Book Review

"Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter Book Review

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“At peace? Who but the insane would ever be at peace? What person who has enjoyed life could possibly think one is enough? Who could live even a day and not feel the sweet ache of regret?”

Or the sweet ache of turning the last page knowing that the story is over, and you need to go and live your real life.

Walter has a gift that I’ve seen in only a few authors. He has an ability to weave a story from a multitude of perspectives yet leave you as if you read it through the eyes of only one soul. Just breathtaking. I had to put the whole thing down and stare out the window until I felt the shock wear off and I could breathe again.

How did he do it?

Yes, I won’t say that it worked the entire time. From the start, it was really hard to tell where things were going to go. A bunch of characters are thrown in right at the beginning. We think it’s going to be from the perspective of a set few only to realize that their roles are more as background actors to the main stage. But if that wasn’t enough, we are thrown into new roles in the middle and must accept their part to be played. And to top it off, that one character, briefly mentioned now, plays a massive role though not told out as long as you would have liked.

Does this feel like a whirlwind yet, because it stays that way for the whole wild ride?

Hold on though, because when you get to the end and you see what Walter was trying - maybe sit with it for a while - the beauty of the story comes alive and you realize that you just witnessed a masterpiece.

“I think so, too. I know I felt that way. For years. It was as if I was a character in a movie and the real action was about to start at any minute. But I think some people wait forever, and only at the end of their lives do they realize that their life has happened while they were waiting for it to start.”

So at the start, we think the story is about all of these characters, but it really comes down to the two introduced from the start, Dee and Pasquale. Maybe I’m breaking my own rule of no spoilers, but I think this might help you to make it through. I don’t want you to suffer like I did sitting there and wanting more Claire but realizing that she just isn’t the one to make the real dramatic plays. Her character comes out more as background noise.

And there comes one of my biggest complaints. Why so much when the real story isn’t centered around every characters’ backstory? Do we really need to see Claire’s boyfriend drama played out, Alvis’s war wounds, or Shane’s ACT lifeline? Seeing it all done, I think the answer is yes. I feel the drift from the core components was the point. The idea of look, 50 odd years later and all of these lives are changed because of what happens, and, that in some way, we are all the same. All needing the same wakeup call.

Walter throws real life in your face. There aren’t happy endings. It’s messy and the decisions we make can’t always be easy and it just isn’t going to be a fairytale. The guy sometimes can’t get the girl but that doesn’t mean life still isn’t beautiful and fulfilling. Walter covers so many topics that at times it’s overwhelming. But that is life.

I read the reviews and they aren’t entirely the best. But, I get where people got lost. First off, the marketing department didn’t do the greatest job. It’s The Village all over again. You think you’re heading into a scary thriller only to discover there was always a way out, it’s just a sham. Beautiful Ruins goes through the same pains. Luckily, I read the genres and didn’t fall into the trap of cover and name. This is not a light summer read. This is hard, dirty, and may make you cry. That or throw the book in anger.

“His life was two lives now: the life he would have and the life he would forever wonder about.”

And, because I must always talk about craft at some point in my reviews, I’ll cover Walters stunning choice of words. I don’t know how he did it - and I think I can say something on this topic since I’ve been to the Italian coast and Rome - but each time I opened this book, I felt Italy coming back to me all over again. It was marvelous. Lifted from your seat, you’re set in the glittering waters before the Hotel of Adequate View. Turn the page and you can find yourself in the dark pillbox after a hike, sun catching the corner of a hand painted image. But, then in the next instance transported in time to the realities of current day show business.

Maybe this will make you read the book, maybe not. We all have things that touch our hearts and come at the right time in our life. I think this book was meant for me right now. I will give it 4 stars. Though I loved every moment, a few things rubbed me wrong. Walter went on a limb with some of his choices, but certain things like the book chapter and such just fell flat. If you do decide to read it, I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 49/100

 

"Brightly Burning" by Alexa Donne Book Review

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“Stella, you're going to have to let me in so I can kiss you again.”

Cringe.

Groan.

Put the book down and wonder why you picked it up.

Oh right… because you were the one to convince the book club to read it. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this was my fault.

Being honest, Brightly Burning isn’t the worst book to ever get published. I could start a long list. You don’t even have to look far, just see my review before this one. What this book does have are painful moments where you wonder what in heavens realm made you pick it up.

That’s because it was supposed to be a retelling of one of your favorite classics Jane Eyre. And to top it all off, it’s set in space. What could possibly go wrong?

Loss of all oxygen wrong.

Set in a future where a colony of ships orbit an abandoned Earth covered in ice. Survivors who’ve fled the doomed ice age dream that one day its surface will be habitable again. But, hundreds of years later, ships have begun to fail and everyone questions if the surface will in fact ever melt.

So then we have Stella, who I think is actually a pretty badass chick. Holding all the characteristics of the original Jane - also extremely strong-minded - she’s not only an engineer but she can kick butt in the literary realm as well. Left on a ship considered to fail next, she leaves it in hopes of a better life as a governess on a haunted ship. Is any of this ringing a bell yet? I hope so because it’s a play by play of the original minus the spaceships yadda yadda.

