Jump to content

Paula's 2013 reading log


Weave

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 59
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

It's not out yet in paperback, but I've wishlisted it, it sounds like an interesting read :).

 

It was Athena, hope you enjoy it too :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Warm Bodies by Issac Marion ~ Started:  28.01.13 ~ Finished:  07.02.13

 

Title of Book:  Warm Bodies

Name of Author:  Issac Marion

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B0043D2D8M

 

Synopsis ~

 

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

 

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

 

Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving

 

What I thought of ‘Warm Bodies’ ~

 

Review from November 2011:

 

I am a big fan of zombie fiction and 'Warm Bodies' for me is up there with 'The Reapers are the Angels' by Alden Bell just for the sheer excellent in both stories, they are different stories but both authors take a well-known genre and change it, which made for excellent reading. 

 

'R' is a well written and interesting character, who you cannot help liking, he eats brains but he's affable and his relationship with Julie is shown brilliantly. Julie is also a well written and interesting character, she has an inner strength and such passion in her belief that life will get better, which was lovely to read.

 

'Warm Bodies' is a book that will surprise you, it is a mesmerizing story which hooks you right to the end.

 

A definite must read for zombie and non-zombie fans alike.

 

This is my second reading of ‘Warm Bodies’ and my thoughts remain the same from the above review, just a fantastic  book and I now have it on my kindle.

 

Rating:  5/5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Promised (Birthmarked Trilogy ~ Book 3) by Caragh O’Brien ~ Started:  07.02.13 ~ Finished:  10.02.13

 

Title of Book:  Promised (Birthmarked Trilogy ~ Book 3)

Name of Author:  Caragh O’Brien

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B00AHEMUWA

 

Synopsis ~

 

After defying the ruthless Enclave, surviving the wasteland and over-throwing the tyrannical leader of Sylum, Gaia Stone now faces her greatest challenge yet - to lead the people of Sylum back to the Enclave and persuade the Protectorat to grant them refuge. 

 

With Leon finally by her side, Gaia is hopeful that she can settle her people and finally start the life with him that she's always wanted. But in Gaia's absence, the Enclave has become even more ruthless, picking girls from outside the wall to serve in an experimental baby factory. Babies with the right genes are now a priceless commodity with the potential to reshape life inside the wall and redefine humanity. 

 

And when it becomes clear that her genes are exactly what the Enclave needs, Gaia is appalled by the lengths they will go to...

 

What I thought of ‘Promised’ ~

 

‘Promised’ was a great ending to a series which I have enjoyed.   Gaia and Leon face more trials together and fight for what they believe in.  Gaia is definitely one of my favourite characters, she is strong, individual and believes in doing the right thing. 

 

I recommend the ‘Birthmarked’ series highly.

 

Rating:  5/5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus by Clive Barker & Richard A. Kirk ~ Started:  10.02.13 ~ Finished:  13.02.13

 

Title of Book:  The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus

Name of Author:  Clive Barker & Richard A. Kirk

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B004QL6KXU

 

Synopsis ~

 

Maximillian Bacchus is the ringmaster, ruler, guide and owner of what he considers the greatest show in the world. Traveling with a Crocodile named Malachi, a trapeze girl named Ophelia, a strong man they call Hero, which is short for Hieronymus a clown named Domingo de Ybarrondo, who paints in a wagon pulled by a giant "Ibis bird," the troupe wanders from adventure to adventure with mythic aplomb. From the first story, in which Indigo Murphy, the best bird handler in the world leaves the show to join in matrimony with the Duke Lorenzo de Medici, to the fabled court of Kubla Khan, the magic never stops. You will meet a young apple thief named Angelo with magic eyes, and an orang-utan named Bathsheba, and a host of other amazing characters with names and personas cut like a patchwork quilt from the mythologies and dreams of the world. Though written forty years ago, these pages are littered with the same magical side steps that have always been woven into Clive Barker's fiction. Worlds not quit our own, and yet so real they ring with truth and leave you wishing you could step from your mundane life into that other place - into those caves of ice - if only long enough to catch Maximillian's show.

