LauraLoves Reads 2013

[lauraloves]

I think I completely  missed your Birthday, I'm sorry! A very happy, very belated happy Birthday wishes!

 

Now, where did you snatch this BF of yours. Is there a catalogue I could look into?

 

 

Edit: I almost forgot!    How has your TBR reducing days been? Any progress?

 

Thanks for the belated birthday wishes I've known him for a few years but we only got together a few months ago. I'll have to ask him if hes listed in a catalogue

 

my TBR isnt really going down all the much at the minute but its not going up either! My mojo did disappear for a while on me but its back now!

 

Massive congrats for getting under the 500 mark though

[lauraloves]

#21 - Hollowland (The Hollows #1) - Amanda Hocking

 

 

Started - 12/5/13

Finished - 16/5/13

Format - Kindle e-book

 

Synopsis - Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows..

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

 

My Thoughts - I downloaded this book when i got my kindle a couple of Christmas' ago as i went on a bit of a spree and it was free at the time.

 

I downloaded it because i saw 'young adult dystopian series' in the description and this is my favourite type of book so what could go wrong?

 

This book is about Remy who we meet in a compound that is under zombie attack. The end of the world is upon her and all she is interested in is finding her younger brother whom there is some mystery about. She mangages to avoid getting bitten by the zombies and her begins her journey to find her brother who she believes has been taken to another govenment compound.

 

She meets other people along the way, a doctor, a young girl that comes out of the compound with her, a former rock star and some other surviours.

 

Well i did enjoy this book, kinda. I have realised that I'm not a huge fan of zombie books now, well you live and learn, as i found them quite gresome for my liking. I thought the story was a bit to simular for my liking. Everytime they met the zombies it was very predictable what was going to happen. I wasnt overally keen on the writing style either, it was a bit too raw for my liking.

 

This is not to say that its a bad book because it wasnt, it just wasnt a book for me. i dont think I'll read anymore of this series but this book does end on a big cliffhanger so I can see why others might want to continue the story.

 

Rating - 3/5

 

[lauraloves]

#22 - The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber

 

 

Started - 16/5/13

Finished - 15/6/13

Format - Paperback Book

 

Challenges - Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge

                    

Synopsis - Keep your wits about you; you will need them ...' So begins this irresistible voyage into the dark side of Victorian London. Amongst an unforgettable cast of low-lifes, physicians, businessmen and prostitutes, meet our heroine Sugar, a young woman trying to drag herself up from the gutter any way she can. Be prepared for a mesmerising tale of passion, intrigue, ambition and revenge.

 

My Thoughts - I picked this book up as it was the reading circle book from last month. I had already got it on my TBR pile so it was the perfect opertunity for me to read the book earlier than I thought.

 

This book is about Sugar, a prostitute in Victorian London and her meetings with William Rackham of Rackham Perfumes and how there lives become entwined. It is definitaly a book of how the other half live with Sugar to start with living in complete poverty and William living in a wealthy house paid for by his father who set up the perfume company.

 

Not only Sugar and William feature prominatly in the book. There is also Williams wife Agnes who is not a very well lady and has a lot of issues but also William and Agnes' daughter Sophie Rackham.

 

This book i felt was brilliant. I really enjoyed the story behind it and how many different twists and turns there were to the plot line. It is also a very unique writing style and i really got into this one straight away. The only thing i didnt like was the abrupt ending. I would have liked it to go on a bit more.

 

I loved how the character of Sugar developed too. She started off so headstrong and knew what she wanted and ended up almost loosing the plot. There is a fair bit of adult parts of the book however with the subject matter in question I do feel that it needed to be in there.

 

a much recommended book. It is a big book and it did take me a month to read but this in no reflection of the story, i loved it.

 

Rating - 5/5

 

[Athena]

Nice review ! I'm glad to hear you liked it. I agree with your review, I also felt the ending was a bit abrupt and I loved the character of Sugar. I like William Rackham at the beginning but less so towards the end.