I will make a confession though…

I didn’t know going into the book that it was a retelling. It wasn’t until the end with a well-placed fire that I finally went “wait a minute”. Sorry if you haven’t read Jane Eyre. There’s a fire at the end.

Now we have Stella but the enjoyable parts end there. Hugo is not a believable Edward. Honestly, he’s the worse. The one-liners and immature character arc make you want to cringe. There are no redeeming qualities. Run away now.

Then we have the age limit on this book. Yes, I’m placing a limit. You should not be above a certain age when reading this. I have nothing wrong with books being written for younger audiences - in truth, we need more - but the enjoyment as an older reader is just not there. The maturity and overall conflict aren't developed properly. At one point we have Stella’s male friend, who’s clearly written as having feelings for her, running off to help her reunite with her lover. During the whole thing, I’m waiting for some declaration of love, but he does nothing. Nothing. What guy just follows along and helps the girl he likes to find her love? No one! Hence no conflict.

Also, it looks like Donne kept all the social constructs of the 1800s. We have the social decorum, male friends that are just friends, and social hierarchy. We all know how the story will eventually play out, there are no surprises, so spice it up a little and adapt it to the actual time period you are setting it in. All of this lends to the younger tone. The antagonist at one point says - and this is when they are just kissing -  that if he doesn’t leave he’ll do something he’ll regret.

*cue eye roll*

I thought for a time this was a series, which was fueled on by the way it read. The ending wrapped up way too quickly and felt rushed. Nothing special happens either. We don’t get this well thought out reunion that I felt was done in Jane Eyre.

Again this isn’t the worst book. I’m going to give it 2.5 stars because I think the premise was well done and being in space is always a winner for me. It just needed more work. Will I be reading anything else by Donne… probably not.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 47/100

 

"Artemis" Book Review by Andy Weir

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“On a scale from one to ‘invade Russia in winter,’ how stupid is this plan?”

Houston…. It’s very stupid.

So I might be a little mean, but I’m going to use the quotes from the book to help me make my point.

Point 1: This book is drier than moon dust.

If you want to know how a scientist writes a book, look no further.

But come on…. Weir literally fell into the trap. Just because someone is an engineer does not mean they lack the imagination to pull off some colorful whimsy of showing not telling. Being good at math does not mean you can’t use your eyes to describe what the world looks like instead of shoving Artemis’s theoretical existence down reader’s throats. It’s grey, it’s hard living on the lunar surface, but what makes your story so different?

“A clumsy, awkward success is still a success.”

Not really Wier. Not really.

I need to include before I go further that I have not read The Martian. I really wish I had before jumping into this one. I feel then my point would have been better made. But…. I have seen the movie so I’m going to use that and some research that I did before writing this review.

In The Martian, a gentleman is left on Mars. So, to survive and not go crazy, this gentleman had some interesting internal conversations with himself. Cool. It works with the storyline. Something that a guy stranded alone would probably end up doing. The internal dialogue of a girl on a lunar space city…. doesn’t entirely work that well.

Essentially, Weir took the character from The Martian, placed him on the moon, and shoved him into a girls body. Yup, you heard me right….

Point 2: Guys cannot successfully write a female perspective.

“The city shined in the sunlight like a bunch of metallic boobs. What? I'm not a poet. They look like boobs.”

Case in point. Yes, this is Jazz everyone. A pre-teen boy. Oh, excuse me…. I mean a 26-year-old female living on the moon.

I appreciate that guys want to try a new perspective. Female writers do it to them all the time. But for some reason, when most guys attempt a female protagonist, they miss crucial wavelengths that allow their character to come across as female. I think it’s also very funny that Weir credits a bunch of female friends - this even includes his girlfriend - in helping him to achieve his success in capturing Jazz.

*Face. Palm. Groan.*

Weir, girls don’t obsess over sex like you’ve protrayed in the book.

On top of this very poorly executed decision, Weir also decided to be cool and make his protagonist not only female but also of Saudi Arabian descent. Salt on the wound. I get that we need more diverse characters in this world, something that more readers can connect to, but Weir, as a white male of the upper class, might not be the best one to deliver this. I’m going to take us back to the first thing I learned in writing class…. write what you know. And I’m pretty sure Weir doesn’t know either one of these things.

So Weir’s an author now. He’s made it big. The Martian took him far. He’s quit his job and can write full time. Sorry to say but I think it might have been a one trick pony.

Artemis is the story of one brave smuggler given the opportunity of a lifetime because all she wants more than anything in the world is to have her own private shower. So, in the middle of her grand payout, something goes terribly wrong, and what was just a job turns into a life-saving endeavor.

The story was very interesting. I like where he went with things, even if at times I struggled to follow him down the rabbit hole. Not everything he presented makes sense. Example… his need to put on repeat that the city could never leak oxygen. One and done man. That’s all we needed. At times, Jazz just seemed very unbelievable in her abilities. We get it, she’s smart, but if she’s smart enough to spend a few hours browsing electrical engineering schematics and become a master at it…. Ok, maybe you see what I’m trying to say. It just takes a lot of going along for the ride to fully get into the story.

