Sam's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 22 Feb 2025 16:29:36 -0800 60 Sam's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Guest List 52656911
The bride � The plus one � The best man � The wedding planner � The bridesmaid � The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?]]> 319 Lucy Foley Sam 4
The plot twists had me shocked and one even made me cry, but the suspense and tension was as riveting as being an actual guest at this wedding. I am never going to look at celebrities the same way after this]]> 3.82 2020 The Guest List
author: Lucy Foley
name: Sam
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves:
review:
An absolute page-turner!! Lucy Foley really knows how to turn a simple, elegant wedding on a little island into a deadly affair. Each chapter follows the point of view of different people involved in the wedding, the bride, the bridesmaid, the best man, the wedding planner and the plus-one. I loved how even though you see the entire story through varying perspectives, it's still easy to follow. Foley uses a diary-entry style for each POV which I thought worked incredibly well for a 'whodunnit' plot.

The plot twists had me shocked and one even made me cry, but the suspense and tension was as riveting as being an actual guest at this wedding. I am never going to look at celebrities the same way after this
]]> <![CDATA[The Vampyre and Other Tales of the Macabre]]> 472968 The Vampyre (1819), was a product of the same ghost-story competition that produced Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The present volume selects thirteen other tales of mystery and the macabre, including the works of James Hogg, J.S. LeFanu, Letitia Landon, Edward Bulwer, and William Carelton. The introduction surveys the genesis and influence of The Vampyre and its central themes and techniques, while the Appendices contain material closely associated with its composition and publication, including Lord Byron's prose fragment Augustus Darvell.

JOHN POLIDORI - The Vampyre
HORACE SMITH - Sir Guy Eveling's Dream
WILLIAM CARLETON - Confessions of a Reformed Ribbonman
EDWARD BULWER - Monos and Daimonos
ALLAN CUNNINGHAM - The Master of Logan
ANONYMOUS - The Victim
JAMES HOGG - Some Terrible Letters from Scotland
ANONYMOUS - The Curse
ANONYMOUS - Life in Death
N. P. WILLIS - My Hobby,--Rather
CATHERINE GORE - The Red Man
CHARLES LEVER - Post-Mortem Recollections of a Medical Lecturer
LETITIA E. LANDON - The Bride of Lindorf
JOSEPH SHERIDAN LE FANU - Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Contess]]> 312 Robert Morrison Sam 5 3.70 1997 The Vampyre and Other Tales of the Macabre
author: Robert Morrison
name: Sam
average rating: 3.70
book published: 1997
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1)]]> 60714999 Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always � always � guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown� and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone � but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 504 Carissa Broadbent Sam 0 currently-reading 4.30 2022 The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1)
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Sam
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/18
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Life (All Souls, #3)]]> 16054217 The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night

Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.]]> 561 Deborah Harkness 0670025593 Sam 3
In the whole trilogy, Harkness created one main plot and many subplots, with only the main plot being resolved. The rest of the subplots were left 'up in the air'. I felt that if she spent less time describing, in graphic detail, the birthing of Diana and Matthew's twins, from the very first contraction to the first breastfeeding, then perhaps she could have resolved the main plot earlier and still have pages to tie up all other loose ends. The parts of the novel that actually had substance would have filled up only half of the 561 pages Harkness managed to churn out. Still, it was a palatable series of witches, vampires and daemons.]]> 4.15 2014 The Book of Life (All Souls, #3)
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Sam
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2022/01/13
date added: 2025/01/18
shelves:
review:
The final book in the All Souls trilogy took forever to get to the point. With the amount of build-up given, I expected something extraordinary to happen when Diana found and repaired the Ashmole 782 book. Unfortunately, the great discovery fell flat. I liked the way Harkness provided more familial interactions with the characters which is the only reason I gave it 3 out of 5 stars, that and the development of the characters.

In the whole trilogy, Harkness created one main plot and many subplots, with only the main plot being resolved. The rest of the subplots were left 'up in the air'. I felt that if she spent less time describing, in graphic detail, the birthing of Diana and Matthew's twins, from the very first contraction to the first breastfeeding, then perhaps she could have resolved the main plot earlier and still have pages to tie up all other loose ends. The parts of the novel that actually had substance would have filled up only half of the 561 pages Harkness managed to churn out. Still, it was a palatable series of witches, vampires and daemons.
]]> <![CDATA[House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)]]> 52857700
Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she's going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that's no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.

Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.]]> 835 Sarah J. Maas 1681193094 Sam 4
Plot: Bryce and Hunt are separated between worlds. Hunt is held in the Asteri dungeons with Ruhn and Baxian being severely tortured by the ruthless Pollux and the Hammer. Bryce finds herself in the original Fae world where she meets Nesta, Azriel, and Rhysand (cross-over from the ACOTAR series). Unfortunately, she's desperate to get back to save her mate, her brother and friends so she rapidly tries to figure out why her starlight sent her there to the home of her ancestors whilst finding a way to kill the Asteri. Meanwhile, Lidia (the Hind who is now enemy-turned-ally) finds a way to rescue Ruhn, Hunt, and Baxian using all the help she can muster from Bryce's friends. Thereafter, the group is tasked with the mission of ending the Asteri's regime once and for all.

Verdict: Lots of events and incidents take place, almost simultaneously. The history of Midgard and how the Asteri got control of it was super interesting but highly convoluted. Maas poured a ton of information in one go that you're forced to rely on Bryce to remember it all. This book made me realise I liked Bryce and Hunt much better when they were separated. Together, they were insufferable. Nevertheless, this book was all about tying up loose ends, which it did exceptionally well. I was expecting a lead up to an epic showdown, but it was more about having minor subplots reaching a resolution until the main one found its denouement. The last few chapters became tedious, so I skimmed through it and was still satisfied with the ending. This series is not better than ACOTAR, but not bad either.]]> 4.15 2024 House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:
The final book in the Crescent City series was everything the first 2 books should have been: fast-paced, action-packed, and consistent narration.

Plot: Bryce and Hunt are separated between worlds. Hunt is held in the Asteri dungeons with Ruhn and Baxian being severely tortured by the ruthless Pollux and the Hammer. Bryce finds herself in the original Fae world where she meets Nesta, Azriel, and Rhysand (cross-over from the ACOTAR series). Unfortunately, she's desperate to get back to save her mate, her brother and friends so she rapidly tries to figure out why her starlight sent her there to the home of her ancestors whilst finding a way to kill the Asteri. Meanwhile, Lidia (the Hind who is now enemy-turned-ally) finds a way to rescue Ruhn, Hunt, and Baxian using all the help she can muster from Bryce's friends. Thereafter, the group is tasked with the mission of ending the Asteri's regime once and for all.

Verdict: Lots of events and incidents take place, almost simultaneously. The history of Midgard and how the Asteri got control of it was super interesting but highly convoluted. Maas poured a ton of information in one go that you're forced to rely on Bryce to remember it all. This book made me realise I liked Bryce and Hunt much better when they were separated. Together, they were insufferable. Nevertheless, this book was all about tying up loose ends, which it did exceptionally well. I was expecting a lead up to an epic showdown, but it was more about having minor subplots reaching a resolution until the main one found its denouement. The last few chapters became tedious, so I skimmed through it and was still satisfied with the ending. This series is not better than ACOTAR, but not bad either.
]]> The Cloisters 61054804 On the wheel of fortune, who will emerge on top... and who will die?

When Ann Stilwell arrives in New York City, she hopes to spend her summer working as a curatorial associate at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Instead, she finds herself assigned to The Cloisters, a gothic museum and garden renowned for its collection of medieval and Renaissance art.

There she is drawn into a small circle of charismatic but enigmatic researchers, including Patrick Roland, the museum's mercurial curator who specializes in the history of tarot; Rachel Mondray, Patrick's beautiful curatorial associate and sometime muse; and Leo Bitburg, the gardener who nurtures the museum's precious collection of medicinal and poison plants.

Relieved to have left her troubled past in rural Washington behind her, Ann longs for the approbation of her colleagues and peers and is happy to indulge their more outlandish theories, only to find that their fascination with fortune-telling runs deeper than academic obsession. Patrick is determined to prove that ancient divination holds the key to the foretelling of the future. And when Ann stumbles across a breakthrough in the form of a mysterious and previously-believed lost deck of 15th-century Italian tarot cards, she finds herself at the centre of a dangerous game of power, toxic friendship and ambition.

Then there is an unexpected and devastating death, and suddenly everyone becomes a suspect. As the game being played within the Cloisters spirals out of control, Ann must decide if the tarot cards can not only teach her about the past, but also about her future.]]> 312 Katy Hays 1668004402 Sam 4
Ann is not a bad narrator. She is just very impressionable. I get why someone from a small town would be enticed by the highly influential people of a big city such as New York. I don't blame her for wanting to be liked, almost loved, by Rachel, whose old money status has gotten her to become widely known in the academic world at such a young age, by Patrick, whose mentorship reminds her so much of the father she lost too soon, or even by Leo, the cool gardener of medieval medicinal herbs whose subtle criminal activity gives her a thrill, especially when he starts showing romantic interest in her. But Ann is as self-aggrandizing as the academics around her. She knows that there's something off about the people she works with, but her fear of having to go back home and the desire to attain the same status as Rachel leads to her making the worst choices. Nevertheless, Katy Hays shows us that perhaps this is the result of what happens when you don't have a leg-up in the world, such as nepotism or special recommendations, you end up choosing what is best for yourself, and only yourself only. That is, until tragedy strikes.]]> 3.35 2022 The Cloisters
author: Katy Hays
name: Sam
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves:
review:
The Cloisters is a great read on how academia can suddenly turn dark. Following a single summer of Ann Stilwell, the reader is taken through the glorious archives of the Met Museum of New York, specifically the Cloisters. Stilwell, our very drab and boring narrator, is determined to leave Walla Walla, Washington, as soon as she graduates. Specialising in Renaissance art, a very rare study that she was the only student of her professor, she finally gets a summer internship at the Met. Upon arriving at the Met, she is told her supervisor/mentor was called away on urgent business and, therefore, was not needed at all. As fate would have it, Patrick Roland requires assistance in the Cloisters with him and another grad-student Rachel. They are researching tarot card reading/ divination during the Renaissance era. Ann, who is escaping the lingering memory of her father and does not believe in fate, decides to hide her own beliefs to take the job offer that could possibly catapult her current lowly status in academia. Unfortunately, she's not the only one with secrets, and soon Ann is embroiled (almost seduced) into investigating the reality or surreality of the past and present.

Ann is not a bad narrator. She is just very impressionable. I get why someone from a small town would be enticed by the highly influential people of a big city such as New York. I don't blame her for wanting to be liked, almost loved, by Rachel, whose old money status has gotten her to become widely known in the academic world at such a young age, by Patrick, whose mentorship reminds her so much of the father she lost too soon, or even by Leo, the cool gardener of medieval medicinal herbs whose subtle criminal activity gives her a thrill, especially when he starts showing romantic interest in her. But Ann is as self-aggrandizing as the academics around her. She knows that there's something off about the people she works with, but her fear of having to go back home and the desire to attain the same status as Rachel leads to her making the worst choices. Nevertheless, Katy Hays shows us that perhaps this is the result of what happens when you don't have a leg-up in the world, such as nepotism or special recommendations, you end up choosing what is best for yourself, and only yourself only. That is, until tragedy strikes.
]]> <![CDATA[House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)]]> 40132775
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels� plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.]]> 805 Sarah J. Maas 1408884429 Sam 2 4.41 2022 House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves:
review:
Book #2 of the Crescent City novel series, House of Sky and Breath, was tedious. It begins with a brother and sister escaping from some sort of high-end prison. These are new characters introduced to the series, so the assumption is that they will feature later on to understand their backstory. This is not the case. Only one of the siblings' features...for about 5 seconds. Their story was merely written to drive the plot. Danika is still providing shocks and gasps for Bryce beyond the grave. Turns out Danika had been cavorting with human rebels and established some kind of rapport with a Sofie Renast (the sister from the aforementioned prison break), which led to them working together. Tharion, the mer guy, is tasked by his River Queen to find Sofie and requests Bryce, Hunt, Ithan, and Ruhn's help. Thus, beginning a bevy of events that leads to the gang into investigating the Asteri. Along the way are a plethora of mind-boggling plot twists. Here's an example of one, the fiancé that the Autumn King chooses for Bryce, a Cormac, the Fae Prince of Avallen, is an undercover rebel agent and a lover of Sofie Renast
]]> Holly 65916344 Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King’s most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a midwestern town.

“Sometimes the universe throws you a rope.� � BILL HODGES

Stephen King’s Holly marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges’s partner in Finders Keepers to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in The Outsider. In King’s new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.

When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down.

Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability: married octogenarians, devoted to each other, and semi-retired lifelong academics. But they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless.

Holly must summon all her formidable talents to outthink and outmaneuver the shockingly twisted professors in this chilling new masterwork from Stephen King.]]> 449 Stephen King 1668016133 Sam 4
The point of view alternates between the kidnappers, Holly, and sometimes minor characters between chapters. I don't usually like knowing who the perps are before the denouement of a whodunnit novel as I love making my predictions, but for this novel, it works. You get an understanding of the how, why, when, where, and what reason two old people in their late seventies would want to kidnap certain people. Yes, they're old, very old people. I will never be able to fully trust an old person's plea for help again. As much as I enjoyed this novel, I am only giving it a 4 out of 5 stars because I didn't particularly like how it ended. It's definitely worth a read, though.]]> 4.01 2023 Holly
author: Stephen King
name: Sam
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/06
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves:
review:
A fantastic read! In true Stephen King fashion, Holly follows a similar message in almost all of his novels: humans are the worst kind of monster out there. Holly Gibney is a private detective, and she just lost her mother to covid. Her mum was one of those who believed 'covid' is a lie, so the irony of her death is not lost on Holly. King sets this novel across a time period of before covid and during. He uses the backdrop of all the socio-political issues that took place in America at that time, such as the riots in the Capitol, the rise of the anti-vaxxers, and the racial injustices committed by the police. Against this, he carries an interesting plot of people going missing in a small university town. However, Holly doesn't know that yet because she was hired to only investigate the disappearance of Bonnie Dahl, a young woman who works at the university library.

The point of view alternates between the kidnappers, Holly, and sometimes minor characters between chapters. I don't usually like knowing who the perps are before the denouement of a whodunnit novel as I love making my predictions, but for this novel, it works. You get an understanding of the how, why, when, where, and what reason two old people in their late seventies would want to kidnap certain people. Yes, they're old, very old people. I will never be able to fully trust an old person's plea for help again. As much as I enjoyed this novel, I am only giving it a 4 out of 5 stars because I didn't particularly like how it ended. It's definitely worth a read, though.
]]> <![CDATA[House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)]]> 44778083
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.]]> 803 Sarah J. Maas 1635574048 Sam 5
Seeing as my only other foray into Sarah J. Maas's writing is the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, I obviously made many comparisons. While the ACOTAR series really delved into the explicit sexual content, the Crescent City series teetered on the edge of it. One can only assume it was to create the slow-burn romance between Bryce and the angel Hunt Athalar. However, like ACOTAR, House of Earth and Blood has the female protagonist go from ordinary and average to the most powerful entity in the universe. Maas does toxic masculinity really well and even gets her female protagonists to stand up to it, but it would be nice for the women in her novels to come across a feminist male once in a while (and not one that values women empowerment only because they're in love with the most powerful one of all). It's a fantasy genre; make it up if such things don't exist in reality.

Nevertheless, it was a great and enjoyable read, and I would highly recommend giving this series a go!]]> 4.43 2020 House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/04
date added: 2024/11/04
shelves:
review:
It took me a while to warm up to the narrative of a half-human, half-fae female who is hyper-independent and wants everyone to think the worst of her. Bryce Quinlan comes across as your average YA female protagonist, which might make it seem that this may be your average, predictable YA novel. It isn't! House of Earth and Blood is far from predictable, and Bryce genuinely develops holistically as a character.

Seeing as my only other foray into Sarah J. Maas's writing is the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, I obviously made many comparisons. While the ACOTAR series really delved into the explicit sexual content, the Crescent City series teetered on the edge of it. One can only assume it was to create the slow-burn romance between Bryce and the angel Hunt Athalar. However, like ACOTAR, House of Earth and Blood has the female protagonist go from ordinary and average to the most powerful entity in the universe. Maas does toxic masculinity really well and even gets her female protagonists to stand up to it, but it would be nice for the women in her novels to come across a feminist male once in a while (and not one that values women empowerment only because they're in love with the most powerful one of all). It's a fantasy genre; make it up if such things don't exist in reality.

Nevertheless, it was a great and enjoyable read, and I would highly recommend giving this series a go!
]]> The Dictionary of Lost Words 49354511 Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.

Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the ‘Scriptorium�, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word ‘bondmaid� flutters to the floor. Esme rescues the slip and stashes it in an old wooden case that belongs to her friend, Lizzie, a young servant in the big house. Esme begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. They help her make sense of the world.

Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women’s experiences often go unrecorded. While she dedicates her life to the Oxford English Dictionary, secretly, she begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Set when the women’s suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. It’s a delightful, lyrical and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words, and the power of language to shape the world and our experience of it.]]> 384 Pip Williams 1925972593 Sam 2 3.97 2020 The Dictionary of Lost Words
author: Pip Williams
name: Sam
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/26
date added: 2024/10/26
shelves:
review:
DNF. Bland, boring, and I found the child-narrator annoying.
]]> <![CDATA[Leeward (Nightingale & Courtney, #1)]]> 65865742
1800. HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.

Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. But a grand victory at the Battle of the Nile comes at a devastating cost. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.

However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web. Nightingale finds himself in the middle of a network of secrets that will affect everyone onboard the Scylla. He has to battle against the perils of the war-torn seas, a crew who he fears does not accept him, and meddling, powerful figures from the past.

And in the centre of all this, his new lieutenant, the popular Arthur Courtney, stirs up long repressed feelings. On his journey, Nightingale must confront his own demons. For it seems, during his dangerous adventure, Nightingale's greatest enemy might be himself.

A deeply poignant tale of naval warfare, political intrigue and a love that stands tall in an unaccepting world.]]> 352 Katie Daysh 1804364045 Sam 5
Leeward is queer romance novel set in 19th century England, which is wonderfully executed. Through her characters, Daysh depicts people's struggles of living with sexual preferences that society deems abhorrent, yet are completely innocent and pure. Captain Nightingale is my new favourite character. He reminds me so much of Ned Stark (of The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R Martin) in the sense that he genuinely believes that since he is honorable, everyone else would be too. Nightingale is the epitome of goodness and deserves the world. Daysh has made this a series, so I am excited to read more of Captain Nightingale's swashbuckling and high-seas adventures.]]> 4.28 Leeward (Nightingale & Courtney, #1)
author: Katie Daysh
name: Sam
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/22
date added: 2024/10/22
shelves:
review:
What an adventure! Katie Daysh is a new author I've been introduced to, and I find her storytelling exceptionally intriguing. As a huge fan of pirates and sea-faring adventures, Leeward checks all the boxes. Her main character, Captain Hiram Nightingale, has just been given his post after a two-year sabbatical. He is a decorated Navy officer from Portsmouth who is now expected to travel to Trinidad for work but is instead ordered to captain the Scylla and sail across the Americas to find and bring back the Ulysses. The Ulysses is a king's ship that was hijacked by a bunch of mutineers, making it a dangerous and arduous task for Captain Nightingale. Especially since he has to work with a brand new crew and a lieutenant Courtney, who was secretly hoping to be given the job of captaincy. Things begin taking a deadly turn when he discovers that there is a pile of gold on board the Ulysses and his second lieutenant, Hargreaves, begins behaving very suspiciously.

Leeward is queer romance novel set in 19th century England, which is wonderfully executed. Through her characters, Daysh depicts people's struggles of living with sexual preferences that society deems abhorrent, yet are completely innocent and pure. Captain Nightingale is my new favourite character. He reminds me so much of Ned Stark (of The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R Martin) in the sense that he genuinely believes that since he is honorable, everyone else would be too. Nightingale is the epitome of goodness and deserves the world. Daysh has made this a series, so I am excited to read more of Captain Nightingale's swashbuckling and high-seas adventures.
]]> <![CDATA[The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike, #7)]]> 139399948 In the seventh installment in the Strike series, Cormoran and Robin must rescue a man ensnared in the trap of a dangerous cult.

Private Detective Cormoran Strike is contacted by a worried father whose son, Will, has gone to join a religious cult in the depths of the Norfolk countryside.

The Universal Humanitarian Church is, on the surface, a peaceable organization that campaigns for a better world. Yet Strike discovers that beneath the surface there are deeply sinister undertones, and unexplained deaths.

In order to try to rescue Will, Strike's business partner, Robin Ellacott, decides to infiltrate the cult, and she travels to Norfolk to live incognito among its members. But in doing so, she is unprepared for the dangers that await her there or for the toll it will take on her. . .

