Anna Begins Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Well, I am an anti rating person, but ranking wise, I'd say Don't Let Me Go When I Found You Walk Me Home Jumpstart the World I have loads of her book Samples, just such little time Athena bought me The Year of my Miraculous Reappearance for Christmas, we don't know when we will get to it (this year though lol), but you and Muggle are welcome to join us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed it . It made me cry too! Yay for that you have Becoming Chloe, I hope you enjoy it when you read it . I thought it was a thought-provoking, moving story. I'd be surprised if anyone could not cry, reading that ending! When it got to the bit about Ms. Hinman dying I lost it, I think I actually went 'oh NO!' out loud! I have loads of her book Samples, just such little time Athena bought me The Year of my Miraculous Reappearance for Christmas, we don't know when we will get to it (this year though lol), but you and Muggle are welcome to join us. Rankings, ratings, it's all the same - just a general idea of preferences is all I was going for And that sounds awesome! We could do a little group read, and maybe even try drag some other people into it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Well, I am an anti rating person, but ranking wise, I'd say Don't Let Me Go When I Found You Walk Me Home Jumpstart the World I have loads of her book Samples, just such little time Athena bought me The Year of my Miraculous Reappearance for Christmas, we don't know when we will get to it (this year though lol), but you and Muggle are welcome to join us. I just bought the book for my kindle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I just bought the book for my kindle. Oh goody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Rankings, ratings, it's all the same - just a general idea of preferences is all I was going for And that sounds awesome! We could do a little group read, and maybe even try drag some other people into it! I just bought the book for my kindle. I'm happy you two want to join us ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng Synopsis: Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet . . . So begins this debut novel about a mixed-race family living in 1970s Ohio and the tragedy that will either be their undoing or their salvation. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee; their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother’s bright blue eyes and her father’s jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue—in Marilyn’s case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James’s case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the center of every party. When Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart.*** Review: Even if this was not a debut novel, it would be a remarkable read; the fact that it is only lends further credit to this talented author. This is not a crime thriller or mystery, but rather a dramatic tale of longing for missed chances, the pressure of expectation and the isolating nature of unshared secrets. Set in the context of 1970s Ohio, the Lee parents struggle against the racial prejudices of their time to become the things they want to be, to be seen as successful and normal, and if nothing else, to acquire those things for their children. As a story about domestic turmoil, this novel is beautifully written and exceptionally evocative.I liked the fact that the very first sentence tells you that Lydia is dead, it removes any element of surprise or mystery and instead says, 'okay, this is what happened, now let's talk about why.' Each character gradually weaves the threads of their perspective into the complex whole vision of the Lee family, ultimately revealing what exactly happened to Lydia. The story moves along at a gentle pace, encouraging you to really get wrapped up in the delicate writing. I liked all of the characters in the story, and enjoyed learning about the complicated twists and turns their lives took in order to end up at this tragic conclusion; although I would have liked to see more from Jack. That said, while the characters didn't lack depth, their depiction lacked a little imagination. I felt that the author depicted the 'type' and 'aim' of each parent, particularly, (see synopsis) so strongly that it became a tad cartoonish - it felt somewhat unlikely that such overt intentions would manage to remain unaddressed for so long.Regardless, the emotions expressed by each character are the driving force behind all of the actions and consequences throughout the novel, and they felt real. Anything that might be lacking in imagination is absolutely made up for with heartfelt emotion and immersive writing. Highly recommended read.Rating: 4.5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Another one for the wishlist, me thinks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 Wow it's a week since I've posted anything in here! My reading mojo was combatted a bit by stuff going on with my upcoming job and.... a boy. But I've stopped stressing and have come to my senses respectively, so I'm catching up a bit. I have three reviews to finish/post - Don't Let Me Go (I've kept you all in such suspense! ) Burial Rites and now The Cipher which I just finished today. I'll work on all three of those over the weekend, and I'm also starting An Unwelcome Quest, the third Magic 2.0 book by Scott Meyer. I also re-read Inkheart, which I won't review because I've reviewed it before (I just managed to pick up a copy second-hand for 3 quid in a charity shop, so I re-read it.) ALSO, planning to go back to that same charity shop and pick up a three-volume box set of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell for 8 quid After that I think I might pop back and carry on with Holly Black's Curse Workers series, as well as the next Lauren DeStefano Internment book, as I don't want to stray too far from those or I'll never finish the