Book Review: Red Harvest

Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not as good as Maltese (or at least, I didn't think so), but as always I am blown away by Dashiell Hammet's talent in writing a novel.  He's just.... amazing.  Truly.  His descriptions create a vivid picture and never, ever feel cliche.  His dialogue and use of slang fitting the setting (time period and crime etc.) is believable and authentic.  The story is always intricate and gripping.

If you like crime novels, or just really, really amazingly well-written books then pick up something by Dashiell Hammet.


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Book Review: Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield

Garden of Stones by Sophie Littlefield




I read this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I was impressed with the writing, the complexity of emotions, the feelings it invoked... I was also pleasantly surprised that a book from Harlequin wasn't... well, what I thought all Harlequin books were like. To be honest, when I requested the book I thought it was from Harlequin teen. I mightn't have requested it otherwise. For the most part I am glad I did.

Now, a warning... there is some strong language (the "F" word... twice? Maybe once or so more) and a brief.. scene... not terribly explicit, but at the same time it was. It just didn't go on and on.

This book ended with a twist. A mind-blowing twist. Loved that. I love to be surprised in books. It is sometimes easy to predict an ending (especially when there is foreshadowing) and that's okay, but it is really fun to read a book and be so sure you had it figured out and BOOM! You don't. You couldn't have even guessed. Or maybe if you go back you'd see clues, but never the first time through.

This book was set partly in the late 70's and mostly back in the 40's during the Japanese internment at Manzanar. The scene is set so well and the characters are vibrant and alive... the villains practically 3D.

In the end I didn't love the... message? this book sent. I can't say without giving away the ending, but for me I wish things had been different -- that people had been stronger. I also wish that justification wasn't so prevalent. However, it was terribly well written and heart-wrenching.

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Book Review: "Promised" by Caragh O'Brien

Promised by Caragh M. O'Brien
My rating: 4 and a half of 5 stars

Great ending to this series!!! This book was wonderful. The pacing was great... I mean, once I picked the book back up I had a really hard time setting it back down. LOVED this series. Glad I own all of the books as I will be reading them again. They were all quite clean, too. I don't remember any language (there may have been, but I don't remember it) and there was only one brief innuendo that made me blush a little in the second book.

This book picks up with all the people of Sylum that chose to head for the Enclave packing to get ready to leave and try to set up New Sylum. Leon, Peter, Will, and Gaia along with quite a few others are making the journey. There was just enough time spent on the journey without wasting a huge portion of the book on their trek. Of course, once they get to the Enclave they find things are worse than ever and that their prediction of how the Protectorat would treat them was accurate.

There were some sweet moments between Gaia and Leon and not very much time spent (wasted) on the love square with Will and Peter. This is one love story that was done well: not cheesy, not domineering, but just lovely.

A bittersweet ending... a lot of sadness at the end, but it was mixed with some really good things. There was a minute there when I thought things might end even sadder than they did and I almost teared up until I saw things were going to work out. I always appreciate a book that is written well enough to make you laugh out loud, smile like a goof to oneself, or cry.

What I didn't like: You didn't see much of Maya. The whole second book is centered around getting her back and then you only see her briefly throughout until the end. Her part in the ending is sweet, though.
Always sad to see likable characters die.

Definitely worth a read!! This series is great for boys and girls. It's tough, and real, and full of people fighting for what they believe is right. NOT a waste of time.

Thanks for stopping by! Feel free to follow me ;).

-B

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Book Review: Masquerade by Janette Rallison

Masquerade by Janette Rallison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So fun. A nice, light read that could be categorized as clean... no swear words or sex scenes, though there was some... innuendo, I guess you could say. Not really, but a little hint here or there. It's a book about actors and Hollywood and those types of situations/people/values so it's to be expected, I suppose.
I prefer books where if people were married once are now divorced instead of widowed... that way I never feel like they are being either a. unfaithful to their dead spouse or b. never fully able to love their new boyfriend/girlfriend. If they are divorced they feel... free to love again. Maybe that's weird.
p.s. I bought this as an e-book (Kindle for PC) for... $2.99... so, good deal, as well.

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Book Review: The Forgotten Locket

The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Got this early release and met Lisa Mangum today. It was really neat.

As for the book. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. good, clean, ending. Not toooooo convenient, but perfectly wrapped up and a scene earlier in the book made it clear what was to come a ways in the future so when it ended you knew everything was as it should have been.

