Gyre's Reading Adventures 2009!

[Weave]

So far, Bitten and Stolen are my favourites (although I have only read 4). I liked Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic, but I like Elena more as a lead character.

 

I like Elena too, and Paige

[Kimmy619]

I like Elena too, and Paige

 

I like Paige, but sometimes I wanted her to be a bit more feisty!! Elena had a lot of passion.

[Weave]

I like Paige, but sometimes I wanted her to be a bit more feisty!! Elena had a lot of passion.

 

Very much so, I think Paige just needs to come out of her shell more.

[Weave]

Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong ~ Started: 18.06.09 ~ Finished: 21.06.09

 

Synopsis ~

 

Robyn Peltier has always lived a normal life. So when her boss is murdered and she is named prime suspect, she is way out of her depth. As the bodies pile up only her friend Hope, and Hope's somewhat spooky boyfriend Karl, are on her side. Hope, meanwhile, has a few secrets of her own. Namely that she is half-demon, and her 'spooky' boyfriend is actually a werewolf. Hope also knows that Robyn has accidentally stumbled into a bloody supernatural turf war. And the only way she can keep her friend alive is by letting her enter a world she's safer knowing nothing about ...

 

‘Living with the Dead’ is the 9th book in 'The Women of the Otherworld' series.

 

‘Living with the Dead’ marks the return of Hope Adams, Expiso half-demon and is also narrated by her and Robyn, the first non supernatural to play an active role in the series.

 

I found ‘Living with the Dead’ interesting with loads of action, what I like about it the most was Robyn (a new character), a human looking into the supernatural, trying to understand and cope with a recent loss.

 

‘Living with the Dead’ for me is another favourite of the series.

 

Rating: 10/10

 

Edited June 21, 2009 by Weave

[Weave]

Men of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong ~ Started: 21.06.09 ~ Finished: 22.06.09

 

Synopsis ~

 

I don't remember the first time I changed into a wolf. One night I passed out, and awoke to find my body covered in yellow fur. My brain was beyond reacting. It took this in its stride, as it had everything else in my new life. I got to my feet and went in search of food. As a curious and independent six-year-old, Clayton didn't resist the bite? he asked for it. But as a lone child werewolf his life is under constant threat. So when enigmatic Pack member Jeremy Danvers saves him, Clayton is determined to protect his adoptive father, no matter what the cost. So begins this gripping collection of four tales chronicling the bloody feuds of the American Pack, and the coming of age of Clay Danvers, a very powerful ? and very singular? werewolf.

 

I really enjoyed ‘Men of the Otherworld’, it concentrated on Jeremy and Clay Danvers, members of the wolf pack who have featured in ‘Bitten, ‘Stolen’, ‘Broken’ and the upcoming ‘Frostbitten’, it was interesting to find out about their pasts. I really enjoyed the part with Clay as a young boy.

 

A great read.

 

Rating: 10/10

 

[Kimmy619]

I am definately looking forward to reading this!! I really like Clay and Jeremy as characters so I can't wait to learn more about them.

[Weave]

I am definately looking forward to reading this!! I really like Clay and Jeremy as characters so I can't wait to learn more about them.

 

Its really good Kimmy, you find out so much about the both of them, I like them too, such fantastic characters

Edited June 22, 2009 by Weave

[Charm]

Sounds great Gyre, I'll probably read these after finishing the women series.

[Weave]

Sounds great Gyre, I'll probably read these after finishing the women series.

 

Cool

[Mac]

I'm not too sure whether I would like this genre very much - the thought of it doesn't make me want to try and get hold of any books about the subject. I'll say this quietly now - I don't think I could bear to even pick up a twighlight novel - Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

 

What do you think, Paula? I admit to enjoying Buffy and Angel, which my ex-wife forced upon me and got me addicted to, but that's about as far as my enjoyment of vampires and werewolves goes. Should I try anything along these lines? I'm open to your suggestions, 'cos you know my tastes.

 

Hope you're very well.

[Weave]

I'm not too sure whether I would like this genre very much - the thought of it doesn't make me want to try and get hold of any books about the subject. I'll say this quietly now - I don't think I could bear to even pick up a twighlight novel - Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

 

What do you think, Paula? I admit to enjoying Buffy and Angel, which my ex-wife forced upon me and got me addicted to, but that's about as far as my enjoyment of vampires and werewolves goes. Should I try anything along these lines? I'm open to your suggestions, 'cos you know my tastes.