I was originally going to give this 1 star. Seriously, that is how much I hated this book. The ending though boosted it up half a star. I was pleasantly surprised and did find myself turning the page pretty quickly. So if you can make it that far you will definitely be in for a nice surprise. Good luck though, I think you might need all your strength to stick it out. The only reason I did was because this was for book club.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge: 45/100

 

"Obsidio" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff Book Review

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“Every story needs its hero. And its villain. And its monster.”

Are you the hero, the monster, or the villain??

What a way to end a series. All flash bangs and fireworks aside, this ending was about as near to perfect as you can make them. Another five stars. Not that you guys weren’t anticipating that.

Sorry, I’m not more of a mystery.

Obsidio starts where we’ve left - stuck between an endless void and an enemy bent on killing everyone. Question is, which way do you turn? Well, clearly not open space because that will get you nowhere but a quick death. So the crew turns back home, hoping that there will be something left to save.

And all told in the lovable dossier style that we’ve come to love. There are some new added elements, including a small comic style section that I personally loved. Also, a little more surveillance footage, which is a bummer, but hey, you can’t win them all.

“You believe there is always an alternative. Always a chance for a miracle. But I told you once before that miracles are statistical improbabilities. There is no such thing in real life.”

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files)
By Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Buy on Amazon

Side note *What is it about Aidan quotes that make them so good?*

If there are any questions about this series coming back, I think the ending answers that. A resounding ‘NO’. Sad though. I love these characters andI’m hoping that I might see them one day in film. Just sending that out into the universe now.

I love how you never really know what is going to happen in the end. Yes, we know a few characters who live. It’s all given away in the first two books, but the rest was left up for grabs. Since I’ve never read these authors before this series, I wasn’t really sure if they were going to be the happy ending kind or not. I’m not telling you which it is… you’re just going to have to read this series to find out. Guess what though, it all works out in the overall story.

My only negative would be on the new characters. No surprise, the first two books were based around two different love interests. If you expected something else… well, that sucks. I appreciate that Kristoff and Kaufman stuck with it, but the two new characters fell a little flat for me. I can’t be surprised. These two authors have pulled off numerous characters with excellent personalities. To make something entirely new again, well you had to give somewhere. Again, it could just be me.

I really don’t have more to say. I don’t want to go into extreme depth and give the story away. If you haven’t jumped in yet, what are you waiting for? This is the new series of our lifetime. Something I think the book community will be talking about for a while. Starting another countdown till their next series comes out. I think I only have a year right???? While I wait I can start venting on the book I just finished, which will happily be the next book review. Be prepared for that. Until then… happy reading.

Love Kait

Reading Challenge:

 

"Gemina" by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristof Book Review

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There comes a point in a series where you need to stop and ask yourself, is this good for my heart? And, why am I putting myself through this? The Illuminae series is really killing me but… People help…. I can’t put it down.

*If you have not read the first book Illuminae yet, I advise you to stop here. There will be spoilers for the first book.*

Ok, I warned you.

Turn it off now.

I’m going to spoil everything.

Ezra is alive.

There did it. Now you can’t be mad at me. You kept reading.

When I first heard that this book was being told through the eyes of new characters, I was immediately heartbroken. What about Kady Grant and Ezra Mason? You made me fall in love with them and now you’re stripping them from my life…! No worries. It’s all worth it. You’ll fall in love with Nik and Hanna in just the same manner. And trust me on this one…. You owe me because you kept reading… It’s worth the change. These new characters are well developed and even come with their own jar of snarkiness.

The change shouldn’t come as a surprise. During the entire first book, Heimdall station was mentioned only a billion and one times. Kady kept saying how she hoped her dad was fine. Comments on Heimdall’s safety and existence kept coming into question. So, it only seems plausible that Kaufman and Kristoff would want to tell the story of what happens on Heimdall. And not to give anything away, but both stories wrap up together at the end with a pretty bow.

And to the joy of all…. It’s still told in the lovely dossier style. This time, everything comes to light in the court trial for Frobisher. Yes! Take that evil lady who wants to kill her son.

*Again I warned you*

The only downside is that there are a lot more surveillance moments. I guess it isn’t a bad thing, I just wasn’t a super fan. Or maybe, I just wasn’t prepared for the change? Aidan isn’t on this ship and can’t monologue the whole event for me.

This book is anything short of brilliant. These two have a wide array of tricks up their sleeves and didn’t hold anything back. I just want for a moment to see into the minds of these two, discover how all these building pieces get put together.

The plot is well devised and, in some ways, surpasses the first book. The sci-fi twists are well placed and believable, not that they all have to be, we are talking about spaceships and jump stations, but I want to be able to go along with it. When you talk about switching bodies in dreams, then I need to pull the plug. I guess it’s my space upbringing that allows me to accept this stuff with more of an open mind.

