Rachel
Halfway through I'm finally throwing in the towel.
This book has some interesting plot ideas, but terrible execution. Things are introduced, then discarded. It's as if the author set up all these extra plot lines for sequels, but never focused on the original storyline.
I kept hoping the book would get better. In spurts it did, then it'd fall back into a boring predictable unfinished YA mess.
I thought it'd be a hidden gem. Instead, it's just another humdrum YA novel in an ocean of others.
This was my first James Patterson novel. The audiobook showed up on my audiobook app and I thought “why not? This sounds interesting enough”
So how was it? Not bad. It was very fast paced with tons of twists and turns. Definitely fits that “guilty pleasure” line. Not exactly a “classic” or “groundbreaking” but a solid read for an afternoon when you want to play detective.
I did find out the killer semi early. That made a bit of the story drag. Still, it was entertaining. I may pick up another James Patterson novel in the future.
Where to begin? When I picked this book up, I wanted something lite, maybe a little fluffy. I wanted a story that would hold my attention, but I didn't have to work at.
The story of a widow didn't really appeal to me, but good reviews and the promise of historical events had me curious.
The beginning was slow. I thought the character was haute. I know now I just wasn't used to her writing style. The beginning was choppy and characters stereotyped. It wasn't until meeting Paulo that the story picked up. Readers are drawn into the story of how Max and Shelley meet. The book isn't without its cheesy Nicolas Sparks romance moments, but there is enough mystery, history, humor and heart to even it out. The history was my v favorite. I honestly didn't feel much for any of the characters until a certain hospital trip. Then the pace changed.
I flew through the second half. I wondered about it throughout the day. it messed with my sleep schedule. I know it's not real, but by the end the journey through the book has me hoping somewhere it's real. real but not real. the stories from history weigh on the soul. the last one in particular. I have a real passion for ancient Greece & Rome. Reading that last story was like a dagger to everything I've learned.
if this book does one thing right, it's that it brings emotion to history. all stories are connected somehow. it doesn't matter if they lived today or a thousand years ago. family matters.
I'd recommend this book. It's a quick read. you need to read awhile before it gets going. really, until Paolo shows up, it's snooze fest. I wouldn't call this a classic, or a favorite, but I'd recommend this book. it seems to have something to offer everyone.
The Haunting of Hill House is listed as a classic horror novel. A haunted house... possession.... strange sounds... creepy maid/cook. This book has it all.
The story begins with Eleanor. She receives a letter to spend the summer at Hill House. Little is known about the house except that it may be haunted. With nothing left at home, Eleanor sets off towards Hill house. She is met by the strange caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Dudley. They insist on never staying past sunset. In the coming hour, more people arrive. Theodora, same as Eleanor, decided to come because of a letter. Luke, is set to inherit Hill House. Dr. Montague, the man who wrote the letters, is writing a book on Hill House.
The night starts off normally. The house is strange, but nothing out of the ordinary happens. Then, as the hours and days role past, the house awakens. Doors start to close, strange noises can be heard, and one of the characters appears to be losing their mind.
Shirley Jackson has created an excellent atmosphere. There is a constant sense of foreboding. Something is watching and waiting for the right moment to strike. I felt like I was in a horror movie and often didn't know which way to turn. One visit into Hill House was more than enough. The reason I knocked a star off my review was because of the characters and their dialog. Mrs. Jackson tried to duplicate multiple conversations happening at the same time. It was hard to discern whom was talking to whom. There were also a number of irregular shifts in the plot. One minute the characters would be together huddled in fear. The next they'd be sleeping soundly. If events like this happened to me, I'd have left immediately.
Overall the Haunting of Hill House is perfect to read before Halloween. It has some very unnerving scenes that can only be enhanced by the shorter days, colder weather, and haunted decorations.
I was surprised by this. I didn't expect an actress to have such a real, personable look on life.
When it Happens To You is a story made up of smaller stories. It's like He's Just Not That into You, New Years Eve, etc. You're introduced to various characters and stories, then they're slowly woven together. I personally thought the stories were stronger separately, but enjoyed the final combination. It's a good reminder that everyone has problems and is dealing with something, AND that our actions can greatly impact others.
