Musiville, authored by Nicholas C. Rossis and illustrated Dimitris Fousekis, is a book about some incredible creatures! Within these pages are a groupMusiville, authored by Nicholas C. Rossis and illustrated Dimitris Fousekis, is a book about some incredible creatures! Within these pages are a group of animals, intertwined with musical instruments. It's an interesting little book, full of creativity and imagination. Not only does it introduce the reader to all sorts of interesting animals, it also presents them all sorts of interesting instruments. The illustrations are brilliant and really convey a great sense of artistic style from the illustrator, visualising the interesting animals of the story. At the end of the book, we even get introduced to each of the creatures and a little bit about them. My favourite is the Pandiano! Overall, it's a brilliant little book!
I read my copy for free on: http://nicholasrossis.me Edit: today on 28th January, 2016, I obtained a free copy from amazon.com.au...more
**spoiler alert** Help Me Make It Through the Night is a short story by Kathy Golden. In these pages, we're introduced to a pair. They both spend seve**spoiler alert** Help Me Make It Through the Night is a short story by Kathy Golden. In these pages, we're introduced to a pair. They both spend several nights in a bar. During this time, the female takes notice of the man's behaviour and feels like she ought to discuss it with him. She goes over to his table and an interesting conversation takes place.
Both main characters, Mistique/ April and Bailey are both reasonably interesting. However, I feel that irrelevant aspects are discussed, considering the short nature of the story. For example, I don't feel like Mistique/ April's fashion sense was completely relevant and it kind of detracted from the atmosphere, especially when she pulled her bra out her shirt and whacked it on the table. I can sort of see what the author was aiming for in those portions, and the intended humour with the bra removal, but I just didn't think it was necessary. The same can sort of be said for the character Bailey; we're introduced to a character that’s on the mysterious side. But, after we get to find out his hidden side, the reveal just doesn't seem to fully convey the secrecy that's intended. It essentially all boils down to the fact that he goes home with a different person each night because he can't get over another.
It's a good story and the author uses their words well, but obviously there are a few aspects that make the story less special. For example, the loss of a former partner is a fairly common reason people use for why their characters sleep around. I also feel like the author is trying too hard to make Mistique/ April an original character; the unusual appearance (violet contacts and black / blonde wig) and the "Mistique" name... Those things aren't necessary. The author character could still use a relatively normal appearance with a normal name and it would seem more natural. I feel like a story of any kind out to be more than just what a character looks like. At the end of the day, who cares if you can point them out in the crowd? The conversation is the real focal point in the book and it really feels like it's not when we have our main female character whipping out her bra and smacking it down on a table. Maybe other people enjoyed that bit, I don't know... I just didn't find it as funny as I think it was meant to be.
The things I do like about the story are that the conversation is interesting and the way the author expresses the scenes. There's a lot of emphasis on the bar they're in and we get some great introductions to the type of people in those bars. It's interesting to read more into each scene and I kind of wish we'd gotten more of it.
Overall, I liked it, but it needs a few improvements here and there. Like many other short stories, I think it definitely would have benefited from a lot more content and a lengthier word count. However, forgiving the problems I've mentioned- which are just my opinion, I think the author has potential and there is promise in their writing. I'll definitely read more of their work if I get the chance.
I got a free copy of this book from Smashwords....more
The Great Knitting Needle Hunt by Paul Geraghty features a young child and his gran. The grandmother is knitting something for him, but has lost a kniThe Great Knitting Needle Hunt by Paul Geraghty features a young child and his gran. The grandmother is knitting something for him, but has lost a knitting needle and can't finish her work. So, to help her out, he goes searching for it. Using his imagination, he looks all over the world; in the jungle, underwater and even in the plains of Africa. It's an incredible book. The theme is simple, but the illustrations really bring this work to life. It's a truly magical adventure and any child would be happy to experience it!...more
Wendy Barrett is an ordinary Australian. She has a family, a busy life and oodles of creativity to squeeze out. Grabbing the Muse by the Throat is a jWendy Barrett is an ordinary Australian. She has a family, a busy life and oodles of creativity to squeeze out. Grabbing the Muse by the Throat is a journal of the challenges she's set herself and many of the complications she's faced over the period of a year.
Wendy is fairly likeable and I'm able to relate to her well; she has so much creativity, yet she doesn't always have the time to put pen or pencil to paper, or even the confidence. It's written as a sort of diary, so there are a lot of things that one might not be interested in. For example, not every reader might be interested in the varying doctor visits or excursions of her children. However, I felt that it was a large, realistic touch to the book. Without her family and friends, she might not have had some of the inspiration to create certain works. It really puts a certain perspective to the art as well; she has a lot of stuff to do apart from the art and one has to admire her ambition to complete her many challenges. Yes, in some places, the family portions outweighed the art production, but otherwise I think it was reasonably interesting to read into another family's life like that.
Overall, it was a fairly interesting book and Wendy's challenges were very encouraging to my own creativity. I'd like to think that many other people would also take bits of inspiration away from the book as well.
Her blog is also worth checking out; there are examples of art and further inspiration to be obtained. There's also a newsletter sign up on the sidebar if you're interested in updates. I just signed up for it as well. :) http://www.wendybarrettpainting.blogs...
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it....more
High Interest is the first book in The Paragon Series by Leigh James. It's a story that looks into corporate espionage. First, we meet the creator of High Interest is the first book in The Paragon Series by Leigh James. It's a story that looks into corporate espionage. First, we meet the creator of Paragon, Lauren Taylor. Paragon is biomedical company, that works on producing and testing important devices, many of which Lauren hopes to bring to the world. She doesn't care for the fame or wealth, as long as she has enough to fund her experiments. Gabriel Betts is also a CEO; he runs the successful Dynamica and hopes that they can partner with Paragon.
Lauren is kind of boring and I also feel like she's a hyped up character with little background substance. She has a very stereotypical existence; brilliantly smart with little to bring her down, having created her own biomedical company. Yes, she's meant to be smart, but there's something about the way she's written that makes her seem less so. For example, when Clive Warren is known to be visiting the company, she can't think why he's been doing it. He even said himself that he's considering partnering with the company and wants information about their work, so why can't she or anyone else work out why he might be visiting...? Is it not obvious? Why do she and Gabriel, two supposedly smart people, need to spend so long determining what Clive's doing...? Gabriel Betts, as mentioned just now, is meant to be smart as well. Yet the majority of his existence in the novel is showing off. He doesn't really add anything really intelligent to it, simply showing off his money at every point. My other consideration is that, after only meeting each other twice, Lauren is unnecessarily laughing at Gabriel's comments as if she's trying to impress him. When I say comments, I mean things that aren't even meant to be jokes. It's weird and seems very forced. Not to mention, on their second date, Gabriel is talking about bashing Clive's head in, just for having a date with Lauren. The relationship between Lauren and Gabriel is very forced and neither of them seems likeable. I thought it unfortunate for her that she would want to continue dating him in the first place; threatening violence at such a non-issue is definitely a reason to steer clear of Gabriel. His constant threats to Clive are completely unnecessary.