Are you going to assume that I gave this book anything other than 5 stars? Better not. And it is all cemented after meeting these amazing people in person. The signing couldn’t have been any better in my dreams. The two just sat rattling off about life and writing to the point that the commentator could barely get a few questions out. We now know that Kaufman’s backup plan is to be a lighthouse keeper, which is impossible since they’re all automated now, so she better stick to writing.

And in case you haven’t heard, since only like 2 people in the audience knew to the shock of Kaufman and Kristoff, they are working on another series together. It’s supposed to be Guardians of the Galaxy meets Starfleet Academy. Essentially, the world needs saving and they are the only ones in the room to do it. The first book is set to be out next year, I already need to start a countdown.

Happy reading till next time.

Love Kait

 

 

"Falling Kingdoms" by Morgan Rhodes Book Review

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Falling…

Falling...

And gone...

All my hopes that this book would actually turn out well.

I hate to be so harsh, especially since I’m an aspiring novelist, but this story needed some serious help. Books like this one give me hope that I too can get published.

The real hit in the gut was finding out that Morgan Rhodes is a nom de plume for Michelle Rowan. I haven’t read any of Rowan’s previous work, but an experienced writer, such as herself, should be able to pull off a better story than the one I read. Why did she need to use a nom de plume in the first place? Maybe Falling Kingdoms isn’t in her traditional genre but, if you are a good enough writer, your work should be able to carry you over.

One random look at the cover and I would never have decided to read this book (it was chosen for my book club). I still sit here, having fully read the whole thing, and wonder how the cover ties into the story at all. The cover makes you believe the story is full of epic characters, skilled in fighting and stealth, taking down kingdoms, with a little bit of magic mixed it. All just a load of false advertising.

In whole, the entire story was boring. We’ll first start with the characters. If you want to make a YA version of Game of Thrones, then you need to do a good job. Don’t let your characters dangle in the wind, feeling pointless and soulless. We weren’t given a John Snow to rally behind or even a Joffery to cringe from. Instead, just a girl that can’t make a decision until it’s extremely moronic, who is played off as the spoiled girl turned heroine, and some kid that loves his sister - which just seems like a poor rip off of you know who. Rhodes does kill her characters, yet even her timing of it all is poorly done. I really never saw the point.

And then we come to the plot. Sometimes authors can get away with poorly done characters if the plot is fantastic. Ya, no…. Not in this case. It was a snooze fest and, again, if I didn’t need to read this to discuss it with the group I would have put it down. The first two chapters did have me hopeful; killings betrayals, kidnappings, and hidden powers… oh boy… and all done within the span of a few pages. But maybe that was the problem. All the good stuff was thrown into the beginning. Rhodes sets you up on a high adventure and then leaves you waiting on the corner in cosplay with your paper sword and shield in hand. There was nothing to carry you through to the end. Nothing but a bunch of moments that left you sitting there going wtf.

I have heard that you need to read the first two books before the series really takes off. I tip my hat to anyone who read the first two books without knowing there was hope. Since I’m a sucker for hope, I have requested the second one on audiobook. Yes, I have downgraded it to audio, which means that you guys will not know what I think unless you follow my stories on Instagram (that’s where I post my feelings for audiobooks). I just want to add,  if the author had plans for a drawn-out epic fantasy, he/she really needed to get their readers hooked on the first book. You don’t have time to set up here. That’s always reserved for the middle of the series. Since this isn’t the worst book I’ve ever read, I gave it 2 stars out of 5. Good luck reading, and if you decide to take this one on, I wish you all the luck.

Goodreads Challenge: 22/77

Love Kait

 

"Every Last Lie" by Mary Kubica Book Review

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OMG…..

Like really?!?!?

That ending…..

Am I mad? Not in the least. In a day when thrillers are the game, I loved her twist with the ending. I guess it isn’t a twist in the traditional sense but, when you sit through the entire book wondering how this is all going to end, Kubica’s ending is a diversion from the traditional thriller storyline. I want to start a long discussion, see how the rest of the world feels. I can tell you that my book club wasn’t down for it. They thought it was stupid and a letdown, all feelings that are opposite from mine. I found it refreshing. But I must stop here. If I say more than I will give it all away. Darn my policy on no spoilers.

My warning with this story is if you have a significant other, do not read this book when there is bad weather. The timing for me was horrible. We had a stretch of snowy, icy conditions here in Seattle, something very rare, and my husband must leave every morning at 4:45 am to catch the bus. And every morning I worried, waiting in anticipation for his text saying that he arrived safely at the bus stop. I figured the bus driver would get him safely through the rest of the commute. Now the sun is shining more and the weather has warmed to its typical 40s and 50s.

If you’ve read my other review for Mary Kubica, you will know that I am not a fan of her work. Good Girl was poorly executed in my opinion with Kubica’s choice of point of view to be its only saving grace. So in picking this one up, it was the February pick for my book club, I was anticipating a long drawn out struggle. Boy was I wrong.

