Review: 2018 on Goodreads

2018 on Goodreads by Various
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

STATS
Books read: 130
Total pages: 47, 628
Average pages: 366
My average rating: 3.4 stars

BEST BOOKS I READ IN 2018 (Excluding re-reads)
1. The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly Review Here
2. Graevale by Lynette Noni Review Here
3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Review Here
4. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Review Here
5. A Thousand Perfect Notes by CG Drews Review Here
6. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Review Here
7. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth Review Here

These books all scored the elusive 5 stars from me so GO READ NOW

2018 Re-reads
Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling Review for Deathly Hallows Here (includes links to reviews for previous books in the series)
Three Musketeers Series by Alexandre Dumas Review for The Three Musketeers Here
Contest by Matthew Reilly Review Here

My most popular reviews

1. The Lost Man by Jane Harper: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4. Cedar Valley by Holly Throsby: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
5. Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Worst books of the year
1 star:
Rise Sister Rise by Rebecca Campbell
French Kissing by Catherine Sanderson

2 stars:
Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Path of the Lost by Beau Kondos
Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory
The Island by MA Bennett
Harry Potter: The Prequel by JK Rowling
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

General Overview

My original reading challenge was 80 books, but when I was smashing through them I upped it to 100 and still managed to far exceed my goal, so pretty proud of that. Coincidentally, I watched a lot less TV this year!

I got easily distracted by new books this year, and was rarely reading fewer than four at a time. (I'm STILL slogging away with The Sword of Shannara, which has been on my bedside table for something like 2 years, now. I wonder if 2019 will be the year I finally finish it?!) Surprise surprise, it looks like I bought more books than I read. Sorry, TBR Pile.

Thanks to our brilliant Aussie Readers group, I scored a lot of ARCs, and I also signed on as a reviewer for Pan Macmillan so I've had a lot of fun reading new releases this year and am looking forward to some more sneak peeks next year! So grateful to have these opportunities, and have the publishers to thank for some pleasant surprises I otherwise probably wouldn't have read: Cedar Valley by Holly Throsby, The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton, The Lost Man by Jane Harper. I'm also so incredibly grateful to have had early access to books I knew I'd love: The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly and Two Dark Reigns by Kendare Blake. I've got a bit of a backlog of freebies atm so January will be a busy month for all of these brilliant new releases!

My personal challenge at the start of the year was to read 15 spiritual/self-development type books which I tragically failed, but I did manage 8 so pretty happy with that! I am a zen hen. I also had a fair crack at some group challenges and I'm pretty sure that's what I have to thank for the increase in books read this year!

My Reading Highlight of the Year was (re)reading my favourite book of all time, The Three Musketeers, IN FRANCE. What an incredible experience. I was able to wander the streets of Paris, sussing out where some of the action took place, and my trip to Belle Ile was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and I have this series to thank for that. Absolute definition of a DREAM COME TRUE <3

I've made hundreds of Goodreads friends this year and it's been so fantastic interacting with fellow booklovers! I wish the newsfeed was more consistent with showing me everyone's updates but I promise I am perusing what I can! I've read some great books simply because I've read a great review that's put me onto it, so I'm forever grateful for how much reading inspiration my GR friends provide!

Overall, 2018 has been a fantastic reading year for me so I feel very lucky! Also very impressed that I only gave 2 1-star ratings - I must be getting soft!

THANK YOU 2018!!!

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Review: Rip Van Winkle

Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute but strange story that is probably more important to American readers than this ignorant Aussie.

I've heard the name Rip Van Winkle but knew nothing about the story, so this was an interesting experience for me. I loved the description of this old guy who is loved by everyone except his overbearing wife, and how he spends his idle days.

It must be said though: I'm not entirely sure this story would be nearly as entertaining without the illustrations. I read this version online and I'd be curious to see the pictures on the page. I'm pretty sure I'd be staring at them for a while. They're so detailed and, honestly, kinda creepy. But it really encourages the imagination, which I loved.

I don't understand the point/subtext of the story, that I'm certain has something to do with the independence of the USA, but on its own its an interesting, whimsical sort of story that's written well.

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Review: The Shunned House

The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Errrr ... yep okay this one is weird.

At first it just seemed like another eerie, atmospheric tale about a spooky old house, but then there was the conjecture about what was causing this house to be so evil and ... well, let's just say that it won me over in the end.

It took its time getting to the fun stuff, for a short story, but it was totally worth it in the end.

I don't feel like it's particularly groundbreaking, but it certainly ended on a unique note.

My first Lovecraft story, but certainly not my last!

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Review: Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Bruh.

Clearly another book that is too clever for me.

Actually, it's probably more that I'm way too lazy to tease out all the symbolism.