Utterly pulse-pounding, The Running Grave moves Strike's and Robin's story forward in this epic, unforgettable seventh installment of the series.]]> 960 Robert Galbraith 0316572101 Sam 5
Along with Strike and their bona-fide subcontractors, they investigate a scary world of the eerily charming Jonathan Wace, who is accused by Sir Edensor of extreme manipulation, indoctrination and extortion of his son. The UHC comes across as an innocent charity organisation, but through Robin's point of view, we see a dark and dangerous entity exploiting the most vulnerable people in society. JK Rowling, under the pen name Robert Galbraith, captures the nuances of brainwashing extremely well that the reader will always be prepared in life to look for the signs of manipulation. In parallel to the main plot, we also learn more about Cormoran's past with his mother and sister, who has an awful connection to the cult they're currently investigating. Furthermore, there is a death of a recurring character that, for me, felt necessary. Highly recommended!!!]]> 4.56 2023 The Running Grave (Cormoran Strike, #7)
author: Robert Galbraith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/29
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves:
review:
The 7th novel in the Cormoran Strike series is absolutely delightful. Robin and Cormoran still have those lingering feelings for each other, but they are completely ignoring it. Nevertheless, they continue to work exceptionally well together to build an astounding private detective agency. This time, Robin goes undercover into the cult organisation the UHC (Universal Humanitarian Church) to extract Sir Colin Edensor's son, Will.

Along with Strike and their bona-fide subcontractors, they investigate a scary world of the eerily charming Jonathan Wace, who is accused by Sir Edensor of extreme manipulation, indoctrination and extortion of his son. The UHC comes across as an innocent charity organisation, but through Robin's point of view, we see a dark and dangerous entity exploiting the most vulnerable people in society. JK Rowling, under the pen name Robert Galbraith, captures the nuances of brainwashing extremely well that the reader will always be prepared in life to look for the signs of manipulation. In parallel to the main plot, we also learn more about Cormoran's past with his mother and sister, who has an awful connection to the cult they're currently investigating. Furthermore, there is a death of a recurring character that, for me, felt necessary. Highly recommended!!!
]]> The Covenant of Water 180357146 From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret

Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala's Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time. From this unforgettable new beginning, the young girl—and future matriarch, Big Ammachi—will witness unthinkable changes over the span of her extraordinary life, full of joy and triumph as well as hardship and loss, her faith and love the only constants.

A shimmering evocation of a bygone India and of the passage of time itself, The Covenant of Water is a hymn to progress in medicine and to human understanding, and a humbling testament to the hardships undergone by past generations for the sake of those alive today. Imbued with humor, deep emotion, and the essence of life, it is one of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years.]]> 715 Abraham Verghese 0802162177 Sam 5
Soon, however, the son dies due to a drowning. The devastation of this tragedy has Ammachi questioning why her husband refuses to travel on water (which is the only mode of transportation in Kerala at the time other than walking) and why there are whispers of a family curse. It turns out that there is an unexplained condition (actually referred to as the 'Condition') that has affected the family for generations. Immediately, the story introduces another character, Digby, a Scottish doctor who finds himself moving to Kerala. I assumed that Digby was introduced as a means to be the person to find the cure of the condition because I couldn't understand the parallel of the two stories. I wasn't wrong. Digby and Big Ammachi's lives are intertwined in various ways, which is what makes the novel so intriguing.

Verghese uses the flow of water as an extended metaphor to show the interconnectedness of life, and just like water, the reader is expected to go with the flow. This isn't a critique of British-ruled India, but various political, religious, and social events are mentioned within the novel. The author keeps to the time period well, but as a backdrop to the main characters' storyline. A highly recommended read!]]> 4.34 2023 The Covenant of Water
author: Abraham Verghese
name: Sam
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/21
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves:
review:
One of the loveliest stories I've read this year, The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, is truly a wondrous escape to early 20th Century India (and a little bit of Scotland). Spanning three generations, The Covenant of Water is a long read, but it is by no means tedious. In fact, the writing flows as easily as the water that connects all the villages in Kerala, where the story is mostly set. Beginning with the introduction of Big Ammachi as a young girl of twelve, marrying an older man, as was common in old India. The man is a widower with a two year old and owns an entire estate. He turns out to be a kind, good man, yet quiet and reserved. Thus, we see Big Ammachi live a lonely life of raising her stepson and becoming the resolute force on the Parambil estate.

Soon, however, the son dies due to a drowning. The devastation of this tragedy has Ammachi questioning why her husband refuses to travel on water (which is the only mode of transportation in Kerala at the time other than walking) and why there are whispers of a family curse. It turns out that there is an unexplained condition (actually referred to as the 'Condition') that has affected the family for generations. Immediately, the story introduces another character, Digby, a Scottish doctor who finds himself moving to Kerala. I assumed that Digby was introduced as a means to be the person to find the cure of the condition because I couldn't understand the parallel of the two stories. I wasn't wrong. Digby and Big Ammachi's lives are intertwined in various ways, which is what makes the novel so intriguing.

Verghese uses the flow of water as an extended metaphor to show the interconnectedness of life, and just like water, the reader is expected to go with the flow. This isn't a critique of British-ruled India, but various political, religious, and social events are mentioned within the novel. The author keeps to the time period well, but as a backdrop to the main characters' storyline. A highly recommended read!
]]> Grimm's Fairy Stories 18626865
Contains stories such as "The Goose Girl", "Hansel and Grethel", "Cinderella", "The Golden Goose", "The Frog Prince" and many more.]]> 144 Jacob Grimm Sam 5 4.16 1812 Grimm's Fairy Stories
author: Jacob Grimm
name: Sam
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1812
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]> The Song of Achilles 13623848 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062060624.

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.]]> 408 Madeline Miller Sam 4
The story is narrated through the eyes of Patroclus, who is an excellent conveyor of his feelings for those he meets. This allows the novel to feel like you're reading his personal diary. However, the characters mentioned are no longer spoken of if Patroclus doesn't come across them again or if he doesn't care to know what happened to them, which makes you left wandering about those minor, insignificant characters. Both Patroclus and Achilles are likable characters (as opposed to their depiction in Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida) with all the qualities of what truly makes a hero, which contradicts the usual premise of Greek heroes as being severely flawed. I recommend this novel if you're a fan of Greek mythology.]]> 4.30 2011 The Song of Achilles
author: Madeline Miller
name: Sam
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/19
date added: 2024/07/19
shelves:
review:
A sweet love story between Achilles, the Greek demi-god, and Patroclus, the exiled prince, is explored in Miller's The Song of Achilles. As I type this, I realise that the title itself isn't mentioned nor implied or even suggested in the novel (feel free to correct me if I am wrong). While the writer kept to the most part of the mythology behind the Greek Gods, she did use creative license to alter certain aspects of the myth. I wasn't happy about a crucial factor of Achilles' myth that was changed, but I did find the author's interpretation of character and their development intriguing. It's probably what makes it an enjoyable read. With Achilles and Patroclus joining the army to save Helen of Sparta, we are given incredible insight to how the Greeks prepared for and acted in battle.

The story is narrated through the eyes of Patroclus, who is an excellent conveyor of his feelings for those he meets. This allows the novel to feel like you're reading his personal diary. However, the characters mentioned are no longer spoken of if Patroclus doesn't come across them again or if he doesn't care to know what happened to them, which makes you left wandering about those minor, insignificant characters. Both Patroclus and Achilles are likable characters (as opposed to their depiction in Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida) with all the qualities of what truly makes a hero, which contradicts the usual premise of Greek heroes as being severely flawed. I recommend this novel if you're a fan of Greek mythology.
]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)]]> 31076583 229 Sarah J. Maas 168119631X Sam 0 currently-reading 3.77 2019 A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/02
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]]> 60531416 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?]]> 480 Brandon Sanderson 1938570375 Sam 3
Most of the plot is centered around these two young people trying to figure out what happened to them and what exactly they need to do so they can go back to their own bodies and lives. In the process, they have to live each other's daily routines and master each other's jobs, providing an experience that removes both of them in their comfort zone. Through this, we see more about the worlds they live in, and we can piece together how differently they were brought up. Also, they fall in love, which was kind of predicted from the beginning that this would happen. However, it is a sweet, slow-burn romance with nothing untoward.

Sanderson does a great job tying everything up at the end, but that's the problem. They way things come together or the resolution to the conflict raises more questions. The reasoning behind the body swap would mean that there'd be dire repercussions to the characters of Yumi and the Painter. Yet, the novel ends quickly with the conflict solved. This story needed the conflict to be solved earlier since the repercussions of the resolution would need deeper insight and understanding. There is an author's note that he wrote this novel because his wife told him he hardly includes romance in his novels. Maybe there's a reason for that]]> 4.45 2023 Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Sam
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/06/22
shelves:
review:
Brandon Sanderson came highly recommended, so I decided to give his standalone novel, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, a go. Set in the author's Cosmere universe, the story follows two ninteen-years-olds from two completely different places (or worlds, like they assume). Yumi is a yuki-hijo that was chosen at birth to live a deeply conservative and sacred life connected to the spirits of her world, whereas the Nightmare Painter, Nikaro, is a lonely painter whose job is to paint nightmares away (yes, in his world there are nightmares that come to suck people's souls and there are designated people who undergo school and training to paint the nightmares into a different shape to decrease the fear and thereby vanish). This is all narrated by an alien from another planet brought to the Painter's world and, due to some cosmic disaster, has turned into a statue. Anyway, a spirit communicates to Yumi and requests her help as they are all in danger. She agrees to help and is then put into delirious sleep and wakes up to her body being taken over by the Nightmare Painter, while she is a separate corporeal entity. Plot twist: she can see the painter as himself, but other people in her world see him as Yumi. Another plot twist: whenever they go to sleep, the vice-versa happens, and she is in his body in his world, and now he is the sentient being. Does this mean the people in the Painter's world see Yumi as the Painter? Nope. Another plot twist: the people in his world see Yumi as herself. It is unclear why Sanderson made this difference. To be unpredictable? To add spice? For fun?

Most of the plot is centered around these two young people trying to figure out what happened to them and what exactly they need to do so they can go back to their own bodies and lives. In the process, they have to live each other's daily routines and master each other's jobs, providing an experience that removes both of them in their comfort zone. Through this, we see more about the worlds they live in, and we can piece together how differently they were brought up. Also, they fall in love, which was kind of predicted from the beginning that this would happen. However, it is a sweet, slow-burn romance with nothing untoward.

Sanderson does a great job tying everything up at the end, but that's the problem. They way things come together or the resolution to the conflict raises more questions. The reasoning behind the body swap would mean that there'd be dire repercussions to the characters of Yumi and the Painter. Yet, the novel ends quickly with the conflict solved. This story needed the conflict to be solved earlier since the repercussions of the resolution would need deeper insight and understanding. There is an author's note that he wrote this novel because his wife told him he hardly includes romance in his novels. Maybe there's a reason for that
]]> The Grandmother Plot 56628260 Death isn't unexpected in a nursing home. But murder is.

Freddy leads a life of little responsibility. His mother is dead, his sisters are far-flung across the globe, and he can't quite work up enough motivation to find himself a girlfriend. Freddy has been forced to place his beloved grandmother, now deep in dementia, in a nursing home. Freddy visits her often, cherishing and also hating the time he spends with the grandmother he always adored, now a ghost of her former self.

When a fragile old woman already close to death is murdered in that nursing home, Freddy panics. His sources of income are iffy, as are his friends. He has to keep his grandmother safe, keep himself anonymous, and keep the police out of his life―or the complications could become deadly.]]> 320 Caroline B. Cooney 1728205174 Sam 2
Freddy is the protagonist caught up in this web whilst caring for his grandmother. She is in a care home that he pays for from his dead mother social security (he didn't call to declare her deceased) and whatever he can scrounge up from selling glass beads or marijiuana pipes. Yet, he has 3 older sisters who live much better lives than him who just can not be bothered to help with his grandmother. The only person who feels sorry for him is Laura, a 50-something old woman whose aunt is in the same care home. She is also given a point of view narrative, and Cooney alludes to her having a dark, sinful secret (it's not dark nor sinful at all]]> 3.18 2021 The Grandmother Plot
author: Caroline B. Cooney
name: Sam
average rating: 3.18
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2024/06/01
date added: 2024/06/01
shelves:
review:
The Grandmother Plot is a quirky insight into the lives of those who have a close relative in care homes for Alzheimer's and Dementia. Caroline B. Cooney does a sweet job of merging a young man's love for his grandmother and his passion for glass-making, which leads to unfortunate involvement with drug dealers/users. Plus, she throws in a whodunit mystery in the mix, and somehow, in the first half, it all makes sense with how everything links up. However, in the end, you realise there were many things that didn't tie up, leaving a very anti-climatic denouement.

Freddy is the protagonist caught up in this web whilst caring for his grandmother. She is in a care home that he pays for from his dead mother social security (he didn't call to declare her deceased) and whatever he can scrounge up from selling glass beads or marijiuana pipes. Yet, he has 3 older sisters who live much better lives than him who just can not be bothered to help with his grandmother. The only person who feels sorry for him is Laura, a 50-something old woman whose aunt is in the same care home. She is also given a point of view narrative, and Cooney alludes to her having a dark, sinful secret (it's not dark nor sinful at all
]]> The Vogue 38889041
Decades later, a ghost returns to Morne to identify a body found in the shifting sands. Names have long since been changed; children long since cast out; lies long thought forgotten.

Set against an eerie landscape, awash with secrets, The Vogue is a grimly poetic dance through the intertwined stories of a deeply religious community, an abandoned military base, and a long-shuttered children's Care Home.]]> 272 Eoin McNamee 0571331602 Sam 3
The Vogue crosses over 3 timelines: 1945, 1972, and 2000. There's another story unrelated to Cole 's quest but relevant to the evilness permeating in the town. Themes of teen pregnancy, racism and voyeurism are prominent in this novel, and McNamee handles it with a subtlety that is almost discomforting. It was a bit too slow for my liking, though, and the ending merely petered out rather than come to a substantial conclusion.]]> 3.26 2018 The Vogue
author: Eoin McNamee
name: Sam
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/31
date added: 2024/05/31
shelves:
review:
A slow-paced mystery set on an island off Scotland. The Brethren, a cult-like religious organisation, runs the town. Everything is creepily watched by the Brethren. Everyone is aware of them literally having cameras around the town to view every citizen's movements. Cole comes to town to investigate a land dispute where a dead body was discovered. He refuses to leave until an autopsy is done. However, the Brethren priest Upritchard and Officer Lynch want to know why Cole is so interested in this body that clearly looks like the death took place over 20 years ago. We soon learn that Cole is actually a former resident of Morne and has history with these people. After befriending a lonely librarian, Kay, Cole starts investigating a lot more than a land dispute.

The Vogue crosses over 3 timelines: 1945, 1972, and 2000. There's another story unrelated to Cole 's quest but relevant to the evilness permeating in the town. Themes of teen pregnancy, racism and voyeurism are prominent in this novel, and McNamee handles it with a subtlety that is almost discomforting. It was a bit too slow for my liking, though, and the ending merely petered out rather than come to a substantial conclusion.
]]> <![CDATA[My Father's House (Rome Escape Line Trilogy, #1)]]> 61447882
September 1943: German forces occupy Rome. Gestapo boss Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptmann rules with terror. Hunger is widespread. Rumors fester. The war’s outcome is far from certain.

Diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners flee for protection into Vatican City, at one fifth of a square mile the world’s smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome. A small band of unlikely friends led by a courageous Irish priest is drawn into deadly danger as they seek to help those seeking refuge.

Book 1 in the Rome Escape Line Trilogy, My Father’s House is a powerful, heartbreaking literary thriller based on the true story of Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, who risked his life to smuggle thousands of Jews and escaped Allied prisoners out of Italy under the nose of his Nazi nemesis. A deadly high-stakes battle of wits ensues in this astonishing, unforgettable story of love, faith and sacrifice, exploring what it means to be truly human in the most extreme circumstances.]]> 276 Joseph O'Connor Sam 4
If you love action movies that are quick-paced, told through various points of view in different timelines, and with minimal background knowledge of characters, then this novel is perfect for you. The whole point is in the action, so there isn't much characterisation or exploration of themes. I still enjoyed it, even though I would have loved some more details of Hugh's life in Kerry, Ireland and the relationship between Hauptmann and his wife (yes, there is also Hauptmann's point of view which gave an interesting insight to life as an SS officer). There's an allusion to this being based on a true story that I haven't researched yet, so I can't say how much is fact or fiction. Highly recommended, nevertheless!]]> 3.98 2023 My Father's House (Rome Escape Line Trilogy, #1)
author: Joseph O'Connor
name: Sam
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/21
date added: 2024/05/21
shelves:
review:
It is rare to read an action-driven novel written like a bona-fide action movie, and My Father's House is one of them. Here, the action-hero is Hugh O'Flaherty, an Irish Catholic priest serving in the Vatican City during the Nazi-occupancy of Rome. Hugh is well-known, well-liked, and the epitome of goodness. He is no anti-hero. His altruistic personality is what makes him decide to create an Escape Line for Roman Jews and political prisoners, even though his superiors have warned him against getting involved in matters that are "non-religious" in nature. So, he begins a Choir: a group of pertinent people in society chosen by Hugh to work as agents in the Escape Line. However, hot on his tail is Hauptmann, an SS officer who oversees the running of Rome and is absolutely certain that the padre is the reason why so many prisoners have escaped.

If you love action movies that are quick-paced, told through various points of view in different timelines, and with minimal background knowledge of characters, then this novel is perfect for you. The whole point is in the action, so there isn't much characterisation or exploration of themes. I still enjoyed it, even though I would have loved some more details of Hugh's life in Kerry, Ireland and the relationship between Hauptmann and his wife (yes, there is also Hauptmann's point of view which gave an interesting insight to life as an SS officer). There's an allusion to this being based on a true story that I haven't researched yet, so I can't say how much is fact or fiction. Highly recommended, nevertheless!
]]> Origin (Robert Langdon, #5) 32307358 This an alternate cover for B01LY7FD0D

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement--the unveiling of a discovery that "will change the face of science forever." The evening's host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon's first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.

As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch's precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch's secret.

Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain's Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch's shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us. Origin is stunningly inventive--Dan Brown's most brilliant and entertaining novel to date]]> 482 Dan Brown Sam 4 3.87 Origin (Robert Langdon, #5)
author: Dan Brown
name: Sam
average rating: 3.87
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)]]> 68528
This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms.

At the end of The Last Kingdom, The Danes had been defeated at Cynuit, but the triumph of the English is not fated to last long. The Danish Vikings quickly invade and occupy three of England’s four kingdoms—and all that remains of the once proud country is a small piece of marshland, where Alfred and his family live with a few soldiers and retainers, including Uhtred, the dispossessed English nobleman who was raised by the Danes. Uhtred has always been a Dane at heart, and has always believed that given the chance, he would fight for the men who raised him and taught him the Viking ways. But when Iseult, a powerful sorceress, enters Uhtred’s life, he is forced to consider feelings he’s never confronted before—and Uhtred discovers, in his moment of greatest peril, a new-found loyalty and love for his native country and ruler.]]> 349 Bernard Cornwell 0061144835 Sam 3 4.30 2006 The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2)
author: Bernard Cornwell
name: Sam
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/03
date added: 2024/04/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed]]> 37570546 From a psychotherapist, and national advice columnist comes a thought-provoking new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world -- where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).

One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but.

As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell.

With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is revolutionary in its candor, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.]]> 415 Lori Gottlieb 1328662055 Sam 5
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone is a definite must-read. It could change your life!]]> 4.36 2019 Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
author: Lori Gottlieb
name: Sam
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/30
date added: 2024/01/30
shelves:
review:
Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who is going through a mid-life crisis and requires the healing power of therapy. Her memoir of her debilitating troubles is brought to life through the case files of her patients. Obviously, their names and the name of her therapist have been changed, but they have given her permission to share their stories. From a client dying of cancer who insists on attending therapy sessions until the day she dies to a narcissistic Emmy-winning screenwriter who thinks everyone around him is an idiot, Gottlieb provides some truly profound anecdotes about life.

Maybe You Should Talk To Someone is a definite must-read. It could change your life!
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)]]> 68527
The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex (Alfred’s kingdom and the last territory in English hands) Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane. He certainly has no love for Alfred, whom he considers a pious weakling and no match for Viking savagery, yet when Alfred unexpectedly defeats the Danes and the Danes themselves turn on Uhtred, he is finally forced to choose sides. By now he is a young man, in love, trained to fight and ready to take his place in the dreaded shield wall. Above all, though, he wishes to recover his father’s land, the enchanting fort of Bebbanburg by the wild northern sea.

This thrilling adventure—based on existing records of Bernard Cornwell’s ancestors—depicts a time when law and order were ripped violently apart by a pagan assault on Christian England, an assault that came very close to destroying England.]]> 333 Bernard Cornwell 0060887184 Sam 4 4.27 2004 The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1)
author: Bernard Cornwell
name: Sam
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/13
date added: 2024/01/13
shelves:
review:
Excellent start to the life of Uhtred, Lord of Bebbanburg, and his relationship with King Alfred of Wessex. Bernard Cornwell does brilliantly in setting the scene, mixing historical fact with scintillating storytelling. A great read!
]]> A Little Life 22822858
Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.]]> 720 Hanya Yanagihara 0385539258 Sam 5
And what a life has Jude lived and keeps on living, for himself... but mostly for others. There were times when I had to stop reading the novel for a bit to fully grasp the emotional upheaval it causes when reading some of the twists and turns of this tale. Everyone who experiences a difficult moment/s in their life declares, "Life is so unfair," or "life sucks." Here, Yanagihara shows us that while those statements are very true, unfortunately, there are some lives more unfair and more horrifying than others.