I found the stories moving and the writing wonderful. I could connect to each character and visualize each setting. I also enjoyed Molly Ringwald's narration of her book. It was simplistic and enjoyable. One of the better author narrations I've listened to.
Love love loved! I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author. She sounded so genuine, yet fierce and determined. I hope she continues writing. I didn't want this book to end.
It was good, but the mid-story change of a story within a story was confusing. Enjoyed the relationship between Holmes and Watson.
Not at all what I expected. I was looking forward to seeing sketches of all his original characters. I'd have liked to see the stages of his thought process with an image of his final piece.
The text felt disjointed to me. Perhaps the author was a novice. It felt as if anyone, even a high school student could have written it.
In conclusion, this book was a total miss.
This book was written in 2002, and it shows. The format is a mix between the heavy use of text used in previous history textbooks and the incorporation of lots of images (a more modern trend) to keep the reader's attention. The layout is also reminiscent of early 2000's designs.
Aside from that this is still a good book for history fans. This book is called “Vanished Civilizations” for a reason. Most people know about the ancient Egyptians, Mayans, Romans, Vikings, etc. This book touches some of that but focuses mostly on older lesser known civilizations. In fact, most of the cities I had never heard of and I have a minor in ancient civilizations. (Mostly European).
The book provides a nice table at the start comparing what was going on across the different continents at the same time. I'd recommend reading that before starting this book. It gives the reader a nice backstory as to why everything is in the order it is. The book starts thousands of years ago. It starts before writing even existed. That should give you an idea about how old these civilizations are.
This is a nice book that covers a lot of information and a lot of cultures across a long period of time. It was a nice find. Not my favorite, but I think that has to do with its age. Aside from that, it was an interesting read for a summer afternoon.
I really enjoyed this book. it's a bit outdated by today's standards (he references the recent moon landing), but deals with topics so ancient that it didn't really matter.
Neverland is not the infamous land of Peter Pan. It is a land that has grown from something that may have been real into a legend. This book focuses prominently on the ancient Greeks. Atlantis, the Odyssey, fauns, cyclops, centaurs.... they along with other members of the ancient world had a major impact on the myths and fairy tale creatures of today.
Frimmer not only sums up the legends, but also notes where we first learned of them, and what else may have been going on during those times that could have influenced the legends. Are sea monsters real or were they created by the Phonecians to keep others out of their waters? The land of fire? Most likely they found and active volcano. While not always accurate this book gave me a new perspective on the world. it was a quick, fascinating read into the minds of people who lived thousands of years ago.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient mythology, fairy tales, or ancient culture.
The Pomegranate Princess: And Other Tales from India is a collection of folk/”fairy” tales from India. The stories vary in length from 2-7 pages and predominately easy to read. Some of the stories can be dark and unsuitable for young children. The “evil” or “disobedient” women in the tales often receive cruel fates. One is sealed alive into the palace walls. Others are buried alive in a jungle. Most of the women in these stories are servants to men. It's a stark contrast to modern culture.
The book overall was very enjoyable. I was unfamiliar with most of the tales and found them to be an interesting glimpse into ancient indian culture. They were short enough to read in between other tasks, and each began with an image to accompany the story.
I would have liked the author to expand more upon the stories. Some transitions felt rather abrupt. At the end, the book contains and appendix that cross references Types of Indic Oral Tales, by Stith Thompson and Warren E. Roberts. I'm interested to see how that compares.
3.5 Stars. Some stories were good. Others not stop much. Opinions on individual stories are listed in the updates.
Life is too short to spend on bad books. Tim Curry tried his hardest to sell this to me, but I had to give up at 50%. This book is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Instead of making a unique story with new characters it turns adults into children. It revives James Hook. It turns a lost boy into a girl just cause. It kills off Michael.
There are SO many better ways they could have gone. If you're looking for a good sequel to Peter Pan, read Peter and the Starcatchers. That series captures the magic of Peter Pan and Never land as it should exist.
The dramatization became distracting at times, but there was something soothing about listening to these famous British actors reading Winnie the pooh. A few times I almost dozed off (with a smile one my face of course.) It was cozy and fun. plus. it had Judi Dench and Stephen Fry.
