Tag: reading

3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge – Day 2

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I was tagged by the wonderful May at Sunsets and Bookfests to take part in the 3 Days 3 Quotes challenge. I posted my first quote yesterday so here’s the second.

Day 2, Quote 2 No Time Like the Past (The Chronicles of St. Mary's, #5)

“Believe it or not, there were rules. Everyone needs rules. After all, how can you break what doesn’t exist? Rules give anarchy something to aim at.”

– Jodi Taylor, No Time Like the Past

I tag:

  1. The Orang-Utan Librarian
  2. Fiona from the bookworm who lived
  3. Yen at Little Calico’s Journal

I’m fairly certain some of you have already been tagged so feel free to ignore or take on the challenge again 🙂

 

Book Review: Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben

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Fool Me OnceFool Me Once by Harlan Coben

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Not too sure what to think about this book after THAT ending. I was fully prepared to give it three stars as a kind of average thriller but now I’m not so sure. I can’t decide if I loved the ending or hated it but it was definitely unexpected and the author certainly fooled me at least once.

It’s worth a read for that alone.

Synopsis

The story starts with former special ops pilot Maya and her 2 year old daughter at the funeral of her husband Joe. Joe was murdered two weeks ago in front of Maya. This is the second tragedy in Maya’s life as her sister was also killed around 4 months ago. Feeling a little bit vulnerable she agrees to install a nanny cam in her home to keep an eye on her daughter while she works. A few days later though she sees something she really doesn’t expect, her daughter sitting on the lap of her husband. It’s not possible or is it? She knows if she tells anyone they’ll think she’s crazy so she starts her own investigation.

Thoughts

I’ve read a few Harlan Coben books in the past (my Dad is a big fan) and found them to be pretty enjoyable although not necessarily stand out reads. When I saw the title and read the blurb for this one though I couldn’t wait to get me hands on it.

Pretty much from the start of this story I wasn’t too sure what to think about it and this feeling continued throughout. It’s an interesting idea, a supposedly dead man shows up on a nanny cam, did he fake his death somehow, is someone playing a game with Maya or is she really just crazy? For some reason however it didn’t quite work for me. There were quite a few things that just seemed a bit odd. The very first one being the way Maya is given a nanny cam by her best friend on the day of the funeral. It just seemed strange in terms of timing but also as the nanny had been working for them for a while and had a connection to the family.

The other thing that bothered me was Maya herself. Following a controversial incident from her service she’s somewhat infamous and is suffering from PTSD. She seems to miss being at war and is uncomfortable in regular life, only really relaxing when she’s at the gun range. While I couldn’t relate to her as a character what bothered me was that she seemed unaffected by everything. She doesn’t seem overly fussed about the fact her husband has been murdered and has a slightly strange relationship with her daughter. She wants to protect her but doesn’t seem to want to spend any time with her, preferring to pass her off to someone else whenever she can. A lot of her actions are a little on the odd side (the way she deals with her niece’s soccer coach springs to mind) and her reactions were a bit disturbing.

The other characters did seem like they could be interesting but I didn’t feel like they got enough attention. I would have liked to have seen a lot more of Shane, her former squad mate, as he seemed like an interesting character and his relationship with Maya was fascinating to read.

The story itself is quite twisty and does keep you guessing although at times I felt like the timing was a little bit off with too much time spent on certain aspects and not enough on others. There are a couple of subplots which I didn’t think added much to the story and I kind of skipped over a little. I will say though the author did manage to fool me and when the ending came it was certainly spectacular and somehow very emotional. It almost made up for the rest of the story and it certainly explained a lot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy.

Book Review: Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

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Sleepless In ManhattanSleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I was absolutely stunned to read the back of this book and find that Sarah Morgan has written 75 books. That is certainly impressive. What’s more impressive is that I still enjoy pretty much every one I read. I will admit I haven’t read all 75, probably more half a dozen, but she’s definitely one of my go to authors when I’m looking for a nice and easy romantic read for a lazy afternoon.

This book is no exception. It’s an enjoyable read, with great characters and a believable (at times sizzling) romance.

