M.L. Sparrow's Blog, page 19
March 1, 2017
Shadow's Seduction
Shadow's Seduction, (Immortals After Dark Series, Book 17 and The Dacians Series, Book 2), by Kresley Cole
Blurb:A night of debauchery . . .Prince Mirceo Daciano and his new friend, Caspion the Tracker, comb the streets of Dacia, drunkenly seeking out pleasures of the flesh. In what should have been a typical night, they coax a bevy of nymphs to bed. To impress their females, the demon and the vampire kiss on a dare.Changes them forever . . .Once they finally break away from their soul-searing kiss, they find themselves alone—and shaken. Had they imagined their explosive chemistry? Obstacles—ranging from a death sentence to exile in a war-torn dimension—threaten to destroy their lives . . . and the vulnerable promise in that one kiss.How long can they resist the fire that blazes between them?Even if Mirceo can accept Caspion as his fated mate, the seductive vampire still must convince the stubborn demon that their bond is forever. And any royal Dacian union must receive the blessing of King Lothaire, an unpredictable and savage killer...That ending! It was so cruel! Kresley Cole how could you leave us hanging like that? I need to know what happens…Just like all of Kresley Cole’s book this one was brilliant. When I first read the blurb a while back I was curious as to how well Ms Cole would be able to pull off a m/m coupling, especially when there has been no mention of same sex couples in the other books, but she didn’t disappoint. Personally, I felt there could have been more of a plot – I didn’t really feel like it added all that much to the series – however, it’s hard not to fall in love with her characters. Caspian and Mirceo were so different, but both charming in their own ways and I enjoyed the role reversal – at the beginning Mirceo is the older of the two and it shows, but after Caspian spends years in Poly, where time moves different, he emerges hundreds of years older and it amused me to read the sudden change in dynamics. Plus Mirceo's humour had me laughing out loud in certain places.In this book, we also got to see Lothaire again briefly and I love him so I was happy, though a little disappointed that there wasn't as much interaction with other characters as there usually is.All in all, a good edition to the story. I know loads of people are moaning about it being a m/m book but, honestly, if you don’t like it just don’t read it. And with that ending - though I found it a little abrupt - I really, really can’t wait for the next book… Though I am still impatiently waiting for Munro’s story!My favourite quotes from 'Shadow's Seduction':' "Not my cup of tea.""It wasn't mine either, until I had a sip." '' "Honourable death?" Micro scoffed. "You can't enjoy honour when you're dead." ''Perhaps you don't lack faith in me. Perhaps you lack faith in you.''When we parted, you took my heart with you. Go easy with it, okay?'
Blurb:A night of debauchery . . .Prince Mirceo Daciano and his new friend, Caspion the Tracker, comb the streets of Dacia, drunkenly seeking out pleasures of the flesh. In what should have been a typical night, they coax a bevy of nymphs to bed. To impress their females, the demon and the vampire kiss on a dare.Changes them forever . . .Once they finally break away from their soul-searing kiss, they find themselves alone—and shaken. Had they imagined their explosive chemistry? Obstacles—ranging from a death sentence to exile in a war-torn dimension—threaten to destroy their lives . . . and the vulnerable promise in that one kiss.How long can they resist the fire that blazes between them?Even if Mirceo can accept Caspion as his fated mate, the seductive vampire still must convince the stubborn demon that their bond is forever. And any royal Dacian union must receive the blessing of King Lothaire, an unpredictable and savage killer...That ending! It was so cruel! Kresley Cole how could you leave us hanging like that? I need to know what happens…Just like all of Kresley Cole’s book this one was brilliant. When I first read the blurb a while back I was curious as to how well Ms Cole would be able to pull off a m/m coupling, especially when there has been no mention of same sex couples in the other books, but she didn’t disappoint. Personally, I felt there could have been more of a plot – I didn’t really feel like it added all that much to the series – however, it’s hard not to fall in love with her characters. Caspian and Mirceo were so different, but both charming in their own ways and I enjoyed the role reversal – at the beginning Mirceo is the older of the two and it shows, but after Caspian spends years in Poly, where time moves different, he emerges hundreds of years older and it amused me to read the sudden change in dynamics. Plus Mirceo's humour had me laughing out loud in certain places.In this book, we also got to see Lothaire again briefly and I love him so I was happy, though a little disappointed that there wasn't as much interaction with other characters as there usually is.All in all, a good edition to the story. I know loads of people are moaning about it being a m/m book but, honestly, if you don’t like it just don’t read it. And with that ending - though I found it a little abrupt - I really, really can’t wait for the next book… Though I am still impatiently waiting for Munro’s story!My favourite quotes from 'Shadow's Seduction':' "Not my cup of tea.""It wasn't mine either, until I had a sip." '' "Honourable death?" Micro scoffed. "You can't enjoy honour when you're dead." ''Perhaps you don't lack faith in me. Perhaps you lack faith in you.''When we parted, you took my heart with you. Go easy with it, okay?'
