5. Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

January 28, 2016May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

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.Plot.

Kate is fighting a foe that no one is sure can be beat, though they’ll certainly try and more of her past comes forward as she and Curran battle the tension between them.

.Characters.

Kate Daniels is a strong character and in this, with her vulnerabilities blatantly shown and her inability to deal with relationships on display I finally identified with her. She is not weak, but she is human and it was nice to see it in ways that are shown more than physical.

Curran is still a character I’m not sure about and I do find aspects of their relationship to be problematic but understand that it might be just because of the genre. However his behaviour at times, as hers does, would be concerning in a real life partner.

.Tone and Setting.

The tone of this novel was ominous, but wonderful. It was a page turner. The setting is amazing, and the world building phenomenal.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

Recommended for: Fans of Urban Fantasy, or authors such as Diana Rowland or Patricia Briggs.

4. The Chemistry of Death by Rebecca Cantrell

January 12, 2016 Ashley LP1 Comment

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Plot

Joe and Edison are at it again, scanning people’s brains to better understand PTSD and mental illnesses amongst other things. But someone is killing women in the tunnels, and Joe’s moral compass is spinning. This book is chilling, and oh so well written. The plot moved along quite smoothly and this book was definitely a page turner.

Characters

Joe is still lovely, and vulnerable yet strong at the same time. The way his mind works still fascinates me.

Celeste was in this novel a little less, and yet, I was more interested in her than ever.

Vivian is still a pillar of strength in these novels, and a female character I certainly admire.

All of the characters are written in a way that is very real, and very true to life. They have their strengths but are not without their vulnerabilities.

Tone

For me the tone seemed to shift a little more toward the menacing side in this novel than in the previous two, but I really appreciated it.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

Recommended for: Rebecca Cantrell fans, even if you mainly liked the Hannah Vogel series. I would also recommend this for people who like hard mysteries.

Book List 2016 · Reviews

3. The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 Ashley LPLeave a comment

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Plot

This novel gripped me quite quickly, as I read about the fictitious beginning of one of the royals I have always been most intrigued about. The unraveling of the beginning of Catalina’s life was quite well written, and her love for Arthur definitely believable.

Characters

I read this novel for Katherine/Catalina of Aragon, and her fire, and her determination which was definitely admirable. I wish there was more accounts of her life, even if they were slightly fictional, as she deserves the attention.

Arthur is a person/character I ended up falling for as well, with his smarts, and his own ideas of the perfect Camelot.

Setting

The settings in this novel, as well as the dress etc are so well described that it was quite easy to close my eyes and picture what was happening, and what the scenery looked like.

Overall:

I got what I wanted out of his read, which was something that would take place in a time I always have been fascinated by. It was a real page turner, and it was obvious that research had been done. It was salacious and enjoyable.

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

Recommended to: Katherine of Aragon fans, people interested in Tudor history, those who want a quick, immersive read.

Reviews

2 for the Price of 1: The Golden Compass and Reality Boy

January 21, 2015January 21, 2015 Ashley LPLeave a comment

This is a book I’d wanted to read for quite some time, since having seen the movie and learning about the controversy. I picked it up quite some time ago at a library sale, and regret not having read it before this.

Lyra is a very precocious, often selfish little girl, but the character progression throughout the novel is brilliant. From someone who thinks only to themselves, to someone who cares deeply about others Lyra is definitely a good example of a how to, how to make your character grow that is.

This books is filled with the sort of fantasy I can find myself falling into quite easily, with daemons and Dust. It is brilliantly written and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I can’t wait to pick up the next book and give it a read.

All I have to say is that YA fiction has changed quite a bit since I was one, and I’m hardly complaining.

A.S King pulls no punches with the way in which she writes her characters, or the language she uses in doing so. She also doesn’t seem too fearful of giving her characters very real problems.

There is true tragedy found in the pages of this book and it has nothing to do with the quality of the writing, which is really good. The two main characters lead very tragic, very real lives, and it’s easy to see why A.S King is a favourite among teens and adults alike.

This book is harsh, but never too melodramatic, and I developed a real fear for the characters as they battled their personal demons.

