chesilbeach Posted April 18, 2010 Author Share Posted April 18, 2010 No, I don't think I reviewed the others properly. I'll put something together as a series review, and find the thread for it (I think there was definitely one for the first book called Wolf Brother) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 It's grand, I'll have a look for it myself I'll probably check them out on Amazon anyway, that's what I usually do Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 18, 2010 Author Share Posted April 18, 2010 (edited) Title: The Reckoning Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: Orbit Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from blurb on book cover): The nail-biting climax to Kelley Armstrong's bestselling Darkest Powers trilogy Chloe Saunders is fifteen and would love to be normal. Unfortunately, Chloe happens to be a genetically engineered necromancer who can raise the dead without even trying. She and her equally gifted (or should that be 'cursed'?) friends are now running for their lives from the evil corporation that created them. As if that's not enough, Chloe is struggling with her feelings for Simon, a sweet-tempered sorcerer, and his brother Derek, a not so sweet-tempered werewolf. And she has a horrible feeling she's leaning towards the werewolf...Definitely not normal. Review: Another fantastic page turning thriller from Kelley Armstrong, in this, the final book of the Darkest Powers trilogy. Despite the short period of time covered in the three books, the characters are very well developed, and the suspense is palpable as they grow even closer while trying to figure out just who is on their side and how they will escape the clutches of the Edison Group. Fans of Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series will recognise the various types of supernaturals in the world she's created for her books, and I imagine it's a great way for her to capture the imagination of teenagers who will undoubtedly want to read move of her work as they grow up. I'm glad to see this was written as a trilogy, and whilst it doesn't neatly tie up all the lose ends, it does provide a fitting end and closure on this particular episode of the lives of Chloe, Derek, Steve, Tori and Liz, but is an open enough ending to return to some or all of them at a later stage, or even bringing them into the wider Armstrong world in her other books. Edited April 18, 2010 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted April 18, 2010 Share Posted April 18, 2010 Apparently Armstrong is working on a second trilogy which, although isn't tied directly to these three books, is another off-shoot. I'll be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 18, 2010 Author Share Posted April 18, 2010 Title: The Immortals: Blue Moon Author: Alyson No�l Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books Rating: 3/5 Synopsis (from blurb on book cover): Things have changed for Ever since she met her beloved Damen - not least because she's got a whole new set of powers, courtesy of her new Immortal status. Just as she's getting stronger, though, Damen seems to be weakening. Panicked at the thought of losing him, Ever finds a path to the in-between world known as Summerland, where she learns the secrets of Damen's tortured past. But in searching for a cure for him, Ever accidentally discovers a way to twist time so she can save her family from the accident that killed them. It's all she's ever wanted - but so is Damen. And Ever must choose between them... Review: I'm not sure what I expected from this second book in Alyson No�l's series, The Immortals, as I'd been a bit underwhelmed but the first one which I felt was predictable and derivative, although reasonably enjoyable. I have to admit though, I was pleasantly surprised. The plot took a slightly different direction from the first book, and Ever's character developed into a more independent and strong individual. There were some unexpected developments in some of the other characters and some who I'd expected to have a larger role in the story were sidelined, allowing the focus on the heroine to remain the centre of the story. There is still a problem in that the book is still firmly standing in the shadow of Twilight, but for an easy Sunday read, it was entertaining enough, and it looks as though I'll be coming back for the next instalment of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 18, 2010 Author Share Posted April 18, 2010 Apparently Armstrong is working on a second trilogy which, although isn't tied directly to these three books, is another off-shoot. I'll be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with! Ooo, I didn't know that! Thanks, Kell, I'm already looking forward to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 Title: Queen of Babble Gets Hitched Author: Meg Cabot Publisher: Pan Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from blurb on book cover): Things are looking up for Lizzie Nichols. She loves her career, and the love of her life, Jean-Luc, has proposed. Life's become a dizzying whirl of