February 28, 2017
Fifteen Seconds of Normal
Fifteen Seconds of Normal, by Alex Marestaing
Blurb:Step 1: Transfer High Schools.Step 2: Hide your Tourette’s.Step 3: Find your fifteen seconds of normal.Kaeya Garay has a plan. And it seems to be working.But when a curious interruption named Thatcher Kelly stumbles upon her “safe” place in the school’s abandoned art gallery, her grand plans for normalcy are suddenly derailed.Set over the course of three weeks, Fifteen Seconds of Normal is the quirky saga of a literature obsessed teen on the edge of a meltdown and the hope driven heroine who begins to pull him back.Reviewed for Readers' Favorite.Kaeya moved to a new school with the hopes of being treated like a “normal” teenager by her peers. It’s hard to hide her Tourette’s, but she manages and even draws the attention of the boy she’s crushing on. Unfortunately, that boy’s not Thatcher, who is already half in love with her! The drama starts on school photo day, when Thatcher, totally oblivious to what day it is, comes to school after the worst morning of his life, looking an absolute mess. Needless to say his picture is horrendous and he immediately throws it away, only for someone else to fish it out and create a humiliating meme that quickly goes viral. One thing leads to another and Thatcher ends up being suspended for fighting. It’s in suspension that he gets to know the real Kaeya, who retreats there when her Tourette’s gets too much to handle. However, despite budding feelings for Thatcher, Kaeya’s still set on going to the school dance with her crush and getting her fifteen seconds of normal. Alex Marestaing weaves a beautiful, heartwarming coming-of-age in 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal'.With complex, relatable and likeable characters ‘Fifteen Seconds of Normal’ is a brilliant read for Young Adults and grown-ups alike. In this day and age, cyberbullying is something everyone is aware of, even if they haven’t experienced it firsthand, and Alex Marestaing has a way of putting you into Thatcher’s shoes so that it really felt like you were going through it with him. The same goes for Kaeya with her Tourette’s. Both main characters were so lovely that it was a genuine pleasure to read about them and I loved how they developed over time and figured out what was really important to them. Also, although it's a teenage story set in high-school the angst is kept to a minimum, which I appreciated because it doesn't detract from the main plot. The layout was also a big plus for this novel; as it flitted between Thatcher and Kaeya's perspective, the paragraphs were short and to the point, which meant I kept saying to myself "Just one more section!", resulting in my finishing it in a day! It's a wonderful story focusing on friendship, love and accepting who you really are. I guarantee 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal' is a story you will want to go back to again and again.My favourite quotes for 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal':'If it had been another picture of him on another day, he might have laughed. But his life had imploded that morning. And they'd taken a picture. And now people were laughing at him as he struggled to crawl out from the wreckage.''... the name Dad didn't automatically make someone a hero.''Because his father's words were only feelings, dreams that evaporated when someone tried to touch them.'' "Words read and forgotten are wasted ink on paper, but words acted upon become monuments." ''Maybe love, real love, was more than unicorns and rainbows. Maybe it meant hanging on even when it tore you apart.'' "Just finish with I love you, and you can say anything,".'' "There comes a time when the fear of being aloneoutweighs the fear if rejectionAnd in this glorious imbalance,Love is born." '' "I used to think that Mom was the weak one, for caring too much, for always waiting by the phone for you to call, for crying. But now I'm starting to realise that she was the strong one. She made a choice to love you, to love this family, and she was willing to go down with the ship for it. ..." '' "What we once loved deeply we can never lose... because it's become a part of us." '
Blurb:Step 1: Transfer High Schools.Step 2: Hide your Tourette’s.Step 3: Find your fifteen seconds of normal.Kaeya Garay has a plan. And it seems to be working.But when a curious interruption named Thatcher Kelly stumbles upon her “safe” place in the school’s abandoned art gallery, her grand plans for normalcy are suddenly derailed.Set over the course of three weeks, Fifteen Seconds of Normal is the quirky saga of a literature obsessed teen on the edge of a meltdown and the hope driven heroine who begins to pull him back.Reviewed for Readers' Favorite.Kaeya moved to a new school with the hopes of being treated like a “normal” teenager by her peers. It’s hard to hide her Tourette’s, but she manages and even draws the attention of the boy she’s crushing on. Unfortunately, that boy’s not Thatcher, who is already half in love with her! The drama starts on school photo day, when Thatcher, totally oblivious to what day it is, comes to school after the worst morning of his life, looking an absolute mess. Needless to say his picture is horrendous and he immediately throws it away, only for someone else to fish it out and create a humiliating meme that quickly goes viral. One thing leads to another and Thatcher ends up being suspended for fighting. It’s in suspension that he gets to know the real Kaeya, who retreats there when her Tourette’s gets too much to handle. However, despite budding feelings for Thatcher, Kaeya’s still set on going to the school dance with her crush and getting her fifteen seconds of normal. Alex Marestaing weaves a beautiful, heartwarming coming-of-age in 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal'.With complex, relatable and likeable characters ‘Fifteen Seconds of Normal’ is a brilliant read for Young Adults and grown-ups alike. In this day and age, cyberbullying is something everyone is aware of, even if they haven’t experienced it firsthand, and Alex Marestaing has a way of putting you into Thatcher’s shoes so that it really felt like you were going through it with him. The same goes for Kaeya with her Tourette’s. Both main characters were so lovely that it was a genuine pleasure to read about them and I loved how they developed over time and figured out what was really important to them. Also, although it's a teenage story set in high-school the angst is kept to a minimum, which I appreciated because it doesn't detract from the main plot. The layout was also a big plus for this novel; as it flitted between Thatcher and Kaeya's perspective, the paragraphs were short and to the point, which meant I kept saying to myself "Just one more section!", resulting in my finishing it in a day! It's a wonderful story focusing on friendship, love and accepting who you really are. I guarantee 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal' is a story you will want to go back to again and again.My favourite quotes for 'Fifteen Seconds of Normal':'If it had been another picture of him on another day, he might have laughed. But his life had imploded that morning. And they'd taken a picture. And now people were laughing at him as he struggled to crawl out from the wreckage.''... the name Dad didn't automatically make someone a hero.''Because his father's words were only feelings, dreams that evaporated when someone tried to touch them.'' "Words read and forgotten are wasted ink on paper, but words acted upon become monuments." ''Maybe love, real love, was more than unicorns and rainbows. Maybe it meant hanging on even when it tore you apart.'' "Just finish with I love you, and you can say anything,".'' "There comes a time when the fear of being aloneoutweighs the fear if rejectionAnd in this glorious imbalance,Love is born." '' "I used to think that Mom was the weak one, for caring too much, for always waiting by the phone for you to call, for crying. But now I'm starting to realise that she was the strong one. She made a choice to love you, to love this family, and she was willing to go down with the ship for it. ..." '' "What we once loved deeply we can never lose... because it's become a part of us." '