Dante. Great male lead character... Not creepy or possessive, but still as 'into' her as we girls like to believe is possible from men...

Lots of lovey dovey whatnots, but definitely not gag-worthy. The kinda stuff that makes you smile and makes you wanna give your man a kiss for good measure.

The series is vair, vair good (Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging has changed my vocabulary forever) and worth the time it takes to read. All three of my books are now signed by the author and I plan to hold onto them forever and reread them frequently.

Better written, cleaner, and more satisfying to read (no crazy convenient endings that wrap everything up but leave a sour taste of disappointment in your mouth) like Twilight... And Dante is NOT a stalker.

Tch. This was just such a good series. A good mix of romance and intrigue, conflict and resolution... things (like I said) were wrapped up nicely, but believably.



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Book Review: Chicken Cheeks

Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black


My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Seriously. this is what couts as great children's literature nowadays?! What happened to authors like Audrey Woods? Those were books worth reading. This book is up for a Beehive Nomination... really? This whole book is just a bunch of illustrations of the rear ends of animals and 'cute' little rhyming or alliteration with animal names. This is the kind of 'literature' we want shaping our children's minds? bah. Lame and ridiculous. Since when do we have to buy into the message that our children will only be entertained by crude humor? Not a book I would own and not a book I care to have my kids to read.


Waste of time - waste of money.




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Book Review: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


For those who care: A few 'F' words (3 or 4 times, maybe), not much other swearing. Some eluding to naughtiness. Other than that I would say it's clean.


As far as story, characters, etc. This book seemed very well researched. Like, she probably took this road trip to write the book. It made me want to hop in the car and drive across country, which is, you know, good that she wrote well enough to do that. The characters are likeable -- flawed just enough to be 'real'. You identify with them, you feel for them... good characterization, I think. The story was nice. Not much actually happening except emotionally and in the relationship department. So if you're expecting a gripping plot, this book probably isn't for you.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, a good love story, dealt with some deep emotional thingsz (death, drug addiction in the family, and a break up or two).




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Book Review: Heart to Heart

Heart to Heart by Lurlene McDaniel

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This book was... all right. I cried a little when the girl died so that was something. It means something when an author can evoke emotions....

And honestly, it wasn't poorly written. I just figured there would be more to the story.

It talked about 'cellular memory' (a transplant recipient takes on traits and desires from the donor, most especially in heart patients) so it was a little paranormal... a little weird.

Characters were likable though Arabelle bugged me for almost the entire story. I think if I had liked her better I would have liked the book better.

I think that since it was a quick read I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it, but almost.

If you like stories about 16 year old girls dying, then this book is probably for you.

If you like to cry and you like skeptical non-science.... nah, it wasn't that weird... just a little.



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Book Review: The Wednesday Letters

The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was a nice book with nice stories, nice characters, and a nice moral.

It read pretty quickly and was entertaining. It was, by no means, a waste of time.

It's a story about siblings whose parents have just died. They find out that their dad wrote every Wednesday through all of their married life. They learn things they didn't know about their parents and they learn some things about themselves, too.

Each of the 3 children are going through a toughtime (the synopsis on the book jacket promises) and are helped by their dad's words. That part was diappointing because you really only hear about and watch the problems of the younget son. The other problems are pointed out sort of but never fully examined or repaired. So I think the author could have delved deeper into all of the kids or the publisher could have focused the synopsis on the kid that is really the main character (outside of the parents).

Overall it left me feeling happy and glad I read the book.

If you enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie and books that are similar you might just want to give this one a chance.



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Book Review: Santa Maybe

Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was a cute book. I have read a lot of LDS fiction lately and this was one of the better ones. It was a quick read, short book, good plot, fun characters, interesting twist at the end. Worth he time it took to read. Seagull Book has it on sale for like $1.99 so it's a kinda fun Christmas (or pre-Christmas) gift to yourself.

The main guy is cute, but I was a little bugged that he was so mad at the girl when she seemed to me totally justified in her disbelief. A little mercy and understanding would be called for, methinks.

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Book Review: Wish I Might

Wish I Might by Coleen Paratore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This was cute. That's all. Not a waste of time because it is a quick read but a la meme temps... it was simply and only and forever just cute.

Don't know if I want to read any of the other 'Willa Havashim' books becuase it was so so-so.

I wanted to be impressed. I tried to be impressed.

But something about the 'Skinny Punch' books the author had the character constantly talk about (skinny, quick reads that pack a punch) made me think the author considered or at least hoped this book would be such a thing as that. And it wasn't.