series. The other thing I'm going doing is checking on all the authors attending this year's YALC, because there are a lot of names I don't know, and it seems like a good way to find new YA fiction. I don't think I'll be able to attend this year - it will depend on my finances and flight/ticket availability when I finally get paid at the end of June (don't even ask), but I'll definitely go next year if not, so I wanna get working on familiarizing myself with the frequenters of current YA events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) Wow it's a week since I've posted anything in here! My reading mojo was combatted a bit by stuff going on with my upcoming job and.... a boy. Oooh- is it that boy who you didn't meet earlier? I also added The Cipher to my list, saw you post about it and got the sample. Sounds scary Edited: The author Holly Black just rang a bell... I just downloaded her sample for her latest, The Darkest Part of the Forrest. Is she YA? Edited May 2, 2015 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Yes, Holly Black writes YA books. I'm glad you've been enjoying your reading lately, Noll . I hope you enjoy An Unwelcome Quest as well as the other books you mentioned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 The Cipher - Kathe Koja Synopsis: Nicholas is a would-be poet and video-store clerk with a weeping hole in his hand - weeping not blood, but a plasma of tears... It began with Nakota and her crooked grin. She had to see the dark hole in the storage room down the hall. She had to make love to Nicholas beside it, then began her experiments: First, she put an insect in...Then a mouse... Now from down the hall, the black hole calls out to Nicholas every day and every night. And he will go to it. Because it has already seared his flesh, infected his soul, and started him on a journey of obsession - through its soothing, blank darkness into the blinding core of terror...*** Review: This was my first Koja novel, picked up purely by chance from Amazon on my tablet when I glimpsed it for a fair price. A very fair price, actually, given how thoroughly satisfying a read it is. It suggested something dark and gritty on its cover and in its synopsis and boy did it deliver! I zoomed through it in less than 24 hours, despite the repulsive, repellant things I was reading. The characters range from unlikeable to utterly detestable - all apart from poor Randy, the only relatively-sane person in the entire novel and for whom I felt so bad when he got sucked in so far. Ultimately, I must concede every character got as good an ending as I would have wished for them based on their varying degrees of stupidity or innocence - this fact being one of many satisfying aspects of the novel.Others include the writing - oh the writing. The distinctive voice of our would-be hero; would-be, had he any will to life at all beyond the magnetic draw of the vile Nakota, (yeah). In anothers hands I think this book would be crass and crude and wholly unenjoyable, but there is something in the writing that makes it so enticing and human, the style bordering on stream-of-consciousness at times, really soaking the reader in Nicholas' confusion and fear. The content is regularly lurid and shocking, but compelling - I wanted to know where it was all going to go, how weird it was going to get.There is little or no plot at all in this novel - a point which might be off-putting for some readers (definitely not one for those of you who wants answers to everything!) - the strange phenomenon in the storage room is a process, a vehicle which drives an intense study of several people, some already venturing beyond the boundaries of sanity when they encounter it, as they react to something that is fundamentally and mind-bogglingly unknowable. The point of the book is the journey they go on, the transformation of their minds and lives brought about by exposure to the Funhole, like a metaphysical representation of the physical rearrangement it performs on minor living things; and in this sense, it is entirely rewarding.Absolutely sold on Koja as an author, and cannot wait to pick up more of her books.Rating: 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Burial Rites - Hannah Kent Synopsis: A brilliant literary debut, inspired by a true story: the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829. Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution. Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes' death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard. *** Review: I became interested in reading Burial Rites after learning it is set in Iceland, a country in which I have had a passing, but constant, interest in for some years now (largely as a result of making friends with an Icelander.) All of my knowledge relates to the modern state of the country however; so it was immensely fascinating to read a novel set in historic Iceland. Based on the true story of the last execution to ever take place in the country, Kent does a superb job of eliciting a stunning, rugged land in its historical context and the harsh state of living for people in that demanding landscape. Although overly lyrical at times, bordering on unnecessary poetry rather than relevant prose, Burial Rites is an accomplished debut novel.Featuring myriad documents surrounding the historical event of Agnes trial, wait, and execution, the author takes clearly defined liberties for the purpose of telling an enjoyable story, but not without regard for the known facts of the affair - imposing what she calls 'fictional liklihoods' in order to create a largely accurate but captivating tale.Although I can't honestly say I found myself overly invested in any of the characters, I did like pretty much all of them for one reason or another (except, unsurprisingly, the villains of the piece, Natan and Fredrik). That said, they were largely credible characters, and sufficiently varying in their attitudes to create a complex set of perspectives and