Adam Jones is not your average teenager. His mother passed away when he was four-years-old. His father is distant, emotionally and physically, most of the time and his grandfather is a cranky, paranoid old man who believes there are people out there who want to wipe out their family. All Adam wants is a normal life and the courage to tell his friend Sarah how he really feels about her.
Adam also suffers from terrifying nightmares that leave him desperately avoiding falling asleep. When lack of sleep and too much caffeine leads to an incident at school, his father decides that it’s time for Adam to learn about the family business and sends him to a special boarding school in the middle of nowhere. While there, Adam will learn the truth behind his nightmares and why he is so different from the other kids at his school. Most importantly, Adam will discover a place where he feels like he belongs. But not everything that’s happened around Adam is good. There is a group of dangerous people causing chaos around the world, and if they find the school, all of the students may be in danger. Together with his new friends, can Adam uncover the mystery brewing in his own backyard before someone gets hurt, or is it already too late? I’ll admit, there are few books that I have read featuring a Grimm Reaper that I actually enjoyed. Many of them either mocked the Grimm Reaper or made him out to be a creature of pure evil. The concept of the Grimm Reaper fascinates me, especially since he, or a similar creature, appears in many cultures. Because of my views on the Grim Reaper, it is difficult for me to find novels that I actually enjoy. This novel was well constructed and rich in detail. The characters are well rounded and realistic. The plot line lacks some mystery for the readers, seeing as we are already aware of the Reaper before Adam is. However, there are other mysteries that the characters are faced with that are very intriguing. I enjoyed the many characters and appreciated their differences of personality. I enjoyed this novel very much and am excited for the next book in the series. I would recommend this novel to fans of Reaper fiction and any fantasy. I received my copy of this novel from LibraryThing.com giveaways for the sole purpose of providing an honest review before the publication date October 3, 2017, and have permission from the publishers at Akashic Books to use the cover artwork image featured above.
Bink of North Village has a problem, he has no magic. In the land of Xanth, magic is everywhere and every citizen has his own special magical talent. If you cannot display your magic by your 25th birthday, you will be exiled. With his twenty-fifth birthday fast approaching, Bink decides to visit the Good Magician Humfrey, whose magic is that of divination, to find out once and for all whether or not he has magic, even at the price of a year of servitude to the Good Magician.
Humfrey believes Bink has magic, very strong magic, but he cannot determine what his talent is. If Bink cannot display his magic, he will be exiled. Surprisingly, until this novel, I had never read a Piers Anthony novel. For my first, this was a very interesting read. The writing is different from some of the more modern fantasy novels I have been reading. The vocabulary is appropriate without being too difficult or archaic. The tone is surprisingly upbeat, despite Bink’s probable exile. The creatures in this novel are interesting and unique. Some of them are common enough in modern fantasy. We encounter dragons, centaurs, and a kraken. At the same time, there is an abundance of unique creatures and plant life, mainly plant life that I have never encountered before. I enjoyed this adventure with Bink. Bink is a very complex character with a strong personality. He is also well-developed, brave and honorable. I enjoyed the fact that Bink was always thinking, questioning, and theorizing. His intelligence is obvious in the way that he contemplates the world around him and the people with whom he comes into contact. The story line is composed of a lot of traveling across the land of Xanth, encountering many magical obstacles and challenges. The adventure and action is comprised of these obstacles and the people and places that Bink encounters. I enjoyed this novel. The characters and creatures were fascinating as well as the land of Xanth itself, though I found it interesting that Xanth is shaped like Florida. I would recommend this novel to fantasy fans with a strong imagination. I plan to read further in this series. This book, this series, was recommended to me by my Uncle and I have received permission from the publishers at Del Rey to use the cover artwork image featured above.
Mitch Albom had developed a special friendship with his college professor Morrie Schwartz when he was a young man in college. Despite his promise to remain in contact after his graduation, Mitch becomes too involved in his work as a sports journalist and the two lost touch. That is until the night that Mitch sees Morrie on Nightline.