I’m not saying this is some Hemingway of thrillers. There are countless problems throughout, moments when you take a sideways glance at Kubica and ask “why”. One being the twist at the end with the caretaker. The other being *cough* I can’t say more. But Clare was compelling to me. Someone that I could relate to - I mean, if I too lost my husband. Here she was left with a newborn, a small child, and a long list of questions. What would we all do in her place? Kubica provided a believable storyline in that regard, though maybe not with the other characters. Sometimes her husband did seem far-fetched. Oh well.  

And as true to form, I was the complete opposite in regards to the feelings in my book club. I was the only one to like it. Maybe the shock got to me - I expected the worse so I overrated it. But then again, shouldn’t our ratings be partly based on our enjoyment? If that is the case, then my enjoyment was very high and I gladly give this book 4 stars. I’m curious what you think. Let me know in the comments below. Maybe I finally fell off my rocker and my gauge is all screwed up now.

Love Kait

 

"Sam's Theory" Book Review

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This book is by a brand new author.

I’m not going to hide that fact.

Five pages in and you can tell, formal training is lacking and there are quite a few errors. But what might be lacking in technical is made up ten-fold in this thought out healing story that I think a part of us all needs to hear. You don’t read this story for well-done craft. You don’t read it for the plot twists or the thoughtfully constructed prose. You read it for the profound messages and amazing insights that have been gifted within the pages.

I don’t know how she did it, but Sarah Mendivel created a story in a fictional world that is far from fictional.

I was balling at the end, tears gushing, blanket and boys wrapped around me in hopes of warding off all the feelings. Though the ending was a little stretched out, I didn’t want it to be over.

Sam and I aren’t too different. Things have happened and we’ve both been scarred by our pasts. The truth and psychological wisdom that Mendivel imparts is profound and breathtaking. I was on that journey with Sam, I was delving into the realm of healing and growth. I want every kid who has ever struggled in life to read this book. We’re so much more than the actions of others. We’re more than the words said to us by parents, guardians, teachers, trusted friends, or loved ones. I’ve proven it in my life and I feel that all children should know that they have the same option as well.

In many ways, this book reminded me of the Seth and Sarah stories that I read as a kid. A story full of adventure where you don't realize learning is in every word written. What makes this book so well done is that you can gain a lot of insight no matter your age. 

Theory is a friend to all. We see this early in the story. A fact that I believe Mendivel wanted us to know.

This book was a gift both physically and mentally. Sometimes things really do fall into our laps for a reason. I was given this book knowing that to compensate for it, I would need to give a review, one that would be read by the author. Not some review that doesn’t even come into the consciousness of the author. I was scared. I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to hate it and face that fact, but I’ve promised you guys honesty. Well, in truth and honesty, this book received 4 stars from me.

Thank you so much Mendivel for reaching out to me and offering your book. Thank you for sharing this story. I feel that it took a lot out of you to delve so deep and to be so honest and caring. Thank you for taking the time. I wish you all the luck in the world spreading it.

Love Kait

 

"The Cruel Prince" Book Review

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I really…. really…. really wanted to like this book.

End result, I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe it was my fault, not really in the mood for something of this genre, or maybe it wasn’t the type to catch my attention. I just don’t have much of a comment. You ask and I’ll probably just shrug my shoulders. I didn’t hate it and I didn’t love it, which is why it ended up being 3 stars on Goodreads. Here’s the kicker though, I’m going to read the next book.

*Shock*

*Gasp*

Right!?!?!?

A few comments that I do have. I want to start by prefacing that this is my first Holly Black book. For years I’ve been out of the YA genre. Not on purpose I will add, just sort of fell out of it. But now I’ve jumped right back in feet first. Listening to other souls that I trust, and hearing their feelings on this title, I’m not sure if this was a good choice for my first Black book or jaunt into the Faerie Realm.

This story is dark. I love it. We’re not talking Disney’s version of Tinker Bell with pixie dust and dreams. We’re talking dark, sinister, trickster types from old folktales. And believe me, when you read this book you need to keep that in mind. These characters are not human, their actions are not nice, and they will make you question everything about humanity. But remember, they are not human. The sinisterness and story have been compared to Game of Thrones and I can agree that it deems a few comparisons. I won’t be making them here. You know the rules.

NO SPOILERS.

Two items that annoyed me to death though, are the character dynamics and the writing. Seriously take note here, DO NOT make your readers read ‘I am’ instead of ‘I’m’. My reading flow kept breaking. Sometimes I wanted to throw the book out the window. Thank goodness this was a reading club book and I was forced to finish it up. Next time, I’m warning everyone, I won’t be able to suffer through it.

And here I go on another rant about characters. They make a story though. Tell me one of your favorites that doesn’t include a beloved character? I can wait….

I don’t hate Jude, I just wanted to shake her a few times and tell her to get her life together. I mean, she had so many opportunities to get out of her situation and she chose not to. I know that’s part of the story, but the reasoning behind it just wasn’t believable. Instead her character turned into more of a masochist.

