This post is
a purely an indulgence and it makes me happy that this blog exists to accommodate.I have three reviews on books that I have
read recently that I am going to share.If you follow our blog then you will know this is not the first review we
have done but it is the first time we will be able to feature it both in the
post and separately.For this reason I
have chosen to do a few at one time.Firstly, because I thoroughly enjoyed the books and reviewing is a great
way to show our appreciation for the hard work the author puts in for us as
readers, and secondly because our blog is about sharing all sorts of things and
we love doing this.
I have said this before and will say it again no
doubt that I have eclectic tastes in everything but most especially
reading.I read all kinds of things and
sometimes this can cause a problem for me with giving ratings.It is hard to review a book and give it 5
stars because it has been deep and meaningful, and then do the same for another
that was hilarious and irreverent, or just a romantic escape, or a complex
delving of the mind or I can go on forever but there is more to the mix. All of
the above can occur in a number of genres which then can be split into reading
ages and more if we are discussion
dissection bound.
I don’t care
about any of that really.I care that
the book took me on a trip where Isaw wondrous sights, felt involved with the
characters and didn’t care that my washing needed to be hung out. So here I go
with three reviews on three very different books by very different authors who
have allowed me on their vehicle of travel.I know when i buy their books I can sit down and allow myself to relax
and enjoy.
I have
included a small excerpt from each to make it easier and I hope you take the
time to read all three pieces and then follow the link for the rest of the
review.Buying is your choice of course
because in the end what resonates with me may not resonate with you. For me this is my way of saying thank you for
a great trip.
Barb
P.S. If you
disagree with my ideas please write in.I would love to hear what others think of my choices.
Caroline Hanson
Remembered
A Fascinating and
enthralling Read!
This second book in
the series does not disappoint. 'Forgotten' left us with a cliff hanger and be
warned that this will do the same but truly there is no other way to maintain
the tension in both the book and the two leading characters, and rest assured,
we do get our answers. We get answers and we get more questions and I can't
wait to see where it all ends. The world-building is novel and more than a little macabre.
It is a combination of old world living standards and the new and it is
disturbing. In cutting themselves off the vampires have ensured their food
supply but also stunted the growth of worldly knowledge much to the detriment
of both the humans and themselves. The ensuing isolation has enforced delusions
of power and grandeur. The author has created a very nice twist to the vampire
legend further dehumanising these creatures to the point that we have to wonder
at times at Rebecca's fascination. Leander is brutal, cruel and single-minded
but underneath we do sense something and being the perverse lovers of romance
that we readers are, we hope she will be the one to make a difference. Rebecca on the other hand is a strange mixture of weakness
and strength, acceptance and rebellion but like Leander there is something in
her that holds us enthralled, perhaps even the fact that she stands out when
she is so ordinary and it gives us a sense of power to know someone can do
that. The sexual tension is intricate and chilling, constant on her part and
forbidding on his.
As you can see
I am a very big fan of this writer. She has the ability to bring us characters
that make a connection despite their questionable behaviours. Read
more ›
On
reading some of the other reviews I had to think hard on this one but in the
end the humour, the mixture of personalities that form the knitting group and
how they stick together, and Fiona and Greg won me over. They have a great
marriage but not without a price and sometimes that price is one where
behaviours are hurtful, stupid even but the lesson for us as people as well as
readers, is that we need to discuss with our respective partners in order to
work it out. We need to listen and hear what is actually being said. This is
what the book offers, a chance to be angry at, confused by, humbled by the love
that is ever present but sometimes tangled in emotions that are not pretty or
rational depending on the person and how they see the world.
To purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Happily-Ever-Ninja-Knitting-City-ebook/dp/B016YOCL02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454045573&sr=8-1&keywords=happily+ever+ninja
April White
Waging War
A
Simply Captivating read where time stands still for all ages!
The
heading to this review actually says it all for me.This is a book that can be read by young
adults or us grown-ups and we can both walk away having enjoyed some wonderful
writing, some fantastic events unfolding, some knowledge of history woven
magically to suit our understanding and yet be a subtle, crazy, paranormal
twist to reality. And, let me also add
there is a fun element to the characters in between the seriousness of the
situations that makes the reading experience a joy.
One
of my favourite aspects of this series has been the incredible ability of the
author to write about young people involved in world destroying events and yet
be so compelling that we as readers don’t question their ages.We don’t have a problem accepting their part
in the events and the relationship roles that evolve between them.This is solely due to the talent of an author
that can write equally well about childish reactions, growth in maturity, adult
reactions and even young love with taste yet an underlying sense of excitement,
and some extremely insightful observations of how young people learn about love
and loyalty sometimes through circumstance, sometimes through each other and
sometimes through the leadership of adults.