[lauraloves]

Nice review ! I'm glad to hear you liked it. I agree with your review, I also felt the ending was a bit abrupt and I loved the character of Sugar. I like William Rackham at the beginning but less so towards the end.

 

Thank you I did read somewhere that there is another book by the same author that is based on TCPATW to I need to look into that one!

[lauraloves]

#23 - Avery Nolan: Private Dick of the Dead - Tony Faville

 

 

Started: 15/6/13

Finished: 22/6/13

Format: Kindle e-book

 

Synopsis - In homage to the pulp fiction and hard boiled detective dime store novels of the 1950's and 1960's, Tony Faville brings us a new look on those stories of the past. It is 1959, in New York City, the Cold War is in full bloom, and the Red Scare is everywhere. Private Investigator Avery Nolan is hired by the daughter of a missing research scientist to find him. What he finds instead is the KGB, possible government coverup, and the undead ready to tear the United States apart from the inside.

 

My Thoughts - I downloaded this book when I first had my kindle as it sounded like the sort of book that I would like. A bit of mystery, suspense and the Cold War! What could go wrong?

 

This book is about Avery Nolan, a private investigator that is hired to try and find a scientist who has gone mossing by his daughter. Not only has her father gone missing but he was working on a massive project that could impact the United States. Also Avery is trying to win over a girl in the library with the amount of information that he knows.

 

Well It is actually a very short book, just at over 150 pages on the Kindle and for the amount of story crammed into it it felt like it could have had an awful lot more inside it. I thought that the overall plot was good however I didnt like the massive amounts of fighting and beating people up for the answers.

 

Also the 'virus' part. This kind of just went away on its own so it would have been nice to have this expanded on a lot more as I felt this part was left hanging a lot.

 

This book was ok. Its not a genre that I read all that much so that could be why I couldnt get into the book very well.

 

Rating - 2/5

[lauraloves]

#24 - Brothers' Fury - GIles Kristian

 

 

Started - 22/6/13

Finished - 3/7/13

Format - Paperback Book

 

Synopsis -

Rebel Cast out from his home, rejected by his family, Tom Rivers returns to his regiment. But his commander believes the young hothead’s recklessness and contempt for authority has no place in his troop. But to a spymaster like Captain Crafte, Tom’s dark and fearless nature is in itself a weapon to be turned upon the hated Cavaliers – who else would dare to infiltrate Oxford, now the Royalist capital, to destroy the King’s printing press and strike a blow at the very heart of the enemy? Renegade Raw with grief at the death of his father, Edmund Rivers rejects the peace talks between Parliament and the King. He chooses instead to lead a hardened band of marauders across the moors, appearing out of the frozen world to fall on unsuspecting rebel columns like wolves. But Prince Rupert – recognising in Mun a fellow child of war – has other plans for him, from stealing a colossal gun, to tunneling beneath the walls of Lichfield. The only peace the enemy will get from Mun Rivers is that of the grave. Huntress Her heart broken following the deaths of her beloved Emmanuel and her father, Bess Rivers takes the hardest decision of her life: to leave her new-born son and depart Sheer House in search of tghe one person who might help her re-unite what is left of her broken family. Risking her own life on the road, Bess will do whatever it takes to find her brother Tom and secure his Royal pardon

 

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My Thoughts - I was sent this book by the publishers for a review.

 

Tom Rivers is a rebel fighting the King's army during the British civil war. Left for dead on a battlefeild and nursed back to health after having his finger cut off by looters for his ring he has a point to prove to all those on the enemy side.

 

Edmund 'Mun' Rivers is fighting for the Kings course however he is now fighting with a group of marauders killing those who fight against the King.

 

Bess Rivers fresh from the loss of her father and Emmanuel, the father of her young son, sets off on a task to search out her brother for a royal pardon. However in order to do this she has to cross the English countryside during the civil war.

 

This is a very interesting book set during the Bristish civil war about three siblings that all have there own struggles to contend with while trying to stay alive and reach there own personal goals. I have read a few books set in this time period however they are normally on one side or the other. What makes this book unique is the fact that the story is told from both sides and more interestingly from the perspective of two brothers, both of whom think that there side is the better and should be the ones winning the war.