Conclusion, the prologue and the epilogue where superb and awe defining, the center just a bit of moldy cheese; you pick off the bad parts and enjoy the good parts. There were a few. I wasn’t bored the entire time. But with how strong that opening was, the wind was seriously let out of my sails when I started chapter 1. But ugh….. Black pulled a turn around with that epilogue. Now I have to know what happens. I really hope that you like this story if you are a Holly Black fan. I might give another one of her stories a try before I give up.

 

"Turtles All the Way Down" Book Review

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I’ve read most of John Green’s books. Some have been good (Paper Towns), some not bad (Fault in our Stars), but others, not so great. This is the case with Turtles All the Way Down. Let’s start with the good items. Green’s depictions were decent, the inner monologues decent, but this is a story, not a random journal. And though I nod at his attempt to put a voice to teenage mental disorders, touching on topics that aren’t covered well today, his overall plot, characters and perspective are just not working. After finding out that it took him six years to write this, I was even more disappointed.

Six years and the biggest plot of the story, minus Aza’s battle with her disorder, was a disappearing father? This spurred the encounter between Aza and Davis. An encounter that seems a little far-fetched for a character like Aza. I mean, what normal kid says, “Hey, let’s trespass to look at some camera footage”, let alone someone with the mental battles that Aza faces? I was required to take a long jump with that one. Then the money ordeal between Davis and Aza is another story. In the end, I was required to make too many jumps. So many that I really wanted to stay in one place and give up.

In terms of character development, this felt more like a creative writing class assignment than a 6 novel writer. Green more or less went down a writing checklist. Give characters distinct characteristics. Check.

Though I don’t mind male authors writing from the female perspective, I do feel that some of the nuances of our minds are lost. I mean, they really can’t understand us since they aren’t in there. This was a big problem with Turtles All the Way Down. Multiple times I struggled with the inner workings of Aza’s mind. Some moments made me question whether she was actually a gay teenage boy. I personally prefer Green’s stories told from the male perspective.

Let’s talk about that climax. Another reason that the storyline of a disappearing father was not mixing well. The ending felt rushed and thrown together, more like Green just wanted to hurry and have it over with. Instead of using the dad as a side story and having Aza’s mental disorder as the main story, it pulled so much attention that, I as the reader, couldn’t just focus on what the main topic really should have been, Aza’s life with the disorder. If Green’s plan was to have Aza’s mental disorder be the main story, it didn’t come across that way.

And if the missing dad, boyfriend, mental disorders, and dead parents weren’t enough, let’s discuss the topic of economic differences. Really? The story was already a hot mess of hodgepodge storylines, why do you want to add another totally different topic? I think that Green wanted to show that even if your life seems like hell, there might be another soul out there that thinks it’s heaven. Still, this was just too much to handle on top of everything else that was thrown at us. We all ready had the kitchen sink, we didn’t need the recycling as well.

I promise this is my final rant about this book. But seriously… that fan fiction…? Sorry but that doesn’t make your story hipper or up with the times. Instead, it annoyed everyone else (if by everyone else, I mean me). Let’s not reference anymore to the new Star Wars franchise. And is Aza really that shallow to have never read a single one of her friend’s stories? Another large jump that I was forced to endure.

So if you haven’t noticed, I’m not a fan. I did give it a solid 3 stars on GoodReads. Green’s attempt to broach an important topic is what saved him. I just wanted to like it more for the effort that he put into it.

 

"Wonder Woman: Warbringer" Book Review

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I want to preface this entire review with *if you haven’t read Six of Crows yet, then you need to get right on that now.* The sequel was also really good, but I like the first one more, contrary to a lot of people’s opinions.

Queue Wonder Woman: Warbringer. Wow, girl. You did it again. Leigh Bardugo has swept me off my feet. I haven’t come down yet. I’m reading a new book, but all I can think about is Warbringer. I want to cry because it’s over. I want to scream and shout. I guess I’m just going to have to start the Grisha Verse Trilogy now.

I was worried about this one. Worried and fearful that she wouldn’t be able to pull it off. I mean, how much leeway does one have with a pop culture icon? We’re talking about Wonder Woman here, not just some made up character we’ve let percolate in the nether regions of our imagination. But there are no worries with this one. Get past the initial introduction of the character and landscape and away you will go. What Bardugo might have lacked in Wonder Woman she made up whole heartedly with her other characters. And yet still, somehow, put her own twist on a character that we’ve come to know and love.

But seriously, this one is amazing (and sorry if I use this word too much. I seriously can’t find another one…. marvelous…. stupendous… mind blowing…. out of this world….). A fantastical adventure. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, especially since the movie came out recently. Would this be a continuation, a prequel, or something else entirely? I’m still not sure where it fits in since I’m not too much of a religious comic book fan, and I really don’t care. What I did care about was the superb writing of Burdago and the thought out meticulous character development. Welp, I wasn’t disappointed.

