Saturday, January 31, 2015

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a pleasant surprise. Really cool, unique way of telling a dragon tale. It was a little confusing initially, diving right into a new system of terminology without frame of reference. You get used to it pretty quick though. This was a really fun combination of fairy tale and fantasy. I have to admit, I hope they make these into movies. I think they could translate to film in a really awesome way if done properly. Looking forward to reading book 2.



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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell

It Was Me All Along: A MemoirIt Was Me All Along: A Memoir by Andie Mitchell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I found this book very easy to relate to. I've always had a dysfunctional relationship with food. When I was growing up, I didn't know anything about nutritional value or portion sizes. It was always, "clean your plate." And growing up in Minnesota with 9 months of cold weather, there was a lot of hearty comfort food. Being a book worm from an early age and not an athlete, I didn't get much exercise so I was a very overweight teenager with no information or understanding of what to do about it. So yeah, I didn't get as big as the author, but I understand what she went through. Her story was very well articulated and showed a great deal of self-awareness, even if it took her a while to get there, and her learning process could serve as a great study guide for anyone else finding themselves in a similar situation, feeling out to sea and looking for guidance. Really great story and a wonderful reminder of the importance of mindfulness.



This review is based on a free e-edition received from Bloggingforbooks.org



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Sunday, January 25, 2015

The Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton

The Secret Wisdom of the EarthThe Secret Wisdom of the Earth by Christopher Scotton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I hadn't really wanted to read this book as all the summaries made it sound so sad. Then it started getting such great reviews and my interest was more piqued. It was a bit sad but it is very beautifully written. I think this may very well go down as one of the great coming-of-age tales, along with those that were referenced in the book itself. There was a bit of predictability but it was cancelled out by how well it was all revealed.

This review is based on a free e-edition from NetGalley.com.



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The Room by Jonas Karlsson

The RoomThe Room by Jonas Karlsson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I thought this was supposed to be funny, it just seemed kind of sad to me. Perhaps I'm not privy to the joke since I've never worked in an office environment. This book just did not resonate with me.

This review is based on a free advance edition received from the publisher.



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Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Prince by Vito Bruschini

The Prince: A NovelThe Prince: A Novel by Vito Bruschini

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I spent the first 60 pages, or so, very frustrated with this book because there were so many characters, all going by first and last names, and I couldn't keep them all straight. If I remember correctly, Puzo did this as well. I think that's why I gave up on him. It's a frustrating storytelling device for people who are not good with remembering names. I finally did get the names down and got pretty invested in the characters, then they changed locations and a whole new set of characters were introduced. Frustrated again, but for a shorter amount of time. I also felt some of the character deaths were a bit abrupt and awkward (it's a mafia book, I don't think it's a spoiler to tell you people die). The whole book seemed a little too neatly packaged and wrapped up at the end. I think it would be fair to say that I enjoyed the middle half of the book, was annoyed with the first quarter, and by the time I got to the last quarter I just wanted it to be done. I think I will be donating my copy of this book to my public library.

This review is based on a free copy obtained through GoodReads First Reads.



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Saturday, January 17, 2015

Redeployment by Phil Klay

RedeploymentRedeployment by Phil Klay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Some of these stories are had to understand because they're so riddled with acronyms. It's a little frustrating but I suppose the point is that the layperson just doesn't understand.

I think that's really the takeaway for the whole book. If you've never spent any time in a war zone, you can't begin to understand what it is like. You can argue with those that have, you can discuss reasonably, you can listen with your ears as wide open as they'll go and you still won't be able to get it. You won't understand because many of those that have been there and seen it first hand, can't quite understand the whys and hows of war and war zones. It's just not something that makes any sense when you try to wrap your head around it. The best you can do is acknowledge your ignorance.



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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Prince Lestat by Anne Rice

Prince Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles #11)Prince Lestat by Anne Rice

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I don't know which of these is most true or if it's a combination of issues, either: I've changed a lot as a reader over the years, Anne Rice has not grown at all as an author, or Anne Rice has gotten worse as a storyteller. I'm sure I've grown since I started reading her as a teenager and I know authors have their ups and downs but it feels like it's been ages since we've had a really dynamic book from Rice. I love reading her and I feel compelled to know what's going on in these story-lines but it feels like it's gotten a bit stale and repetitive. She even repeats herself multiple times within a story. I don't know. I really want to like her books. I used to collect them even. This one, I knew from past experience would probably disappoint, I got from the library.



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Friday, January 9, 2015

The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene

Heart of the MatterHeart of the Matter by Graham Greene

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I get a lot of newer books from publishers but I have stacks of classics on my shelves that I have yet to get to and really want to read. That is why I took a break and pulled this one off the shelf. I've never read any Graham Greene (I've seen some movies based on his work) and don't know much about him, other than it seems like infidelity is a big plot device with him. It took me a while to get into this book and locate it's strengths (almost to the end really, so stick it out) but it ended up being a really interesting character study. It could be placed pretty much anywhere at any time and it takes a while to realize that those details are interesting but don't really matter. It's the internal struggle everyone faces that makes this story so touching and poignant.



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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd

Mist of Midnight (Daughters of Hampshire, #1)Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a mystery or a romance or something else altogether but it ended up being a nice blend. It was a nice taste for the Jane Austen fan in me with a little dash of intrigue to spice it up. I was worried it was going to be a bit preachy (being the story of a Missionary's daughter) but it was very mild in that regard and I didn't get the Bible-beaten feeling I've had with some stories. I'm a little curious how this is story #1, as it feels like it was all nicely wrapped up. The rest of the series will most likely be about different characters and will all be read-alone capable if you choose, but that's just a guess.

This review is based on a free e-galley from Netgalley.com.



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Friday, January 2, 2015

The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up by Jacob M Appel

The Man Who Wouldn't Stand UpThe Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up by Jacob M. Appel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wow. Not really sure where to start. I gotta admit, the main character of this book is pretty awesome. I could completely relate to his predicament. I always hated being made to say the pledge of allegiance in school and I can't stand patriotic anthems. I've always thought that being forced to be patriotic is about the most unpatriotic thing you can inflict upon someone. Although I don't have a problem with other people's actions, it really bothers me when they try to impose their systems on me. I leave them alone, I'd like the same courtesy in return. So yeah, I get this guy. I was totally behind him and his outrage. Which means you go on a really weird ride with him when he processes his own reactions and follows the domino trail. Feeling sympathy for him you just can't hate him for his own bad decisions. It's a very strange place to find yourself. Not sure I've felt so thoroughly connected throughout such a train wreck before. Must be a sign of brilliant story-telling.

This review is based on a free copy obtained through GoodReads First Reads.



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