lexiepiper Posted January 20, 2010 Author Share Posted January 20, 2010 The Possessed by L.J. Smith No. of pages: 232 Rating: 3.5/5 Series: Dark Visions (Book 2) Synopsis: A second volume in the Dark Visions trilogy follows Kaitlyn Fairchild and her four friends as they listen to the psychic voices calling them and travel to an isolated house, where terror awaits. Review: Kait and the gang are travelling across the country, looking for the beach house they keep seeing in their dreams, but the journey is not easy, and there are lots of surprises in store... I didn't think this was as good as the first book, but it was still an easy and interesting read. In this book the group face a different set of challenges and problems, and fight to overcome them with the support of each other. The characters and relationships with each other are starting to develop more as the series goes on, and after the cliff hanger at the end of this book, I'm interested to see where the final book in the series will take the group. The Passion by L.J. Smith No. of pages: 240 Rating: 2.5/5 Series: Dark Visions (Book 3) Synopsis: Nearly escaping from the evil, Kaitlyn Fairchild and her psychic team are dismayed when Gabriel defects to the evil side, and Kaitlyn pretends to betray the group as well in an effort to save her friend. Review: When Gabriel decides to leave the group and is drawn back to the evil influences, the group is devestated, especially Kaitlyn. So she decides to go back too, pretending she's gone to the bad side in order to save Gabriel and bring him back safely. For some reason I felt like this book dragged a lot, the plot although not written badly, just didn't grip me at all. I was quite disappointed because the series started out so well with the first book, but just gradually got worse from the beginning of book two, which is a shame as it had such premise. The ending seemed like it was massively rushed, all perfectly wrapped up in the last few pages, which just didn't seem to fit the story or the characters up to that point. It was an okay series to read and overall I give the series a 3/5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 The Girlfriend Experience by Rebecca 'Bea' Dakin No. of pages: 386 Rating: 3.5/5 Synopsis: Rebecca Dakin - or Bea, as she is known to her clients, is an honest, friendly and vibrant woman. She is a fun-loving lady who oozes passion and is a slender, natural blonde. In short, she is every man's dream... She specialises in offering what she calls 'the girlfriend experience'. A date with Bea is a million miles away from the sex-fuelled romps that most people imagine when they think of escorts. She prefers longer and more relaxed dates and expects her dates to be a two-way thing. Here for the first time, a modern-day escort is prepared to put her name and face to her story and reveal exactly what she gets up to behind closed doors. Dispelling the myths and preconceptions that surround her job, Rebecca tells all - the glamorous, the grim and the downright hilarious. A frank memoir, with no detail spared, this book gives a unique insight into the intimate adventures of one of Britain's most notorious escorts. Review: A frank behind the scenes look at what it's like to be an escort, specifically one that offers the 'Girlfriend Experience'. The GFE entails more than just sleeping with a client, it includes a dinner date, maybe a walk or a show, and acting more like a couple. The book's chapters alternate between memorable clients/stories and her life outside of escorting, with regards to relationships with family, boyfriends and friends. For some reason I wasn't expecting this book to be quite so frank, with regards to the sexual stories about clients, and intially I was surprised. But I quickly got used to the way the book was written and it was really interesting to read more about what happens behind closed doors when it comes to the escorting life. Some of the stories told made me laugh and others made me cringe, for example, when Bea went on a date with a guy who when eating, had fish all around his face. I would find that incredibly repulsive and think Bea is a better lady than me to put up with such disgusting manners! I also think it's a brave thing to bring out a book such as this, because of the bad 'slutty' reputations escorts can have, but Bea shows it doesn't have to be like that at all. An enjoyable read, although one definitely not for teens because of the sexual descriptions. If you're interested in what goes on the behind closed doors of an escort, or are just generally curious, this is the book for you, it's very open and shows you the warts and all aspect of the escorting profession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Great review, Kelly! This book actually looks really interesting-- It's not something you read about everyday, that's for sure! Thanks for the review and suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 Thanks Bethany Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak No. of pages: 357 Rating: 4.5/5 Synopsis: Meet Ed Kennedy—underage cabdriver, pathetic cardplayer, and useless at romance. He lives in a shack with his coffee-addicted dog, the Doorman, and he’s hopelessly in love with his best friend, Audrey. His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence, until he inadvertently stops a bank robbery. That’s when the first Ace arrives. That’s when Ed becomes the messenger. . . . Chosen to care, he makes his way through town helping and hurting (when necessary), until only one question remains: Who’s behind Ed’s mission? Review: When Ed accidentally stops a bank robbery, he's considered a hero. Then the aces start arriving, on each ace are a list of people Ed has to help, so off on his mission he goes, only it's not exactly what he expected. This book follows Ed as he tries to help the people on the aces he's sent, wondering all the while who's behind it all... Reading the first few chapters of this I didn't really think it was my 'thing', it took a while to get used to the writing but once I did I really enjoyed it. Ed the main character is completely loveable, even