovers, or people who are interested in world events and how other people live, this is a really fascinating read, although heartbreaking at time since these aren't fictional characters, the stories in this book are told by real people although some things have been changed to keep their identities secret. However, despite the horrendous conditions people live in, the stories that came out of this book were about love and family and survival. Before reading this, I had very little knowledge on North Korean history, I only really knew the current situation that you hear of in the News, so this book was very eye opening for me.My only complaint would be that I found the writing rather flat, no matter the situation the pace was the same. I know this is a non-fiction book, meaning I should adjust my way of thinking since I'm used to reading mainly fiction, however, I just found it very slow-going at time and I feel like the trudging pace of this book might put some readers off. Basically it was like reading a very long newspaper article instead of a book. All in all though, I thought this book was really interesting and I'd definitely recommend it if you can push on through the writing and simply appreciate the real stories and feelings in this book! My favourite quotes from 'Nothing to Envy': 'Well past the point when it should have been obvious that the system had failed her, she remained unwavering in her faith.' '... you can't feed somebody else's kids if your own are starving.'
Blurb:Nothing to Envy follows the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years—a chaotic period that saw the death of Kim Il-sung, the unchallenged rise to power of his son Kim Jong-il, and the devastation of a far-ranging famine that killed one-fifth of the population. Taking us into a landscape most of us have never before seen, award-winning journalist Barbara Demick brings to life what it means to be living under the most repressive totalitarian regime today—an Orwellian world that is by choice not connected to the Internet, in which radio and television dials are welded to the one government station, and where displays of affection are punished; a police state where informants are rewarded and where an offhand remark can send a person to the gulag for life. Demick takes us deep inside the country, beyond the reach of government censors. Through meticulous and sensitive reporting, we see her six subjects—average North Korean citizens—fall in love, raise families, nurture ambitions, and struggle for survival. One by one, we experience the moments when they realize that their government has betrayed them.Okay, so I freely admit that I brought this book for the cover; something about it just grabbed me, however, I'm also curious about the lives of people in North Korea and thought it would be an interesting read. In that regard it did not let me down! For history lovers, or people who are interested in world events and how other people live, this is a really fascinating read, although heartbreaking at time since these aren't fictional characters, the stories in this book are told by real people although some things have been changed to keep their identities secret. However, despite the horrendous conditions people live in, the stories that came out of this book were about love and family and survival. Before reading this, I had very little knowledge on North Korean history, I only really knew the current situation that you hear of in the News, so this book was very eye opening for me.My only complaint would be that I found the writing rather flat, no matter the situation the pace was the same. I know this is a non-fiction book, meaning I should adjust my way of thinking since I'm used to reading mainly fiction, however, I just found it very slow-going at time and I feel like the trudging pace of this book might put some readers off. Basically it was like reading a very long newspaper article instead of a book. All in all though, I thought this book was really interesting and I'd definitely recommend it if you can push on through the writing and simply appreciate the real stories and feelings in this book! My favourite quotes from 'Nothing to Envy': 'Well past the point when it should have been obvious that the system had failed her, she remained unwavering in her faith.' '... you can't feed somebody else's kids if your own are starving.'
