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mxhermit's reviews
949 reviews
Playing by the Book by S. Chris Shirley
2.0
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The plot sounded promising and I found that the idea behind the novel was good, but the execution left something to be desired.
The way that the protagonist, Jake, spoke did not seem authentic to his age or situation. It felt more like someone, an older person, was speaking the way that they thought seventeen year old boys talked rather than how they really do. It was just off enough to make the reading feel weird.
I also found it hard to relate to the characters, or at least feel somewhat connected to them enough that I would want to find out more about them.
The way that these characters were written made them feel like extremes of a truth. They came off like caricatures of real people and that detracted from the message that the author seems to have intended.
Combined with the writing style as mentioned above, along with the less than stellar character portrayal, I found myself dragging through this book and not enjoying it much at all.
The plot sounded promising and I found that the idea behind the novel was good, but the execution left something to be desired.
The way that the protagonist, Jake, spoke did not seem authentic to his age or situation. It felt more like someone, an older person, was speaking the way that they thought seventeen year old boys talked rather than how they really do. It was just off enough to make the reading feel weird.
I also found it hard to relate to the characters, or at least feel somewhat connected to them enough that I would want to find out more about them.
The way that these characters were written made them feel like extremes of a truth. They came off like caricatures of real people and that detracted from the message that the author seems to have intended.
Combined with the writing style as mentioned above, along with the less than stellar character portrayal, I found myself dragging through this book and not enjoying it much at all.
Fe-Lines: French Cat Poems through the Ages by Olga Pastuchiv, Norman R. Shapiro
3.0
I don't usually read non-fiction, so picking up this volume was a bit of a departure for me. I do love cats, though, so that helped me make up my mind to give it a try.
Poetry can be a difficult subject to discuss because the flow and the content make it a very personal topic. This is a volume of translated work, which made the assortment of poems even more interesting. There are pieces in it from hundreds of year ago to more modern times, which is a nice variety.
Some of the older pieces I did not care for because the language was a product of its time and thus very different from what I am used to. This difficulty was especially evident in the older poems of a longer length.
One of my favorite poems was The Cat and the Dog by Andre Auguste Tandon (1759-1824). It typifies the relationship between cat and dog in a humorous way. The translator had to do a bit of work with this one regarding the dog's voice as there's a stammer there, but I think that he managed to capture the attitude of the dog.
Another favorite was The Clock by Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867). This was one that was more of the poetic prose sort that read more like a story to me, but in such a lyrical way that I would certainly call it poetry. It speaks to the cat lover's soul, illustrating the serenity that one might enjoy in the company of your feline.
Something that was an interesting feature was that the first half of the book is the translated works and the second half of the book was the originals. It was not as much of a draw for me because I cannot read French, but for someone that does, it could be fun to flip back and forth to see the differences between the original and the translated work.
The illustrations by Olga Pastuchiv were a great choice to include in this volume. Looking at them on a Kindle screen, they look like delicate pencil sketches that are smudged in just the right places. It gives the poems a sort of ethereal quality that fits most of the poems.
The reason that I am giving this a 3 star rating is that the older poems selected for the beginning of the book were too heavy for me; they felt as though they were dragging too much.
Another drawback was the introduction that also had that dragging feeling. It could easily be skipped, though, and wouldn't need to be read more than once if you were indeed interested in pushing through it.
Poetry can be a difficult subject to discuss because the flow and the content make it a very personal topic. This is a volume of translated work, which made the assortment of poems even more interesting. There are pieces in it from hundreds of year ago to more modern times, which is a nice variety.
Some of the older pieces I did not care for because the language was a product of its time and thus very different from what I am used to. This difficulty was especially evident in the older poems of a longer length.
One of my favorite poems was The Cat and the Dog by Andre Auguste Tandon (1759-1824). It typifies the relationship between cat and dog in a humorous way. The translator had to do a bit of work with this one regarding the dog's voice as there's a stammer there, but I think that he managed to capture the attitude of the dog.
Another favorite was The Clock by Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867). This was one that was more of the poetic prose sort that read more like a story to me, but in such a lyrical way that I would certainly call it poetry. It speaks to the cat lover's soul, illustrating the serenity that one might enjoy in the company of your feline.
Something that was an interesting feature was that the first half of the book is the translated works and the second half of the book was the originals. It was not as much of a draw for me because I cannot read French, but for someone that does, it could be fun to flip back and forth to see the differences between the original and the translated work.
The illustrations by Olga Pastuchiv were a great choice to include in this volume. Looking at them on a Kindle screen, they look like delicate pencil sketches that are smudged in just the right places. It gives the poems a sort of ethereal quality that fits most of the poems.
The reason that I am giving this a 3 star rating is that the older poems selected for the beginning of the book were too heavy for me; they felt as though they were dragging too much.