Other characters also seem lack lustre. Hannah, for example, is Lauren's sister. She's very encouraging and seems to press Lauren into doing things that Lauren doesn't want to do. I wouldn't want to know her if she tries to make people do things that they don't want to do. It also seems like she's riding on her sister's coat tails; in the book, we don't see her do much save for trying to convince her sister to date rich men. Clive Warren is another potential love interest for Lauren, made to look utterly annoying. At first, Clive isn't as bad a person as the author makes him out to be. Yet, for some reason, Lauren makes him out to be a creep. He, like Gabriel, took Lauren out to a meal and made an offer to partner with the company. Yet, the author writes it as if Lauren automatically hates him, even though Clive has done nothing very different than Gabriel has. Until the next day, he didn't really do much wrong in my eyes. It's a double standard, really; we're obviously meant to prefer one male over the other, which (in my opinion) is a poor quality to the story. Yes, Clive did turn out to do something wrong, but those portions weren't written very well. It happens far too quickly and we don't get a lot of the back story of the situation, which is important to creating the scene. For example, we have little knowledge of their prior contact. They were meant to have known each other and then he went to China (he made a joke about taking her back there with him). So, he can't have been that bad of a person if she agreed to a date with him now. So, why is he such a bad person now...? I don't understand what the author is trying to do. Was it because he didn't ask her whether she ate meat or not? Lots of people don't do that...
The book itself has an interesting premise. I appreciate that the author has tried to write people to be intelligent, but that point doesn't really get properly put across. Especially considering that neither Lauren nor Gabriel seems to make very smart decisions. A few examples: spending an entire dinner on trying to figure out something that was completely obvious, Gabriel's constant threats of violence which would simply get him put in prison and accomplish nothing, and Lauren's ignorance to dating and how weirdly she was acting... Like I said, I appreciate the attempt to make smart characters, but these ones are just lacking. The book and basic plot seems kind of reminiscent of other things I've read and lacks a distinct uniqueness. It's a fairly typical dating portion as well; main character dates #1 and it goes well, then dates #2 and (for no reason) it goes badly. #1 (for no reason) wants to harm #2. It's not very original, especially given that there was no reason for either Lauren or Gabriel to initially hate Clive. For improvements, I think it could have all been explained a lot better and to have the work spread across a realistic timeline. There's obviously a lot of information that we're missing and a lot of things that the author didn't make available to the reader. It feels like there's a lot left on the editing room floor, if you catch my drift.
Overall, it's a book that I wanted to like; a book about corporate espionage in a biomedical company...? It sounds great! Yet, neither the characters nor events are very original. Plus, like I've said, there's a lot that just doesn't make sense. I don't think I'll be reading the second book.
I received a free eCopy of this book via Instafreebie and these are my honest thoughts of it....more
Journey is part one of a series by Mykl Walsh, telling the story of Lawrence Ronald Howard. To most, he seems ordinary, but Journey tells the story ofJourney is part one of a series by Mykl Walsh, telling the story of Lawrence Ronald Howard. To most, he seems ordinary, but Journey tells the story of his extraordinary life. Despite it being labelled as a "short story", I didn't feel like that was particularly appropriate; it's more a series of short stories.
I liked the beginning of the book and felt that it was an appropriate introduction. We start with an epic voyage to a new place, a few remnants of Earth and an archaeological dig to determine whether there was life on a desolate world. It was fascinating to me and I enjoyed the way the author looks back on SecretAgentMan as if it's some lost treasure. I liken many books to the same idea; what if a few thousand years from now, Earthlings discovered some lost copy of an important book from now? It would be considered a great find, no doubt. The same, I might consider, what book would you put in a time capsule if you were hoping that someone, a few millenia from now might read?
From there, we cut to the birth of Lawrence Ronald Howard who was born ten months from the death of Einstein. He's born into a reasonably large family, which only grows further once he's been born. His parents are concerned of his learning and development, unaware of how intelligent he really is. From then on, Mr. Howard goes on to greatness. The book tells of a few of his exploits, many of which are still to come. It also shares facts of the world and little titbits of knowledge. One thing I quite liked about the book (though my copy is a promotional version and I don't know whether properly released copies will have the same) is the little bits of paper tucked in between the pages. Some were little newspaper printouts and others were little relevant portions to the book. I felt it fascinating; it's like a little scrapbook that a person might collect.
Apart from Howard, we don't get much of a look into the other characters' lives, but I appreciate the views that we did get. For example, the parents; I liked that they were simply an ordinary family, with no particular (revealed) ambitions. It felt like they were more normal; that they weren't reaching for anything too great, they were simply just hoping that their family remained healthy and safe. I think my favourite characters overall were the ones in the future and I would have liked to read more about them and their findings.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I would like to read more of the work.
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it....more
Ideas And Disclosures is the first book in a trilogy of ideas by Thiruman Archunan. It presents a series of thoughts the author has had. Many of the pIdeas And Disclosures is the first book in a trilogy of ideas by Thiruman Archunan. It presents a series of thoughts the author has had. Many of the points are presented in reasonably short comments, with a number correlating to each and sometimes a short description. Other comments are somewhat long and can extend further than a paragraph. Many of these points are philosophical in nature. The author doesn't expect an answer of these comments, only presenting them to us for our consideration and for us to think about further. There are varying topics, mostly to do with humanity and nature. A lot of points consider the differences between men and women, whilst others consider the way humans relate to nature. I think that it was a good idea to present it in numbered form; as there are 751 things presented and, if someone wants to look back on one, they can simply note down the number and return later.
It was very complex and the author has put a lot of thought into the work. Of course, much of the complexity also comes from what you think of each point and how you try to understand it. The author has some good points and has left me with several things to think about. I appreciate that it was organised in point form; it made it easier to see where some of the longer points ended. However, the points of some felt kind of repetitive.
Overall, I think it was a fairly interesting book and some of the points were very thought-provoking.
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it. For those who avoid such things, there are references and discussion on God and religion....more
The Observances is a book of poetry by Kate Miller. The author presents many different types of poems, a varying range of emotions and incredible scenThe Observances is a book of poetry by Kate Miller. The author presents many different types of poems, a varying range of emotions and incredible scenes. Each work is like a little, unique story.
My first thought is that I've never read anything quite like this. I appreciate that the work is very complex. There are differing layers to many of the poems, some the obvious descriptions and those which we must consider further to understand the poetry better. The author seems to have an incredible respect of nature, giving notice to many things that others might overlook. One of my favourite works within the book is "The Hoopoes Have Come Home", a dedication to the personality and behaviour of the bird. In addition to nature, the author also discusses the various characters of poems. Another poem that I like quite a bit is "Minding The Antiquarian Bookseller's House"; I enjoy the personalisation of the characters. Though we are left with little detail, it is up to the reader to consider the reasons for the scene and events within the work.
Overall, I liked the book very much. The work has great depth and many layers, with interesting scenes and observations. Admittedly, there are words and references to things that I do not understand at the moment. However, I hope to re-read the book again in future, at which point I might understand and enjoy it better. Otherwise, I enjoyed the work and will keep an eye out for more work by the same author.
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it....more
Betty Bee's Attitude is a series of children’s books by Jacquelyn S. Arnold. This one in particular features her meeting with Duncan, a dragonfly thatBetty Bee's Attitude is a series of children’s books by Jacquelyn S. Arnold. This one in particular features her meeting with Duncan, a dragonfly that she notices drifting in the wind one day. He looks sad and Betty does her best to cheer him up.