Morrie had developed ASL and was dying. His unique approach to his illness has inspired and touched thousands of lives throughout the country, and it inspires Mitch to reconnect with his favorite professor. That first visit quickly turns into a Tuesday ritual where Morrie once again becomes Mitch’s teacher, the subject: Life. Many years ago, a high school friend recommended this book to me, and despite telling her that I would check it out, one look at the synopsis online and I was saying ‘no’. I was going through a classical literature phase at the time. I read the most common authors; Austen, Dickens, Bronte, and even Hemingway, though I didn’t particularly like his work. I also read some of the slightly less popular authors such as Thomas Hardy and George Elliot. I wasn’t interested in reading many other genres if I didn’t have too and I have never, even to this day, been big on nonfiction. As you may know, they are making a movie of “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Because of this, I recently entered into a conversation with a family member about the book. She has an interest in medicine and science and expressed an interest in reading the book before the movie release. So, when I saw it on bloggingforbooks.com the other day, I figured that I might as well give it a try. This story is written in a loving, touching voice. You can hear the author’s love for his friend Morrie from the very beginning. The author wrote it in such a way that those who are not familiar with the disease can understand what is happening and how the characters, especially Mitch and Morrie, have been affected. Morrie’s many thoughts and philosophies regarding life, love, family, and dying are extremely insightful and heartwarming. They were originally said and written in a different generation, in a different technologically advanced world, and yet they still apply in so many ways, some perhaps even more so. This is the kind of book that will make you stop and think about your life and the people that are in it. It definitely did for me. It is difficult to review a nonfiction book. This is not a fictional story. The people and places existed or still do exist in the real world. The pain, the sorrow, the love and the joy was felt by real people, people just like us. This book was well worth the read, and I wish I had read it sooner. It touched my heart and made me think about friends and family that I love and miss dearly. I would recommend this book to anyone searching for understanding and direction in their lives. I received my copy of this book from bloggingforbooks.com for the sole purpose of providing an honest review and I have been granted permission from Penguin Random House to use an image of the cover artwork above.
Rowena Downshire is nearly invisible. She works as a black market courier in the city of Corma. It’s a hard life, with a ruthless employer, and just enough money to keep her off the streets. When a sudden late night delivery on the opposite side of town goes wrong, Rowena finds herself in the middle of a dangerous, mysterious adventure with two of the most dangerous men in Corma.
The Alchemist is feared by most of the people in the city. He is a magician or a witch according to rumors. People fear him, and yet he is The Alchemist, the one everyone seeks out, in the city of Corma. When a young girl shows up on his doorstep, explaining about the missing package meant for him, The Alchemist knows something is wrong. After learning what he can about the package and the courier, he finds himself taking the girl in and calling on the aid of an old acquaintance, Anselm Meteron. Anselm Meteron is a retired mercenary living in Corma. Despite being retired, his name still holds power, and his night club is flourishing. When The Alchemist calls upon him for assistance, he is ready to help. Reverend Phillip Chalmers is a scientist whose recent work delved into the theory of the Grand Experiment and the Creator’s work. When Chalmers wakes up beaten and bruised hanging from his feet, he discovers that his work, and a mysterious book that updates itself, have put him in danger and the only way to survive may be to translate the book. But if this books and its contents were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean the termination of the Grand Experiment and all of humanity. This is a very interesting novel, unlike many of the fantasy stories I have read recently. The writing is complex, but still enjoyable, and the vocabulary unique and intriguing. The many different dynamics make this an engaging reading experience. The characters are believable and unique. Each one is well developed, with rich histories that help to shape their individual personalities. Their actions throughout the novel make them the most unlikely of heroes, from Rowena to Anselm. The character of Rowena Downshire is the perfect combination of innocent child and budding adulthood. I enjoyed learning about her and her life up to this point; the obstacles that helped to shape her personality and her caring nature. I was surprised to find her the opposite of the character of Rare. I would have liked to have known more about the more minor characters, such as Ivor, Rare, and Bess. With Rare, I felt that though I would have liked a little more, I was satisfied with the information provided. With Bess and Ivor, I was provided less information about their history and their motivation, and seriously wished I had been provided a little bit more. Where I do not hold hope of learning more about some of these characters in the next installment, I feel there is hope of learning more for some of them, so I will stay hopeful. As for Anselm and The Alchemist, we are provided with enough of their histories to be truly surprised that they are the heroes of the story, along with Rowena. I hope to learn more about them in the next book. The plot line and the mystery, is riveting and unlike any I have read in a very long time. The creatures are well detailed and extremely unique, drawing the reader in. I would recommend this novel to fantasy loves who enjoy unique characters and creatures. I absolutely loved this novel and will eagerly await the second installment. I received my copy of this novel from the publishers at Pyr Science Fiction and Fantasy for the sole purpose of providing an honest review before the release date, November 14, 2017.