This is one of those cases where I wish Goodreads allowed half stars. I really give this book 3.5 stars. It's cute and creative, but not my cup of tea. Sometimes I felt there was too much explanation, other times I just said “why”?.... I should have expected a book about santa clause to be very unbelievable. It started as realistic with just a touch of magic. Around the halfway mark it left believable behind for the bizarre. Anna is killed by poisoned herbs only to be back by three wise men? That's where this book lost me. I could believe how Klaus and Anna met, I could believe the toys and the talking and flying reindeer. I could believe the north pole and the elves. I couldn't buy Anna's death and magic resurrection. I couldn't buy Anna's later injury and the loss of Dasher. I also couldn't buy the part where the guy turns into “fog” or “mist”. The first half deserved 4.5 stars, but the second half knocked it down.
If you love books and you're looking for a cozy mystery, this is it.
Brooklyn is a book restorer who works on a show special similar to antiques roadshow. she appraises a very rare edition of The Secret Garden for tens of thousands of dollars. Then there is a murder. Who is willing to kill to get the book? Read it and find out.
Side note: This was the first book I read in the series. I found it fairly easy to follow all the characters and didn't need to read the others first.
Night Music is the second collection of short stories and novellas by John Connolly. It features a variety of tales regarding the supernatural ranging from ancient to modern times. I confess I haven't read the first collection, but felt it wasn't necessary to read before starting this.
The tales includes are: (summaries in brackets)
1. The Caxton Private Lending Library and Book Depository - (A man retires from his dead end job and moves to the country. There he sees a woman jump in front of a train. Why would she do that and why are there no remains anywhere? )
2. The Blood of the Lamb - (A young girl with a gift or a curse is being visited by priests from the vatican)
3. A Dream of Winter - (A young boy see an old man's face in his window at school)
4. The Lamia - (A woman raped in a small town looks for revenge)
5. The Hollow King: From the Universe of The Book of Lost Things - (A myst creeps over the land destroying everything in its path. )
6. The Children of Dr. Lyall - (Two thieves break into an old woman's house during World War II. The house is filled with strange patterns with initials. Who is the woman and what do these patterns mean?)
7. The Fractured Atlas - Five Fragments - (A collection of 5 stories featuring a book called “The Fractured Atlas”. Story 1 (The Dread and Fear of Kinds) takes place in the Dark Ages and introduces readers to the The Fractured Atlas, a strange book with a cover made of skin, and pages that only open when they choose. Story 2 (The Djinn) features Mags, a man who buys and sells books for a living. During an estate sale he finds the Fractured Atlas among its possessions. Story 3 (Mud) features an old soldier from World War II who is haunted by things he did or didn't do during the war. Story 4 (The Wanderer in Unknown Realms) features a private investigator hired to find a very rich man that has disappeared. This is the longest story in The Fractured Atlas and has been published before with great acclaim. Story 5 (And in Darkness Shall We Dwell) concludes the story of the Fractured Atlas and wraps up questions from the first 4 stories. )
8. Razorshins - (A group of men from rival gangs are transporting liquor during prohibition. A snow storm begins and the men take refuge on a man's farm, but they're not alone)
9. On the Anatomization of an Unknown Man (1637) by Frans Mier - (A man recounts a painting of men dissecting a body for science and the death of a murderess Elizabeth Evans. )
10. A Haunting - (A widow books a stay in the hotel room he and his late wife used to rent out for every anniversary. After a short nap, the man finds a woman's belongings in his room. Then his wife appears. Is he the ghost, or is she? )
11. Lazarus - (This story explores the resurrection of Lazarus, a friend of Jesus of Nazareth. What is it like to be brought back from the dead? Is there really life after death?)
