"There would be times when Riah Millican came to regret that her husband had learned to read and write, and then shared his knowledge with her and their children. For this was Durham in the 1830's, when employers tended to regard the spread of education with suspicion. But now Seth Millican was dead and she was a widow with the need to find a home and a living for herself and her children.
The chance of becoming a housekeeper didn't work out, but it led to Moor House and a scholarly recluse obsessed with that very book learning that could open so many doors and yet create so many problems; especially with her daughter, Biddy, who was not only bright, but wilful..."
I grew up thinking that Catherine Cookson was sort of a lightweight romance author, and thus I never really bothered with her. The only reason I picked up this book was because I was on holiday to France and the only English book I could find. So imagine my surprise when I picked up The Black Velvet Gown, and found it to be more intricate than I expected, and written in an intelligent, sometimes stark fashion.
Based on the cover and various descriptions of it and its author, I really expected another shallow, crappy 'historical fiction' (really a romance in pseudo-intellectual clothes). This, to my mind, was nothing of the sort. No, nothing sweeping or epic happens--none of the characters change the world, but they do change their worlds, and that alone was enjoyable enough to read. It really gave you a sense of the conditions of the time period.
The real draw for me was the characters, though. I loved how deeply drawn they were. No major characters here are one-dimensional. The jerks had softer, gentler sides, the kind ones had mean streaks and were capable of resentment and bitterness. People like the wrong people and dismiss the good ones mistakenly, they make mistakes. Biddy, the arguable main character, gets herself into trouble because she's got a temper and doesn't hold her tongue when that temper is high. Mr Miller is deeply, deeply complex, and I went through different shades with him. By the end of the book, I still wasn't quite sure what to make of him. They felt like real people with real struggles, and for that I adore this book.
No earth-shattering plots or anything like that here, but if you want a genuine human drama, this is for you. Age rating 14+. Heavy, sometimes depressing and talks about difficult subjects in a language you need to be older to understand.
"Young, rich and good-looking, Izzy and her friends lead seemingly perfect lives. But exams are looming and at a school like Clerkenwell, failure is not an option. Luckily, Tigs has a solution. A small pill that will make revision a breeze and help them get the results they need. Desperate to succeed, the group begin taking the study drug. It doesn't take long before they realize there are far worse things than failing a few exams."
I am so confused... That ending has just turned my mind to mush and I don't even.
I felt that this book started pretty slowly, but once it got going it was at full pelt with no intention of stopping.
I think what impacted my enjoyment the most was the characters. When it comes to drugs of any sort and the consequences, I am very unsympathetic and part of me thought that these characters got what they deserved. I did like some of the characters in this, and I felt quite sorry for poor Izzy. I understood that her and her friends only wanted to do well in their exams, but I did feel that the only one with any sense was Kara. Who gets given random drugs by a friend, with no labels or explanations as to what is in them, that have come from some random unapproved website, and says ‘what the hell? Down the hatch!’. I mean talk about asking for trouble! Have they no self-preservation skills? Do they not worry about what they’re taking? It could by cyanide for all they know!
This book was definitely creepy and verged strongly on the gruesome, but it didn't effect me that much as I didn't feel very connected to the characters. I also liked that the story was believable, mildly realistic, and not the same old thing rehashed. There was some romance, but just a touch, and it didn’t really interfere with the main storyline.
Also part of the Red Eye series like Fir, (a book I have reviewed before this.) which I am really giving ago at the moment.
For some reason it made me want to pull an all nighter, to watch the sun set and then rise without closing my eyes. Age Rating I would say 14+ as it deals with drug abuse, murder, mental psychosis and severe hallucinations.
"We are the trees. We are the snow.
We are the winter.
We are the peace. We are the rage.
Cut off from civilization by the harsh winter of northern Sweden, the Stromberg family shelter in their old plantation house. There are figures lurking in the ancient pine forests and they’re closing in. With nothing but four walls between the Strombergs and the evil that’s outside, they watch and wait for the snows to melt.
But in the face of signs that there’s an even greater danger waiting to strike, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish reality from illusion. All they’ve got to do is stay sane and survive the winter…"
5 Words: Family, isolation, chilling, mythology, fear.
Part Scandi-noir thriller, part chilling horror, with a side of ancient lore and subtle hint of environmental-awareness... I could not put this book down.
I think the greatest strength in this book, and the aspect I enjoyed the most, is the setting. It's just breathtaking. The atmosphere just builds and builds in intensity until suddenly you look up, and it's snowing outside, and for a moment you're terrified. You can hear the trees. Did a wolf just howl? Is that a spot of blood on the snow?
Don't read this book when it's snowing.
I also loved the family dynamics, the resentment that slowly grows between the characters. It felt natural, it added to the horror. It added to the atmosphere and made it harder to figure out what was real and what wasn't.