February 27, 2017
Black Light: Valentine Roulette Anthology
Black Light: Valentine Roulette Anthology, by Livia Grant, Jennifer Bene, Addison Cain, Sophie Kisker, Lee Savino, Renee Rose, Maren Smith and Measha Stone
Blurb:Get ready to explore some of your naughtiest desires while you celebrate Valentine’s Day with eight kinky stories from eight USA Today and international bestselling authors! Black Light is the most exclusive BDSM club in Washington, D.C. and for one night they’re changing the rules of play to entertain their members with a game of chance – Valentine Roulette. Challenge and adventure awaits as these sexy dominants spin to win their submissives, and the subs spin to choose how they will play. Their prize if they last the night? One free month at Black Light, and for some of our daring participants… even a chance at love.Three hours. Four hard limits. Eight sexy stories.Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?I've been searching long and hard for a erotic novel that could reach the standard of my favourite erotic author Cherise Sinclair and when I started reading this anthology I thought I'd found it. The writing was good and all the couples intrigued me, some more than other obviously! Sienna and Alexander were probably my favourite, though it's a close call, which surprised me since their kinks were something I don't really understand. It intrigued me that these stories explored some of the kinks that seem a little stranger than most - at least to me anyway - like age-play and water-play. It was interesting to read about in a strange no-way-in-hell kind of way!My only problem with this series was that the stories were too short; many of the ending felt very abrupt and forced, instead of coming to a natural end. Couples like Sienna and Alexander and Spencer and Klara, I feel would have been better with full length novels, because there would have been more room for character and plot development, as well as to show the readers what they were like outside the club. I just felt like the stories and characters had such potential but failed to live up to it because the authors were conscious of a word count.Also, I'd recommend splitting the stories up when you read this anthology and reading something else in between, instead of blowing straight through it like I did, because after a while I kind of got bored of constantly reading about sex! Again, if they were longer it wouldn't matter because there would be more plot and story-line mixed in with the sex!However, despite that it has introduced me to several new erotic authors whose work I intend to track down!My favourite quotes from 'Black Light: Valentine Roulette':' "...At least sex and dominance is something we've always done well. It was the other parts of the marriage you suck at." '‘If you can’t give her what she needs long term, do her a favour and walk away. Let tonight just be a great memory.’‘I don’t have the kind of life you would fit into.’‘Your kink is not my kink, and that’s okay.’‘You don’t let anyone close enough to hurt you, but you still want to feel some connection, don’t you?’‘That’s not being a failure, that’s just failing at one thing.’
Blurb:Get ready to explore some of your naughtiest desires while you celebrate Valentine’s Day with eight kinky stories from eight USA Today and international bestselling authors! Black Light is the most exclusive BDSM club in Washington, D.C. and for one night they’re changing the rules of play to entertain their members with a game of chance – Valentine Roulette. Challenge and adventure awaits as these sexy dominants spin to win their submissives, and the subs spin to choose how they will play. Their prize if they last the night? One free month at Black Light, and for some of our daring participants… even a chance at love.Three hours. Four hard limits. Eight sexy stories.Are you brave enough to spin the wheel?I've been searching long and hard for a erotic novel that could reach the standard of my favourite erotic author Cherise Sinclair and when I started reading this anthology I thought I'd found it. The writing was good and all the couples intrigued me, some more than other obviously! Sienna and Alexander were probably my favourite, though it's a close call, which surprised me since their kinks were something I don't really understand. It intrigued me that these stories explored some of the kinks that seem a little stranger than most - at least to me anyway - like age-play and water-play. It was interesting to read about in a strange no-way-in-hell kind of way!My only problem with this series was that the stories were too short; many of the ending felt very abrupt and forced, instead of coming to a natural end. Couples like Sienna and Alexander and Spencer and Klara, I feel would have been better with full length novels, because there would have been more room for character and plot development, as well as to show the readers what they were like outside the club. I just felt like the stories and characters had such potential but failed to live up to it because the authors were conscious of a word count.Also, I'd recommend splitting the stories up when you read this anthology and reading something else in between, instead of blowing straight through it like I did, because after a while I kind of got bored of constantly reading about sex! Again, if they were longer it wouldn't matter because there would be more plot and story-line mixed in with the sex!However, despite that it has introduced me to several new erotic authors whose work I intend to track down!My favourite quotes from 'Black Light: Valentine Roulette':' "...At least sex and dominance is something we've always done well. It was the other parts of the marriage you suck at." '‘If you can’t give her what she needs long term, do her a favour and walk away. Let tonight just be a great memory.’‘I don’t have the kind of life you would fit into.’‘Your kink is not my kink, and that’s okay.’‘You don’t let anyone close enough to hurt you, but you still want to feel some connection, don’t you?’‘That’s not being a failure, that’s just failing at one thing.’