Another drawback was the introduction that also had that dragging feeling. It could easily be skipped, though, and wouldn't need to be read more than once if you were indeed interested in pushing through it.
Into a Million Pieces by Angela V. Cook
3.0
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3 Stars
This was an odd book for me to read as I had not read a book before where the main character was a succubus, never mind twin succubi. There had been side characters in other novels, of course, but the focus afforded to Jade and Allison made it a whole different experience in Into a Million Pieces.
Characters
I liked Allison a lot because she has a lot of inner strength, which I suppose you would have to have if you were not only a succubus, but one with a sister that doesn't understand the danger of the situation she shares with you, an aunt constantly shoving religious views down your throat, and the overwhelming temptation that is an attractive male when you're a hormone ridden teenager.
There were a few aspects of her character that annoyed me. In the beginning she knows that taunting Julie is sinking down to the mean girl's level won't help or be right, but she does it anyway. That was infuriating, her knowing better but disregarding that feeling. She seemed whiny at times and a bit foolish in other moments, especially near the end.
Jade was a bit over the top for me, but I think that served a purpose because she was an example of what can happen in paranormal/fantasy books when you don't pay attention to a curse. You're a succubus, girl, get used to it!
She had her good points in that, while she didn't listen to her sister's warning or her mother's example, she did care about Allison in her own way and was protective, though like her aunt she did not go about protecting her in the right way.
Aunt Sarah reminded me of a lesser version of the mother from Carrie, until the end at least. She was unsettling to say the least because of how hard she was pushing her agenda on the girls. I understand that she was attempting to save them through the same method that "saved her", but boy was she going about it the wrong way.
Ren was a pretty cool guy and I liked him, even if Allison was suspicious of him at first. Their relationship was hurried and for me bordered on instant love which is a trope I've said before I hate. That's one of a few reasons why I think Into a Million Pieces would have benefited from being a bit longer.
Writing/Plot
There were a few segments where I thought that I would not be able to continue. It started in chapter one where things seemed to take off far too quickly, but that got better when things started to get explained. This was a fast book to get through and I did so in a few hours.
The plot was interesting to a point, but it and the writing felt rushed. I think it would have been a more satisfying novel if it had been fleshed out a bit more and certain plot points given more time to develop.
Even with the problems that I had with the book, it was still an enjoyable read that could be finished in a day, perhaps two.
Rating: 3 Stars
This was an odd book for me to read as I had not read a book before where the main character was a succubus, never mind twin succubi. There had been side characters in other novels, of course, but the focus afforded to Jade and Allison made it a whole different experience in Into a Million Pieces.
Characters
I liked Allison a lot because she has a lot of inner strength, which I suppose you would have to have if you were not only a succubus, but one with a sister that doesn't understand the danger of the situation she shares with you, an aunt constantly shoving religious views down your throat, and the overwhelming temptation that is an attractive male when you're a hormone ridden teenager.
There were a few aspects of her character that annoyed me. In the beginning she knows that taunting Julie is sinking down to the mean girl's level won't help or be right, but she does it anyway. That was infuriating, her knowing better but disregarding that feeling. She seemed whiny at times and a bit foolish in other moments, especially near the end.
Jade was a bit over the top for me, but I think that served a purpose because she was an example of what can happen in paranormal/fantasy books when you don't pay attention to a curse. You're a succubus, girl, get used to it!
She had her good points in that, while she didn't listen to her sister's warning or her mother's example, she did care about Allison in her own way and was protective, though like her aunt she did not go about protecting her in the right way.
Aunt Sarah reminded me of a lesser version of the mother from Carrie, until the end at least. She was unsettling to say the least because of how hard she was pushing her agenda on the girls. I understand that she was attempting to save them through the same method that "saved her", but boy was she going about it the wrong way.
Ren was a pretty cool guy and I liked him, even if Allison was suspicious of him at first. Their relationship was hurried and for me bordered on instant love which is a trope I've said before I hate. That's one of a few reasons why I think Into a Million Pieces would have benefited from being a bit longer.
Writing/Plot
There were a few segments where I thought that I would not be able to continue. It started in chapter one where things seemed to take off far too quickly, but that got better when things started to get explained. This was a fast book to get through and I did so in a few hours.
The plot was interesting to a point, but it and the writing felt rushed. I think it would have been a more satisfying novel if it had been fleshed out a bit more and certain plot points given more time to develop.
Even with the problems that I had with the book, it was still an enjoyable read that could be finished in a day, perhaps two.
The Dogs of Newtown by Guy A. Bacon
4.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For something so good to come out of something so horrible is a great comfort.
The author lost his sister to the tragedy of the Sandy Hook school shooting. As a part of the students' recovery, therapy dogs were brought in. I speak from personal experience when I say that therapy dogs are a great help in times like this, when perhaps you're not sure how to talk to another person. A dog, or any animal really, will listen to what you have to say without rejecting you.