There is a sense of magic realism to the story, and everywhere you look are unreliable characters described by an unreliable narrator. This is my ultimate catnip in a book.
I did want more when I reached the end of the book, but ultimately I was happy with the ending and how it was left slightly open. I still don't know what was real and what was not. Was it all in their heads? WHAT HAPPENED?
I'm one of those people who will say that I "don't like horror". But the Red Eye collection? Wow. Even if you "don't like horror" pick it up.
Age Rating 12+. Creepy and suspenseful, not for a sensitive 12.
"Polly Perks joins the Discworld army to find her brother Paul. "Ozzer" cuts off blonde braids, dons male garb, belches, scratches, and masters macho habits aided by well-placed pair of socks. Legendary and seemingly ageless Sergeant Jackrum accepts her plus a vampire, troll, zombie, religious fanatic, and two close "friends". The best man for the job may be a woman."
This is my favourite and most read of all the discworld novels, closely followed by The Nightwatch.
Monstrous Regiment is about a girl who dresses up as a boy to get into the army of an extremely misogynistic and backward country so she can try to rescue her older brother Paul, whom she has taken care of since she was a child. That’s not a spoiler, by the way: that’s on the back cover. The entire story is about female and male roles, and whether or not they should change. It’s also a book that will probably make you think a few new thoughts, especially if female equality isn’t an obsession of yours, and therefore obviously worth reading.
Monstrous Regiment will also make you think about war. There is enough about realistic fighting in it to make you freeze in shock at points. Like Night Watch, like all of Sir Terry’s best writing, it deals with a serious subject in a crazy way and in turn has a deadly serious razor edge to it. Yes, yes, war is bad and grass is green but Monstrous Regiment will make you feel up close and personal what it’s like to be a soldier. If you don’t feel some wheels turning in your head as you re-evaluate your position on whether anybody should fight anybody with anything after reading this book you are probably dumber than a pigeon.
The third subject Monstrous Regiment takes on is religion. Yes, organized religion and heavenly religion, too. Once again, the book will probably surprise you. It astounded and amazed me by its bravery in handling this particular hot potato. I won’t go into the subject at length here because there are some spoilers that are pretty important to the discussion, but suffice it to say that new thoughts may well rocket back and forth in your head at the speed of a light clacks’ signals. (very fast) Sir Terry is a genius when it comes to turning established “truths” on their heads and then turning them back over again . . . and back upside-down just for good measure.
So definitely, without doubt, read the book. There are some terrific characters introduced here. The protagonist, Polly Oliver Ozzer Perks, is a very likeable girl. I’d be entirely happy to have Polly on my team any day, and I’d not hesitate to call on her in time of need. She’s smart and solid. That’s high praise from me.
Age rating is about 13/14+. Overall: The action in the book is fast and furious, the humor is hilarious, the writing is fresh and vibrant, the ideas breathtaking, and there are even a few brief appearances by Samuel Vimes, who is my favorite of all Sir Terry’s characters, male or female.
"On a storm-ravaged night, a 19-year-old girl is killed. Three days later, her two younger brothers set out in search of her murderer. Cole, 17, is a dark-eyed devil who doesn't care if he lives or dies, while Ruben, 14, is a strange child who sometimes, inexplicably, experiences sensations above and beyond his own. This is the story of the boys' journey from their half-gypsy home on a London junk lot to the ghostly moors of Devon, where they hope and fear to find the truth about their sister's death. It's a long road, cold and hard and violent. It's the road of the dead."
Not what I expected. When I picked this book up I was expecting a paranormal maybe supernatural thriller. I didn't get that at all. Instead you get a brutal story which was far to real to be enjoyable.
This book in well written but it is fundamentally about vigilante justice with no real consequences (other than being severely beaten up). While no one dies, at least not on the page, no one exactly survives either. By the end of the book, it felt like a lot of destruction just barely contained within the narrative framework. The story is hard and wrenching, but it felt like it was swimming in dangerous waters.
The beginning is slow, dark and broody and then gets suddenly very violent and action-packed (but still dark and broody!). The mystical aspect of Ruben's trances/visions/whatever-they-were didn't seem to be consistent to me, especially when they became more like an out-of-body experience. There were aspects of the mystery that were solved suddenly with no real explanation, and although I thought I would enjoy the setting (English moors), it ended up too depressing and stark.
I liked it, but I won't recommend it to anyone. Age rating I would say 14+. Dark, gritty and disturbing. It touches on some uncomfortable topics and isn't a pleasant read.
"The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.
With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear."
This book felt a lot like a chess board with how it strengthened every player and moved them into the right position before the final battle of the next book. So it might not be the most gripping story as a whole, but it did an amazing job of building an impressive lineup of characters. I NEVER expected to care this much about Lorcan?! I loved how the most unexpected characters paired up for different missions and how everyone’s different stories wove together at the end.