February 21, 2017
The Dolphin in the Mirror
The Dolphin in the Mirror by Diana Reiss
Blurb:For centuries, humans and dolphins have enjoyed a special relationship, evident not just in mythology and folklore but in many documented encounters. Diana Reiss is one of the world’s leading experts on dolphin intelligence, and her decades of research and interactions with dolphins have made her a strong advocate for their global protection. In The Dolphin in the Mirror, Reiss combines her science and activism to show just how smart dolphins really are and why we must protect them.Dolphins are creative and self-aware, with distinct personalities and the ability to communicate with humans. They craft their own toys, use underwater keyboards, and live in complex societies in the seas. And yet some nations continue to slaughter them indiscriminately. This story of Reiss’s encounters and research with dolphins is both a scientific revelation and an emotional eye-opener, revealing one of the greatest intelligences on the planet and exposing our terrible mistreatment of the smartest creatures in the sea.This book was fascinating. In this day and age I don't know how anyone can deny that dolphins are intelligent, but it was really interesting to read the steps taken to prove it. The mirror test was especially interesting, as well as the dolphin mimicry, deception and time-out. Diana Reiss tells it so that you really feel as if you get to know the dolphin.This was a very helpful book for me because my next novel is about dolphins and it really helped me to understand more about these creatures. I liked that the author listed the websites where you could watch clips of some of the experiments yourself. It was a little slow in places and had expected a little bit more about 'Saving Dolphin Lives', as it says on the cover, but the authors views on the Taiji slaughter and dolphins in captivity at the end were very interesting and thoroughly thought-out. And that last sentence... Wow, it was just so powerful. This book gave me a lot to think about and I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone with even the most fleeting interest in these amazing creatures.My favourite quotes from 'The Dolphin in the Mirror':'People rally to save individuals They seem to want to save individuals more than they want to help entire populations.'' "To the dolphin alone, beyond all other, nature has granted what the best philosophers seek: friendship for no advantage." ''As the force of human activity moved to the beat of domination over the Earth, as natural resources were seen more and more as ours to exploit, rather than protect, dolphins moved from being sacred to being mundane, just another resource to be exploited for our material benefit.'' "They have acted benignly and in many cases affectionately towards us. We have systematically slaughtered them. Little reverence for life is evident in the whaling industry - underscoring a deep human filing." ''Know Thyself, each and every one of us. Know Thyself as a species with privileges and responsibilities on this Earth, responsibilities to recognise and honour the inherent value of other species.''It made me wonder not whether humans could communicate with other animals but whether humans could communicate with other humans.''When we think about dolphins being smart, we tend to think about intellect in the realms with which we are familiar, things that we humans do. These incidents of cuing tell us that these creatures are smart in ways that ordinarily we don't even consider.''We have to ask ourselves whether we would even recognise an intelligence in another species that is radically different from ours.''... on the planet Earth, man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the waters having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.''Do animals think?, is the wrong question. It should be, How do animals think?''It is worth at least a wistful thought that someday the (dolphin) may talk to us and we to him. it would break, perhaps, the long loneliness that has made man a frequent terror and abomination even to himself.'