wedding gown fittings as Lizzie prepares for her dream wedding in the south of France. But the dream soon becomes a nightmare as the best man, with whom Lizzie might once accidentally have slept - no, really, just slept - announces his lack of support for the couple; Lizzie's Midwestern family can't understand why she doesn't want to have her wedding in the family backyard; and her future French in-laws seem to be luring the groom away from medical school and into investment banking. Is Lizzie really ready to embrace her new role as wife and mistress of Chateau Mirac? Or is she destined to spend the rest of her life as a New York City spinster, in a two-room walk-up with no one for company but the cat from down the street? Review: This book was a perfect girlie escape for a lazy Sunday. I love Meg Cabot - her books never fail to keep me turning the page and to cheer me up, no matter how fed up I am when I start reading them. Thankfully, the blurb on this third book in the Queen of Babble series doesn't give away a major plot point that happens almost at the end of the book (as the second book did), and was a fitting resolution to Lizzie's story. Lizzie gets the opportunity to prove to herself how strong she is, and despite the fact this is a romantic novel, Lizzie manages to resolve her own problems and become an independent woman. This is why I like Meg Cabot's writing. While her characters have fun, fall in love, fall out of love, have adventures, make mistake and do all the ordinary things that normal girls and women do, they always end up being their own salvation and finding their own solutions to their problems, and never have to rely on a man or even their friends to get them out of harm/trouble/bad relationships. Strong, but flawed, heroines, and great fun, and the books are always a perfect pick-me-up when I'm feeling jaded or a fun way to spend my relaxation time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 I have the first two Queen of Babble books to read I didn't realise there was a third. Glad you liked it, it might get moved up my TBR pile now The only other Meg Cabot books I have read were the first two Size 12 Is Not Fat and I really enjoyed them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 (edited) Great to hear you loved all of Michelle Paver's books, I've read the first 3 and adored them too I must get hold of the other 3 asap after reading your review. The amount of research she must have done is apparent in her writing I agree, beautiful books. Just thought i'd mention for some useless information I noticed not long ago all of Paver's books on display in a glass case in the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, twas nice to see Edited April 24, 2010 by chrysalis_stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 (edited) Title: I Was Told There'd Be Cake Author: Sloane Crosley Publisher: Portobello Books Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from http://www.waterstones.com): From getting locked out of her flat twice on the same day and being fired for baking a giant cookie in the shape of her boss' head, to playing bridesmaid for a friend she'd long forgotten, Sloane Crosley can do no right, despite the best of intentions. With sharp, original and irresistible storytelling that confounds expectations at every turn, Crosley recounts her victories and catastrophes, finding uproarious comedy and genuine insights in the most unpredictable places. Review: In the form of a series of essays, Sloane Crosley takes us through various escapades of her life in New York. It will undoubtedly be compared to Sex and the City (without the sex - although there is an essay on one night stands), but I'm not sure that does it justice. It is wry, witty and intelligently written. I think most women would find something to identify with Sloane, maybe it's the fish out of water suburban girl moving to the big city, or the tale of being a bridesmaid, or the boss from hell in your first job, and the tales all seem to be told with honesty and humour, and beautifully observed. Thoroughly enjoyable; I will definitely be keeping an eye out for any future books from this author. Edited May 1, 2010 by chesilbeach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 24, 2010 Author Share Posted April 24, 2010 Title: Hush, Hush Author: Becca Fitzpatrick Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Rating: 3/5 Synopsis (from http://www.waterstones.com): A sacred oath, a fallen angel, a forbidden love...This darkly romantic story features our heroine, Nora Grey, a seemingly normal teenage girl with her own shadowy connection to the Nephilim, and super-alluring bad boy, Patch, now her deskmate in biology class. Together they find themselves at the centre of a centuries-old feud between a fallen angel and a Nephilim...Forced to sit next to Patch in science class, Nora attempts to resist his flirting, though gradually falls for him against her better judgment. Meanwhile creepy things are going on with a mysterious stalker following her car, breaking into her house and attacking her