Synopsis

This story marks the start of a new trilogy set in New York and similar to her last Puffin Island series features three friends and their romantic entanglements. For this book center stage goes to Paige Walker. Paige spent her childhood in and out of hospital and now she’s pretty much all clear she’s determined to live life to the fullest and prove to everyone she can do it on her own.

She’s loving life in Manhattan and knows she’s a dead cert for promotion at work however her plans fall apart when instead she’s laid off. Unable to find another job she decides to go into business for herself but it’s a big risk for both her and those who depend on her.

She’s determined to go it alone but when things are slow to take off it looks like she’ll need some help. Unfortunately Jake Romano, her brothers best friend, seems like her best option but given their past he’s the last person she wants help from.

Thoughts

I think you can probably guess just from the synopsis how it all ends but I have to admit it’s an enjoyable journey. Yes the characters are a little bit stereotyped, yes a lot of it seems unrealistic (they all seem to live in huge apartments, Jake is a millionaire IT whiz), but who cares.

The author writes characters who are likeable and, one of the key things for me, these characters include a number of strong, independent, intelligent women. Almost every character male and female is of course stunningly attractive and there are a lot of troubled histories but you still can’t help rooting for them.

What I always like most about Ms Morgan’s books however is that she has a special talent for creating chemistry between the leads. There are far too many romances that fall flat because of that missing spark. Pretty much every book of hers I’ve read however has been a success on that level and this is no exception.  There are some very definite fireworks between Paige and Jake.

The plot is a little bit on the predictable side but the writing is very readable and the pacing is pretty much spot on. I had a few little gripes here and there but nothing too major.

Unfortunately I don’t tend to find this type of book particularly memorable, hence the low-ish score but it was definitely enjoyable at the time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy.

3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge – Day 1

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I was tagged by the wonderful May at Sunsets and Bookfests to take part in the 3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge. If you get a chance to check out her blog you definitely should.

I’ve been really bad with tags recently and despite my best intentions never seem to get round to doing them. This however is a nice easy one I’ve been wanting to do for ages so here we go.

The rules are:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you
  2. Post a quote for three consecutive days
  3. Nominate three new bloggers each day

I’m a massive fan of book quotes and when I’m reading I often highlight sentences I love as I go. It’s difficult for me to narrow it down to just three but I think I’ll pick some of my most recent lesser known favourites.

Know Not WhyDay 1, Quote 1:

“You’re funny and quick and interesting and aggravating and attractive. It’s such a wonderful relief to be with you”

– Know Not Why, by Hannah Johnson

I think most people have probably already done this challenge so feel free to ignore but I tag:

  1. Maddie A. at Of Reading and Random Things
  2. Candid Cover
  3. sjhigbee

I know you like your quotes so I hope you enjoy

Book Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

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A Monster CallsA Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking, beautifully written and absolutely incredible. I loved it from start to finish.

“Stories are the wildest things of all, the monster rumbled. Stories chase and bite and hunt.”

I picked this up around 11pm one night, intending to read a few chapters before bed. Two hours later my eyelids were starting to droop but there was no way I was going to stop reading. It pulled me into the story completely and just wouldn’t let go. As soon as I finished I wanted to flip to the beginning and start again.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth.

My Thoughts

I’ve previously read the Chaos Walking trilogy and absolutely loved it but a lot of people had told me that A Monster Calls was by far Patrick Ness’s best work to date. I had my doubts, as I’m always suspicious of books with a lot of hype around them, but I have to say the hype is well deserved.

I managed to get a physical copy from the library and it’s definitely worth it if you can get your hands on one. Just holding it and flicking through the pages had me intrigued. The illustrations are beautiful and somehow add something to the story. They make it feel more like a fairytale which, in many ways, it is.

The story itself is captivating. While it is fantastical, it does give a very real and very honest portrayal of a boy whose mother has cancer. I think most people’s life has been touched by cancer or some other kind of long term illness so it’s easy to relate to the emotions that Conor experiences. There were many instances when I was reading with tears running down my face. He’s very much on his own, his father has moved overseas, he doesn’t get on with his Grandmother, his friends at school avoid him and his teachers pity him. To make matters worse he’s having nightmares and is afraid to sleep.