I mean, the guy turns into a bug. Then instead of wondering how or why, he's stressing over how he's gonna get to work because he absolutely cannot lose his job.

Clever, oh so very clever.

I felt a lot of pity for this dude, not because he was suddenly a bug but because of how despairingly dull his work life seemed to be. So I guess that's some decent writing.

The way his family treated him, though ... I honestly can't be bothered to work out what exactly its trying to say about society.

I'm guessing it's not particularly uplifting, though. More of like a, 'life goes on' kind of message, I'm thinking.

Let's face it: this story is bizarre. It's completely random. This is the kind of book that English teachers will get a sick kick out of assigning. I feel sorry for anyone who has to read this against their will because it is, quite frankly, kind of a downer.

Not really my cup of tea, but the intellectuals will get a kick out of exploring all the meanings behind this ridiculous story.

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Review: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Look, you can't really read this book without comparing it to Harry Potter, but it does have its own merits so I'll try not to dwell too long on the similarities.

But first, here's the opening: our protagonist lives a miserable existence with a family that blames her for everything that goes wrong, and mistreats her because of things out of her control. Then, on her 11th birthday she's rescued by a large man who bursts in and spouts a whole bunch of nonsense -which he expects our protagonist to understand, even though she's standing there looking at him like an idiot - before whisking her away to a magical land where everyone instantly loves her.

Sounds familiar, right?

The mysterious, quirky, and overly friendly Hagrid Jupiter North is a kindly protector who takes Morrigan off to Nevermoor, gives her a place in his home, and then proceeds to go full Dumbledore disappear frequently and also not tell Morrigan anything about what she actually has to do. She loves him, but she's understandably frustrated that he refuses to tell her what he's up to, and the full extent of the mess he's gotten her into. But hey, she gets a free umbrella, so ... *shrugs*

The fantasy land created here was a lot to take in at first, but once you get used to the flood of magic in Nevermoor it's fun to just go with it. I'm always a fan of creative magical things so I was enamoured with the constantly changing bedroom, and the variety of talented characters. Plus, dragons. If you want me to forgive all of your ridiculous ripping off of other story lines, throw me dragons and I will happily sit back and allow you to proceed.

Give me a prankster dragon-rider and I might even be grinning.

I love Hawthorne. He's a lot of fun - young, reckless, carefree, and straight up. I was expecting Morrigan to make a few more friends her own age, but if all we get is Hawthorne, I'll still be happy. He's a good egg. Expecting more of Anah in the sequel, though.

Jupiter is also a really likeable character, even if he is a little too Dumbledore at times. He seems a little naive, and I hate that he's constantly keeping secrets, but overall I like that he's actually out and about doing important things. Plus him refereeing between Mog and Jack was adorable.

Jack is a great character, too, and I was 100% on his side when Morrigan was all, 'get out of my seat.' Because, RUDE. Girl, get some manners. My money is on a romance down the track, though. It'll bug me, but I'm preparing myself for it now.

Look, I kinda have the same problem with Morrigan that I had with Harry. They're both obnoxious, and expect the world to revolve around them. They snap at people and are rude and angsty and get cranky over stupid things. They are both all, 'oh dear, I don't want to be evil!' but then they mope about it and actually seem a bit proud of how hard life is for themselves? Cheer up, kids. Morrigan also wears black all the time which is a small thing but basically shouts, 'I hate anything fun' and that makes me a little sad. Just ... angsty characters depress me. Go have some fun pranking people with your friends, please. It's much more entertaining.

I like the uniqueness of the hotel and its cast of characters, so that was a great selling point. The actual world of Nevermoor is a little hard for me to picture so it was nice to have this downsized version to accommodate to, first. I'm still not entirely sure how the transport system works, tbh.

YES, there are some uncanny similarities between this book and HP, but it does manage to find it's own niche and create a colourful, unique world of new magic for the reader to discover. It IS middle grade, so the target audience is going to appreciate this a lot more than a jaded adult, so please take that into account. There are some fantastic characters that will steal your heart, and there is plenty of action to keep the pace rolling.

Overall, a pretty fantastic start to a new fantasy series that's bound to be a hit with both younger and older readers alike.

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Review: Renegades

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I AM HERE FOR THE SUPERHEROES AND ALSO THE VILLAINS BECAUSE I AM AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY READER.

Basically, heroes and villains causing chaos and wreaking havoc with chases and explosions and nifty gadgets will always have me lining up for a front row seat.

Admittedly, the start was a little slow. Nova needs her origin story so it took its time getting into the fun, reluctant teamwork stuff, but thankfully we get the view split between her and Adrian so that helped stave off boredom. Plus. Nova is pretty badass so I was digging that.