 

The brothers story is full of action and what it was like to fight during those times. It also brings into perspective just how many people died from the British Civil War. At times there is a lot of battle scenes and these are a little gorey but what with the type of book that it is it is to be expected and also to add to the story. It was a little sad with some of the battle scenes where some of the horses died but again that is another factor of the war during that time.

 

Bess' story broke up the fighting and i feel that this really made the book. She is trying to get her brother back and get him a pardon but he proves to be a difficult person to find. She is not without danger though and this is told throughout the book.

 

This is the second book in the trilogy and unfortunatly I have not read the first one but now that I have read the second I really want to read the book. I found it very easy to pick up the story and while it may have been easier to pick up the story first if I had read the first in the series it wasnt to hard to get into it.

 

I found this book very easy to get into and I really enjoyed the story to it. I am going to get my hands on the first book in the series and also I cant wait for the next book to come out as it left on a very big cliffhanger.

 

Rating - 4/5

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[lauraloves]

#25 - A Girl Child - Donna Nitz Muller

 

 

Started - 3/7/13

Finished - 6/7/13

Format - Kindle e-book

 

Synopsis - Tillie is a German concert pianist in 1915. She is assigned by the German Military to an American tour in order to provide good-will and to spy. All the
while she does her duty, she has an agenda of her own. She must rescue her sister from kidnappers. Tillie changes from a young lady on the brink of promise to a resourceful woman willing to sacrifice everything.
As Tillie learns, desperate times lead to desperate acts. Her journey takes her from Frankfurt to Washington DC to France and to England. Even as she runs for her life, she finds love with a German Intelligence Officer.
While she risks being shot as a spy, she performs her music. While she grieves for her fallen friends, she works to reach the child, Rose.

 

My Thoughts - I downloaded this book onto my kindle as it was free for a day and it had a lot of things in it that i thought I might enjoy reading. It is set during the first world war, it has Germany in it and is also about spying so I thought it might be a good book.

 

However I didnt really enjoy this book. It seemed to jump about a fair bit and it could have been a lot better if it had been padded out a bit more and things explained as to why it was all happening. This book had two plots one that involved the spying and one that involved Tillie getting her sister back. FOr some reason it seemed to have been thrown together a bit and should have concentrated on one or the other.

 

This book is the second in ther series and while i havent read the first i didnt think that it made all that much sense. I did enjoy reading about the German side of the first world war though.

 

Rating - 2/5

[lauraloves]

A little update from me . . . well its been nearly a month since i posted in here and I've had a really crazy month. I've just started a new job for three months which is doing 12 hour days from Monday to Friday and we are also gearing up for the harvest so any time that I am not working I am doing some sort of farm work

 

I've also been diagnosed with being at high risk for a stroke which at 23 has really shocked me. I can no longer drink anything with high cafffene content, I cant drink much alcohol, I cannot go running or do a lot of physical exercise. I have been taken off medication that I was on and I am currently having tests to see what is causing this. I have horrible mirgranes, I loose feelings in my legs and I feel so ill I sometimes cannot get out of bed.

 

I also dont have a laptop or a computer now mine broke so I wont be around as much now

[julie]

Laura

So sorry to hear the bad news about your health. I hope they can figure it out and help you to feel better and safer . Were you on BP meds before ? Are you still on them or are they the ones they removed from your list ? Do strokes run in your family ?

 

I hope maybe someone can fix your computer soon so you will still be able to get on here at times, so you have people to yak with .

 

Good luck ~~~

[poppyshake]

Oh Laura I am sorry  Hope they're able to get to the bottom of what's causing these problems soon. Don't overwork yourself though .. 12 hour days sounds very taxing especially for someone who's feeling unwell .. please take care.

Sending love and best wishes xx Hope you're soon on the right medication etc and that you start to feel better. Also hope to see you here as much as you can .. will miss you otherwise.