 

Hope you're very well.

 

I think you would enjoy them Mac, there is something for everyone in the series

[lexiepiper]

I'm not too sure whether I would like this genre very much - the thought of it doesn't make me want to try and get hold of any books about the subject. I'll say this quietly now - I don't think I could bear to even pick up a twighlight novel - Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

 

What do you think, Paula? I admit to enjoying Buffy and Angel, which my ex-wife forced upon me and got me addicted to, but that's about as far as my enjoyment of vampires and werewolves goes. Should I try anything along these lines? I'm open to your suggestions, 'cos you know my tastes.

 

Hope you're very well.

 

Mac, this series is nothing like Twilight, and is definitely aimed at a more adult market. I really enjoyed the whole series, and I know lots of other people have too, boys included (I wouldn't say this is a series aimed at just females at all), you should try the first one and just see if it's something you could enjoy

[Weave]

Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse Vampire Mystery) by Charlaine Harris ~ Started: 24.06.09 ~ Finished: 26.06.09

 

Synopsis ~

 

Now it's the turn of the weres and shifters to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. Sookie Stackhouse already knows about them, of course - her brother turns into a panther at the full moon, she's friend to the local Were pack and Sam, her boss at Merlotte's bar, is a shifter. At first the great Were revelation seems to go well - then the horribly mutilated body of a were-panther is found outside Merlotte's. Though Sookie never cared that much for the victim, no one deserves such a horrible death, so she agrees to use her telepathic talent to track down the murderer. But what Sookie doesn't realise is that there is a far greater danger than this killer threatening Bon Temps: a race of unhuman beings, older, more powerful and far more secretive than the vampires or the werewolves is preparing for war . . .

 

This is the 9th outing of barmaid and friends of supes (supernaturals) everywhere ~ Sookie Stackhouse. 'Dead and Gone' begins with the aftermath of events from the previous book, Sookie's life is as back to normal as possible until a body is found at the back of Merlotte's, Sookie's workplace. Sookie finds herself again in the middle of the crossfire.

 

'Dead and Gone' started well but as the story progressed it seemed to lack the familiar punch of the previous books in the series, Sookie seemed different, she was still as humorous but she seemed to be lacking with regards to the situation around her, unless of course she has become so used it all, she has become complacent.

 

Bill was a more prominent character this time around but in all honesty, he did not seem to do a whole lot, even Eric (the head vampire in the district) seemed to be lacking, in fact most of the familiar characters seemed to be make a brief appearance either physically or mentioned in passing (even Bubba!) and then disappear.

 

There were a few shocks, one in particular was unexpected.

 

'Dead and Gone' is not the best book in the series, I enjoyed it to a point, it was a lot darker than the previous books, Sookie's world is changing and it shows, the story had loads of potential and I felt it was not reaching that potential, which is unfortunate because I really enjoy the series but I am hoping the next book will be better.

 

Rating: 5/10

 

[lexiepiper]

Sorry to see you didn't enjoy it as much hun x

[Weave]

Sorry to see you didn't enjoy it as much hun x

 

I wanted to like it so much because I was so looking forward to it but I am not giving up on the series

[Charm]

Sorry to see you didn't enjoy it as much hun x

 

I was looking forward to hearing great things about it. I'll still read it though I love the series so far.

[Weave]

I was looking forward to hearing great things about it. I'll still read it though I love the series so far.

 

Sorry Charm, sorry Lexie

 

I love the series too and I did enjoy 'Dead and Gone' to a point, I hated being so negative about it

[lexiepiper]

I wanted to like it so much because I was so looking forward to it but I am not giving up on the series

 

Hopefully the next will be better

[Weave]

Hopefully the next will be better

 

I hope so, I really hate the fact that I did not like it that much

[Weave]

Inkspell by Cornelia Funke ~ Started: 08.06.09 ~ Finished: 30.06.09

 

Synopsis ~

 

Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of the extraordinary events of Inkheart, and the story whose characters strode out of the pages, and changed her life for ever. But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater, torn from his world of words, the need to return has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the magical ability to read him back, he sets in motion a dangerous reversal that sees the characters of Inkheart transported to a charmed Inkworld, about to be fought over by rival rebels and princes.