Aelin Galanthynius has struggled to finally be able to reclaim her throne, only to find that there is still a long way to go. With war fast approaching, Aelin must find a way to raise an army, protect her court and her people, and find a way to tip the odds in their favor without a kingdom to call her own.
Sent on a quest by her ancestors to find and retrieve the only thing that may be able to trap the evil creatures invading her world and seal them into their own dimension. Aelin realizes that she is willing to do anything to protect those she loves and her country. But how much will it truly cost her in the end? If you may recall, I was less than pleased with the fourth installment of this series. I had almost decided to stop the series altogether. Thankfully, some of the more minor characters continued to intrigue me, enough so that I read this fifth installment. I am thankful that I did. The writing remains similar to that of the rest of the series. The vocabulary is strong but not challenging or difficult to understand. The sentience structure is good, neither too long nor too short. The descriptions of the settings and characters are detailed and easy to picture. The story line itself takes up where the previous one left off, without any major time gaps and continues to follow multiple characters through their separate journeys. The level of excitement is elevated and continues throughout the novel. The pace is driven and fast, though reasonable and fitting to the action taking place. I was relieved to learn more about the minor characters that held my attention enough that I continued reading. I also found the new creatures introduced in this novel to be extremely interesting. I was extremely happy to see that Manon and her thirteen and Elide, as well as some of the more minor and interesting characters, had a larger chunk of this novel dedicated to them. I was slightly surprised by the amount of sexual interactions in this novel, though the fourth one helped to prepare me for it, given its age group. I was even more surprised by how detailed it was, given the targeted age group and the fact that it is not a Harlequin novel. I would recommend this novel to young adults who enjoy fantasy novels. I borrowed a copy of this novel from my local library and I have received permission from the publishers at Bloomsbury to use the cover artwork featured above.
Victor Frankenstein has dedicated most of his life to the study of science. When he was old enough, his father sent him to continue his education in the sciences. While at school, Frankenstein develops an interest in the natural sciences and quickly becomes obsessed with creating life where there is none.
When his experiment succeeds, Frankenstein is repulsed and horrified by what he sees. After the encounter with his creator, the monster flees into the nearby woods. As time passes, Frankenstein begins to believe that he is free of his creation, until a letter from home informs him of his little brother’s brutal murder. Frankenstein becomes convinced that the monster is responsible and sets out on a course for revenge. Frankenstein, classic Gothic literature, has been read by millions of readers since its first publication in 1818. Many films and television series have been made featuring Frankenstein’s monster, and he has become a prominent fixture in modern culture. Many young readers, like myself, believe they already know the monster. Yet, until now, I had never read it. I began this novel knowing most of modern beliefs about Frankenstein’s monster. Thankfully, I was also aware that many of these beliefs are wrong and stem from the many movies and television series. Despite having never read the novel, over the years I have learned many things about the original work and its author. The version of this novel that I read was constructed in the same form as it was originally published in. The text is written in old English, and the spelling is correct for the time period and region, making it different from modern American English. Some readers may find this difficult to read or understand since many things are different now, including speech pattern and dialect, than they were then. The story itself was a lot less exciting than I thought it would be. The story, in a sense, has three separate narrators, also known as a frame story, that take turns telling the story. In the beginning, the narrator is an explorer who happened upon Dr. Frankenstein while on an adventure to the North Pole. He then relinquishes the narration to Dr. Frankenstein. Frankenstein tells the majority of the story, relenting narration to the monster himself at one point and again to the explorer at the end. I also found this novel to be rather tame. Most of my life, I was lead to believe that Frankenstein was horrifying, it is after all a Gothic novel, but in reading it, I found it to be thought provoking and sad, but not horrifying. Perhaps this is due to our exposure to truly horrifying events, television shows, and literature. Or perhaps because we have been exposed to Frankenstein since we were small children. I would recommend this novel to anyone who thinks they know, or would want to know, the truth behind Frankenstein’s monster. I borrowed a copy of this novel from my local library and I am currently seeking permissions from the publishers at The Pennyroyal Press to use an image of the cover artwork above. |
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