Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

January 4, 2014May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Can we talk about this book and how much I loved it?

The premise was one that had me tilting my head from side to side actually wondering if it could be good or not. But the way it is written, in a way that makes it feel like it’s a story being told by a friend instead of a complete stranger is ever so welcoming.

This book was clever, and amusing. It was such a quick read, and I loved all the different characters. Beth, Jennifer, Lincoln, Doris.

Lincoln is an awkward character, who amuses me in some ways because of how very human he is. He’s not one to pretend to be something he’s not and when he does try it’s ultimately the worst idea.

It was a warm read, and I suspect I had a smile on my face the entire time that I was reading it, that’s how much I enjoyed it.

I hope some of my friendships are as good as Jennifer’s and Beth’s, and that if someone were reading my work emails between colleagues that they would get as much amusement and entertainment out of them as Lincoln does those two.

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Band-Aid for a Broken Leg by Damien Brown

January 2, 2014May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Band-Aid for a Broken Leg by Damien Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is one of those books that you will either put aside because you can’t handle the subject matter or you will delve deeper into it because you desperately need to know more about what is happening.

Damien’s journey is one filled with heartache, happiness, life and death. All of them clash together and intermingled until I wasn’t entirely sure which was which, or if this kind of life, as a volunteer was just that. Nonetheless, the writing was vivid and captivating, and the story was one I will not soon forget. I don’t know how I ever could.

It is simply put, amazing.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

The Gunslinger by Stephen King

November 30, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

The Gunslinger by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a re-read for me, though it’s been some time since I last read this book and I feared I would feel completely different about it.

To my surprise I actually like it better now than I once did, with all of the flourishing details, vulgarity at times and the depth of the story telling.

I sink into this book, and I love that I am able to imagine the world around me, the slow mutants and the terror they bring. The fall, the turmoil of Roland. I can’t wait to re-read the rest of the series.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families

October 16, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t know what I expected this book to be, or my own reactions to it. But this book was nothing but informative, and my reactions were severe. I was quite young when the situation in Rwanda arose, so my memory of it and my learning after the fact is limited. It was a friend who recommended I pick up this book, as I do enjoy non-fiction but haven’t read any in a while.

This is written in such a way, by Philip Gourevitch that you can’t help but be involved in the lives of those whose stories are presented. You also can’t help but consider yourself, and your own emotional reactions to things and what type of person you are.

It is informative, it is visceral and violent, but it is truthful. It’s a truth that we all need to hear though, that sometimes, we need to look outside of ourselves at the people around us and see what might be needed outside of our own cushy existences.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

The Book Thief

October 16, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had actually heard very little about this book before I read it, except for a few mentions about the fact that it was a good one.

Initially, before I picked it up, I was a little bit apprehensive, knowing that it was supposed to be young adult fiction but I am ever so glad that I picked it up. Because I would have been missing out on something in not having read this.

The way it is written, with Death himself as the narrator of the book is something that captured my attention immediately. Where some might have found it too out there, I felt welcomed by the way in which it was written.

Liesel, the main character, or one of two, is a refreshing change from the normal. Sometimes selfish, she is almost always an honest character even in her thievery. Her best friend Rudy, is a delight as well and the innocence of children even when effected by loss is present here.

Hans for me is one of the true heroes of the story, a fully fleshed out character with his own fears concerning his family, but his own convictions, refusing to fall to Nazi Germany’s regime. This book is something that I never could have expected, and while the end did make me sob it was perfect.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

The One You Love by Paul Pilkington

October 15, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

The One You Love by Paul Pilkington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s been a while since I sunk into a mystery as deep as I did this one, perhaps because of how rooted in the characters psychology this was. The characters are what captured me, from Will’s torturous moments, to Emma’s moments of strength and Stuart’s ultimate moment of weakness. I absolutely loved this book, from start to finish.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

Haunted by Kelley Armstrong

September 16, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Haunted by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this book to be quite good, having loved the snippets of Eve seen previous to this, not necessarily because I thought she was someone who was inherently good but because she was a mystery. This was an excellent look into who Eve was before she died, and who she became after.

It was great to see that sense of evolution of her, and I loved the mythos behind the nix.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong

September 14, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Industrial Magic by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my favourite book from the series thus far, which is interesting to me considering Paige was actually my least favourite of the female characters so far. I have a leaning toward Elena, but with this book I certainly like Paige a whole lot more. This book made me more fascinated with the cabals, and while I didn’t get all the answers I wanted I really did love the more in depth look.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

Dime Store Magic

September 12, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually really enjoyed this book in spite of not liking Paige all that much originally. I really did feel for her character and the trials she was going through, both literally and figuratively in this novel. Lucas is just about one of my favourite characters introduced in this series. These books a really well written, and detailed without it being a little too much.

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Book List 2013 · Reviews

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

September 11, 2013May 27, 2018 Ashley LPLeave a comment

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book a lot.

There were parts of it however which seemed to drag on for me, perhaps due to just a little too much detail for my appetite.

I found myself wanting more action, but that does not mean the writing is bad. It’s actually rather fantastic, and as always I am amused to see parts of Canada mentioned as well as the travel between two countries. I did also find the new characters rather interesting, but found myself wanting more of Clay, Jeremy and Elena.

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