tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45352006414523526992024-02-20T15:15:31.204+00:00Book For ThoughtBook For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-66633235596375389322021-06-01T12:01:00.003+01:002021-06-01T12:01:34.076+01:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEowlPQUCuEL7o4ih-LIhv3MChfvubSp7KbxncCrK0euJh7woDeSUXS1yEusP7RhgEn8WXkGAWi5XcnsF6-F5NzDUJn3I3Acuibtg6F6Q3rwZ6lrBuzvXuCSV_poQEQ847Y9EPr28qMnF/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIEowlPQUCuEL7o4ih-LIhv3MChfvubSp7KbxncCrK0euJh7woDeSUXS1yEusP7RhgEn8WXkGAWi5XcnsF6-F5NzDUJn3I3Acuibtg6F6Q3rwZ6lrBuzvXuCSV_poQEQ847Y9EPr28qMnF/w640-h360/we%2527ve+moved%2521.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Hi and thanks for visiting Book for Thought!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As of May 2021, I officially moved my blog to <a href="https://book-for-thought.com">https://book-for-thought.com</a>. As a result, I will no longer be updating this blog. All the old content is available on the new site, plus I continue to update it with new reviews, thoughts, features... I have loads planned! Come say hi! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/ZA5DTtqkU8bQDHuu16/giphy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="244" height="328" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/ZA5DTtqkU8bQDHuu16/giphy.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-62346738816513122602021-05-15T11:01:00.000+01:002021-05-15T11:01:20.868+01:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXRPSVvNnoIg5Qf0mM6eDw8opJwnYGj0dFeDymjtFnK784IhWPVyU4ecDYl9wcjWFr6k6oCuHfjXPtSAS7Ibq2iqHpIc7qcO6wPKbSIe54NZt9rJEzs3VPC1vVc8-ZvQjbWekvYDT3pLY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXRPSVvNnoIg5Qf0mM6eDw8opJwnYGj0dFeDymjtFnK784IhWPVyU4ecDYl9wcjWFr6k6oCuHfjXPtSAS7Ibq2iqHpIc7qcO6wPKbSIe54NZt9rJEzs3VPC1vVc8-ZvQjbWekvYDT3pLY/w639-h639/Black+and+Yellow+Bordered+World+Day+for+Safety+and+Health+at+Work.png" width="639" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-18411600623971451782021-05-08T16:17:00.003+01:002021-05-08T16:38:58.928+01:00Review: A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) by Sarah J. Maas<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1602570691l/53138095.jpg" width="260" /></div><b>Series: </b>A Court of Thorns and Roses #4</div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Bloomsbury</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> February 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 757</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53138095-a-court-of-silver-flames?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ut3xpssmJX&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Nesta Archeron has always been prickly proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance and healing in each other's arms.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Note: this review contains references to previous books in the series and minor spoilers. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I loved all the books in the ACOTAR series so far, so when I heard Nesta would be getting her own book I was equal parts excited to return to this world and concerned about her as the main character. It turns out, I was right to be concerned, but for the wrong reasons. Nesta Archeron as a protagonist actually ended up being the thing I enjoyed most in what was an otherwise disappointing and underwhelming read.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">At the start of the book, Nesta is a shadow of her former self, as she has seemingly lost all interest in life and passes her nights getting drunk in seedy taverns and sleeping with strangers. Nesta is clearly struggling to cope in the aftermath of the war with Hybern and all the trauma of being transformed into High Fae, going through a war and the violence and death that follows. Always a difficult person, her anger, venom and need to lash out at everyone around her seem to now have increased tenfold as she struggles to fit in with the rest of the Inner Circle. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Here is also where my problems with the book started. One of my main sources of disappointment was the way characters I had loved in previous books suddenly seemed completely changed in the way they relate to Nesta and push her to change her behaviour and, ultimately, herself. Rhys, Amren and Mor (for the short time she's actually around) seem nothing like the supportive, understanding characters who helped Feyre recover from her trauma and reach her full potential in previous books. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Now, were Nesta's coping mechanisms for dealing with trauma healthy? No. Should trauma be used to justify her behaviour and nastiness towards others? Also no. Is any of this a good reason for the Inner Circle to constantly belittle, body shame and slut-shame Nesta? <b>Absolutely</b> not. In particular, Mor's suggestion that Nesta should be sent to the Court of Nightmares for engaging in activities that were harmful to no one but herself (and Rhys' wallet), when Mor herself had been punished by her awful family for doing something not all that different actually enraged me. And this is all without even getting into Rhys' own patronising and controlling behaviour, both towards Nesta and towards Feyre, which would make this review way too long. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I also can't get over the fact that so much hostility towards Nesta is ostensibly rooted in her behaviour towards Feyre while they were in the mortal world, but none of it is extended to Elain, who was guilty of the <b>exact same thing</b>. Both of them were older than Feyre, and neither of them did anything at all to help her save them from starvation. Yet, for some reason, all is forgiven for poor, sweet, innocent, hypocritical, manipulative Elain but Nesta must atone for her sins and be punished for her past inactions. Elain is easily the character I dislike the most, in case you were wondering.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Despite all this, I did like the way Nesta's character grows and develops throughout the book. Her journey towards healing and self-acceptance is not an easy one, but it was great to see her persevere and find her place in the world. I loved the whole "Valkyrie" element and her friendship with Gwyn and Emerie, two characters I wish we'd seen more of throughout. Cassian was also great, and I loved how supportive he was of Nesta. I also liked having the dual POV, even though Cassian's inner voice sounds more like that of a horny teenager than a centuries-old, mature male.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Which brings me to my next big issue with this book. There was way too much smut. Now, I don't have a problem with sex scenes in general and I do appreciate them when they're well-written and add depth to the book. Here, however, it was just too much for my taste and I found most of the scenes to be repetitive, with ACOTAR's signature mix of growling, purring, roaring, etc. being repeated again, and again, and again... The plot was virtually non-existent for the majority of the book, as over half of it is Nesta training, shelving books and having sex. What little plot there was felt rushed, and most elements were predictable and/or deeply unrealistic within the world of the book. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><span class="spoiler">I'm sorry, but I just can't get on board with Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie beating all the Illyrians in the Blood Rite after training for a few months, when the males have been training for the Rite their whole lives. I'm all for female empowerment in books, but it has to make sense.</span><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">Overall, I was entertained and did enjoy the book (and I will definitely read the next in the series), but I was very disappointed by it, probably because my expectations were too high. Despite its length, I was left wanting more, in terms of characters but also plot-wise. The pacing and editing felt off, I almost forgot the villains existed, and there were also way too many elements that for me were problematic. I ended up really liking and rooting for Nesta, a character I had always found difficult, and so ultimately it was worth reading for me even though it didn't live up to the previous chapters in the series.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;">CW: this book contains mentions of abuse, rape, violence, explicit sexual content, death, grief, trauma, addiction, suicidal thoughts, misogyny, body shaming, and torture.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 3/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-34677593723866358222021-05-02T11:24:00.002+01:002021-05-02T11:41:01.379+01:00Review: Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd by Jonas Jonasson<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover206854-medium.png" width="260" /></div><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> HarperVia</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 336</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57399136-sweet-sweet-revenge-ltd" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Victor Alderheim has a lot to answer for. Not only has he heartlessly tricked his young ex-wife, Jenny, out of her art gallery inheritance, but he has also abandoned his son, Kevin, to die in the middle of the Kenyan savanna.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">It doesn't occur to Victor that Kevin might be rescued and adopted by a Maasai medicine man, or that he might be expected to undergo the rituals expected of all new Maasai warriors - which have him running back to Stockholm as fast as you can say circumcision without anaesthetic.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Back in Stockholm, Kevin's path crosses with Jenny's - and they have an awful lot to talk about, not least a shared desire to get even with Victor. So it's convenient when they run into a man selling revenge services, who has an ingenious idea involving Victor's cellar, a goat, some forged paintings, four large boxes of sex toys and a kilo of flour...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">I love Jonas Jonasson's books, and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36578942-the-100-year-old-man-who-climbed-out-the-window-and-disappeared?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=M0p4JtIA8Z&rank=5" target="_blank">The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared</a></i> remains one of my all-time favourite books. When I heard we were getting a new Jonasson book, I was beyond excited and more than ready for another wild ride filled with his trademark witty humour, sharp social commentary and surreal situations. Unfortunately, <i>Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd</i> didn't quite deliver for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">For starters, I had major issues with the pacing. The entire first half of the book moved way too slowly as we got a detailed backstory for every character. I would have appreciated this if it served to deliver fuller, more well-rounded characters (even if they were still Jonasson's usual eccentric brand), but sadly most of them remained quite flat throughout. Victor, the villain, his ex-wife Jenny and his son Kevin were prime examples of this: despite very detailed backstories, I still felt like there wasn't much to these characters. This was particularly disappointing in Victor's case, who had huge potential for further exploration and the sharp satire that Jonasson usually handles so well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The book picked up considerably in the second half, and especially when Ole Mbatian, a Massai medicine man who has never left his small village whose chief still refuses to use electricity, travels to Stockholm to find his adopted son Kevin. Ole stole all the scenes he was in and his exchanges with the police inspector were hilarious - pretty much what I expected from the whole novel. I also enjoyed learning something about Irma Stern, an artist I knew nothing about but whose work I'll definitely be checking out more after reading this book.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was an entertaining read despite its issues, and my disappointment in it might have stemmed more from my high expectations than anything else. A comedy of errors that missed the mark for me, but still good enough to pass a few hours.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 2.5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-48410475268243472452021-04-25T10:55:00.000+01:002021-04-25T10:55:10.341+01:00Review: Ariadne by Jennifer Saint<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover209048-medium.png" /></div><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Wildfire</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 400</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55622720" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">As Princesses of Crete and daughters of the fearsome King Minos, Ariadne and her sister Phaedra grow up hearing the hoofbeats and bellows of the Minotaur echo from the Labyrinth beneath the palace. The Minotaur - Minos's greatest shame and Ariadne's brother - demands blood every year.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives in Crete as a sacrifice to the beast, Ariadne falls in love with him. But helping Theseus kill the monster means betraying her family and country, and Ariadne knows only too well that in a world ruled by mercurial gods drawing their attention can cost you everything.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">In a world where women are nothing more than the pawns of powerful men, will Ariadne's decision to betray Crete for Theseus ensure her happy ending? Or will she find herself sacrificed for her lover's ambition?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I love retellings of Greek myths, so when I heard that Ariadne was going to be the protagonist of one, I was beyond excited. Ariadne is definitely one of the many, many women in Greek mythology to be sidelined, used and discarded and, ultimately, forgotten. Following in the footsteps of books like <i>Circe</i> and <i>The Silence of the Girls</i> (which I <a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2020/12/arc-book-review-silence-of-girls-pat-barker.html" target="_blank">reviewed</a> a few months ago), <i>Ariadne </i>seeks to rebalance the story, placing the titular princess at the centre of its narration.