Tag: reading

Review: Hunted by Meagan Spooner

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HuntedHunted by Meagan Spooner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love a good retelling and this is a great retelling.

It’s based on Beauty and the Beast and sticks pretty close to the original version but is a little darker with a Beauty who’s possibly even fiercer than the Beast. It’s surprisingly light on romance but absolutely full of magic and mystery and weaves in more than a few fairy tales and magical creatures.

I’ve read many, many retellings and this is definitely one of the best. I literally couldn’t put it down.

Synopsis

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Thoughts

“She moves like beauty, she whispers to us of wind and forest—and she tells us stories, such stories that we wake in the night, dreaming dreams of a life long past. she reminds us of what we used to be.

She reminds us of what we could be.”

Beauty and the Beast is probably one of the most common retellings (I can instantly think of half a dozen) but while this sticks fairly close to the original it does somehow manage to bring something new and different. Both Beauty and the Beast feel like completely new characters and there are a few key differences which add a richness and depth to the story I didn’t expect.

One of the main highlights for me was the setting, which is based on medieval Russia. Russia always seems to have the most extreme weather, with the coldest and most brutal winters and this really brought a feeling of isolation, wildness and magic to the story which really worked.

Yeva made for a wonderful Beauty and there was a lot about her that I could relate to. She longs for independence and freedom and feels guilty for wanting more than the privileged life she has. In many ways she actually doesn’t know what she wants so just has this unsatisfied and restless feeling. The only time she really feels calm is when she’s hunting, something considered unladylike.

Want is something she has in common with the Beast. He wants something and believes he needs a hunter to get it but doesn’t expect that hunter to be Yeva.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Yeva and the Beast. There’s very little in the way of romance between them especially in the beginning as Yeva wants nothing else but to kill the Beast and he will go to any means to get her to do what he needs her to. It’s a relationship full of distrust, threats and betrayal but occasionally there are moments when they realize they may have more in common than they thought.

What was also fantastic was the way the author managed to weave in other fairy tales and stories. When they are first getting to know each other Yeva tells the Beast stories (something that reminded me of A Thousand and One Nights) and these stories of magic, curses and fantastical creatures become an integral part of the story.

If I had one minor quibble with the story it was that I really didn’t like the hunting (I know it’s called Hunted). I’m not a vegetarian so I know it makes me a total hypocrite but I’m very squeamish about killing and skinning animals, something that features quite a lot. I found it difficult to reconcile the Yeva who took pleasure in killing rabbits and deer and the Yeva was devoted to her dogs. I know it was necessary to survive but it was just a little too brutal and bloodthirsty for me.

Despite this however I would definitely recommend you read this book whether like me you’re completely obsessed with retellings or if you simply want a great fantasy novel.

Review: Nemesis by Brendan Reichs

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Nemesis (Project Nemesis, #1)Nemesis by Brendan Reichs

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I’m really struggling to write a review of Nemesis. Firstly because I really can’t decide what I think about it and secondly because it’s really difficult to talk about Nemesis without spoilers.

So what did I like? The premise is great, every other year on her birthday Min (Melinda) is brutally murdered by a man in a suit wearing sunglasses. However Min doesn’t stay dead but wakes up in the woods with no memory of how she got there and no evidence that the killing took place. Meanwhile, Noah (who coincidentally shares a birthday with Min) is having terrifying nightmares about violent murders and death.

After her latest death on her sixteenth birthday, Min decides she wants answers. Noah wants a cure. At the same time the residents of the small town in Idaho where she lives are all on edge waiting on an announcement about whether a planet killing asteroid is on a collision course with earth.

It’s definitely unlike anything I’ve ever read before and I have to salute the author for creating a completely unique and slightly crazy (in a good way) story. At times I did think maybe there was a little bit too much thrown in but I loved the unpredictability of it and found it very difficult to stop reading as I tried to figure out what was going on.

The story is told from both Min and Noah’s points of view and while Min was likeable enough it was Noah I found the more interesting, complex and frustrating of the two. Despite coming from money and hanging with the popular crowd he suffers from anxiety and is riddled with self doubt. While it is frustrating watching him hesitate, let others make decisions for him and generally just panic and freeze up it’s great to have a character behave the way I probably would if I’m being honest.

The secondary characters are a little bit cliched but they too don’t always behave the way you expect them to. It’s set in a high school so you do have the class clown, the bullying jocks, the rich popular mean girls and the various groups of outcasts. There are actually a heck of a lot of secondary characters and again I think that was one of my issues with this book. I am not great with remembering who’s who and there were so many names that I gave up trying and focused on the most important ones.