best friend, Vi. Nora suspects Patch, but there are other suspects too - not least a new boy who has transferred from a different college after being wrongly accused of murdering his girlfriend. And he seems to have taken a shine to Nora...Love certainly is dangerous...and someone is going to have to make the ultimate sacrifice for it. Review: Well, it's another YA fantasy, and the second one I've read this year about angels. It may not be highly original, it may not be anything earth shatteringly literary, but what it is, is a fast paced, thrilling page turner with a believable and surprisingly unannoying heroine. The action whips along nicely throughout, there are some chilling scenes that make you wonder how it's being done, and I liked the resolution of the plot. However, it was a bit predictable and there were some clich�s and stereotypes, so although I didn't know how some of it was done, I could see who was causing the mayhem, who the good guys were and who the bad guys were. There are definitely some story lines that haven't been fully established or explained, so I imagine this is probably the first of a series of books, and these other plots will be developed in future installments. If you like the current crop of fantasy books that Twilight has brought to the fore of the YA market, then you'll definitely enjoy this one as one of the better ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catwoman Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I agree with many of your thoughts on Hush hush. I liked it because I had NO mojo and it seemed to really bring it back to life. I found like you, I knew who was the 'bad' guys and the 'good' guys. This is the first in a series. The next is Cresendo, and goes into more detail about what Patch is 'hiding'. Great review! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Great review chesilbeach! Glad to hear Hush Hush is a good YA read! Kookie has it on her shelf and I know she read it in 24 hrs, she loved it! She really like the Blue Moon by Alyson Noel too, I read Evermore and will probably get around to reading Blue Moon too at some stage. Do you think the darkest power trilogy by Kelley Armstrong would be suitable for Kookie chesilbeach? I mean is there any really 'adult' content in it? I love the otherworld series myself but think it could be a bit too old for her. I think I might have to just go ahead and buy the trilogy anyway .. just to do the old parental duty thing you know .. and check it out first! (I swear that child of mine gets so many books I fully intend to read someday! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 I have Hush, Hush waiting to be read, looking forward to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 Great review! Thanks! Do you think the darkest power trilogy by Kelley Armstrong would be suitable for Kookie chesilbeach? I mean is there any really 'adult' content in it? I love the otherworld series myself but think it could be a bit too old for her. I think I might have to just go ahead and buy the trilogy anyway .. just to do the old parental duty thing you know .. and check it out first! (I swear that child of mine gets so many books I fully intend to read someday! ) Darkest Powers is definitely suitable, it's aimed at YA market, so there should be no problem for Kookie (and you, obviously ) No 'adult' content, it's all just teenage stuff, and that's not even a huge part of the story, it's mostly about the situation and journey of the main characters and how they find out about their individual legacies - same sort of world as the Women of the Otherworld, but from a teenage point of view. Also, not sure if you read on another thread, but I mentioned The Mediator series by Meg Cabot as something you might want to look into for Kookie, and they're just being reissued in 3x two-book volumes (with the seemingly compulsory black cover ) so it might be a good time to get them as it should be cheaper than buying the six books I did! I have Hush, Hush waiting to be read, looking forward to it Excellent! I hope you enjoy it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charm Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 Darkest Powers is definitely suitable, it's aimed at YA market, so there should be no problem for Kookie (and you, obviously ) No 'adult' content, it's all just teenage stuff, and that's not even a huge part of the story, it's mostly about the situation and journey of the main characters and how they find out about their individual legacies - same sort of world as the Women of the Otherworld, but from a teenage point of view. Thanks for this, I must get her *coughmecough* them. Also, not sure if you read on another thread, but I mentioned The Mediator series by Meg Cabot as something you might want to look into for Kookie, and they're just being reissued in 3x two-book volumes (with the seemingly compulsory black cover ) so it might be a good time to get them as it should be cheaper than buying the six books I did! She started reading one of these, but stopped for Twilight many moons ago, she's prob