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">In fact, the book follows two women: Ariadne and her sister Phaedra, who has so far been snubbed even more than her more famous sister. I was extremely unfamiliar with her character even in the original myth, and while I could vaguely recall having heard the name before, I would have struggled to say anything more than that about her. Rediscovering these two characters was really great, and the book does a good job of placing them front and centre of the narration - definitely more than <i>The Silence of the Girls </i>did with Briseis. Nonetheless, I felt that something was still missing and <i>Ariadne</i> somehow failed to reach its true potential as a great retelling. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Most of it, for me, fell down to the narration. There is A LOT of telling in this book, as both Ariadne and Phaedra recount what happened to them as if talking directly to the reader. While this gives us great insight into their thoughts and feelings - which are very well depicted - it does make for a very slow pace and falls quite flat in places where more could certainly have been <i>shown</i>. There is also a fair bit of info-dumping, as different characters share various other Greek myths: Theseus in particular is guilty of an extremely long passage doing exactly that.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">What the book does a great job of, though, is sharing the pain and suffering of women who are constantly pawns in the games of gods and men: used, abused, punished and toyed with by both. Whether they are queens or common women ultimately doesn't matter, as they are all equally victims of an unjust, misogynist society. There are a lot of secondary themes running just under the surface, and I particularly enjoyed the reflections on motherhood and the different experiences of the characters.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Ultimately, I did enjoy <i>Ariadne </i>and, even though it never quite reached the peaks of <i>Circe</i>, it is a solid retelling that actually gives women a voice and calls out gods, heroes and common men alike for the way they treat the women around them. It would appeal to lovers of Greek myth and retellings, especially those who don't mind a slower pace and very limited action.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">CW: sexual violence, death, physical violence, child death, animal death, misogyny, suicide.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="background-color: white; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</span></span></h4><div style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-50066552129297110502021-04-18T17:12:00.003+01:002021-04-18T17:12:48.564+01:00Audiobook Review: Food Isn't Medicine by Dr Joshua Wolrich<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="520" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1611904754l/54531941.jpg" width="260" /></div><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Ebury</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Duration:</b> 5 hours 23 minutes</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54531941-food-isn-t-medicine?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ifalbGijKd&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Losing weight is <u>not</u> your life's purpose.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Do carbs make you fat?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Could the keto diet cure mental health disorders?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Are eggs as bad for you as smoking?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">No, no and absolutely no. It's all what Dr Joshua Wolrich defines as 'nutribollocks' and he is on a mission to set the record straight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">As an NHS doctor with personal experience of how damaging diets can be, he believes every one of us deserves to have a happy, healthy relationship with food and with our bodies. His message is clear: we need to fight weight stigma, call out the lies of diet culture and give ourselves permission to eat <i>all </i>foods. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Food Isn't Medicine</i> wades through nutritional science (both good and bad) to demystify the common diet myths that many of us believe without questioning. If you have ever wondered whether you should stop eating sugar, try fasting, juicing or 'alkaline water', or struggled through diet after diet (none of which seem to work), this book will be a powerful wake-up call. Drawing on the latest research and delivered with a dose of humour, it not only liberates us from the destructive belief that weight defines health but also explains how to spot the misinformation we are bombarded with every day.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Dr Joshua Wolrich will empower you to escape the diet trap and call out the bad health advice for what it really is: complete nutribollocks.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I rarely read and review non-fiction, and even more rarely do I listen to audiobooks, but I decided to make an exception with <i>Food Isn't Medicine</i> because the premise sounded just too interesting not to. At a time when we're bombarded by diet messaging, adverts and fake news surrounding nutrition, the idea of listening to a doctor setting the record straight really appealed to me. And boy, did he do a good job of it!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Food Isn't Medicine</i> is the book on nutrition I never knew I needed. It unpacks so many of the lies we've been fed over the years (pardon the pun), debunking several myths and exposing diet culture for what it really is. Backed up with actual science, this book was also eye-opening to me in explaining how all those studies that claim so many conflicting things actually come about, and what some of the flaws behind the research processes can actually skew results. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I found the author's reflections and integration of a social perspective fantastic as well. Inequalities and privilege play a massive role in nutrition (and health in general) and have so far often been missing from public discourse. I was amazed at my own ignorance in this respect, as I really had no idea at what massive inequalities still exist in our societies in terms of access to fresh food and appliances that I have so far taken for granted. In this, <i>Food Isn't Medicine</i> reads as a critique of modern Western society as much as an informational book on nutrition.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Joshua Wolrich is a brilliant narrator for the audiobook, going at just the right pace for me to try to convince myself that I can actually keep up with all the more sciency bits. Everything is really clearly explained and he included a handy glossary right at the beginning. My only issue is that listening to this as an audiobook I couldn't easily go back to reread a passage that particularly resonated with me, look up a word in the glossary again, or take notes. This is an issue I have with audiobooks in general, but I really felt like this one would have worked better for me as a physical book.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, <i>Food Isn't Medicine</i> is an informative, entertaining and eye-opening look at food, nutrition and diet culture delivered with kindness and empathy. I also loved the fact that the author included trigger warnings throughout! Definitely a book I'll refer to again in the future.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></u></span></span><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4.5/5</span></span></div></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-46456789391958222442021-04-11T16:28:00.003+01:002021-04-11T16:28:56.129+01:00ARC Book Review: Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover207250-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Doubleday</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 400</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54633167-lonely-castle-in-the-mirror?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=lg7T8EtHpR&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Seven students are avoiding going to school, hiding in their darkened bedrooms, unable to face their family and friends, until the moment they discover a portal into another world that offers a temporary escape from their stressful lives. Passing through a glowing mirror, they gather in a magnificent castle which becomes their playground and refuge during school hours. The students are tasked with locating a key, hidden somewhere in the castle, that will allow whoever finds it to be granted one wish. At this moment, the castle will vanish, along with all memories they may have of their adventure. If they fail to leave the castle by 5 pm every afternoon, they will be eaten by the keeper of the castle, an easily provoked and shrill creature named the Wolf Queen.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Delving into their emotional lives with sympathy and generous warmth, <i>Lonely Castle in the Mirror</i> shows the unexpected rewards of reaching out to others. Exploring vivid human stories with a twisty and puzzle-like plot, this heart-warming novel is full of joy and hope for anyone touched by sadness and vulnerability.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><h4><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Lonely Castle in the Mirror </i>is one of those books that left me thinking about them long after I finished them, its themes and characters still living in my mind weeks later. To be completely honest, this is one book I wasn't too sure about initially since I wasn't quite sure what to expect from it, but I'm so glad I gave it a go!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I went in knowing very little (I'd only read the blurb) and even so I found something quite different from what I'd expected. For starters, I thought the fantastical elements would be a lot more central to the story. That wasn't so, and I'm actually glad that the book developed in the way that it does. This book is its characters more than anything else and they are real kids facing all-too-real problems. Magic intervenes to pull them out of their daily lives and into the castle through the mirror, but from there it's all up to them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know that good characters are one of the key elements that will make or break a book for me and these characters definitely stole my heart. The book follows primarily one of the seven children, Kokoro, who stopped attending school due to bullying but cannot bring herself to open up with any of the adults around her to tell them what she went through. Kokoro's pain and struggle with anxiety in the aftermath of a serious incident were nuanced and depicted incredibly delicately and accurately. I really wanted to just hug Kokoro most of the time, as I could feel her pain and fear. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The other children were all equally fighting their own battles, struggling with mental health, bullying, death and sexual abuse, and were all equally compelling. I loved how we slowly got to see and understand more of who they really were and how they were feeling as they grew more comfortable around one another and started trusting each other. The friendships and tensions all felt extremely realistic, and I found myself getting attached to each of the characters as Kokoro did. While we got a glimpse into other characters' POVs, I would have liked to get to know them more intimately as we did Kokoro, even though it's probably best that we didn't as this kept the interactions more real, even in a fantasy world. Some of the children seemed slightly better developed than others, which was a shame, but overall they were all extremely compelling characters.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The only thing I really struggled with was the pace, which at times slowed down a bit too much for my liking. A few of the scenes in the castle, especially towards the middle of the book, felt like they dragged on a bit. This was more than compensated in the second half of the book. The pace picked up considerably with around 100 pages left to go, and I found myself completely unable to put it down! The ending was also incredibly satisfying and I completely did not see it coming, even though in hindsight all the hints were hidden in plain sight. I also got very emotional towards the end!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I don't know much about Japanese culture, so I really enjoyed learning more about it through this book. In particular, I had no idea that school abandonment and bullying were such serious issues in the country, and of the mental health crisis facing children and teenagers. This book does a wonderful job of raising awareness of these issues, which are also prevalent in Western societies, and in telling everyone who might be struggling: You are not alone. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this is a gorgeous read tackling complex and painful subjects, while at the same time acting as a reminder of the beauty to be found in genuine human connection and relationships. A tale of friendship and hope and the power of love in all its forms that I will definitely return to in the future. Highly recommended if you love character-driven stories and don't mind a slower pace.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">CW: bullying, mental illness, anxiety/panic attacks, death, sexual assault</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Rating</u>: 4.5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-67709841605728300052021-04-05T10:57:00.003+01:002021-04-05T10:57:43.630+01:00ARC Book Review: The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover216838-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Orbit</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 416</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57505069-the-midnight-bargain" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar to cut off her powers. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged mage, but her family are in severe debt, and only her marriage can save them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Beatrice finds a grimoire with the key to becoming a mage, but a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice's first kiss... with the sorceress's brother: the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">From the World Fantasy Award-winning author of <i>Witchmark</i> comes a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women's magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>The Midnight Bargain</i> is a charming, easy read, tackling themes of gender equality and power through a Regency-esque fantasy. Beatrice Clayborn is a powerful sorceress in a world where women are not allowed to practise magic and are locked into a marital collar that cuts off their powers. But Beatrice is determined to not let this become her fate, even as her family pushes her to marry to lift them out of the severe debt they have fallen into. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I really liked following Beatrice as the main character. She is powerful and knows it, and she is ready to challenge the whole of society for her right to become a mage - even if she has to do so in secret, risking everything. I wasn't too keen on the magic system itself, which seems to be strongly based in the mage being possessed by a spirit. Women learn magic from coded grimoires hidden in plain sight, and we get a fair bit of insight into how the magic works by following Beatrice as she conjures a luck spirit, Nadi.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Nadi was by far my favourite part of the book. I absolutely adored her and would totally take her with me everywhere and give her lots of cake. Nadi was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise quite predictable plot and character development. The rest of the cast is frankly quite forgettable, and the love interest, Ianthe, was quite bland for my taste. I also couldn't forgive the instalove and, even though I tried to look past it to enjoy the rest of the book, it bothered me to no end that Beatrice and Ianthe would be madly in love after briefly speaking ONCE. Ianthe's sister (and aspiring sorceress) Ysbeta was honestly a much more interesting character and I felt more chemistry between her and Beatrice, to the extent that I would have greatly preferred seeing them as a couple rather than the usual, predictable romance.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Crossing magic with a period drama is a great idea, especially for someone like me who loves both those elements, so I did overall enjoy reading this book. However, it was not without its faults. The plot was quite thin, the magic system problematic and the romance disappointing - in many ways, it reminded me of my experience watching <i>Bridgerton</i>, which I also found entertaining but deeply problematic. And yes, I did imagine Beatrice and Ianthe like this every time a dance was mentioned: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media0.giphy.com/media/R7gd0qLqjpz1Eztusp/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://media0.giphy.com/media/R7gd0qLqjpz1Eztusp/giphy.gif" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">I appreciated the effort to include a gender equality theme in the book, even though at times it felt more like reading a Feminism 101 guide disguised as a fantasy rather than a story seamlessly incorporating these themes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, <i>The Midnight Bargain</i> was a pleasant enough read, in no small part thanks to the author's excellent writing style. It had some serious issues for me (mostly the thin plot and overreliance on the instalove), but some charismatic characters and the never-ending charm of the Regency-like setting somewhat made up for those, leaving me mostly satisfied and only partly wishing that this book had dared go further to reach its full potential.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 3.5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-55034797989469058922021-03-20T17:25:00.001+00:002021-03-20T17:30:13.930+00:00ARC Book Review: Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover208039-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Picador</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 224</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57196876" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Five generations of women, linked by blood and circumstance, by the secrets they share, and by a single book passed down through a family, with an affirmation scrawled in its margins: We are force. We are more than we think we are.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">1866, Cuba: Mar</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ãa Isabel is the only woman employed at a cigar factory, where each day the workers find strength in daily readings of Victor Hugo. But these are dangerous political times, and as Mar</span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Ãa begins to see marriage and motherhood as her only options, the sounds of war are approaching.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">1959, Cuba: Dolores watches her husband make for the mountains in answer to Fidel Castro's call to arms. What Dolores knows, though, is that to survive, she must win her own war, and commit an act of violence that threatens to destroy her daughter Carmen's world.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2016, Miami: Carmen, still wrestling with the trauma of displacement, is shocked when her daughter Jeanette announces her plans to travel to Cuba to see her grandmother Dolores. In the walls of her crumbling home lies a secret, one that will link Jeanette to her past, and to this fearless line of women.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">From nineteenth-century cigar factories to present-day detention centres, from Cuba to the United States to Mexico, Gabriela Garcia's <i>Of Women and Salt</i> follows Latina women of fierce pride, bound by the stories passed between them. It is a haunting meditation on the choices of mothers and the tenacity of women who choose to tell their truth despite those who wish to silence them.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My Thoughts...</span></span></h4><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Of Women and Salt</i> was the perfect read around International Women's Day. Following five generations of Cuban women and a Salvadorean mother and daughter, this book takes us on a journey across space and time to witness the strength and tenacity of women who choose to keep fighting against all odds.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">These women are the only protagonists here, their voices (often silenced in their daily life) rising prominently to shine a light on their truths, their struggles, their pain, and their hopes for a better future. The men in their lives lurk in the background, their viewpoint unimportant and their main contribution being bringing pain and tears - or being conspicuously absent. The women finally take centre stage and reclaim what is theirs, even if only for short stretches. The book's nonlinear narration, in fact, means that it often reads more like a series of short stories or vignettes linked by a common thread.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Don't let this book's size fool you: despite being quite short, it is packed with content and material for reflections. It also takes some dark turns, and I found I often had to stop to give myself time to absorb what I'd just read and digest some of the harder themes. Covering everything from domestic violence to drug abuse, sexual violence and the harsh reality of a modern-day US immigration detention centre, <i>Of Women and Salt</i> is as far as from a light read as possible. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed it, in its own way.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The writing was beautiful and lyrical, and it quickly drew me in. The characters were complex and portrayed excellently, even if we only spent a limited time with each of them. The thing I struggled with most was the non-linear narration, but that's something I know I often find hard to follow. Each time/location change was clearly marked at the beginning of the new section, but I still found I often had to go back to remind myself how far in the future or in the past we had moved compared to what had come before.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Overall, this is a powerful book and a really strong debut from the author, and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future. <i>Of Women and Salt</i> takes an honest look at the harsh reality of life for many women, restoring their voices and their dignity, and certainly made me wish for the day when for women everywhere stories like this will be just that - stories.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">CW: domestic abuse, sexual violence, imprisonment, child abuse, death, violence, drug abuse and addiction</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</span></span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-89081665957391172422021-03-13T16:24:00.000+00:002021-03-13T16:24:13.689+00:00ARC Book Review: The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover208918-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Series:</b> The Prison Healer #1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Hodder & Stoughton</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 416</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53968496-the-prison-healer?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=N8yKdoargv&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Here at Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: <i>Don't let her die. We are coming.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But no one has ever survived.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>From bestselling Australian author Lynette Noni comes a masterful and action-packed YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><b><br /></b></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-weight: normal;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I was rather conflicted about <i>The Prison Healer</i>. In fact, I finished this almost a week ago and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>The Prison Healer</i> gripped me right from the very beginning. I thought the prison setting was quite original in a YA fantasy, where the daily reality of living in a place like Zalindov is represented and the main characters aren't constantly planning an escape. In some ways, Kiva almost seems resigned to her fate (even though she continues to hope her family will free her) and tries to make the most of her circumstances. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The world-building was also rather well executed and the elemental magic system was clear and easy to follow. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, but I guess I felt more forgiving of it because the characters were stuck inside the prison and, well... couldn't show much. The Trials themselves were, for me, probably the weakest part of the book but I still felt the pressure and anxiety Kiva was under. Despite that, they felt a bit repetitive and, by the time the final one rolled around, I had no more doubts as to what would happen next. The search for a cure to the plague sweeping the prison was by far more interesting for me, even though that too became slightly monotonous by the end, but again I could feel Kiva's frustration and concern.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Kiva was definitely the best part of the book. She's a highly compelling and complex character, struggling to survive in a place meant to crush and destroy everyone who sets foot inside. Her guarded behaviour felt very realistic in an environment where no one can be trusted, and I enjoyed seeing her grow and change throughout the story. I loved having a main character in a fantasy book whose main skills lie outside fighting, quite literally carving her place in this world while trying to make a difference in spite of everyone's suspicions and hatred. The rest of the cast was also very well-developed, and I enjoyed the group dynamic immensely.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">So, all good right? Well, not quite. <i>The Prison Healer</i> was shaping up to be one of my favourites so far this year... until the ending. Now, I'm definitely in the minority here and most people seem to have greatly enjoyed the ending, but for me it really fell flat and kind of ruined the whole book. It just felt really inconsistent with everything we had seen and heard so far, and meant Kiva had somehow been lying the whole time... in her own thoughts? I could have accepted it far more easily if we hadn't been following her POV, inside her head, thoughts and feelings, for the whole book. As it was, it just seemed slightly too convenient and built for the sake of a big shocking moment. It was a real shame, because I had been loving it up until then!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, <i>The Prison Healer</i> was an engaging read and (minus the ending) a solid start to a new series. I'll probably continue this as I did love the characters and I'm curious to see what will happen next!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>CW:</b> contains mentions of rape, graphic violence, torture, drugs, self-harm, child abuse, and death.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>The Prison Healer is out in April 2021!</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 3.5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-23261274813950588842021-03-06T11:19:00.004+00:002021-04-20T10:08:58.815+01:00ARC Book Review: All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover214349-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Titan Books</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> March 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 368</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55302933-all-the-murmuring-bones?