Betty is a very happy bee and I appreciate her dedication to help others, sharing her Bee Attitude and doing her best to cheer up Duncan. The book has a few different morals to teach. First, the book teaches that you shouldn't mourn the loss of a friend. Rather, you should feel blessed for the friends and things you still do have- or that you might seek out new friends in this troubled time. Another thing the book teaches is that we should take notice when friends are sad about something, and then do our best to help them. I think the book teaches these themes well. One of my favourite parts of the book is the bee-autiful illustrations. Any child will love them! Each scene has a matching, full page illustration to go with it. They feature both main characters, but often have some of the other wildlife such as the other insects, animals and plants that one might find surrounding Betty Bee's home. It's a truly beautiful setting that will, no doubt, inspire any youngster.
Overall, it's a brilliant book! Betty's Bee Attitude is very inspiring and I think the work will be uplifting to any child who reads it!
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it. Just a note to people trying to avoid religion: this book includes religious references....more
Fallen by Valerie Twombly is a short story, later becoming part of a novel, Fall Into Darkness by the same author (which I have not read as of the curFallen by Valerie Twombly is a short story, later becoming part of a novel, Fall Into Darkness by the same author (which I have not read as of the current moment). Eli, a bounty hunter, is under judgement for something bad he's done. Sent away without even so much as a shirt on his back, Eli is tasked with finding his humanity. He finds a woman being attacked and does his best to help. It turns out that Ashley can see someone's death, by looking them in the eye. The book has angels, hellhounds and a tough main character.
Eli is a fairly interesting character, though we get little information of his history and his personality takes over the book. Ashley is interesting as well, though her decisions bother me; at first she's shy about her lack of clothing but then decides to take a shower with him...? Regardless of injury, any modest person I know would never put themselves in that position. Their little relationship is a bit bothersome on other levels as well; he doesn't even try to keep his archangel status a secret (which is a big deal, but she just takes it as if he's told her that he's a banker or something), and upon the news that he thinks the Seven want him to have sex with her, she gives in far too easily. If anyone had told me something like that, I would think it an obvious scam. Sure, he's good looking and has a few scars where wings might have been, but I wouldn't take that as solid evidence. Also, I think it's weird that she let him stay at all.
The plot seems a little on the cliché side and seems reminiscent of several other books I've read or movies I've seen. However, I think that the author turns it into something fairly unique. The story is fairly well written and there are aspects of humour, a good use of words and the characters seem somewhat likeable (regardless of stupid decisions they make). For a short story, it goes very quickly. I understand that the author is trying to keep a low word count, but it just seems like the events are rushed through too quickly. Many serious and sombre moments seem ruined because there isn't enough time spent on them. For example, a few pages in, when Eli's wings are taken. They are literally being ripped from his back, yet it's kind of glazed over and the scene doesn't hold the seriousness or weight that it ought to. I think the weirdest point in the book for me is the phrase, "No woman refused an angel..." I know that the author means it in a light sense, but I can't help but think of it being incredibly dark. It just seems like she doesn't have the option to say 'no' and that upsets me on a personal level; that she has no choice in the matter. No matter what, I think a woman always has a right to say no, regardless of the alternate being an archangel. But that's just my take on it.
Overall, I think that it's well written and the author has a good grasp of how to convey things to a reader. However, the characters just seem absurd and do things that I- as a reader- would not do, had I been given the same circumstances. I don't think anyone I know would do the same, either; the range of feelings and personality of each character don't mesh into something that seems natural. I like both main characters, but I feel like they could have been developed better, even within the confines of a short story. I think the same of the plot. Though I liked the book, I feel like the entire story could have been developed better, a lot of things could have been explained better and set within a reasonable time limit- rather than just a few days. Fallen was a decent read, but I think that the flaws don't really excite me for "Fall Into Darkness", the next book, but I will consider reading it.
I obtained a free copy of this via an InstaFreebie giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on the work. Just a warning for some people: there are curse words. Many of which seem kind of gratuitous to me. There are also adult scenes....more
Winter's Homecoming and Other Poems is a book showcasing eight works by Robert Zimmermann. The author has a great grasp of language, manipulating ordiWinter's Homecoming and Other Poems is a book showcasing eight works by Robert Zimmermann. The author has a great grasp of language, manipulating ordinary scenes into wondrous and poetry. The author's work is effective and adds a lot of character to scenery. For example, the titular work "Winter’s Homecoming" conveys ordinary feelings one might endure at winter. However, the author uses these occurrences to reminisce of those feelings. Overall, these works are well done. It is a short, perfect read for those looking to get a little bit of enjoyment.
With a coupon code, I managed to buy this free from Smashwords. My comments here are honest....more
This colouring book is a part of the Andee the Aquanaut series by Simon James House, with illustrations by Zoran Zlaticanin. Andee is a great kid who This colouring book is a part of the Andee the Aquanaut series by Simon James House, with illustrations by Zoran Zlaticanin. Andee is a great kid who does his best to help out the marine life. This book features a multitude of illustrations from the trilogy, action packed scenes which kids (or adults!) can colour in. Though it's just snippets of the trilogy, there is still text to describe what's going on in each scene. It's actually pretty interesting; it's like miniature stories, which I think is good because then kids can make up their own stories based on those scenes and prompts.
Overall, it's pretty awesome! It's a great little book with mini adventures and creative scenes! Any kid would love to colour it in!
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it....more
At My Door by Deb Fitzpatrick tells the story of an unusual package delivered to the Campbell household. Poppy, our main character, comes downstairs tAt My Door by Deb Fitzpatrick tells the story of an unusual package delivered to the Campbell household. Poppy, our main character, comes downstairs to find that the late night delivery is young child. She's a toddler, found clutching a green blanket. The only piece of information about her is a note stating that her name is Mei, with no other clues as to who she is or where she might have come from.
Poppy is a very sweet girl. Her curiousity and confusion at the incident is quite obvious, but at the same time, he's obviously very selfless and does her best to try and take care of little Mei as best she can. I think it was sweet that she was trying to help her parents and taking an interest in the toddler's life. The other characters are quite interesting as well; the parents are very generous to take in the child and even Harry, Poppy's older brother, does various things.
The plot takes the idea of an abandoned child- something that people might not see very often these days (depending on where you live)- and gives a childlike twist. Poppy obviously doesn't really understand why a mother would do that to a child, and nor do we. There isn't a proper explanation to it, save for that the mother might just be experiencing a little bit of financial hardship. I think the overall intention of the book is primarily to introduce children to the idea of babies and what you might do to take care of them. I also think that it introduces a child to the idea that not every family is the same. The Campbell family is in a reasonable state, with happy children and food on the table. However, Mei's family is clearly different; so much so that the mother obviously thought that the Campbell home was better for her child one night. I think it might be interesting for a child, to consider how their own life differs from that of their friends' and how they might take on change if something were to happen.
Overall, the book is fairly upbeat, considering the circumstances, and Poppy tries to keep hopeful about the situation. Though the events could be considered somewhat sad, I liked that each of the characters were generous and did their best to help someone in need. They're obviously good people and I hope that any child reading this might be inspired by such selflessness. Though the book is short and we don't get the whole idea of what's going on, I did like the book and felt that it does its best to teach children a little bit more about life. I would definitely like to read more of the author's work and anymore books about Poppy and her family. I think it would make a great series for kids!