raise many questions - pertaining to housing a murderer, or that she might not be a murderer, or that she remains a human being in either context, a person who has nothing but time to contemplate her death, and the consequences for her soul.A gently paced novel driven by contemplation of people and perspectives, and the result of a clear passion for the subject matter. Definitely recommended.Rating: 4.5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 Oooh- is it that boy who you didn't meet earlier? I also added The Cipher to my list, saw you post about it and got the sample. Sounds scary Edited: The author Holly Black just rang a bell... I just downloaded her sample for her latest, The Darkest Part of the Forrest. Is she YA? Yes it was, I developed an immediate crush on him but it's very complicated and we haven't talked much in the last few days so I think he's drifting away... oh well! The Cipher didn't scare me, I found it more unsettling and... well... gross. But very good! My review is now posted above along with Burial Rites if you want to read it. And yes, Holly does mostly YA books Yes, Holly Black writes YA books. I'm glad you've been enjoying your reading lately, Noll . I hope you enjoy An Unwelcome Quest as well as the other books you mentioned! Thanks Gaia! I'm over 70 pages into An Unwelcome Quest and so far it's just like the others - regularly making me properly laugh out loud. Gonna have to re-read the first one at some point I think, because I feel its going to become a firm favourite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Thanks Gaia! I'm over 70 pages into An Unwelcome Quest and so far it's just like the others - regularly making me properly laugh out loud. Gonna have to re-read the first one at some point I think, because I feel its going to become a firm favourite. I'm glad you like it so far . I'm going to have to do that too! I read the first book last October and I'm going to re-read it some time, because it was just so brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 171 pages in! 121 to go, so about 2 hours reading. Need to pick out my next read to continue my readathon... ETA: Finished reading An Unwelcome Quest. Every bit as clever and hilarious as the first book - I was unsure, because I had liked the second book less than the first, but nope. This one was another 5* read. Being as I am, a gamer, I absolutely loved all the little 'tropes' for lack of a better word, associated with a typical quest in a classic video game. It's the kind of book you're only going to find funny if you are a gaming nerd, in the same way that the first one is largely only funny if you're a gamer and a computer/coding nerd. I'm not going to write a full review because, as I've decided before now, reviewing separate titles in the same series is going to result in a lot of repetition about characters and style. Absolutely worth reading though, specially if you the second leaves you in a little doubt as to whether the series is only gonna get worse. It doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I'm so glad you enjoyed it !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Finally got around to finishing this review - I don't know why it gave me so much trouble! Don't Let Me Go - Catherine Ryan Hyde Synopsis: Ten-year-old Grace knows that her mum loves her, but her mum loves drugs too. And there's only so long Grace can fend off the 'woman from the county' who is threatening to put her into care. Her only hope is... Grown-man Billy Shine hasn't been out of his apartment for years. People scare him, and the outside world scares him even more. Until now. . . Grace bursts into Billy's life with a loud voice and a brave plan to get her mum clean. And it won't be easy, because they will have to confiscate the one thing her mum holds most dear . . . they will have to kidnap Grace.*** Review: I went into this novel knowing very little about it except that its apparently a great starting point for dipping into Hyde's bibliography, and I have to say it has definitely left me wanting to pick up more.Hyde somehow manages to take quirky, potentially cartoonish characters and make them credible. An agoraphobic former dancer was the most relatable character in the novel for me - and I'm far from either of those things! But the authentic portrayal of anxiety and uncertainty, physical symptoms of panic, resulting from facing the things that trigger his disorders - these are things I can relate to and which made him such a human character. Similarly for each of the others, while I could not necessarily relate to their situations or experiences, I could relate to their attitudes because they are such genuine people.The story was almost cinematic, I could easily see it playing out beautifully on the big screen - dealing with some heavy issues, but never getting too heavy in and of itself, rewarding the reader with some happy but not unrealistic outcomes. I could honestly see the fabulous late Robin Williams having done a spectacular job of playing Billy (when he was a bit younger). That's not really relevant to the book or this review, except to say that the book has those heart-warming and heart-wrenching qualities one associates with a Robin Williams film.The only reason I didn't give this book the full five stars was what I felt were slight pacing issues. It felt a little over-long to me, for a book which, at the end, tore through such an extensive series of events in just a few pages. It certainly tugged the old heartstrings a little, but it was too much in too short a space to make me really absorb the sense of time or change. All the same, a thoroughly immersive and extremely rewarding read that I would highly recommend.Rating: 4.5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Yes it was, I developed an immediate crush on him but it's very complicated and we haven't talked much in the last few days so I think he's drifting away... oh well! The Cipher didn't scare me, I found it