Tag Archives: 5-stars

Review: Victoria Scott – Fire and Flood

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Fire and Flood
Victoria Scott
Tella is a Contender. Not that she knows what a Contender is or does. But she is one. She needs to find her Pandora, and go for the race as hard as she can, to save her sick brother. This may mean sacrifices, but at the same time she might gain something else.
There were some really mixed reviews on this novel on Goodreads. Some people compared it to The Hunger Games, and found it lacking, and others really liked. Me? I loved it. I thought it was better than The Hunger Games (my review here).
You know how in the waiting periods of The Hunger Games, there was just nothing going on? Here, there is something going on, and the back story being developed is huge. Sometimes I feel like other reviewers didn’t even get through the whole thing.
Tella is a character anyone can relate to. She doesn’t know what she’s doing, she doesn’t have any great skills, and the only thing she has that might tip the balance is her Pandora egg. Which hasn’t even hatched by the beginning of the first challenge. It’s great to see her character development as she gets more hardened, but also more questioning.
Tella, through her new friends, is able to get a grasp on the external factors. The contestants aren’t all in the dark. Another reason this hits with me, is that the whole situation is actually possible in our world. It’s an average town, with average people, and yet the outside world has other ideas.
I liked the fact that there could be more than one winner. I mean sure, people were dying, but it wasn’t quite so bad. At least they had opted in (with the ultimate price in store), and could opt out at practically any time (I think). Sacrifices needed to be made though.
The ending! Arg! I didn’t want to see the ending! I really really enjoyed reading it. So much so that I actually wrote to the author straight after reading it, and said thank you for producing such a fabulous book. I would recommend this novel over The Hunger Games personally.
I received this novel free as a review copy, but my opinions remain my own.

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Review: Anne Pfeffer – Girls Love Travis Walker

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 Girls Love Travis Walker
Anne Pfeffer

Travis is a star with girls. He’s not so crash hot at schooling, but he’s good enough at hauling brush. He needs to support his mother, who seems to be getting sicker all the time. Then he meets Kat and Zoe, and one of them will change his life.

I loved this novel. I’ve read my two new Pfeffer books in less than a week. Something about her writing is just snappy and compulsive to read. This book tackles difficult things, like depression, homelessness and being a drop-out.

Goodness knows I don’t have much experience with guys like Travis. But I can see how his charm could hit girls. I really can’t understand the girls who want just a night of sex, but maybe I just don’t understand their brains. Just as not all men are after sex, I guess not all women can be after relationships.

The cover on this is great. Just the way I’d imagine Travis to look. Lean, tanned, rakish. The thing that redeems Travis in the beginning and makes you want to keep reading, is his relationship with his mother. His other relationships seem fleeting, and it’s because he refuses to admit there is anything wrong that he can’t cope with.

This is like an older teenage version of Gracie’s Girl. This novel is obviously aimed at a much older audience, and so it has more grunt to it. Still, the ending was sweet. Somehow everything came out right. Still, I’m not sure it’s heart touching. It’s not a sappy romance. It’s raw, abrasive and not easy to read. The details Pfeffer fits into the novel makes me think she’s been in that world, it’s that good. A well recommended read for teenagers.

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Review Update: 1 December 2021 – I originally only gave this 4 stars, but I’m upgrading it to a 5 stars since I obviously reread it. It was a comfort read, and I loved Travis’ character just as much the second (or maybe third) time around. Something about the combination of purposeful overloading and yet carefully balanced life of Travis gets me every time.

Review: Rainbow Rowell – Fangirl

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Fangirl
Rainbow Rowell

Cather is an identical twin. Her twin, Wren, has been waiting eagerly for college to start – she has a partying spirit. Cather on the other hand is slightly more neurotic, and just wants to hide in her dorm room between fiction writing classes. The question is, is the anxious Cather able to have a life and love like her sister?

Cather touched my heart. I worried about her, I worried with her, and hurt with her. Now I remember why I don’t read books like these – I identify with the protagonist too much! I love the book, because it makes me feel, but then again, I hate it because I do feel!

I literally couldn’t put this book down, I enjoyed it so much. I wanted to even read it at the dinner table, but I didn’t. I finished it in two days, which for me at the moment is sort of a record. I’m surprised I got into it. Lately it’s been I get a couple of pages into a novel and give up.

The romance! The betrayal! Arg! I always knew what was happening, but some things hit me like a rock anyway. Does anyone else already see the funny thing about the twins’ names? I didn’t even notice until it was pointed out in the text.