I won a copy of this book via a First Reads giveaway and these are just my honest thoughts on it....more
A Small Madness by Dianne Touchell begins with a fresh beginning for Rose, a teenager in her last year of high school. A new sexual experience has herA Small Madness by Dianne Touchell begins with a fresh beginning for Rose, a teenager in her last year of high school. A new sexual experience has her feeling like a woman and she looks over herself to see how much she's changed because of it. She and her boyfriend Michael have each made plans for their own future. Her intentions are to become an actress and he is looking to become a doctor. So, when she's pregnant, she doesn't want her life to change and she refuses to believe any of the evidence. However, people around her start noticing the changes. They notice that she's not looking well, that her personality and behaviour has changed. The same can be said of Michael. Though he doesn't experience the physical changes, he becomes worried for her and finds that he has a new outlook towards his whole life. For Rose, she realises that she needs to make some choices about this pregnancy. Just a warning for some of you: it's not a happy book and a lot of people might find the content to be kind of disturbing. There is bad language and sexual references as well, just to let you know.
Though I didn't necessarily like all the characters, I felt that they were all somewhat understandable. The way the book is written, you can see the motives of all the people, their feelings about each situation and many of the choices they make. I think I liked Liv the most. Though she was treated somewhat poorly in the book, I think that her motives were the most clear and natural. I think the most interesting perspective was to read about how the parents were dealing with the situation. Though they didn't know the particulars of what was wrong with their children, it was certainly good to read about the way they tried to deal with each problem- what they thought might be wrong.
As for the plot, I think it was fairly interesting. The topic of teen pregnancy has so many aspects to it and the author could have gone in any direction. But, I think the way they went seemed suitable. The book had a strong structure and many of the peaks happen at important points of the pregnancy; the first missed period, the first biological changes, and other such things. Obviously it's not going to be an action packed novel, but there is still a lot of drama. Most of that revolves around the emotionality of the characters, arguments and the like. I felt like the book could have been longer, with more portions explained further; in some points it just seemed like bits were rushed through. For example, we didn't see much of how the pregnancy changed her school and drama work in a lot of portions. The same for Michael; though he experiences a lot of emotional trauma, there are a lot of bits in his life that we miss out on. There are background characters, who ought to be important, that kind of get lost. For example, Rose's father. It's understandable that he's not around much, but I kind of wish that he had more of a part to play.
Overall, I think it was a fairly good book. It explored a lot of interesting points about teenage pregnancy and how it changed people. The characters are interesting and the author got through many months of the book in an interesting manner, with little back stories and things that made each character quite unique. However, the long time span in a short amount of words didn't necessarily work the whole time; many portions could have been explained more. It was a pretty good read and, though it was somewhat sad, I think it's the type of book that really makes you think.
I was asked to do a review of the book for a family friend and was loaned a copy....more
Sunset, Sunrise, Sunset; Soon a New Day Will Dawn is a book of poetry by Cleo Patra. It includes poems which speak of many varying situations, a lot oSunset, Sunrise, Sunset; Soon a New Day Will Dawn is a book of poetry by Cleo Patra. It includes poems which speak of many varying situations, a lot of which a reader might be able to relate to. My favourite poem within the pages is "Still looking for a substitute-mist." This book being the author's debut work, I think they did a fair job. Many of the poems have a good flow and work well. However, there are cases within the book that just don't seem as well thought out. For example, the very first poem, "Cupcake flakes". I think that the language usage just seems weird and it doesn't flow as well as some of the others. I think that's primarily due to the rhyming nature of it; the author uses pretty much any rhyme, but not all of them work well for the poem. The same can be said for the book's other poems as well. Another issue is references to varying people, things and companies. Some of the references to popular culture felt out of place. The reason that I mention this is that not everyone might know who these people or organisations are. Sure, most people will know who the popular ones are, examples being Casanova or James Bond. However, some poems make reference to things I don't understand. For example, the line, "Held captive by Seth." Originally, I knew of the Egyptian Seth, but I did an online search to be sure. Not only is there the Egyptian Seth, but there is a bible Seth, and multiple other Seths that the author could mean. Another example is "Ronan Keating". From the passage, I assume that they are a musician or singer of some sort, but I don't think that I've ever heard their work.
Overall, I liked a substantial amount of the work presented. However, I think that some of the author's chosen words are a little weird in some cases; choosing things that will rhyme rather than things that will make sense within the context. But, many of the poems did give me food for thought and I appreciate the opportunity to have read them. I think that the author could do really well, with some improvement. For a first try, I think it was well done.
I received a free copy of this story as a prize from the FirstReads program in exchange for an honest review. This is the link presented from the giveaway email for this book, however my copy has a different cover. I assume that they're still the same, though....more
I got One Hundred Crazy Crazy Jokes, book #13 in a series of joke books, by Ebenezer Jackson-Firefly from Smashwords with the intention of a quick, enI got One Hundred Crazy Crazy Jokes, book #13 in a series of joke books, by Ebenezer Jackson-Firefly from Smashwords with the intention of a quick, entertaining read. With heaps of jokes, I found the majority of them to be a little bit lackluster. I had a few occassional chuckles, but I didn't find the majority of the jokes to be funny or clever. Many of them were also jokes that I've heard before. Though I didn't need it, I did like how the author thought to include an explanation portion at the end of the book to describe the humour to those who mightn't understand. Overall, I had a few laughs and it kept me company for a little while, but I just didn't find it as funny as I was hoping....more
The Changeling Detective by Phillip Berrie is about the unwanted case of a private detective. Whilst involved in another investigation our changeling-The Changeling Detective by Phillip Berrie is about the unwanted case of a private detective. Whilst involved in another investigation our changeling- John Adams, part of AAA Detective Agency- finds himself having bothered a crime boss.
The main character is a changeling who works as a private detective, as I'm sure you'll have worked out from the title. He was orphaned at a young age and, until now; he's never really had much of an idea as to how he's obtained these special powers. Within this novel, he primarily uses the name John Adams. However, he rotates through a variety of others names, depending on who he meets and talks to. I think that the author has thought that portion through well, in connection with the changeling aspect; the character has taken some very intelligent precautions to set up multiple identities and back up possibilities for his business- not just for his safety, but for any potential outcomes or failings. We meet Ruth Williams, an assistant manager who serves him a drink. It turns out that she's fairly important to the plot later and has an unwanted connection to one of the police officers involved. I think that she's a pretty good character. She does her best to help John. I appreciate that she's fairly calm and understanding when he reveals his secret to her. I find her to be very likeable and her motives within the book are fairly straightforward. Stephen Newman, plus his goon Bruno, are both great characters! Newman has made some understandable decisions for his criminal empire and, later on, I enjoy the portions of his identity and past that are revealed to us. I thoroughly enjoyed Bruno's loyalty and the effort he was willing to put in for his boss. For the characters, I think that there were plenty of good interactions between them. Though, there was also some information left out, which leaves us with a bit of curiosity about what happens next.