I was surprised by how much of this story is carried by the POVs of other characters instead of Aelin. That decision makes total sense in the end, but I was initially wondering why I wasn't connecting with her as much as I had in previous books. She spends most of the story making her own secret plans behind the scenes while everyone calls her out on not clueing them in until the continual big reveals. Seeing her through other characters often made her seem a bit distant, callous, not focused on the bigger picture, and pretty much back to her Celaena persona. But by the end it all makes sense and she was still the incredibly brave, determined, selfless character we love. She gets even more complex and mature in this story and her whole journey is wonderful.
So that decision to make the development of so many crucial plot points happen off-screen (off-page??) made the reveal at the end more emotional, but also made me kind of frustrated in the middle with how I couldn't get a strong sense of where on earth Aelin’s head was or where the plot was even going. Because we didn't get such a strong look into Aelin's mind, her relationship with Rowan didn't have much emotional impact for me. I love them both as individual characters and do care about them together, but I'm just not very invested. So I did enjoy this book overall, but wasn’t super emotionally attached like I was in Heir or Fire or flipping through the pages like I was in Queen of Shadows.
HOWEVER THE CHARACTERS ARE SO AMAZING. They’ve all grown so much since the first book! I said in my reviews of previous books that I wanted to see more of Manon, Aedion, and Elide and I was not let down. The amount of character development that secondary characters got here makes me so happy. I have no clue how Maas juggles all of these characters so well and make them all unique and interesting.
I liked Elide in Queen of Shadows, but can we talk about how she becomes the most amazing character ever here. Her POV and everything that happened in it was the most unexpected part of the book (and also maybe the best).
Other random things I loved:- MANON. Manon and her Thirteen. Manon and Abraxos. Manon and learning to hope.
- Lysandra being stronger and more badass then before!!
- Maeve just got bumped up past Umbridge level of loathing
- The Rowan + Dorian bonding scenes
- How amazing Maas is with her mythology references (like how Fenrys is a wolf haha)
- Aelin’s court. How much they’ve done for her and are willing to do for the bigger picture.
- Aelin calling Rolfe “his Pirateness”
- Elide adopting characteristics from Manon & Asterin and working with what she has
- the sheer scope of the phenomenal worldbuilding
- How the big reveal gave the previous books WAY more depth
- Seeing Dorian and Aelin referred to as the King of Adarlan and Queen of Terrasen
- Dorian still eats like a fine lady
Now I know that a ton of people were losing their minds over the sex scenes in this book before it was even released, so let me just take a minute to weigh in on that. The main thing I heard was that they were graphic and unnecessary. Personally I agree with that, it really didn’t need them. They didn’t really fit the tone and even felt a bit forced into the story in several places. [Especially Manon & Dorian. I can admit that ship works after everything Dorian’s been through. But that scene really didn’t do anything for the characters or plot (hide spoiler)]I defended ACOMAF because the plot built up to those scenes and it meant something in the context of the story, buuuuut I’m really not feeling that here. I wish the page time had been spent elsewhere. (So basically, YES, you can skip them and it won’t affect anything which I exactly what I did).
Because I the afore mentioned scenes I would say mature 14/15+.
"Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.
There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.
It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with. Day in, day out, day after day."
Hi Guys, sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been off on summer holidays and have been lazing about.
The concept of this book was very alluring. For me, what I enjoyed the most was the many small stories scattered throughout about the different lives A enters. They are fleeting, varied, but often quite interesting and touching.
Beyond this, though, it was slightly disappointing. This same story written by many other authors would be called out for its "instalove". However, I suppose Levithan writes poetically enough that A's relationship with Rhiannon seems deeper, when in reality A falls in "love" with her instantly.
Secondly, there is no explanation at all for the paranormal aspect. No attempt to address it, no consideration given to why A always wakes up in a body 4 hours or less away from Rhiannon and is always the same age. I can suspend a lot of disbelief, however this was an issue for me.
By far a bigger issue for me was something that many people have praised the book for - the unique perspective from the point of view of someone who is genderless and without a life of their own. Wow, what an interesting idea, right? Indeed it is, and yet it is not explored at all. There is very little discussion of what it means to be male, female, both or neither. It is taken for granted that these things are meaningless and shrugged off. What a wasted opportunity to look at a fascinating subject!
There isn't an age rating for this. It is just a soft romance with nothing physical happening. It shows that what you look like doesn't have to define your life. However waking up in a different body everyday does put a crimp in it!
"There would be times when Riah Millican came to regret that her husband had learned to read and write, and then shared his knowledge with her and their children. For this was Durham in the 1830's, when employers tended to regard the spread of education with suspicion. But now Seth Millican was dead and she was a widow with the need to find a home and a living for herself and her children.
