My rating: 4.5 stars

I knew almost from the first page that this was the start of a great series and was only about a quarter of the way through when I went hunting for the next book in the series. I just knew this was one of those series that I wasn’t going to be able to stop reading until it was finished.

The story follows Celaena, world’s greatest assassin and 18 year old girl. When the book starts she’s serving out a prison sentence doing hard labour in the salt mines where typical life expectancy is a couple of months due to the harsh treatment and lack of food. She has so far lasted a year and, while still alive, is not in the best of shape physically or mentally. When the crown Prince offers her the chance to win her freedom by competing to become the kings champion (assassin) she feels it’s her only chance to get her life back despite potentially having to work for a family she despises. If nothing else, getting out of the mines may give her a chance to escape.

From the mines Celaena travels to the glass palace where she has to work to regain her strength, compete against 23 other challengers with varying backgrounds including thieves, assassins, soldiers, mercenaries and murderers. There can however only be one winner with the losers returning to wherever they came from should they survive which for Celeana means the mines and certain death.

I thought this was a fantastic story. While there are some familiar elements such as the competition, a love triangle, a mysterious past and spirits, fae and demons they are put together in a way that feels original and really works.

It’s an easy read with a lot of action that keeps you reading when you really should be doing something else (like sleeping or eating). The characters are likeable, Celaena in particular. She is a fighter, who is determined to win but is also quite lonely and desperate for friends. She does come across a bit vain and arrogant but she’s also quite funny and more protective than you would expect an assassin to be.

My main criticism however and the reason I couldn’t give 5 stars is that I really couldn’t believe the whole world’s greatest assassin bit. There was way too much crying, fear and depending on others to make it a believable claim. Also maybe the fact she kept trying to save people rather than kill them made it difficult to accept. I’m guessing however if she did spend all of her time going round killing people she probably wouldn’t have been so likeable.

Anyway, it’s been at least 12 hours since I finished so it’s time I got started on the next in the series. Can’t wait to find out what happens next and possibly get to the bottom of some of the mysteries.

Book Review: Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

August 3, 2015September 20, 2015 Ali@abookishlife3 Comments

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’d been on a bit of a break from psychological thrillers as I was really struggling to find any good ones. I tend to find those books with loads of 5 star ratings are a bit of a let down. This however is definitely one of the good ones. It draws you in right from the start and doesn’t let go until the very end.

The central focus of the story is Heidi, who on her commute to work sees a young girl with a baby standing on the train platform with a small suitcase. She becomes concerned when she comes across the girl and baby a couple more times and realises they are homeless. Wanting to do something to help she takes the girl for a meal and ends up inviting her into her home. Her husband Chris and daughter Zoe are less than impressed with the bedraggled, dirty and secretive girl who comes into their home with a screaming, sick baby. Chris worries that the girl could be dangerous but Heidi is determined she stay. The big question is should they be worried about her and her mysterious past or is there something closer to home that should concern them.

The story is told from three different perspectives, Heidi, Chris and Willow (the girl on the platform). Heidi is the one who takes a chance on a stranger, loves her family and has a strong social conscience. Chris is the practical investment banker, who wants to protect his family but is distracted by an attractive co worker and Willow is the young girl with a troubled past. However all is not as it seems and there are a lot of twists and turns in this gripping tale.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I don’t think it will be the last. I really like her writing style. It’s very atmospheric and really sweeps you into the story and the minds of the protagonists.

As you can probably tell I really, really liked this book and I think it may have restored my love for psychological thrillers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Ignited by Laurie Wetzel

August 1, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Ignited by Laurie Wetzel

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maddy and MJ are back at last in the second book in the Unclaimed series. I read the previous book a few months ago and was really looking forward to this one. While I enjoyed the first book it left a lot of questions unanswered and I was keen to get to the truth of who or what is Maddy?

The story picks up immediately after the first book with Maddy recovering from her ordeal at the hands of demon Justin, starting a relationship with angel and Protector MJ and learning how to control her newly discovered powers. While she could probably have done with a bit of down time to adjust to all the changes the action kicks in again almost immediately. Justin’s obsession with her is growing and he’s even more determined to get her to sign over her soul to him. In addition, her inability to keep control of her powers starts to bring her to the attention of more angels and demons and possibly the serial killer from the first book.

To top it all off her new relationship starts to run into problems as she finds out some things about MJ she doesn’t like and he becomes overprotective, controlling and secretive.