A Little Life will break your heart into a million pieces, but it will also inspire you to walk on through life regardless of its obstacles. It will make you scream at the audacity of the author to create such atrocious events in some of these wonderful characters' lives, but it will also make you understand that at the end of the day, that is the majesty of life.]]> 4.28 2015 A Little Life
author: Hanya Yanagihara
name: Sam
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/02
date added: 2024/01/02
shelves:
review:
This is a novel every person needs to read at least once in their lifetime. Chronicling the ordinary lives of 5 university friends based in New York City with minute focus on one of them, A Little Life captures the essence of what it truly means to live. Jude, Willem, JB, Malcolm, and Richard each come from different upbringings, backgrounds, economic contexts, etc. yet they find a friendship with each other that spans a little over 3 decades. Yes, Yanagihara regales us with more than 30 years of day-to-day life experiences of Jude and his friends. While the novel begins with an overview of each character, it very quickly becomes obvious that this is Jude's "little life," and we're all being treated to witnessing his tumultuous past, his quiet present and his torturous future.

And what a life has Jude lived and keeps on living, for himself... but mostly for others. There were times when I had to stop reading the novel for a bit to fully grasp the emotional upheaval it causes when reading some of the twists and turns of this tale. Everyone who experiences a difficult moment/s in their life declares, "Life is so unfair," or "life sucks." Here, Yanagihara shows us that while those statements are very true, unfortunately, there are some lives more unfair and more horrifying than others.

A Little Life will break your heart into a million pieces, but it will also inspire you to walk on through life regardless of its obstacles. It will make you scream at the audacity of the author to create such atrocious events in some of these wonderful characters' lives, but it will also make you understand that at the end of the day, that is the majesty of life.
]]> <![CDATA[A Cotswold Ordeal (Thea Osborne, #2)]]> 2663516 288 Rebecca Tope 0749083492 Sam 2
It is a nice, escapist holiday read that will go by quickly. The characters aren't very interesting, and some sub-plots are a little concerning in the way they are handled. Like her sister's physical abuse from her husband, everything is sugar-coated. If you're going to put something as grim and macabre like murder in a pretty and idyllic setting, then don't be sunshine and rainbows about it. The stark contrast is what would have been captivating and intriguing. Would have been.]]> 3.50 2005 A Cotswold Ordeal (Thea Osborne, #2)
author: Rebecca Tope
name: Sam
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2005
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/20
date added: 2023/12/20
shelves:
review:
When I picked this novel off the shelf, I had no idea it was part of a series, so Thea Osbourne is a fairly new character to me. From the opening chapters, I gathered that Thea came across a murder scene while doing a housesitting gig in the first book. Very quickly, I realise that the same is going to happen again. True to my instincts, it does - Thea finds a dead body hanging in the barn of the house she's taking care of. I'm assuming this happens in every book in the series. Unfortunately, Rebecca Trope's Thea isn't a compelling enough character to make me want to read more of her finding dead bodies at her housesitting gigs and her feeling the need (because she has no substantial reason) to investigate the murder herself. And yes, like any Hallmark/BBC mystery movie, the ordinary protagonist makes better deductions and lists more probable suspects than the actual detective in charge of the murder investigation.

It is a nice, escapist holiday read that will go by quickly. The characters aren't very interesting, and some sub-plots are a little concerning in the way they are handled. Like her sister's physical abuse from her husband, everything is sugar-coated. If you're going to put something as grim and macabre like murder in a pretty and idyllic setting, then don't be sunshine and rainbows about it. The stark contrast is what would have been captivating and intriguing. Would have been.
]]> The Christmas Murder Game 60260682 Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night?

The annual Christmas Game is afoot at Endgame House, the Armitages' grand family home. This year's prize is to die for--deeds to the house itself--but Lily Armitage has no intention of returning. She hasn't been back to Endgame since her mother died, twenty-one years ago, and she has no intention of claiming the house that haunts her dreams.

Until, that is, she receives a letter from her aunt promising that the game's riddles will give her the keys not only to Endgame, but to its darkest secrets, including the identity of her mother's murderer.

Now, Lily must compete with her estranged cousins for the twelve days of Christmas. The snow is thick, the phone lines are down, and no one is getting in or out. Lily will have to keep her wits about her, because not everyone is playing fair, and there's no telling how many will die before the winner is declared.

Including additional scavenger hunts for the reader, this clever murder mystery is the perfect gift for fans of classic mysteries, festive Christmas books, and armchair detective work.]]> 279 Alexandra Benedict 1728263034 Sam 2
Everything about this novel was predictable. The cousins are snowed in this massive house without any internet connection (as part of the rules of the game), yet it feels like the reader is also trapped in with them (this was possibly intentional of Benedict). Motive is an important factor in committing murder, but I don't think any of the characters doing the act had a plausible motive. Then again, this could be an example of what families with generational wealth that prefer keeping the money within the family would find as motivating factors to commit murder. Personally, Lily was an awful protagonist. She is supposed to be extremely clever that her cousins would find her a threat, but she's quite naive and reclusive. It doesn't fit the persona of a 33-year-old who lives independently in London, with enough financial security that she has no interest in winning the title deeds of the house. Yes, she lives alone and implies she's lonely, but the only cousin who doesn't like her is Sara, yet Lily has ghosted all her other cousins for no apparent reason. It's a nice, quick novel with enough family drama and twists to keep you reading. However, if you, like me, are a huge fan of the crime/mystery genre, you would know who not to trust and who to suspect by the 3rd day of Christmas, and by the end you would be right.]]> 3.33 2021 The Christmas Murder Game
author: Alexandra Benedict
name: Sam
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/18
date added: 2023/12/18
shelves:
review:
This has everything one would expect from a novel set around Christmas: a dysfunctional family from old money, a family mystery, murders of family members, and a family heirloom that will only be bestowed to the one who wins the family game (in this case, Endgame House). Alexandra Benedict transports us to the closeted world of the Armitage family in Yorkshire for the festive season. Her protagonist, Lily, is the niece whose mother committed suicide and was graciously adopted by her mother's sister, Aunt Liliana (who is the author of this quizzical game). Lily has no intention on coming back to Endgame House(why couldn't it have been given a better name, like Armitage House or something?) to play the annual family Christmas game, but is persuaded to do so when she receives a posthumous letter from her aunt/adopted mother confessing that her mother was actually killed and in order for Lily to know the truth she had to play the game. Reluctantly, with a secret of her own, Lily makes the trip to the house. Through Lily's eyes we meet her cousins and their spouses: Sara and Gray (the biological children of Aunt Liliana), Ronnie (her mother's brother's son) and Philippa (his wife), Rachel (Ronnie's sister) and Holly (her wife) and Tom (the brother to Ronnie and Rachel). They each have to solve a clue given to them on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas until the winner is given the title deeds of the house.

Everything about this novel was predictable. The cousins are snowed in this massive house without any internet connection (as part of the rules of the game), yet it feels like the reader is also trapped in with them (this was possibly intentional of Benedict). Motive is an important factor in committing murder, but I don't think any of the characters doing the act had a plausible motive. Then again, this could be an example of what families with generational wealth that prefer keeping the money within the family would find as motivating factors to commit murder. Personally, Lily was an awful protagonist. She is supposed to be extremely clever that her cousins would find her a threat, but she's quite naive and reclusive. It doesn't fit the persona of a 33-year-old who lives independently in London, with enough financial security that she has no interest in winning the title deeds of the house. Yes, she lives alone and implies she's lonely, but the only cousin who doesn't like her is Sara, yet Lily has ghosted all her other cousins for no apparent reason. It's a nice, quick novel with enough family drama and twists to keep you reading. However, if you, like me, are a huge fan of the crime/mystery genre, you would know who not to trust and who to suspect by the 3rd day of Christmas, and by the end you would be right.
]]> The Story of Lucy Gault 167302
"Trevor was our twentieth century Chekov." —Wall Street Journal

The stunning novel from highly acclaimed author William Trevor is a brilliant, subtle, and moving story of love, guilt, and forgiveness. The Gault family leads a life of privilege in early 1920s Ireland, but the threat of violence leads the parents of nine-year-old Lucy to decide to leave for England, her mother's home. Lucy cannot bear the thought of leaving Lahardane, their country house with its beautiful land and nearby beach, and a dog she has befriended. On the day before they are to leave, Lucy runs away, hoping to convince her parents to stay. Instead, she sets off a series of tragic misunderstandings that affect all of Lahardane's inhabitants for the rest of their lives.]]> 240 William Trevor 014200331X Sam 3
Lucy left behind in her ancestoral home with only the housekeepers to raise her, grows up to become a recluse, and a favoured piece of gossip amongst the people in Enniseala. Her only education is that of her primary school teacher and the hundreds of books left behind by her parents and relatives. The novel spans her life from a young girl to a young woman who falls in love and, eventually, to an old woman living in isolation.

As much as I loved the beginning and the climax, I was severely disappointed by the way the novel ended. It was well-written by William Trevor. He provided a scenic view of a young girl's unfortunate and ordinary life, leaving you with thoughts on your own purpose in life. It's a sad read, yet worthy nonetheless.]]> 3.77 2002 The Story of Lucy Gault
author: William Trevor
name: Sam
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/08
date added: 2023/12/08
shelves:
review:
Since moving to Ireland, it has been my insatiable desire to read stories set in Ireland by Irish authors. I feel the best way to know a country's past, present, and future is through the art of storytelling. The Story Of Lucy Gault was a beautiful start to learning about the Irish life. Set in County Cork, against the backdrop of various political upheavals, it regales the reader on the life of a young girl journeying towards womanhood. It begins at the height of the Troubles (a violent sectarian conflict from about 1968-1998), when her father shoots and injures a young boy. Albeit the young boy was a part of a gang that sought to burn their house down in retaliation of the Gault family's Protestant beliefs, this incident acts as a catalyst of events that leads to the separation of Lucy and her parents.

Lucy left behind in her ancestoral home with only the housekeepers to raise her, grows up to become a recluse, and a favoured piece of gossip amongst the people in Enniseala. Her only education is that of her primary school teacher and the hundreds of books left behind by her parents and relatives. The novel spans her life from a young girl to a young woman who falls in love and, eventually, to an old woman living in isolation.

As much as I loved the beginning and the climax, I was severely disappointed by the way the novel ended. It was well-written by William Trevor. He provided a scenic view of a young girl's unfortunate and ordinary life, leaving you with thoughts on your own purpose in life. It's a sad read, yet worthy nonetheless.
]]> A Gentleman in Moscow 34066798 The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers—Now a Paramount+ with Showtime series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.]]> 462 Amor Towles Sam 4
As much as I found the writing style enjoyable, the plot itself wasn't as interesting after he unofficially adopted Sofia. In fact, the writing is such that it makes you believe something very exciting is about to happen, only to find nothing does. The conversations the Count has with the staff, Sofia, patrons of the hotel, and other unsavory characters are extraordinarily interesting. There is an abundance of profound sentiments found in the dialogue, such as, "...And when that celestial chime sounds, perhaps a mirror will suddenly serve its truer purpose—revealing to a man not who he imagines himself to be, but who he has become."

The novel is littered with many other noteworthy quotes and wonderful descriptions of food, but hardly any action until the very end. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to anyone who has the patience to stay in a hotel watching as the world passes you by, sometimes forgetting you're even there.]]> 4.28 2016 A Gentleman in Moscow
author: Amor Towles
name: Sam
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/01
date added: 2023/09/01
shelves:
review:
It's the first time I read anything by Amor Towles, and I was mightily impressed by his writing style. I found it exceptionally intriguing, with the way he used various literary devices to enhance the setting and characters of the novel. Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is a gentleman from a long lineage of wealth and status. The novel begins with him arrested and attending a hearing for publishing a revolutionary poem. His punishment for it is "house" arrest in a luxury hotel in the middle of Moscow city. Thereafter, the reader is drawn into a colourful expose into the world of the Russian aristocracy, the plight of the common people during the Bolshevik revolution and delicious pairings of food and wine, all through the eyes of a man who is not allowed to leave the hotel.

As much as I found the writing style enjoyable, the plot itself wasn't as interesting after he unofficially adopted Sofia. In fact, the writing is such that it makes you believe something very exciting is about to happen, only to find nothing does. The conversations the Count has with the staff, Sofia, patrons of the hotel, and other unsavory characters are extraordinarily interesting. There is an abundance of profound sentiments found in the dialogue, such as, "...And when that celestial chime sounds, perhaps a mirror will suddenly serve its truer purpose—revealing to a man not who he imagines himself to be, but who he has become."

The novel is littered with many other noteworthy quotes and wonderful descriptions of food, but hardly any action until the very end. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to anyone who has the patience to stay in a hotel watching as the world passes you by, sometimes forgetting you're even there.
]]> Midwinter Break 38212117

Gerry, once an architect, is forgetful and set in his ways. Stella is tired of his lifestyle, worried about their marriage, and angry at his constant undermining of her religious faith. Things are not helped by memories that have begun to resurface of a troubled time in their native Ireland. As their midwinter break comes to an end, we understand how far apart they are—and can only watch as they struggle to save themselves. MacLaverty is a master storyteller, and Midwinter Break is the essential MacLaverty novel: accurate, compassionate observation; effortlessly elegant writing; and a tender, intimate, heartrending story. Yet it is also a profound examination of human love and how we live together, a chamber piece of real resonance and power. Forty years after his first book, MacLaverty has written his masterpiece.]]> 208 Bernard MacLaverty 039335623X Sam 3 3.60 2017 Midwinter Break
author: Bernard MacLaverty
name: Sam
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2023/05/30
shelves:
review:
It's a lovely story about a middle-aged couple going on a holiday to the Netherlands. As much as it was interesting and relatable, I couldn't finish it. It wasn't the writing. MacLaverty is brilliant at captivating his reader through the subtle nuances of his characters. However, the pace of the novel was slow, and I soon grew tired of being a silent bystander in Gerry and Stella's lives.
]]> Klara and the Sun 54120408
In Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro looks at our rapidly changing modern world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator to explore a fundamental question: what does it mean to love?]]> 340 Kazuo Ishiguro 059331817X Sam 3
Klara comes to the understanding, from her acute observational abilities, that the Sun provides nourishment for humans, too. She isn't entirely wrong, but she genuinely believes that the Sun can "save" a person from dying. This concept is the driving force of the plot when Klara is bought by a sickly teenager named Josie. There is a twist in the tale that highlighted the possibility of AI taking over the human race a scary reality. In fact, if this twist was explored further, then perhaps the story would have been more enjoyable. Instead, it became a non-essential plot detour. Nevertheless, Klara's observation on humans is excellent food for thought. Her cognitive abilities are wonderous to behold, and this is what made me continue reading the novel regardless of its slow pace and plot holes (the characters keep mentioning something about children being 'lifted' but nowhere is it explained what exactly that means so I had to come up with my own theory which I rather not share]]> 3.71 2021 Klara and the Sun
author: Kazuo Ishiguro
name: Sam
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/09
date added: 2023/04/09
shelves:
review:
I liked this novel. I really did. Only something was missing, which I can't really place my finger on. Klara is a sentient artificial intelligence (called an Artificial Friend) that is waiting to be bought from a store that sells such products. This is a world set in the future where AI is commonly used as friends or caregivers or both to children/teenagers. Klara and her friend Rosa (a fellow AI) belong to a model that needs solar energy to thrive.

Klara comes to the understanding, from her acute observational abilities, that the Sun provides nourishment for humans, too. She isn't entirely wrong, but she genuinely believes that the Sun can "save" a person from dying. This concept is the driving force of the plot when Klara is bought by a sickly teenager named Josie. There is a twist in the tale that highlighted the possibility of AI taking over the human race a scary reality. In fact, if this twist was explored further, then perhaps the story would have been more enjoyable. Instead, it became a non-essential plot detour. Nevertheless, Klara's observation on humans is excellent food for thought. Her cognitive abilities are wonderous to behold, and this is what made me continue reading the novel regardless of its slow pace and plot holes (the characters keep mentioning something about children being 'lifted' but nowhere is it explained what exactly that means so I had to come up with my own theory which I rather not share
]]> The Offing 43412959 After all, there are only a few things truly worth fighting for: freedom, of course, and all that it brings with it. Poetry, perhaps, and a good glass of wine. A nice meal. Nature. Love, if you're lucky.

One summer following the Second World War, Robert Appleyard sets out on foot from his Durham village. Sixteen and the son of a coal miner, he makes his way across the northern countryside until he reaches the former smuggling village of Robin Hood’s Bay. There he meets Dulcie, an eccentric, worldly, older woman who lives in a ramshackle cottage facing out to sea.

Staying with Dulcie, Robert’s life opens into one of rich food, sea-swimming, sunburn and poetry. The two come from different worlds, yet as the summer months pass, they form an unlikely friendship that will profoundly alter their futures.

From the Walter Scott Prize-winning author of The Gallows Pole comes a powerful new novel about an unlikely friendship between a young man and an older woman, set in the former smuggling village of Robin Hood’s Bay in the aftermath of the Second World War.]]> 260 Benjamin Myers 1526611317 Sam 4
The themes of war, love, and poetry intermingle in ways I could've never imagined. Benjamin Myers gracefully included the different ways a person could fall in love without any explicit scenes of romance. He also emphasises the importance of dealing with loss and grief. My only criticism is that I wish there were more aspects of Robert's life that were shown. He was the narrator, yet we just got glimpses of his aging life instead of more insight as to how Dulcie influenced his growth as a person. Nevertheless, it is well worth the read.]]> 4.24 2019 The Offing
author: Benjamin Myers
name: Sam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/02
date added: 2023/04/02
shelves:
review:
A beautiful story about two strangers unexpectedly meeting and having their lives changed forever. It is just after the Second World War, and Robert has returned from the battle and finds himself despondent to the world around him. He refuses to follow in his father's footsteps of working in the coal mines and sets out down south of England, hoping to find something, anything, that'll amount to happiness. Instead, he stumbles across a garden, where he sets up the tent of Dulcie Piper, a tall, sturdy, no-nonsense woman. Dulcie invites Robert for tea and then supper, where they give off bits and pieces of each other's lives. At first, Robert goes off to continue his journey, but he returns to Dulcie's place to remain there for the rest of the summer. Both Dulcie and Robert experience life changing moments in the novel, and somehow they both help each other in doing so, considering Robert is only 16 and Dulcie is possibly in her late 40s.

The themes of war, love, and poetry intermingle in ways I could've never imagined. Benjamin Myers gracefully included the different ways a person could fall in love without any explicit scenes of romance. He also emphasises the importance of dealing with loss and grief. My only criticism is that I wish there were more aspects of Robert's life that were shown. He was the narrator, yet we just got glimpses of his aging life instead of more insight as to how Dulcie influenced his growth as a person. Nevertheless, it is well worth the read.
]]> All the Broken Places 61111301
Then, a new family moves into the apartment below her. In spite of herself, Gretel can't help but begin a friendship with the little boy, Henry, though his presence brings back memories she would rather forget. One night, she witnesses a disturbing, violent argument between Henry's beautiful mother and his arrogant father, one that threatens Gretel's hard-won, self-contained existence.

All The Broken Places moves back and forth in time between Gretel's girlhood in Germany to present-day London as a woman whose life has been haunted by the past. Now, Gretel faces a similar crossroads to one she encountered long ago. Back then, she denied her own complicity, but now, faced with a chance to interrogate her guilt, grief and remorse, she can choose to save a young boy. If she does, she will be forced to reveal the secrets she has spent a lifetime protecting. This time, she can make a different choice than before -- whatever the cost to herself....

From the New York Times bestselling author John Boyne, a devastating, beautiful story about a woman who must confront the sins of her own terrible past, and a present in which it is never too late for bravery. ]]> 400 John Boyne 0593653068 Sam 5
Gretel's mundane life is interrupted by her new neighbours, a couple, and their son, Henry. Unfortunately, the father's abusive ways impinge on the threshold of Gretel, forcing her to interfere for the safety of Henry and his mother. Consequently, this may be at a cost of all her secrets, which she's tried so carefully to be buried, come to light. A truly remarkable read that piqued my interest from beginning to end. I started the novel, finding Gretel a tedious old woman but ended it with supreme admiration for her intelligence and courage. Highly recommended!]]> 4.43 2022 All the Broken Places
author: John Boyne
name: Sam
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/02/13
date added: 2023/02/13
shelves:
review:
A beautiful sequel to The Boy in Striped Pajamas, All The Broken Places will have you sniggering and tearing throughout the novel. Having not read the first novel, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I still enjoyed the plot and character development of the sequel. In fact, not reading the first novel allowed me to be intrigued by the protagonist's personality and her many references to her family and upbringing. Gretel is our 91 year old narrator living in Winterville Court, London. Her life is simply led where her only worries are her neighbour, Heidi, who's suffering from alzheimer's, her 60 year old son who is about to acquire his fourth wife and who might be moving into Flat One below her. However, through alternate chapters of flashbacks, we come to realise that Gretel's simple life was cunningly crafted to hide her background, that being the daughter of a Nazi general. She also hides a terrible secret concerning her brother, whose name she can no longer speak aloud.

Gretel's mundane life is interrupted by her new neighbours, a couple, and their son, Henry. Unfortunately, the father's abusive ways impinge on the threshold of Gretel, forcing her to interfere for the safety of Henry and his mother. Consequently, this may be at a cost of all her secrets, which she's tried so carefully to be buried, come to light. A truly remarkable read that piqued my interest from beginning to end. I started the novel, finding Gretel a tedious old woman but ended it with supreme admiration for her intelligence and courage. Highly recommended!
]]> Police (Harry Hole, #10) 18142329
At the same time, a severely wounded man is in a coma and kept alive at a hospital in Oslo. The police guard the room and the identity of the patient is kept secret.