Blurb:For centuries, humans and dolphins have enjoyed a special relationship, evident not just in mythology and folklore but in many documented encounters. Diana Reiss is one of the world’s leading experts on dolphin intelligence, and her decades of research and interactions with dolphins have made her a strong advocate for their global protection. In The Dolphin in the Mirror, Reiss combines her science and activism to show just how smart dolphins really are and why we must protect them.Dolphins are creative and self-aware, with distinct personalities and the ability to communicate with humans. They craft their own toys, use underwater keyboards, and live in complex societies in the seas. And yet some nations continue to slaughter them indiscriminately. This story of Reiss’s encounters and research with dolphins is both a scientific revelation and an emotional eye-opener, revealing one of the greatest intelligences on the planet and exposing our terrible mistreatment of the smartest creatures in the sea.This book was fascinating. In this day and age I don't know how anyone can deny that dolphins are intelligent, but it was really interesting to read the steps taken to prove it. The mirror test was especially interesting, as well as the dolphin mimicry, deception and time-out. Diana Reiss tells it so that you really feel as if you get to know the dolphin.This was a very helpful book for me because my next novel is about dolphins and it really helped me to understand more about these creatures. I liked that the author listed the websites where you could watch clips of some of the experiments yourself. It was a little slow in places and had expected a little bit more about 'Saving Dolphin Lives', as it says on the cover, but the authors views on the Taiji slaughter and dolphins in captivity at the end were very interesting and thoroughly thought-out. And that last sentence... Wow, it was just so powerful. This book gave me a lot to think about and I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone with even the most fleeting interest in these amazing creatures.My favourite quotes from 'The Dolphin in the Mirror':'People rally to save individuals They seem to want to save individuals more than they want to help entire populations.'' "To the dolphin alone, beyond all other, nature has granted what the best philosophers seek: friendship for no advantage." ''As the force of human activity moved to the beat of domination over the Earth, as natural resources were seen more and more as ours to exploit, rather than protect, dolphins moved from being sacred to being mundane, just another resource to be exploited for our material benefit.'' "They have acted benignly and in many cases affectionately towards us. We have systematically slaughtered them. Little reverence for life is evident in the whaling industry - underscoring a deep human filing." ''Know Thyself, each and every one of us. Know Thyself as a species with privileges and responsibilities on this Earth, responsibilities to recognise and honour the inherent value of other species.''It made me wonder not whether humans could communicate with other animals but whether humans could communicate with other humans.''When we think about dolphins being smart, we tend to think about intellect in the realms with which we are familiar, things that we humans do. These incidents of cuing tell us that these creatures are smart in ways that ordinarily we don't even consider.''We have to ask ourselves whether we would even recognise an intelligence in another species that is radically different from ours.''... on the planet Earth, man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the waters having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.''Do animals think?, is the wrong question. It should be, How do animals think?''It is worth at least a wistful thought that someday the (dolphin) may talk to us and we to him. it would break, perhaps, the long loneliness that has made man a frequent terror and abomination even to himself.'
February 13, 2017
Cress
Cress, (The Lunar Chronicles Series, Book 3), by Marissa Meyer
Blurb:In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.What can I say? This series has gone from stregth to strength! I loved Cinder, I enjoyed Scarlet, but I absolutely adored Cress and can't wait to read Winter!Like I've said in my previous reviews of Cinder and Scarlet, the world building in this story is wonderful and the plot is intriguing, but for me what really makes it are the characters. I love the way they interact and develop and I really, really, really like multiple points of view. Cress and Thorne are by far my favourite couple in the series, though they're not really a 'couple' yet, but I hope that will change in the next book! Thorne was a great character, his sarcasm and charm was very refreshing, and I liked Cress because she was different from all the other female characters in the series. Whereas Cinder and Scarlet are quite tough and sarky, Cress is timid and unsure after spending years in isolation and I really felt that I could identify with her since I used to be quite shy. Also I liked seeing Winter for the first time and am really intrigued by her! And, finally, Iko... I love Iko and her 'faulty' personality chip and I hope she gets her own HEA.All in all, a great book - I didn't want to put it down for even a moment and there were some brilliant twists and revelations, plus Kai finally found out who Cinder really is, which I've been anticipating since the end of book one!My favourite quotes from this book:' "Well, I'm glad you're proud of her, but I think it would be nice if next time she hit you with her nonmetal hand." '' "You're suggesting we start a war.""They started the war, I'm suggesting we end it." '' "I promise I will not let you die without being kissed." '' "He'd rather fight and lose, than become another one of her pawns. We all would." '' "You can't win this.""I didn't say we could," said Cinder. "But we can do a lot of damage trying." '' "... We came to Earth to get away from that, but we're all lost if Levana gets her way. Now, I don't know if this young lady can stop her, but it seems she's the only one worth putting any faith into right now ..." ''Her sadness wasn't enough. Her mourning wasn't enough. But it was all she had.'
Blurb:In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.What can I say? This series has gone from stregth to strength! I loved Cinder, I enjoyed Scarlet, but I absolutely adored Cress and can't wait to read Winter!Like I've said in my previous reviews of Cinder and Scarlet, the world building in this story is wonderful and the plot is intriguing, but for me what really makes it are the characters. I love the way they interact and develop and I really, really, really like multiple points of view. Cress and Thorne are by far my favourite couple in the series, though they're not really a 'couple' yet, but I hope that will change in the next book! Thorne was a great character, his sarcasm and charm was very refreshing, and I liked Cress because she was different from all the other female characters in the series. Whereas Cinder and Scarlet are quite tough and sarky, Cress is timid and unsure after spending years in isolation and I really felt that I could identify with her since I used to be quite shy. Also I liked seeing Winter for the first time and am really intrigued by her! And, finally, Iko... I love Iko and her 'faulty' personality chip and I hope she gets her own HEA.All in all, a great book - I didn't want to put it down for even a moment and there were some brilliant twists and revelations, plus Kai finally found out who Cinder really is, which I've been anticipating since the end of book one!My favourite quotes from this book:' "Well, I'm glad you're proud of her, but I think it would be nice if next time she hit you with her nonmetal hand." '' "You're suggesting we start a war.""They started the war, I'm suggesting we end it." '' "I promise I will not let you die without being kissed." '' "He'd rather fight and lose, than become another one of her pawns. We all would." '' "You can't win this.""I didn't say we could," said Cinder. "But we can do a lot of damage trying." '' "... We came to Earth to get away from that, but we're all lost if Levana gets her way. Now, I don't know if this young lady can stop her, but it seems she's the only one worth putting any faith into right now ..." ''Her sadness wasn't enough. Her mourning wasn't enough. But it was all she had.'