Reviews

Veronica Mars is still smarter than me…

January 20, 2015 Ashley LPLeave a comment

When Veronica Mars came onto the screen originally in 2004 I was 16 years old, and turned 17 during the duration of the first season. We were then, roughly the same age which means when the show was cancelled, during both hers and my first year of college I was crushed.

Of course we had nothing in common. I’m a brunette. She’s a blonde. She lived in the seedy little town of Neptune where the rich ruled and the poor…well they didn’t didn’t do so well.

But she, unlike a lot of female characters at the time, was someone who I wanted to be like. Sure she could be rude, and tended to blaze forward without thinking of the consequences but she always stood for what she thought was right, whether it had to do with her friends or a complete stranger.

When the movie came about, a near seven years after the show’s cancellation I was thrilled. When the first book came out I bought it and read it in a few mere hours.

Veronica is 29 now. Suddenly she’s two years older than me, but like myself and so many other’s my age she’s still a little bit lost.

Her relationships have either flourished or fallen, and Neptune if possible is seedier than ever, the underbelly making its way to the top and aided by the Sheriff (and isn’t that always the way).

But what remains consistent, from TV show, to movie to books is Veronica’s voice, and it rings pretty clear. The characterization is cohesive with who she was on the show, to who she became in the movie. Mac’s expanded role is something to smile at, though certain other characters minimized showing in the book did cause me some concern.

But either way, this book is exactly what I want Veronica Mars to be, feisty, determined, dangerous reckless, and as always…smarter than me. And everyone else in the room.

It is not a perfect book, as there are always flaws, just as there are in our heroes. But there is justice…and there is uncertainty.

Reviews

Review: Teacher Man by Frank McCourt

January 18, 2015 Ashley LPLeave a comment

I should preface this by saying, when this book was lent to me by a friend I had never read any of his books. I knew the name, I knew about Angela’s Ashes but Frank McCourt had always seemed to remain in the periphery of my reading life. I knew he had written one book, and it had gained such critical acclaim it became a movie which also gained critical acclaim but I still never picked it up.

When I asked around I was told I didn’t truly need to read either Angela’s Ashes or ‘Tis before I read this book and assured by my friends and fellow GoodReads bookclubbers I embarked on this literary journey.

Frank McCourt certainly has a distinct voice when it comes to his writing and his discussions of his life. It is also a distinctly Irish voice, self-deprecating, often filled with foul language but not without a touch of humour, and yes, good Catholic guilt. He reminds me of a teacher I once knew in college in that aspect.

In other aspects he reminds me of teachers I have known throughout my life. Both real and not real, the Mr Feeny’s who bled into real life voices of English teachers frustrated when I wouldn’t read, to frustrated when I just wouldn’t stop reading things outside of the course material. Teachers who would discuss my potential in bold. After all she has “potential” but she just doesn’t “utilize her skills.”

Yet he cared, he cared about his students, and those cares, those concerns were written about in this book just as I’m sure he felt them every day. Amusingly enough though, he admits he didn’t know how to teach, and those are the moments i truly appreciated it, as he faked it until he could make it.

This book is so wonderfully written, and it’s definitely good for anyone who ever had that teacher, the teacher who cared and left an impression on your, or if you have ever wanted to be that teacher. Or if you ever floundered in your found profession.

Reviews

Review: The Silkworm by Robert Galgraith cough JK Rowling cough

January 18, 2015 Ashley LP1 Comment

Cormoran Strike would probably be a very hard person to like if he were real. He’s gruff, sometimes insensitive, often clueless despite being quite intelligent and can be quite rude. However, that doesn’t stop me from utterly loving him on the page. I know he’s flawed, he’s a pain in the ass and yes, sometimes it does suck to hear about how little he is able to take care of himself as a grown man. And he really needs to learn to give Robin her due, but despite that I love this book, I love him in this book and I adore this series.

The mystery was gruesome, as was the crime scene and the book within a book. JK Rowling’s writing has evolved quite a bit since the Harry Potter series although there was still lots of filler at times and the character growth is quite good. Cormoran is slightly better at allowing others to do things for him, and in one moment actually quite considerate of Robin. Robin seems better at standing up for herself in this book, and still remains my kinda gal with her need for adventure, and her ambition.