Plus her boyfriend is kinda lame.

And her friends suck.

So. Cute. But not really great.

Not really worth the time it takes to read, but it doesn't take too much time anyway.

The author builds up this 'mermaid' thing but it really isn't much of anything.

Lots of good quotes throughout the book but they are all from other authors and quoted in the book.



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Book review: The Juliet Club

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Fun and exciting book. I was pulled into modern day Verona and couldn't climb back out until the end of the book thrust me back into reality.

Well, the descriptions of the town weren't that extensive and didn't really pull me into Verona, but I was definitely pulled into the story.

Lovely, lovely leading man... Italian Hearthrob all the way!

This book was well written and was a really fun read. Worth the time it takes to read it for sure.

It's especially fun because Ms. Harper brings in plot elements from a number of Shakespeare's plays and fits them neatly into a wonderful story full of tricks, and romance, and embittered shrews, and of course... play boys (in the strictly NOT bunny kind of way: This book was wonderfully clean).



If you enjoy Shakespeare this is a book you will definitely enjoy.



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Book review: Gimme a Call

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


meh.

I mean, the book kept me reading. And was sort of entertaining... I wouldn't call it a waste of time.

But I just came away feeling... meh. That's all. I can't really describe it any other way.

If you decide to read it, fine. But in my opinion, don't be expecting anything spectacular.

Fun enough.

But that's it.



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Review for 'Princess of Glass" by Jessica Day George

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Here's the thing: I LOVE Jessica Day George. And this books wasn't bad. It just was disappointing. Her love stories and the action in her books have always been so enthralling but the book ended quickly. Everything was wrapped up but in a way that was too fast to be satisfactory.

I wouldn't consider it a waste of time to read this book, but I highly suggest her other books instead.

Read it if you are interested. It's another 'coming of age'/ young girl 'coming into her own' princess story that is also a fun take on the Cinderella story. It was cute and everything worked out at the end just don't go into it expecting it to be as great as her other books!



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Last Olympian Book Review

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


ACK! This is such a good series. SUCH a good series. Coming of age: check. Love story: check. Thrilling action: check. Lovable/relate-able characters: check.

This book was definitely good. The whole series was good. I didn't like how much of this book was taken up in the fight scenes (not my cup o' tea) but I get it. Everything in the books was leading up to this final battle and it made sense that it would take a while. Still. Still I got bored with the fighting.

Nevertheless: VERY good series. Worth the time it takes to read them. GET OUT THERE AND GET THESE BOOKS!!!



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Fablehaven Review

Keys to the Demon Prison by Brandon Mull

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Since this is the final book in the series I will briefly review the whole series here.

Enjoyable? Definitely. Gripping? Frequently. Would I read it again? Surely.

Here's the thing. I am convinced that a lot of contemporary male authors can't truly write a love story. I realize that this series is sort of a children's series, but it is also a YA series in my eyes. Kendra's 15. I don't know what it would really be classified as. I was as disappointed with the love story in the Pretties and Uglies series.

At times I got very hopeful to see Kendra find love. I know, I know. Idealistic and irrelevant. But not in my eyes. I am a romantic TO THE CORE and love a good love story. Overcoming challenges, loving someone no matter the difference (expect for like more than 10 years apart in real life)... etc. I love it. I eat it up. I gobble it and want more. So after a few potential interests were added to the story starting in the 2nd book I got very hopeful. It was sad when Kendra was betrayed but really I was not attached seeing as no time was spent on the development of the relationship. Whenever Kendra was having something develop with a character it was usually seen through Seth's eyes so there was no detail, no excitement, no "will he won't he"... And in the end there was sort of a love story (lacking many details and excruciating bits) though it was left on a note of friendship that Kendra felt deep down would grow into something more and remain. I am glad he said it... at least it offers some closure... but not enough.

That being said for the romantic in me...

The action was awesome. The book well written except for a few parts where the larger words seemed forced into the book. (Which isn't necessarily a bad thing since I am all for getting kids to read books with big words so they'll understand them and incorporate them into their vocabulary.)

It just... read awkwardly at some points. But that's okay.

I stayed up too late multiple nights to finish the series. With every book I was draw in, nervous, excited, and definitely entertained.

Very glad I gave the series a chance. It was surely worth the time it took to read.