I did enjoy how hellbent on taking down the good guys Nova was - to start with. Eventually, that got a little tiresome, and I was so frustrated that, even though she was seeing this new side to them, she was still obsessed with revenge. She just shoved everybody into categories instead of taking them each on their own merits and that kinda blindness bugs me so much. She didn't quite develop as much as I hoped she would.

That being said, there are a lot of asshole characters in this book so I kinda can't blame her too much? But, duh, Ingrid is quite clearly psychotic so you really need to let that friendship go, girl.

Adrian was fun, because he was exactly what he should be for a wannabe hero. He likes to save people, but he also wants to make the world a better place. His blind faith kinda balances Nova's blind hatred so together they work really well. I'm expecting some serious angst in the next book from this pair, though. They have some conflicting personal issues that they really need to work through, I feel.

Support characters were fun and hooray for awesome weird unique super powers like bees and butterflies and poison. I mean, some of the origin stories were pretty terrible but hey, whatever. I'm happy to roll with it.

I feel like this book has a lot of political subtext about the need for heroes and society relying on other people to save it etc. so that was kind of fun but it's not necessary to overthink it. It just creates some interesting dynamics in the story, makes it very grey instead of black and white which was quite entertaining.

There's also great diversity with the characters, with some being rather easy to get attached to. I'm really looking forward to getting to know a bit more about these characters in the next one.

The pace is a little uneven, with some parts slower going than others, but overall this had enough action to keep me entertained. There are plenty of cliches and stereotypes but this book cleverly uses them against themselves to carve out a really unique story. I appreciated that.

Overall, it wasn't as hectic as I was hoping for but it was still a really fun action story with some great characters. Can't wait to read the next one!

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Review: Unsheltered

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Well.

Barbara Kingsolver is clearly an intelligent lady.

Here's the thing, though.

I just don't have time for her philosophical ramblings and debates.

This was DULL and such a complete drainer to read.

We've got a split time line, which is becoming increasingly common, and here, quite honestly, it seems a little pointless. Thatcher is teaching science in 1871, and using Darwin's theories to fight the creationism that's so prevalent in the town. In 2016, Willa's life is crumbling around her, just like the house she's living in.

I'm gonna be honest. When I got over halfway through and there was still not a lot happening besides debates and ramblings on science and politics and a whole bunch of other stuff I didn't really give a crap about, I started to skim. I managed to finish off this book without losing much of the storyline, and I was doing some pretty heavy skimming. My point? NOTHING HAPPENS.

There are going to be a ton of people who love this book. It's extremely clever, and contains heated debates on all manner of topics, and it can get quite philosophical. To me, it was like that family relative that gets drunk at xmas and suddenly has to communicate all their ideas on every subject imaginable. It was too much. I love science, and I'm particularly fascinated by Darwin's work, but I was over 100 pages in before a brief mention of him reminded me that his name in the blurb is what had attracted me to this book in the first place. There was not enough Darwinism to save this for me.

This honestly felt more like a platform for the author to make a bunch of clever points that are important to her, and that's great and all but it just made for such an incredibly boring story.

This is another one of those books that's more about language and ideas than actual story. IE: not my jam. I want to give it an extra star for how much other people might love it, but to be honest it just wasted too much of my valuable reading time for me to feel generous towards it.

With thanks to A&U for my ARC



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Review: I Am a Soul Champion: How to Live a Spiritually Guided Life Through Manifestation, Intuition, Positivity, and Archangel Aromatherapy

I Am a Soul Champion: How to Live a Spiritually Guided Life Through Manifestation, Intuition, Positivity, and Archangel Aromatherapy by Rachael White
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a bit of a tough one to rate!

I was lucky enough to meet the author at MBS Fest earlier this year (which is when I picked up the book) and she is such a lovely, open, passionate person. She believes 100% in her purpose and that is evident in the pages of this book.

I guess that's why I wanted to love this more than I did.

Rather than being a standalone book on how to make positive changes in your life, this is more of an accompaniment to the aromatherapy products the author produces. That's perfectly fine and there's a lot of helpful information in this book, but it's hard to not take it as an extra selling tool. I can understand the benefits of using the aromatherapy as prescribed, but I don't think its as essential as this book would have you believe.

So without me going into my own spiritual beliefs, let's see what worked for me and what didn't.

What worked:
-The science behind using aromatherapy
-The message of the power of the mind
-Explanations on the effects of energy
-The anecdotes and examples
-The explanations of which angels are linked to which attributes
-Handy guides for aromatherapy use, rituals, meditation etc.