For those who don't know, Canberra is the capital of Australia, and a great location for The Changeling Detective. Much of the events occur within the inner city areas and I appreciate the nods towards local hotspots that tourists might want to visit. Another part that I really like is that it takes reference from old private investigator media such as the character of Sam Spade, played by Humphrey Bogart. That, and some pretty stylised writing, gives it the touches of a classic PI novel. The main plot had a lot of strong points and had a good structure about the main events. Right from the beginning, with Newman's misunderstanding, up until the end was all fairly understandable and everyone has their part to play. In some portions, it felt kind of weird. For example, after John got shot, I felt it to be kind of strange that he healed so easily, but that was later explained and I think most of the weird portions only seemed that way because I didn't have all the information yet. I kind of wish that there were more portions surrounding the investigation of the death of Ruth's father, though I can understand why much of that was left out; I assume that it's being left for a future book, assuming there's going to be another in the series.
Though, I still think that there was more to tell in this book; there are unanswered questions I have about it. The same with much of the changeling aspects. We got some fairly good information regarding his abilities and I think that the author has got a good basis so far, but I am definitely curious to know more about the condition. Though, having said that, a lot of the questions I had whilst reading the book were answered later on in other portions. I felt that the supernatural and fantastical aspects of the plot were fairly well dealt with, especially considering that it wasn't just one person with a set of magical abilities. I like that Ruth also has some unexplained powers to deal with. I like to think that there are reasonable amounts of other people in the city (and world) that have some sort of supernatural abilities. I think the changeling portions are done well. The author has obviously put time and thought into what the character needs in order to change (reasonably large space, mirrors, etc). Not to mention how these changes affect the character's life. Cleverly, the character uses things such as reversible clothing. I appreciate that the changing isn't exactly easy for him and that it takes time and a bit of effort to do. It's nice to know that it's not as simple as it could be in the magical world of fiction writing.
Overall, I think the thing that helps the story most is that the story is set up in an intelligent manner; the characters make some very smart decisions. The characters are fairly likeable and I'm left curious as to what happens to all of them in the future. I liked the supernatural parts and felt that they were completely intertwined with the story, an important aspect to the book. After reading it, I'm very happy with the way it turned out and I'm hoping that the author ends up writing another. It's definitely worth a read.
I was lucky enough to win a hard copy of this book from a First Reads giveaway, here on Goodreads. I began reading it the very same day though unfortunately, due to health problems, I was unable to finish it until now....more
Night of the Bonfire is the first novel in the Michael Quinn series by Kevin Scott Olson. Prior to this, I have also read one short story entitled "BrNight of the Bonfire is the first novel in the Michael Quinn series by Kevin Scott Olson. Prior to this, I have also read one short story entitled "Breakout" by the same author, which also features Michael Quinn. I'll begin by explaining Michael a bit. He's an American special operative, formerly Navy SEAL and now doing various tasks for the CIA. In regards to his work, he's very smart; he doesn't take unnecessary risks and does his best to keep any operation professional. Night of the Bonfire, we begin in the middle of an exciting operation in Mexico that he's been working on. From one assignment to another, we soon find ourselves following him to a new mission to find an old painting, thought to be destroyed by the artist. In present time, Marco Leone and Victor Orlov are two art collectors. They're both willing to do anything in order to get this piece. It's Michael's job to secure the artwork.
The main thing I like about Michael, the same in my experience with Breakout, is that he does his best to make the smart decisions in any given situation. Nor does he do things for any needless violence or adrenaline fix. In the beginning of the book, we can see this best; he has his part to play in the plan and then he takes a step back for others to do their own bit. It's something that's quite obviously missing in many movies and television shows; that in those cases, the characters just don't know when to take a break. Michael, however, doesn't do it for glory or attention. He does his part and knows better than to put himself in a dangerous situation unnecessarily. The other characters each have their part to play as well. Marco Leone and Victor Orlov were fitting foes for our main character. Both seemed intelligent and took reasonable risks to ensure that their operations remained functioning. Marco in particular; his security is fairly tight he tries to keep himself, his belongings and his party, safe at all times. Sienna is a great character as well. I appreciated that she's something more than just a brainless arm attachment to Marco. She has genuine intelligence; she was very cautious, she speaks well, she's multilingual and a former art student. I also like her history and felt that her past seemed somewhat interesting.
The plot is very well developed and the author has created a very structured book, with a mix of varying things for many audiences to enjoy. There are aspects of espionage, action scenes with explosions, a car chase and a few fights, a priceless painting thought to be lost for many years, plus a little bit of romance to bind it all together. The CIA operations are very functional. Though we only meet a few of the people involved in these plans, it's obvious that there must be heaps of other people involved. The same with the actual set up; there's obviously a lot of work and research gone in to the operation. I think that works well because we know that it's a huge operation, but the author doesn't clutter the story with needless scenes, research or people that we might simply forget in five minutes. I don't actually have any complaints that I can think of in regards to plot or writing. The only thing I'm really confused about is that Michael uses his own name during the operation. It just seems silly to me because, in theory, one might simply trace his name back to some aspect of his past. For example, pretty much anyone can discuss you at any given time. All it takes is for one, newly unemployed henchman to go to a new job, only to find Mr Quinn in a new operation which involves some sort of new cover identity. Of course, I'm sure any henchman would likely be swept up into custody of whatever agency is fitting, but it could be other people connected to the first operation that could be a problem; cleaners, lovers, anyone who met him at a restaurant or party. Having made that point, however, I can see why the author chose to keep Michael's name as is and simply edit his past. I'm sure it's difficult for a character to take on a new identity and that might only serve to confuse the book. Another thing that bothers me is that Sienna gives Michael a tour of Marco's home during a visit. Personally, if I were Marco, I wouldn't allow that to happen as anybody could use that information to do violate his privacy. Even if it weren't Michael to use the information, he might have still shared it with someone else who might use it.
Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with the book, the characters most of all. They're smart and feel natural; many with past lives that we get to learn little bits about. The plot is thrilling and takes the idea of an art theft, mixed with a little espionage and action. The author writes well and develops both plot and characters without clutter. All of these aspects create a novel that is both original and exciting. I definitely would love to read more of Michael Quinn's life and eagerly await his next adventure.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
Breakout by Kevin Scott Olson is a short story, part of the Michael Quinn series. We begin the story with an American prisoner in a Mexican prison. ThBreakout by Kevin Scott Olson is a short story, part of the Michael Quinn series. We begin the story with an American prisoner in a Mexican prison. Thought to be a tourist with a bad sense of direction, it is critical that he escapes prison before the authorities find out who he truly is. That's where Michael Quinn comes in. He's a special operative with the task of saving the guy.
Though it's a short story, I think that we get a good look into the operation. We don't get a full view obviously, but we get little bits of information, the planning, political aspects and waiting that go into such a rescue mission. I actually think that's one of the most valuable aspects of the book; that the characters are smart, patient and are not taking unnecessary risks. For that bit, I think it speaks highly towards Michael Quinn as a character; he's willing to go into a dangerous situation, but makes intelligent decisions to ensure that the plan is fulfilled. In the end, the plan went well and gave me a good impression of Michael Quinn.
There are a reasonable range of characters that are provided. Michael is the primary character, an intelligent and cautious person. Gabriella is the beautiful waitress and dancer he meets at a bar. Jenkins takes the political approach to the situation. I do like that, even though we don't have a complete background on all of the characters, I think it was nice that the author gave little bits of information on them. Like Gabriella's potential dancing career, for example.