though he's supposed to be a weak aimless guy, you can't help but like him for it, especially as the story moves along. The other characters of the people Ed helps were great too, you really had a sense of why they needed whatever they did, and so you kind of felt like you really got to know each and everyone one, even though most were only briefly there. The story itself is really good, it kept me wondering who would be next and what would happen, and it kept it up right until the last page. Definitely one I'd recommend, it's a great book, although don't go into it thinking it'll be like The Book Thief, because it's completely different, but not in a bad way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Thanks for the wonderful review Kelly, I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much I'm definitely going to have to buy this now! I wanted to ask you whether Doorman was any fun, but don't go telling all the juicy details Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 Doorman is a cute character, reminds me greatly of a dog we once had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Princess Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Hey Kelly, great review! I didn't even know Markus Zusak had written another book, i'll have to see if they have it at my library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Doorman is a cute character, reminds me greatly of a dog we once had! Awww, that's sweet I think the name 'Doorman' is really funny as well. I just cannot believe that they don't have this book on play.com, they usually have everything!! I'm going to have to try and get it elsewhere. Purple Princess, Zusak has also written a book called Fighting Ruben Wolfe, I'm not sure if there are any other novels by him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 I think Doorman is a funny name too, I love how devoted he is to the dog, I think it's a nice trait to have I really hope you like it Frankie if you manage to get ahold of it! He has one called 'Getting The Girl' as well and has another scheduled for release next year called 'The Bridge Of Clay' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I think Doorman is a funny name too, I love how devoted he is to the dog, I think it's a nice trait to have I really hope you like it Frankie if you manage to get ahold of it! Awww, that's the kind of thing I wanted to hear! Never trust a man who doesn't like animals, they say. And a man who's particularly fond of animals is a keeper He has one called 'Getting The Girl' as well and has another scheduled for release next year called 'The Bridge Of Clay' Oh I'd totally forgotten about that! Weave's read it I think, and if I'm not mistaken she enjoyed it as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Princess Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Thanks Frankie and Kelly for the info on those other Zusak books, for some reason i'd got it into my head that The Book Theif was his first and only book so far - I'll look his other books up on Amazon later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 The Blue Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver No. of pages: 430 Rating: 4.5/5 Synopsis: Wyatt Gillette, a cybergenius who's never used his phenomenal talent for evil, is sitting in a California jail doing time for a few harmless computer capers when he gets a temporary reprieve--a chance to help the Computer Crimes Unit of the state police nail a cracker (a criminally inclined hacker) called Phate who's using his ingenious program, Trapdoor, to lure innocent victims to their death by infiltrating their computers. Gillette and Phate were once the kings of cyberspace--the Blue Nowhere of the title--but Phate has gone way past the mischievous electronic pranks they once pulled and crossed over to the dark side. Review: A cracker called Phate has found a way to invade people's computers, taking every piece of information about them from the machine and is then using it to murder them horrifically. The Crimes Computer Unit bring in Wyatt Gillette, a hacker that's in prison, to help them try and find Phate, but the Blue Nowhere is big, and Phate is determined to stay hidden... This is the first Deaver I've read, but I knew from other people's reviews of him that he would be someone I'd love, and I was right. I was actually surprised at how he manages to make you feel like you've guessed what's going to happen and who the bad guy is, and then he does the complete opposite thing and throws you completely off track! A great storyline, actually quite scary when you think of something like this being possible. It goes to show that we really put our whole lives into our computers and never think about who could get into them and read everything. I loved Wyatt as a character, he and Bishop were my favourites, and I thought they were both written really well. My one dislike, and the reason I've knocked the 0.5 off is because there were so many male police officers, that I found it quite hard to remember who was who at times, and that frustrated me a little, but overall I loved the book and definitely will be reading another Deaver soon! Recommended for fans of thrillers, because in terms of not being able to guess what will happen next, this is one of the best I've ever read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Great review of Blue Nowhere Lexie! I'm so pleased you liked it. It freaked me out a bit after I read it about online security and made me way more careful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceinwenn Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 And then she read The Broken Window & now she's paranoid about computer hackers, lmao! Scary how real it all could be! Excellent review, Lexie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 It is so scary! Thanks ladies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 And then she read The Broken Window & now she's paranoid about computer hackers, lmao! Scary how real it all could be! Excellent review, Lexie You're so right! It freaked me out even more, no more surveys for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 