forgotten all about it! I'll check the two book volumes out for her though, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Title: The Carbon Diaries 2017 Author: Saci Lloyd Publisher: Hodder Children's Books Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from waterstones.com): t's over a year since her last diary and Laura Brown is now in her first year of university in London, a city still struggling to pull itself together in the new rationing era. Laura's right in the heart of it; her band, the dirty angels, are gigging all over town until a police crackdown on rioting students forces them out of the city. After a brief exile on her parents' farm, the angels set off in a battered VW bus on a tour of Europe with the fabulous Tiny Chainsaws in the Distance. The tour soon unravels, however, in an increasingly dramatic sequence of events that include drought in Europe and Africa, a tidal-wave of desperate immigrants, a water war in the Middle East and a city-wide face off with the army in London. Not to mention infidelity, betrayal, friendship, love and massive courage. How long can Laura distance herself from the struggle? And more importantly, how can she keep her style and hope alive in a world on the edge of madness? Review: This is the follow up to The Carbon Diaries 2015, where the UK had just introduced Carbon Rationing, and the entire country was having to deal with the impact of restrictions on their energy consumption and reduced natural resources (e.g. water), and Laura's diary was that of a typical teenager with college, friends, boys and her band, alongside the changes to her day to day family life. Society is not dealing well with the changes two years later. Laura is now studying at university in London while her parents have moved to a farm in Abingdon and her sister is working in Thailand. The government is failing, the right wing movement is growing as the number of immigrants has swollen the population and there aren't enough jobs and resources to go around, the police are becoming more military and the general unrest between the various factions of the community is making daily life even farther removed from what Laura has known. I loved the direction Lloyd took this second book in. She has really considered what might happen in the world she's imagined in the not too distant future if the impact of global climate change follows a certain path, but rather than concentrating on the results of carbon rationing, she's taking it that step further to look at the implications on the wider society, but always reining it back in to focus on the world of a single teenager and her immediate family and peer group. I found it a gripping read, and unfortunately, it actually feels far too believable as a look at how a society could crumble in the face of an energy and water crisis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Title: Three Men In A Boat Author: Jerome K. Jerome Publisher: Penguin Classics Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): Martyrs to hypochondria and general seediness, J. and his friends George and Harris decide that a jaunt up the Thames would suit them to a �T�. But when they set off, they can hardly predict the troubles that lie ahead with tow-ropes, unreliable weather-forecasts and tins of pineapple chunks � not to mention the devastation left in the wake of J.�s small fox-terrier Montmorency. Review: What a little gem of a book this is! Perfectly evoking the era of the late 19th Century, this witty narrative of three young men embarking on a boating break is just charming. Quintessentially English, J. has decided he has every ailment in the medical dictionary, to which his doctor prescribes him: 1 lb. of beefsteak, with 1 pt. bitter beer every 6 hours. 1 ten-mile walk every morning. 1 bed at 11 sharp every night. And don't stuff up you head with things you don't understand. Although there are some elements of a travelogue about the story, the best elements are definitely the observations of the three young men living together, and while we only see this from J's point of view, it is written in such a way to allow you to read between the lines and see the reality of their various predicaments, for example, J. obviously is doing all the work to keep the boat and the trip moving along nicely, but each of the others thinks they are also taking on more than their fair share of chores! The humour and style reminded me a lot of The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith, a book I thoroughly enjoyed last year, and I'll definitely be reading the follow up to this one, Three Men on the Bummel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Title: Bel-Ami Author: Guy de Maupassant Publisher: Penguin Classics Rating: 5/5 Synopsis (from waterstones.com): Young, attractive and very ambitious, George Duroy, known to his friends as Bel-Ami, is offered a job as a journalist on La Vie francaise and soon makes a great success of his new career. But he also comes face to face with the realities of the corrupt society in which he lives - the sleazy colleagues, the