What didn't work:
-The repetition
-The really, really long sentences
-The really, really long sentences being jam-packed with long words
-The notion that nothing will work for you properly unless you're using specific products
-When things got a little too personal - it made me uncomfortable

Overall, this is an interesting take on the power of the mind, with the addition of angel guidance, but it's going to be hard to swallow for the cynics and even believers may have a hard time following all the instructions. This is probably one I'll reference when I am looking for guidance for specific issues but as a general guide it's a rather narrow focus. There are definitely better books out there that can teach 'how to live a spiritually guided life' but if you're willing to fork out for the range of aromatherapy products on offer then this will be a really handy tool.

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Review: Cress

Cress by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The fun kinda dropped off here a bit so we're back to three stars. Sorry but apparently Scarlet and Wolf stole my heart in the last book so I'm offended that this book expects me to get over them so quick.

I do like how this series collects characters with each book, though the coupling is starting to grate. This time we've got Rapunzel Cress, who has been held captive in a satellite for most of her life, but she's been in contact with Cinder and the gang so her world is about to go topsy-turvy.

I was honestly expecting more of life on the satellite, but I guess that small a location would have made things a little boring. Instead, we get miles and miles of sand. I really hate desert settings. All anyone does is complain about the heat and the sand. YAWN.

Cress is obsessed with Thorne after researching his life on her lonely little satellite and he's, as yet, uncoupled, so naturally we get a lil romance in that direction. Was not feeling it. Sorry. Thorne just feels really old and ... experienced ... compared to naive Cress and that kinda weirded me out a little. I mean, I like that he was a comforting presence for her but I was honestly concerned about how vulnerable she was all the time . She was not my fave. I know all characters can't be badass like Scarlet but it hurt that she had to take a backseat in this one and let Cress take the wheel. Plus, Thorne was such a sassy, sneaky criminal type in the last one so to see him soften up this much hurts my heart a little. I need him to be stealing more, picking more locks, breaking and entering, etc. Just give me some small misdemeanors. DON'T YOU LOSE YOUR BAD BOY SOUL ON ME NOW.

Cinder, as the hero, gets a little more screen time and we're also seeing a little more of Kai (and dying inside waiting for that reunion) so I didn't mind that so much. As least Cinder is still a no-nonsense kinda gal. Plus Iko is fun. She has so much energy and enthusiasm and I appreciate that. I also appreciate her situational inappropriateness. She says exactly what she's thinking whenever she's thinking it. It's quite refreshing.

I'm starting to kinda not feel anything for the whole, 'evil queen trying to take over the world' business. Like, it was always talked about but not a lot happened there? I'm not hugely seeing the evil I guess. I mean, obviously I get WHY she's evil and what she's doing is evil but she doesn't actually get a lot of screen time to help us to hate her. She's a disappointingly generic kinda evil. Sybil is a little more savage but still not enough.

Overall, I feel like this book was a little step backwards in terms of pace and excitement. We've had all the world building, and the last book was action-packed and full of mystery-solving with some fantastic new, dynamic characters, and this one kinda slows down to talk about feelings. Even the fairytale angle was a little thin, here. I enjoyed it, but it was kinda bland compared to the last one.

I'm really looking forward to some serious action in the last book. I want explosions, destruction of property, Wolf and Scarlet going berserk together; guns, fire, telekinesis.

Snow White better bring her A-Game.

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Review: The Dazzling Heights

The Dazzling Heights by Katharine McGee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you've read my bio, this series is the perfect example of lovable trash.

RICH KID DRAMA. It's so freaking cliche but I love it! It's my guilty pleasure because it's so bad it's good. That being said, I probably enjoyed the first book more. Way more drama.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for The Thousandth Floor, my review for which can be read here.

Book 2 begins with the same kind of dramatic opening we had with the first book, but here it just felt like there was no heart in it; like it was included for the gimmick. Was only slightly curious this time. Maybe it was just not as exciting as someone falling a thousand floors, I don't know. *shrugs*

All the characters we love to hate are reeling from the death of Eris, who they were all pretty sh*tty to in the last book. DON'T ACT LIKE YOU WERE A GOOD FRIEND, YO. I must say, though - I also missed Eris. She was such a fun, edgy character. She was kind of a terrible person so much fun drama. Her girlfriend was a nightmare though so thank god she's barely in this one. Eris gets plenty of mentions, but it's just not the same.

Then we've got new girl, Calliope, whose name sounds made up and actually is. Her and her mum are here to cause DRAMA so excuse me while I get some popcorn. I fully support their nefarious deeds. Much fun. This is the spoilt rich drama I came for. Plus, Callie has set her sights on Atlas, and I'm much more inclined to ship that relationship than Atlas and his sister.

I am still not cool with the sibling romance, FYI.

Atlas may have been adopted, but they were raised together. They grew up together as siblings, they live in the same house, they have the same parents, and they introduce one another as BROTHER AND SISTER. But they are also torn apart by the fact that they are deeply in love but no one will allow their relationship? GUYS. YOU'RE RELATED. OF COURSE THAT SH*T IS MESSED UP.