Overall I think this has the potential to be a really great book. All of the key ingredients are there, a strong female lead, forbidden love, discovering powers and heaven and hell on the brink of all out war but it just doesn’t quite work yet.

For me this book suffers from a lot of the same issues as the previous one. The beginning is confused. There is too much thrown in, a lot of different characters, new words and new worlds and not enough explanation. I’d read the first book and I was a little confused with this so I’m not sure how new readers would cope. This is probably not helped by the narration switching between the characters of Maddy, MJ and Justin. If this was simplified it would be so much better.

There are a few characters that I think could be cut quite easily such as her group of friends whose names I can’t even remember because they appear so briefly and there are so many of them. As Maddy is supposedly a bit of a loner who pushes people away it doesn’t seem consistent to her character to have half a dozen close friends. There were also a few scenes I didn’t see the point of but who knows perhaps they will be important in future books.

What I did like in this book however was some of the new characters. I got to meet and learn more about some of the other Protectors with my particular favourite being Alexander. I found out more about both heaven and hell and the hierarchy of each and through Maddy’s dreams we found some answers to some of the questions (although there are still a lot more unanswered).

Once I got to the halfway point I have to admit I was starting to really enjoy it but I am frustrated because it could be so much better. I will still recommend it (if you’ve read Unclaimed first) and I will no doubt read the next one because I want to know what happens.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fiction or Non Fiction?

QuoteJuly 20, 2015July 20, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “The Great Divide.” As part of Blogging 101, today’s task was to write a post based on a daily prompt that fit our blog so I was very happy to find the big question “when reading for fun do you prefer fiction or non fiction?” For me […]

Book Review: Fatal Pursuit by Elisabeth Naughton

July 20, 2015July 20, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Fatal Pursuit by Elisabeth Naughton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Completely ridiculous but I loved it.

This is the third book in the Aegis series and this time the story focuses on boss of the security firm Jake Ryder and Assistant Marley Addison. Feeling frustrated and angry with Jake for taking advantage of her loyalty to the firm and leaving her out of plans Marley is on the brink of quitting when she receives a distress call from an ex she thought was dead.

Thinking this is a good way to prove her ability as an operative and assuage some of her guilt over how things ended with her ex, Marley steals/borrows her boss’s plane and heads to Columbia to rescue him. Jake, being a little angry about her stealing his plane and worried about her heading off to Columbia alone, soon tracks her down and decides to help her track down her ex. They journey through the jungle together and have to learn to rely and trust each other in order to survive.

It’s safe to say that sparks really fly between Jake and Marley. This is one of the best romance/thriller/adventure books I’ve read in a while. The section in the jungle reminded me a lot of the film Romancing the Stone however Marley is far from the damsel in distress and really proves her survival skills. She shows Jake just how much he’s underestimated her and ends up having to save him a few times. Jake is forced to reconsider his perception of her and starts to notice just how attractive she is but being a commitment phobe he’s scared to act on it.

There is a lot of action in the book as they run into paramilitary groups, mercenaries, local tribes and a landslide and their troubles aren’t over when they finally find the truth. As I said a lot of the story borders on ridiculous but if you relax and just go with it it’s a great read. There was one scene in particular that reminded me of when we first meet the Ewoks in Star Wars (if you read it you’ll know what I mean) and it was hilarious.

The characters are fantastic and Marley in particular is very likeable. The relationship is hot, hot, hot and there are some really steamy scenes dotted throughout as well as some fiery arguments.

If you’re looking for some escapism, adventure and romance I’d definitely recommend it.

Big thanks too to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

July 18, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn’t too keen on this book at the start but somehow it managed to gradually sneak in and grow on me.

While I’d previously read other books by Sarah Morgan I hadn’t read the first in the Puffin Island series. However this book definitely works as a stand alone. There are updates on the characters from the previous book but the focus is definitely on Zach and Brittany.

Following an accident on an archaeological dig in Greece Brittany returns to her childhood home of Puffin Island to recuperate. She gets a shock however when it turns out the pilot flying her home is ex husband Zach. They’d married 10 years earlier as teenagers after a whirlwind romance but within a few days of the wedding Zach walked out leaving Brittany heart broken. Finding her ex husband living on the same small island she tries to be indifferent but as they keep bumping into each other her mask starts to slip and sparks fly. But is it really wise to get involved with the man with the troubled past and bad reputation who has already broken your heart?

The great thing about this book is that there is real emotion in it. The plot is not the most original and the ending is fairly predictable but it’s an enjoyable read. The interactions between Zach and Brittany are fairly hot and steamy and you can definitely feel the chemistry between them. There are a couple of parts that brought me close to tears and it definitely brought a smile to my face.