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=j3Tgxv2EAY&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>For fans of Naomi Novik and Katharine Arden, a dark gothic fairy tale from award-winning author Angela Slatter.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><h4><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>All the Murmuring Bones</i> was an instant favourite. This is a truly spellbinding book that kept me up way too late into the night. The author's rich prose slowly drew me in until I was so immersed into the story that I completely lost all sense of time and space. It had been a long while since I was so absolutely and utterly sucked into a book! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I was definitely reminded of Naomi Novik's and Katherine Arden's books, two authors who wrote some of my favourite fantasy novels - and a rare instance of a blurb actually making a connection I agreed with. This book takes its time, so might not appeal to people looking for a fast-paced read, but it just worked for me. I really connected with the author's style and I ended up enjoying even the detours. I loved how the O'Malley's traditional stories were woven in throughout the book: while for the most part they weren't fully adding to the plot, they gave extra depth and insight into the family's history and traditions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The gothic atmosphere and folkloristic elements (such as mer-folk, selkies, ghosts, and so many more) worked beautifully together to create a dark and intricate world. The world-building does take a bit of a back seat in favour of character development, but I didn't mind too much since I usually prefer the latter anyway. I do love a good family secret, and this book was chock-full of them! I kept being surprised, and even though I had suspected where a few of the plot lines would end up, the way they were developed was still incredibly satisfying.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Character-wise, the book mostly relies on Miren to carry the whole thing. And she's entirely up to the task! I didn't immediately love Miren and found her too passive and bland for my liking, but her top-notch development quickly made her one of my new favourites. By the end, I fully admired Miren's strength of character and spirit, unbroken despite all the pain she suffered in life, and her quick wit. She was constantly undermined and underestimated by all those around her, and yet despite that she persevered in forging her own path. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/eM16dA4eiatuyUs3rA/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="480" height="267" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/eM16dA4eiatuyUs3rA/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was an extremely pleasant surprise, completely exceeding my expectations, and a book I can see myself gushing about for a long time yet! Might be particularly appreciated by lovers of dark folklore and fairy tales, strong character development and just enough magic.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">CW: this book contains mentions of abuse, violence (including against children), murder and incest.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-68974670476472413982021-02-20T11:00:00.009+00:002021-02-20T11:00:01.402+00:00ARC Book Review: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover211316-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Viking</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> March 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 288</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51158488" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>**From the bestselling author of <i>Homegoing</i> comes a searing novel of love and loss, addiction and redemption, straight from the heart of contemporary America.**</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">As a child Gifty would ask her parents to tell the story of their journey from Ghana to Alabama, seeking escape in myths of heroism and romance. When her father and brother succumb to the hard reality of immigrant life in the American South, their family of four becomes two - and the life Gifty dreamed of slips away.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Years later, desperate to understand the opioid addiction that destroyed her brother's life, she turns to science for answers. But when her mother comes to stay, Gifty soon learns that the roots of their tangled traumas reach farther than she ever thought. Tracing her family's history through continents and generations will take her deep into the dark heart of modern America.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I loved <i><a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2017/07/arc-book-review-homegoing-by-yaa-gyasi.html" target="_blank">Homegoing</a></i>, so when I heard Yaa Gyasi was due to release a new book I jumped at the chance to read it. And I was not disappointed. <i>Transcendent Kingdom</i> is in many ways different from <i>Homegoing</i>, although some of the same themes of family, belonging and identity are echoed here as well, but it is nevertheless a captivating and emotional read that confirms Yaa Gyasi as a great author - and a must-read one for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Transcendent Kingdom</i> is narrated by Gifty in a non-linear way, moving seamlessly between childhood memories, her present life and her reflections on life and its meaning, science, religion and lots more. I'm not usually a fan of non-linear narration so I was a bit worried about this going in, but to my surprise I actually got into the style quite quickly and I felt it worked perfectly as a reflection of Gifty's emotional and mental state.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Gifty was a really compelling character. Her struggle to make sense of life and loss, looking at religion and then science to provide answers to explain her deep suffering and grief, and to find ways to avoid it happening to others, made for a highly emotional and multilayered read. Some of the detail of both Gifty's experiments and her religious experience felt like it was a bit too much for me, and took me away from the main reflections, but that's just personal preference.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">This is an emotionally charged book, dealing with themes such as addiction, loss and grief, migration, discrimination, and mental health. Despite that (or maybe because it doesn't shy away from difficult topics), it is an engrossing read. The easy flow of Yaa Gyasi's beautiful style drew me right into Gifty's mind, asking with her, how do you keep going when your whole world comes crashing down around you?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">CW: drug addiction, death, grief, mental ill health, racism</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4.5/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-39703752865883822152021-02-07T15:19:00.002+00:002021-02-07T15:19:54.421+00:00Book Review: One Perfect Morning by Pamela Crane<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585837414l/50371393._SY475_.jpg" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Avon</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> August 2020</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 377</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50371393-one-perfect-morning" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>The deadliest secrets lie closest to home.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Mackenzie, Robin and Lily have been best friends since college. Twenty years on, they all live in the same neighbourhood with their perfect homes, perfect families, perfect lives...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">It would seem nothing could come between these three women. <i>Except for a betrayal</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Nothing could turn them against each other. <i>Except for a terrible past mistake.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Nothing could tear them apart. <i>Except for murder.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">One dead husband. Three best friends who tell each other everything - apart from the truth...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>One Perfect Morning</i> is a pleasant thriller, perfect if you're looking for an easy read on a rainy weekend, like I was.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">It's well known by now that I will read almost anything as long as there's a big secret involved - I'm a real sucker for them. And this book really delivered on that: there were more secrets than I could keep track of! Mackenzie, Robin and Lily are three best friends who keep a whole lot from one another, and I really enjoyed slowly discovering all their secrets. Some of them were quite predictable, others really surprised me, but all of them together made for a really twisty read. I enjoyed the alternating POVs as well, allowing us to take a glimpse of each woman's mind. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The book didn't have a whole lot more going for it though. Most of the characters felt more like stereotypical depictions rather than well-rounded individuals. This was particularly true of the three main characters: two housewives with no discernible interests beyond their homes, children and shopping, and one overly emotional, adulterous Italian - really? I feel like there was so much unrealised potential with these characters, and while they do improve towards the end of the book, it was too little, too late.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I also found the blurb to be slightly misleading. Yes, there is a murder but that's not really what drives a wedge between the friends. In fact, the event causing the rift happens way before murder is even contemplated and is much more complex. A lot of difficult topics are touched on throughout the book, including sexual abuse and consent, domestic violence and drug addiction. Some of them were explored more than others, and while I always appreciate complex issues such as these being portrayed and discussed in books, at times it felt as though they were just too many at the same time, and there just wasn't enough space to deal with all of them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was a pleasant enough read. All the secrets were enough to keep me engaged and entertained, and the ending was certainly one I'd never seen coming. While I had some issues with it, they didn't put me off and I would be interested in reading more from this author.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">CW: violence (including domestic violence), toxic relationship, sexual abuse, drug abuse</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 3/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-87850352562003738242021-01-30T12:21:00.001+00:002021-01-30T12:22:14.826+00:00ARC Book Review: A Pho Love Story by Loan Le<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover211603-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Simon & Schuster Children's UK</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 416</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55104729-a-pho-love-story" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>All's fair in love, war and noodles...</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">If Bao Nguyen had to describe himself, he'd say he was a rock. Steady and strong, but not particularly interesting. His grades are average, his social status unremarkable. He works at his parent's pho restaurant, and even there, he is his parents' fifth favourite employee.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">If Linh Mai had to describe herself, she'd say she was a firecracker. Stable when unlit, but full of potential for joy and spark and fire. She loves are, and she dreams of making a career of it one day. The only problem? Her parents rely on her in ways they're not willing to admit, including expecting her to work practically full-time at their family's pho restaurant.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">For decades, the Mais and the Nguyens have been at odds, having owned competing, neighbouring pho restaurants. Bao and Linh have resolved never to befriend each other, for fear of pushing too far and bringing on undue heartbreak. But when a chance encounter brings Linh and Bao closer, sparks fly...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Can Linh and Bao's love survive in the midst of feuding families and complicated histories?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>This delicious debut is perfect for fans of <i>When Dimple Met Rishi</i> and <i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before. </i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This was such a cute book! I fell absolutely in love with this Romeo-and-Juliet-like story and its delightful cast of characters. Much like a delicious bowl of pho, this book was heartwarming and cozy and generally perfect for helping me get through the struggle that was January.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Bao and Linh in particular were super-cute and relatable, and I really felt for them, which is something that doesn't happen to me all that often anymore when I read YA contemporary. I guess that's a sign I'm getting old... Bao's struggle to find his purpose and Linh's conflict between her passion for art and her parents' expectations were 100% realistic and something I could really sympathise about. The romance was also adorable, and I just could not get enough of these two!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/jI2mzYZtwAby4Ac5LB/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="500" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/jI2mzYZtwAby4Ac5LB/giphy.gif" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The secondary characters were also really well developed, and I enjoyed seeing all the various relationships developing and changing. This is really a book about family and friendship and community as well as romance, and I loved seeing that come through so naturally in the secondary characters as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">It was extremely refreshing to read about Vietnamese-American characters, something which I hadn't done before, and I feel like this allowed me to get a glimpse of such a rich culture. Bao's and Linh's families come from a traumatic past, which heavily influences their choices, but always remains in the background, never taking over. I particularly loved the vivid and rich descriptions of various Vietnamese foods, and it made me curious to try more of them. The downside: I was hungry for most of this book!