I see character development in Cather, but not really in the other characters. That’s not to say that they are 2D character, rather they have been fleshed out, and from Cather’s perspective, it’s just the way things are. I loved Levi – I’d totally date that boy too! And the other characters who were sometimes a bit narky? Yeah, I could see why they were like that.

If your child is curious about going to college, this could be a good novel to point out the negatives of things (such as underage drinking and clubs), but also the positive things (sometimes your roommate turns out to be great!). I’d recommend for older teens, or even those already at college. It’s such a good read, especially for aspiring young authors.

Another couple of minor things that added bonus points to my reading experience? Cather’s father had a mental illness, and she was forever writing gay fic. I love variety!

I couldn’t believe that someone had gotten away with writing novels that seemed like a complete rip off of Harry Potter. And then I googled it after finishing the novel and then found out that it’s just a fictional novel that was created by Rowell. Some people say they’d love to read those books – inspired by Twilight perhaps? Not me anyway.
I would read Rowell’s novels again. I received this novel free for a review – but I opted to receive it, and it was just as good as I say it is!

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Review update: 15 December 2021 – Wow! I guessed that it had been about 7 years since I read this novel, and I was right. I very happily devoured it again over three days. I had mostly forgotten the ending, so that was good too. In my last review I commented that I wouldn’t want to read the Simon Snow novels, and lo and behold, when I read Carry On / Wayward Son, I thought it sucked! This novel gets to stay on my bookshelf, but the others can go to a different home. Still five stars from me.

Review: Alice Sebold – The Lovely Bones

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The Lovely Bones
Alice Sebold
Susie Salmon is dead. Not only that, she was raped and murdered by a neighbour. Her father suspects who did it, but has no proof. The policeman who is investigating lets him slip through his fingers. Susie can’t move on until she sees her family at peace.
I can’t believe how much time Susie spends waiting for her family to move on. Wouldn’t you get bored, after 8 years of looking and not participating? I guess that’s part of her ‘growing up’. I don’t see why she can’t grow up in the other world though. Who knows?
It’s a nice idea of heaven, but I find it hard to believe that in the next heaven there will be the people Susie loved in life, including her dog. How could they all possibly fit, if every person just had two more people who cared for them? It would be an exponential growth of people wanting to share lives together! At least it is something.
This novel pinged gently on my own beliefs about the afterlife. Ruth is a neat character, but I often wonder whether her life in the future will get any easier, or what path she will continue to tread. I can’t see her as a bartender for the rest of her life, paying for a flat so that she can walk the city in search of human touches.
Just like real life, things didn’t turn out perfectly, particularly for the side characters. I was frustrated that Susie held on to Ray so tightly. Ray also held on – and I thought he could have moved on. I felt for the poor boy who was accused of killing animals, and Susie.
It’s funny how such a touching and sensitive topic could be treated with such elegance that you feel compelled to keep reading. I found myself staying up late reading it. This is the second time I have read this novel, but the first reading was many years ago and I had forgotten how the story went. I can see it as a re-read when I want to feel deeply about something without really knowing way.

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Review: Traci Harding – The Ancient Future, The Dark Age

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The Ancient Future, The Dark Age
Traci Harding
Tori is a scholar who specialises in British mysteries. She’s still living at home with her parents, but she’s decided to go out and spend time with her aunt to recover from her brother’s unnecessary death. Little does she know that she is going to be scooped up into the past, and change the possible future.

Tori is skilled in martial arts, and is a black belt. What never became clear to me was why she had learnt it, why she was so proficient, and why she seemed so defensive around men.
The concept of time travel is dealt with in a sensible and understandable way. As confusing an idea as it is, Harding had her mind wrapped around what she wanted to achieve right from the word go. It has a strong feel of being well planned. I still felt confused sometimes, but it all became clear in the end.
This novel contained multiple climaxes, meaning that just as the chapter was finishing, another section would start. Had I been reading it myself, I would have said it was a bit of an epic. But being read to me in a fantastic voice? Yep, it flew by.
Something that knocked me out if the narrative at the bringing was that this novel was read by the same reader as in The Gene of Isis, and I felt like I was overwriting a character in my mind that I already knew.  And then later on, there were a few sentences here and there that didn’t seem to be the main reader at all.
The overall verdict? I loved it, would read it again, and really, really want to get my hands on the next book in this series. I think I’ve discovered a new favourite author – Traci Harding, I’ll read your books any time. I have to save up my cash, and buy myself the paperback of these novels.
Arg, what annoys me is that I already wrote up this review on my phone, complete with picture, and then it ate it. Not a good start phone, not a good start.  Now, this is the first time I’ve put in a photo from my phone – please let me know what it looks like. You can expect from now on that cover images from books will be taken in poor conditions like this one! The full experience.