I won’t debate on whether this plot is original or not. We are dealing with an already existing storyline. But, the quest was compelling and fantastical, the current day New York believable and enjoyable, and the beautiful descriptions of Themyscira absorbing. I’m also a major nitpicker when it comes to actions scenes. Most writers lose the reader, getting lost in the shuffle by jumping and hopping around too much. Bardugo kept me engrossed the entire time. I was given a 360 view without losing a single moment.

Back to the characters and I think the main reason I felt broken hearted when it was all over. To say goodbye to Nim and Theo, well it was a sad day. Though just supporting characters, they went above and beyond to make this story as crisp, real, and humorous as it was. As my writing teacher always said, let every character think they are the protagonist, and boy did these two try to steal the show every second. The characters were witty, humorous, and definitely compelling for the current day and age. I want a story with just those two, or come on, at least give me a sequel. Yet even with those two strong-minded souls, Bardugo never lost the original care and essence of the two main characters, Diana and Alia.

The twist was a pleasant surprise. (I never give spoilers, so you are free to move about the rest of this review). I knew that something wasn’t entirely right, I think most readers will, but I never guessed what was going to happen, something that I’ll admit I’m horribly accused of always doing. There could be two reasons; one, the twist was nicely disguised without too much foreshadowing, or two, I was loving the story so much that I didn’t have the mental room or desire to attempt a guess. The story was really just that good.

And with the call for diverse characters stronger every day, I want to make note of Bardugo’s attempt to add dark-skinned characters to her book. I won’t attempt to say whether she did a good job or not, especially because I’m not dark skinned and wouldn’t know what a life living dark skinned might be like, I was happy to read something new. Her addition lent to the storyline and was not a publicity stunt. Her writing, as always, let me picture each character in their own unique glory.

Hands down my favorite book so far this year and I would say that it would be staying this way if I didn’t have three more of her books to read.

So again, read this book. If you are not a superhero, Wonder Woman fan, I would still say that this is a great fantasy read. If you didn’t guess already, my first 5 star rating on Goodreads this year.

Happy Reading Everyone!

 

 

"The Good Girl" Book Review

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With the awards this book has been nominated for, and the constant mentions to Gone Girl, I thought hey, this might actually be a good thriller. I’ve read a few thrillers lately - this is a new genre for me - so I was excited to try another one out. The problem for me, because I can’t just go along for the ride, I tend to guess the ending way too early. Sometimes I don’t mind this because I end up going on a whirlwind trip trying to see if my guess is correct. But most of the time, the story is poorly done, or the writing is off, or the characters are just downright boring that the rest of the read is the same. Well, queue The Good Girl.

Let me start by saying that this ending was given away too early. I mean seriously, leave us in suspense a little bit longer. Even the big reveal in the epilogue, the only time that we hear from Mia herself, comes as no surprise. I was not taken on a joyride. And I hate to sound so mean, but the writing itself was boring. At about 50 pages in, I already wanted to put the book down. Sadly, I have this thing where I must finish every book that I start. And I don’t know what is worse, the fact that I had to finish the book or that my book club is reading a different Mary Kubica book next month.

There was one thing that I found interesting and I want to give it kudos. I recently took a writing class. One week, the professor had us sit down and write a short synopsis of our three main characters, their wants and ultimately, what might change about them during the story. We then sat in groups, reading aloud and the other students would vote for the character they wanted to tell the story. I feel this was a huge high-five to Kubica. Most authors probably would have told the story from Mia’s point of view. There is plenty of great stuff to work with there. But instead, she decided to tell it through the eyes of Mia’s captor, mother, and the detective searching for her. Excellent decision and I think the only reason that saved this book from getting a 1 star on Goodreads.

With the amount of time I have, and the fact that I have a lot of books to get through this year, I really regret wasting my time with this one. Ugh, those impulse grabs in the library. I should know not to grab one from that front display unless it’s on my list. I think that I have officially learned my lesson with this one.

Happy reading everyone!

 

"The Chemist" Book Review

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*Enter Sarcasm*    

Stephanie Meyer did it again. She created a love story where an abnormally talented creature/human falls in love with an average damsel in distress. This time she just switched the sexes and tied it up with a spy novel bow.

*Exit Sarcasm*

Ok, but seriously. I had such hope, showing this book off at my book club, claiming that at 130 or so pages in, there was yet a love interest. This isn’t a love story guys. She is branching out. Boy was I wrong, as I sit hanging my head in same. Nope, it was all a lie. Again, Meyers fell back on what she does best except that this time, it was really poorly executed.

I was hoping for something different, or at least well executed. Twilight was great and I can ignore the less to be desired writing skill. Meyers was new to the scene, first novel jitters. Well, that card was played and is gone. For the number of books to her name, the skill needs to be upped. Instead, my belief is that this is the worse one she has written to date.

A basic item, characters felt flat. I couldn’t really get behind Alex and I hate to admit that the dog was the best one of the lot. After the 130 pages, when the love interest came in, I got bored. There was nothing holding my attention. I ended up reading two others books before I eventually put my adult pants on and got down to finishing this book. It was a real struggle.