There was a lot at the start about and dotted throughout about how wonderful her friends were and how great the island was but I have to admit I found those parts a bit too saccharine for me and tended to skip on. I’m probably just bitter and twisted though.

Overall though it is what you expect, a light enjoyable read when you want to relax and escape from real life.

*Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.

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Book Review: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

July 14, 2015July 15, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Before I start this review I should probably say upfront that I’m Scottish and proud of it. As a Scot I think it’s great that this book and the show based on it have brought so much attention to the country that I love. It’s kind of doing for Scotland what Game of Thrones did for Ireland.

While I’d heard a lot about it and the show I have to admit the main reason I finally ended up reading it was because I signed up to do a buddy read on Good Reads and this was one of the books we both had waiting to be read.

I will admit part of the reason I put off reading it was because I was a little concerned it would be full of the usual Scottish stereotypes of bagpipes, haggis and people shouting “och aye the noo” but it really wasn’t like that. There are some men in kilts (as well as some men out of kilts) but given the setting of the 1740’s that’s fairly appropriate for the time.

Anyway, the story starts with Claire and husband Frank on a second honeymoon in Inverness, Scotland following the end of the second world war. While they’d married before the war they’d only really spent less than a year together before they were forced to part as Claire went to the front as a nurse and Frank to officer training. This second honeymoon is a chance for them to reconnect and also for Frank, a professor and historian, to learn a bit more about one of his ancestors Jack Randall (Black Jack). Jack Randall was a English soldier and possibly spy in the 1740’s in Scotland just prior to the Jacobite rebellion.

While on this holiday, Claire somehow ends up travelling back in time to the time of Captain Jack Randall and after being attacked by him falls in with some of the Scottish rebels. She has to try to fit in and survive while trying to find her way back to her own time. However while trapped in the past she starts to find her place in the world and possibly a new love and has to decide does she really want to go back.

I actually finished this book a few days ago but I still haven’t completely decided how I feel about it, hence my 3 star rating. I feel like I should have liked it, and a lot of people really love it but I’m not sure I did.

Part of the issue for me was actually the length of 863 pages. While the story was interesting and the characters very complex I thought it was a bit on the long side. If I’d been loving it the length wouldn’t have mattered but I could never completely connect with it. It’s not one of those books that you can pick up and just read a few pages. I felt I had to set aside proper chunks of time to read and really concentrate to get into the rhythm of the writing and the language. There are a lot of good Scots words used in the dialogue and I find with that I have to sound out the words in my head to get the real feeling behind them [I have a feeling a lot of these words will be creeping into my vocabulary as I forgot how much I loved them].

Having read the other reviews it seems like this is a book you either love or hate and I can sort of understand both sides. The story is very detailed and the characters complex. You never really know where it’s going or what the characters true motivation really is and that, to me, is fascinating. My buddy and I spent quite a while trying to guess what some of the characters were really up to and why they did what they did. There is no one in the book who is really all good or all bad and there are quite a few moral dilemmas that require a bit of pondering and wondering what would I do in that position. Obviously I know it’s highly unlikely that I will travel back in time, meet a handsome young Scottish lad and have the chance to influence the future but what if?

I have to admit to being totally fascinated by the whole idea of time travel and paradoxes so that was definitely a big draw for me. In terms of historical accuracy, I have no clue. I hated history at school so I don’t remember much but I do know a little about clans and the rebellion and nothing seems fundamentally wrong to me.

One of the main complaints I’ve seen about the book is that people think it promotes and acceptance of sexual and physical violence particularly against women. While there is some violence and sexual abuse in the book I don’t think it is particularly untrue for the time and don’t find it particularly offensive. I’m fairly certain the book is quite mild compared to what actually happened around that time.

Other than the length the main thing that I found put me off the book is that I didn’t particularly root for any of the characters and I wasn’t entirely convinced in the love triangle in the book between Frank, Jamie and Claire. The attachment between Claire and husband didn’t seem particularly strong, more about fulfilling a commitment rather than love, and the relationship between Jamie and Claire seemed uneven, with Claire more of a mother figure in some ways than a romantic interest. There was some funny banter between Claire and Jamie and Jamie and his sister but other than that I didn’t feel a lot of emotion from the book.

I still haven’t quite decided whether I want to carry on with the series. I want to know what happens but 900+ pages! Do I really want to commit to that? I’m tempted just to watch the TV series.