Overall, the book was well written and I think that the book has been well planned; everyone has a part to play and they do it as well as possible. The book is predominantly in English, but with a few Spanish comments and phrases. I did three and a half years of Spanish in high school, so I understood those terms and the phrases/ words used are fairly common so I imagine that most people with a basic knowledge might understand. Otherwise, I look forward to the rest of the series, Michael Quinn and the rest of his exploits.
I was lucky enough to receive a free hard copy in return for an honest review....more
Momma Days, Mommy Days by Isabella Moreno is a wonderful little book about a child experiencing divorce. It's told from her perspective and, through hMomma Days, Mommy Days by Isabella Moreno is a wonderful little book about a child experiencing divorce. It's told from her perspective and, through her eyes, we get a guided tour of what's she's feeling. It begins with how happy she is with her two mothers and that they're a family. Soon, she finds out that they don't want to be together anymore and she takes notice of the changes this decision makes. She begins new experiences with each mother and finds that there are good things to be experienced with divorce, even though part of her family is missing.
The most fantastic bit of this book is, of course, the imagery. The full page pictures are semi realistic and each scene has a beautiful image attached. I like that both Momma and Mommy have different roles to play in the book, like any parent would have in any family across the world. The little girl's confusion at divorce is understandable within these pages; the author has made the decision to keep very little details on the actual reasons, that it's simply an "adult" decision. I think that makes a little bit more relatable because there are so many reasons for a marriage to break up and simply not explaining a reason leaves it very open for interpretation. I also like that the little girl is making new friends because of this experience; it gives the divorce a happier note. Though she doesn't get to be with both mothers, at least she'll meet new people and get to go new places. The only problem I have with characters is with the grandparents, they don't really hold much relevance in the book as I don't believe that we actually meet them. We are simply told that, one morning, the girl looks for one mother and finds her to be in the grandparents' room. I felt that it could have been a little more open, especially considering we don't meet the pair; that she (the mother in question) might just be sleeping in a different room of the house, rather than making specifics (as many children don't have grandparents living with them).
The plot is great. It takes the complex issue of divorce and makes it a lot more understandable for children, while offering many examples of what a child in a similar situation might experience. It's sad, but I believe that it has a very hopeful outlook. The little girl makes friends and we get to look at her experiences as a new adventure, where she'll go to new places and meet new people. In the same respect that it could be for many children, I think that this book can also be helpful to children who don't have divorced/divorcing parents. It can be helpful if they don't understand why a friend(s)' parents are breaking up, for a child moving to a new home, or even in the situation that one parent might need to go away for a while (work, taking an important trip, etc).
Overall, I think it is a fantastic representation of what might happen in a child's life. Whether it is a girl, a boy or the parents are LGTB or not, I think that it gives very good examples of things a child might go through in such a difficult time. The author has kept the book simple with very open events. The images are beautiful and perfectly convey each passage. I think it will be a valuable aid to any parent trying to help their child understand a divorce.
I received a free copy of this story as a prize from the FirstReads program in exchange for an honest review....more
Harvest Moon is the first in the Night Hunters series by Helena Shaw. Dawn Garrett is a young woman, formerly known as Jennifer Waters, who had run awHarvest Moon is the first in the Night Hunters series by Helena Shaw. Dawn Garrett is a young woman, formerly known as Jennifer Waters, who had run away from home at eighteen. Now she lives in the small Appalachian town of Goosemont, which is located within the mountains. When a few suspicious deaths bring newcomers to town, she finds herself in the company of Jase Byrnes, an FBI agent who might just not be who he claims to be either.
The characters aren't very interesting. They're alright, but quite bland and without much personality. I'll start off with Jennifer/ Dawn. In the beginning of the book, we find that her step father had been abusing her which is her reason for running away. However, I felt that that whole first portion ended up as a huge waste of time; it never really provided much importance on the book. We never see or meet the rest of her family later and they're barely ever mentioned again. Furthermore, it just seems weird because she's hiding herself from these people- her mother and stepfather- but she never really seems like she's hiding. She makes basic mistakes such as taking as supposed FBI agent home- who could have (if he were FBI) denied her claims and poke holes in her story. Jase Byrnes, our "FBI agent" seemed just kind of bland as well. To me, it seemed like a copy & paste character; he also has hidden his identity and assumed a new name to come to this town. He has different reasons for being here, obviously, but it just seems odd that two people with hidden identities might find themselves in the same town... Not to mention finding themselves in the same bed. The background characters don't really stand out much. I appreciate that they were mostly kind people and many have been good to her. However, we just don't get enough information about them or spend enough time with them to get a good grasp on who they are. In a sense, it's pretty much just about Dawn and Jase (or Jessica and Kevin, if you choose to consider them in that way).
I'll be blunt about my first thoughts on the plot; it's cliché. There are very few unique aspects to it. It's your usual small town, with animal attacks or people dying in suspicious circumstances. We then have hunters turn up to try and get this beast/ the perpetrator. It's a somewhat overdone plot. Having said that, I reckon that the author has a great writing style. They use the scenes well and give personality to the places described. Many of the scenes need a bit more in the way of personal touches, but I think they're a good author (from what I've read so far) and they're on the right path.
Overall, the characters and plot aren't really unique, but it's well written and there are some good scenes. It's worth a read.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. Though, I did later find that I already have a purchased copy from Amazon.com.au....more
Howling Passion by Renee Jordan is the first book in the Passion Moon series. The main character, Kotie, is like a magnet for bad men. At the beginninHowling Passion by Renee Jordan is the first book in the Passion Moon series. The main character, Kotie, is like a magnet for bad men. At the beginning of the story, we find her on a bus while she's trying to escape an ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately, she meets a man who is just as bad, Christian. Soon enough she finds a saviour, someone to help her from the unlucky attention. Forrest is the Sheriff of Moonrise, alpha of a wolf shifter pack.
Christian's supposed attraction to Kotie is definitely over the top. It's not properly explained why he's so in love with her so it just makes him seem creepy and stalkery, for no real reason. It just makes her seem a little bit like a Mary-Sue character. All sorts are attracted to her in Moonrise and she gets varying levels of sexuality from them. It's even odder because she doesn't have anything that really seems special about her. To me, she just seems lacklustre and so far she doesn't have any qualities which would make her stand out. Forrest seems kind of bland as well. He's a stereotypical character. He's strong, powerful and always comes out on top. He falls ridiculously in love with Kotie as soon as he meets her and has no qualms about starting up such a relationship so soon after meeting her. Usually, I'm actually okay with these types of characters, within reason. However, this whole relationship between Kotie and Forrest is forced and I just don't feel that they really go together.
The story is very reminiscent of many other shifter books, like a "paint by numbers" creation. Having said that, it does have a reasonable writing quality. The author knows how to use their words and they describe things well. However, a lot of other aspects need a lot of work. For example, the not-relationship between Christian and Kotie. To be honest, I liked the meeting of Christian and Kotie; it was kind of refreshing to meet someone whilst travelling in such a manner. They were both headed to the same town and, in the beginning, it was kind of like they're learning and going to experience something new together. It's too bad that the author chose to go in a different path. Especially considering that Forrest and Kotie don't really have that spark, plus Christian's motives don't really make sense. It's like he's meant to be some tacky bad guy from a movie. One of the characters even calls them out on it. Another point is that it's a little bit awkward in some portions. For example, the sex scenes. Kotie doesn't want to do certain things, yet Forrest does them anyway with the request that she trusts him. Sure, she finds pleasure in it. However, if a girl says she doesn't want to have sex like that (“You can't. Not there.” / “You can't stick your c*** back there.”), than that's rape. She told him that she didn't consent to it.