Once again Jo Nesbø delivers a devilishly clever story about the scope of human evil; a cat-and-mouse game that involves not only the victims and the police, but also the reader.]]> 436 Jo Nesbø 0307960498 Sam 4
Except, Harry isn't dead. He survived Oleg's shot and is now a lecturer at Oslo's police college. However, the investigation of a cop killer who recreates the crimes of unsolved cases proves mind-boggling to the team Gunnar Hagan has created to find the perpetrator. The team reaches out to Hole for assistance, but he refuses. This is until a member of the team becomes a victim of the cop killer, forcing Hole to return to the job that consumed him so incessantly that it ruined his relationship with the loves of his life, Rakel and Oleg, and resulted in him succumbing to the turmoils of alcoholism.

I'm not sure why, but in every novel I read of Nesbo's, his antagonist always dies at the end. This could be Nesbo's form of justice that he believes deserves to be meted out to such horrifyingly-gruesome humans, or Nesbo is telling us he doesn't have faith in the country's legal justice system. The latter makes sense, considering how many corrupt police officers and politicians are interwoven in the narrative. Even in this book, Mikael Bellman, who in the previous novel was proven to be a self-aggrandizing and corrupt policeman, is now the Chief of Police. Hole knows this, yet he doesn't do something about it due to the unsatisfactory answer of not having proof. The novel ends on a disturbing cliffhanger that is most definitely aimed at enticing you to read the next book in the series. I don't know if Nesbo will end the series, but if he does, I would be curious to know how he will do so. He creates multiple villains in one plot for the sole purpose of making the reader incapable of predicting the real killer, but he also has those villains resurfacing in the upcoming novels. Would he get rid of them one by one in each book, or is it all leading up to one resounding finale?]]> 4.21 2013 Police (Harry Hole, #10)
author: Jo Nesbø
name: Sam
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2023/01/17
date added: 2023/01/17
shelves:
review:
Jo Nesbo has redeemed himself in my eyes after reading Police: the book after Phantom in the Harry Hole series. The narrative was so insatiable that I devoured each page with gusto. The previous novel ended with the supposed death of Harry Hole, so it was extremely surprising that the first half of the novel was incredibly interesting despite not featuring the protagonist the entire series is built on. If that isn't an indication of Nesbo's brilliant penmanship, then I don't know what is.

Except, Harry isn't dead. He survived Oleg's shot and is now a lecturer at Oslo's police college. However, the investigation of a cop killer who recreates the crimes of unsolved cases proves mind-boggling to the team Gunnar Hagan has created to find the perpetrator. The team reaches out to Hole for assistance, but he refuses. This is until a member of the team becomes a victim of the cop killer, forcing Hole to return to the job that consumed him so incessantly that it ruined his relationship with the loves of his life, Rakel and Oleg, and resulted in him succumbing to the turmoils of alcoholism.

I'm not sure why, but in every novel I read of Nesbo's, his antagonist always dies at the end. This could be Nesbo's form of justice that he believes deserves to be meted out to such horrifyingly-gruesome humans, or Nesbo is telling us he doesn't have faith in the country's legal justice system. The latter makes sense, considering how many corrupt police officers and politicians are interwoven in the narrative. Even in this book, Mikael Bellman, who in the previous novel was proven to be a self-aggrandizing and corrupt policeman, is now the Chief of Police. Hole knows this, yet he doesn't do something about it due to the unsatisfactory answer of not having proof. The novel ends on a disturbing cliffhanger that is most definitely aimed at enticing you to read the next book in the series. I don't know if Nesbo will end the series, but if he does, I would be curious to know how he will do so. He creates multiple villains in one plot for the sole purpose of making the reader incapable of predicting the real killer, but he also has those villains resurfacing in the upcoming novels. Would he get rid of them one by one in each book, or is it all leading up to one resounding finale?
]]> Phantom (Harry Hole, #9) 13256064 Following from Jo Nesbø's electrifying international best-sellers The Snowman and The Leopard, now comes Phantom, which plunges the brilliant, deeply troubled, now former police officer Harry Hole into a full-tilt investigation on which his own tenuous future will come to depend.

When Harry left Oslo again for Hong Kong—fleeing the traumas of life as a cop—he thought he was there for good. But then the unthinkable happened. The son of the woman he loved, lost, and still loves is arrested for murder: Oleg, the boy Harry helped raise but couldn't help deserting when he fled. Harry has come back to prove that Oleg is not a killer. Barred from rejoining the police force, he sets out on a solitary, increasingly dangerous investigation that takes him deep into the world of the most virulent drug to ever hit the streets of Oslo (and the careers of some of the city's highest officials), and into the maze of his own past, where he will find the wrenching truth that finally matters to Oleg, and to himself.]]> 378 Jo Nesbø 0307960471 Sam 3
Phantom takes place 3 years after the The Snowman. Harry Hole has come back to Oslo from Hong Kong, unemployed, homeless, and lonely. There are two POVs: Hole and a dead person, Gus. Yes, Nesbo provides us with a first-person narrative of someone who just recently died. Soon, we discover that Hole's ex-girlfriend's son, whom he loves as his own, is convicted of murdering Gus. Thus, the compelling reason Hole returns to policework without being employed to do so to prove that the Oleg he knew and loved so well did not commit said crime. I disapproved of Nesbo making Oleg a supposed drug-addicted murderer. I'm sure Nesbo could have come up with a better reason for bringing Hole back instead of this clichéd trope. Or maybe he was trying to imply that Hole would not have come back for any other reason, but Oleg caught up in a life-threatening situation?

As much as the plot was interesting, there were some parts that were unnecessarily long. I kept waiting for something else to happen, only to be given an anticlimactic justification as to why so-and-so isn't the killer. The reader is also given a crash course on the Norwegian drug syndicate, which has you thinking that this is the major storyline that Nesbo was aiming for, while Oleg was merely a subtext. Wrong. This does contribute to the story but is an elaborate setup for the next novel, Police. Still, Phantom is worth reading, even if it's just to get through the rest of the series.]]> 4.11 2011 Phantom (Harry Hole, #9)
author: Jo Nesbø
name: Sam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at: 2023/01/10
date added: 2023/01/10
shelves:
review:
Jo Nesbo is an incredible writer. Every narrative he creates lures you into a complex thread of mystery and suspense. I haven't been reading the Harry Hole series in chronological order, yet I have been able to follow the trajectory of Hole's police career. I first read The Snowman, which established Nesbo as one of my favourite crime authors.

Phantom takes place 3 years after the The Snowman. Harry Hole has come back to Oslo from Hong Kong, unemployed, homeless, and lonely. There are two POVs: Hole and a dead person, Gus. Yes, Nesbo provides us with a first-person narrative of someone who just recently died. Soon, we discover that Hole's ex-girlfriend's son, whom he loves as his own, is convicted of murdering Gus. Thus, the compelling reason Hole returns to policework without being employed to do so to prove that the Oleg he knew and loved so well did not commit said crime. I disapproved of Nesbo making Oleg a supposed drug-addicted murderer. I'm sure Nesbo could have come up with a better reason for bringing Hole back instead of this clichéd trope. Or maybe he was trying to imply that Hole would not have come back for any other reason, but Oleg caught up in a life-threatening situation?

As much as the plot was interesting, there were some parts that were unnecessarily long. I kept waiting for something else to happen, only to be given an anticlimactic justification as to why so-and-so isn't the killer. The reader is also given a crash course on the Norwegian drug syndicate, which has you thinking that this is the major storyline that Nesbo was aiming for, while Oleg was merely a subtext. Wrong. This does contribute to the story but is an elaborate setup for the next novel, Police. Still, Phantom is worth reading, even if it's just to get through the rest of the series.
]]> <![CDATA[The Ink Black Heart (Cormoran Strike, #6)]]> 60144955
When frantic, disheveled Edie Ledwell appears in the office begging to speak to her, private detective Robin Ellacott doesn’t know quite what to make of the situation. The co-creator of a popular cartoon, The Ink Black Heart, Edie is being persecuted by a mysterious online figure who goes by the pseudonym of Anomie. Edie is desperate to uncover Anomie’s true identity.

Robin decides that the agency can’t help with this—and thinks nothing more of it until a few days later, when she reads the shocking news that Edie has been tasered and then murdered in Highgate Cemetery, the location of The Ink Black Heart.

Robin and her business partner, Cormoran Strike, become drawn into the quest to uncover Anomie’s true identity. But with a complex web of online aliases, business interests and family conflicts to navigate, Strike and Robin find themselves embroiled in a case that stretches their powers of deduction to the limits � and which threatens them in new and horrifying ways . . .]]> 1391 Robert Galbraith 0316473537 Sam 5
Nevertheless, the plot is exquisitely crafted and the mystery incredibly interesting. The theme here is heavy on cyber-bullying on Twitter, and one will not be able to read this novel without thinking that the trolling J.K. Rowling went through on the same platform after her transphobic comments may have helped in her authenticity in this narrative. The Ink Black Heart refers to a cartoon on YouTube that was created by a young couple, Josh and Edie. Both were heavily stoned and sitting in Highgate Cemetery (a tourist attraction in London) when they came up with a gothic cartoon that took off to unprecedented heights. However, the loving adoration displayed online quickly turns sinister when a fan-made game of the cartoon is not properly acknowledged by the creators. This results in one of the creators of the game brutally trolling Edie (the female creator, the fact she is a female and is the only one from the two being bullied is within reference to the theme of gender-based violence) to a point where she attempts suicide. After surviving the suicide attempt, she contacts the Strike agency to use their services in trying to find out who is Anomie, the internet troll. However, due to their popularity, Robin explains to Edie that they're unable to take on any new clients as they don't have the necessary manpower and provides her with an alternative agency. A few days later, the media reports that Edie is dead and her co-creator of the cartoon is grievously injured and in hospital. Robin, having contact with Edie in the last few days before her death, tells the investigating officers about Edie's suspicions on Anomie. Thereafter, Edie's agent enlists the services of Robin and Cormoran to help find out who is Anomie.

It is scary to think how people can assume they own the right to opinion just because they're a fan and have undying love for a product. It's also horrifying to know how easy it is to create fake accounts for the sole purpose of spreading and inciting hate on a human being to a point that they'd want to end their life. It's no wonder many celebrities/public figures have issues with mental health from the increasingly judgemental society we live in. I'm glad that Rowling/Galbraith created a plot using themes that are relevant to today's global context. This one is a definite must-read, and I appreciate that the Cormoran Strike series just keeps on getting better.]]> 4.07 2022 The Ink Black Heart (Cormoran Strike, #6)
author: Robert Galbraith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/01/07
date added: 2023/01/07
shelves:
review:
Once again, the Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott detective team solves a mystery that is complex yet intriguing, which will have you reading until the end. As usual, Robin and Cormoran have continued their professional relationship whilst holding intense romantic feelings for each other, and as usual, Rowling/Galbraith refuses to indulge us with the pair finally getting together. Instead, we get one drunken moment of an almost kiss that ends in an unnecessarily long awkwardness between the two partners.

Nevertheless, the plot is exquisitely crafted and the mystery incredibly interesting. The theme here is heavy on cyber-bullying on Twitter, and one will not be able to read this novel without thinking that the trolling J.K. Rowling went through on the same platform after her transphobic comments may have helped in her authenticity in this narrative. The Ink Black Heart refers to a cartoon on YouTube that was created by a young couple, Josh and Edie. Both were heavily stoned and sitting in Highgate Cemetery (a tourist attraction in London) when they came up with a gothic cartoon that took off to unprecedented heights. However, the loving adoration displayed online quickly turns sinister when a fan-made game of the cartoon is not properly acknowledged by the creators. This results in one of the creators of the game brutally trolling Edie (the female creator, the fact she is a female and is the only one from the two being bullied is within reference to the theme of gender-based violence) to a point where she attempts suicide. After surviving the suicide attempt, she contacts the Strike agency to use their services in trying to find out who is Anomie, the internet troll. However, due to their popularity, Robin explains to Edie that they're unable to take on any new clients as they don't have the necessary manpower and provides her with an alternative agency. A few days later, the media reports that Edie is dead and her co-creator of the cartoon is grievously injured and in hospital. Robin, having contact with Edie in the last few days before her death, tells the investigating officers about Edie's suspicions on Anomie. Thereafter, Edie's agent enlists the services of Robin and Cormoran to help find out who is Anomie.

It is scary to think how people can assume they own the right to opinion just because they're a fan and have undying love for a product. It's also horrifying to know how easy it is to create fake accounts for the sole purpose of spreading and inciting hate on a human being to a point that they'd want to end their life. It's no wonder many celebrities/public figures have issues with mental health from the increasingly judgemental society we live in. I'm glad that Rowling/Galbraith created a plot using themes that are relevant to today's global context. This one is a definite must-read, and I appreciate that the Cormoran Strike series just keeps on getting better.
]]> <![CDATA[Hunting Evil (Robert Hunter, #10)]]> 40745377 'Every story one day comes to an end.'

As roommates, they met for the first time in college. Two of the brightest minds ever to graduate from Stamford Psychology University. As adversaries, they met again in Quantico, Virginia.

Robert Hunter had become the head of the LAPD’s Ultra Violent Crimes Unit. Lucien Folter had become the most prolific and dangerous serial killer the FBI had ever encountered. Now, after spending three and a half years locked in solitary confinement, Lucien has finally managed to break free. And he’s angry.

As ever, Carter’s background in criminal psychology is at the centre of his novel, which is all the more addictive and terrifying for it!]]> 12 Chris Carter 1471179567 Sam 3 4.47 2019 Hunting Evil (Robert Hunter, #10)
author: Chris Carter
name: Sam
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2022/05/27
date added: 2022/05/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dead Tracks (David Raker, #2)]]> 10423271
A serial killer more terrifying than you could ever imagine...

Seventeen-year-old Megan Carver was an unlikely runaway. A straight - a student from a happy home, she studied hard and rarely got into trouble. Six months on, she's never been found.

Missing persons investigator David Raker knows what it's like to grieve. He knows the shadowy world of the lost too. So, when he's hired by Megan's parents to find out what happened, he recognizes their pain - but knows that the darkest secrets can be buried deep. And Megan's secrets could cost him his life.

Because as Raker investigates her disappearance, he realizes everything is a lie. People close to her are dead. Others are too terrified to talk. And soon the conspiracy of silence leads Raker towards a forest on the edge of the city. A place with a horrifying history - which was once the hunting ground for a brutal, twisted serial killer. A place known as the Dead Tracks...]]> 550 Tim Weaver 0141042443 Sam 0 currently-reading 4.17 2011 The Dead Tracks (David Raker, #2)
author: Tim Weaver
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/27
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shadow of the Raven (Dr. Thomas Silkstone #5)]]> 22238068
In the notorious mental hospital known as Bedlam, Dr. Thomas Silkstone seeks out a patient with whom he is on intimate terms. But he is unprepared for the state in which he finds Lady Lydia Farrell. Shocked into action, Thomas vows to help free Lydia by appealing to the custodian of her affairs, Mr. Nicholas Lupton. But when Silkstone arrives at the Boughton Estate to speak to Lupton, he finds that another form of madness has taken over the village. . .

Sweeping changes to the Boughton Estate threaten to leave many villagers, who are rightfully angry, destitute. After a single shot rings out and a man dies in the woods, it appears that the desperate villagers have turned to murder to avenge their cause. But for Thomas, a post-mortem on the victim raises more questions than answers. Although he manages to save an innocent man from the gallows, a second murder warns him of his potentially fatal situation. Soon he discovers a conspiracy far more sinister than anything he has ever faced. But who it leads to is the last person he suspects. . .]]> 368 Tessa Harris 0758293399 Sam 3
The plot deals with him trying to get a meeting with Lydia Farell, a woman that seems important to him (how or why are questions that were probably answered in the previous books). She has been wrongfully committed to the asylum by terrible men and Silkstone aims to free and give her the justice she deserves. However, a mysterious murder takes place very close to her property and through a friend, Dr Silkstone is asked to solve the crime. There are many plot twists and character build up involved but it all falls flat due to the slow pace.

The way Silkstone deduced evidence through autopsies of corpses was the most interesting parts of the novel, which sadly was very minimal. I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed it more if I started reading from book 1, but I am sure that this novel failed to entice me to read more of Dr Silkstone. I started the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo at random as well, and that alone made me devour every book in the series. So I guess Shadow of the Raven is a miss for me.]]> 3.76 2015 Shadow of the Raven (Dr. Thomas Silkstone #5)
author: Tessa Harris
name: Sam
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2022/04/09
date added: 2022/04/09
shelves:
review:
When I bought this book I had no idea it was fifth in the Dr Silkstone series, so I was a bit confused at certain references to previous novels. Nevertheless, I continued to read it and was soon invested in this American doctor that solved murders in 1700s England. The character, Dr Thomas Silkstone, can be described as if Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson were one person. Except, it isn't exceptional, but rather boring. Unfortunately, Dr Silkstone's character is quite bland for a suspense thriller.

The plot deals with him trying to get a meeting with Lydia Farell, a woman that seems important to him (how or why are questions that were probably answered in the previous books). She has been wrongfully committed to the asylum by terrible men and Silkstone aims to free and give her the justice she deserves. However, a mysterious murder takes place very close to her property and through a friend, Dr Silkstone is asked to solve the crime. There are many plot twists and character build up involved but it all falls flat due to the slow pace.

The way Silkstone deduced evidence through autopsies of corpses was the most interesting parts of the novel, which sadly was very minimal. I'm not sure if I would've enjoyed it more if I started reading from book 1, but I am sure that this novel failed to entice me to read more of Dr Silkstone. I started the Harry Hole series by Jo Nesbo at random as well, and that alone made me devour every book in the series. So I guess Shadow of the Raven is a miss for me.
]]> <![CDATA[Time's Convert (All Souls, #4)]]> 45162277 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches comes a novel about what it takes to become a vampire.

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus's deeply held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

Fast-forward to contemporary Paris, where Phoebe Taylor--the young employee at Sotheby's whom Marcus has fallen for--is about to embark on her own journey to immortality. Though the modernized version of the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to be a vampire are no less formidable than they were in the eighteenth century. The shadows that Marcus believed he'd escaped centuries ago may return to haunt them both--forever.

A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities not just for change but for revolution, Time's Convert channels the supernatural world-building and slow-burning romance that made the All Souls Trilogy instant bestsellers to illuminate a new and vital moment in history, and a love affair that will bridge centuries.]]> 448 Deborah Harkness 0399564535 Sam 4
Diana is now living in some contentment with her little family of witches, vampires and daemons. We see her trying to ensure her children don't have the same childhood she did (spellbound and magically uneducated). Phoebe is on the journey of becoming a vampire and is not allowed to see Marcus for 90 days. This prompts Marcus to think about his own life and how he became the vampire he is today.

All this started off extremely interesting until Diana's POV became a little tedious (I'm starting to think Harkness created such a bland character of Diana that her role as main protagonist falls flat) and Phoebe's turning into a vampire being compared more and more to human infants became insanely annoying. Again, the best POV is the historical fiction where Harkness takes us back to the American and French Revolution. Being a history buff myself, these were the most captivating parts of the novel.

The shortcoming of this read is the end. It's almost as if Harkness didn't know how to merge these POV's into one and used a very trivial matter (Phoebe's dad having a heart attack) to finally get everyone together. And again, there were loose ends that didn't tie up (Diana kept saying she feels something bad is going to happen?) leading to the suggestion that perhaps there is another novel with these characters to follow.]]> 3.85 2018 Time's Convert (All Souls, #4)
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Sam
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/18
date added: 2022/02/18
shelves:
review:
Considering my previous review of the final book in the All Souls Trilogy, I began reading the sequel with trepidation. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Time's Convert is an enjoyable read. The story continues after approximately two years since the events of The Book of Life, with three consistent points of view: Diana's narrative, Phoebe's point of view and Marcus's origin story.

Diana is now living in some contentment with her little family of witches, vampires and daemons. We see her trying to ensure her children don't have the same childhood she did (spellbound and magically uneducated). Phoebe is on the journey of becoming a vampire and is not allowed to see Marcus for 90 days. This prompts Marcus to think about his own life and how he became the vampire he is today.

All this started off extremely interesting until Diana's POV became a little tedious (I'm starting to think Harkness created such a bland character of Diana that her role as main protagonist falls flat) and Phoebe's turning into a vampire being compared more and more to human infants became insanely annoying. Again, the best POV is the historical fiction where Harkness takes us back to the American and French Revolution. Being a history buff myself, these were the most captivating parts of the novel.

The shortcoming of this read is the end. It's almost as if Harkness didn't know how to merge these POV's into one and used a very trivial matter (Phoebe's dad having a heart attack) to finally get everyone together. And again, there were loose ends that didn't tie up (Diana kept saying she feels something bad is going to happen?) leading to the suggestion that perhaps there is another novel with these characters to follow.
]]> The Swarm 68146 The Swarm.

Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island's water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean's revenge as the seas and their inhabi-tants begin a violent revolution against mankind. In this riveting novel, full of twists, turns, and cliffhangers, a team of scientists discovers a strange, intelligent life force called the Yrr that takes form in marine animals, using them to wreak havoc on humanity for our ecological abuses. Soon a struggle between good and evil is in full swing, with both human and suboceanic forces battling for control of the waters. At stake is the survival of the Earth's fragile ecology -- and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.

