No reading challenges, just reviews of books I read

[Rupali]

I can't be a regular reader as half the time I'm writing or researching for my own books, and half the time I get to read what I like. Not to mention, personal life eats into both these activities. So, I'm putting this in this folder, because the books I read in 2014 or any other year may be very less or maybe not; they may belong to any genre (including non-fiction) and most of all, I want all my reviews to be in one place. At the same time, I want to share my thoughts on the books I read with my group members.

[Rupali]

The Shadow Rises by K.S. Marsden

Rating: 3

I liked this book. Horror is a genre where a lot of atmosphere building is needed to pull the reader in. Though the first few chapters weren't a puller, the overall story is brilliant. The author must be commended for that. The story is as intriguing as it is entertaining. I liked the characters a lot and the events that happen were mesmerizing. Interest is built up starting, I think, chapter 4. And half way through the book, I just couldn't stop reading and read all through the night. The suspense, the tension, the thrill was captured pretty well.

(view spoiler)[ When Sophie comes to Hunter's place claiming she wanted to be a witch hunter herself, I thought there was something fishy. But, I could never guess what she would turn out to be. I just was suspicious of her motives. So that was a good and surprising twist. (hide spoiler)] Also, the conflicts and motivations of the characters are presented very well.

However, the book could have done with a good editor. There are quite a few grammatical mistakes in the beginning and the end of the book, but a good part (the meat of the story, you can say)has better grammar. I'm specifically mentioning this, because when I started reading, the very first sentence had grammatical mistake and I was kind of put off by it. But, don't keep the book down, because if you continue reading, it gets better and when you finally finish the book, you'll be happy you kept reading. :-)

I also thought the end was a bit abrupt. Even though the threat is neutralized, everybody's happy, a lot of things still needed a 'closure' of sorts. (view spoiler)[ I wanted to see what the council does about Hunter's 'special powers'; whether Hunter succeeds in keeping his job or whether he is 'bound'. If the author thinks it could be tackled in the next book, I think that would work only if this is a short series of books. If it were a long series, it wouldn't work. The events leading to this conflict have arisen in THIS book, so the outcome of the conflict would look good in THIS book, not the next.

Also, I wanted a closure to Hunter and Sophie's relationship. What will happen now. Though the writer has put in one sentence what's in store for them in the future, a bit more explanation would have been better.

And, poor James. We, the readers, never get to know about HIS thoughts when Sophie acts the way she acts with him and later when the big revelation happens. Hunter doesn't want to kill her, but what are James' thoughts on it? I like James and I sympathize with him. He's smart and courageous and always has his feet firmly on the ground. It seems he doesn't get influenced by power or superiority of others, or even friendship sometimes. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, a good book. Worth a read.

[Gerald]

A book worth your time.

[Rupali]

Have you read it, Gerald? I'd like to know your views on the book.

[Gerald]

Rupali, because of you it's on my TBR list and after I read it I will be happy to give you my views.

Speaking of books, I'm the author of the psy gasp love/action thriller OF GOOD AND EVIL, acclaimed to be a true masterpiece. The novel is to be a movie. To learn more about this, visit my compelling narrative, http://geraldggriffin.blogspot.com .

If you like what you see there, I'd be honored if you would read the book and become a cherished fan! To order the novel, click http://www.amazon.com/dp/160976014X

[Gerald]

Rupali, because of you it's on my TBR list and after I read it I will be happy to give you my views.

Speaking of books, I'm the author of the psy gasp love/action thriller OF GOOD AND EVIL, acclaimed to be a true masterpiece. The novel is to be a movie. To learn more about this, visit my compelling narrative, http://geraldggriffin.blogspot.com .