Overall, it was an alright story. It was a generic plot with stereotypical characters. None of the relationships have any kind of real or natural feeling. However, the author writes reasonably well. I think they do have the skills to be a good writer, but I think they need to work a lot more on their characters and plot. I might consider reading the next story in the series just to see whether it gets better.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
Return of the Pack is the second volume in the Sierra Moon series by Claire Ryann. In the first book, Quest of the Alpha, we were introduced to severaReturn of the Pack is the second volume in the Sierra Moon series by Claire Ryann. In the first book, Quest of the Alpha, we were introduced to several of the important characters of the series. Lane and Diego are brothers who need a new breeding pair for their wolf pack. That is, until Lane came across Tara, a hiker in the woods. They developed feelings for each other and soon Lane tries to break the news to her about his predicament and his true intentions. In Return of the Pack, we follow Lane and Tara as they join the pack. Though she's not immediately accepted, Tara does her best to mingle with the pack and acquaint herself with the other members.
I think the thing I appreciate most about Tara is that she's fairly upbeat. Though she's afraid in some portions and confused as well, I think it's great that she still has some level of happiness throughout it. She looks at a scary situation and finds herself grateful for it and the opportunities it gives her, which I like because it really does show some level of character development. I also liked the small back stories of the pack. For the new characters we're introduced to, I enjoy that many of them have varying personalities. In between the little exchanges, they all balance each other out, for example; Geordin's patience with Prinn and Reylinn. I think the thing I appreciated most was the author writing in ties that many of the wolves still hold to human community and culture. I think it's an important part because it does make many of their characters seem just so much more relatable. I still like Tara and Lane as a couple. I can see that she's uneasy about the things he needs from her and the level of commitment, but I think it's kind of the same as any normal relationship and what might be expected from any young woman.
The development of this part of the series is fairly interesting. There's a lot going on, but I think it's all very well paced. I appreciate that not too much of the plot is revealed at once and there are still some mysteries to the book. I felt that the end of this part was somewhat appropriate; that Lane was willing to change for a life with Tara.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this part of the series. The characters are all fairly well developed with various personalities and reactions to the situations presented. I felt that the plot was steady and built up the story well.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
Grizzlies & Glaciers by Zoe Dakota begins the story in 1989 with our main character, Delilah, returning home to Fjords, Alaska. She soon comes across Grizzlies & Glaciers by Zoe Dakota begins the story in 1989 with our main character, Delilah, returning home to Fjords, Alaska. She soon comes across a car accident and, having recently become a doctor, does her best to help out. Miles, an ex-boyfriend from high school shows up to help as well and they find themselves wanting to hang out together again. However, unfortunately for the pair of them, the town's bear shifter pack is involved in something and it might just need Delilah's help.
Delilah is an interesting main character. I think that she's fairly relatable and seems fairly genuine. Up until the phone call memory of her father, who mentioned that she only cares about herself, I didn't really consider her to be selfish. Afterward, there were one or two instances of her being a tad self-involved, but I thought her to be reasonably practical. She was doing the best to ensure her own survival or what she considered to be the optimal solution for situations. In the same way, I think that her personality was fairly developed; she seemed fairly mature and she showed some practical decision making. Miles seems like a fairly nice guy and I really appreciate that he was doing his best to help the situation in the beginning. Furthermore, I think he showed himself to be a fairly mature character as well. Not only did he try to do the best for himself, but he tried to do the best for other people as well. I think that the relationship, both prior and current, between Delilah and Miles was kind of sweet. I didn't quite like the way Delilah tried pushing him away; it didn't really make sense to me. I know she was intending on leaving town, but something about the "will they/ won't they" aspect seemed a tad awkward. However, I appreciated the way the relationship turned out for them. I think the epilogue was sweet and felt they were right for each other. Many of the other characters are interesting as well. For many of them, I would have appreciated a little bit more information and events about them. Such as Roy and Nathan; they both had portions in the plot, but I kind of feel like their stories remain unfinished.
I really quite liked the beginning of this book. Delilah's return home to the town seemed somewhat pleasant. The explanation of events was well written and I got a good grasp of what was going on. I think that the earlier events of the book were a practical decision by the author. Though it's a little bit coincidental that she's just come to town at the right time and is in the right place, I think it was the best way for the author to give us an example of Delilah's abilities and for her and Miles to re-meet. To move on with that same point, in some ways, the plot is just a little bit cliché; a townsperson returning home and feeling like an outsider. However, I think the way it's been written, the author has presented a fairly unique story with some interesting events. To talk about the supernatural and fantastical elements, I think that they were mostly well input to the story. The bear shifting and pack explanations were introduced a little bit weirdly in the beginning, but it's fairly easy to follow. The shifter aspects of the book were well used. I think that the author used them well.
Overall, I liked the story a lot. The characters are fairly well developed and the plot is well built.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
Evil Abounds by Vivian Wood is a prequel to the Alpha Guardians series. We begin the series with Mere Marie, she collects three people from points in Evil Abounds by Vivian Wood is a prequel to the Alpha Guardians series. We begin the series with Mere Marie, she collects three people from points in history; Rhys Macaulay, Gabriel Thorne and Aeric Drekkon. She presents them each with some sort of ultimatum to their situation and has them brought into present time.
I found the characters to be somewhat interesting. Though it's only a prologue, I found the portions of their original lives to be fascinating. So far, I have no problems with any of the characters. They seem to be reasonably well developed and each has acted reasonably to the situations presented to them. I appreciated their wonder to the new version of their world in 2015 and their amazement with our life, though at the same time I also appreciate that it didn't overtake the story and we simply moved on with the story.
The book begins by presenting us with a scene of wonder, introducing us into a new world with all sorts of forms of magic. I felt that the author wrote well and worked with a beautiful use of language to present the scenery and situations. I also appreciated, later on, that when the characters would use an alternate language, much of it was semi-translated for the reader, the same way that several of the magical terms were sort of translated for the reader in the case they mightn't know of it. I liked the varying supernatural and fantasy aspects. The best thing is that it all works together very well. For example, using various aspects of witchcraft and demon summoning, meanwhile mixing it with things such as time travel and shifting.
Overall, I liked the story and will certainly continue the series in future.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
We begin Twin Dragons in Seattle, the introductory character inspired to visit the city because of the Donovan series by Elizabeth Lowell. Our narratoWe begin Twin Dragons in Seattle, the introductory character inspired to visit the city because of the Donovan series by Elizabeth Lowell. Our narrator, Gail, is sight seeing at the Space Needle and soon something bad happens. Eli, her saviour, is a good looking guy and they soon agree to spend more time together, along with his twin brother, Tyler.