[chesilbeach]

Oh Laura, I'm so sorry to hear your news - I hope they can find out out what's causing your health problems.  

 

Even though you won't be around much, please pop in whenever you can, so we can say hello and send you hugs and best wishes.  Thinking of you.    

[frankie]

A little update from me . . . well its been nearly a month since i posted in here and I've had a really crazy month. I've just started a new job for three months which is doing 12 hour days from Monday to Friday and we are also gearing up for the harvest so any time that I am not working I am doing some sort of farm work

 

I've also been diagnosed with being at high risk for a stroke which at 23 has really shocked me. I can no longer drink anything with high cafffene content, I cant drink much alcohol, I cannot go running or do a lot of physical exercise. I have been taken off medication that I was on and I am currently having tests to see what is causing this. I have horrible mirgranes, I loose feelings in my legs and I feel so ill I sometimes cannot get out of bed.

 

I also dont have a laptop or a computer now mine broke so I wont be around as much now

 

 

Hi Laura, I'm so sorry about the news! I was actually going to ask you where you've been, but I see you've had other things on your mind lately.   It must be really scary for you... But the good thing is (if it's any consolation!!) that the diagnosis has been made and you now know what things to avoid and you can try and sort out your life accordingly. I know it's not much help, but at least it's better that you have been diagnosed, and you aren't just going on as you were and didn't know this about your health!

 

I hope they will soon figure out what is wrong, and then you will know more about what to do and the doctor will have some answers for you. Do take care of yourself, your health is now the most important thing! I wish you all the best, and if you're able, do let us know how you are doing when and if you have the time. Lots of huggles!

[lauraloves]

Thank you everybody, not had a very good week this week, been in agony with my legs for three days and had the most horrible headaches Touch wood I'm feeling a little bit better today but not sure how long it will last.

 

I have a doctors appointment again next week so hopefully I will get some answers. All I am doing is working and sleeping at the minute and its really not any fun anymore I have managed to read a couple of books in the last couple of weeks but at the minute everytime I pick up a book i fall asleep Its not like I dont want to read because I do but i just cant keep awake

[lauraloves]

The couple of books that I have read

 

#26 - Mistress of the Sea - Jenny Barden. I got sent this from the publishers and its about a girl that goes away on a boat journey with her father during the time of exploration. I did enjoy this book full of twists and turns.

 

#27 - The Edge of Never - J.A. Redweski. I was given this book to read by my sister in lawa and really enjoyed it. Its a bit teen fiction bit adult fiction, a bit naughty in places and I couldnt put this book down. A really good book and one that I'm going to read again and look out for the second in the series.

 

Sorry that my reviews arent up to there usual standard

[Kidsmum]

Hi Laura , sorry to hear about your health problems i hope the doctor is able to help with your symptoms maybe it's just a case of getting your medication right & then it wont impact on your life as much. I know it's awful when you feel so unwell it really gets you down so i hope things start to improve for you soon 

[Kylie]

I'm so sorry to hear you've been unwell, Laura. I really hope things pick up for you soon. *hugs* Take care.

[Devi]

I'm sorry to hear you have been so unwell Laura. I've been wondering about you. Big hugs and i hope you find out whats wrong asap.

[Brian.]

Sorry to hear you have been having a bad time Laura

[lauraloves]

Thank you. I have been trying to come on here and catch up with everyone today but keep falling asleep! Its not good. Still I hope that everyone is well.

[pontalba]

Laura, very sorry to hear of your problems health wise.   

Sending best wishes, and good vibes.

[chaliepud]

Sorry to hear what you're going through Laura, and wish you strength in getting through whatever treatments you will need to have.

[Chrissy]

What a horrible time you're having of it at the moment. I hope your appointment with the doctor gives you some positive answers. In the meantime take very good care of yourself.

[lauraloves]

Thank you. Typically I am feeling a little better when I have an appointment this week! I have said no to any overtime at work tonight so I am hoping that I feel as good tomorrow

[~Andrea~]

Aw sorry for all the stress with work and health. Hope you get some good rest soon! Glad you're feeling a bit better.