Thursday, August 23, 2012

Carrie's Abridged Reviews (4)

Curious what I've been reading lately? Want my thoughts in a nutshell? Here goes...

Take a Bow Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg – 4 hearts
Sometimes you just want to read a book that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy. Well mission accomplished.
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen – 4 hearts
A very enjoyable middle-grade fantasy. I found the main character of Sage to be complex and interesting. Put him in a fascinating conflict with some intriguing supporting characters and you have yourself a story. A story of a country on the brink of war, kings, nobleman, thieves and beggars. This story has a lot of heart and I can't wait to see what is in store next.

For Darkness Shows the Stars For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund –  5 hearts
I loved this sci-fi/fantasy retelling of Persuasion. Jane Austen is the queen of strong heroines and she knows how to pull at your heartstrings. Diana did her proud!
Wonder by R.J. Palacio – 5 hearts
What a touching story. I think everyone should read this book. It has such an important message that I will be rereading it with my son. Thank you R.J. Palacio!
 Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness – 4 hearts
I have been eagerly awaiting this sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Deborah Harkness didn't disappoint. Once again this book is chalk full of detail. This time however it's historical details and those details bring 16th century England to life. I enjoyed seeing the growth of Diana and Matthew's relationship as well as a look into Matthew's past. I enjoyed meeting new characters, getting to spend more time with old characters and getting some fun teasers of things to hopefully come. 


Going Too Far Going too Far by Jennifer Echols –  3 hearts
Just finished this book and I'm still trying to work through my thoughts. Not sure if it is a 3 or 4 star book for me. Guess that means it's a 3.5. :-P I enjoyed it overall but I wasn't over the moon about it either. I guess I'm getting caught up in the fact that it was a bit predictable. I pegged something from the start so it wasn't a shock when it was revealed. Also I am struggling with the fact that they live in a small town but yet they were clueless about each other's past. Really? I did like John After though.
Partials by Dan Wells – 4 hearts
This was a pretty rad book. I really enjoyed the world and characters Dan created. He kept me on my toes with lots of action and a twist I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed the dialogue and banter between the characters. His humor was much appreciated. It made me giggle and lightened the mood a bit. The ending left me very excited for the next book. Can I have it right now?? Please and thank you!

Outlander (Outlander Series #1) Changeless by Gail Carriger – 3 hearts
I love Gail's writing style and she never ceases to make me giggle however I have to admit I struggled to get through this one. The plot was rather dull and definitely dragged in places. Toward the end it picked up steam thankfully and oh my goodness what an ending.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon – 4 hearts
Something Like Normal Oh, Outlander. What a rollercoaster ride of a book! You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me swoon, you tied my stomach in knots and left me ready for more. Bring on Jamie Fraser!

Diana Gabaldon doesn't skimp on the details and she isn't afraid to go there so be prepared for some mature subject matter.
Something Like Normal by Trish Doller – 5 hearts 
Something like Normal was sooo good! Finished this book with tears in my eyes! I devoured it in a day. It is a must read in my opinion. As a military brat it touched a special place in my heart. Trish gets big kudos from me!!

6 comments:

  1. Always love to read your thoughts, my friends. And I just added Something Like Normal to my to read list just moments ago. I'm glad to hear you loved it! It's an omen I should procure meself a copy this very day, right? RIGHT!

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  2. What a great idea, Carrie! I love short reviews. I've read 7 of these books and enjoyed them all. Sometimes I finish a book and don't have the energy for a long review, or can't come up with enough to say about it. But short ones can be just as effective! I've thought about doing something like this on my blog, for books I've read in the past but didn't write a lot about.

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  3. Great suggestions. What is Take A Bow about?

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    1. It is about kids in a performing arts school.

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  4. This is fun! I've finished four of these, but I want to read several of the others. MAN OH MAN Something Like Normal was just a breakout book for me - helped me appreciate contemporary YA and also it was a dang good book. I can't wait for Trish's next book. Also, YAY for the Outlander book! I never would've made it through that one without the rest of the gals reading it too. And I'm ready for the next Partials book too. I love the cover of book two.

    Also, I really liked Going Too Far. I read it during my contemporary month and it was my first Echols. I don't know if all of her books are ones that I'll love, but there are a few more that I plan to try.

    Great post! Love these minis!

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