more unsettling and... well... gross. But very good! My review is now posted above along with Burial Rites if you want to read it. And yes, Holly does mostly YA books Your reviews are so good and I loved the one about The Cipher, that's what got the sample downloaded I saw the cover for a book by her called Skin... um... ya. lol Even the cover is scary looking! I might take that Holly Black book vacation. It's about a boy with horns that lays in a glass coffin in the woods. The sample was quite strange. And Sorry it's not working out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Your reviews are so good and I loved the one about The Cipher, that's what got the sample downloaded I saw the cover for a book by her called Skin... um... ya. lol Even the cover is scary looking! I might take that Holly Black book vacation. It's about a boy with horns that lays in a glass coffin in the woods. The sample was quite strange. And Sorry it's not working out. Skin is one of her more widely known novels, it's a pretty interesting premise that sounds like a more physical (rather than psychological) version of that movie Black Swan. Her covers are pretty weird. She told me her favourite that she's written is Under The Poppy and that has a pretty neat cover, not creepy at all. I don't know anything about that Holly Black book, but I'd be more inclined to give it a go after enjoying her White Cat book as much as I did. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts It's okay. Heard from him today, he was away over the weekend, but I'm still super wary and planning to be quite stand-offish. Yay games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Under the Poppy sounds like quite the novel! And I love the cover (at least the US cover, with the woman tipping her top hat). I will totally check Koja out. I didn't realize Holly Black wrote White Cat, but I remember you liked it quite a bit. I know, right? It's like when was High School again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Yep, she did. Holly is very hit and miss with me, so I just need to read more of her stuff to form a fair opinion! Ugh, I know. I'm swinging wildly between wondering whether I'm being clingy/melodramatic (because he's actually genuinely just busy lately) or whether I'm being a pushover by chatting entirely on his terms when he wants. It's difficult to walk the line between being taken advantage of, and being perceived as the archetypal hysterical female I hope you like Koja! She's pretty intense but very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Great review, Noll ! I'm so glad you enjoyed Don't Let Me Go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 10, 2015 Author Share Posted May 10, 2015 Critical Failures #1 - Robert Bevan Synopsis: One minute, they're drinking away the dreariness of their lives, escaping into a fantasy game and laughing their asses off. The next minute, they're in a horse-drawn cart surrounded by soldiers pointing crossbows at them. Tim now has the voice and physique of a prepubescent girl. Dave finds that while he lost a foot or two in height, he somehow acquired a suit of armor and a badass beard. Julian's ears have grown ridiculously long and pointy. And Cooper... well Cooper has gotten himself a set of tusks, a pair of clawed hands, and finds that he's carrying a bag with a human head in it. Meanwhile, a sadistic game master sits back in the real world eating their fried chicken.*** Review: This is definitely the most crass and least politically correct comedic book I've ever read. I don't doubt there are books out there that exceed it in both areas, but in my experience of reading it represents the pinnacle. And honestly... I loved it. I have a dark, deeply politically incorrect sense of humor and this book read just like my a wittier version of friends and I sitting around having a laugh. There were genuinely moments where I thought to myself, 'you can't *say* that!' and then I cracked up laughing anyway. There were moments where the frequency of this humor grated a *little* bit, but not enough to affect enjoyment.The plot is relatively thin (primarily composed of half the gang getting captured, and the other half attempting rescue only to be captured themselves) - this book largely sets up the people, their characters, the world they're now in. I'll forgive it that as it was an immensely enjoyable read with great characterisation, a fun world and it is also the first in the series, so now I really feel set up for the gang to go on adventures in this bizzare new world. The writing is great - crude though it is in places, and utterly disgusting at times, it's not unintelligent and it definitely creative. It's full of nerdy nods to the world of tabletop gaming - beginning with a several page description of a gaming session before they're transported to the game world. I could actually read an entire book of Bevan just describing a standard gaming session, that's how witty and fun his writing is.I have to say this will not be for everybody - I'm not sure I actually know a single human being (well, maybe one or two) that would actually find this funny, but if you've got an obscene sense of humor and are a bit of a gaming/fantasy nerd, you should get a laugh out of this. Definitely gonna be reading the next two installments in the series - if they're half as good as this then I've got a lot to look forward to.Rating: 4.5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Great review! The book sounds good, but I don't know if the crudeness would be for me or not. I'll have to maybe read a Kindle sample or such . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 Yeah I did think of you in terms of the genre, I think that aspect would appeal to you, but realisically I think it would be far far far too crude. I've also finished Nathan Filer's The Shock Of The Fall, so review to follow on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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