12. Holmes on the Range: A Tale of the Caxton Private Lending Library and Book Depository - (Related to the first story in this book, this tale looks at the addition of Sherlock Holmes and Watson to the Caxton Library. Fans of Sherlock Holmes should enjoy this tale)
13. I live here. - (Not a short story, but a collection of thoughts by the author John Connolly. It recounts book tours, and the sources that inspired his love of classic horror. He delves into lesser known facts about famous horror authors Bram Stoker and Mary Shelly and references books, tv shows, and movies that shaped him as a child. It's an interesting chapter with many ideas of what to watch and read next. )
Sea Spell is a wonderful conclusion to Waterfire Saga. Although the first book was slow, the others ramped up and dominated the mermaid genre.The imagery is breathtaking, and something I'll remeber for a long time. The characters are strong, courageous, flawed. Each has their own personality which shines through the text.
This series shows it's ok to be different, embrace what makes you who you are, face your fears, stand up to friends and for friends, fight for what you believe in even if the odds are stacked against you, learn, have fun, and enjoy every moment life gives you.
Jennifer Donnelly proves once again why she is a master storyteller. I will miss this world and the characters she built.
Highly recommend to all young readers, especially young girls.
There are terrible stories written by great authors, and great stories written by terrible authors. The Phantom of the Opera suffers from the latter. While it contains an interesting premise with a promising title character, the book suffers from a lack of order, weak side characters, and terrible buildup.
The book begins with great progress. It introduces the reader to the opera house, the people who run it, and the mysterious ghost. Along the way it becomes sidetracked with the viscount de Chaney and his infatuation with Christine Daae, a promising young singer. Rather than trying to help his beloved, the Viscount (Raul) acts like a child. He bursts out crying at a show, and is constantly throwing himself into hysterics. I pictured him as a modern stereotype of a gay man.
The only positive to this book is the character of the phantom and the summary of the story. By the halfway mark I was cringing. I just wanted the book to be finished. Even now, I'm having a difficult time composing my thoughts. The writing style is jumpy and sloppy. There is no central narrator, and the scenes are constantly shifting. The premise of the Phantom of the Opera is a classic story, but the book Gaston Leroux wrote was a mess. This is definitely a case where the movie and stage adaptations did it better.
I would honestly prefer another author rewrite this book to be the masterpiece it should be.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
When I first read the summary I was wary. Based on that summary this sounded like a typical YA book where a heroine called Honoria enters a magical realm to do something impossible. In this case it'd be to resurrect her parents, who died in the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. This was how I INTERPRETED the summary. It really didn't do the book justice at all.
Before I delve into the summary I need to make an aside. I already mentioned that Honoria lost her parents in the September 11th attacks. I was old enough to remember that day. I remember hearing the news, watching the feed, the sirens, the smoke, the planes, the silence.... It was a moment that shocked the American nation to its core. For that reason, I'm exceedingly wary of anyone who tries to turn the event into fiction. If you have those same fears as me, fear not. This book references the attack but doesn't try to undo it. It doesn't add its own fairy tale mumbo jumbo to the event. For the most part, it doesn't even mention the attacks. Not because it's not an important event, but because it's not the focus of the story.
The real story focuses around three women in three different time periods. Lady Elizabeth (1600s) is on the run from the townsfolk. The author quickly labels her as the witch from Witchwood Hollow. Albertine (1800s) live in England. She is summoned by her father to travel to America. There she will meet her future Husband. The only problem? They live next to Witchwood Hollow. Honoria (2001) moves next to Witchwood Hollow following the death of her parents.
Since the book is fairly short, I don't want to give away too much about each of the characters. I do want to highlight things I did and didn't like.
Highlights:
The story - Wasn't what I expected and felt original.
The length - It was perfect for a lazy summer day.
Descriptions of characters - The author didn't spend much time elaborating on the different character, yet they all showed different personalities in relatively few words.
Descriptions of the lands - This was a real treat. I could picture most of the novel. I always find that a real treat. At times I could even smell the scent of the autumn woods.
Low points:
Grammar - There were a number of typos and overall rough sentences that need to be ironed out.
Timeline - There is no way Honoria's Aunt and Uncle could have taken custody of Honoria and her brother, found a home far away, moved in, and started at a new school only 2 weeks after September 11th. Yes, they wanted to rush away from the city and the memories, but most forms of transportation and communications were shut down. First responders were still pulling bodies from the rubble weeks later. The earliest they could have moved was late October. A more realistic timeline would have been Spring 2002, or fall 2002.
