All posts by skyebjenner

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

CressTitle: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fairy tales, Steampunk, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: She is requesting an extension of the docking clamp.

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Synopsis

INCARCERATE IN A SATELLITE, AN EXPERT HACKER AND OUT TO SAVE THE WORLD – CRESS ISN’T YOUR USUAL DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.

Cress grew up as a prisoner. With only netscreens for company, she’s forced to do the bidding of the evil Queen Levana. Now that means tracking down Cinder and her handsome accomplice Emperor Kai. But little does Queen Levana know that those she seeks, and the man she loves, are plotting her downfall…

As paths cross and the price of freedom rises, happily ever after has never seemed further away for Cress, Scarlet and Cinder.

This is not the fairy tale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget.

Thoughts

Cress is so incredibly, unbelievably sweet. And a little naïve, but not horrifyingly so. I actually really liked her partnership with Carswell – he is so completely jaded and a player, and Cress is so very, very sweet. The balance between the two leads is kind of perfect, and it helps to drive the rest of the story as Cinder and her gang rush towards the royal wedding in an attempt to save Kai.

I love the original version of Rapunzel – where the prince is blinded, wanders through the deserts until his princess saves him with her tears. And I love the fact that, like the other fairy tales in this series, Meyer is able to turn the darker, more traditional tale into a steampunk journey. And the women, although they are often rescued in many fairy tales, are able to rescue themselves. Especially Cinder, who has awesome cybertronic attachments.

It took me a little while to get through Scarlet, I don’t love Red Riding Hood, and it felt a little slow. But it set everything in Cress up perfectly. And now, with the final words of the story, and Cinder’s declaration ringing in my ears, I can’t wait to start on the final leg of their fight! Especially once I met Jacin and Winter, and found out what the plan was and where they were heading to… bring on the next adventure!

 <- Scarlet Review Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Rajah’s Diamond by Robert Louis Stevenson

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Rajah's DiamondTitle: The Rajah’s Diamond
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
In: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Crime
Pace: Slow
Format: Novella
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1878
5th sentence, 74th page: What have you done?

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Synopsis

Sir Thomas started his career in India. He did some secret favor for Rajar of Kashgar. In acknowledgement Rajah presented Thomas a valuable thing – his famous diamond. In his homeland this English soldier became one of the most richest and famous people. After returning to England he married to a rich and noble woman. Harry Hartley was a sixteen-year-old orphan and worked as a private secretary for Sir Thomas. This work was no pleasure. His master was a difficult person. He always shouted and was angry with Harry. Unlike Sir Thomas his wife Lady Vandeleur was kind and friendly. The young servant often carried out many different private errands for her. Unfortunately, the next errand led Harry to the bad consequences.

Thoughts

I will admit that I read half of this story while I was kind of delirious from a migraine. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it. And somehow being a little loopy with pain made the mystery and darkness surrounding the Rajah’s diamond all the more intriguing.

I love the lyrical waxing and waning of the tale as the diamond falls from one set of hands to another reveals the depths to which people will sink. Greed, lust, and pride all play a part in the four tales of the diamond. I love that Stevenson is so seamlessly incorporate psychological commentary with fantastic storytelling. And, like all of his other stories that I’ve so far had the pleasure of reading, I know that next time I read it, I will find so much more to enjoy and be enthralled by.

 <- The Suicide Club Review The Pavilion on the Links Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Beyond the Veil by Patricia Rice

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The Mammoth Book of Irish RomanceTitle: Beyond the Veil

Author: Patricia Rice

In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)

Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)

My Bookshelves: Celtic, Easy reading, Fae, Romance

Pace: Slow

Format: Short story

Publisher: Running Press

Year: 2010

5th sentence, 74th page: If you wish to save the child, you must do so yourself.

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Synopsis

Finn risks everything to save his young son. And Anya is risking everything to save her kingdom. Will they finally find the happiness that they both crave?

