Pages

Showing posts with label book series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book series. Show all posts

Thursday, December 27, 2018

What I've Read Lately #11


It's been a while since I updated this here blog with my recents reads, so here goes:


Of course I read the fourth book in the series. However, I didn't like it as much as the others. There were some episodes where Cece's actions seemed contrary to her personality. At one point she gave herself a pep talk that sounded a lot like excusing herself and speaking for the rights women have, but it didn't read naturally. It was as if the author wanted to make a point about a topic, and Cece was the chosen medium to deliver the message. It was off, is what I'm saying.
Despite the romantic plot(s), I kept reading because now I'm invested in this series and I want to know everything. That said, I can't wait for book number five.
3*











I adored Ada's voice in this novel. She seems to forget about herself, she is honest and innocent, and brave despite her fear. It was fun to read a story from a different point of view, because I don't think I've read a novel where the main character was British, living in Britain during the early years of the War. I wish there were a third book in the series.
5*
















I don't know. One day I thought of searching for read books on YouTube and found this. 
4*
















And my YouTube book listening moment led me to this.
3*





















I've been meaning to read this one for a long, long time. GoodReads shows that since August 2017.
Eleanor sure is quirky, as everyone says, and endearing, and it makes you sad to read about her, and it makes you want to give her a hug despite her obvious reservation towards such gestures.  The novel is funny and deep, and I wasn't expecting depth. Sure, it's a bit eyebrow-rising to see that in less than a year she manages to change so much about herself and a lot of things manage to change for her, but I was so glad! It was about time something good happened to and for her. 
Despite her cold demeanour, I didn't think of her as snobbish. I agreed with her on some observations, and where not I just laughed. It's easier to laugh with a character than it is to see the funny side when similar people show up in real life occurrences. 
Warm feelings, but not exaggerated, at the end of the novel when you see her letting people help and bring to the surface parts of her personality she lost touch years before.
As for her Mother, I figured it out about half way into the novel, but it was still sad.            4*


This is the first book in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. The whole bookstagram community is raving about this series, but I am not on board yet. 
I read this for a buddyread on Instagram, my first of that kind. It's a cozy mystery sort of book, with the main character a 70+ inspector who apparently is a good people reader. He's summoned to investigate the unexpected death of a beloved villager in the idyllic Three Pines, Jane. I wasn't very invested in the story to try to actively think of whodunnit, so I was surprised along with a large number of people who have read this book. 
Apparently the series gets better and better (there are currently 14 books in the series), so I hope I'll like the rest better, because yes, I do plan to read them all. 
I wish Yvette Nichol were a nicer character, but then again a wonderful female inspector would have been too predictable, I guess. 
I feel like I missed on something while reading it (maybe the pressure to finish the book for the aforementioned buddyread?), like all the mentions of food, people's personality glimpses from Gamache, the gorgeous nature in Three Pines. Maybe I'll do better for the next books.
                                                                        3*


This series surprised me pleasantly! I read the first two books one after the other and it was a good decision on my part. The third one has a different pace and tone, but I still liked it a lot. It's funny and I like funny. What I liked best was that Lara Jean was normal despite her cringe-y moments and downright embarrassing ones.
I most certainly did not like that Peter Kavinsky dude. Argh! He was arrogant even when he wanted to be cute and charming. I was not charmed. I wish there was more of John Ambrose McClaren because he was nice and respecful and not Peter Kavinsky. 
This series was the surprise of the year for me.
What made me read this series was the magic word: "letters" and my sudden interest in Young Adult novels. I plan to read the other series from Jenny Han, too. I watched the movie for this Lara Jean series and it was... weird. The characters acted unnatural, Peter was not so annoying, and her younger sister was meh compared to the novel version.
4*

Sunday, November 11, 2018

The Girl from Berlin - by Ronald H. Balson

Title: The Girl from Berlin
Series: Liam and Catherine #5
Author: Ronald H. Balson
Pages: 352

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publishing Date: 9.10.2018
Format: Kindle

I have read books #3 and #4 in this series, and both #3 and #5, The Girl from Berlin, deal with the time of World War Two, although from different perspectives. The author does a good job of telling the story of the characters from the past. I mentioned in a review for Karolina's Twins that the relationship between Liam and Catherine, the husband-wife couple, was stiff. It got better in this book, happy to say.