February 10, 2017
The Penguin Lessons
The Penguin Lessons, by Tom Michell
Blurb:Tom Michell is in his roaring twenties: single, free-spirited and seeking adventure. He has a plane ticket to South America, a teaching position in a prestigious Argentine boarding school, and endless summer holidays. He even has a motorbike, Che Guevara style. What he doesn't need is a pet. What he really doesn't need is a pet penguin.Set against Argentina's turbulent years following the collapse of the corrupt Perónist regime, this is the heart-warming story of Juan Salvador the penguin, rescued by Tom from an oil slick in Uruguay just days before a new term. When the bird refuses to leave Tom's side, the young teacher has no choice but to smuggle it across the border, through customs, and back to school. Whether it's as the rugby team's mascot, the housekeeper's confidant, the host at Tom's parties or the most flamboyant swimming coach in world history, Juan Salvador transforms the lives of all he meets - in particular one homesick school boy. And as for Tom, he discovers in Juan Salvador a compadre like no other...This book was really sweet in places, but I did occasionally feel my attention drifting. Tom had much the same views and concerns about modern civilisation as me and Juan Salvador was adorable and I applaud anyone who helps an animal in need. I also agree that the penguin had a better life at the school than he probably would have had in a zoo, however, I couldn't help but feel as if more could have been done to put him back in the wild. I'm no expert and I've obviously never been in that position, but it just seemed he jumped to conclusions rather quickly without proper info - and before someone points it out, they didn't have Google then, I know, but there were other ways of researching things!All in all like I said, this was a sweet book and I love true stories, but there were parts of it that were very slow going...My favourite quotes from 'The Penguin Lessons':"Dead penguins, covered in thick, cloying, suffocating oil and tar. The sight was so dreadful, so sickening and depressing, that I could only wonder at what lay ahead for any 'civilisation' that could tolerate, let alone perpetrate, such desecration."" Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the road less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. ""I wanted to find my 'road less traveled by' and see where it led. I wanted to experience some of life's challenges without the security of a safety net.""How, in a world so full of astonishing beauty and priceless wonder, had humans devised so much misery, and not just for our own species?""...time moves on and new family, friends and pets jostle for position in our hearts, but the vacancy left by previous occupants never fills. We keep our loved ones alive through our memories, our conversations and our stories but we don't necessarily choose to reveal how much they really meant.""... the lives of many of them were grindingly hard and there was no room for passengers.""What seems undeniable is that if the Bank of Nature's descamisados becomes insolvent, no amount of our money will ever bail us out."
Blurb:Tom Michell is in his roaring twenties: single, free-spirited and seeking adventure. He has a plane ticket to South America, a teaching position in a prestigious Argentine boarding school, and endless summer holidays. He even has a motorbike, Che Guevara style. What he doesn't need is a pet. What he really doesn't need is a pet penguin.Set against Argentina's turbulent years following the collapse of the corrupt Perónist regime, this is the heart-warming story of Juan Salvador the penguin, rescued by Tom from an oil slick in Uruguay just days before a new term. When the bird refuses to leave Tom's side, the young teacher has no choice but to smuggle it across the border, through customs, and back to school. Whether it's as the rugby team's mascot, the housekeeper's confidant, the host at Tom's parties or the most flamboyant swimming coach in world history, Juan Salvador transforms the lives of all he meets - in particular one homesick school boy. And as for Tom, he discovers in Juan Salvador a compadre like no other...This book was really sweet in places, but I did occasionally feel my attention drifting. Tom had much the same views and concerns about modern civilisation as me and Juan Salvador was adorable and I applaud anyone who helps an animal in need. I also agree that the penguin had a better life at the school than he probably would have had in a zoo, however, I couldn't help but feel as if more could have been done to put him back in the wild. I'm no expert and I've obviously never been in that position, but it just seemed he jumped to conclusions rather quickly without proper info - and before someone points it out, they didn't have Google then, I know, but there were other ways of researching things!All in all like I said, this was a sweet book and I love true stories, but there were parts of it that were very slow going...My favourite quotes from 'The Penguin Lessons':"Dead penguins, covered in thick, cloying, suffocating oil and tar. The sight was so dreadful, so sickening and depressing, that I could only wonder at what lay ahead for any 'civilisation' that could tolerate, let alone perpetrate, such desecration."" Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the road less traveled by,And that has made all the difference. ""I wanted to find my 'road less traveled by' and see where it led. I wanted to experience some of life's challenges without the security of a safety net.""How, in a world so full of astonishing beauty and priceless wonder, had humans devised so much misery, and not just for our own species?""...time moves on and new family, friends and pets jostle for position in our hearts, but the vacancy left by previous occupants never fills. We keep our loved ones alive through our memories, our conversations and our stories but we don't necessarily choose to reveal how much they really meant.""... the lives of many of them were grindingly hard and there was no room for passengers.""What seems undeniable is that if the Bank of Nature's descamisados becomes insolvent, no amount of our money will ever bail us out."
