Right from the beginning, this book will grab you. The characters and setting are so exotic and enticing...you will first want to be there, and then, Right from the beginning, this book will grab you. The characters and setting are so exotic and enticing...you will first want to be there, and then, as you read, start to feel that you are.
I was so caught up in the fantastic descriptions and places that I wasn't even thinking as much about the plot! There were a couple of twists and turns that left me gasping in disbelief.
A magnificent story in every aspect, can't wait to read the rest!...more
Don’t Tell is the first of a fantastic romantic suspense series by Karen Rose. I absolutely love when a book can literally keep me on the edge of my sDon’t Tell is the first of a fantastic romantic suspense series by Karen Rose. I absolutely love when a book can literally keep me on the edge of my seat through the entire reading, and Karen Rose has yet to let me down. Not only that, but she is one of the best of the best when it comes to characterization. If you tried to tell me that Caroline and her son Tom were only book characters, I would probably argue on reflex before remembering that they are actually fictional. I honestly do think of them as real people because Rose so expertly details their lives, thoughts and history.
The first time I read this book, I remember thinking over and over that Tom Winters had to be the most well-written villain I had ever come across. Not necessarily the most cunning or the most evil, but the most fleshed out? Definitely. Rose gets inside his head in a way that is truly chilling. You don’t just know his thoughts. She makes you feel them. He all but steps right out of the book. It is uncomfortable, spine-tingling, creepy...it makes for delicious reading. Thinking about him actually makes me shiver and want to look over my shoulder...not to mention leaving lights on after dark!
I have also never rooted for a character as much as I did for Caroline. Watching her growth and progression over the course of the book actually made me a little emotional – more than once. Seeing her start to believe in herself, stand up for herself and feel worthy of love was very empowering. I think psychiatrists should hand this book out to women that have suffered abuse as a testimony to overcoming the pain, fear and self-doubt that such relationships leave behind.
I really can’t express how much this book means to me, or how much I love and recommend it. I have read the first ten books of the series and loved them all, but this one will always stand out. The eleventh of the series, Silent Scream, was just released and I can’t wait to get my hands on it! ...more
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn is the first book of one of the best series I have ever read. I’ve reviewed other books of the series and talkeSilent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn is the first book of one of the best series I have ever read. I’ve reviewed other books of the series and talked about the characters on the blog before, but I recently started at the beginning for a reread and couldn’t resist writing a review! So…now I take on the challenge of reviewing one of my favorite books of all time…
I owned Silent in the Grave for a long time before I finally got around to picking it up. I don’t remember why I finally did start reading it, but I still remember how I felt when I finished. I was so amazed that I’d had this book for so long without knowing how fantastic it was. I looked around at my shelves and thought “how many of these others could be another favorite that I just haven’t got around to reading yet?” Have you guys ever had that moment? (Maybe its just me because I’m such an intense book freak.)
Anyway. Where to start talking about all the pieces that make this book what it is? Check out the opening lines, which is easily my favorite beginning of all time (and which I’ve already talked about on the blog more than once):
To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.
Can you beat that? No. You can’t.
So, we are introduced to Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane, who, after the death of Julia’s husband, must work together to discover whether or not his death was really health-related or if it could have been something more sinister. Speaking of sinister – of all the historical mystery series I read and love, this one is easily the darkest and most gothic. These themes add such richness and depth to the stories and the characters; it is remarkably easy to get lost within the pages of Silent in the Grave.
Lady Julia and Brisbane are easily two of my favorite characters in all the land. The sparks they ignite when they are together are so strong, I can almost get goosebumps just by thinking about it. Deanna Raybourn has created characters that I can easily believe are real – and I have never been able to get enough of them, no matter how many times I have read the books. I basically fell in love with Brisbane very early on when he said the following to Julia:
If you were a man, your ladyship, I would cordially horsewhip you for that remark.
Who could resist that, right?
And, not only are the plots dark and twisty-turny enough to please any mystery lover – but there are so many laugh-out-loud moments as well! Seriously, there is nothing that you could want that Deanna Raybourn and Silent in the Grave won’t provide you with. Most of the funny comes from the fact that Julia’s family, the Marches, are mostly insane (or barking mad, as she likes to put it).
If you have read this book, I’m betting you loved it. If you haven’t – hopefully I’ve convinced you to do so. It highlights all the reasons I love to read: amazing plot and overall tone, and characters I enjoy so much that I reread the books over and over again for a chance to revisit them. This is a world you need to get lost in, y’all!...more
I thought the movie would prepare me for reading this book. Its a favorite of mine, so I knew I would enjoy the book...but I was really taken by surprI thought the movie would prepare me for reading this book. Its a favorite of mine, so I knew I would enjoy the book...but I was really taken by surprise with how involved I got with it.
My great and abiding love for Al Pacino blinded me to the real genius of the plot I think, at least to some extent. I automatically assumed my favorite character would be Michael...but I'm not sure that he was. I loved his character, don't get me wrong. There is just so much going on in this book, its hard to narrow down specific things to marvel about; the whole thing was brilliant.
Nuances of thought in the main characters and personal identities of the side characters get lost in movies, and those things really add to the experience of reading the book. Learning more about everyone, not just the Family, made it so much more of an epic story.