manipulative mistresses and wily financiers - and swiftly learns to become an arch-seducer, blackmailer and social climber in a world where love is only a means to an end. Review: Another occasion for celebrating the wonderful world of BCF, as I never would have picked up this book if it hadn't been recommended by peacefield and Weave. This was the best book I've read so far this year. Absolutely engrossing from the start, I thought this tale of society and morals was wickedly funny and fantastically observed. While the characterisation of George Duroy is exquisite, a man I felt I knew inside and out by the end of the book, the women he is involved with are all wonderful inventions who feel very real and well drawn, with their different foibles and personalities making them in turns sympathetic, ridiculous and manipulative, almost as much as George himself. PLEASE DON'T READ THIS SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BUT PLAN TO READ THIS BOOK! The most astounding thing for me, however, was the conclusion. I had been convinced there would be a comeuppance for George, and was amazed that he ended up with his "happy-ever-after". A totally unexpected and surprising denouement, which was a very unusual I don't often give 5/5 to a book (two or three a year if I'm lucky), but this was thoroughly deserving in my opinion, and a very satisfying read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 Title: Tales of the Otherworld Author: Kelley Armstrong Publisher: Orbit Rating: 4/5 Synopsis (from amazon.co.uk): A young vampire learns the heavy price of his new existence; black witch Eve Levine meets Kristof Nast, her soul mate and her nemesis; Lucas Cortez, lawyer, sorcerer and unwilling heir to his father's Cabal, sets out on a case that will change his destiny; Paige Winterbourne discovers just how fraught a white (witch) wedding can be and Elena Michaels begins her unwitting journey to a new life - as the only female werewolf in the world ...These brilliant, self-contained stories are a perfect introduction to the series and a wonderful addition to the existing novels Review: I can't deny it, I'm addicted to Kelley Armstrong's supernatural series Women of the Otherworld. This collection of short stories is a great addition to the canon, with some short stories giving us glimpses of the vampire world, the wedding of Paige and Lucas, and the slightly longer look at how Eve Levine and Kristof Nast got together. But for me, the most enjoyable stories were the two longer novellas, the first being the story of how werewolves Elena and Clay met, while the second focusing on an investigation into an alleged vampire kill by Paige and Lucas. My favourites in the main series tend to be the ones focusing on the werewolves, but Paige and Lucas as quickly catching them up, so this book was a fantastic interlude between books in the main series, and has totally whetted my appetite for the next instalment Waking The Witch due out later this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I loved your reviews of Three Men in a Boat and The Carbon Diaries 2017. I agree with your comments on the former, especially in comparing the book to The Diary of a Nobody. I loved them both and can't wait to read Three Men on a Bummel, which I have on order. And I want to read both Carbon Diaries books even more now. They sound excellent. Do you happen to know if Lloyd is planning to write another one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis_stage Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 This is the first time I have heard of the Carbon Diaries, they do sound very good, i'll be checking them out now too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 I want to read both Carbon Diaries books even more now. They sound excellent. Do you happen to know if Lloyd is planning to write another one? I've not seen anything about it, but I would definitely read it if she did, as like I said in my review of TCB 2017, it was so interesting to see how she developed the story from just rationing onto the impact on society, that I want to know where she would go from here. This is the first time I have heard of the Carbon Diaries, they do sound very good, i'll be checking them out now too I hope you both enjoy them as much as I have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 Your reviews are always so excellent, Chesil! Would you be interested in ghost-writing mine?! I pay in coffee . I've added to my wish list the Carbon Diaries and Three Men in a Boat (and the Armstrong of course!), and I loved your review of Bel-Ami! I agree with you completely about what you said in the spoiler, and am interested to see how they portray the story on film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickle Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I have just in a moment of madness ordered the Third Chloe Saunders book, have you read Kelley Armstrong's YA series, I do enjoy them and they are Otherworld too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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