Honestly, the only thing that saved this book was the fact that it was a spy novel, though I’m not one to actually say whether it hit the mark there either. I don’t read a lot of spy novels, so for me, it was new and fresh. I did want to find out what would happen.

So in the end, girl loves the boy. The boy loves the girl. Some crazy special events happen and the end. No vampires included this time. My vote is a 2 out of 5 stars.

 

"Lilac Girls" Book review

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*WARNING: Spoilers ahead*

 

From the moment I saw this book and read the description, I had such hopes and then I read the first sentence; chills went down my back. This was going to be the best seven hours of reading. But, when I got past that, there was serious buyer’s remorse. I wanted with all my heart for this book to be good, wishing it with every word that I read, but, I’m sorry to admit, it didn’t hold up. My first response would be that I was sorely disappointed.

Let me begin by saying that the best part of the whole book was the author’s note at the very end. Wow. That little side note of explanation told a better story of Caroline and what she did for the girls of Ravensbruck, not the 487 pages of actual story. Martha Hall Kelly took this amazing woman, who is supposedly the inspiration for writing the book, and turned her into a shallow, soul exasperating person with a fictional love interest that in my opinion brought the whole story to just above daytime soap opera. And, I will add, that this love interest was never fully wrapped up in the end.

This story begins right before WWII. Since Caroline is considered a war hero, I assumed that her actual heroism would occur during WWII. No, in fact, it actually occurs about 12 years after the war has ended. Something that is not alluded to till you read that part about 2/3rds in. Kelly did nothing to dissuade this and I feel many times played into that thought process by adding in certain facts in addition to including characters such as Herta and Kasia. A backstory is extremely important, but did we have to go through every detail of what occurred and then only spend a bare minimum on the heroism of getting the survives help?

And I also ask why was Herta included? Seeing a different point of view was interesting, but there was no Schindler’s List ending. Herta ended up being the same evil person feeling no remorse for her part in the experiments. For myself, and a few others, we expected Herta to turn around at some point and help save the girls. She went from having a conscience about killing to, oh look now, I can do this without a second thought. In essence, the character felt like two different people.

Kelly also included too many topics for each one to be fully developed. She touches on motherhood, mother-daughter relationships, mental illness, WWII which has enough material, concentration camps, politics, women’s rights, marriage and so on. Characters also felt thrown in. Major characters that had larger roles were left hanging. In my opinion, Kelly took on too large of a task. This could have been broken down, one POV, and multiple books. One book about the sisters and one book about Caroline.

One of the most intriguing characters was Kasia’s mother. With so much potential of even her own story, this character was in essence left hanging. She had such a chunk of the story she almost felt like a main character. For Kelly to only spend a few lines at the end to explain what happened to her was so sad. Instead of having Herta explain to Kasia what happened at the end, since Herta supposedly saw it, Kelly could have used the old teacher's adage of show don’t tell. If Kelly wrote a book about the mother, I would give her a second chance.

And my final mark against this book is the writing itself. What started as elegant prose that was sweeping me through the streets of New York and Lublin, turned into an annoying list of she did this and he did that. The description and sweeping melodies were lost about halfway in. It became dry and downright boring. No more getting into the character’s mind and experiencing how they felt and saw things. I continued to read only because I wanted to see how it all turned out.

In truth, though I had hoped for so much more, this book felt like a waste of my time. I will give it a 2 out of 5 stars. I’m glad that the Ravensbruck girls have had their story told. I had such better hopes for Caroline though.

 

 

"The Hearts We Sold" Book Review

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What would you trade for an arm or a leg? What would you trade for a heart? These are the questions asked in the novel The Hearts We Sold by Emily Lloyd-Jones. A unique twist to fairytales and demons, the story takes you on the journey of Dee who has decided how much her heart is worth.

I don't regret reading this book. So many times I bore from the constant storyline, we have a hero and the hero must learn about him/herself before saving the world. It feels that if sci-fi or fantasy is the theme, this is the typical plot. Just look at Harry Potter and Hunger Games, exact duplicates except for the big difference; their stories are super unique. We are given distinct characters, descriptive worlds, and something that we can sink our teeth into. Now, I’m not saying that this book is as good as those classics, but I was given something that swept me along the journey.

As the protagonist, Dee was believable. Lloyd-Jones’ description of Dee’s home life was extremely accurate and made Dee’s desire in making a deal with a demon something the reader could get behind. The addition of the secondary characters added color and flavor for the in-betweens. James was someone we could all love and we mourned the loss of others. Lloyd-Jones took moments in the story to develop intricate backstories to enhance the complex construction of her characters. In addition, the twist of possible sci-fi aliens in the mix was a fun take to your traditional fairy tales.

Some areas were less than believable. I wouldn’t say plot holes but areas where it took some effort to take what Lloyd-Jones was dishing out. I won’t go into details because it would give the story away. Sadly, you’ll just have to read the story and fall into the holes like the rest of us.

My final rating would probably be a 3.5 stars out of 5. Not something that I swoon for but definitely a good use of my reading time.