One of my favorite parts of Puzo's brilliant writing was the way he could make the "Creepy Carleone" smile come alive. I got an actual mild case of the chills every time he described Vito and Michael pulling one.
I also loved the way Michael learned about the history of the Mafia while he was living in Sicily. I think its completely understandable that the Mafia was born to try to protect the Sicilians from their corrupt government. Even the Familes in America only strive to do the same thing. You can't really fault their reasoning I don't think. I'm not saying I'm going to go hunt down an Italian family and prostrate myself before them...I'm just saying that I get where the Mafia folks are coming from to a certain extent.
Anyway, it is a fantastic story and I'm glad I read it instead of just being satisfied with the movie. As much as I love my Al Pacino, I still have to say that as great as the movie is...the book kicks its ass....more
Jennifer Donnelly does it again! She is definitely at the top of my favorite authors list.
One of the main things that kept me from being 100% in love Jennifer Donnelly does it again! She is definitely at the top of my favorite authors list.
One of the main things that kept me from being 100% in love with Tea Rose was Joe Bristow. His character was very well portrayed, don't get me wrong--I just didn't have much use for the guy. He did a couple of things in this book that really pissed me off. Then I finally realized...Donnelly is just so bloody brilliant with characterization that Joe was just being a man! Stupid, bull-headed and...wrong! He could have been a real person. Once I made that revelation, I liked him better, not his fault after all :) Plus...he did a couple of really cool things in this book. He decided to run for Parliament and he didn't even think he had a shot at winning-he just wanted to corner his opposition into making promises to help the poor that Joe was dead set on making sure they followed through with post-election. I thought that was so amazing and selfless.
"Sid" was the tortured hero. Here again is Donnelly's talent shining through. Normally, these types of characters have to be taken with a grain of salt. Not Sid. She takes you straight into his head and you see what he is going through. We saw him in the background of Tea Rose, and he comes forward in this and steals the show. He is one of the most truly portrayed characters I have ever read about. Every single thought she puts in his head was a MILLION percent dead-on.
The plots of these books are very edge-of-your-seat/hard to read at times/beautiful on their own...but when you put in her gorgeous lyrical writing and unparalleled talent for creating real and magnificent characters...she can't be beat....more
The Long Walk by Stephen King seriously impressed me. Every time I pick up a book by Stephen King, some piece of the book always reiterates why he is The Long Walk by Stephen King seriously impressed me. Every time I pick up a book by Stephen King, some piece of the book always reiterates why he is basically the storytelling master. The Long Walk is absolutely no exception. You guys – this book is brilliant.
Brilliant it might be, but it also redefines the word bleak. It is a dystopian, so that is mostly to be expected. However – with most dystopians circulating these days, there is some form of hope. There is someone fighting for a cause they believe is right – readers devour the pages in hopes of seeing the protagonist succeed.
In this book, you can forget about it. Just check out the synopsis:
On the first day of May, 100 teenage boys meet for a race known as “The Long Walk”. If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying.
The book never pretends to be something it isn’t. We meet all these teenage boys – including Garraty, the MC – and we know from the beginning that most (if not all) of them will die. This is where the Stephen King magic touch comes in – because who would really want to read a book like this? Why get to know all these characters knowing they will die? Only one author I can think of could ever make me want to pick this book up.
From page one, I couldn’t put it down. Every single person introduced in the story is compelling – all of them in completely different ways. I was so torn when I found myself caring for some of them, because I knew I’d most likely be watching them die at some point. As the pages kept turning and I watched a hundred pairs of shoes start to fall apart and starvation and exhaustion set in – I was riveted. The rules of the walk say that it will only end when one person is left – so who was that person going to be? Or was there going to be a twist of some kind saving more than one of the boys?
If you know Stephen King, you know things are never as simple as they seem. The end will surprise you.
So, even though the entire book is overwhelmed with hopelessness, pain, exhaustion and cruelty – I can’t help but recommend you pick it up. It is storytelling at its very best, and is definitely a book I won’t be forgetting anytime soon....more
I stayed up until 8 o'clock in the morning to finish this book. I literally could not put it down, it didn't even occur to me. This book was fan-freakI stayed up until 8 o'clock in the morning to finish this book. I literally could not put it down, it didn't even occur to me. This book was fan-freakin-tastic and I definitely consider it among my few favorites.
I already loved (and hated, in some cases) these characters. They already felt real to me. I know some people will read this series and say that some of the characters are without flaws, but I don't care.
I followed Phedre and Joscelin into the most realized interpretation of Hell I have ever experienced. Seriously, as they were traveling there, I had chills and I was shivering. When they lived there, I felt so sick I could barely bear to keep reading. This particular version of Hell was just a distant country feared by everyone else, but I think it was supposed to represent a Hell on Earth, and it did. She went there because she knew her God, Elua, was calling her to...I dug the prophet vibe, and I got (yet again) chills when Carey described the feelings that came over Phedre when she realized what she had to do. Its so funny I know, that I found so much religious meaning in a book so full of strange gods.