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Review: Tamora Pierce – Lady Knight

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Lady Knight
Tamora Pierce
Keladry is about to be given the most difficult and important mission in her life. With an uncanny ability for picking up strays, it seems like the Goddess’ hand is on her – yet Keladry must survive and thrive on her own.
Keladry is still the plucky heroine that we know and love. She’s matured remarkably well for an 18 year old, maybe too well? Those were different times however. She’s a natural born leader, which helps with things.
Sometimes I feel like Keladry is not a remarkable leader. She’s just so dedicated to her people, and that’s what makes her special. Nevertheless, she does care for them deeply, and that’s where the main basis of this novel comes from.
Some time has passed since Keladry was knighted, and we see a couple of things that have matured well. Neil for one – being a knight suits him, and yet he finds a good balance between that and being a healer (not to mention being in love). The other is Lord Wyldon, who is the same grumpy old man he always was, but he has a soft spot for Keladry now.
I’d be pretty excited to see a sequel to these – Keladry seems like she really wants children, but she’s got to find the time to do so! Perhaps she will be a commander for the King’s Own in the future, or something else perhaps.
So I lied when I said this was one of my least favourite books in the quartet and I wasn’t going to read it. I can’t leave a story half finished, even if I know how it ends! I’m glad I did reread it.

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Review: Tamora Pierce – Squire

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Squire
Tamora Pierce
Keladry awaits a knight-master, having passed her dreaded examinations under much duress. Will she be saddled to a kindly desk knight, or to a horrific battle knight? Keladry doesn’t know what to expect – but she gets the best, well, the second best to what she is expecting.
This novel perhaps shows the least amount of development in Keladry’s character. She’s always been strong willed, and this novel just serves to reinforce that. Also her desire for perfection and her strong ideals are also supported.
I love Raoul. Just the way a Knight Commander should be! He’s so friendly, I can believe why the men follow him into mud and blood, rather than glory. He should have shacked up earlier with someone.
Speaking of which, this is the first novel in this series where Keladry really gets into a love interest. It’s kinda neat actually, since then she is also able to defend herself using Tournaments. Another novel I am reading at the moment has Tournaments in it too, but takes a different tack. I can’t decide which I like more.
Some of the other points raised in the other two novels are resolved here. We see Keladry’s maid successfully running her own shop, and some of Keladry’s enemies are cut down. Keladry is no longer frightened by heights, but she still doesn’t like them. You’d think magic would be able to fix that right?
While I’m thinking of it, I often forget that Keladry is still only 16 or so years old! They are knighted by 18, which seems so young to have so much responsibility. That being said, I guess it’s a better kind of responsibility than what we expect of teenagers these days. Driving is nothing compared to killing monsters!
This is my 3rd equal favourite novel in the quartet. I enjoy the 4th one around the same amount, and I am considering not rereading the 4th this time around. I have so many other things to read now that I have broken my reading dry spell, it seems a waste to not read the exciting books I know are out there waiting for me.
If you’re waiting on a review from me because you have sent me a copy of your novel, rest assured that I am getting to them. I am going through a dry spate of reading due to stress at work, and find old familiar fiction more comforting at that time. My apologies.

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Review: Tamora Pierce – Page

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Page
Tamora Pierce
Keladry has gotten past her First Test and now is a fully fledged page. She’s not without problems though, as those people who plagued her in her first year have just become craftier. Not to mention a stray set of bandits.

Once again, Pierce shows the importance of following your goals, and not giving up on dreams because someone wants you to do so. Keladry works hard to get where she wants – not because she’s a natural at things, but that she works her butt off to get there! It’s more realistic I think than the Lioness in training, but I love both series (this one is just my favourite!).

I loved this novel just as much as the first, every time I read it. I only wish I could forget what happens so that each time I read it I would be surprised. That being said, I look forward to the next Pierce novel with great anticipation every time. Her last novel was a little disappointing, but still worth reading.
There are a number of minor climaxes within the novel, all of which serve to make the reader think more about Keladry and flesh her out as a good role model. The other characters, with the exception of Keladry’s maid, seem a little more one dimensional. I guess it’s because it’s focalised from Keladry’s point of view, and it’s hard to know what they are thinking.
What was not clear to me was whether her first year was as a page, or whether it was an extra year tacked on. From the sound of things though, as she needs to pass examinations with Neil and the others, it was just a different sort of first year.
There’s quite a big time jump in the novel to get the more exciting parts happening. It’s so smooth though that between one chapter and the next a year passes and you don’t feel like you’ve missed anything.
Overall, a satisfying read and reread for all young fiction fans. Recommend it to your kids, your grandkids, your neighbour’s kids – this has fabulous values to share, and encourages perseverance – what more could you want?