The writing is ok. The plot does get a little complicated in places and I found myself going over certain bits more than once. What I thought really let it down however, and the reason I rated as I have is that I just didn’t feel it. I was intrigued about what would happen next and the twists and surprises kept me hooked but I didn’t connect with any of the characters so felt a little bit detached from the whole thing. There were a few scenes that should have triggered some kind of emotion (tears, laughter, shock) but the whole thing left me cold.

I would still recommend you give it a try but at the moment I’m undecided about whether I’ll continue to read this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own.

WWW Wednesday: 24th May 2017

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The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Thirteen Reasons WhyI started reading Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher on Monday and I’m already around half way through. I watched the TV show a month or so ago and found it really engaging (I want to say I enjoyed it but it’s quite heavy so that’s not really the right word). I already had it on my want to read list but the show definitely made me want to read it even more so I was very happy to receive it from NetGalley.

It’s strange reading the book so close to watching the show as you can’t help but imagine the actors as the characters and comparing the two. There are a few differences but even though I loved the show I’m still very much enjoying (argh!! I need to find another word) the book.

No progress on Release by Patrick Ness this week unfortunately. I really need to get back into it.

Recently FinishedA Gentleman in Moscow

First book finished this week was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. I received this from NetGalley and read it as part of a group read on GoodReads. It was a little outwith my usual reading comfort zone but I absolutely loved it. It’s begins in the 1920s in Moscow with a man being ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel. It’s quite a slow story but it’s beautifully written with some fascinating characters and many touching and funny moments. You can read my full review here.

Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)The other book finished this week was Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. This was also from NetGalley (I’m slowly making progress getting my shelf down) but I also got a hardback copy as well. I liked this book a lot and pretty much read the whole thing in one sitting. It’s my first book from this author and her writing style definitely suits me. I loved the story and the feudal Japan elements but it was a little too similar to other YA fantasy stories to be a standout read. My review should be up soon.

Reading Next

Unbelievably I’ve actually read or am reading all of the books on last weeks reading next list so I need some new ones. I also have a week off work so will hopefully have plenty of reading time. I’ll no doubt wait and see what I’m in the mood for but likely I’ll make a start on one or more of the following:

PerfectCarve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1)Nemesis (Project Nemesis, #1)The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach: A summer sizzler full of sun, sea and sandStrange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer, #1)The Hate U Give

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below and I’ll respond when I can.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 23rd May 2017

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. I picked this up on Friday morning and literally read the whole thing in one sitting, I enjoyed it so much.

My Teaser

“You don’t know the beginning of me.” She trembled as she spoke. “And…you will never see the end.” It was as close to a threat as she dared.

~ 43% Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

BlurbFlame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)

The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath.

So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.

The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge. Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.

 

ARC Review: One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus

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One Of Us Is LyingOne Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Publication Date: 1st June 2017

Completely addictive and enjoyable read. I couldn’t resist reading almost straight away and once I started I couldn’t put it down.

Before I write anything else I should say that I’m a huge big massive fan of The Breakfast Club, it’s one of my all time favourite films. When I read the blurb for this my mind instantly thought “YES!!!!” it’s the Breakfast Club with a bit of murder mystery thrown in…. and it kind of is.

It begins with five teenagers, Addy, Nate, Bronwyn, Cooper and Simon ending up in detention together. Bronwyn is the nerdy one who gets good grades and never does anything wrong, Nate is the bad boy with a reputation for dealing drugs and the troubled home life, Cooper is the jock and Addy is the superficial popular girl. While they couldn’t be more different they all know where they fit in the school hierarchy and have their own friends, all except Simon. Simon’s the outsider who runs the school gossip app and knows everyone’s secrets. He’s more feared than popular. By the end of detention though, Simon’s dead and Addy, Nate, Bronwyn and Cooper are the main suspects.

I liked this story a lot. It has all of the elements of The Breakfast Club that I loved, the kids from different worlds and backgrounds being forced together and initially clashing before discovering that they might have more in common than they thought, but it brings it right up to date. Added to that it has a great murder mystery that keeps you guessing.

I have to admit I had an idea from the beginning who was behind it all but it was still a really enjoyable read that had enough twists and turns to keep me questioning my theory and turning those pages.

The characters are a little stereotyped but this is a deliberate part of the plot and I still found myself liking them a lot, particularly as they develop over the course of the story. Even those I wasn’t too sure about kind of grew on me by the end.