Thoughts

I love the idea of a time travelling father working to protect his child. The fact that he also manages to reunite with his soul mate one thousand years after he supposedly died just made everything a lot cuter.

This is one of those stories that I enjoyed, but it wasn’t overly memorable. It was cute, sweet, and thoroughly enjoyable to read. But it wasn’t something that I feel the desperate need to read again and again and again.

 <- Nia and the Beast of Killarney Wood Review Shifter Made Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Paranormal fantasy, Vampires
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Year: 2001
5th sentence, 74th page: I began squirming to the bed table, not happy but resigned.

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Synopsis

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She’s quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn’t get out much. Not because she’s not pretty. She is. It’s just that, well, Sookie has this sort of “disability”. She can read minds. And that doesn’t make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He’s tall, dark, handsome – and Sookie can’t hear a word he’s thinking. He’s exactly the type of guy she’s been waiting for all her life…

But Bill has a disability of his own: He’s a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of – big surprise – murder. And when one of Sookie’s coworkers is killed, she fears she’s next….

Thoughts

I’ve had this suggested again and again and again. So I finally decided that it was necessary to read this. And I’m really glad it did. It turned into one of those good-bad guilty pleasure stories. Something that I want to keep reading, but not the jaw dropping, earth shattering story that I was half expecting. This might be because I could see a lot of parallels with Twilight. Which I hate.

Sookie is kind of a fun and entertaining voice through which to tell the story. She is witty, and a little sarcastic. And not in the slightest bit tough. Which is a complete departure from the kinds of stories that I normally read. She’s a waitress with a keen sense of intelligence and loyalty – but she does tend to lean on the men around her for support. For somebody who normally reads stories about fiercely independent women, this was actually a really lovely departure that I continuously thought about and dreamed of.

Bill honestly bores me. Which is probably the biggest problem that I have with this book. He’s just a vampire that runs around. And courts Sookie. And just someone that wasn’t really engaging. Actually, the main reason why I want to continue reading this series is Sookie and her friend Sam. Bill is handsome, dark and runs around in the dark. That is basically it. Maybe in Living Dead in Dallas he will become a little more multi-layered.

<- More Charlaine HarrisLiving Dead in Dallas ->

Image source: Amazon

Fieldwork

Blog,

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything blog-ish. That’s because for the last month I have been doing fieldwork. Which is AMAZING. I am more interested in doing fieldwork than lab based work. And it took 5 months before I was able to actually get outside…

And now I have a tonne of paperwork to catch up on. I basically go to work or am out in the field. The only way I get a day home is when the weather is incredibly crappy. And (yay). That’s not really happening anymore!!!

So this is my quick little hello world. Yay. I’m larricking outside. Yay. I keep finding orchids. And yay. I am finally starting to do fieldwork…

Now just to wait for my confirmation of candidature to come through…. *gulp*

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

Book Review, ,

Overview

The Cuckoo's CallingTitle: The Cuckoo’s Calling
Author: Robert Galbraith
Series: Cormoran Strike #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Crime
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Sphere
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: It’s “D.B.” really,’ she enunciated clearly.

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Synopsis

When a troubled model falls to her death from a Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts and calls in private detective Cormoran Strike to investigate.

Strike is a war veteran – wounded both physically and psychologically – and his private life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s world, the darker things become and the closer he gets to terrible danger…

Thoughts

This was kind of a slow start. Not in a bad way, but in a way that allowed me to put this story down and pick it back up again at my leisure. It wasn’t something that I had to read. But it was something that I couldn’t stop reading. It wasn’t until Part Four that I found it began to get really difficult to stop absorbing. Which worked perfectly, because this is the climax of the story and you want it to really grip you.

I loved Cormoran Strike as a lead. He wasn’t pretty. He wasn’t balanced. But he also wasn’t ridiculously and comedically off balance. He is a man with a past and personal issues, like we all are. But he has a job that he enjoys and works with. The fact that this is a private detective in contemporary England dealing with issues that everyone has to face at some point or another makes him much more relatable than many of the other protagonists of stories that I have read lately.