September 11th attacks - Granted, most people would not have talked about the attacks around Honoria, but there was no mention at all about the terrorists, the planes, going to war, etc. This attack changed America. Some minor character should have referenced it.
Honoria's brother - Seemed absolutely indifferent to his parent's deaths. Perhaps this is his way of coping, but a little insight into that emotion would have been nice. maybe it was briefly referenced, but his chipper attitude and indifferent attitude is what stuck out the most in my mind. For someone who just lost his parents in an unthinkable way, he seems to be doing just fine.
The ghost at the inn - Later we get information of who this ghost is and why they might be there, but this chapter/storyline was incredibly underdeveloped. If people could see him, then why not elaborate that more? It felt out of place to begin with, so I'd recommend scrapping that plot line for another story, but it just felt out of place.
Summary - Didn't do the story justice. It completely missed the point of the novel.
The ending - WHY!? I don't want to include spoilers here.... but it was unnecessary. Most of the novel focused on finding a way to survive. Honoria must survive her parent's deaths, Elizabeth must learn to survive on her own, Mary Anne must survive without her sister, Albertine must survive a trip into the unkown and find her way out in an unknown country, Leon must survive something to do with his father and something else. The story claims to be about Witchwood Hollow, but really it's about the Hollow and the surrounding town being the keys to helping the characters survive the troubles the characters face in their lives. Some characters endings were good, but for others... the ending completely undid the point of the story.
Long story short:
I enjoyed this story. It wasn't the best book I've read, but it wasn't the worst either. There were many original ideas which is hard to find these days. I found it to be a quick read and once I started, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the premise of the woods and the variety of the characters. I was eager to read more about them. There were some hiccups in the storyline, and some rough points, but overall I enjoyed it. I feel the author has potential and I'm interested to read more from her.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
First and foremost, I REALLY wanted to like this book. The summary sounded interesting and I couldn't wait to start. I enjoyed the first chapter and various other areas of the story, but most of the story was a kite that just couldn't get off the ground.
If I had to identify 1 major problem, it's with the main character Edna. She's underdeveloped and irritating. One minute she's this strong girl traveling into foreign places to save her kidnapped brother and the next she's a completely weak, incompetent girl who sits around crying and complaining all day. Also, Ike reveals a secret in the swamp about his background family and Edna just cracks jokes about it. How heartless can a person be?
Other notable problems:
- Ike and Edna's relationship. Hours into them meeting, Edna falls asleep on his shoulder. He almost robbed her! Then they're holding hands and making out in a cupboard? I could buy it if Edna was more mature, or if there was more buildup, but there was none. The characters felt like they were thrown together to fill a romance plotline.
- Too much detail on some things, not on others. Jordan has a knack for describing places in few words. I loved her descriptions in her previous book Escape from Witchwood Hollow. The descriptions this book were a mess. One example: When they stop by a farmhouse, Edna says she's thirsty, then focuses on the well for about a paragraph. The well isn't important to the storyline and take up valuable real estate in the book. That paragraph could have been spent elaborating more on the house or the people instead.
- Why would the police just forget their baby dragon?....
-Too much repitition. Harrison, Harrison, Harrison. I got it. She wants her brother back. It doesn't need to be repeated every other page.
-The Evil.... Mentioned over and over and over again with no substance. There's a way to build up suspense, this wasn't it.
-Conflicting paragraphs. One paragraph Edna is collapsing from exhaustion (specifically hiking through the swamp). Ike bends down for a minute to get water, and she's complaining that they need to get going to rescue Harrison.
-So many undeveloped characters. The gin house, the fairy girl at the beginning, the hags, the royalty, her mother, the creatures in the swamps. As a reader I met so many characters and was given such little information that I gave up caring whenever a new creature came in. My reaction “oh yay, another strange character that will be irrelevant in 3 paragraphs.”
I don't want to add any more spoilers. Simply put, this book never got off the ground. The premise had so much promise, but there wasn't enough world building. There was limited character development, and the main character was just... frustrating.
For Jordan, I don't know if you'll read my review. I'm sorry it's negative, but I felt I had to be honest. You have really great and original ideas, this book just fell flat for me.