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">One thing I would have liked to be done differently is the way that Vietnamese language is used throughout the book. There are many passages where whole sentences and exchanges are conducted in Vietnamese, which in itself is a wonderful thing, but often there was no translation or summary of what was said to accompany that. Now, I could sometimes guess what was said or make it out from the context, but there were a few instances where I was left completely clueless as to what had just been said, and that took something away from the experience for me. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, this is a very pleasant, lighthearted ownvoices read with lovable characters. Fair warning: do not consume on an empty stomach, as it will cause unlimited cravings for delicious Vietnamese foods, going well beyond the better-known pho.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</span></span></h4><div style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-35509438566160120712021-01-23T15:40:00.000+00:002021-01-23T15:40:13.700+00:00ARC Book Review: The Mask of Mirrors by M. A. Carrick<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover200109-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Series: </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Rook and Rose #1</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Orbit</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> January 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 672</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54396675" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Darkly magical and beautifully imagined, <i>The Mask of Mirrors</i> is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Nightmares are creeping through the city of dreams...</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Renata Viraudax is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nade</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">žra -- the city of dreams -- with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune and her sister's future.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">But as she's drawn into the aristocratic world of House Traementis, she realises her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as corrupted magic begins to weave its way through </span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; text-align: justify;">Nade</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">žra, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled -- with Ren at their heart.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">My Thoughts...</span></span></h4><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">What a ride this book was! I mean, only by reading the blub I <i>knew</i> this was a book for me: a con artist, a vigilante and crime lord, plus magic? Count me in for the ride!</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media1.giphy.com/media/mEnciyhXNQARSfnGCb/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/mEnciyhXNQARSfnGCb/giphy.gif" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">Ren was an absolute joy as a main character and I loved, loved, loved following her. She definitely has everything it takes to pull off such an elaborate con: she's incredibly smart and knows how to manipulate people, using her knowledge, beauty and talent for disguise to their full effect. She's also fiercely loyal, and I adored her relationship with her sister Tess. Multiple POVs alternate throughout the book, and I think that worked extremely well. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">I ended up feeling really invested in all the key characters. Each of them had their share of dangerous secrets, and they were all extremely well-rounded and multilayered. Special shoutouts to Vargo, a crime lord trying to work his way into local nobility, and Serrado, the conflicted captain who wants to use the guards' resources to benefit the lower classes instead of the rich. I loved these two so much! </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">But this is just scratching the surface. In this book there are so. many. characters! The cast is extremely varied and diverse, and it got to the point where I really struggled to remember who everyone was (especially when some of the names look quite similar). I did find out that there was a character list at the end, which I hadn't realised up until I got there (joys of reading the e-arc version!), and I would have definitely consulted it frequently if I had! There was also a glossary, which again would have been very useful had I noticed its existence before getting to the end of the book, since I struggled with remembering a lot of this world's vocabulary. Definitely won't make that mistake again!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">The world itself was beautifully built, with its complex society and history. I particularly liked that characters came from different backgrounds, and seeing the world through their eyes made it easier to understand the ethnic, religious and class conflict in the book. The local traditions were especially interesting, and so crucial to the plot, that it was a great pleasure to just learn more about them. The descriptions were quite detailed, which often was nice, but sometimes felt just a tad too long, and didn't really help the pace.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">Now, the pace was where my biggest issue with this book was. I often have this problem with adult fantasy books, so it's most likely a case of "it's not you, it's me", but for a large part of the book it just felt as if I was stuck in a loop: it didn't matter how much I read in a sitting, I just wasn't moving forward. As I said, I loved the characters and I enjoyed spending time with them, and the plot was engaging, full of twists and turns and danger and revelations, but still... somehow the pace felt off. Again, this is most probably me rather than the book itself, but it took something away from the experience for me.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;">Overall, though, <i>The Mask of Mirrors</i> was a really great read. Filled with engaging characters, a complex world, lies, danger, magic and a gripping plot, it's the perfect companion in these long, cold winter days. I'll take the rest of this trilogy now, please and thank you, I need to know what Ren gets up to next!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color: white;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</span></span></h4><div><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4></span></span></div></span></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-48825336117926024572021-01-17T12:27:00.002+00:002021-01-17T12:27:38.086+00:00ARC Book Review: Fable by Adrienne Young<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover208063-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Series: </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Fable #1</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Titan Books</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> January 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 352</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55707739" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><b>Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It's been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so, Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But her father's rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Fable</i> was one of my last reads of 2020, and it easily earned a spot among <a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2020/12/best-of-2020-my-favourite-reads.html" target="_blank">my favourite reads</a> of the year. This had everything I look for in a YA fantasy: adventure, secrets, a fascinating (if horrible) world, and just the right mix of romance and darkness. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The worldbuilding was done incredibly well here. I often have an issue with this in reading fantasy, where it sometimes seems there are either massive info-dumps or no explanation at all and we're just supposed to somehow... know it? Definitely not the case here! The characters' experiences, dialogues and moments of introspection allowed me to feel like I was really getting the essence of what it meant to grow up and live in the Narrows, not just witnessing a long history lecture. Now, don't get me wrong - the Narrows sound <i>awful</i> and I would never, ever want to visit them, but they were also the perfect setting for this story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The plot itself is actually quite thin, mostly following Fable as she tries to reunite with her father. But somehow I was still glued to the page, wanting to know where the characters would go next or what new disaster was waiting for them just around the corner. This is a rather dark book, with plenty of violence and cruelty, and most of the characters (especially some of the minor ones) are really ruthless. Nevertheless, I didn't feel at all put off by this (which sometimes happens) and I really enjoyed watching Fable fight to stay alive while remaining true to herself.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I loved the characters, especially West's crew. They keep secrets and are very guarded (and rightfully so), and it just felt right for their world that they would not easily welcome a newcomer in their midst. I would have liked to see some of them be slightly more developed, but even so it just worked. I also really liked Fable, even though sometimes she didn't feel quite as fleshed out as a character as she could have been. But watching her grow and try to survive while going through an inner conflict was one of my favourite things in this book. I also loved that she had actual professional skills to draw on and to carve herself a place in the ship crew. This feels actually quite rare for a strong female protagonist in YA fantasy, and I really appreciated reading it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My biggest moan with this is the ending. It ends rather abruptly and the story feels incomplete. This will probably be resolved with the second installment in this duology - I expect it will eventually read like a single story in two volumes - but it just felt... off.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was a really pleasant, if at times dark, read. If you're looking for a fast-paced YA fantasy with piraty vibes and a strong set of characters, <i>Fable </i>is the one for you. Now, please hand me book two as soon as possible!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span><u>Rating</u>: 5/5</span></span></h4><h4 style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsHmp-cHR0TOWfRn82ufxwa8fdraejU4hjZrh70cpowBYWr1QFCGybAVcj6KGQcPBq9FxAOIca8lie-IGCbo76N0UyfgKzC2IyxvoHYdL9DCzGeFLNnNiZXQlS2-C6XeYxYX0TCFQBqfs/w93-h61/butterfly-896668_960_720.png" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;" width="93" /></h4>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-70920317354513242542020-12-31T11:55:00.003+00:002020-12-31T18:07:07.847+00:00The Best of 2020 - My Favourite Reads of the Year<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="2000" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlXIR5zjwGGHWvFQ83JwWJtQwcAgu8VwDABUua5QEDYehDa8dFhImoNrV6zMpHnv-_-Qxcrea21oqqrrvG6SgmncWobg2idXGV2eT7Lte87qhPY9vhxLN51J-cOqWJLNf7bId3-VmVKCx/w640-h453/The+Best+of+2020.jpg" width="640" /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">2020 is definitely a year we won't forget anytime soon. This most strange year was a time of great sadness and worry, of starts and stops and constantly changing plans. It was a tough year, no question.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/1ZDysdjIWUkXwSEWDv/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/1ZDysdjIWUkXwSEWDv/giphy.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/natgeochannel-season-1-nat-geo-valley-of-the-boom-1ZDysdjIWUkXwSEWDv" style="font-family: georgia; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">via GIPHY</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">However, for me it was also a year in which to take time for myself and re-learn to prioritise my well-being, take stock and re-evaluate my priorities. For the first time in a very long while, I also had (and made) time for things I enjoyed doing but neglected due to my hectic life, like this blog. So, while I'm certainly glad to see the end of 2020, in a way I'm also grateful for the opportunities it gave me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Of course, as we all know, staying inside is a lot easier when you have great books to keep you company! I didn't read that many new releases this year (although the ones I did were definitely worth it!) and I decided to finally catch up on some older reads that I'd missed out on instead. So, here's a round-up of my favourite reads this year, in no particular order.<span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="301" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547121920l/43528707._SY475_.jpg" width="254" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43528707-the-familiars" target="_blank"><i>The Familiars</i> </a>by Stacey Halls</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: left;">Y</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; text-align: left;">oung noblewoman Fleetwood Shuttleworth is pregnant again after several unsuccessful pregnancies when she discovers a hidden doctor's letter predicting that she will not survive another birth. After a chance meeting with local midwife Alice Grey, Fleetwood hires her for help in delivering a healthy baby and surviving at the same time. But Alice is soon accused of witchcraft, and Fleetwood has to race against time to prove her innocence if she wants to save both their lives.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">I adored this book! I was completely glued to it and couldn't wait to see what would happen to the characters. A great story of female friendships and strength set against the background of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, which I knew nothing about (bonus learning points!), it also explores the age-old question: was witch hunting really just hunting women?</span></div></div>