And then late one night the monster comes. I won’t go into the purpose of the monster to the story as it would give away too much but I will say that it was not at all what I expected and yet in many ways it was.

While it is a story about loss, guilt and letting go it is strangely uplifting. There is a very strong message of hope and love that runs through the story. While it did make me cry I also found myself regularly smiling and by the end felt somehow more positive about life. If nothing else it definitely makes you appreciative of what you have.

Patrick Ness’s writing is, as always, beautiful. He has this incredible ability to make the most fantastic and unbelievable things somehow very real and completely believable. I absolutely love how he describes things (and I’m not a fan of a lot of description) but I especially loved the dialogue. Some of the conversations between Conor and the monster are absolute genius.

It’s not a long book and it’s a YA book so it’s an easy read but somehow it feels packed full. I think it’s probably one of those books I’ll re read as I suspect there are things I missed and I want to know them all. It’s definitely a book I’d recommend to everyone.

I have to admit I’m also pretty excited about the film which is due for release this year.

 

WWW Wednesday: 23rd March 2016

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It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Currently Reading

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)Unusually for me I actually have three books on the go at the moment. I usually prefer to focus on one book at a time (I tend to get fully absorbed and find it difficult to switch) but I have a book of the month, an ARC and an audio that I’m trying to juggle.

For my GoodReads group book of the month I’ve just started A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab. I’ve been very excited about this pretty much since I finished the previous book in the series (you may have noticed this from my previous WWW’s) but only started it yesterday so it’s still early days. I’m vaguely trying to stick to a reading schedule (that will definitely never happen) so it should take me the next couple of weeks to finish (I’ll be finished by Saturday, maybe Friday).

Flawed (Flawed, #1)As well as AGOS, I’m also reading Flawed by Cecelia Ahern which is an ARC I received from NetGalley. I’ve loved most of Cecelia Ahern’s previous books but this is the first YA dystopian she’s written so I was a little bit nervous as the reviews are mixed. I’m only around halfway through but I’m definitely in the loving it category.

The final book I’m listening to is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone last week and a few people recommended the audios which are narrated by Stephen Fry. You were so right so thanks. I’ve discovered I can get the Overdrive app on my phone and my library has all of the Potter audiobooks available so it looks like I’m sorted for the next couple of months 🙂

Fool Me OnceRecently Finished

I’m back at work this week so it’s been a slightly slower reading week, only three books finished.

The first book was  Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben which I also received as an ARC via NetGalley. It’s a thriller about a Former special ops pilot, Maya, who spots her husband on the nanny cam playing with their 2 year old daughter. The only problem, her husband was murdered in front of her eyes two weeks ago. I’m still not sure what to think of this book. For the majority of the time I was a bit meh and then the ending happened. I can’t decide if it’s brilliant or awful. Hopefully I’ll make my mind up soon and post a review.

A Monster CallsSecond book was Forever in my Heart by Maria K. Alexander but I’ll just gloss over this quickly with a “not for me”.

The final, and by far best book of the week (month and possibly year/decade/ever), was A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. It’s a young adult book about a boy, Connor, whose mother has cancer and who is visited by a monster. It’s kind of like a modern day fairytale. It’s sad, it’s uplifting, it’s completely beautiful and totally heartbreaking. Loved it.

Reading NextJane Steele

Don’t have a definite plan of what’s next on the reading list although I’m thinking maybe Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye which is a dark, gothic tale based on Jane Eyre (if Jane Eyre was a serial killer). Jane Eyre was always my favourite of the classics and so far I haven’t come across many books based on it (other than a dodgy sequel I forget the name of) so when I saw it on someone else’s blog I couldn’t resist.

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)I also just picked up a copy of Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare from the library. I’d totally forgotten I’d put in a request for it so got way too excited to get an email saying it was in. I really enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series and I find Cassandra Clare’s writing style very readable so I’m really looking forward to it.