From the beginning, I knew that Lula’s death wasn’t going to be a suicide, but a homicide. I mean, why have a crime novel that would just end in suicide? Although, as the story began to unfold, I wasn’t entirely sure of myself. And I really couldn’t figure out who could have possibly killed the model. It honestly wasn’t until the final, big reveal that I finally understood who had orchestrated the entire affair. And it did shock me. Not that drop out the bottom of my stomach shock, but a huh. I did NOT see that coming kind of shock.

 <- Lethal White Review The Silkworm Review ->
Image source: Ex Libris

Burning Wild by Christine Feehan

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Burning Wild

Title: Burning Wild
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: The Leopard People #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Animagus, Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: Candles.

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Synopsis

Bred by capricious parents for his innate leopard-shifitng abilities, billionaire Jack Bannaconni has spent his life in an emotional vacuum – especially after a tragic twist of fate left him to raise his infant son alone. But when his path crosses that of an enigmatic young woman, Jake’s life takes a detour he never fathomed.

There is something irresistible about Emma Reynolds – something Jake can’t live without. Hiring her as his son’s nanny will keep her close. And warm. And under watch. She’s the first human to stir something in Jake, something he’s never felt before. But Emma may not be at all what she seems. And what’s raging between them is pure animal instinct – out of control, burning wild and as hot as the lick of a flame.

Thoughts

Jake is kind of an idiot. And an ass. And it took me longer to read this novel than any of the other Feehan stories so far because he was kind of painful. But I absolutely adored and loved Emma. She was sweet and caring. Soft and nurturing. Yet she didn’t let Jake push her around and found her own ways to work with his little peeves.

I enjoy the paranormal romance genre, although sometimes it does hit my feminist bone. And this one certainly set it off. Which probably has a lot to do with the fact that Jake was a possessive, obsessive douche. At the end of the story, I certainly softened to him. And at the beginning I felt sorry for him. But during the middle? It was hard to like him. It felt a little too overbearing, and I know that if I was placed in a position with such a man, I wouldn’t be okay with it. But, as always, Feehan was able to write in such a way that I became engaged in and enthralled with the relationship anyway.

This is the first of all the stories that incorporates motherhood and children into the tale. And it made a much softer counterpoint to Jake’s tale and childhood. The two children and Emma are so incredibly beautiful. And reading about their lives together and the joys of day to day living is just… nice. It makes all the darkness that this story carries somehow less. And in doing so, let me completely sink into the storyline and be swept away by the passion and love that drives the tale.

 <- Wild Rain ReviewWild Fire Review ->
Image source: Christine Feehan

Wild Rain by Christine Feehan

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

Wild RainTitle: Wild Rain
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: The Leopard People #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Animagus, Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: Why would someone be so intent on killing you?

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Synopsis

What has she done? With a new identity, a staged death, and a chance to flee the treachery that stalks her, Rachael has escaped from a faceless assassin. Now, thousands of miles from home, under the lush canopy of the rain forest, she’s found sanctuary.

Where can she hide? In this world teeming with unusual creatures walks the most exotic of them all. His name is Rio. A native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess, he is something to be desired. Possessed of secrets of his own, he is something to be feared.

Whom can she trust? But as Rachael’s past looms as oppressively as the heat of the forest, and as Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachael fears that her isolated haven has become an inescapable hell…

Thoughts

I guessed that Rachael was somehow involved in gangs or something illegal through her family from the very first chapter. But that didn’t take away from the fact that her fleeing for her life was incredibly intense and even a little scary. I was even completely drawn in, wondering how badly her enemies wanted her. There were moments that I wondered if it was all in her head, and others where I was a little convinced that the assassins would win. So I loved this extra stakes that Rachael’s storyline added to Wild Rain.