The characters are all kind of awkward. Both twins, though the writing makes it as if they're trying to hide their importance, brag about their lives more than necessary and don't seem modest in the way that the authors try and make it seem. If anything, they sort of make comments about their wealth and pretend to be nonchalant about it, like passing it off as if it's nothing despite the fact that they were bragging about it. They also flash around their money, leaving a generous tip when paying for food and later try and show off multiple apartments and a jet. The pair of them just ends up being really nasty and very dislikeable. Gail is somewhat of an awkward character as well, right from her meeting the pair, she sort of acts as if she's taking advantage of them. For example, when they've gotten to the elevator to leave the site, she notices two other girls and tries to show off that she's with the twins by putting her arm around one. A lot happens to her, which I'll touch on in a bit, but it just seems like she lacks basic emotions. She doesn't seem afraid when scary stuff happens. She seems to lack happiness, even later on in the book when she's known the pair for a while. She's just completely unrealistic. The sex scenes were awkward and completely strange. As soon as the twins get the girl back to their penthouse, they rip her pants off. There was no real build up to it and it just came out of no-where. This just makes it awkward. Seriously; what kind of whacko person raises their son to rip off a woman's pants as soon as they get her home? It just felt creepy. Not to mention, it seemed that Gail was not willing in some portions. It mentions that one of the men has to "force" her mouth open for oral sex, that he gets "resistance" from her when he tries to penetrate her. In the next scene, she makes a run for the door but is sort of captured by the pair and forced onto the ground, furthering the sexual session with her as a sort of hostage. It is just not sexy. It gets creepier and creepier, in fact. They're raping her.
The story begins by presenting a nice scene and giving us the impression of some sort of tourist view, one which many of us have or will experience. I actually thought that the beginning of the book was quite promising. However, my mind was soon changed by later events. I find it kind of annoying that after the incident where Gail is put in danger by the failing railing, nobody bothers reporting it. None of the characters bother complaining about or reporting it to someone who can do something to fix it. It seems like it's a very serious incident, yet no-one seems bothered by it. The same with many other dangers within the plot. No-one seems to be taking many of these dangerous events seriously. I can sort of understand the twins not being very afraid because they might be used to those situations, but our narrator Gail doesn't seemed freaked out at all. Even during the portions where the twins were forcing themselves on her, she didn't have any emotions whatsoever. She wasn't freaked out or even enjoying it. This is completely ridiculous because she mentions them forcing her to do things and even her trying to struggle against them while they’re doing it, but she doesn’t seem scared at all. Even afterward, the strangest thing is that she doesn't try to escape their capture of her. Her behaviour just baffles me. She has no common sense and just seems completely unrealistic. Then there's the fact that, after the first apartment was destroyed, she wasn't allowed out of the second apartment (by Eli) for nine months. So, she's essentially been kidnapped. The supernatural and fantasy aspects aren't very well presented. They happen suddenly seem to be the cause of convenience (to the plot) rather than presenting them out of reasonable thought. It just seems like the authors add things which they think are cool, for example, saving Gail by having her teleported away from danger. It just seems silly because the events aren't explained properly. Also, the dangerous aspects that happen within the plot (such as the burning of the apartment) are poorly explained. They have little set up, most of the time the excuse being that Gail was asleep so there's no narration to give us a proper explanation. Later on, it seems as if she's kidnapped and it just seems completely out of the blue because we didn't experience the kidnapping with her.
The plot was poorly developed and, despite having some sort of bad guy trying to attack the twins & co, it just seems like the twins are far more evil to Gail than anything the enemy did; they raped and kept her hostage. I know it's written as if it's meant to seem like they're doing her some sort of favour and that she doesn't mind, but that's just completely not what it seems like. She mentions (during the sexual encounter) about being forced and even trying to escape. Then later, when they took her to a secondary apartment (for safety, because the first got destroyed), she mentions wanting to leave but Eli hadn't let her leave. In addition to the poor plot elements, the characters were poorly written as well; none of them seem genuine and they all lack emotion. At many points, they flash around cash and none of them seem to have much common sense. I just don't really know how to summarise this book. It just wasn't good and I'm really disappointed by it.
I received a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review....more
In Little Bear's Cookie Day by Limpid Kenneth we visit a forest where Little Bear lives with his parents. Upon reading a story book, Little Bear decidIn Little Bear's Cookie Day by Limpid Kenneth we visit a forest where Little Bear lives with his parents. Upon reading a story book, Little Bear decides that he wants to eat cookies. With the help of his mother, he learns how to make cookies. First they get out the ingredients. Then she shows him how to properly mix together the ingredients. Once they're shaped (into fish!), they're baked and Mother Bear explains the way the heat affects them in the oven.
It's fairly interesting and I enjoy that the author tries to teach the children something within the book. Not only does the story teach them about cooking, but Mother Bear's explanation of the cooking process gives children a very basic view of the science of it as well. The story is fairly sweet; essentially Little Bear takes inspiration from reading a book and it encourages him to take on an activity in real life. Hopefully such a story might inspire children who read this book to take on some sort of new hobby of their own.
Overall, the book has plenty of adorable images and aims to give kids a bit of insight to learning something new. I imagine that many children will find this book to be a great read!...more
Artist Mandarin Duck by Limpid Kenneth is the story of a duck that can draw. One day, when it is soon to be eaten by an eagle, the duck announces its Artist Mandarin Duck by Limpid Kenneth is the story of a duck that can draw. One day, when it is soon to be eaten by an eagle, the duck announces its secret. It can draw! In exchange for not eating the duck, the eagle wants to be drawn. Though, the duck tries and can't get it right. After several attempts, the eagle starts getting other creatures for the duck to draw and the practice helps the duck improve.
It's a very interesting story. I enjoyed the moral of it. I think all of the pictures are very beautiful. During the sketching phases of the duck's work, I think the illustrations really capture the duck's artistic attempts well. They're sure to give a child a good visualisation of some of the steps of drawing a picture and improving it. I also enjoyed that the duck's drawings helped bring many animals of the forest together and made the eagle somewhat nicer to them.
At first, I admittedly didn't realise what the eagle was trying to do when he brought all of the animals; I just sort of thought that it was trying to gauge whether the duck was better at drawing other animals. Though, I thought it sweet that it was essentially practice for the duck and he was then able to present the eagle with a completed drawing. Some of the word usage doesn't seem proper, for example when the eagle will grab an animal, it will say: “Do my model.” Another example is when a deer approaches the duck to see what he's drawing; the narration mentions the duck being "ashamed". I think the term "embarrassed" might be more appropriate as he oughtn't be ashamed by his work.
Overall, it's a lovely book which children might find very useful!...more
Tiger Has a Garden by Limpid Kenneth is a book about two tigers, Burton and Caroline. Burton has a garden and he one day receives Caroline as a visitoTiger Has a Garden by Limpid Kenneth is a book about two tigers, Burton and Caroline. Burton has a garden and he one day receives Caroline as a visitor. She joins him for tea and a trip around the garden that Burton is so proud of.
I quite like both tigers. They show kindness to each other and their friendship is very adorable. I very much appreciate that their continued time together isn't hindered by conflict. The end result is that we have a very warm, uplifting story about two tigers enjoying a few cups of tea together in a beautiful garden.
I also enjoyed that the story even aims to teach the skill of making mint lavender iced tea, like they drink in the book. Though just as a note for parents, I think it would be best if adults supervised children making it and, even without supervision, some children might need a bit of help getting it right if they don't know how to make tea.
Overall, it's a beautifully illustrated book. The story is charming and both tigers are a pleasure to spend time with. Any child is sure to enjoy this book!...more
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