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Book Review: final installment in the Princess Diaries series

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


So. I love Mg Cabot, I do. But. This is the first series of hers where I am disappointed. I get that teenagers deal with whether or not to have sex, but I also strongly believe it is wrong to encourage them to have sex and to make it seem perfectly okay. So there was that element that I didn't like to all of these books, especially this one.This one in particular frustrated me because little girls read these books, especially after they came out with the movies and she had blurbs from a romance novel Mia 'wrote' that had a lot of detail from what I could tell in skimming them. The one good thing was: she had the sections italicized and on their own so you knew which parts not to read if you don't want to read that sort of thing.Other than that, and/or in spite of that I really did enjoy this book. It was fun and it was wrapped up very nicely and not too conveniently. Mia is whiny but comes into her own and starts dealing with her own problems which is a nice way to end.All in all: disappointed in some of the content but most of that was easy to avoid and it was a fun book. I wouldn't read the series again and I wouldn't let my young girls read it either, but I don't feel like I totally wasted my time.

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Book review: Comfort by Carolee Dean

Comfort by Carolee Dean

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is about a young boy dealing with the struggles of an abusive mother, poverty, an alcoholic father, and the inner turmoil that creates.
Kenny Willson loves to write and dreams of a bigger life outside of the small town of Comfort, TX. He dreams of breaking free from the shackles of poverty and lack of education.
With a mama who can't see past her own dreams to realize her son has some of his own, Keny has to fight for what he wants, has to fight to be somebody, and has to fight just to stay in school.
A coming of age story that is sure to bring a tear to your eye, fill your heart with memories of all the things you've dreamed of, and raise your hackles at the injustice of a self-centered parent of a kid longing for love.
With only a few people who seem to believe in him and his mama out to tie him down: will Kenny ever fulfill his dreams and learn the power of putting his anger and disappointment on paper?
Worth the time it takes to read. A really great book: well written with flawed, believable characters and a story that, even if you can't relate, pulls you in and fills you with all the emotions of a struggling, oppressed teenager on the verge of something better.

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The Death Collector book review

Gold Star to 'The Death Collector'

** spoiler alert ** It's Jurassic Park, it's Neverwhere, it's The Librarian, it's Frankenstein... it's The Death Collector!
This book reminded me of the above mentioned books (and T.V. movies in the case of The Librarian).

A pick pocket, a museum worker, a pastor's daughter, and a man who works in a special section of a museum where things go that contradict or defy science all work together to try to uncover a mystery left by a famous paleontologist about dinosaurs.
On the trail of this mystery is also a creepy man and his band of thugs and machine men plus his crazy pet dinochine.
Our four heroes have to figure out the mystery and protect it from crazy man before he creates an army of living dead men and dino machines.
To be honest, I wasn't sure I'd like this book but in the end I really enjoyed it. I could put it down, but I did want to see how it ended and enjoyed myself on the journey.

Worth the time to read? Definitely.
A little bit too creepy for little kids, but I think tween boys especially would really enjoy the book

Rowan Hood book/ series review

Silver star.

Last night I finished the final book in the Rowan Hood series. It's a series of books about Robin Hood's daughter who forms her own band of outlaws but also spends time with Robin Hood and his men. It 's a series about a young girl trying to find her place in a man's world and the friends she meets along the way as well as about their adventures. The first and the last book are all about Rowan but the middle books are about her friends in her band.
I am just posting my review of the final book because even though the stories are different, the books are very similar and I enjoyed them all about the same.

Well. This was the final book in the Rowan Hood series and to be honest... I am not sure I liked how it ended. As most people do, I think the end is the most important thing. A book can be well written and end poorly and you are left feeling usatisfied no matter how much you liked the book while you read it.


I play a musical instrument and let me tell you... if the beginning ofyour performance rocks and then end does too, you can get away with a few mistakes in the middle. Maybe I am alone in this (and don't get me wrong, I want a book to have a great middle) but I feel the same way with books. The middle can have a few plot holes, it can be just okay, it can just move a story along, but if the beginning draws me in and if the end leaves me content, I will, generally speaking, love the book.

So. This book wascute, as were the others. Still don't enjoy this series as much as the Enola Holmes series.

I thought there definitely could have been more character development and that even though this book focused on Rowan in particular it would have been nice to feel the other characters' stories wrap up as well.

Also, call me a hopeless romantic, but I wish there had been a love story. I know Nancy Springer seems to be all about women's empowerment, but I think a really strong woman still deserves love AND that if you are really a strong woman you can still be that WHILE being in love. So. a little disappointed there.



This series is cute and fun and worth the time it takes to read it.