I read Christine Feehan for a bit of a romance / a lot of a lust kick. The addition of the paranormal aspects and her amazing talent just help to make these stories impossible to put down. And I honestly found it a little more difficult to get into The Awakening, even though I liked the general premise of the storyline. So I was really hoping that the relationship in this one would be a little more two-sided, both characters would have a little more give and take than Maggie and Brandt. And it provided!

Rio is an incredibly masculine character – but I like how gentle he is with Rachael and the love that shines through their actions. I also love the fact that she is able to stand up to him and throw him off balance. It was this dynamic of constantly making each other a little ill at ease that really made me fall in love with this story. The idea of everything taking place in a rainforest and with leopard shapeshifters just made everything all the more engaging and interesting.

 <- The Awakening Review Burning Wild Review ->
Image source: Kobo

The Awakening by Christine Feehan

Book Review, , , , ,

Overview

The AwakeningTitle: The Awakening
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: The Leopard People #1
In: Fantasy (Christine Feehan, Sabrina Jeffries, Emma Holly & Elda Minger)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Animagus, Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: And he wanted.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Under the blazing heat of the Borneo sun, a beautiful naturalist’s dream comes true–to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort forces her to explore her own wild side.

Thoughts

This is the beginning of my second Christine Feehan series. And I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I loved that this was a lot edgier and a little harsher than the Drake Sisters series. And the people in this are a lot more isolated. But it was a great introduction to a whole new world and set of characters. I loved the setting amongst the Borneo rainforest and the sense of eerie mystery that surrounded Maggie and Brandt’s courtship.

Although I liked this story, I really didn’t love it. Brandt was incredibly possessive and a little creepy from the get go. And although Maggie continuously felt prepared to rile against him, she didn’t quite make it. She always succumbed to him at the last moment and let him get away with his high-handedness. In the end, it worked out to be quite a sweet tale, but that was only because they found their equilibrium. The end was great, but the middle made me want to smack him for being a possessive a-hole.

I love the idea of leopard shapeshifters and can’t wait to see how these people all manage to find their mates. Plus, the setting is the most fun and engaging one I’ve read in a long time.

 <- Leopard’s Run Review Wild Rain Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Suicide Club by Robert Louis Stevenson

Book Review, , ,

Overview

The Suicide ClubTitle: The Suicide Club
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
In: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories (Robert Louis Stevenson)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Crime
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1878
5th sentence, 74th page: And they awaited the event in silence, the Doctor shaking with fear, the Colonel in an agony of sweat.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Short story trilogy involving a club for people who wish to end their lives. The “Story of the Young Man with the Cream Tarts,” “Story of the Physician and the Saratoga Trunk,” and “The Adventure of the Hansom Cab” chronicle the exploits of Prince Florizel of Bohemia and Colonel Geraldine through some of 19th-century London’s most dangerous haunts.

Thoughts

I really loved this novella. It was basically three short stories that had the common thread of the villain and the hero. The hero being the Prince and the villain the perpetrator of the Suicide Club. Written in the lyrical fashion that I’m starting to associate with Stevenson, it’s kind of a fun journey through London and Paris. With a heavy dose of mystery and crime thrown in.

There is something soothing about reading Stevenson right before bed (even if it is a tale called The Suicide Club). But, what I really liked about this tale is that it was kind of three different tales, and therefore it was a good way to finish up three days. I didn’t really wonder what was going to happen next, because each time there was a conclusion of sorts. But I also looked forward to picking up my book at the end of a long day and losing myself in Stevenson’s words.

I’m sure that there is a profound commentary on the extravagancies of daily life that I could tweeze out of The Suicide Club. And the idea just sit just outside of my awareness. But it is such an enjoyable story and was so much fun, that quite honestly, I don’t feel like thinking any further about it at all.

 <- Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Review The Rajah’s Diamond Review ->
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