 

‘The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus’ is the story of Maximillian Bacchus, his circus and the amazing acts, Malachi the crocodile, who has stories of the Nile and other places, Ophelia, a trapeze girl who sees good in all things, Hero whose full name is Hieronymus, a strong man, Domingo de Ybarrondo, a clown and Angelo, a drifter, a thief, the bonus with magic eyes.  They travel in a painted wagon which is pulled by Thoth, an Ibis bird.  The story begins with the wedding of Indigo Murphy, a bird handler to Duke Lorenzo de Medici, the wedding and Indigo’s parting gift is memorable.  As Indigo waves off her friends, she knows they are heading for adventures.  

 

What I thought of ‘The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus’ ~

 

I am a massive fan of Clive Barker and reading ‘The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus’ was like catching up with an old friend, I love his style of writing, the possibilities that anything and everything can happen within his universe.

 

All of the characters are wonderfully written, glorious in fact, my favourite character was Malachi the crocodile, I loved his stories, he was quite the traveller and I loved the fact he was not what you expected a crocodile to be.  All of the characters were vibrant, likeable, individual and fantastic to read. 

 

The illustrations by Richard A. Kirk are wonderfully done. 

 

I hope I get read more tales of Maximillian Bacchus & His Travelling Circus.

 

Rating:  5/5

Edited by Weave
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
The Butcher Boy by Patrick Mccabe ~ Started:  13.02.13 ~ Finished:  17.02.13

 

Title of Book:  The Butcher Boy

Name of Author:  Patrick Mccabe

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B008KKSN0Q

 

Synopsis ~

 

"When I was a young lad twenty or thirty or forty years ago I lived in a small town where they were all after me on account of what I done on Mrs. Nugent."

 

Thus begins Patrick McCabe's shattering novel The Butcher Boy, a powerful and unrelenting journey into the heart of darkness. The bleak, eerie voice belongs to Francie Brady, the "pig boy," the only child of and alcoholic father and a mother driven mad by despair. Growing up in a soul-stifling Irish town, Francie is bright, love-starved, and unhinged, his speech filled with street talk, his heart filled with pain...his actions perfectly monstrous.

 

Held up for scorn by Mrs. Nugent, a paragon of middle-class values, and dropped by his best friend, Joe, in favour of her mamby-pamby son, Francie finally has a target for his rage--and a focus for his twisted, horrific plan.

 

Dark, haunting, often screamingly funny, The Butcher Boy chronicles the pig boy's ominous loss of innocence and chilling descent into madness. No writer since James Joyce has had such marvellous control of rhythm and language... and no novel since The Silence of the Lambs has stunned us with such a macabre, dangerous mind.

 

What I thought of ‘The Butcher Boy’ ~

 

I saw the film of ‘The Butcher Boy’ a few years ago and after reading the book, I can see the film lives up to the book.  Francie is a memorable character, his is so tortured for such a young age and he has been let down in so many ways.   

 

The exploration of his character too was wonderful to read, as Francie became darker and darker.  Francie finds a way to cope with the harshness he faces and it’s not the best outcome which leads back to how let down he has been.  At the end of book, you hope that Francie finds some peace.

 

Rating:  4/5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Mad, fat teenage diary by Rae Earl ~ Started:  17.02.13 ~ Finished:  21.02.13

 

Title of Book:  My Mad, fat teenage diary

Name of Author:  Rae Earl

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B00654KLXQ

 

Synopsis ~

 

It's 1989 and Rae is a fat, boy-mad 17-year-old girl, living in Stamford, Lincolnshire with her mum and their deaf white cat in a council house with a mint off-green bath suite and a larder Rae can't keep away from. This is the hilarious and touching real-life diary she kept during that fateful year - with characters like her evil friend Bethany, Bethany's besotted boyfriend, and the boys from the grammar school up the road (who have code names like Haddock and Battered Sausage).

 

My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary evokes a vanished time when Charles and Di are still together, the Berlin wall is up, Kylie is expected to disappear from the charts at any moment and its £1 for a Snakebite and Black in the Vaults pub. My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary will appeal to anyone who's lived through the 1980s. But it will also strike a chord with anyone who's ever been a confused, lonely teenager who clashes with their mother, takes themselves VERY seriously and has no idea how hilarious they are.