February 7, 2017
Scarlet
Scarlet, (The Lunar Chronicles, Book Two,) by Marissa Meyer
Blurb:Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.I think I've found my new favourite YA series! Cinder drew me in and Scarlet has definitely held my attention, my only regret is that I didn't buy the next two books before reading these ones; I had to wait until my Waterstones order came in before diving into Cress and it was torture!But back to Scarlet though... Marisa Meyer has a knack for creating brilliant characters, first there was Cinder - who still remains my favourite - and now she gives us Scarlet who is equally feisty and sarcastic! Wolf was also very intriguing and I loved the total contrasts in his character, though my favourite was the shy Wolf right at the beginning. However, in this book it wasn't the hero I fell in love with; Thorne was the one who really captured my attention and I really, really hope he gets his own book!Anyone who reads my reviews already knows that I enjoy multiple points of view and I really enjoyed how effortlessly the story flitted between the characters and I was also glad that the author didn't just leave Cinder and Kai behind to tell the story through someone else.There was a bit, somewhere in the middle, where this story slowed down, however, it definitely wasn't enough to get me to stop reading and I can't wait to continue the series!My favourite quotes from 'Scarlet':"Scarlet's world was crashing down around her and nobody noticed.""Everyone talked about her grandma's disappearance as if she were a stray cat who would meander back home when she got hungry. Don't worry. She'll be back.""You just never know when a stranger will want to take you somewhere you don't mean to go."" 'I don't like to think of it as stolen. They have no proof that I didn't plan on giving it back.' ""She would risk her life for a stranger if it were the right thing to do.""'Don't thank me for telling the truth when it would have been a mercy to lie to you.'""How many had risked their lives because they believed hers was worth more?"
Blurb:Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.I think I've found my new favourite YA series! Cinder drew me in and Scarlet has definitely held my attention, my only regret is that I didn't buy the next two books before reading these ones; I had to wait until my Waterstones order came in before diving into Cress and it was torture!But back to Scarlet though... Marisa Meyer has a knack for creating brilliant characters, first there was Cinder - who still remains my favourite - and now she gives us Scarlet who is equally feisty and sarcastic! Wolf was also very intriguing and I loved the total contrasts in his character, though my favourite was the shy Wolf right at the beginning. However, in this book it wasn't the hero I fell in love with; Thorne was the one who really captured my attention and I really, really hope he gets his own book!Anyone who reads my reviews already knows that I enjoy multiple points of view and I really enjoyed how effortlessly the story flitted between the characters and I was also glad that the author didn't just leave Cinder and Kai behind to tell the story through someone else.There was a bit, somewhere in the middle, where this story slowed down, however, it definitely wasn't enough to get me to stop reading and I can't wait to continue the series!My favourite quotes from 'Scarlet':"Scarlet's world was crashing down around her and nobody noticed.""Everyone talked about her grandma's disappearance as if she were a stray cat who would meander back home when she got hungry. Don't worry. She'll be back.""You just never know when a stranger will want to take you somewhere you don't mean to go."" 'I don't like to think of it as stolen. They have no proof that I didn't plan on giving it back.' ""She would risk her life for a stranger if it were the right thing to do.""'Don't thank me for telling the truth when it would have been a mercy to lie to you.'""How many had risked their lives because they believed hers was worth more?"
January 30, 2017
Cinder
Cinder, (The Lunar Chronicles, Book 1), by Marissa Meyer
Blurb:Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.I'm going to keep this review short and sweet, simply because I need to rush back to reading Scarlet, the sequel to Cinder!I love fairytale re-tellings, though I rarely find any that satisfy me, however, I devoured Cinder in a matter of days. The world the story is set in is just so absorbing and Cinder is such a great main character, she's so feisty and I loved the sarcastic sense of humour. I also enjoyed the idea of the main character being a cyborg. Prince Kai was also a very good character and I look forward to seeing how their story continues in the next book.I think it's fair to say that I'm very, very excited to read the rest of this series...My favourite quotes from 'Cinder':"You are a sacrifice I will never regret.""It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth."" 'What I can't buy you a gift?' ...'Not after I've ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?' ""She was not worth starting a war over.""It would be so simple to let it happen. So simple not to fight back."
Blurb:Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.I'm going to keep this review short and sweet, simply because I need to rush back to reading Scarlet, the sequel to Cinder!I love fairytale re-tellings, though I rarely find any that satisfy me, however, I devoured Cinder in a matter of days. The world the story is set in is just so absorbing and Cinder is such a great main character, she's so feisty and I loved the sarcastic sense of humour. I also enjoyed the idea of the main character being a cyborg. Prince Kai was also a very good character and I look forward to seeing how their story continues in the next book.I think it's fair to say that I'm very, very excited to read the rest of this series...My favourite quotes from 'Cinder':"You are a sacrifice I will never regret.""It is easier to trick others into perceiving you as beautiful if you can convince yourself you are beautiful. But mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth."" 'What I can't buy you a gift?' ...'Not after I've ignored six of your comms in the last week. Are you dense?' ""She was not worth starting a war over.""It would be so simple to let it happen. So simple not to fight back."