Although it is a World War Two novel, little is mentioned of the Holocaust. It presents the lives of the Jewish people in Germany during that time, the fine side of their world, with culture and music. I knew little about this, and it was fun to see this aspect presented. I can't say that there were any characters I didn't like. The novel kept me engaged to the very end, I liked how the story within a story was presented, and thankfully it didn't feel like there was any hardly possible turn of events. A good read!

I received a free ebook copy of the book from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Love Story - by Karen Kingsbury: Book Review

Title: Love Story
No. Pages: 368
Publisher: Howard Books
Publishing Date: 6.06.2017

Although the book's back-cover promises the story between John and Elizabeth Baxter, this only takes up a rather small part of the novel. Cole Paul, a grandson of the Baxter's has to write a heritage project for school, and this is what starts it all. This story line ramifies and other sub-plots are created. About four love stories are touched upon in this book, but not in depth. For those familiar with the Baxters and their friends, this is like a get-together. 

What takes a larger part of the novel is the story between Cody Coleman and Andi Ellison. I was a bit more interested in their story than in John and Elizabeth's.
Besides these two love stories, the novels touches on the lives of two other couples. One is Ashley and Landon Blake, one of the Baxter's daughters and her husband. Cole, the one writing the heritage project for school, is their oldest son. The other couple is Brandon and Bailey Paul, friends of the Baxter's. Bailey is Andi Ellison's best friend.

For those not familiar with the Baxters and their friends, it may seem overwhelming, what with all the character names. But take heart - they are all presented at the beginning of the book. I haven't read the other Baxter family books in the previous series, but I was given enough details throughout the novel to figure everything out. This novel can read as a stand alone, a good starting point for who wants to read the next books in the series. *raises hand*

It read surprisingly quick. It is a Christian novel, so keep that in mind. The focus is on the plot, mostly, not something necessarily deep in the sense of literature class. There was the potential for more depth (PTSD, out of wedlock talk, past mistakes and consequences), but all the characters seemed to be calm and accepting, and in the know. Maybe it's just me coming to this novel without a background on the characters.

What irked me at one point was all the tears. These characters have no trouble kissing their spouse/ significant other and showing emotion through tears. But I liked the strong relationship this gave the characters, especially the married couples. Another thing that I thought unnecessary were all the isolated sentences to draw attention on them, making sure you, the reader, understand that they are important. Let the sentences live in a paragraph.

One aspect that surprised me in a good way was the openness with which the author showed the characters' faith and their connection to God. It makes them more endearing. I even liked the way they hear from God, "as if He spoke audibly", but this has the potential to be misunderstood, especially for someone not used to the "Christian lingo".

For fans of Karen Kingsbury, this will be a sweet and darling read. For those who don't normally read this genre, nothing to lose. For those who like Christian book series, this is for you.

I received a free e-book copy from the publisher via Net Galley. All thoughts expressed here are my own.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

The Shadow Sister - by Lucinda Riley: Book Review

Title: The Shadow Sister
Series: The Seven Sisters
Author: Lucinda Riley
No. Pages: 684
Publishing Date: 25.04.2017
Publisher: Atria Books


I couldn't wait for the third book in the series! It kept me as intrigues and interested as the first two books did, and it made me curious about the next sister, and the next book as well. (Although, I must confess, the sister the next book will be about is one of the most irksome, in my opinion. But I can't wait to read the book!) 

(spoilers ahead!)

Star D’Aplièse is the quietest of the six sisters Pa Salt adopted from all over the world. She has always been too close to her sister Cece, but in her desire to use the clues Pa Salt left behind after his death* to help the girls discover their origins, Star finds herself forging a new life for her. I rooted throughout the book for Star. She is at time too calm and patient, but for someone who had always been used to listen rather than speak, to follow rather than initiate, she did well for herself. I enjoyed seeing this character develop and gain substance.

Set in present day London, Star's genealogy and roots conveniently send the reader to the Edwardian England, with some Victorian influences. It is one of my dearest periods in the English history, and seeing names like Beatrix Potter's, and even the King's used in the novel was a treat. I didn't know about Alice Keppel, but it was a nice surprise. As with the first two books in the series, I am amazed how well the details and intricacies of the English families were nicely used to create the main character's story. I confess I needed a notebook to write down some details, or else I would have got lost in the maze of names and historical information.