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<h4><br /></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553629518l/43819388._SY475_.jpg" width="260" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43819388-the-hate-u-give" target="_blank">The Hate U Give</a></i> by Angie Thomas</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;">Sixteen-year old Starr lives life balancing between her posh high school in the suburbs and the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised. When Starr is the only witness to a police officer shooting her unarmed best friend, this balance is shattered and Starr is forced to decide what she will say, and what kind of person she will be.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;">I'd somehow missed reading this book so far and I'm really glad I finally did! This is an incredibly powerful book with excellent character development and an engaging writing style. It was also a very timely read, as it explores very significant contemporary issues around race, inequalities and police brutality, identity and belonging. The subject matter is obviously tough, but it's dealt with beautifully. Also, this gets bonus points for having a YA protagonist who has a good relationship with their parents!</span></div></b></div></div></div>
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<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover179772-medium.png" width="260" /></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"><i><a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2020/11/book-review-set-my-heart-to-five-stephenson.html" target="_blank">Set My Heart To Five</a></i> by Simon Stephenson</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large;"><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Set in a near future where humans have destroyed most things on Earth (and the moon), this story is narrated by Jared, a bot made to look exactly like a human with one big difference: he has no capacity for feelings. Things become complicated for Jared once he realises that he is starting to experience feelings in spite of his programming and has to learn how to understand them with the help of his new friend Dr Gludenstein and lots of old movies. This brings him to the realisation that he must use his new understanding to write a movie of his own which will finally reconcile humans and bots... and become a fugitive in the process.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This was probably the most original and quirky book I read this year. Even though I had some issues with the style (especially at the beginning), I still remember this book well, which is a big thing for me as I tend to forget details quite quickly. A touching reflection on what it means to be human and to love, diversity and discrimination, and the cost of sacrifices made in the name of "progress".</span></div></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover206447-medium.png" width="265" /></div><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></b></div></div></div></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2020/10/arc-book-review-i-want-to-be-where.html" target="_blank">I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are</a></i> by Rachel Bloom</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A collection of personal essays, poems, songs and even an amusement park map from the hilarious creator of the show <i>Crazy-Ex Girlfriend, </i>exploring the subjects of insecurity, fame, anxiety and much more.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;">Another great 2020 release, this collection of essays was just what I needed this year. Rachel Bloom deploys her distinctive style in a quest for "normality", touching on difficult topics honestly and wholeheartedly. As with most of her work, some essays resonate more easily than others and a few border on giving waaay too much information, but all of them are incredibly engaging, funny and reflective at the same time.</span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53855937" target="_blank"></a></div>
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<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328328679l/13190720.jpg" width="265" /></div><span><div style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13190720-cinder" target="_blank">The Lunar Chronicles</a></i> </b></div><div style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">series </b><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">by Marissa Meyer</b></div><div style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;"><b style="color: #073763; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This bestselling series reimagines classic fairytales in a futuristic world where humans, androids, cyborgs and Lunars co-exist against the backdrop of a world-wide deadly plague. A teenage cyborg named Cinder discovers some important secrets about herself, leading her to risk everything, including her life. Along with a diverse crew, she must work to rise up against evil Queen Levana to save her country and possibly the world.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I had always heard the hype around this series but somehow hadn't read it until this year. I'm often wary of over-acclaimed books, but this was worth ALL THE LOVE! I adored this series and its characters, and while I'm kicking myself for not reading it earlier, I am glad I started it now that all the books are out so I could jump straight from one to the next. I wasn't too keen on finding a plague over here as well and I was definitely worried about the sci-fi elements as I often don't like them, but Marissa Meyer won me over completely and very, very quickly. Definitely a new favourite and one I'll be pushing on anyone I know who hasn't yet read it.</span></div></span></div></div>
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<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603007059l/55707739._SY475_.jpg" width="263" /></div><b style="color: #073763; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55707739-fable" target="_blank">Fable</a></i> by Adrienne Young</b><br /><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Seventeen-year-old Fable is the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows. Four years after her mother drowned in a storm and her father abandoned her on an island filled with ruthless thieves, Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West and his crew to help her get off the island and to her father. But as dangers and rivalries abound in the Narrows and nothing and no one are as they seem, they will have to fight hard to stay alive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was one of my last reads of 2020, and it was a great way to close my reading year. I adored all the characters with their secrets and beautiful complexities, and while I would never, ever want to visit the Narrows, the world was built perfectly. My biggest moan about this is that now I have to wait until the second book in this duology comes out to see what happens next. Keep an eye out for my full review, coming soon!</div></span></div></div>
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<br /><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: center;">What were your favourite reads this year? </h4><h4 style="text-align: center;">Tell me all in the comments!</h4><div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;">Stay safe, healthy and bookish, everyone! Wishing you and your loved ones all the best for 2021!</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/YFvsijo5ykudawY4zH/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="480" height="369" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/YFvsijo5ykudawY4zH/giphy.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: left;"><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/new-year-2021-happy-YFvsijo5ykudawY4zH" style="text-align: left;">via GIPHY</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-51980305448397622902020-12-26T11:00:00.001+00:002020-12-26T11:00:01.010+00:00ARC Book Review: Renna's Crossing by Geordie Morse<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover210082-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></b></div></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Black Rose Writing</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> October 2020</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 292</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55598941-renna-s-crossing?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=O0YADorOr9&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Sixteen-year-old Renna Porter has grown out of a painful and uncanny childhood. Her dark dreams are in the past, and she can finally enjoy her life with her three dads and a dozen surrogate siblings. However, a visit from a dapper witch named Job reveals the tragic birthright of her blood. The witch Mab, Job's tutor and grandmother to Renna perished fighting a vengeful demon twelve years prior. Now it has returned to burn the last branch of Renna's family tree.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Job tutors Renna in witchcraft while they race to a fortified rectory deep within the Adirondacks. As the demon draws closer, the bond between teacher and student wears thin, and forgotten family steps out of Renna's past with an offering of dark power. Renna must decide if blood is thicker than water, and which will help her survive against an unstoppable hell-fiend.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">First of all, let's just take a moment to admire that GORGEOUS cover art. Honestly, I'm so in love with it!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/Xd1M8ByP1Ar2ePLKBc/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/Xd1M8ByP1Ar2ePLKBc/giphy.gif" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">There were quite a few things I really enjoyed about <i>Renna's Crossing</i>. The premise gave an original spin to the whole "teenage hero completely unaware they were born with great powers" trope. Despite not knowing much about the demon, its presence was really felt throughout, as it guided some of the main characters' choices. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I also really liked the diverse cast, and definitely appreciated seeing a discussion on pronouns early on. Contrary to some other books I've read recently, the diversity here didn't feel token and we weren't repeatedly bashed over the head with how diverse this book is. Each character brought their own unique background and personality to the game, and that just made it... themselves. So refreshing! I really enjoyed how some elements from different religious traditions were included, and particularly the loa, which I knew nothing about and prompted me to do a bit of research. I really LOVE it when books help me learn something new!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The style was a bit hit-and-miss for me. I tended to really enjoy the descriptions and world-building: they felt extremely vivid, and I could picture it all clearly, which is always a good sign! The dialogues though fell really flat for me. Most of them felt too forced and unnatural, which made them hard to enjoy. It probably didn't help that as the story progressed, I found most of the characters annoying. The only ones I really cared about by the end were the dads and children in the foster home, and I wish we got to see more of them.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The pacing was also a bit off. The book started off strong and very quickly lost steam, so that for most of it it felt like the story was just dragging on and then it rushed to the ending. This was really a shame, as it had the potential to be much more gripping! The magic was also slightly underwhelming, and I would have definitely liked to see more of it throughout. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was a fairly pleasant read that might appeal to someone looking for a diverse fantasy. It is a slow burn, so avoid if you're looking for a fast-paced read.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 3/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-66089091962409077332020-12-19T15:46:00.005+00:002020-12-19T15:46:52.532+00:00ARC Book Review: The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover140310-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Penguin</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> May 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 325</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39866035" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The ancient city of Troy has withstood a decade under siege of the powerful Greek army, which continues to wage bloody war over a stolen woman: Helen. In the Greek camp, another woman watches and waits for the war's outcome: Briseis. she was queen of one of Troy's neighbouring kingdoms until Achilles, Greece's greatest warrior, sacked her city and murdered her husband and brothers. Briseis becomes Achilles's concubine, a prize of battle, and must adjust quickly in order to survive a radically different life, as one of the many conquered women who serve the Greek army.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">When Agamemnon, the brutal political leader of the Greek forces, demands Briseis for himself, she finds herself caught between the two most powerful of the Greeks. Achilles refuses to fight in protest, and the Greeks begin to lose ground to their Trojan opponents. Keenly observant and coolly unflinching about the daily horrors of war, Briseis finds herself in an unprecedented position to observe the two men driving the Greek forces in what will become their final confrontation, deciding the fate not only of Briseis's people, but also of the ancient world at large.