As much as I love Avery causing drama with her raging jealousy - such a contrast to her good-girl personality - it was not enough to make me okay with this. I cringe. I make disgusted faces. This relationship IS NOT COOL.

So excuse me if I don't shed a tear for Avery and Atlas and their tragically doomed relationship. I'm so done with these two.

I have all the time in the world for Leda, though. I didn't like her in the first book because she was such a psycho, but I really enjoyed her in this book because she was such a psycho XD She is the star of all the best drama so she makes things a lot of fun. So moody, so nasty, so savage. What a queen. Plus she knows everyone's secrets so she's the real star of the show.

Rylin was one of my favourite characters in the last book (even though she was an idiot) so I was a little disappointed that she didn't have as big a part. Her drama is so minimal and dull and I honestly just wanted her and Cord to get back together because he is the perfect man <3 But no, minimal partying for Good Girl Rylin. *sigh* She needs a Sandy-at-the-end-of-Grease transformation. Cord deserves some hot action. He's taken everything on the chin like a champ.

Then we've got our geek-who-is-not-a-geek-just-super-smart-with-computers Watt. Definitely still too chill to be a proper nerd. I loved the nastiness between him and Leda, though. That was good times. I want him to get involved with more people, though; branch out a bit into the friendship circle. His MIT drama was too cliche and boring.

It was nice to see that these kids to actually go to school occasionally, even if there still wasn't enough school drama for my liking. I love the parties that lead to drunken mistakes, but there could easily have been more. I mean, I love this series for how ridiculous the drama gets, and this book was pretty tame compared to the last one. I needed more scandal and regret.

Honestly, I can't relate to any of these characters so it's kinda fun to just sit back and watch their lives fall apart. Sadly, they all mostly kept themselves together in this one.

I'm really hoping for some top notch scandals in the next book, and much more drama. I want more random hookups and terrible choices and mistakes and dirty little secrets. I'm not here to mess around.

Average drama, but still highly addictive trash. No way am I walking away from this guilty little pleasure of a series.

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Review: Talon

Talon by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I came here for dragons. Was not disappointed.

Summary: Ember and Dante are dragons disguised as humans. They are learning to act human by making friends with humans and doing fun human things, while doing secret dragon training on the side. Garret is a dragon-hunting human, whose latest mission involves pretending to be a normal human. He does this by making friends with humans and doing fun human things.

I liked these characters. Ember is so feisty and I loved that inner fire (haha) that made her so headstrong and determined to do things her own way. I liked that, even though she wasn't allowed to dragon-up, she still wasn't afraid to kick boys in the balls when they were jerks.

Garret was a little bit too mopey and rigid but I liked when he got sassy. That little glimpse of cheekiness was FUN. Plus - here's a new one for me - I liked that he had 'gunmetal eyes'?? Such a ridiculous thing but I was so very attached to this description. Not that I've ever seen anyone with grey eyes in my entire life. Is this actually a real thing?

Anyhoo. Their whole relationship is entirely predictable and full of inevitable drama, but I enjoyed it with lots of heavy sighs. They were just CUTE.

Dante ... oh, how he disappointed me. I wanted more of him, and I wanted him to be less straight-laced. I wanted to read about him having his own fun, and being an annoying older brother, and doing stupid things ... his part in this book was incredibly underwhelming. Overall, he turned out to be a pretty dull character.

You know who was fun though? RILEY/COBALT. Oh, hey, look - I'm keen on the bad boy again. *dramatic sigh* He was also not in it quite as much as I'd have liked, and I appreciated his edginess so he was less fun when his edges were softened, but he was fairly entertaining. I do wish he'd been a little more badass, though. More rebel, more fierce, more sassy. Oh well. I'll take what I can get.

I enjoyed the fun human things, and was surprised at myself enjoying all that bloody surfing. I mean, it's just surfing. I don't get it. But they were fun interactions so okay then! I liked the group of friends, too, though I never became particularly attached. Was secretly hoping at least one of them would turn out to be a dragon.

The book is divided into two main chunks, and the second part is where we get the most fun dragon action with teeth and claws and scales and, like I said, I came here for dragons. That amped things up and made it all much more fun and entertaining. The first part is mostly boy/girl drama, which is fun but less dragon-y. I liked the action, and there was much more to be had in the second part of the book, which gives me abundant hope for the next book.

Beyond the original idea of dragons shapeshifting into humans to fit in, there's nothing terribly unique in this book. It's very Romeo and Juliet with its forbidden romance, even if neither of our loved-up puppies realises; it's quite obvious that it's all a disaster waiting to happen. The characters are familiar enough, as are the events, and even the training. The rebelling against a structured society. The rebels who are actually the good guys. The oblivious friends. Not a lot that I haven't read before. But I still really enjoyed it, and I'm so glad there was still vicious dragon action because that was the 4th star for me. Without the dragon action, this is a pretty average, 3-star read.