This was a big time page turner for me, and I found myself going beyond my five chapters at a time, to reaching for ten, for fifteen. I craved the ending, yet, i didn’t want it to end.

Reading Challenges · Reviews

Review: The Storied Life of A.J Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

January 14, 2015May 27, 2018 Ashley LP1 Comment

Pardon my French.

But this book, this fucking book. It’s beautiful. Just one word. Beauty.

The writing wove itself around me, bringing back memories of childhood spent in the stacks of my old library, of an old bookstore run by an older woman who genuinely cared about what people were reading and the impression it left behind.

I remember the way a mom and pop bookstore smelt, long gone from the area I currently live in and the one I lived in for 26 years, up until a few months ago. This book brought back memories of the heavy scent of paper, of dust, and the feeling of pages under my fingertips, even as I enjoyed the ebook I wished for a physical copy.

It was gorgeously written, and a tribute to readers, as well as writers and the emotions evoke within us. This book reminds me of time spent with friends, talking over books, gushing over what we were reading.

Those moments have come few and far between but I’m thinking maybe, next week, I might go to my local book club.

After all, some of the best ways to get to know people involve books, don’t they?

Reading Challenges · Reviews

Review: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

January 13, 2015January 13, 2015 Ashley LPLeave a comment

When I was eighteen or nineteen do you know what I was doing?

Not crafting a masterpiece of literature while spending time with my soulmate. I believe I was actually freaking out over college applications coming in.

Mary Shelley was fast working on something that would leave her a master of a genre, perhaps one of the foremost writers of the gothic horror movement.

She was writing about humanity in a way that was horrific, in a way that would make every reader consider how they react to people, what they would do if they could harness the power of God and “how on earth a woman could come up with such a plot?”

In the company of her husband, Percy, and none other than Lord Byron himself Shelley would later say that the plot came to her when she lay her head down to sleep. However I doubt she would realize until much later the impact that this novel would have in later years. How it would continuously be in print, and would spurn on continuous re-writes, movie adaptaions, TV adaptations, halloween costumes, comics, jokes, drawings…

But there’s a reason it lasts and it lies in the beauty of the writing. The well formed, elegant prose, guaranteed to enrapture and capture the reader, the slow unraveling of the story and the very question of what it means to be human. Of what it means to have power.

It is also to see, given context how this book may have ended up banned, though I will never agree with banning any book. But the author in question was not only female, but wrote about someone taking in the power of God, of creating life without married reproduction.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a classic, or anyone who loves a scientific spurned horror tale. Or just anyone.

Reviews

Descent-A Review

December 24, 2014 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Descent-A Novel by Tim Johnston

There are certain books that might actually end up making better movies, or TV shows than novels. In my mind this book is one of them, with certain scenes needing a certain photographed or captured moment to illustrate them properly.

That is not to say that this is a bad book, because it most certainly isn’t. It is however, a book that required for me, a great deal of patience. The suspense I had read about in other people’s reviews did not hit me until about 100 pages in, when I really delved into the characters lives, and what was happening to what had once been a happy, albeit dysfunctional family.

Without spoilers I will tell you that the end of this novel gripped me, the words wrapping themselves around me and encasing me in them. The pages flipped rapidly and I found myself almost anxious to figure out what would happen next, the book held tightly in my hands.

The characters, I discovered had become people that I cared about. Fully fleshed out, and entirely flawed they had come with their own sets of problems, amplified by the trauma of what occurred in the mountains. They were not perfect. There was no perfection in this family, not even in Caitlin but yet that was what I continued to like about them. Their flaws.

This book felt very real to me, the situation unfortunately is one that does arise in life, as we constantly hear news stories about children who have gone missing, teenagers abducted. It was obvious to me that the author had attempted to draw me in with the familiarity of the situation and succeeded in doing so. This was not a book I started out loving, apprehensive of the subject matter and whether it could be dealt with sensitively enough.

It was handled beautifully, by the end, and horrifically (in a good way) at other turns. It is one I recommend to anyone who loves crime fiction, suspense or who is looking for something with a bit of familiarity but something that also manages to be unique.