 

What I thought of 'My fat, mad teenage diary’ ~

 

'My fat, mad teenage diary' was fantastic from start to end. Rae reminded me so much of my own teenage years (but Rae had a much better social life than I did). A book that everyone should read plus it encouraged me to buy a new copy of 'The Stone Roses' by The Stone Roses.

 

Teenagers it does get better! And we adults have all had our parents moaning at us about music during our teenage years (and some of the adult years).

 

Rating:  5/5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We watched the TV adaptation of My Mad Fat Diary & loved it so i should imagine the book to be even better  :smile:

 

I watched it too and loved it, then read the book :) The book is different from the show but good. I hope you enjoy it too hen :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Butcher Boy sounds great. I've added it to my wishlist.

 

Its an interesting read bobblybear, very dark but good. :) I hope you enjoy it :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The New Hunger (The prequel to ‘Warm Bodies’) by Isaac Marion ~ Started:  22.02.13 ~ Finished:  23.02.13

 

Title of Book:  The New Hunger (The prequel to ‘Warm Bodies’)

Name of Author:  Isaac Marion

Kindle Edition

ASIN:  B00BCM0JIS

 

Synopsis ~

 

New York is a bayou. New Orleans is a reef. The entire country has been devastated by natural disasters and governmental collapse, and on top of everything else there is the annoying problem of zombies trying to devour you at every turn. But sixteen-year-old Nora and her younger brother Addis are about to discover the most frightening thing yet: being abandoned in this horrific world by their own parents.

 

Left with only a bag of clothes and a first-aid kit, Nora and Addis begin a harrowing journey to connect with anyone who isn't looking to rob them or eat them. A wounded man wrecks a meal of green beans and French fries at the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. An attempt to get a good night’s sleep in a fortified motel is ruined by an undead face staring at them through the window. And they just can’t seem to shake someone – something – that’s been following them everywhere they go…. 

 

Meanwhile, a girl named Julie is traveling toward the city in an SUV with her parents. She is only twelve, but has already seen friends die and her school burn. She has watched her father become nearly as cold and remorseless as the Dead. All she wants is someplace to call home, even if it never really will be.

 

And somewhere nearby, a tall man awakens in the woods, unsure of exactly where he is, or even who he is. As he struggles to remember details of his life, a single consonant comes to him: R. He is…a name that begins with R….

 

Isaac Marion once again demonstrates his remarkable gifts as a storyteller as he brings the world of WARM BODIES back to life. Grounding his characters in real emotion, Marion makes you root for them to save the world even as they simply try to stay alive.

 

What I thought of ‘The New Hunger’ ~

 

Oh it was good to be back in the world of R especially because it was the beginning of his world as a zombie.  As with ‘Warm Bodies’ there is a lot of heart in this story, the characters are all well written, shown well as they struggle to survive in a world that has changed dramatically.  I loved reading about the younger Julie and her parents, Nora as well, in ‘Warm Bodies’ you do not learn much about her but in ‘The New Hunger’ you find out about her past.

 

A great addition to the series and I am looking forward to the sequel of ‘Warm Bodies’. 

 

Rating:  5/5

Edited by Weave
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

I haven't done any reviews in such a long time or took a note of the dates of the books I've read but here's my list ~

 

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Gone Series by Michael Grant

Horns by Joe Hill
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
All my friends are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman

Born Weird by  Andrew Kaufman

The Tiny Wife by Andrew Kaufman

The Waterproof Bible by Andrew Kaufman

Bag of Bones by Stephen King

Under The Dome by Stephen King

22.11.63 by Stephen King
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
Slaughterhouse~Five by Kurt Vonnegut
 
:readingtwo:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked The Perks of Being a Wallflower though I didn't love it as some other people did, what did you think of it? Gone (the first book) is on my TBR, as is Bag of Bones, Under the Dome, 22.11.63 and Slaughterhouse Five (last one on the Kindle). Did you like them?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have missed your reviews, Weave, although I'm sure everybody's bank balances are grateful for a chance to recover. :giggle: I'm trying to think of a way to encourage you to write reviews for the list you posted above, but I can't think how to do it without sounding demanding.  :blush2: So I'll just say that if you decide to post any reviews, I know you'll have a happy audience. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...