January 23, 2017
Nerve
Nerve, by Jeanne Ryan
Blurb:When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE.I had very mixed feelings about this book, mostly because I just found it very juvenile. Yes, I know it's a YA book, but still...I can understand why the dares were all very childish to begin with, because then it could escalate, however, I just didn't enjoy it. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and muttering to myself. I think most of that comes from the fact that I couldn't identify with the main character either; Vee just wasn't the type of girl I can sympathise with. I understood Ian's reason for joining NERVE, however, Vee was just so shallow. Again, I suppose this was done so that her character could develop and yes, by the end she was a half-way decent character, but the fact that I couldn't mesh with her from the beginning put me off.Despite that though, the last half of this book was very good. All the while they were in that room I was hooked - I literally couldn't put the book down as I waited to see what would happen next. I loved the psychological side of this book and the mind games. It's also interesting - and scary - when you think how fast things can get out of control. Like Vee says at one point, it starts with baby steps.So, like I said, mixed feelings. I basically picked this book up because I loved the cover and I got the film for my birthday, but wanted to read the book first. Now I can watch the film and see how it compares.
Blurb:When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE.I had very mixed feelings about this book, mostly because I just found it very juvenile. Yes, I know it's a YA book, but still...I can understand why the dares were all very childish to begin with, because then it could escalate, however, I just didn't enjoy it. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and muttering to myself. I think most of that comes from the fact that I couldn't identify with the main character either; Vee just wasn't the type of girl I can sympathise with. I understood Ian's reason for joining NERVE, however, Vee was just so shallow. Again, I suppose this was done so that her character could develop and yes, by the end she was a half-way decent character, but the fact that I couldn't mesh with her from the beginning put me off.Despite that though, the last half of this book was very good. All the while they were in that room I was hooked - I literally couldn't put the book down as I waited to see what would happen next. I loved the psychological side of this book and the mind games. It's also interesting - and scary - when you think how fast things can get out of control. Like Vee says at one point, it starts with baby steps.So, like I said, mixed feelings. I basically picked this book up because I loved the cover and I got the film for my birthday, but wanted to read the book first. Now I can watch the film and see how it compares.
January 21, 2017
A Street Cat Named Bob
A Street Cat Named Bob, by James Bowen
Blurb:When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.Okay, so this was a really nice book, though actually very different to the film. It was heartwarming and uplifting and easy to read. If it were being rated on writing and story-telling alone I don't think it would mount up to much - the writing is simplistic at best and quite repetitive at times. Often I found myself reconstructing sentences in my head, however, you have to remember that the author is not a professional writer, he's simply telling his story and let's be honest people aren't snapping up this book because it's literary genius. The reason I - and assumedly so many others - have enjoyed this book is because it's a true story. And, especially for me, since I'm English and know many of the places mentioned in this book, I felt vey invested in this story and the lives of James and Bob and I'm so glad that this book is a worldwide bestseller for their sakes; they deserved something great to happen to them.Personally, I've always been more of a dog person and I never really understood cat people, but the relationship between Bob and James is so sweet in this book, the feelings so heartfelt, that I almost wanted a cat! Almost! But I don't think my dogs would like that... they already took offence to the fact that I was reading a cat book!My favourite quotes from 'A Street Cat Named Bob':'There's a famous quote I read somewhere. It says we are all given second chances every day of our lives. They are there for the taking, it's just that we don't usually take them.''... they are lethal predators by nature. A lot of people don't like to think of their cute little kitty as a mass murdered, but that's what cats are, given half a chance.''Living on the streets of London strips away your dignity - your everything, really. Worse of all, it strips away people's opinion of you.''If we were the kind of people who stuck to the rules, we wouldn't have been there.'
Blurb:When James Bowen found an injured, ginger street cat curled up in the hallway of his sheltered accommodation, he had no idea just how much his life was about to change. James was living hand to mouth on the streets of London and the last thing he needed was a pet.Yet James couldn't resist helping the strikingly intelligent tom cat, whom he quickly christened Bob. He slowly nursed Bob back to health and then sent the cat on his way, imagining he would never see him again. But Bob had other ideas.Soon the two were inseparable and their diverse, comic and occasionally dangerous adventures would transform both their lives, slowly healing the scars of each other's troubled pasts.Okay, so this was a really nice book, though actually very different to the film. It was heartwarming and uplifting and easy to read. If it were being rated on writing and story-telling alone I don't think it would mount up to much - the writing is simplistic at best and quite repetitive at times. Often I found myself reconstructing sentences in my head, however, you have to remember that the author is not a professional writer, he's simply telling his story and let's be honest people aren't snapping up this book because it's literary genius. The reason I - and assumedly so many others - have enjoyed this book is because it's a true story. And, especially for me, since I'm English and know many of the places mentioned in this book, I felt vey invested in this story and the lives of James and Bob and I'm so glad that this book is a worldwide bestseller for their sakes; they deserved something great to happen to them.Personally, I've always been more of a dog person and I never really understood cat people, but the relationship between Bob and James is so sweet in this book, the feelings so heartfelt, that I almost wanted a cat! Almost! But I don't think my dogs would like that... they already took offence to the fact that I was reading a cat book!My favourite quotes from 'A Street Cat Named Bob':'There's a famous quote I read somewhere. It says we are all given second chances every day of our lives. They are there for the taking, it's just that we don't usually take them.''... they are lethal predators by nature. A lot of people don't like to think of their cute little kitty as a mass murdered, but that's what cats are, given half a chance.''Living on the streets of London strips away your dignity - your everything, really. Worse of all, it strips away people's opinion of you.''If we were the kind of people who stuck to the rules, we wouldn't have been there.'