Although I believe Star, Beatrix Potter and Alice Keppel the characters, Aurelia and Flora are strong characters, not coincidentally strong leading feminine characters, my suspicion that arose even from the previous two books that The Seven Sisters men are weaker than the women has been confirmed. Both the men from the past, those in connection with Flora and Aurelia, and the men in the present day in connection to Star's life seem weak in comparison to their female partners. Mouse, Archie, the King are not as impressive in their actions, words and decisions as their counterparts, Star, Flora/Aurelia, Alice. Most men exhibit an unfounded air of superiority, talk too much, and often act only prompted, like pawns. Maybe it's the feminism tendencies in me, but it was a thought that followed me throughout the novel, and I am curious if it will be confirmed by the next books.

A thing that seemed somewhat inauthentic were some exchanges between characters. Mouse and Star's rocky start of relationship can be excused due to their inexperience and their personalities, but still their exchanges seemed forced. However, the most out of place was the one between Star and Shanti when Shanti expresses her romantic interest. I sensed from the moment she was introduced in the novel that she was going in that direction, but I wish it had been done in a less cringy way. Curiously, the present day characters seem to have the problem of authentic talking rather than the characters in the past. Maybe this is because it's the Edwardian period and puffy language is excused.

As far as the plot goes - well done! The story-telling is so written as to keep the reader interested to the very end, even after you learn everything about Star's past. Another thing that gave the novel consistency was the way the author connected the events. In book two there is a concert Ally is in and we were told that Star attended it. In book three we learn how exactly did Star get there, and why isn't Cece with her. I like the little details that tie the novels.

My only serious problem with this series is that the books don't come out soon enough!

4.5/5

I received a free e-book copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

List of Characters. (spoilers ahead!) 
Star D’Aplièse (Asterope)
a Faberge panther - the clue Star has from Pa Salt
Orlando - bookshop keeper: Arthur Morston Books
Mouse - Orlando's brother
Alice - Mouse's deceased wife
Rory - 7years old. Mouse's son
Marguerite - Orlando's cousin
Flora MacNichol - keeps diaries, and that's how Star's story is told
Panther - Flora's cat
Aurelia MacNichol - Flora's sister
Esthwaite Hall - their family's manor
Rose MacNichol - their mother
Alistair - their father
Rose+the King (Bertie) = Flora
Lady Arabella Vaughan - good friend of Rose's. Archie's mother
Elizabeth Vaughan - Archie's sister
Lord Archie Vaughan - he loves Flora. marries Aurelia. then marries Flora
Louise - Archie and Aurelia's daughter. Flora will raise her, per Aurelia's request
Beatrix Potter - children's books writer
Freddie Soames - was to marry Flora, but due to her past the wedding is canceled
Countess Daphne + Count Algernon - Freddie's parents
Alice Keppel - the King's mistress. she takes Flora under her wing in London and introduces her into society
Violet & Sonia - Alice's girls
Violet + Vita Sackville-West (Mitya), a poetess
Sir Ernest Cassel - gives Flora the money the King left her
Teddy - the orphan Flora adopts
Louise + Teddy grow up as twins
Louise + Rupert Forbes=Laurence, Orlando and Mouse's father
Teddy + Tessie, the Land Girl = Patricia Smith
Teddy + Dixie/Cecilia O'Reilly, his wife = Michael, Marguerite's father
Patricia Smith + Alfred Brown = Petula (in '62)
Petula (18y/o) - Lucy Charlote (Star)
Petula = Sylvia Gray - Russia lit. professor at Yale, married with three kids
Robert Stein - Sylvia's husband


*I have my doubts about this. In book three, Star thinks she saw Pa Salt. Cece, too, thinks she saw a someone (we are not told who, but I suspect it's him) and is shocked. I book two, Ally thinks she heard Pa Salt's voice when she called Atlantis, but everything was settled when Ma said it was just the old answering machine recording. I don't remember if Maia, in book one, had a similar moment, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did. Since there are to be seven books in the series, and there are only six sisters, maybe book seven will give us more information. And I am pretty sure Pa Salt is alive.