The apocalyptic catastrophes of The Day After Tomorrow meet the watery menace of The Abyss in this gripping, scientifically realistic, and utterly imaginative thriller. With 1.5 million copies sold in Germany -- where it has been on the bestseller list without fail since its debut -- and the author's skillfully executed blend of compelling story, vivid characters, and eerie locales, Frank Schatzing's The Swarm will keep you in tense anticipation until the last suspenseful page is turned.
(front flap)]]> 881 Frank Schätzing 0060813261 Sam 0 currently-reading 4.09 2004 The Swarm
author: Frank Schätzing
name: Sam
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/17
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The Noise 56221170
In the shadow of Mount Hood, sixteen-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister Sophie when the girls are suddenly overcome by a strange vibration rising out of the forest, building in intensity until it sounds like a deafening crescendo of screams. From out of nowhere, their father sweeps them up and drops them through a trapdoor into a storm cellar. But the sound only gets worse . . .]]> 432 James Patterson 0316499870 Sam 2
A fast-paced novel that will have you reading until the last page because of how intriguing the concept. This isn't Patterson's usual premise of whodunit so it is quite refreshing to indulge in Barker's sci-fi influence. I didn't like it much because the entire goal was using the characters to try and figure out what, how and why were the noise created. All of the characters featured in the novel had something to do with the noise, which felt a tad bit boring at times. There were moments I wished for a little romance between General Fraser and Dr Chan, due to their chemistry, but there weren't any interpersonal action between any of the characters (except with the sisters) as the focus lay solely on the plot.

A great premise for a tv series, though. Hopefully, Hollywood can flesh out the characters better with at least some form of drama and emotion.]]> 3.47 2021 The Noise
author: James Patterson
name: Sam
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2022/01/28
date added: 2022/01/28
shelves:
review:
After reading this novel, the thought of Mark Zuckerberg's Metaverse gave me apocalyptic vibes. A group of specialists from various academic fields are brought together to solve a problem. The problem is how an entire community of over 500 people either disappeared or killed. Dr Martha Chan is suspicious of what the US government and military officials are not telling them. Then they hear the noise. A noise that can potentially connect your mind to the internet.

A fast-paced novel that will have you reading until the last page because of how intriguing the concept. This isn't Patterson's usual premise of whodunit so it is quite refreshing to indulge in Barker's sci-fi influence. I didn't like it much because the entire goal was using the characters to try and figure out what, how and why were the noise created. All of the characters featured in the novel had something to do with the noise, which felt a tad bit boring at times. There were moments I wished for a little romance between General Fraser and Dr Chan, due to their chemistry, but there weren't any interpersonal action between any of the characters (except with the sisters) as the focus lay solely on the plot.

A great premise for a tv series, though. Hopefully, Hollywood can flesh out the characters better with at least some form of drama and emotion.
]]> The Night Circus 9361589
But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.]]> 506 Erin Morgenstern Sam 3 4.00 2011 The Night Circus
author: Erin Morgenstern
name: Sam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2011
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2022/01/08
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2)]]> 11559200 A Discovery of Witches� cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.]]> 584 Deborah Harkness 0670023485 Sam 5
Diana hopes to find Ashmole's book in mint condition so she can discover its secrets. She also needs guidance with her magic and it seems that the witches in 16th century England are the only ones who can help. However, around this time the prosecution and execution of witches were rife. For Matthew, it is an opportunity to see old friends again and perhaps say a proper goodbye to his father. They truly have a magnificent adventure in the 16th century to a point that they feel at home. It takes meeting Diana's father (also a Time-Walker) to remind them that being in the past for too long would have dire consequences on their own present and future. Can't wait to read how this all ends!]]> 4.04 2012 Shadow of Night (All Souls, #2)
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Sam
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/03
date added: 2022/01/03
shelves:
review:
The second novel in the All Souls Trilogy was far more pleasant than the first. This is probably because almost the entire novel takes place in 1591 England and Prague, with Diana and Matthew going back in time (Diana has the rare witch power of being a Time-Walker). For me, this was a lovely treat since I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and Harkness brings to life many intriguing real Renaissance men that interacts with her own characters, such as, William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and others from the actual gang known as the School of Night.

Diana hopes to find Ashmole's book in mint condition so she can discover its secrets. She also needs guidance with her magic and it seems that the witches in 16th century England are the only ones who can help. However, around this time the prosecution and execution of witches were rife. For Matthew, it is an opportunity to see old friends again and perhaps say a proper goodbye to his father. They truly have a magnificent adventure in the 16th century to a point that they feel at home. It takes meeting Diana's father (also a Time-Walker) to remind them that being in the past for too long would have dire consequences on their own present and future. Can't wait to read how this all ends!
]]> <![CDATA[A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)]]> 8667848
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.]]> 592 Deborah Harkness 0670022411 Sam 4 4.01 2011 A Discovery of Witches (All Souls, #1)
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Sam
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/24
date added: 2021/12/24
shelves:
review:

]]> The Woman in the Window 40389527
Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.]]> 455 A.J. Finn Sam 4
A.J Finn, a pseudonym for Dan Mallory, pens a mystery thriller of an agoraphobic (a person that's afraid to leave their home) narrator, who is separated from her husband and child, that spies on her neighbours while living in a 3-story mansion in New York. Immediately on reading the first line, the reader is taken on a journey through the lens of child psychologist, Dr. Anna Fox. Other than playing online chess, learning French online and giving advice to fellow agora-phobes, she creates narratives or tries to be a part of the assumed narratives of her neighbours based on what little facts she can find of them online, e.g. the price of their house or their occupations or their hobbies. It seems like a harmless pastime to occupy yourself with when you're alone and afraid to go outside, but it is sort of creepy when you find out she takes pictures of said neighbours and keeps them. For what purpose? It is never revealed. Even though she's separated from her husband, she speaks to them over the phone everyday. Eventually, the new neighbours, The Russells, pique her interest as she finds slight resemblances of their family dynamic to her own. The wall between them is dismantled when Anna witnesses a murder in their home. Unfortunately, due to her consuming meds with large quantities of alcohol, Alistair Russell and two police detectives convince Anna that she was hallucinating the whole incident.

Anna is an unreliable narrator and I'm not sure why the author would have a protagonist, whose mental health is compromised through prescription medication and alcohol, to be the one telling us the story. It doesn't add to the suspense, but it does contribute to the author's staccato dialogue and slow building of tension. The novel was incredibly interesting despite the simplicity of it's style and plot. The plot twists were done well and brought the *gasp* moment in the reader. However, I would've liked more information on the relationship between her and her tenant, David. There's a bit of a subplot in which she ends up sleeping with him but they both agree it shouldn't have happened. I, personally, would like to know why it had to happen in the first place. I watched the movie immediately after finishing the novel, hoping the film would flesh out the characters better, providing them with more depth. Only, the movie does worse by giving a more skeletel setup of characterisation and delving into the action at a much faster pace than the novel. Nevertheless, it is a poignant whodunit read that really puts people into perspective.]]> 3.94 2018 The Woman in the Window
author: A.J. Finn
name: Sam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/24
date added: 2021/12/24
shelves:
review:
I came across the Netflix movie adaptation of this book awhile ago and seeing it under the horror genre I added it to 'My List'. Before I could watch the movie however, I was gifted the novel. Obviously, I chose to read the book first.

A.J Finn, a pseudonym for Dan Mallory, pens a mystery thriller of an agoraphobic (a person that's afraid to leave their home) narrator, who is separated from her husband and child, that spies on her neighbours while living in a 3-story mansion in New York. Immediately on reading the first line, the reader is taken on a journey through the lens of child psychologist, Dr. Anna Fox. Other than playing online chess, learning French online and giving advice to fellow agora-phobes, she creates narratives or tries to be a part of the assumed narratives of her neighbours based on what little facts she can find of them online, e.g. the price of their house or their occupations or their hobbies. It seems like a harmless pastime to occupy yourself with when you're alone and afraid to go outside, but it is sort of creepy when you find out she takes pictures of said neighbours and keeps them. For what purpose? It is never revealed. Even though she's separated from her husband, she speaks to them over the phone everyday. Eventually, the new neighbours, The Russells, pique her interest as she finds slight resemblances of their family dynamic to her own. The wall between them is dismantled when Anna witnesses a murder in their home. Unfortunately, due to her consuming meds with large quantities of alcohol, Alistair Russell and two police detectives convince Anna that she was hallucinating the whole incident.

Anna is an unreliable narrator and I'm not sure why the author would have a protagonist, whose mental health is compromised through prescription medication and alcohol, to be the one telling us the story. It doesn't add to the suspense, but it does contribute to the author's staccato dialogue and slow building of tension. The novel was incredibly interesting despite the simplicity of it's style and plot. The plot twists were done well and brought the *gasp* moment in the reader. However, I would've liked more information on the relationship between her and her tenant, David. There's a bit of a subplot in which she ends up sleeping with him but they both agree it shouldn't have happened. I, personally, would like to know why it had to happen in the first place. I watched the movie immediately after finishing the novel, hoping the film would flesh out the characters better, providing them with more depth. Only, the movie does worse by giving a more skeletel setup of characterisation and delving into the action at a much faster pace than the novel. Nevertheless, it is a poignant whodunit read that really puts people into perspective.
]]> <![CDATA[The Jealousy Man and Other Stories]]> 57001544 A veritable crime lover’s delight from a true master of mystery and suspense. Experience the #1 New York Times best-selling author as never before in this dark and thrilling short story collection that takes us on a journey of twisted minds and vengeful hearts.

Jo Nesbø is known the world over as a consummate mystery/thriller writer. Famed for his deft characterization, hair-raising suspense and shocking twists, Nesbø’s dexterity with the dark corners of the human heart is on full display in these inventive and enthralling stories.

A detective with a nose for jealousy is on the trail of a man suspected of murdering his twin; a bereaved father must decide whether vengeance has a place in the new world order after a pandemic brings about the collapse of society; a garbage man fresh off a bender tries to piece together what happened the night before; a hired assassin matches wits against his greatest adversary in a dangerous game for survival; and an instantly electric connection between passengers on a flight to London may spell romance, or something more sinister.

With Nesbø’s characteristic gift for outstanding atmosphere and gut-wrenching revelations, The Jealousy Man confirms that he is at the peak of his abilities.]]> 528 Jo Nesbø 0593321006 Sam 5
The stories length alternate between super short and a little longer than the average short story. Yet, each one has characters and a plot that will leave you thinking what would you do if your spouse is having an affair with their boss or how would you react if your best friend became insanely jealous of you. Nesbo's stories takes the reader across the world with the intention of letting us know that jealousy or envy is felt by anyone, regardless of your background, ethnicity or nationality. A definite must-read!]]> 3.62 2021 The Jealousy Man and Other Stories
author: Jo Nesbø
name: Sam
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/23
date added: 2021/12/23
shelves:
review:
Jo Nesbo has never disappointed with his captivating thrillers and nuanced writing style. It was a pleasure to read this anthology of short stories which showcases a variety of ways a person can feel jealous, and how each one responds to that green-eyed monster.

The stories length alternate between super short and a little longer than the average short story. Yet, each one has characters and a plot that will leave you thinking what would you do if your spouse is having an affair with their boss or how would you react if your best friend became insanely jealous of you. Nesbo's stories takes the reader across the world with the intention of letting us know that jealousy or envy is felt by anyone, regardless of your background, ethnicity or nationality. A definite must-read!
]]> <![CDATA[To Kill a Kingdom (Hundred Kingdoms, #1)]]> 34499221
The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?]]> 344 Alexandra Christo 1250112680 Sam 4
Lira is known as Prince's Bane, because she rips out the heart of only princes while all other sirens prefer killing common sailers. She has a collection of 17 hearts buried under the seabed, one for each year she's been alive. Elian is a 17 year old prince who moonlights as the Captain of the Saad. He hates that he is expected to return home to eventually succeed his father's throne. He prefers to spend his life on the sea hunting and killing sirens. Already, one can tell where this story is leading towards, which does make the rest of the novel predictable. Yet, Christo does not rush through her world and characters of 100 kingdoms that she had created, even though it's a standalone and there's no sequel.

I love that Christo doesn't change Lira's character to suit Elian, as happens to female characters everytime an author writes a romance. She is her own person but discovers a new reality that she wants to be a part of. Elian, too, is the feminist prince charming we all wish was real. To Kill a Kingdom is a beautiful rendition of a sweet love story.]]> 3.71 2018 To Kill a Kingdom (Hundred Kingdoms, #1)
author: Alexandra Christo
name: Sam
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/08
date added: 2021/12/08
shelves:
review:
I love stories about pirates and adventures at sea, so it was with joy I received a beautiful gift of Alexandra Christo's "To Kill A Kingdom." This was Christo's debut novel which is evident in its simplicity and characterisation. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read that genuinely captured the story of a monster finding humanity and love with a prince who would rather be a pirate. Yes, you read that correctly. It's a very different take on the fairytale genre of a princess/prince coming-of-age and falling in love with their happily-ever-after. The narrative is told through both, Lira and Elian's point of views, in alternating chapters.

Lira is known as Prince's Bane, because she rips out the heart of only princes while all other sirens prefer killing common sailers. She has a collection of 17 hearts buried under the seabed, one for each year she's been alive. Elian is a 17 year old prince who moonlights as the Captain of the Saad. He hates that he is expected to return home to eventually succeed his father's throne. He prefers to spend his life on the sea hunting and killing sirens. Already, one can tell where this story is leading towards, which does make the rest of the novel predictable. Yet, Christo does not rush through her world and characters of 100 kingdoms that she had created, even though it's a standalone and there's no sequel.

I love that Christo doesn't change Lira's character to suit Elian, as happens to female characters everytime an author writes a romance. She is her own person but discovers a new reality that she wants to be a part of. Elian, too, is the feminist prince charming we all wish was real. To Kill a Kingdom is a beautiful rendition of a sweet love story.
]]> Winter's Tale 12967 New York City is subsumed in arctic winds, dark nights, and white lights, its life unfolds, for it is an extraordinary hive of the imagination, the greatest house ever built, and nothing exists that can check its vitality. One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side.

Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter Lake, a middle-aged Irish burglar, and Beverly Penn, a young girl, who is dying.

Peter Lake, a simple, uneducated man, because of a love that, at first he does not fully understand, is driven to stop time and bring back the dead. His great struggle, in a city ever alight with its own energy and besieged by unprecedented winters, is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary stories of American literature.

]]> 769 Mark Helprin 0156031191 Sam 3 3.55 1983 Winter's Tale
author: Mark Helprin
name: Sam
average rating: 3.55
book published: 1983
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/22
date added: 2021/11/22
shelves:
review:
I am utterly gobsmacked at what I have just read. Winter's Tale is a whirlwind journey of a hundred years with unique characters whose lives interconnect in the most odd manner. The novel begins with a white horse that escaped from its owners and happens to be at the ready to help a thief, Peter Lake, to escape from the blood-thirsty gang leader, Pearly Soames. This team up of the horse and Peter Lake begin a magical adventure of I-am-not-sure-what
]]> <![CDATA[Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #3)]]> 93947 And sometimes it is simply deadly...
A three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., two clandestine institutions face each other across a heavily guarded river. One is the world's most unusual laboratory, whose goals and funding are a mystery. The other is an elite CIA training camp shrouded in secrecy. Now a man and a woman are about to run a gauntlet between these two puzzle factories, straight into a furious struggle to exploit a potentially world-shattering discovery--and keep some other secrets underwraps forever...
Former secret service agents turned private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have seen their lives splinter around them. Michelle lies unconscious ina hospital bed after a night of suicidal violence. And Sean is forced to take on a thankless investigation into the mutder of a scientist just inside the CIA's razor-wire fence near Williamsburg, Virginia.
Soon he is uncovering layer after layer of disinformation that shields a stunning world filled with elite mathematics, physicists, war heroes, spies, and deadly field agents. Amid more murder, a seemingly autistic girl's extraordinary genius, and a powerful breakthrough in the realm of classified codes, Sean soon learns enough to put his life at risk. Now more than ever, he needs Michelle--at her best--to help stop a conspiracy of traitors operating in the shadow of the White House itself.
From Michelle's courageous struggle to defeat her long-buried personal demons to a centuries-old secret that surfaces in the heat of action, SIMPLE GENIUS pulses with stunning, high-intensity suspense. The heroes of Split Second and Hour Game, David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestsellers, are back--as you've never seen them before.]]> 420 David Baldacci 0446580341 Sam 3 3.92 2007 Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell, #3)
author: David Baldacci
name: Sam
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/14
date added: 2021/11/14
shelves:
review:
I had to read the first 3 pages at least twice to make sure I hadn't read this novel before. Ah, the consequence of reading many, many books
]]> <![CDATA[The Vampyre: the secret history of Lord Byron]]> 21224632 Infamous poet Lord Byron comes to life with incendiary brilliance in this spellbinding blend of gothic imagination and documented fact. Wandering in the mountains of Greece, the supreme sensualist is drawn to the beauty of a mysterious fugitive slave; soon he is utterly entranced, and his fate is sealed. He embarks on a life of adventure even his genius could not have foreseen; chosen to enjoy powers beyond those any vampire has ever known, Byron traverses the centuries and enters a dark, intoxicating world of long-lost secrets, ancient arts and scorching excesses of evil. But Byron's gift is also his torment: an all-consuming thirst that withers life at the root, damning all those he loves.



With its impeccable scholarship and breathtaking storytelling, THE VAMPYRE is a wonderful combination of fact and fantasy.

]]> 414 Tom Holland Sam 5
It was extremely refreshing to read an old-fashioned vampire tale set in 1700s, England. Holland imagines the concept of Lord Byron, the famous poet of English literature, to have been turned into an actual vampire. The novel takes us on a journey on how he becomes a vampire through his last-living descendant, Rebecca. She, whilst investigating her mother's disappearance, is searching for Lord Byron's hidden biographical manuscript. Rebecca, instead, finds Lord Byron himself, alive: 200 years after his birth. He ends up regaling her with his tale of living as a creature of night and blood.

I have never been so enamoured by a vampire tale as this one written by Holland. He captures the essence of transformation and redemption through Byron's character in minute detail. The novel is set against many facts of history, such as his friendship with the Shelley's that is explained in a rather intriguing manner. As a fan of Mary Shelley, I was pleasantly surprised to have her featured in the storyline. It also blends in beautiful fiction that is crafted so well, you would think it were true. This novel is definitely one I'd recommend to anyone interested in Gothicism and may hold a fascination for the supernatural.]]> 3.73 1995 The Vampyre: the secret history of Lord Byron
author: Tom Holland
name: Sam
average rating: 3.73
book published: 1995
rating: 5
read at: 2021/10/02
date added: 2021/10/02
shelves:
review:
Ever since I was a kid, I held this wondrous fascination with vampires and other supernatural creatures, like werewolves and ghosts. It was later that I discovered there is an entire genre dedicated to it known as Gothic Literature. In fact, an entire era was dedicated to Gothicism and I devoured any piece of literature I found written in that time. This genre, recently, has become a Hollywood-esque version of what these creatures ought to look like and how to behave (Twilight series, The Vampire Diaries, etc).

It was extremely refreshing to read an old-fashioned vampire tale set in 1700s, England. Holland imagines the concept of Lord Byron, the famous poet of English literature, to have been turned into an actual vampire. The novel takes us on a journey on how he becomes a vampire through his last-living descendant, Rebecca. She, whilst investigating her mother's disappearance, is searching for Lord Byron's hidden biographical manuscript. Rebecca, instead, finds Lord Byron himself, alive: 200 years after his birth. He ends up regaling her with his tale of living as a creature of night and blood.

I have never been so enamoured by a vampire tale as this one written by Holland. He captures the essence of transformation and redemption through Byron's character in minute detail. The novel is set against many facts of history, such as his friendship with the Shelley's that is explained in a rather intriguing manner. As a fan of Mary Shelley, I was pleasantly surprised to have her featured in the storyline. It also blends in beautiful fiction that is crafted so well, you would think it were true. This novel is definitely one I'd recommend to anyone interested in Gothicism and may hold a fascination for the supernatural.
]]> <![CDATA[A ​Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)]]> 53138095
Ùردی Ú©Ù‡ بیش از دیگران اعصاب او را تحریک می‌کندØ� کسی نیست جز کاسین، این جنگجوی زخم‌خوردÙ� Ú©Ù‡ موقعیتش در دربار ریسند Ùˆ Ùیرا او را مدام در نزدیکی نستا Ù†Ú¯Ù‡ می­دارد؛ اما خشم نستا تنها چیزی نیست Ú©Ù‡ در حضور کاسین تحریک می­‌شوØ�. آتشی Ú©Ù‡ بین آن­‌هØ� شعله می­‌کشØ� غیرقابل‌انکاØ� است Ùˆ وقتی ناچار به زندگی باهم در یک خانه می­شوند، بیش‌ازپیØ� حرارت می‌گیرØ�.

دراین‌بینØ� ملکه‌­هاÛ� انسان خائن نیز Ú©Ù‡ Ø·ÛŒ جنگ اخیر به قلمرو خود بازگشته‌انØ� متحدی جدید Ùˆ خطرناک یاÙته‌انØ� Ú©Ù‡ حضورش صلح شکننده حاکم بر دیگر قلمروها را تهدید می‌کندØ� Ùˆ کلید بازداشتن این تهدید جدید در دست کاسین Ùˆ نستاست Ú©Ù‡ باید با گذشته­ی شوم خود روبه‌رÙ� شوند.