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Briseis is just one among thousands of women living behind the scenes in this war - the slaves and prostitutes, the nurses, the women who lay out the dead - all of them erased by history. With breathtaking historical detail and luminous prose, Pat Barker brings the teeming world of the Greek camp to vivid life. She offers nuanced, complex portraits of characters and stories familiar from mythology, which, seen from Briseis's perspective, are rife with newfound revelations. Barker's latest builds on her decades-long study of war and its impact on individual lives - an dis nothing short of magnificent.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I love retellings. There's something particularly enjoyable for me in reading a familiar story from a different point of view, and I particularly enjoy the ones where traditionally male-centric stories are re-told from women's perspectives. Similarly to other great retellings, like <i><a href="https://book-forthought.blogspot.com/2018/03/arc-book-review-penelopiad-margaret-atwood.html" target="_blank">The Penelopiad</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35959740-circe" target="_blank">Circe</a></i>, <i>The Silence of the Girls</i> takes on Greek mythology, and in particular the Trojan war.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The book is told entirely through the point of view of Briseis, a queen forced to become a slave after the Greeks conquer her city and murder her husband. While in the original Briseis is little more than a plot device to explain Achilles's rage and refusal to fight, here she finally takes on a full life, and her story is told fully. All the characters, from the well-known Greeks heroes to the mostly-forgotten women who live with them, are beautifully portrayed and explored, and I really enjoyed seeing them interact in new ways. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Briseis and the other women really take centre stage here, and they hold it perfectly, sharing their stories so that they will not be forgotten, and in so doing remembering all the women whose voices were taken away. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Although I mostly found this an interesting and gripping new take on an old classic, there were a few times where the pacing of the book fell a bit flat for me and it felt somewhat repetitive, especially in some parts describing camp life. I was also not too keen on how much focus was on Achilles at one point - we got enough of that elsewhere, and I just didn't feel the need for it here. This book also openly discusses violence of various kinds and rape, which might be triggering to some people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, <i>The Silence of the Girls</i> was an excellent retelling, giving us some insight in the life of the voiceless and forgotten. Ultimately, it is a tale of resilience and resistance, in whichever way that may be possible, and the real, human effects of war once the glamour and glory are removed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-39941115574986625952020-12-12T10:00:00.001+00:002020-12-12T10:00:02.082+00:00ARC Book Review: Deeplight by Frances Hardinge<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover169995-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Macmillan Children's Books</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> October 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 432</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53042050" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The gods were as real as the coastlines and currents, and as merciless as the winds and whirlpools. For centuries the gods of the Undersea ruled the islands of the Myriad through awe and terror: they were very real, and very dangerous.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Sacrifices were hurled into the waters to appease them, and every boat was painted with pleading eyes to entreat their mercy. They were served, feared and adored. Then, thirty years ago, the gods rose up in madness and tore each other apart. Now, none remain.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">The islands have recovered and the people have patched their battered ships and moved on. On one of these islands live Hark and his best friend Jelt. To them, the gods are nothing but a collection of valuable scraps to be scavenged from the ocean and sold.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But now something is pulsing beneath the waves, calling to someone brave enough to retrieve it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Summary</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I read Frances Hardinge's <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23592175-the-lie-tree" target="_blank">The Lie Tree</a></i> a few years ago and I absolutely loved it, so I was really excited to read <i>Deeplight</i>. Also, can we just take a moment to admire its GORGEOUS cover?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><i>Deeplight</i> is an extremely original book, and the author's world-building is top notch. The islands' history and lore are explained in detail, and the people's complex relationship with their now-extinct gods is explored without it ever feeling like a (fictional) history lesson. It does, however, really take its time with this and I ended up finding the slow pace of the first half rather challenging. I struggled a bit to push through it, and the second half more than compensated for it, but it could easily put some people off.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I really enjoyed seeing the characters evolve throughout the book, although I was more than a little frustrated with them most of the time. Hark was definitely one of the most infuriating characters I've seen in a long time, as he keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. He is completely beholden to his best friend Jelt, who supposedly looks after Hark but is rather obviously manipulating and coercing him the entire time. This extremely toxic friendship is the focus of most of the book and, while it does make sense that Hark would be the last one to realise what is glaringly obvious to literally everyone else in the book and out, I was quickly bored by this dynamic. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">After pushing through a slow start and an annoying main character, we are rewarded with a wonderful second half and some brilliant supporting characters, all of which more than made up for this book's flaws. I would have liked to see some more of the gods, but what we did get was enough to keep me reading.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was a very original and unique fantasy. It's a slow burn with a very slow start and depicts a toxic relationship which could be triggering to some, but once the pace picked up it was definitely worth the initial struggle.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-79731060513333303932020-12-05T11:00:00.008+00:002020-12-05T13:24:52.287+00:00ARC Book Review: The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover206445-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Series: </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">The Ravens #1</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;"><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Hodder & Stoughton</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> January 2021</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 400</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49046937-the-ravens?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=GGk2vWWDj5&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">From <i>New York Times</i> bestselling authors Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige comes a thrilling, dark contemporary fantasy about a prestigious sorority of witches and two girls caught up in its world of sinister magic and betrayals.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">At first glance, the sisters of ultra-exclusive Kappa Rho Nu - the Ravens - seem like typical sorority girls. Ambitious, beautiful, and smart, they're the most powerful girls on Westerly College's Savannah, Georgia, campus.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But the Ravens aren't just regular sorority girls. They're witches.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Scarlett Winter has always known she's a witch, and she's determined to be the sorority's president. But if a painful secret from her past ever comes to light, she could lose absolutely everything...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Vivi Devereaux has no idea she's a witch. So when she gets a coveted bid to pledge the Ravens, she vows to do whatever it takes to be part of the magical sisterhood. The only thing standing in her way is Scarlett, who doesn't think Vivi is Ravens material.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">But when a dark power rises on campus, the girls will have to put their rivalry aside to save their fellow sisters. Someone has discovered the Ravens' secret. And that someone will do anything to see these witches burn...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">I tend to really enjoy books involving magic and witches, and <i>The Ravens</i> was no exception! The idea of a college sorority hiding a coven was just brilliant. "The Ravens", as the Kappa Rho Nu sisters call themselves, are the most exclusive and envied sorority on campus - they throw the best parties, wear the most fashionable clothes and always look perfect and gorgeous, winning everyone else's adoration and envy. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">What no one on campus knows, though, is that this is all possible thanks to magic.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="500" src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/4xG9jDcsPu2A/giphy.gif" /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The actual magical system was quite easy to understand, based on tarot cards and each witch's natural affinity to one of the elements (earth, water, fire and air), and I really enjoyed discovering how the sisters could work together to increase their powers. There was a real focus on sisterhood and cooperation throughout the book that I really loved to read about. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Which brings me to my biggest moan about this book: the whole Scarlett-hating-Vivi dynamic, which is a constant for the majority of the book, is brought on by... yes, you guessed it - a guy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/3o7btY0wnQWLZzL2JW/giphy.gif?cid=ecf05e47e81085f190f177382d613023633f859fc19850c1&rid=giphy.gif" /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This feels like such a cliché I was seriously disappointed to see it in an otherwise great book promoting solid female friendships. The romantic interests in general seemed to be in the book just... because? They really do very little beyond acting as a catalyst for conflict between the two main characters.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Aside from that, the characters were well-developed, and I did like to see them grow into themselves and deepen their bond. I really liked the fact that all characters got a fair shot, even the secondary ones. Vivi and Scarlett, with their alternating POVs, were beautifully fleshed out and so relatable, despite being very different from each other.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">There were a few intertwining mysteries The Ravens had to solve and, even though I had a fairly good idea of where we might end up, I was glued to the page wanting to see what might happen next. I got some serious <i>Pretty Little Liars</i> vibes from this, which was weird given the college rather than high school setting, but it was very enjoyable all the same.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this was a gripping read than made me regret having life commitments that meant I couldn't read this all in one setting. Despite the one major flaw for me, it really works and is a great start to a new series. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for The Ravens!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-39147600156915480692020-11-28T12:00:00.001+00:002020-11-28T12:00:01.179+00:00ARC Book Review: Tuesday Mooney Wore Black by Kate Racculia<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover163349-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> HarperCollins</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> October 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 425</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51376164-tuesday-mooney-wore-black" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><h4><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">A dying billionaire sends one woman and a cast of dreamers and rivals on a citywide treasure hunt in this irresistible novel by the author of Bellweather Rhapsody.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Tuesday Mooney is a loner. She keeps to herself, begrudgingly socializes, and spends much of her time watching old Twin Peaks and X-Files DVDs. But when Vincent Pryce, Boston's most eccentric billionaire, dies - leaving behind an epic treasure hunt through the city, with clues inspired by his hero, Edgar Allan Poe - Tuesday's adventure finally begins.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Puzzle-loving Tuesday searches for clue after clue, joined by a ragatg crew: a wisecracking friend, an adoring teen neighbor, and a handsome, cagey young heir. The hunt tests their mettle, and with other teams from around the city also vying for the promised prize - a share of Pryce's immense wealth - they must move quickly. Pryce's clues can't be cracked with sharp wit alone; the searchers must summon the courage to face painful ghosts from their pasts (some more vivid than others) and discover their most guarded desires and dreams.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">A deliciously funny ode to imagination, overflowing with love letters to art, from <i>The Westing Game</i> to Madonna to the Knights of the Round Table, <i>Tuesday Mooney Wore Black</i> is the perfect read for thrill seekers, wanderers, word lovers, and anyone looking for an escape to the extraordinary.