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

July 14, 2015July 15, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

I’m a big fan of books based on fairytales and previously read the short prequel to Cinder in the Fierce Reads anthology so was very excited to finally get a chance to read the first book in this popular young adult series.

As you can probably guess the story is based on Cinderella however this is Cinderella with a very unique twist. Cinder is a cyborg. As a young girl her life was saved following an accident by replacing a number of her parts with robotics. Being part robot she is considered a second class citizen and the property of her guardian (the evil stepmother). Given her knowledge of all things robotic she is sent to work in the local market in Beijing fixing androids to make money and provide for her adopted family. While this is not exactly a happy life it becomes worse when her sister contracts the plague which is spreading across the earth and is taken away to a quarantine facility that no one ever returns from. Blamed by her stepmother for her sister’s disease it’s safe to say their relationship does not improve however it turns out that Cinder may hold the key to the cure and the salvation of the planet (no pressure there then).

I’ve read a lot of books based on fairytales recently but for me Cinder was definitely a stand out. As a young adult book it’s a nice and easy read but with a lot of big themes (discrimination, human rights) and positive messages about believing in yourself and accepting the things you don’t like about yourself. There are a lot of references and links to the original story which I loved but it somehow managed to put a twist on almost all of them. Her robotic leg, for example, doubled as the glass slipper and an old car she found in the junk shop was the pumpkin to get her to the ball. What I really liked about this book though was that it had such a strong and independent female character. Too often I find in books that the female characters are either dependent on someone coming to save them or spend all of their time obsessing over boys. While there is some romance in the book it’s not the main focus and there is no fairy godmother waiting to save the day. Cinder has to stand alone and make her own choices.

My only minor gripe is that I found some of the characters a little one dimensional and it was a little light on emotional impact but it’s probably about right for younger readers.

Overall, fairytales, romance, a feisty heroine, robots and aliens, what’s not to love. I’ve already bought the next book in the series.

Book Review: A Glimpse of the Dream by L.A. Fiore

July 4, 2015July 4, 2015 Ali@abookishlifeLeave a comment

A Glimpse of the Dream by L.A. Fiore

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I was really excited to find this book available on Net Galley. I’d previously read and loved Beautifully Damaged and while its sequel wasn’t quite as good I’d put that down to the fact that it was a sequel rather than an original.

This story starts really well with young girl Teagan, recently orphaned, being sent to stay with Mrs Marks a friend of her Grandparents. Feeling frightened and alone amongst strangers she meets Kane, who has also been adopted by Mrs Marks after his mother abandoned him. He is a couple of years older and is the sweetest boy ever. He does everything he can to make her feel welcome and the two become inseparable. As they grow older their relationship develops from friendship to romance and they seem to be made for each other.

When Tea heads off to college Kane stays behind and little by little they start to drift apart until a family secret comes from nowhere to split them apart. Tea is devastated as she loses not only the love of her life but her best friend and her new family. With the help of close friend Simon she has to find a way to continue and make a new life for herself. When Mrs Marks becomes suddenly ill years later she is forced to return to her childhood home and all of the painful memories associated with it. While there she discovers the real reason for her split from Kane and she has to decide whether to fight to regain her soul mate or walk away.

Overall I thought this was a really nice story about family and love. I thought the younger years were particularly well written as, despite the tragic circumstances that forced her there, life with her adoptive family seemed idyllic. I loved the pranks and games and young Kane was just so cute I wanted to adopt him.

Where it went a little bit wrong for me was when Teagan returned later and all of the secrets were revealed. It was at this point that I struggled to connect with the characters. I’ve seen a few reviews from other readers that suggest I am possibly alone in this as they cried and laughed and rooted for Tea and Kane. For me however, the dialogue and narrative just didn’t seem natural and I couldn’t feel it. Emotions and thoughts were over analysed and described in detail. I’d much rather characters showed their emotions rather than stating them. Maybe it’s a cultural difference between the UK and US but I’ve never met anyone who speaks about their feelings in such detail.

As far as the characters went they didn’t seem overly complex despite their troubled backgrounds. The stand out for me was Simon who was funny, sensible and the best friend you could possibly want. It would actually be good to see him get his own story as I think it could be something special. Teagan and Kane were ok but for me the relationship lacked the spark and I didn’t feel the supposedly deep connection between them.

There are a few unexpected twists in the story which keep it interested and I would definitely recommend it to those who like a story of second chances and love overcoming obstacles but it didn’t quite work for me.