The author, being eleven, had a simplistic writing style. It felt a bit stilted, but it also made it easier to experience the stories of these dogs through his eyes.
Note: at the time of this review, my copy did not contain pictures of the dogs themselves. I will update my review at such a time as a hard copy becomes available to me.
For something so good to come out of something so horrible is a great comfort.
The author lost his sister to the tragedy of the Sandy Hook school shooting. As a part of the students' recovery, therapy dogs were brought in. I speak from personal experience when I say that therapy dogs are a great help in times like this, when perhaps you're not sure how to talk to another person. A dog, or any animal really, will listen to what you have to say without rejecting you.
The author, being eleven, had a simplistic writing style. It felt a bit stilted, but it also made it easier to experience the stories of these dogs through his eyes.
Note: at the time of this review, my copy did not contain pictures of the dogs themselves. I will update my review at such a time as a hard copy becomes available to me.
Christmas Cravings by Emma Hamilton
2.0
I received an ARC of this title through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 1.5 Stars
This was a fast read. The writing was decent. When I put the book down, though, all I could think was "huh.".
There wasn't anything special in this story. The first 50% is a load of flashbacks to tell us a little about the couple and why they're not speaking at the moment. The situation that led to that was such an overly simple misunderstanding that I had trouble not being upset with Tom about it because I thought he overreacted.
I didn't feel any connection to the characters and thought that the plot felt like fan fiction of a story that I might have liked at one time. The elements were there, or at least the beginnings of them were, but nothing took off.
The idea that this is a Christmas story didn't feel genuine. This story literally could have taken place at any other time of the year or during any other holiday and the outcome would have been the same, both for the characters and the reader.
Rating: 1.5 Stars
This was a fast read. The writing was decent. When I put the book down, though, all I could think was "huh.".
There wasn't anything special in this story. The first 50% is a load of flashbacks to tell us a little about the couple and why they're not speaking at the moment. The situation that led to that was such an overly simple misunderstanding that I had trouble not being upset with Tom about it because I thought he overreacted.
I didn't feel any connection to the characters and thought that the plot felt like fan fiction of a story that I might have liked at one time. The elements were there, or at least the beginnings of them were, but nothing took off.
The idea that this is a Christmas story didn't feel genuine. This story literally could have taken place at any other time of the year or during any other holiday and the outcome would have been the same, both for the characters and the reader.
Happy! by Pharrell Williams
5.0
The photographs in the book were great and very well suited to the lyrics. I enjoyed "reading" (singing) this book.
The Three Sisters by Sonia Halbach
2.0
This book, from the description, had a lot of potential. It reminded me of other books where the characters venture to other worlds beneath or behind our own, like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere or China Mieville's Un Lun Dun. However, after reading the book, I found that I had been lured in with the pretense and I found myself confronted with a book that just didn't live up to its promise.
I was particularly put off by the first 20% of the book. It was an introduction to Maggie's family, which would not have been so bad had the narrative not gone on and on. There was so little information actually imparted to the reader, but the word count must have been over the top because the whole portion could have been cut down by at least half.
The research that went into this novel was obviously great and I commend the author for that. Not a lot of American readers will have heard of Krampus or, at the very least, know about his origins. It was interesting to read a story that brought that into play.
I'm not sure that I could recommend this book for anyone in particular, but I'm sure that there are some people that don't mind the extraneous detail in the beginning and could get past it to the legend in the later part of the story.
I was particularly put off by the first 20% of the book. It was an introduction to Maggie's family, which would not have been so bad had the narrative not gone on and on. There was so little information actually imparted to the reader, but the word count must have been over the top because the whole portion could have been cut down by at least half.
The research that went into this novel was obviously great and I commend the author for that. Not a lot of American readers will have heard of Krampus or, at the very least, know about his origins. It was interesting to read a story that brought that into play.
I'm not sure that I could recommend this book for anyone in particular, but I'm sure that there are some people that don't mind the extraneous detail in the beginning and could get past it to the legend in the later part of the story.
The Truth About Stacey by Ann M. Martin
3.0
I like the web comic feel to the drawings. I don't remember the original series too well, though I did read them when I was a kid. With that in mind, I can't say whether or not this adaptation brings anything new to the table. The new format might appeal to more readers in this day and age of comics. Come to think of it, though, does anyone trust 13 year olds to babysit? These days I seriously doubt it.
A Castle Full of Cats by Ruth Sanderson
3.0
The art was quite pretty and the story was familiar, though nothing particularly new to the world of cat lovers.
Phoenix Awakens by Eliza Nolan
3.0
This story had a lot of good elements: magic, teenager with a missing parent, a secret society. It has all the markings of a good beginning to a series, which is good because this is apparently book one.