It's not exactly a work of genius but it is a fun story with likable characters and plenty of drama. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. Hopefully there'll be even more dragons.


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Review: The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton by Anstey Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Musical - literally - and highly predictable, but still an enjoyable story.

Plot: Grace is in love with David. Things get complicated. Grace seeks solace in her instrument-making, and the company of a headstrong teenager and an elderly man. There is intermittent David-drama.

The drama level is pretty high here, and even though I basically predicted everything, it still caught my breath to actually read the way it all played out. It's lucky there are so few characters because they all have their own stories and we're given enough detail and time to get attached. I definitely got attached. Not so much to Grace, who annoyed me a lot, or David, who is a scumbag who calls Grace 'darling' and 'sweetie' and other equally eye-roll-worthy names waaaaaay too many times, but mostly to Fiery Nadia and Nice Guy Mr Williams. These two are the real MVPs.

So the story is sweet and dramatic; highly predictable but nevertheless enjoyable.

The writing is unique. I am on the fence. It's beautiful and elegant, and contains some really beautiful phrases, but it's also full of an insane amount of detail regarding music and instruments and honestly, it was pretty much lost on me. I appreciate the attempts to describe, but I basically had no clue what I was reading. Oh well.

I was also incredibly bothered by how many times the author used LITERALLY (hence my cheeky opening line) because it was overused and, in some cases, incorrect. This is one of my pet hates.

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this one but I nudged it up thanks to my love of everything French and how this book catered to it. I loved reliving my own memories as the author described places I myself have been. Ah, such fond memories.

If you're looking for a sweet little contemporary with elegant language, attention to detail and cosy settings, this is the book for you. It's quite lovely, and I'd recommend for an easy, light-hearted page-turner.

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Review: Medea and Other Plays: Medea / Hecabe / Electra / Heracles

Medea and Other Plays: Medea / Hecabe / Electra / Heracles by Euripides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Medea (22/11/18)

Dang that Medea is one frosty ICE QUEEN. She's upset because the man she moved overseas for (after killing her bro - but that's another story) decided to shack up with another woman so I kinda can't blame her? But then she kinda goes next level and it's definitely tragic.

How about these quotes though:

'If only children could be got some other way,
Without the female sex! If women didn't exist,
Human life would be rid of all its miseries.' (Jason)

'O Zeus! Why have you given us clear signs to tell
True gold from counterfeit; but when we need to know
Bad men from good, the flesh bears no revealing mark?' (Medea)

Girl, I hear you. That Jason is an A-grade A-hole.

Like, I'm secretly just a little bit proud of her for standing up for herself.

Just not, you know, that last bit. That was probably going a little too far.

***

Hecate (25/11/18)

Man, I really feel for Hecate in this one! Interesting to kind of read a snippet of what may have gone down after the Trojan War. Hecate is a fascinating character, and I enjoyed the way she reasoned things out.

Gotta admit, I LOVE revenge stories, so this one was fun. I feel sorry for all the kids getting the raw deal in all their parents' drama, though.

The 'Chorus' character does confuse me a little, with them all speaking as one.

Also this, like Medea, has some serious gender battles.

'... To be brief,
I'll say just this: all the abuse that men have heaped
On women in time past, all they are saying now
Or will ever say, I can sum it in one phrase:
No monster like a woman breeds in land or sea;
And those who have most to do with women know it best.'

Savage.

I probably liked this a bit more than Medea, though; I think because Hecate's grief is more powerful, and her cause more justified.

***

Electra (28/11/18)

Although I liked how short and (not so) sweet Medea was, this was probably my favourite in terms of themes.

Electra's peasant husband is a cool cat; very respectful and I was happy for Electra in that respect. I really enjoyed her discussing revenge with her bro because it felt like finally we had a good cause to root for. Even though killing people is not the answer, blah, blah, blah. But the way the themes twisted and wrung out different emotions was quite powerful.

The explanations from Clytemnestra were quite interesting, as well! I mean, she kinda sounds like a savage, but good on her not putting up with that, 'a woman must agree with her husband on everything' crap. Huh. Kinda seems like Euripides was a feminist waaaaay ahead of his time.

One to go!

***

Heracles (29/11/18)

Guh, this one was the worst.

It hurt my heart.

We all know Hercules/Heracles, the half-god-half-mortal son of Zeus (and, according to this, also some other guy called Amphitryon? I need to brush up on my Greek myths) who did a bunch of tough tasks that we all refer to as labors. Then you get this tragic ending where H is off slaying Cerberus (poor puppy) and in the meantime this psycho king is planning to kill his wife and kids. (I have a lot of love for Megara because I always picture her as the sass queen from the Disney version.)