 

I really enjoyed 'Inkspell', it was just as exciting as 'Inkheart' with the added bonus of new characters and a lot of sad moments. A great read.

 

Rating: 10/10

 

[Weave]

Star Gazing by Linda Gillard ~ Started: 06.07.09 ~ Finished: 08.07.09

 

Synopsis ~

 

Blind since birth, widowed in her twenties, now lonely in her forties, Marianne Fraser lives in Edinburgh in elegant, angry anonymity with her sister, Louisa, a successful novelist. Marianne's passionate nature finds solace and expression in music, a love she finds she shares with Keir, a man she encounters on her doorstep one winter's night. Whilst Marianne has had her share of men attracted to her because they want to rescue her, Keir makes no concession to her condition. He is abrupt to the point of rudeness, and yet oddly kind. But can Marianne trust her feelings for this reclusive stranger who wants to take a blind woman to his island home on Skye, to 'show' her the stars?

 

I just finished 'Star Gazing' I could not put it down, I wanted to know so badly how it would all turn out for Keir and Marianne, I was not disappointed.

 

A lovely romantic story, Marianne is a fantastic character, as stated before, I felt at times that Marianne was her own worst enemy, I understood why and she had built so many barriers around herself, it took a man like Keir to see how wonderful Marianne is, which was a delight to read. I loved Louisa and Gart too, lovely characters, Louisa's enthusiasm and personality was infectious.

 

The description of Marianne's blindess was represented so well, the part when Marianne was lost in the snow, my heart was in my mouth, I kept imaging how many things she could fall over and hurt herself with. Everything about Piper Alpha was heart breaking and it was shown so well in this book, the ripple effect of such tragedy.

 

A great book and I am planning to read the rest of Linda Gillard's books.

 

Rating: 10/10

 

[Alia Idaho]

Read Breaking Dawn (it was my 12 year old daughter's copy!) around December of last year and was finished with it in a week or so. well, it's a good thing i read it before she did because i heard from other twi-fans that this was the steamiest book. well, it's tween-appropriate steam! =D

[Linda Gillard]

Thank you, Gyre! I am so thrilled with your review - especially the 10/10 rating. Wow!

 

Marianne is a pain, isn't she? But for my research I read 3 books written by blind people and what came steaming off the page in all 3 cases was huge amounts of anger and frustration. I was in a chat forum with a blind person too and she was pretty spikey. I thought that life must be so difficult for the blind that this might express itself in irritation, stubbornness and fiercesome independence. Hence my "crabbit" Marianne. And as you say, Keir needed to be a special kind of guy. - Sigh -

 

Film rights have been sold and I'm hoping and praying... I can't get a publisher for my 4th book at the moment - times are very hard and it's a genre-buster which means hard to market - so a film could mean a breakthrough for me. But the project is only in the very early stages.

 

Thanks again. I hope you enjoy my other books. EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY is a bit similar, A LIFETIME BURNING is very, very different.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Linda Gillard

[Stephanie2008]

I am definitely going to look out for this book, especially after the 10/10 reading. the synopsis seems like a story I would enjoy

[Weave]

Thank you, Gyre! I am so thrilled with your review - especially the 10/10 reating. Wow!

 

Marianne is a pain, isn't she? But for my research I read 3 books written by blind people and what came steaming off the page in all 3 cases was huge amounts of anger and frustration. I was in a chat forum with a blind person too and she was pretty spikey. I thought that life must be so difficult for the blind that this might express itself in irritation, stubbornness and fiercesome independence. Hence my "crabbit" Marianne. And as you say, Keir needed to be a special kind of guy. - Sigh -

 

Film rights have been sold and I'm hoping and praying... I can't get a publisher for my 4th book at the moment - times are very hard and it's a genre-buster which means hard to market - so a film could mean a breakthrough for me. But the project is only in the very early stages.

 

Thanks again. I hope you enjoy my other books. EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY is a bit similar, A LIFETIME BURNING is very, very different.

 

You are welcome Linda, you showed the effects of blindness so well, personally, my mother in law is partially sighted (registered blind) and even though her circumstances are different to Marianne, her frustration was the same and the crabbiness (my mother in law would be the first to admit it).

 

I loved 'Star Gazing' from start to finish, everything was gorgeous about it, at times I wanted to knock Keir and Marianne's heads together! ~ a great read and I have added the rest of your books to my wishlist Linda.