The narrative is told in alternating chapters from each of the four and it really gives you a great sense of them. I’m not always a fan of multiple pov’s but it works very well here although when you know each characters thoughts it does give an indication of who did what (or does it??).

The writing is excellent and for a debut novel it’s pretty impressive. The pacing is spot on and I loved the dialogue between the characters. The author also manages to sneak in some difficult teen issues but does it in a very natural way that gives positive messages in a non preachy way which is always good.

Overall, it’s a great story that I’d recommend and I’ll be looking forward to the authors next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. As always all views are my own. One of Us is Lying is due for publication on the 1st June.

OK I can’t resist a Breakfast Club gif

Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

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A Gentleman in MoscowA Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why did I put off reading this book? It’s a slow and quiet story but it’s absolutely beautifully written. It’s full of depth and meaning and such incredibly detailed descriptions that you become immersed in the world Towles creates.

I became far more invested in the lives of these wonderfully rich characters than I could ever have imagined. There’s not a lot of action but there were many moments that were incredibly heartfelt and just completely blew me away.

Read More »

WWW Wednesday: 17th May 2017

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The WWW Wednesday meme is currently hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words and is a great way to do a weekly update on what you’ve been reading and what you have planned.

WWW Wednesday

To take part all you have to do is answer the following three questions:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently ReadingRelease

I still seem to be juggling multiple books at the moment which is very unlike me but as of right now I’m midway through two.

The first of these, Release by Patrick Ness, I was around halfway through last week and have failed miserably to make much progress with. It’s absolutely nothing to do with the book itself as I’ve just not been in the right frame of mind and had other books that I needed to read for challenges and group reads. I think I only have around 100 pages left so it shouldn’t take me long once I get back to it.

A Gentleman in MoscowThe second book I’m currently reading is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. This is a book I received from NetGalley an embarrassingly long time ago and kept putting off because it’s historical fiction, a genre I’m not overly keen on. I finally decided to read it because it was picked as a Group read over on GoodReads (I nominated it) and I’m so glad I did because I’m absolutely loving it. It’s not an action packed or fast paced story but I’m enjoying taking my time over it and the writing is beautiful. It’s one of those stories where I find myself highlighting huge chunks of text all over the place.

Recently Finished

ObsessionFirst book finished this week was Obsession by Amanda Robson which I received as an ARC from NetGalley. It’s a psychological thriller about two couples, adultory and obsession. I found it a really engrossing read and when I was reading it literally nothing would distract me. I couldn’t tell you anything about my commutes last week. I did think it was a little on the long side and some variety in voice (there are four narrators) would have been good but otherwise it’s definitely worth reading. You can read my full review here.

I’ve been feeling terrible over the last few days so after finishing Obsession I felt the need for some comfort reading and blasted my way through two sports romances, The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen and Out of Bounds by R.S. Grey. Both were just what I needed although the second was maybe a little OTT in certain places (if you’ve read it, yoga class???).

The Understatement of the Year (The Ivy Years, #3)Out of Bounds (The Summer Games, #2)

Reading Next

I’m determined that as soon as I finish my current reads I’ll make a start on Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh. It’s been too long since I’ve read a YA fantasy. I also managed to get my hands on a copy of Thirteen Reasons Why from NetGalley so I want to read it as soon as possible. I watched the TV show a few weeks ago and absolutely loved it so I’m curious as to how they compare.

Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1)Thirteen Reasons Why

Have you read any of the books above or have any other book you’d recommend? Leave comments and links below and I’ll respond when I can.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!!

Teaser Tuesday: 16th May 2017

Ali@abookishlife11 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purple Booker. If you want to join in grab your current read, flick to a random page, select two sentences (without spoilers) and share them in a blog post or in the comments of The Purple Booker.


This week my teaser comes from A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles which I received from NetGalley rather a long time ago but have only now gotten around to reading. I’m actually really sorry I put this book off as I’m absolutely loving it. I don’t tend to read much historical fiction (hence why I put it off) but this is more a character study than anything else and the Count is a fantastically complex and engaging character.

My Teaser

“Manners are not like bonbons, Nina. You may not choose the ones that suit you best; and you certainly cannot put the half-bitten ones back in the box….”

~ 11% A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

BlurbA Gentleman in Moscow

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility—a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

With his breakout debut novel, Rules of Civility, Amor Towles established himself as a master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction, bringing late 1930s Manhattan to life with splendid atmosphere and a flawless command of style.

A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov. When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.