نستا Ùˆ کاسین در دنیایی غرق در جنگ، در دنیایی Ú©Ù‡ عدم اطمینان Ùˆ بی­ثباتی آن را ÙراگرÙته با هیولاهایی بیرون Ùˆ درون وجود خود روبه‌رÙ� شده Ùˆ به دنبال بهبود Ùˆ پذیرش در آغوش یکدیگر می‌گردنØ�.]]> 757 Sarah J. Maas 168119628X Sam 2 4.44 2021 A ​Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2021/09/23
date added: 2021/09/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)]]> 838729 385 J.R.R. Tolkien 0345240340 Sam 0 to-read 4.64 1955 The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Sam
average rating: 4.64
book published: 1955
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)]]> 222910 Alternate Cover Edition ISBN 0345296060 (ISBN13: 9780345296061)

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.]]> 447 J.R.R. Tolkien Sam 0 to-read 4.57 1954 The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Sam
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1954
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)]]> 3263607 One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.]]> 527 J.R.R. Tolkien Sam 0 currently-reading 4.51 1954 The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
author: J.R.R. Tolkien
name: Sam
average rating: 4.51
book published: 1954
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/08/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)]]> 23766634
She has left the Night Court - and her High Lord - and is playing a deadly game of deceit. In the Spring Court, Tamlin is making deals with the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees, and Feyre is determined to uncover his plans. But to do so she must weave a web of lies, and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As mighty armies grapple for power, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

BUT WHILE WAR RAGES, IT IS HER HEART THAT WILL FACE THE GREATEST BATTLE.

THE THRILLING THIRD BOOK IN #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING FANTASY SERIES FROM SARAH J. MAAS.]]> 705 Sarah J. Maas 1408857901 Sam 5
With King Hyburn in full war mode, it is upto Feyre and Rhysand to convince all the other courts that standing together is the only way to defeat this evil tyrant. However, this is proving difficult because not all the courts are trusting of Feyre's sisters who were given some of the Cauldron's powers and are now High Faes with unique abilities. The build up to the battle was well-paced and Maas provided ample anticipation for the reader. The relationship between Feyre and Rhysand is the kind of relationship all of us want, it's almost perfect even though they're both individuals with flaws. Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court, does upset the laws and traditions of Prythian by making Feyre his High Lady of the Night Court, thereby making her his absolute equal. This development of Feyre's character was one I found most satisfying.

The end really has your heart melting and I am super excited to read the fourth novel in this beautiful series!]]> 4.41 2017 A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/18
date added: 2021/07/18
shelves:
review:
The third novel in the ACOTAR series had my heart racing in almost every chapter. The character development of everyone, especially Feyre's sisters, was exceptionally well done.

With King Hyburn in full war mode, it is upto Feyre and Rhysand to convince all the other courts that standing together is the only way to defeat this evil tyrant. However, this is proving difficult because not all the courts are trusting of Feyre's sisters who were given some of the Cauldron's powers and are now High Faes with unique abilities. The build up to the battle was well-paced and Maas provided ample anticipation for the reader. The relationship between Feyre and Rhysand is the kind of relationship all of us want, it's almost perfect even though they're both individuals with flaws. Rhysand, the High Lord of the Night Court, does upset the laws and traditions of Prythian by making Feyre his High Lady of the Night Court, thereby making her his absolute equal. This development of Feyre's character was one I found most satisfying.

The end really has your heart melting and I am super excited to read the fourth novel in this beautiful series!
]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)]]> 17927395
Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.]]> 626 Sarah J. Maas Sam 5
Here Feyre realises that Tamlin may have changed completely since the defeat of Amarentha. So much so that he has become extremely paranoid of Feyre's safety to a point of making her feel imprisoned. This is isn't good for her as she is experiencing a post-traumatic stress disorder of panic attacks every time she feels trapped. The fact that Tamlin shows an indifference to her feelings makes her question his love for her...and her love for him. Surprisingly, the person that comes to her rescue is Rhysand (my favourite character) who actually turns out to be one of the good guys in this tenacious world of magic.

The storyline is intense and captivating, and will have you wanting more and more. Maas takes her time in developing relationships which ensures suspense and intrigue. I can't wait to read the next one!]]> 4.60 2016 A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/07/18
shelves:
review:
The second book of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series was a thousand times better than the first. Maas's writing style is so profound that I felt every emotion she wrote, even the slightly raunchier ones.

Here Feyre realises that Tamlin may have changed completely since the defeat of Amarentha. So much so that he has become extremely paranoid of Feyre's safety to a point of making her feel imprisoned. This is isn't good for her as she is experiencing a post-traumatic stress disorder of panic attacks every time she feels trapped. The fact that Tamlin shows an indifference to her feelings makes her question his love for her...and her love for him. Surprisingly, the person that comes to her rescue is Rhysand (my favourite character) who actually turns out to be one of the good guys in this tenacious world of magic.

The storyline is intense and captivating, and will have you wanting more and more. Maas takes her time in developing relationships which ensures suspense and intrigue. I can't wait to read the next one!
]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)]]> 16096824
Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.]]> 419 Sarah J. Maas 1619634449 Sam 5
Feyre (Fay-ruh) is a human girl trying to keep her starving family alive through the winter. Her family was once thriving aristocrats until her father failed to pay back ruthless debtors and lost all his wealth and the use of his left leg. Her elder, narcissistic sister, Nesta, who does nothing but wallows in self-pity in their poverty, aims to marry someone who can look after her. Her younger sister, Elain, ignores their situation and prefers to look at all the pretty things. Feyre is the realist who teaches herself to hunt in order to put food on the table and earn some money while her sisters take advantage of her. Humans are fully aware of Prythian, a place where magic, faeries and monsters dwell. Due to a treaty created thousands of years ago, there's an understanding between humans and Faeries that both parties will leave each other alone as long as each keeps to their side of the wall. Feyre finds herself unceremoniously thrown into the Faerie world when she kills a Fae animal. According to the treaty, she must either die for her actions or spend the rest of her life in Prythian. Her father convinces her to go to Prythian so she'll live. And thus Feyre is embroiled in the political climate of Faeries, learning the culture of these immortal beings, discovering that there's a danger to humans named Amarentha and falling in love with the High Lord of the Spring Court, Tamlin.

The writing is simple yet captivating. It isn't Tolkien with long-winded descriptions or George R.R. Martin with multiple POVs and well-defined characterisation. This is Sarah J. Maas introducing us, human readers, to a another world of magic and mayhem through the eyes of Feyre, an excellent narrator who gives us an in-depth account of everything around her and within her. If you're a fan of fairy-tales then you will notice the intertextual references of the Brother's Grimm classics. But there's no happily ever after. There's sex, violence, romance, gore, sadism, and dominance wound in an artfully written tale of a young girl who constantly searches for a purpose to carry on living. I highly recommend you immerse yourself in this beautiful story.]]> 4.17 2015 A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/24
date added: 2021/07/18
shelves:
review:
This is one unputdownable book that made me buy the entire series just so I can read more about this fantastic world of Prythian. I never thought I could get sucked into another fantasy world after The Witcher and A Song of Ice And Fire series but after my friend insisted I give this a try, I am now fully committed to the land of High Faes, Suriels, Attors, Nagas, and humans too.

Feyre (Fay-ruh) is a human girl trying to keep her starving family alive through the winter. Her family was once thriving aristocrats until her father failed to pay back ruthless debtors and lost all his wealth and the use of his left leg. Her elder, narcissistic sister, Nesta, who does nothing but wallows in self-pity in their poverty, aims to marry someone who can look after her. Her younger sister, Elain, ignores their situation and prefers to look at all the pretty things. Feyre is the realist who teaches herself to hunt in order to put food on the table and earn some money while her sisters take advantage of her. Humans are fully aware of Prythian, a place where magic, faeries and monsters dwell. Due to a treaty created thousands of years ago, there's an understanding between humans and Faeries that both parties will leave each other alone as long as each keeps to their side of the wall. Feyre finds herself unceremoniously thrown into the Faerie world when she kills a Fae animal. According to the treaty, she must either die for her actions or spend the rest of her life in Prythian. Her father convinces her to go to Prythian so she'll live. And thus Feyre is embroiled in the political climate of Faeries, learning the culture of these immortal beings, discovering that there's a danger to humans named Amarentha and falling in love with the High Lord of the Spring Court, Tamlin.

The writing is simple yet captivating. It isn't Tolkien with long-winded descriptions or George R.R. Martin with multiple POVs and well-defined characterisation. This is Sarah J. Maas introducing us, human readers, to a another world of magic and mayhem through the eyes of Feyre, an excellent narrator who gives us an in-depth account of everything around her and within her. If you're a fan of fairy-tales then you will notice the intertextual references of the Brother's Grimm classics. But there's no happily ever after. There's sex, violence, romance, gore, sadism, and dominance wound in an artfully written tale of a young girl who constantly searches for a purpose to carry on living. I highly recommend you immerse yourself in this beautiful story.
]]> <![CDATA[Ghosts in the Snow (Dubric Bryerly, #1)]]> 1517507 Where does the fever of illusion stop...
and the cold truth begin?

This unique debut thriller combines forensics, fantasy, and edge-of-your-seat suspense like never before. In a world where sorcery is illegal, someone is murdering young women in ways that defy all reason—and all detection. Only one man knows how to track such an untraceable killer, a man called to deliver justice by an onslaught of�

For Dubric Bryerly, head of security at Castle Faldorrah, saving lives has become a matter of saving his sanity. A silent killer is afoot, savagely mutilating servant girls and leaving behind no clues and no witnesses—except the gruesome ghosts of the victims. Ghosts that only Dubric can see.

Caught in the eye of the grisly storm is Nella, a linen maid working to free herself from a dark past—if she can survive an invisible killer’s rampage. But with the death toll rising and Nella under the protective wing of a man who may be a prime suspect, Dubric must resort to unconventional methods. With the future of Faldorrah and countless lives at stake, including his own, he can’t afford to be wrong. And if he’s right, the entire kingdom could be thrust into war.]]> 488 Tamara Siler Jones 0553587099 Sam 4
However, that's not the only thing that troubles Dubric. Due to a supernatural curse, he has the ability to see those that have died. In fact, that's how he becomes aware of the murders. The ghosts want justice and the only way they would leave is if Dubric finds the gruesome killer. With a sweet maid, Nella, who believes in Risley's innocence and a raging mob of scared civilians that want to see Risley hung, Dubric is racing against time to find an invisible killer and prevent a war from destroying the castle.

I doubt many people would be into this novel. It's not genre-specific, yet I was engaged from beginning to end. The gory details are not for sensitive readers.]]> 3.78 2004 Ghosts in the Snow (Dubric Bryerly, #1)
author: Tamara Siler Jones
name: Sam
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/22
date added: 2021/04/22
shelves:
review:
This novel had everything that I love: ghosts, the Medieval era, mystery, passionate lovers and a supernatural plot-twist. I would never have thought that this outrageous combination would spurn a truly enjoyable read. Lord Durbric is castellan at Castle Faldorrah and this winter proves to be the worst for the inhabitants. Apparently someone is killing (and eating) the young maids (the ones who change the linen and clean the kitchens) and for some reason all evidence is pointing to the King's grandson, Lord Risley.

However, that's not the only thing that troubles Dubric. Due to a supernatural curse, he has the ability to see those that have died. In fact, that's how he becomes aware of the murders. The ghosts want justice and the only way they would leave is if Dubric finds the gruesome killer. With a sweet maid, Nella, who believes in Risley's innocence and a raging mob of scared civilians that want to see Risley hung, Dubric is racing against time to find an invisible killer and prevent a war from destroying the castle.

I doubt many people would be into this novel. It's not genre-specific, yet I was engaged from beginning to end. The gory details are not for sensitive readers.
]]> The Drowning People 541472
Thus begins the much-hyped first novel by 20-year-old Oxford undergraduate Richard Mason. Your typical murder mystery The Drowning People is not, for we are given the identity of the killer--the who--immediately. The puzzle in this introspective novel is why--why did 70-year-old James Farrell murder his aristocratic wife, Sarah? The answer lies nearly 50 years into the past as the book ranges from Prague to London, from France to a remote castle in Cornwall. At its core is an intoxicating love affair between 22-year-old James, a talented violinist and hopeless romantic, and Ella Harewood, an American heiress to an English title, trapped by her heritage and destiny.

A beautifully written exploration of self-absorbed first love and its tragic consequences, The Drowning People soars beyond the highest of expectations placed upon it.]]> 367 Richard Mason 014027894X Sam 5 3.64 1999 The Drowning People
author: Richard Mason
name: Sam
average rating: 3.64
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/22
date added: 2021/04/22
shelves:
review:

]]> The Witch's Cradle 1937083 The Sleeper, an electrifying novel that lays bare the horrors which can arise from the manipulation of the media.

They only wanted to be TV stars…until their three small children disappeared.

Desperately poor, Barry, Cheryl and their three children are possibly the most famous family in Britain, after the Royal family. Their fame has come, not from wealth or success or glamour, but from the attentions of a television company who made them the subject of a fly-on-the-wall documentary.

Cheryl was prepared to do anything to be a media star and believed the public loved her � and, indeed, for a while it seemed the nation had taken this simple, gutsy, poverty-stricken couple to its heart. But then everything goes horribly wrong. Cheryl has a third baby � and is transformed in the public’s eyes from a plucky but unlucky go-getter to a profligate welfare mom. Then, mysteriously, her three children go missing. Have they been abducted? Murdered? Or is there an even more sinister explanation for their disappearance?]]> 459 Gillian White 0552147656 Sam 4
Gillian White uses excellent characterisation to bring out the worst in humanity's need to be judgemental. The interesting part is there isn't one antagonist but it's an amalgamation of sorts. Is it the production company that orchestrates the couple's downfall for higher ratings? Is it Cheryl for wanting attention so badly she was willing to do the worst thing a mother could do to her child? Is it the viewers who assume that just because they've watched you on tv everyday they have every right to admonish you for all your mistakes? Or is it the government that has not properly taken care of it's poor citizens?

This novel made me think about the reality tv shows that are on currently, like Keeping up With The Kardashians and The Bachelor. What drives people to want other people to bear witness to their most personal lives? And how much of it is genuinely real and how much if it is scripted to satisfy the audiences' insatiable desire for drama and gossip?
An excellent read that really puts 21st Century society in perspective: us, humans, are pathetic. We want realism, but we also want the idealistic drama for entertainment. So why do we tune into reality shows when fictional television covers all bases and some?]]> 3.80 2000 The Witch's Cradle
author: Gillian White
name: Sam
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2000
rating: 4
read at: 2021/04/22
date added: 2021/04/22
shelves:
review:
This novel really made me think about the repercussions of reality television. As much as it starts of as an ordinary novel about an ordinary young family, it actually is an intricate study of how the media can make you think that all you want in life is fame and fortune. Barry and Cheryl are young adults who live in abject poverty with very unfortunate social backgrounds. Like so many others in their situation, they're a strain on social and government services. When Cheryl sees an opportunity to gain sympathy by entering her husband and 2 (soon to be 3) kids in a reality tv show, she sets in motion a cataclysm of events that makes her sincerely regret her actions.

Gillian White uses excellent characterisation to bring out the worst in humanity's need to be judgemental. The interesting part is there isn't one antagonist but it's an amalgamation of sorts. Is it the production company that orchestrates the couple's downfall for higher ratings? Is it Cheryl for wanting attention so badly she was willing to do the worst thing a mother could do to her child? Is it the viewers who assume that just because they've watched you on tv everyday they have every right to admonish you for all your mistakes? Or is it the government that has not properly taken care of it's poor citizens?

This novel made me think about the reality tv shows that are on currently, like Keeping up With The Kardashians and The Bachelor. What drives people to want other people to bear witness to their most personal lives? And how much of it is genuinely real and how much if it is scripted to satisfy the audiences' insatiable desire for drama and gossip?
An excellent read that really puts 21st Century society in perspective: us, humans, are pathetic. We want realism, but we also want the idealistic drama for entertainment. So why do we tune into reality shows when fictional television covers all bases and some?
]]> <![CDATA[The Yale Shakespeare Complete Works]]> 428557
Comedy of errors --
Two gentlemen of Verona --
Taming of the shrew --
Love's labour's lost --
Midsummer night's dream --
Merchant of Venice --
As you like it --
Much ado about nothing --
Merry wives of Windsor --
Twelfth night --
Tragedy of Troilus and Cressida --
All's well that ends well --
Measure for measure --
First part of King Henry the sixth --
Second part of King Henry the sixth --
Third part of King Henry the sixth --
Tragedy of Richard the third --
Tragedy of King Richard the second --
Life and death of King John --
First part of King Henry the fourth --
Second part of King Henry the fourth --
Life of Henry the fifth --
Life of King Henry the eighth --
Tragedy of Titus Andronicus --
Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet --
Tragedy of Julius Caesar --
Tragedy of Hamlet --
Tragedy of Othello --
Tragedy of King Lear --
Tragedy of Macbeth --
Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra --
Tragedy of Coriolanus --
Life of Timon of Athens --
Pericles, Prince of Tyre --
Tragedy of Cymbeline --
Winter's tale --
Tempest --
Poems and the sonnets.]]> 1517 William Shakespeare 0760759391 Sam 5 4.60 1623 The Yale Shakespeare Complete Works
author: William Shakespeare
name: Sam
average rating: 4.60
book published: 1623
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/03/09
shelves:
review:

]]> The Kingdom 51201196 Roy and Carl have spent their whole lives running from the darkness in their past, but when Carl finally returns to make peace with it, the two brothers are inexorably drawn into a reckoning with their own demons.

Roy has never left the quiet mountain town he grew up in, unlike his little brother Carl who couldn’t wait to get out and escape his troubled past. Just like everyone else in town, Roy believed Carl was gone for good. But Carl has big plans for his hometown. And when he returns with a mysterious new wife and a business opportunity that seems too good to be true, simmering tensions begin to surface and unexplained deaths in the town’s past come under new scrutiny. Soon powerful players set their sights on taking the brothers down by exposing their role in the town’s sordid history.

But Roy and Carl are survivors, and no strangers to violence. Roy has always protected his younger brother. As the body count rises, though, Roy’s loyalty to family is tested. And then Roy finds himself inextricably drawn to Carl’s wife, Shannon, an attraction that will have devastating consequences. Roy’s world is coming apart and soon there will be no turning back. He’ll be forced to choose between his own flesh and blood and a future he had never dared to believe possible.]]> 560 Jo Nesbø 0525655417 Sam 5 3.75 2020 The Kingdom
author: Jo Nesbø
name: Sam
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/12/28
date added: 2021/03/04
shelves:
review:

]]> Homecoming (The 100, #3) 23264825
These new arrivals are the lucky ones—back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone—but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS’s luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can’t stop thinking about her parents, who may still be alive. Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he’d left behind.

It’s time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they’ve found on Earth, or risk losing everything—and everyone—they love.]]> 345 Kass Morgan 0316381969 Sam 4 3.68 2015 Homecoming (The 100, #3)
author: Kass Morgan
name: Sam
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2021/02/22
date added: 2021/02/22
shelves:
review:

]]> Rebellion (The 100, #4) 30140756
The Colonists and the Earthborns are celebrating their first holiday together when, to everyone’s horror, they’re attacked by a group of strangers whose unusual battle cries fill the air. The newcomers kill scores of people, seize prisoners, and pillage crucial supplies. When hotheaded Bellamy and his analytical girlfriend Clarke discover that Wells, Octavia and Glass have been captured, they vow to get them back at all costs. But as they go after their new enemies, Bellamy and Clarke find themselves increasingly at odds, unable to agree on a plan to save their friends.

Meanwhile, Wells, Octavia, and Glass are being slowly brainwashed by their captors, religious fanatics with one goal: to grow their ranks and “heal� the war-ravaged planet� by eliminating everyone else on it.

But centuries of radiation exposure have taken their toll, forcing the cult to take drastic steps to survive. And unless the rescue party arrives soon, the teen captives will face a fate more terrifying than anything they could imagine. In this thrilling fourth installment, the hundred fight to protect the people they love on the dangerous planet they always dreamed of calling home.]]> 352 Kass Morgan Sam 0 currently-reading 3.71 2016 Rebellion (The 100, #4)
author: Kass Morgan
name: Sam
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/02/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> The 100 (The 100, #1) 17332969 No one has set foot on Earth in centuries—until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents—considered expendable by society—are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves—but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.]]> 323 Kass Morgan 0316234478 Sam 5
Morgan prefers to give us only a few of the hundreds' character's point of view. Namely Clarke, Wells, Bellamy and Glass (who managed to escape the dropship sent to Earth and provide us with a view of life on the Colony). This means that we only see things through their eyes which is quite limiting, although their personal stories are extremely riveting. The entire novel is riddled with flashbacks which is done without confusion. The storyline and characters are somewhat different to the tv series that if you'd watch both, it won't be repetitive. This was an excellent start to a so-plausible-it-might-come-true dystopian book series.]]> 3.59 2013 The 100 (The 100, #1)
author: Kass Morgan
name: Sam
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/19
date added: 2021/02/21
shelves:
review:
This is the first time I'm reading a Kass Morgan novel and even though her writing style is simple and easy to follow, her plot development is intriguing. It's 300 years since a Cataclysm destroyed the Earth leaving the remaining survivors of the human race on a spacecraft, known as the Colony. However, the Council wants to test Earth's survivability as preparation for them to go back home. So they send a hundred of their juvenile delinquents, wearing data transmission bracelets, to Earth as an experiment.