Other than that I’m not sure so if you have any suggestions or recommendations let me know in the comments below.

Happy reading everyone and enjoy the Easter weekend if you’re celebrating it.

Teaser Tuesday: 22nd March 2016

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

Teaser

Over the weekend (and by that I mean from 11pm on Saturday until 2am on Sunday) I read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I only meant to read a couple of chapters but just couldn’t put it down (sleep is highly over rated anyway). It’s really and truly incredible and so beautifully written that I just had to use for this weeks teaser.

My TeaserA Monster Calls

The monster seemed to grow before Connor’s eyes, getting taller and broader. A sudden hard wind swirled up around them, and the monster spread its arms out wide, so wide they seemed to reach opposite horizons, so wide they seemed big enough to encompass the world.

~ Page 40

If you do want to give this book a try I strongly recommend getting your hands on a physical book (I got mine from the library). It’s definitely worth it for the illustrations.

Happy reading everyone.

WWW Wednesday: 16th March 2016

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It’s WWW Wednesday time.

The WWW Wednesdays 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?

So here’s my W’s for the week.

Fool Me OnceCurrently Reading

I’m continuing in my mission to reduce my ARCs at the moment so I’m currently reading Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben which I received from NetGalley. It’s quite early days (I’ve only read the first chapter) but what I have read I’m liking. I have read a few of his books in the past and enjoyed them so looking forward to it. If nothing else it makes a nice change from my usual YA sci fi and fantasy.

Recently Finished

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)I was on holiday from work last week so I had a bit of a reading binge and finished five books. First up was The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa. It’s a young adult dystopian with vampires but despite my initial doubts I have to admit I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately it is the first in a trilogy, so I’m fighting hard to resist buying the rest of the series. I really need to finish some of the books I already have before buying more.

The second book I finished was Gone Astray by Michelle Davies. It was another pleasant surprise as I’ve been a little disappointed with the thriller/crime books I’ve been reading recently. It’s the first book in a new series where the main character is a police family liaison officer. Ink and Bone (The Great Library, #1)It definitely gives it a unique and interesting twist. You can read my full review here.

The next book finished was  Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine (yes for once I actually read something from my reading next list). It was a book of the month read in one of my GoodReads groups and the discussion is still going so I’m waiting to post a review. I would definitely recommend it though as it’s a very good read. I’m just not sure I can wait for the next one.

Coco Pinchard's Must-Have Toy Story (Coco Pinchard, #4)Book number four of the week was the short novel, Coco Pinchard’s Must Have Toy Story by Robert Bryndza. I do love Coco Pinchard books as they always make me laugh. This time it was back to the 90’s and the hunt for that must have Christmas Toy, Tracy Island.

The final book of the week was a re read of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.  It’s been many years since I’ve read it (I estimate at least 10) so it was a little strange but definitely enjoyable re reading it now.

Reading NextA Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)

Drum roll please…..at long, long last I can finally start A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab. It’s been sitting on my kindle for a few weeks but the Group read starts next week so I can finally start. I’m completely stunned I managed to hold out. I just hope I haven’t built it up too much 🙂

Other than that I’m not too sure so have decided not to even try to guess. I should probably be slowing my reading anyway and trying to get some reviews up instead.

So that’s my week in books, what have you been reading? Do you have any recommendations? All comments or links welcome below 🙂

Book Review: How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

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How to Build a GirlHow to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this book as while I’d heard of it I didn’t have a very clear idea what it was actually about. It’s safe to say the other reviews are fairly mixed. A lot of people love it and a lot of people complain that it’s a repeat of the authors previous book.

What I found though was a funny, sad and brutally honest story about growing up and working out who you want to be and what you want to do with your life. It’s probably not for the easily offended as there is a lot of swearing and sexual content (not the bodice ripping romance sort but the fumbling experimentation of a teenage girl) but I really loved it.

Synopsis (from GoodReads)

What do you do in your teenage years when you realize what your parents taught you wasn’t enough? You must go out and find books and poetry and pop songs and bad heroes—and build yourself.