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Review: Tamora Pierce – First Test

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First Test
Tamora Pierce
Keladry is the first girl after Alanna the Lioness to apply to become a Page under King Jonathan of Tortall. Unfortunately for her, she has to first undergo a harrowing test year, in which her resolve is tested and her mettle tried.
As one of the reviewers quoted on the back of the novel says, it’s filled with a plucky heroine, complete with animals, monsters, school and a hint of magic. For me, it’s the school and animals that does it. The whole book ticks all of the boxes that I look for when selecting a good enjoyable novel to relax with.
I’ve read this novel multiple times, and no doubt will continue to do so in the future. Kel shows a trait of caring for others so strongly that it is impossible not to like her. Just enough action that it’s satisfying, just enough schooling and real life problems to keep it flowing naturally.
I’m not sure why she is pictured holding a cat on the cover. She does rescue some kittens, but she doesn’t really do much with them. Not like her lovely Diane influenced birds.
I would strongly suggest this novel for any young woman (I doubt it would appeal to boys, although I could be surprised) who wants to be a bit different from the mould. Certainly times have changed now, and people don’t do such medieval fighting, but it’s still an uncommon thing for woman to be included as equal partners in the military. But I digress…
Now for a problem I see with the novel (and the series).
I think it’s disappointing in a way that Kel is already somewhat weapons trained. I wanted a raw newby girl to train to become a knight. But I guess that is unrealistic – if they didn’t show aptitude from an early age, it’s unlikely they would want to go for such a career goal.
Overall though, it’s got that flavour that has me coming back for more every time. I used to reread it at least once a year, but I now have so many favourite books that I just can’t do it! And I have so many exciting review books too, which I didn’t have before.
So on that note…
I think I’m going to stop wasting time on including affiliate links to novels. I’m pretty sure you readers are intelligent enough to find the novels that you want in your own way. I haven’t had a single reader click on a link for the whole time I have been blogging. For this reason, I will no longer provide those links. It takes me time to do those, time that I could be spending reading or keeping my other paperwork up to date. Any opinions?

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Review: Traci Harding – Gene of Isis

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Gene of Isis
Traci Harding
Mia is specialised in what she does – but sadly, not many people want her for the job she’s good at. That is to say, there isn’t much call for PhD graduates in ancient languages and mythology. This is a theme that runs through Harding’s books to great advantage, and really fits in with my own viewpoint on life and religion.

The beginning was super slow and I almost gave up listening. I persevered however and things improved from there. My partner also listened with me in the car, and he couldn’t understand why I kept listening! I certainly didn’t do so for a certain Trudi Caravan novel I started, but this one still gave me hope.

I didn’t realise until the middle of the novel how the author was cleverly going to introduce the other two female characters to us. I was worried that I would lose Ashley’s point of view, and I was so enjoying it! The lessons.
This novel is the first in a trilogy and so I found myself dreading the end, particularly as the library didn’t have the next two books in. When I got to the end, I thought maybe for this one I would consider splashing out to buy the next books.
I wondered about the passing of time while Mia was reading. Sometime I felt like it was progressing too slowly. I also would have appreciated some more interjections by her about what she was reading.
God! The ending was almost too hard for me to bear! I so wanted to skip forward, but I knew I’d miss something. Well worth waiting for. There were still parts of this that didn’t make sense to me, but now I have forgotten the majority of them. I’m just basking in the fact that it was a great book to listen to. I wanted to keep sitting in my car to listen to it after I finished driving.
I’m glad I listened to this as a talking book. The reader is fabulous! She’s got the accents down and I could easily tell the difference between the characters. A rare gift, and I think I might look out for other novels read by her. {edited to add – I have since begun listening to another book by Traci Harding read by this reader, and it’s just as good as I’d hoped}.
I often dreamed of reading novels myself as a bit of income, but the beautiful reading of this one makes me think I’m not nearly good enough. Perhaps a youtube reading?
I’m a bit slow on reviewing at the moment, sorry. Mainly I am getting time for talking books as I commute 2 hours each day to work. I should be caught up and posting properly again soon.

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