Morgan prefers to give us only a few of the hundreds' character's point of view. Namely Clarke, Wells, Bellamy and Glass (who managed to escape the dropship sent to Earth and provide us with a view of life on the Colony). This means that we only see things through their eyes which is quite limiting, although their personal stories are extremely riveting. The entire novel is riddled with flashbacks which is done without confusion. The storyline and characters are somewhat different to the tv series that if you'd watch both, it won't be repetitive. This was an excellent start to a so-plausible-it-might-come-true dystopian book series.
]]> Day 21 (The 100, #2) 20454076 No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.
It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.
In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.
]]> 320 Kass Morgan 0316234559 Sam 3
On the 21st day of the hundred's arrival on planet Earth, Clarke is worried that three of the teenagers are extremely ill. Her first thoughts go to possible radiation poisoning, but this is quickly dismissed after the symptoms show a different problem. Bellamy is desperate to find his sister who was abruptly taken from their camp from people who may have never left Earth at all (Earthborns). His only source of information is a spy they found in their camp, an Earthborn named Sasha. Glass, on the other hand, is on the Colony fighting for her life and Wells is coming to terms with emotional revelations.

The tv series portrayed undeniable chemistry between the actors playing Clarke and Bellamy, but the writers of the show never had them romantically involved. As a fan who really wanted them to end up as a couple, I was deeply disappointed. Fortunately, the book has them falling for each other from the moment they first meet and it makes me so happy. In this book, their romantic relationship is solidified.]]> 3.71 2014 Day 21 (The 100, #2)
author: Kass Morgan
name: Sam
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/20
date added: 2021/02/20
shelves:
review:
The second book in The 100 series wasn't very eventful. Lots of character development for Clarke, Bellamy, Wells and Glass and new relationships formed.

On the 21st day of the hundred's arrival on planet Earth, Clarke is worried that three of the teenagers are extremely ill. Her first thoughts go to possible radiation poisoning, but this is quickly dismissed after the symptoms show a different problem. Bellamy is desperate to find his sister who was abruptly taken from their camp from people who may have never left Earth at all (Earthborns). His only source of information is a spy they found in their camp, an Earthborn named Sasha. Glass, on the other hand, is on the Colony fighting for her life and Wells is coming to terms with emotional revelations.

The tv series portrayed undeniable chemistry between the actors playing Clarke and Bellamy, but the writers of the show never had them romantically involved. As a fan who really wanted them to end up as a couple, I was deeply disappointed. Fortunately, the book has them falling for each other from the moment they first meet and it makes me so happy. In this book, their romantic relationship is solidified.
]]> <![CDATA[Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, #15)]]> 6526
But when she discovers unsettling connections between Martin's murder, the body of an unidentified South Carolina boy and her old nemesis, the maniacal psychiatrist Dr. Marilyn Self, Scarpetta encounters a killer as deadly as any she's ever faced.]]> 511 Patricia Cornwell 0399153934 Sam 3
The novel begins with a naked couple: the girl, in a bath tub filled with ice water, and the boy, seated on the toilet. He kills her. And there starts the premise of a convoluted investigation into the death of 16 year old tennis star, Drew Martin. The author goes back and forth and between characters, and ends with every one of their narratives with a cliffhanger, which becomes extremely frustrating because you want to know what happens next, but you can't because we're learning something new about another character. I was pretty glad it ended eventually, with a rather abrupt finality to the antagonist.]]> 3.69 2007 Book of the Dead (Kay Scarpetta, #15)
author: Patricia Cornwell
name: Sam
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/18
date added: 2021/02/18
shelves:
review:
I like that Cornwell gives an accurate account of Forensic Science. It's an interesting field which I love reading about and watching on tv. However, her essence of storytelling is much to be desired. I hated all the characters, especially the protagonist, Dr Kay Scarpetta. They all had psychological or emotional or even physical problems that are addressed, but are never overcome. I'm not sure if this is done on purpose to perhaps show that in reality, certain things in life remain unsolvable which is fine, but can you have at least one character that is able to positively rise above their issues.

The novel begins with a naked couple: the girl, in a bath tub filled with ice water, and the boy, seated on the toilet. He kills her. And there starts the premise of a convoluted investigation into the death of 16 year old tennis star, Drew Martin. The author goes back and forth and between characters, and ends with every one of their narratives with a cliffhanger, which becomes extremely frustrating because you want to know what happens next, but you can't because we're learning something new about another character. I was pretty glad it ended eventually, with a rather abrupt finality to the antagonist.
]]> <![CDATA[44 Scotland Street (44 Scotland Street, #1)]]> 97875 44 SCOTLAND STREET - Book 1

The residents and neighbors of 44 Scotland Street and the city of Edinburgh come to vivid life in these gently satirical, wonderfully perceptive serial novels, featuring six-year-old Bertie, a remarkably precocious boy—just ask his mother.  

Welcome to 44 Scotland Street, home to some of Edinburgh's most colorful characters. There's Pat, a twenty-year-old who has recently moved into a flat with Bruce, an athletic young man with a keen awareness of his own appearance. Their neighbor, Domenica, is an eccentric and insightful widow. In the flat below are Irene and her appealing son Bertie, who is the victim of his mother’s desire for him to learn the saxophone and italian–all at the tender age of five.

Love triangles, a lost painting, intriguing new friends, and an encounter with a famous Scottish crime writer are just a few of the ingredients that add to this delightful and witty portrait of Edinburgh society, which was first published as a serial in The Scotsman newspaper.]]> 325 Alexander McCall Smith 1400079446 Sam 5
Ah, the characters are beyond interesting. There isn't necessarily a plot, just a reader looking over some people that live on 44 Scotland Street and how they interact with those in their community. There's Pat, a 20-year-old taking a second gap year; Bruce, a narcissistic surveyor who thinks all women fall in love with him; Domenica, a senior citizen of extraordinary intellect and Irene, a pushy mother who has an unhealthy need to control her 5-year-old's life. These are the main characters, but each one introduces the reader to some minor characters that are just as interesting, like Big Lou who bought a second-hand bookstore and keeps all the books in her apartment to read, and Matthew, a gallery owner that can never make a decision in his life and Raeburn Todd, who is miserable because he so badly wants to get into the private golfing club Muirfield and many others that will have you hooked. Smith has created a refreshing comedy of ordinary people in perfectly ordinary situations that you can't get enough of. Apparently he did a second compilation - I must read it!!!]]> 3.61 2004 44 Scotland Street (44 Scotland Street, #1)
author: Alexander McCall Smith
name: Sam
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/10
date added: 2021/02/10
shelves:
review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a few people living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Alexander McCall Smith created a compilation of his serial that featured in The Scotsman newspaper. How he came about doing this is explained in the preface of the book. Due to this novel originally intended for the daily newspaper, the chapters are extremely short and the writing style replete with dialogue between characters.

Ah, the characters are beyond interesting. There isn't necessarily a plot, just a reader looking over some people that live on 44 Scotland Street and how they interact with those in their community. There's Pat, a 20-year-old taking a second gap year; Bruce, a narcissistic surveyor who thinks all women fall in love with him; Domenica, a senior citizen of extraordinary intellect and Irene, a pushy mother who has an unhealthy need to control her 5-year-old's life. These are the main characters, but each one introduces the reader to some minor characters that are just as interesting, like Big Lou who bought a second-hand bookstore and keeps all the books in her apartment to read, and Matthew, a gallery owner that can never make a decision in his life and Raeburn Todd, who is miserable because he so badly wants to get into the private golfing club Muirfield and many others that will have you hooked. Smith has created a refreshing comedy of ordinary people in perfectly ordinary situations that you can't get enough of. Apparently he did a second compilation - I must read it!!!
]]> <![CDATA[The Lincoln Lawyer (The Lincoln Lawyer, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #16)]]> 40612032
Haller is the Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car. He travels between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers � they’re all on Mickey Haller’s client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence � it’s about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it’s even about justice.

A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney’s dream, what they call a franchise case. And, as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career.

Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal � this time to save his own life.]]> 405 Michael Connelly Sam 5
Gripping till the end, that I managed to finish this novel in a day and some. The writing, especially the law jargon, isn't difficult to follow and teaches you a thing or two about the American judicial system. This is an old novel and Mathew McConaughey has already embodied the character of Michael Haller in a 2011 film of the same name. Netflix has also commissioned a new series to be released soon based on this novel. And yes, I'm going to watch both. Michael Haller is officially one of my new favourite literary characters and I'd love to see him come to life. You would too when you read this novel.]]> 4.38 2005 The Lincoln Lawyer (The Lincoln Lawyer, #1; Harry Bosch Universe, #16)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Sam
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2021/02/09
date added: 2021/02/09
shelves:
review:
Almost every book I've read with a lawyer as a protagonist, I found tedious. I prefer detective novels rather than law and order, however Michael Connolly has changed my mind with his new character. The Lincoln Lawyer is the first of the Michael Haller series, of a defense attorney who practices from his Lincoln car. He's a sleazy lawyer with two ex-wives (whom he has a friendly relationship with) and a daughter (whom he hardly spends time with). He also has an infamous record of getting drug dealers, prostitutes, gang leaders, etc off or reducing charges making him a highly sought after lawyer. When his bondsman gets him the client of a lifetime (meaning one who is super rich and will pay him his "franchise" fee), Haller is thrilled. At first he genuinely believes that his new client, Louis Roulet, is innocent of the violence he meted out to a woman he met in a club. However, as Haller delves deeper into his own past clients and into the life of Roulet, he discovers a disturbing secret that could put his entire career, and possibly life, on the line.

Gripping till the end, that I managed to finish this novel in a day and some. The writing, especially the law jargon, isn't difficult to follow and teaches you a thing or two about the American judicial system. This is an old novel and Mathew McConaughey has already embodied the character of Michael Haller in a 2011 film of the same name. Netflix has also commissioned a new series to be released soon based on this novel. And yes, I'm going to watch both. Michael Haller is officially one of my new favourite literary characters and I'd love to see him come to life. You would too when you read this novel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Whisperers (Charlie Parker, #9)]]> 7193546
The authorities suspect something is amiss, but what they can't know is that it is infinitely stranger and more terrifying than anyone can imagine. Anyone, that is, except private detective Charlie Parker, who has his own intimate knowledge of the darkness in men's hearts. As the smugglers begin to die one after another in apparent suicides, Parker is called in to stop the bloodletting. The soldiers' actions and the objects they have smuggled have attracted the attention of the reclusive Herod, a man with a taste for the strange. And where Herod goes, so too does the shadowy figure that he calls the Captain. To defeat them, Parker must form an uneasy alliance with a man he fears more than any other, the killer known as the Collector. . . .]]> 409 John Connolly 143916519X Sam 3
The novel traipse between characters' perspective even though its first-person narrator is Charlie, which allows us to get know characters on our own without gaining a preconceived view from the narrator, as per usually happens in a first-person, narrator novel. Connolly brings up the very important issue of PTSD that is faced by many soldiers. From reading this novel, I can only gather that the government isn't doing right to its veterans. Apparently it's for this reason that the veterans opt to take matters into their own hands by committing to theft and smuggling. They say it's for other veterans who are left bereft by their country. Unfortunately, the lines of good and evil are increasingly blurred and what once started as a good cause became a supernatural plot-twist of the thieving veterans hearing voices. The plot seeps with questionable morality issues that make it very unclear who exactly is the villain in the story. Tobias? Herod? The Collector? The voices? Furthermore, at the end Parker doesn't go back to Bennett to let him know what really happened to his son which is the only major flaw I feel worth mentioning. Nevertheless, it was a satisfying read.]]> 4.05 2010 The Whisperers (Charlie Parker, #9)
author: John Connolly
name: Sam
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2021/02/08
date added: 2021/02/08
shelves:
review:
I've never read a detective story like this . This is the first time I came across a Charlie Parker thriller and it was pretty good. Charlie Parker is called in by Bennett Patchett to investigate why his son Damien may have committed suicide. At first, Parker is reluctant to take the case as he feels Mr Patchett is a grieving father who just doesn't want to believe that his son chose to end his life, but then Mr Patchett mentions the suspicious Joel Tobias who was a friend of Damien's from the military. Parker humours the old man and tails Tobias which reveals that there is something suspicious of an injured veteran-truckdriver who doesn't do much hours on the road but has tons of cash on him. Before Parker can give it much thought, some of Tobias' mates kidnap and torture him, military-style. Of course, this prompts the private eye to continue his investigation because clearly there's something of paramount importance that Tobias is transporting over the border from Maine to Canada if they find Charlie a threat. Turns out that all the guys involved, including Damien, are from a military troop called Stryker C that served in Iraq and 4 of them have already committed suicide, which leaves Parker as mystified as the reader.

The novel traipse between characters' perspective even though its first-person narrator is Charlie, which allows us to get know characters on our own without gaining a preconceived view from the narrator, as per usually happens in a first-person, narrator novel. Connolly brings up the very important issue of PTSD that is faced by many soldiers. From reading this novel, I can only gather that the government isn't doing right to its veterans. Apparently it's for this reason that the veterans opt to take matters into their own hands by committing to theft and smuggling. They say it's for other veterans who are left bereft by their country. Unfortunately, the lines of good and evil are increasingly blurred and what once started as a good cause became a supernatural plot-twist of the thieving veterans hearing voices. The plot seeps with questionable morality issues that make it very unclear who exactly is the villain in the story. Tobias? Herod? The Collector? The voices? Furthermore, at the end Parker doesn't go back to Bennett to let him know what really happened to his son which is the only major flaw I feel worth mentioning. Nevertheless, it was a satisfying read.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lady of the Lake (The Witcher, #5)]]> 32186143 The Witcher returns in this action-packed sequel to The Tower of Swallows, in the New York Times bestselling series that inspired The Witcher video games.

After walking through the portal in the Tower of Swallows while narrowly escaping death, Ciri finds herself in a completely different world... an Elven world. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world.

But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions - and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war.]]> 560 Andrzej Sapkowski Sam 5 4.02 1999 The Lady of the Lake (The Witcher, #5)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Sam
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/29
date added: 2021/01/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Tower of the Swallow (The Witcher, #4)]]> 18247597
There is only one place left to run. The tower of the swallow is waiting...]]> 448 Andrzej Sapkowski 1473211565 Sam 4
The entire book flitters through timelines that parallel, which can be hard to keep up at times. You'd have to really concentrate while reading or else you won't be able to follow. The story is interesting enough that you'd probably be able to focus anyway. I love the fantasy genre and the Witcher series provides an abundance of fantastical creatures filled with magic and wonder. I'm really looking forward to how the last book completes the story (or doesn't). If you're a fan of the game or the Netflix series, then this series is for you!!!]]> 4.17 1997 The Tower of the Swallow (The Witcher, #4)
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1997
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/22
date added: 2021/01/22
shelves:
review:
The 7th book in the Witcher series continues with the story of Geralt, The Witcher, Ciri, Princess of Cintra, Dandelion, Troubadour and Yennefer, Soceress. This book follows their separate adventures after being unceremoniously torn apart during the catastrophe of Thanedd. Geralt, with Dandelion and 3 others (including a Nilfgaardian and vampire) are trying to find Ciri by trekking through the world. Yennefer is also trying to find Ciri, but through magic and teleportation. Ciri, on the other hand, finds herself in an isolated swamp, with a permanent facial disfigurement and a mysterious old man who listens patiently to her life stories.

The entire book flitters through timelines that parallel, which can be hard to keep up at times. You'd have to really concentrate while reading or else you won't be able to follow. The story is interesting enough that you'd probably be able to focus anyway. I love the fantasy genre and the Witcher series provides an abundance of fantastical creatures filled with magic and wonder. I'm really looking forward to how the last book completes the story (or doesn't). If you're a fan of the game or the Netflix series, then this series is for you!!!
]]> <![CDATA[Double Cross (Noughts & Crosses, #4)]]> 4002159
The captivating conclusion/companion Novel of the Noughts and Crosses series.]]> 480 Malorie Blackman 0385615515 Sam 2
It follows Tobey as the main protagonist. He's Callie Rose's neighbour, best friend and the person whom she loses her virginity to. She gets shot, because Tobey decided to do a delivery for Meadowview's notorious drug lord. His motive for doing so was because he needed money. Apparently a 17 year old whose only job is to do well school couldn't live without having the money to buy his best friend an expensive gift (yawn). He vows that this will be his one and only criminal activity (spoiler alert: it isn't).

The rest of the novel follows Tobey wanting vengeance for Callie being shot which only makes things worse, resulting in the death of an innocent girl (that was skated over like it was nothing, I mean, this girl died because of Tobey, and Blackman barely spent 50 words on it). Anyway, I finished the novel with the sole aim of completing the series, otherwise I probably would have tossed this book. Below is a spoiler that shows how much this book is not worth reading, please stop reading now if you rather not be deterred:


In the end, Tobey finds out he inherited tons of money and he didn't need to get involved in gangsterism at all. He just needed to wait for about 3 months.]]> 4.11 2008 Double Cross (Noughts & Crosses, #4)
author: Malorie Blackman
name: Sam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2008
rating: 2
read at: 2021/01/15
date added: 2021/01/15
shelves:
review:
The 4th and final book in the Nought and Crosses series was utterly boring. I finished quickly because it was shorter than all the other 3 books which proves that Blackman needn't have bothered with a 4th novel because it has nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the original premise started in the first book.

It follows Tobey as the main protagonist. He's Callie Rose's neighbour, best friend and the person whom she loses her virginity to. She gets shot, because Tobey decided to do a delivery for Meadowview's notorious drug lord. His motive for doing so was because he needed money. Apparently a 17 year old whose only job is to do well school couldn't live without having the money to buy his best friend an expensive gift (yawn). He vows that this will be his one and only criminal activity (spoiler alert: it isn't).

The rest of the novel follows Tobey wanting vengeance for Callie being shot which only makes things worse, resulting in the death of an innocent girl (that was skated over like it was nothing, I mean, this girl died because of Tobey, and Blackman barely spent 50 words on it). Anyway, I finished the novel with the sole aim of completing the series, otherwise I probably would have tossed this book. Below is a spoiler that shows how much this book is not worth reading, please stop reading now if you rather not be deterred:


In the end, Tobey finds out he inherited tons of money and he didn't need to get involved in gangsterism at all. He just needed to wait for about 3 months.
]]> <![CDATA[The Evening and the Morning (Kingsbridge, #0)]]> 49239093
It is 997 CE, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns.

In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder's life is turned upside down when his home is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in. . . . A Norman noblewoman marries for love, following her husband across the sea to a new land, but the customs of her husband's homeland are shockingly different, and it soon becomes clear to her that a single misstep could be catastrophic. . . . A monk dreams of transforming his humble abbey into a center of learning that will be admired throughout Europe. And each in turn comes into dangerous conflict with a clever and ruthless bishop who will do anything to increase his wealth and power.

Thirty years ago, Ken Follett published his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Now, Follett's masterful new prequel The Evening and the Morning takes us on an epic journey into a historical past rich with ambition and rivalry, death and birth, love and hate, that will end where The Pillars of the Earth begins.]]> 913 Ken Follett 0525954988 Sam 4
When I first read Pillars of The Earth I was astounded at the character development, the detailed description of 11th-12th Century England and the accuracy of architectural design and religious verbosity. Through its intriguing storytelling I learnt lots about English and Christian history. I'm talking about Pillars of The Earth because its two sequels and The Evening And The Morning follow the same tropes: there's a do-good prior/monk who is forced to move to a derelict monastery because of upsetting the upper echelons of religious power who want to do bad, there's also a handsome builder with a generous heart that ends up befriending the above mentioned prior so they can improve the church building, as well as a young noblewoman who is a strong feminist but forced to live a life as set out by society's rules whom also harbours a burning passion for the builder, and then there are the villains which are usually people in power, such as the bishop or nobleman or king that are greedy and don't want the good people to prosper. That's basically it in a nutshell. Do the good people live happily ever after? Yes, they do. Always. Until a hundred years later when another greedy authority wants to shower devastation on the good people through violence and injustice.

I love the Kingbridge stories even though I'm finding the tropes a little stale. This novel was predictable and lacked the suspense that Pillars of The Earth undergoes and World Without End and Fall of Giants were able to sustain (albeit I'm not finished with Fall of Giants though). Nevertheless, it's Ken Follett and England in the year 997 onwards, which deserves to be read.]]> 4.32 2020 The Evening and the Morning (Kingsbridge, #0)
author: Ken Follett
name: Sam
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/08
date added: 2021/01/08
shelves:
review:
I love Ken Follett's writing. It's not difficult to read, neither is it tedious, even though his historical fiction novels are over 800 pages. His books are unputdownable. The Evening And The Morning (I found this title quite enigmatic and not at all relevant to the plot) is the prequel to Follett's magnificent Pillars of The Earth, which has now become a book series following the community of Kingsbridge, England, every one hundred years since 997 CE.

When I first read Pillars of The Earth I was astounded at the character development, the detailed description of 11th-12th Century England and the accuracy of architectural design and religious verbosity. Through its intriguing storytelling I learnt lots about English and Christian history. I'm talking about Pillars of The Earth because its two sequels and The Evening And The Morning follow the same tropes: there's a do-good prior/monk who is forced to move to a derelict monastery because of upsetting the upper echelons of religious power who want to do bad, there's also a handsome builder with a generous heart that ends up befriending the above mentioned prior so they can improve the church building, as well as a young noblewoman who is a strong feminist but forced to live a life as set out by society's rules whom also harbours a burning passion for the builder, and then there are the villains which are usually people in power, such as the bishop or nobleman or king that are greedy and don't want the good people to prosper. That's basically it in a nutshell. Do the good people live happily ever after? Yes, they do. Always. Until a hundred years later when another greedy authority wants to shower devastation on the good people through violence and injustice.