Herc is a hero. I really like him. So to read his tragedy was a little heart-breaking.

Here's some good quotes though!

'Friends, life's a brief and trivial thing, Such as it is,
As you pass through, find as much pleasure as you can ...'

'Good-bye to all my famous labours! They're a waste of time, while I
Neglected to help my own.'

***

Overall, a really great, tragic collection. Highly recommend for those interested in a more creative take on some well-known legends.

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Review: The Hanging Girl

The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

'Are you actually aware why there are camels in the desert and no giraffes?' asked Assad.
... 'The answer is simple. If there were giraffes in the desert they'd die of sorrow.'
'Aha! And why's that?'
'Because they're so tall, they'd know that there was just endless sand as far as the eye could see. Fortunately for the camel, it doesn't know this, so it trudges on assuming that an oasis is just around the corner.'
Carl nodded. 'I understand. You feel like a giraffe in the desert, right?'
'Yes, a bit. Just right now.'

Bless Assad and all of his camel analogies.

I really do immensely enjoy this series. Crotchety old Carl who grudgingly takes on cases when he'd much rather be napping in between cigarettes with his feet up on the desk. The quiet and strange Assad, who has a camel-related saying for any situation. Crazy old Rose who has a quick temper and strong stubborn streak. Even slimy Gordon who is slowly working his way into the team. I love the way they all work together. I love how Carl's reluctance is completely ignored by his subordinates.

This time they're forced to take over an old, unsolved hit-and-run case that left a girl hanging in a tree. It leads the gang to a spiritual cult organisation that we're given inside info on through the viewpoint of the cult organisation leader's right-hand woman.

The split view, as always, keeps things interesting, because you're pretty sure you know what happened but it's still vague enough to keep you guessing. There were some really fascinating characters built into this one, and as a spiritual person I was particularly fascinated by the ideas and theories and the way the organisation operated. I mean, spiritualism is one thing, but blindly following the ideas of another is a little scary. So the story angle was fascinating and hooked me slightly more than the previous books.

The police work is always fun, and while I did lose track a little of who was who, the writing seems to expect that and reminds you each time a minor character is re-introduced. It's a fairly lengthy novel at 600+ pages, but there's plenty to keep the story moving, and keep you invested in what's happening.

Six books in, I still don't know if the brilliantly direct writing is genuine or a by-product of the translation, but either way I thoroughly enjoy it. It can be really vague at times, but Carl is so snappy and sarcastic and his little comments peppered throughout are a lot of fun. Add to that Assad's endless optimism and enthusiasm, and his imperfect English (Danish), and it makes for rather creative and enjoyable interactions. I love the way these two work together.

We also get another (minor) glimpse at the progress of the case that started it all - the shooting that killed one of Carl's colleagues and left the other permanently paralysed. Hardy does make a brief appearance, and it's quite symbolic to realise how slow that case is progressing in parallel to the cases that have been solved so far throughout the series.

I'm really pleased to give this series another 4-star rating. These books are always so much fun to read, with the unique characters, fun, snappy dialogue and detailed stories. The research that must go into these books is astounding.

Highly recommend this one to others continuing the series, and if you've not been introduced to Carl and the Department Q gang, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Mercy and get started!

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Review: Notes from Underground

Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

WARNING: I tried to write this review without bad language but I JUST COULDN'T DO IT. Swearing ahead.

It would be dishonest of me not to put this on my 'utter trash' list because that's what I thought of it the entire time I was reading. It's mercifully short but even so, still a complete drainer. There are some really fascinating ideas thrown in but when he's still talking about them ten pages later (or 50, even) it just wears you down. Nothing really happens except that this complete DOUCHEBAG talks about how he likes to be a DOUCHEBAG because THAT IS LIFE. By the end of it, my mouth was literally open with disgust. I have never read a more loathsome character.

Which, I guess, is why it's considered so brilliant.

I mean, I see it. I see the depth, and the exploration of human kind, and that this is just so BATSHIT INSANE that nothing like it really comes close. Dostoyevsky had some serious balls writing something as despicable as this. He does really dig into some ideas that will make your head spin, but it was just waaaay too depressing for me. I got ZERO enjoyment out of reading it. It made me want to go hug a puppy. For like a week. This guy represents everything that's wrong with the human race. (I might be exaggerating, I don't know. I'm just upset. He's such a dick. I wanted to punch him in the face.)

I threw it a bonus star because I can see that the dude had to be brilliant (or completely off his rocker, but aren't they usually the same anyway?) to come up with this, and I can see that there's some seriously dense, thought-provoking material here. But it's just a crummy, crummy book to read.