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Well, this was... messy? I don't even know anymore... <i>Tuesday Mooney Wore Black</i> started from a great premise: billionaire treasure hunt with a quirky and mismatched groups of people? I was sold! Unfortunately, the more I read the less I enjoyed it, and by the time I got to the end I was speechless and not in a good way.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">The idea for this was absolutely brilliant, and I loved the initial set up and mystery. As the story progressed, however, it started to get more and more complicated. I usually enjoy a good complex mystery, and even mixing up elements from various genres in one story, making it more original and avoiding the usual tropes. Here, though, it felt like the book was trying to do too many things at the same time, and didn't leave itself space to do any one of them fully.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Character development was also hit-and-miss for me. Tuesday and her neighbour Dorry were definitely my favourite characters and they both grow loads throughout the book, which I loved to see. The rest of the cast... meh. There were way too many characters, some of which really felt like little more than placeholders, so much so that I could hardly remember their names let alone why they were there in the first place. And even with the most important supporting characters, by the time we finally got to the ending they fell completely flat. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span class="spoiler">Like, I'm sorry but HOW did no one do anything when Nathaniel attacked Tuesday?? I would have been waaaay more upset at my so-called friends if they'd reacted the way Dex, Archie or any of the other finalists had than Tuesday seemed to be.</span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, I was really sad not to have liked this more, but there were too many inconsistencies for me to fully enjoy it. I definitely seem to be in the minority here though, so if the blurb intrigues you give it a go and see what you think!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 2.5/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-54348505760654718982020-11-21T16:36:00.000+00:002020-11-21T16:36:03.323+00:00ARC Book Review: The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover150822-medium.png" /></div>I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Quercus</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> April 2019</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 400</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36478784-the-flatshare?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=FYZ5927YHG&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>Tiffy and Leon share a flat</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>Tiffy and Leon share a bed</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>Tiffy and Leon have never met...</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they're crazy, but it's the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy's at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven't met yet, they're about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>The Flatshare</i> is a cute book starting from a very unusual premise: Tiffy and Leon sleep in the same bed despite having never met, as one of them is home while the other is at work. It is a romance book, so we already kind of know how things will turn out, but it was nevertheless fun to see how our MCs got there.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">For some reason, I struggled to get into this book at first, but by the end I was invested in the story and the characters. I really liked the idea of having alternating POVs, so we got to see things from both Tiffy's and Leon's perspective and it was easier to understand both characters' background and motivations. Still, some things were quite baffling, such as Leon's initial decision not to meet Tiffy at all, despite living in the same house... like, seriously?! But eventually I came to care for both of them, and their amazing friends. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">I really liked to see how well fleshed out the characters were, and how they grew as the book progressed. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Despite the light, fuzzy romance, the book also dealt with some pretty hard topics like gaslighting and emotional abuse, and miscarriages of justice. It was good to see these elements integrated into the narrative, but I feel like there should be a trigger warning there as they're not things one would necessarily expect from the blurb. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, this was a funny, light-hearted book with some serious undertones that rang truer than most romance books, even though some bits didn't really work for me. I'll definitely be reading more from this author!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><h4 style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 3.5/5</b></span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-32945581068138605032020-11-14T15:09:00.000+00:002020-11-14T15:09:31.890+00:00ARC Book Review: The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover149234-medium.png" /></div><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Borough Press</span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> January 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 304</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43541907-the-red-address-book?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=D6EeEpIT6c&rank=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>The Red Address Book</i> follows 96-year-old Doris, who writes down the memories of her eventful life as she pages through her decades-old address book. But the most profound moment of her life is still to come...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Meet Doris, a 96-year-old woman living alone in her Stockholm apartment. She has few visitors, but her weekly Skype calls with Jenny - her American grandniece, and her only relative - give her great joy and remind her of her own youth.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper. In writing down the stories of her colourful past - working as a maid in Sweden, modeling in Paris during the 30s, fleeing to Manhattan at the dawn of the Second World War - can she help Jenny, haunted by a difficult childhood, unlock the secrets of their family and finally look to the future? And whatever became of Allan, the love Doris' life?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>The Red Address Book</i> is a quiet book, one that doesn't rush but rather takes its time and slowly, delicately infiltrates your heart. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Doris' red address book, evidence of a long and full life but increasingly filled with crossed-out names marked "dead", prompts her to write down the story of her life by concentrating of some of her most meaningful relationships. I really loved the juxtaposition between younger, energetic Doris and older Doris, struggling to come to terms with the gradual loss of her physical abilities and her independence. Doris really <i>lived -</i> sometimes making tough choices and sometimes having to deal with the result of other people's choices or external circumstances - but she learned to accept it all, the good and the bad, and make the most of it. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">It was refreshing to read about an elderly protagonist who isn't the usual cantankerous old woman. Yes, Doris did have her moments of intolerance, but they were limited and justified by her frustration at finding herself deprived of her independence. The rest of the time, Doris was caring, funny and resourceful, even teaching herself how to use Skype in order to keep in touch with her family in the US. I also liked getting to know Jenny, Doris' grandniece and only remaining family, and really felt her pain at having to confront a loved one's mortality. I wasn't too keen on Allan at first and definitely felt like he could have explored more as a character and in his relationship with Doris.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect going in this book, but I ended up falling in love with Doris and having ALL the feels! I definitely choked up towards the end, and when I turned that last page it felt like saying goodbye to an old friend.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">Overall, this is a bittersweet and charming read that will likely appeal to fans of family histories and quiet historical dramas.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4535200641452352699.post-46226756563148062762020-11-08T15:38:00.000+00:002020-11-08T15:38:37.768+00:00ARC Book Review: Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stephenson<div br="" gt="" style="background: none 0% 0% repeat scroll rgb(255, 185, 15); padding: 5px 8px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/netgalley-covers/cover179772-medium.png" /></div>I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.</span></b></div></div>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: left;">Publisher:</b><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Fourth Estate</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Published:</b> May 2020</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><b>Pages:</b> 356</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<span id="goog_1877785718"></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49122676" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqwZpGL7A4muwATl-cTTZRSjjUol_9zkPlzSxcO1e96xwOJxJbvyUmjO4h6IQ0WuW9j32p3KSzpTMSbvM7KNjB4Rf0vPNPgitIBzzbm2tIx3cxnj-BHJei37RULCDS8hSvXe17lA-BxpS/s1600/goodreads-badge-add-plus-fad3b68d35050280ea55d50f17c654b5.png" /></a></div>
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<h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></h4><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4><span style="color: #ffa400; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Summary</span></h4><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Set in a 2054 where humans have locked themselves out of the internet and Elon Musk has incinerated the moon, <i>Set My Heart to Five</i> is the hilarious yet profoundly moving story of one android's emotional awakening.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Unhappy with his programmed job of dentistry and inspired by a love of classic movies, Jared sets out on a bold mission: to use the power of his burgeoning feelings to forever change the world for him and all his kind. Unfortunately, Jared intends to do this by writing his own movie, and things do not proceed according to plan...</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Unlike anything you have ever read before, <i>Set My Heart to Five</i> is a book for anybody who has feelings, loves movies, and likes to laugh and cry and sometimes do both at the same time. It comes uniquely guaranteed to make its readers weep a minimum of 29mls of tears.*</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">*Book must be read in controlled laboratory conditions arranged at reader's own expense. Other terms and conditions may apply to this offer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><a name='more'></a></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">My Thoughts...</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><i>Set My Heart to Five</i> is one of the <b>most original and quirky books</b> I have read in a long time. Set in a near future where humans have destroyed most things on Earth (and the moon), this story is narrated by Jared, a bot made to look exactly like a human with one big difference: he has no capacity for feelings. Things become complicated for Jared once he realises that he is starting to experience feelings in spite of his programming and has to learn how to understand them with the help of his new friend Dr Gludenstein and lots of old movies. This brings him to the realisation that he must use his new understanding to write a movie of his own which will finally reconcile humans and bots... and become a fugitive in the process.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">I found the book a bit hard to get into initially, particularly as I struggled to follow Jared's unique way of speaking and his constant use of expressions like "10/10" and "I cannot!". Once I got the hang of it though, I found this to be one of the most delightful reads this year. Jared's quest to prove that bots are not all murderous unfeeling machines becomes a <b>touching reflection on what it means to be human and to love</b>, while delicately raising questions around diversity and discrimination.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">This book clearly doesn't take itself too seriously and there were several points where I laughed out loud. The parallels between Jared's journey and the movies he enjoys were great fun, and actually made me want to brush up on some classical movies I have yet to watch. <b>One thing I struggled with though was Jared's over-explaining</b>. It was entirely fitting with his character, but ended up feeling repetitive and slowed the book down quite a lot. Part of the middle section felt especially dragging, but the ending more than made up for it. I was having ALL the feelings too!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Overall, this was a great discovery, and I'm glad I stuck with it despite the initial struggle. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love with this little toaster with a heart.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><div style="font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><u>Rating</u>: 4/5</b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></span><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /><img border="0" data-original-height="52" data-original-width="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidg_uMsT_wawEfNCEum5en2XBxkF6g29F9kzaSdCO7V6aEcrUxFzXC63-QW9zheRRYKr3I6modTs0r5cFq1ow56LHWu7nDdzW7LZIYFhrW_SDJpThdYzGbdrWqd6w5P21k-tSU_aKOl5_t/s1600/butterfly_render__by_crazylz-d653qzu.png" /></div></span></div>Book For Thoughthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02773421334192015666noreply@blogger.com0