I love the Kingbridge stories even though I'm finding the tropes a little stale. This novel was predictable and lacked the suspense that Pillars of The Earth undergoes and World Without End and Fall of Giants were able to sustain (albeit I'm not finished with Fall of Giants though). Nevertheless, it's Ken Follett and England in the year 997 onwards, which deserves to be read.
]]> <![CDATA[Checkmate (Noughts & Crosses, #3)]]> 300045




The powerful third story in the Noughts & Crosses sequence.]]> 512 Malorie Blackman 0552551945 Sam 3 4.16 2005 Checkmate (Noughts & Crosses, #3)
author: Malorie Blackman
name: Sam
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2021/01/08
date added: 2021/01/08
shelves:
review:
The 3rd book in the Noughts and Crosses series was a struggle to get through. The writing was great, as expected from the extraordinary talent of Malorie Blackman, but the plot was tedious. Checkmate follows the life story of Callie Rose, Sephy's daughter. It begins with her as a 15 year old about to commit a serious crime and continues as flashbacks of how she got to this point. Callie is a flat character, not as interesting as Sephy, who had political opinions. The reader just knows Callie to be emotional. Yes, she lives a sheltered life and is consistently lied to by her mother (all in the name of protecting her, of course) whenever Callies asks questions about Callum, her father, but that shouldn't be a reason why Callie needs to be dull. These lies lead her straight into the clutches of Jude, the general of the Liberation Militia and her unfortunate uncle. Whether or not she gets out this situation unscathed is the precedence of this entire novel. It ends with a anticlimactic cliffhanger though.
]]> <![CDATA[Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike, #5)]]> 51807232
Strike has never tackled a cold case before, let alone one forty years old. But despite the slim chance of success, he is intrigued and takes it on; adding to the long list of cases that he and his partner in the agency, Robin Ellacott, are currently working on. And Robin herself is also juggling a messy divorce and unwanted male attention, as well as battling her own feelings about Strike.

As Strike and Robin investigate Margot's disappearance, they come up against a fiendishly complex case with leads that include tarot cards, a psychopathic serial killer and witnesses who cannot all be trusted. And they learn that even cases decades old can prove to be deadly . . .]]> 944 Robert Galbraith 0751579939 Sam 5
Unfortunately, Strike and his partner, Robin's, undeniable chemistry is yet again ignored in the 5th book of the series. Nevertheless, the detective duo come together for another mysterious case - a 40-year-old mystery. Anna, an architect, happens to meet Strike, outside a pub while he's having a smoke. She tells him about the disappearance of her mother, Dr Margot Bamborough, who was last seen walking out of her surgery when Anna was a year old. Of course, Strike is interested in a case that would herald his agency's first cold case and one that the police were unable to fully solve but left open to suspicion of Bamborough being one of Dennis Creed's (serial killer of the 1970s) victims.

Troubled Blood is a long book but it is worth every minute spent reading it. It's a classic whodunit novel which will keep you guessing throughout. I hope there's more Cormoran Strike novels in the future because I can't get enough of them!]]> 4.32 2020 Troubled Blood (Cormoran Strike, #5)
author: Robert Galbraith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/02
date added: 2021/01/02
shelves:
review:
First review of the new year and it deserves a high rating. As usual Robert Galbraith astounds the reader with another dose of Cormoran Strike's detective work. This particular novel was embroiled in controversy in relation to JK Rowling's (the real Robert Galbraith) transphobic comments which, naturally, made me want to read this novel even more. I disagree with Rowling's comments but that doesn't mean I can't read the stories she pens. She is an exceptional writer whose storytelling evokes the imagination of the reader, like a movie being played as you read.

Unfortunately, Strike and his partner, Robin's, undeniable chemistry is yet again ignored in the 5th book of the series. Nevertheless, the detective duo come together for another mysterious case - a 40-year-old mystery. Anna, an architect, happens to meet Strike, outside a pub while he's having a smoke. She tells him about the disappearance of her mother, Dr Margot Bamborough, who was last seen walking out of her surgery when Anna was a year old. Of course, Strike is interested in a case that would herald his agency's first cold case and one that the police were unable to fully solve but left open to suspicion of Bamborough being one of Dennis Creed's (serial killer of the 1970s) victims.

Troubled Blood is a long book but it is worth every minute spent reading it. It's a classic whodunit novel which will keep you guessing throughout. I hope there's more Cormoran Strike novels in the future because I can't get enough of them!
]]> <![CDATA[LEVEL 4: KNIFE EDGE BOOK AND MP3 PACK]]> 17324032 Noughts & Crosses.

Persephone (Sephy) Hadley, now an 18-year-old single parent, is raising her biracial daughter in a sharply divided alternate England, where black Crosses suppress the white Noughts. She faces pressure from both her less-than-understanding Cross family and her disintegrating Naught family, and everyone in between. When her brother-in-law's violent behavior leads to murder, Sephy provides a false alibi to save Jude, but doing so irreparably damages other lives.]]> 0 Malorie Blackman 1447938089 Sam 4 4.00 2003 LEVEL 4: KNIFE EDGE BOOK AND MP3 PACK
author: Malorie Blackman
name: Sam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 2020/12/06
date added: 2020/12/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses, #1)]]> 714902
Sephy is a Cross -- a member of the dark-skinned ruling class. Callum is a Nought -- a “colourless� member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses. The two have been friends since early childhood, but that’s as far as it can go. In their world, Noughts and Crosses simply don’t mix. Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum -- a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger. Can they possibly find a way to be together?]]> 479 Malorie Blackman 0552555703 Sam 5
Callum (white/nought) and Sephy (black/cross) are childhood friends who grow up loving each other. But their society of noughts and crosses makes it impossible for them to live, love and be happy together. The Noughts have suffered under an unfair system that refuses to recognise their humanity which only makes them hate the Crosses for living life of freedom and power. Everything is controlled by the Crosses, favouring themselves and denying basic right to the Noughts. How Sephy and Callum try to keep their feelings for each other alive really touches your heart.

This is an important series to read, and not just because I'm a person of colour. It is important to know what happens the moment one human says they're superior, for whatever reason, to another human. Blackman wants you to insist on equality between people, and she'll definitely have you convinced that there's no other way to live.]]> 4.20 2001 Noughts & Crosses (Noughts & Crosses, #1)
author: Malorie Blackman
name: Sam
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/09
date added: 2020/11/09
shelves:
review:
Malorie Blackman explores the racial injustice black people experienced by reversing history. Meaning, in this series, the supremacists are the people of colour and the inferior race are the whites. Being a South African who had parents and grandparents live through Apartheid and was schooled in the historical prejudices of my country's past, I could immediately pinpoint Blackman's aim after reading only the first few chapters. She wanted to express the pain, the anger, the frustration, the horror of being treated like you're less than human when your only crime is the colour of your skin.

Callum (white/nought) and Sephy (black/cross) are childhood friends who grow up loving each other. But their society of noughts and crosses makes it impossible for them to live, love and be happy together. The Noughts have suffered under an unfair system that refuses to recognise their humanity which only makes them hate the Crosses for living life of freedom and power. Everything is controlled by the Crosses, favouring themselves and denying basic right to the Noughts. How Sephy and Callum try to keep their feelings for each other alive really touches your heart.

This is an important series to read, and not just because I'm a person of colour. It is important to know what happens the moment one human says they're superior, for whatever reason, to another human. Blackman wants you to insist on equality between people, and she'll definitely have you convinced that there's no other way to live.
]]> <![CDATA[The Prisoner of Heaven (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #3)]]> 13623012
Full of intrigue and emotion, The Prisoner of Heaven is a majestic novel in which the threads of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game converge under the spell of literature and bring us toward the enigma of the mystery hidden at the heart of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a collection of lost treasures known only to its few initiates and the very core of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's enchanting fictional world.]]> 278 Carlos Ruiz Zafón 0062206281 Sam 4 4.08 2011 The Prisoner of Heaven (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #3)
author: Carlos Ruiz Zafón
name: Sam
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2020/10/28
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Monsoon (Courtney publication, #10; Courtney chronological, #3)]]> 37609 Monsoon, a Courtney Family Adventure from Wilbur Smith

One man. Three sons. A powerful destiny waiting to unfold.

Monsoon is the sweeping epic that continues the saga begun in Wilbur Smith's bestselling Birds of Prey. Once a voracious adventurer, it has been many years since Hal Courtney has dared the high seas. Now he must return with three of his sons - Tom, Dorian, and Guy - to protect the East India Trading Company from looting pirates, in exchange for half of the fortune he recovers.

It will be a death or glory mission in the name of the crown. But Hal must also think about the fates of his sons. Like their father before them, Tom, Dorian, and Guy are drawn inexorably to Africa. When fate decrees that they must all leave England forever, they set said for the dark, unexplored continent, seduced by the allure and mystery of this new, magnificent, but savage land. All will have a crucial part to play in shaping the Courtneys' destiny, as the family vies for a prize beyond any of their dreams.

In a story of anger and passion, peace and war, Wilbur Smith evinces himself at the height of his storytelling powers. Set at the dawn of eighteenth-century England, with the Courtneys riding wind-tossed seas toward Arabia and Africa, Monsoon is an exhilarating adventure pitting brother against brother, man against sea, and good against evil.]]> 624 Wilbur Smith 0312317123 Sam 5 4.29 1999 Monsoon (Courtney publication, #10; Courtney chronological, #3)
author: Wilbur Smith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.29
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/27
date added: 2020/10/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Phone Box at the Edge of the World]]> 52738210
When Yui loses her mother and daughter in the tsunami, she wonders how she will ever carry on. Yet, in the face of this unthinkable loss, life must somehow continue.

Then one day she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone box in his garden. There, those who have lost loved ones find the strength to speak to them and begin to come to terms with their grief. As news of the phone box spreads, people will travel there from miles around.

Soon Yui will make her own pilgrimage to the phone box, too. But once there she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver. Then she finds Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of their loss.

What happens next will warm your heart, even when it feels as though it is breaking.]]> 416 Laura Imai Messina 178658039X Sam 5 3.72 2020 The Phone Box at the Edge of the World
author: Laura Imai Messina
name: Sam
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/10/26
date added: 2020/10/26
shelves:
review:
A beautiful story of death and grief. I highly recommend!
]]> <![CDATA[Love You Dead (Roy Grace, #12)]]> 27993438 449 Peter James Sam 3
So basically I read a novel of a Brighton Detective Superintendent, Roy Grace, that needs to catch 3 criminals that the reader already knows of (their names, their motives, how they're killing, etc) before he does, while he's also dealing with the return of his first wife (he's married again with a baby boy).

Ah well, I can't love all the books I read.]]> 4.32 2016 Love You Dead (Roy Grace, #12)
author: Peter James
name: Sam
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2020/10/03
date added: 2020/10/03
shelves:
review:
This was the first time I've read a Peter James novel and I wasn't too impressed. Perhaps it's because I prefer crime thrillers where I don't know who the killer is yet and the suspense has me gripped, but I didn't like that the perpetrators were well known from the beginning.

So basically I read a novel of a Brighton Detective Superintendent, Roy Grace, that needs to catch 3 criminals that the reader already knows of (their names, their motives, how they're killing, etc) before he does, while he's also dealing with the return of his first wife (he's married again with a baby boy).

Ah well, I can't love all the books I read.
]]> <![CDATA[Lethal White (Cormoran Strike, #4)]]> 42283287
Trying to get to the bottom of Billy's story, Strike and Robin Ellacott � once his assistant, now a partner in the agency � set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside.

And during this labyrinthine investigation, Strike's own life is far from straightforward: his newfound fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been � Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much trickier than that.

The most epic Robert Galbraith novel yet, Lethal White is both a gripping mystery and a page-turning next instalment in the ongoing story of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott.]]> 650 Robert Galbraith 0316422770 Sam 5
It was a long read, but worth the time. You wouldn't guess who did it this time!]]> 4.22 2018 Lethal White (Cormoran Strike, #4)
author: Robert Galbraith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/09/28
date added: 2020/09/28
shelves:
review:
I love the Cormoran Strike series. Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) never disappoints with it's intricate layout of mystery and characterisation. I'm so glad that Robin finally gets rid of that draining parasite of a husband. No-one deserves to be treated like dirt merely because they love their job or made to feel guilty because they're unable to be controlled. Matt was toxic and it took Robin the 4th novel in the series to figure that out. Nevertheless, this time we also get to see the shenanigans of the upper class society when a young, poor, mentally ill man requests the help of Strike on one hand, and the Minister of Culture wants to hire his services on the other. What gets Strike really interested is the number of connections between these two supposedly separate cases.

It was a long read, but worth the time. You wouldn't guess who did it this time!
]]> <![CDATA[An Evil Mind (Robert Hunter, #6)]]> 19582934
The case is immediately handed over to the FBI, but this time they're forced to ask for outside help. Ex-criminal behaviour psychologist and lead Detective with the Ultra Violent Crime Unit of the LAPD, Robert Hunter, is asked to run a series of interviews with the apprehended man. These interviews begin to reveal terrifying secrets that no one could've foreseen, including the real identity of a killer so elusive that no one, not even the FBI, had any idea he existed ... until now.]]> 496 Chris Carter Sam 4 4.52 2014 An Evil Mind (Robert Hunter, #6)
author: Chris Carter
name: Sam
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2020/09/21
date added: 2020/09/21
shelves:
review:
An extremely intriguing take on the psychological thriller whereby the killer has already been caught. Instead of reading how the killer is caught, the reader gets to indulge in the mind of a sociopath who kills for the sole purpose of experimentation. Chris Carter's title is apt for the killer: he does have an evil mind. Nevertheless, the psyche of Lucien Folter was an interesting read. Robert Hunter, as usual, impresses with his intuitive guesses, yet even gets surprised by the twists in this tale. I highly recommend you give this a try!
]]> Knife (Harry Hole, #12) 40874878
A man like Harry had better watch his back...

Following the dramatic conclusion of number one bestseller THE THIRST, KNIFE sees Harry Hole waking up with a ferocious hangover, his hands and clothes covered in blood. Not only is Harry about to come face to face with an old, deadly foe, but with his darkest personal challenge yet.

The twelfth instalment in Jo Nesbo’s internationally bestselling crime fiction series.]]> 531 Jo Nesbø 1787300765 Sam 5 4.21 2019 Knife (Harry Hole, #12)
author: Jo Nesbø
name: Sam
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/09/13
date added: 2020/09/13
shelves:
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]]> Buried (DC Jack Warr, #1) 50935024 BURIED . . .

The gripping first book in a brand-new thriller series by the Queen of Crime Drama, Lynda La Plante.
__________________

DC Jack Warr and his girlfriend Maggie have just moved to London to start a new life together. Though charming, Jack can't seem to find his place in the world - until he's drawn into an investigation that turns his life upside down.

In the aftermath of a fire at an isolated cottage, a badly charred body is discovered, along with the burnt remains of millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes.

Jack's search leads him deep into a murky criminal underworld - a world he finds himself surprisingly good at navigating. But as the line of the law becomes blurred, how far will Jack go to find the answers - and what will it cost him?

In BURIED, it's time to meet DC Jack Warr as he digs up the deadly secrets of the past . . .
__________________

'Lynda La Plante practically invented the thriller' Karin Slaughter]]> 352 Lynda La Plante Sam 5 4.14 2020 Buried (DC Jack Warr, #1)
author: Lynda La Plante
name: Sam
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/07/28
date added: 2020/07/28
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Call of the Raven (The Ballantyne Novels, #0.5)]]> 52077451
'An exciting, taut and thrilling journey you will never forget' - Sun

THE DESIRE FOR REVENGE CAN BURN THE HEART OUT OF A MAN.

The son of a wealthy plantation owner and a doting mother, Mungo St John is accustomed to wealth and luxury - until he returns from university to discover his family ruined, his inheritance stolen and his childhood sweetheart, Camilla, taken by the conniving Chester Marion. Mungo swears vengeance and devotes his life to saving Camilla-and destroying Chester.

Camilla, trapped in New Orleans, powerless as a kept slave and subject to Chester's brutish behaviour, must do whatever it takes to survive.

As Mungo battles his own fate and misfortune, he must question what it takes for a man to regain his power in the world when he has nothing, and what he is willing to do to exact revenge...

PRAISE FOR WILBUR

'A Master Storyteller' - Sunday Times

'Wilbur Smith is one of those benchmarks against whom others are compared' - The Times

'No one does adventure quite like Smith' - Daily Mirror]]> 443 Wilbur Smith 1499862296 Sam 4 4.03 2020 Call of the Raven (The Ballantyne Novels, #0.5)
author: Wilbur Smith
name: Sam
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2020/07/23
date added: 2020/07/23
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan, #19)]]> 46212909 #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with a new riveting novel featuring her vastly popular character forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, who must use all her tradecraft to discover the identity of a faceless corpse, its connection to a decade-old missing child case, and why the dead man had her cell phone number.

It’s sweltering in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Temperance Brennan, still recovering from neurosurgery following an aneurysm, is battling nightmares, migraines, and what she thinks might be hallucinations when she receives a series of mysterious text messages, each containing a new picture of a corpse that is missing its face and hands. Immediately, she’s anxious to know who the dead man is, and why the images were sent to her.

An identified corpse soon turns up, only partly answering her questions.

To win answers to the others, including the man’s identity, she must go rogue, working mostly outside the system. That’s because Tempe’s new boss holds a fierce grudge against her and is determined to keep her out of the case. Tempe bulls forward anyway, even as she begins questioning her instincts. But the clues she discovers are disturbing and confusing. Was the faceless man a spy? A trafficker? A target for assassination by the government? And why was he carrying the name of a child missing for almost a decade?

With help from a number of law enforcement associates including her Montreal beau Andrew Ryan and the always-ready-with-a-smart-quip, ex-homicide investigator Skinny Slidell, and utilizing new cutting-edge forensic methods, Tempe draws closer to the astonishing truth.

But the more she uncovers, the darker and more twisted the picture becomes...]]> 342 Kathy Reichs 1982138882 Sam 3 3.65 2020 A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan, #19)
author: Kathy Reichs
name: Sam
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/07/03
date added: 2020/07/03
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[The Burning Chambers (The Joubert Family Chronicles, #1)]]> 36660443 605 Kate Mosse Sam 4 3.93 2018 The Burning Chambers (The Joubert Family Chronicles, #1)
author: Kate Mosse
name: Sam
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/27
date added: 2020/06/27
shelves:
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]]> The Dream House 25189708 247 Craig Higginson Sam 4
I didn't need a history lesson on Apartheid to understand the subtle racism Patricia was guilty off. I did have trouble liking any of the characters. The novel dealt with a young, black boy who was taken care of and loved by his mother's white employer, and is now grown up and feels the need to address certain truths that his white guardians didn't know of or ignored.

Ironically, his truth isn't the absolute truth at all. Nevertheless, the emotions by each character are expressed extremely well. It was a thoughtful, but intense, read.]]> 3.36 The Dream House
author: Craig Higginson
name: Sam
average rating: 3.36
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/06/18
date added: 2020/06/18
shelves:
review:
A short novel that exposes the reader to South Africa's dark and unforgiving past. I personally felt comfortable with the IsiZulu dialogue because I am from KwaZulu-Natal (the province that the novel is set in).

I didn't need a history lesson on Apartheid to understand the subtle racism Patricia was guilty off. I did have trouble liking any of the characters. The novel dealt with a young, black boy who was taken care of and loved by his mother's white employer, and is now grown up and feels the need to address certain truths that his white guardians didn't know of or ignored.

Ironically, his truth isn't the absolute truth at all. Nevertheless, the emotions by each character are expressed extremely well. It was a thoughtful, but intense, read.
]]> <![CDATA[No Safe Place (Kerry Kilcannon, #1)]]> 107492 585 Richard North Patterson 0099175320 Sam 5 3.83 1998 No Safe Place (Kerry Kilcannon, #1)
author: Richard North Patterson
name: Sam
average rating: 3.83
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/25
date added: 2020/05/25
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Meet Inspector Banks (Inspector Banks #1-3)]]> 20789167 800 Peter Robinson Sam 5 3.73 2001 Meet Inspector Banks (Inspector Banks #1-3)
author: Peter Robinson
name: Sam
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/16
date added: 2020/05/16
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)]]> 136251
In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectacular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited.]]> 759 J.K. Rowling Sam 5 4.61 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
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]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)]]> 1 652 J.K. Rowling Sam 4 4.57 2005 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)]]> 2
Harry has had enough. He is beginning to think he must do something, anything, to change his situation, when the summer holidays come to an end in a very dramatic fashion. What Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down...]]> 912 J.K. Rowling Sam 5 4.50 2003 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)]]> 6 734 J.K. Rowling 0439139597 Sam 5 4.56 2000 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)]]> 5 435 J.K. Rowling 043965548X Sam 5 4.57 1999 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1999
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)]]> 15881
And strike it does. For in Harry’s second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls� bathroom. But then the real trouble begins � someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects� Harry Potter himself!]]> 352 J.K. Rowling Sam 5 4.42 1998 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.42
book published: 1998
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
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]]> <![CDATA[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)]]> 28757261 Alternative cover edition of ISBN 9781781100219

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with astonishing news—Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Having become classics of our time, the Harry Potter eBooks never fail to bring comfort and escapism. With their message of hope, belonging, and the enduring power of truth and love, the story of the Boy Who Lived continues to delight generations of new readers.]]> 353 J.K. Rowling Sam 3 4.62 1997 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
author: J.K. Rowling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.62
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2020/05/05
date added: 2020/05/05
shelves:
review:

]]>