If you like what you see there, I'd be honored if you would read the book and become a cherished fan! To order the novel, click http://www.amazon.com/dp/160976014X

[Rupali]

Golden Eyes by Charles Gale

Rating: 4

As a kid, I'd seen the Street Hawk series on TV and I use to eagerly wait for it every week. It was one of my favorite shows! So when I came by this book, I was eager to read it. My personal experience is that books give a much fulfilling experience than the movie adaptation or a TV show made out of it. So I hungrily delved into the treat. However, I was a bit disappointed. It felt as if the book didn't come first, which was made into a TV show, it must have been the other way round. I felt as if I was watching one episode of that show.

This particular book dealt with 2 cases, not one, and the ongoing tests on the super bike were as usual. Though both cases are intriguing, the first case is solved by half time. It made me wonder, 'what now?'
The second case started in the middle of the book and street hawk solves that case too, not to mention, with style. I liked the characters (all of them) and the premise (the job of the hero, work that other characters do for a living, everything felt quite realistic).

I sure would have given this book a rating of 5 if the author had dealt with only one case in this book, or conjoined cases, or intertwined cases, anything. But here, there are two totally different cases and by the middle of the book, I'm pulled out of one intriguing case and plopped into another one, where I have to start using my brain again to solve the mystery before the author reveals it. Not that any of the cases in this book are who-done-it cases, but I like to use my brain nevertheless. By the end of any book I read, I like to savor its taste in my mouth and ponder over it some more. However, with this book, since there were two cases, as soon as I finished reading it, I stopped thinking about the book altogether. I don't know why it happened, but I guess it may be because it gave me a feeling as if I was watching one episode of the TV show, not reading a book.

[Rupali]

Gone by Julie Elizabeth Powell

Rating: 3

The premise of this story is truly unique and intriguing... and sad.I understand how difficult and heart-wrenching, yet necessary, it would have been for the author to pen it all down. Writing this book may have been therapeutic for her, a mother, who struggled with the loss of a child and the caricature that remained behind for fifteen years, a caricature not just of her daughter, but even herself. For that, the author deserves an ovation. I hope she's finally learned to forgive herself and be happy.

The writing is poetic and very artistic, but sometimes it created confusion in my mind, which is more accustomed to reading thrillers and crime & suspense. A simple example is given below:

'There were always more questions, she thought, like a stream flowing to the river and the river pouring into the sea. Leaving her with an ocean to solve.'

This is one of the smaller sentences; a few sentences are a paragraph long (difficult for my short-attention-span accustomed mind to comprehend). Also, there are a lot of things untold to the reader (and even the main character). For example:

“Got it! And tell Ezrin I still don’t get the one about the ghost and the jar of vanishing cream! Oh, and don’t forget that this place will always be here. I tell all that will listen.” She looked at Penelope blankly. The flower merely sighed and said, “You’ll work it out.”

What would she work out - the joke or some hidden meaning in the few sentences she spoke? Such explanations wouldn't be touched again, or would be explained in a very long sentence, so the meaning would be lost.

Also, there are so many deep concepts discussed here, though I loved them, it felt like bombardment in the war-zone. As the reader, I didn't get a breathful before I was bombarded again. It took me so many days to finish reading this book because the few hours I spent reading it each day, my face and head would heat up with the effort of overworking my brain. The prose could've done better with more explanation of these deeper concepts, give the readers a breather after every heavy dose.

There are also a lot of characters who don't give straight answers and whatever they say is very confusing. This doesn't help the cause either.

One thing I found annoying was that in the bang middle of high packed action, the author attempted to word the thoughts that run through the main character's mind. I wonder if anybody would think so much in the face of danger. I believe that the only thought would be 'I'm screwed' or the impulse of fight-or-flight.

The idea behind this book is brilliant, absolutely marvelous, and I commend the author for her deep insights about life and human behaviour and emotions. She seems to have a very good understanding of the driving forces behind every person's actions, whatever they might be, under whatever circumstances.

And, a bit of editing would have worked wonders for this book. It would also have removed the few grammatical mistakes. I think readers of fantasy and like-genres would enjoy this book a lot. Fantastic imagination and brilliant concept!