While there were a lot of good points, I felt that there were a few other things that detracted from the story that, had they been rectified, could have led to a stronger narrative overall.
The Good Parts
The plot has a great scope and could very well become at least a trilogy, if the author decides to go that way. There's a lot of history that could be explored, particularly regarding Julia's family.
The concept of powers that come and go was interesting, even if it did have some difficult parts. It's bad enough, right, when you're suddenly saddled with magical powers, but to not even know when they'll appear or how to control them? Scary.
Minneapolis was an interesting choice for the majority of the setting. I don't think I've ever read a book set there, so that was a nice change. I hope to hear more details about the town Julia lives in next time around.
The mythology set up was another unique aspect that I think was really interesting and could be really great if it's expanded. Julia's mother's family is Turkish in history and that opens up a world of legends that haven't been explored in recent young adult literature. These days there are a lot of works about Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. What would an in-depth exploration of Julia's family reveal?
The Not So Good Parts
The first 50% of the book dragged on quite a lot. There was too much focus on Julia's ordinary day when it could have been summed up much quicker. The plot would have benefited from this in that it would have moved along quicker and gotten to the point.
There were a couple characters that I didn't feel were fleshed out very well. Graham, for instance, did not seem to have much going so far as a personality. I would have liked some time taken to discover more about what he was like. All I've got is that he's a guy who got into a bad situation, left, and is the love interest.
Samantha was another character that seemed out of place. She felt like little more than a plot device and not a particularly successful one. I see it as this: everything she "taught" Julia could have easily been Googled. There were some connections regarding the trains that were important, yes, but her development felt weak.
Julia was a bit trying at times. She read younger than seventeen a lot of the time in her words and her thoughts.
This part might not be a bad point per say, but it is a thing that I had a problem with. There were a lot of questions that were left unanswered that should have been wrapped up within this book. Now they may get wrapped up in the second book, but these didn't feel like things that are being stretched to another book, rather things that were forgotten about or not thought out.
Aydan, Julia's dream guide, is never really explained. Who is she? Why is she appearing in Julia's dream? The only clue we get is that they're related somehow.
Why does Julia dream about Graham's past and the things that happened to Clara? This doesn't really get explained either. I assume it has something to do with the Phoenixes and her powers, but that's simple guesswork on my part.
Is Julia's mother really dead? There's speculation that whoever was supposed to kill her might not have. Which is it? This, while unanswered, is something I can live with waiting for until the next book.
While there were a lot of good points, I felt that there were a few other things that detracted from the story that, had they been rectified, could have led to a stronger narrative overall.
The Good Parts
The plot has a great scope and could very well become at least a trilogy, if the author decides to go that way. There's a lot of history that could be explored, particularly regarding Julia's family.
The concept of powers that come and go was interesting, even if it did have some difficult parts. It's bad enough, right, when you're suddenly saddled with magical powers, but to not even know when they'll appear or how to control them? Scary.
Minneapolis was an interesting choice for the majority of the setting. I don't think I've ever read a book set there, so that was a nice change. I hope to hear more details about the town Julia lives in next time around.
The mythology set up was another unique aspect that I think was really interesting and could be really great if it's expanded. Julia's mother's family is Turkish in history and that opens up a world of legends that haven't been explored in recent young adult literature. These days there are a lot of works about Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. What would an in-depth exploration of Julia's family reveal?
The Not So Good Parts
The first 50% of the book dragged on quite a lot. There was too much focus on Julia's ordinary day when it could have been summed up much quicker. The plot would have benefited from this in that it would have moved along quicker and gotten to the point.
There were a couple characters that I didn't feel were fleshed out very well. Graham, for instance, did not seem to have much going so far as a personality. I would have liked some time taken to discover more about what he was like. All I've got is that he's a guy who got into a bad situation, left, and is the love interest.
Samantha was another character that seemed out of place. She felt like little more than a plot device and not a particularly successful one. I see it as this: everything she "taught" Julia could have easily been Googled. There were some connections regarding the trains that were important, yes, but her development felt weak.
Julia was a bit trying at times. She read younger than seventeen a lot of the time in her words and her thoughts.
This part might not be a bad point per say, but it is a thing that I had a problem with. There were a lot of questions that were left unanswered that should have been wrapped up within this book. Now they may get wrapped up in the second book, but these didn't feel like things that are being stretched to another book, rather things that were forgotten about or not thought out.
Aydan, Julia's dream guide, is never really explained. Who is she? Why is she appearing in Julia's dream? The only clue we get is that they're related somehow.
Why does Julia dream about Graham's past and the things that happened to Clara? This doesn't really get explained either. I assume it has something to do with the Phoenixes and her powers, but that's simple guesswork on my part.
Is Julia's mother really dead? There's speculation that whoever was supposed to kill her might not have. Which is it? This, while unanswered, is something I can live with waiting for until the next book.