Anyway, absolutely brilliant end to this trilogy of the series. I ended it more than half in love with both Phedre and Joscelin, and I dare you to read them and not feel the same.
I was almost scared to read this, because I was just sure it wouldn't be able to measure up to Kushiel's Dart. If I'd known how wrong I was, I wouldn'I was almost scared to read this, because I was just sure it wouldn't be able to measure up to Kushiel's Dart. If I'd known how wrong I was, I wouldn't have waited two months to pick it up! I probably won't be able to wait even a week to start the third one.
So often, books in a series have different vibes, and the feelings you get while reading them are so varied that its hard to consider them connected. Not so with these, Kushiel's Chosen was very much a continuation of the first, and I can't really give it any higher praise. I picked up where I left off, feeling the exact same way about all the characters and immediately picked up my deep emotional connections to most of them.
Carey has such an awesome way of writing things. You spend the first 300 pages (give or take) knowing something awful is coming, and to some degree I'm sure everyone tries to figure out what that might be...but then all of a sudden it hits out of nowhere and spins the story out of control straight to the end. It is CRAZY. I loved that about Dart, and loved it in this one also.
Its also a great mark of her writing abilities that she can display such a wide emotional range in these characters. Seduction and sex are these peoples' occupations as homage to their gods, and as such the acts are displayed as duty, not pleasure. But, when the emotions are real, such beauty and love shine through.
I can't recommend this series enough to the people willing to take a risk on such an original and fascinating storyline....more
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King has been on my radar for quite a long time. A good friend on Goodreads first recommended it to me years ago.The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie King has been on my radar for quite a long time. A good friend on Goodreads first recommended it to me years ago. When it popped up on a post written by Angie, I knew it was time. What I didn’t know was that I’d spend the entire book kicking myself for not having introduced myself to Mary Russell years ago when I first had the chance.
You guys, this is definitely a case of reading the right book at the right time. With the right mood. And the right lunar alignment. And probably even the right socks. Every single thing about The Beekeeper’s Apprentice made me fall deeper under its spell (I even put off watching the new episode of Bones to finish a chapter. That is unheard of in the life of Allison, y’all. Bones waits on no man). It might just be in the running for my favorite book of the year.
Mary Russell has the somewhat dangerous habit of reading while walking. When she literally trips over what appears to be just an eccentric old man – she has no idea that she has just changed her entire life. That crazy old dude? Sherlock Holmes, you guys. IT IS SHERLOCK HOLMES. When she shocks him right off the bat by showing impressive intelligence, he takes her under his wing. He is pretty stoked to have a companion worthy of his time.
Their first meeting basically charmed the pants off me. They both have that kind of almost stupidly incredible intelligence that leaves them alienated from normal life. Able to converse easily from the get go, I could not love the interactions between these two more if I tried. Give me a minute here you guys, because I HAVE TO CAPSLOCK MY ENTHUSIASM OVER HOW AWESOME THESE CHARACTERS ARE! AHHHHHHHHH!
Holmes is constantly forgetting that Mary (or as he calls her, Russell) is a female (probably because she prefers to dress in man clothes) – and his bewilderment every single time he is reminded of it somehow is so charming. I want to pat him on his cute little 60 year old cheeks. Ahem. Anyway…
As the book progresses, things just keep getting better and better. Both characters keep developing – and they develop together. By the end of The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, it is hard to imagine how they could have ever lived without each other. (I don’t mean that in a particularly romantic way – I mean that they are just so compatible in every single aspect of life.)
Even though the characters are what really make the book, the mysteries are very satisfying and interesting. Some things are wrapped up fairly quickly, but the big kahuna develops slowly and with masterful suspense. Leaving just enough clues to have readers following along on the edge of their seats, Laurie King leads Holmes and Russell on one heck of a merry chase. I love a good puzzle you guys, and that is definitely what you get with this one.
Basically, every single aspect of this book is phenomenal. You’d have to be crazy not to want to read it! I have never been so thrilled at the prospect of 11 more delicious books in a series to read. Am I going to start on the next book the instant I finish writing this review? You bet I am.
To Sum it Up:
-Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes together = dynamite. magic. ALL THE GOOD THINGS. -There are plenty of mysteries to keep them occupied – the biggest of which had me guessing until the end. -This is a 12 book series, so when you read this and fall as in love with the characters as I did, you have plenty to look forward to!...more
Think Pride and Prejudice is as good as it gets? Think you can't dream up a better romantic hero than Mr. Darcy?
Immediately read this, and understand Think Pride and Prejudice is as good as it gets? Think you can't dream up a better romantic hero than Mr. Darcy?
Immediately read this, and understand why I would prefer Mr. Thornton over cranky Mr. Darcy any day of the week. He is a gentleman through and through, and his never ceasing kindnesses toward Margaret should be enough to make anyone fall in love with his character.
Also, being able to picture him as Richard Armitage (as in the BBC production of this story) is icing on the cake.
Austen is better at the witty social commentary, I'll give her that. But, to replace that, Gaskell adds in a sense of Charles Dickens in her portrayal of Mr. Thornton as the manager of a mill, and all the details of the workers' strike.
Highly recommend this, one of my favorites!...more