It’s 1990. Johanna Morrigan, fourteen, has shamed herself so badly on local TV that she decides that there’s no point in being Johanna anymore and reinvents herself as Dolly Wilde—fast-talking, hard-drinking Gothic hero and full-time Lady Sex Adventurer. She will save her poverty-stricken Bohemian family by becoming a writer—like Jo in Little Women, or the Bröntes—but without the dying young bit.

By sixteen, she’s smoking cigarettes, getting drunk and working for a music paper. She’s writing pornographic letters to rock-stars, having all the kinds of sex with all kinds of men, and eviscerating bands in reviews of 600 words or less.

But what happens when Johanna realizes she’s built Dolly with a fatal flaw? Is a box full of records, a wall full of posters, and a head full of paperbacks, enough to build a girl after all?

Imagine The Bell Jar written by Rizzo from Grease. How to Build a Girl is a funny, poignant, and heartbreakingly evocative story of self-discovery and invention, as only Caitlin Moran could tell it.

Thoughts

I started reading it after one of those days (weeks, months) at work where you’re completely exhausted, feeling terrible and permanently on the brink of tears. I came home early (my boss insisted, that’s how bad I looked) climbed straight into bed and picked up this book which was lying beside it. After just a few pages I was giggling away and feeling so much brighter.

It probably reminded me a little bit of Adrian Mole’s Diary as, while it’s not actually in diary form (or about a boy…hmm, I’m starting to question the comparison), it’s a story about growing up, trying to fit in and finding love. It starts in the early 90’s in Wolverhampton and follows 14 year old Johanna Morrigan. Her parents are on the dole, her father’s an alcoholic wanna be musician and her mother has post natal depression after the latest birth (there are five children).

When Johanna accidentally says something to the wrong person she worries their benefits will be cut and they’ll have no money so she sets out to find a way to save them. Having a love of books and the library, she decides the only solution is to become a writer. When her initial attempts backfire spectacularly she comes to the conclusion she has to completely re invent herself. What follows is Johanna’s journey to discover who she is and who she wants to be.

A lot of it is very funny, some of her attempts to fit in are extremely cringe worthy and there are some moments that are a little bit heart breaking. I could definitely relate to a lot of the emotions if not necessarily Johanna’s actions. I worked out at some point that I’m almost the same age but I have to say that compared to her I’ve led a very sheltered life.

I thought Johanna was a very likeable character, a tiny bit annoying at times and not without flaws but I think most people are like that. Despite the outrageousness of some of her actions she always felt quite real and believable. I think I felt a little bit sorry for her most of the time as she seemed to shoulder a lot of the responsibility for her family and was always a bit of an outsider despite her best efforts to fit in.

I am obviously a romantic at heart as I have to admit my favourite parts involved a certain musician that she meets on her journey. She has the most incredible crush on him and while these are a lot of the most cringe inducing moments they are also, in some kind of weird, twisted way the sweetest.

There were a couple of points where I thought the pacing was a little off and too much time was spent on certain elements but other than that I thought the writing was pretty much spot on. I have seen some reviews criticising it for being very similar to some of her other books but haven’t read anything else so I can’t really comment. If you do want an idea of the sense of humour however you could try watching Raised by Wolves (link to IMDB) which she co writes with her sister. If you like it you’ll probably like this.

Overall, definitely a book I would recommend although possibly not one for the kids or the easily offended 🙂

Teaser Tuesday: 15th March 2016

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat 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 Books and a Beat.

Teaser

This week I’m in the middle of a re read of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (aka Sorcerer’s Stone). I can’t imagine anyone hasn’t heard of it but if you haven’t read it you really should. It’s been a while since I read it, probably more than 10 years, so it’s a little bit strange picking it up after all this time.

For my teaser I couldn’t resist a bit of Severus Snape. Just reading this I can’t help but picture Alan Rickman giving a variation of this speech in the film. He really was perfectly cast.

My TeaserHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)

“I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with it’s shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses … I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.”

~ Page 137

Happy reading everyone.