A Touch Of Dead by Charlaine Harris No. of pages: 192 Rating: 4/5 Series: Sookie Stackhouse (short stories collection) Synopsis: New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written—together in one volume. Stories include “Fairy Dust,” “One Word Answer,” “Dracula Night,” “Lucky,” and “Giftwrap.” Review: Five short stories featuring the characters of the Sookie Stackhouse series. The stories are ~ Fairy Dust: Sookie helps Claude and Claudine find out how Claudette died. Dracula Night: Sookie is invited to Fangtasia for a party to celebrate the birthday of Dracula. One Word Answer: Sookie is informed of Hadley's demise. Lucky: Sookie and Amelia need to find out who's sabotaging the town's insurance agents. Gift Wrap: Sookie gets an unexpected christmas gift. Each of the short stories are set at different points throughout the main series, but are in chronological order in the book. Sadly this wasn't as good as I was expecting, but it was still really nice to read something new from the Sookie universe. Of the five stories, my favourite by far was Dracula Night, I thought Eric was being his usual hilarious self, and that made it much better than the other stories. My least favourite was Gift Wrap, I thought the premise behind the whole thing was just creepy and rather disgusting! I thought Lucky was pretty boring and pointless, and the same with One Word Answer, but I quite enjoyed Fairy Dust, as I like the characters of Claudine and Claude and so it's always nice to read about them. Overall, this is a nice interlude whilst waiting for the next novel in the series, but is nowhere near as good as the series books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 I was actually surprised at how he manages to make you feel like you've guessed what's going to happen and who the bad guy is, and then he does the complete opposite thing and throws you completely off track! This is Deaver alright, that's his best trademark in my opinion A great review Kelly, I'm happy as a bunny that you enjoyed it so much! I can really recommend the Lincoln Rhyme -series, starting with The Bone Collector. When you've read it and thought 'Wow, how can he ever top that??' you'll go straight to the second book The Coffin Dancer, and that novel, my friend, will blow your mind away!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 That sounds awesome Frankie, I have The Bone Collector and The Coffin Dancer on my TBR pile, so I'll make sure to get to them soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris No. of pages: 306 Rating: 5/5 Series: Harper Connelly (Book 4) Synopsis: Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface. To make matters worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants no part of the man - but he may not have a choice in the matter. Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, and what Harper finds out will change her world forever. Review: Harper and Tolliver decide to go to Texas and spend some time with their little sisters, but stop to do a quick grave reading on the way. What in theory was just a quick job, turns into something much more sinister, and reveals things Harper and Tolliver would never have expected... As I was expecting, this book was great! I love the characters of Harper and Tolliver and I like the supernatural aspect of the series, which is really interesting to read about. The story was gripping throughout, as are the other books in this series, but this had a shocker of an ending that I didn't see coming at all! I was really glad to see Manfred, what a fantastic character he is, and I'm so glad he played a pivotal role in the final story. I'm so sad this is the last book to be written about them though, I felt there was still plenty of stories left to be told about their adventures but I'm glad it was wrapped up in a good way. To anyone who hasn't read this series, I'd definitely recommend it, infact I'd just recommend anything by Charlaine Harris, that lady sure can write! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen No. of pages: 418 Rating: 5/5 Synopsis: When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford. Review: Set in the Great Depression of the 30's, a disaster out of the blue sends Jacob Jankowski out of his normal everyday life, and jumping onto a random passing train. The train happens to belong to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show On Earth circus, and his life changes forever in an instant. Joining the circus as a vet, Jacob experiences what it truly is to live... I think the word for this book is enchanting. Although very gritty and brutal, it holds you in a thrall with it's fantastic storyline from beginning to end. I absolutely loved Jacob as a character, he seemed very real in that he was incredibly naive and innocent at the beginning, and then hardened as the book went on. My other favourites were Marlena and Walter, and I enjoyed seeing how Jacob's relationships with them both evolved throughout the book. The storyline itself I found quite fascinating, I know absolutely nothing about how a circus runs, and the author did a lot of research before writing the novel, so it all seems incredibly realistic. This is the perfect story - a great background, fantastic characters, a bit of friendship and some romance to top it off. It's just a lovely and enjoyable tale and I would heartily recommend it to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 Lexie, you are the second of my book buddies who I have enjoyed 'Water for Elephants', great review I am so investing Stop recommending some fab books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak No. of pages: 357 Rating: 4.5/5 Synopsis: Meet Ed Kennedy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 You'd def enjoy Water For Elephants, perhaps join the bookring for it if you're interested? And that's great about the sequel, I did see it the other day when I was looking at his other books but didn't realise it was the follow up to 'getting the girl' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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