I'd recommend this one for anyone who likes to feel superior by reading challenging books and people who love being miserable. Everyone else would be doing themselves a favour by steering clear.

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Review: The Path of the Lost

The Path of the Lost by Beau Kondos
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

For a book with so much colour and creativity, this is actually incredibly DULL.

I wanted to like this. I really did. Not just an Aussie author, but one from my hometown, Melbourne? A YA fantasy novel, set partially in Melbourne, that draws on the creative arts for its magical themes? YES PLEASE.

HOW DID IT ALL GO SO TERRIBLY WRONG???

So there I am, struggling my way through at only the 20% mark. I put it down for a few days. I pick it up again, determined to put in a little more effort. At around 40%, I wonder if other people who have read this book struggled as much as I am currently. Naturally, I go take a look at its reviews.

4.54 average rating?? That's a LOT higher than I was expecting.

Then I notice that a ton of its 5-star reviews come from people who have ONLY reviewed this book, who ONLY joined GR this year, have little or no other activity on GR, and, oh hey, look, they pretty much ALL LIVE IN MELBOURNE.

Look. I appreciate loyalty, and friendship. I GET IT.

But it's pretty obvious that all of these glowing reviews come from TOTALLY BIASED REVIEWERS who quite probably didn't even read the damn thing. And as an honest book reviewer who relies on honest GR reviews regularly, THIS MAKES ME MAD.

So there goes all of my will to give this book a fair go after that.

Now, if it had actually hooked me from the start, I might be a little more lenient. I'm happy to admit that the creativity is there. There are plenty of novel ideas, and I love the IDEA of painting, and writing, and singing, etc being magical. It's really beautiful.

With an idea like that, this could have been a beautiful, lyrical sort of novel.

Instead, we get massive info dumps, trite couplings, stunted action, unlikable characters and so much originality it's more confusingly bizarre than actually clever. Plus, the contrast of snarky, sarcastic James in this fantasy world is too jarring to be easily accepted. I really hated that guy. It's like he's supposed to be a lovable goofball with all his our-world references and jokes, but it just comes across as arrogant and awkward and makes him a totally unlikable hero.

It feels like a lot of telling instead of showing, and by the end I was skimming fairly heavily (without missing anything, mind you). There is action, but it never draws you in, makes you catch your breath. I struggled to imagine the world(s), so it all felt very bland. The whole 'delving' idea is so unique but it was crafted into cliche ceremonies that made it seem cheap. On the whole, it felt more middle-grade than YA because it was so basic and plain.

As mentioned, I wanted to like this. There IS potential for a good story, and I'm sure some will pick it up and really enjoy its originality. But I also feel like I have to be extra critical because of all those ridiculous, biased reviews. Oblivious readers need to know what they're walking into.

So, here's a summary:
-Unique ideas
-Poorly executed
-Average writing
-Dragging plot
-Unlikable characters
-Awkward romance angle
-Zero emotional attachment

Oh and hey, look, the sole female of the book is naked pretty early on. Why do girls get naked so much more in fantasy when the author is a man? Has anyone else noticed this? IT BUGS ME SO MUCH.

Anyhoo.

If you're looking for something completely different and bizarre, this might float your boat, but if you want characters that you can get attached to, this ain't it. If you want pace that doesn't let up, look elsewhere. If you want to become emotionally invested in a story, you'll struggle here.

And if, like me, you are easily offended by authors who rely on biased or dishonest reviews to promote their work, AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.

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Review: The White Queen

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm honestly worried for the other half-billion novels written by Philippa Gregory.

This novel is only slightly less dull than the (chronological) first, The Lady of the Rivers. Once again it just spans too long a period, meaning that there's not a lot of attachment to what's happening. There are a lot of battles, a ton of births and deaths, and keeping track of claims to the throne is about as easy as keeping track of Australia's Prime Minister.

Our protagonist, Elizabeth - the titular White Queen - is an unlikable queen and makes absolutely horrid decisions. I can appreciate that this is true historical happenings, but I think she was a poor choice for narrator. Did not like her one bit.

Also really wasn't feeling the whole witchcraft angle. Don't call it 'historical fiction' if you're going to include curses and supernatural happenings. That's pure fantasy. It wasn't even used cleverly. Entirely disappointing.

There's also such a depressing lack of court drama. I feel like this would have been better if it dealt with a shorter time period, and we were allowed to grow attachments to characters. We don't really get to know a lot about the people, or what life is actually like for them. There's just the vague tellings of who is fighting whom, and who marries whom, and what the political ramifications are. All this drama and action and it was just totally BORING.

I'm really fascinated by this period of history but this and the previous book have really taken some of the interest away for me. The French court was clearly much more happening.

Not sure when I'll get to the next book in the series but its unlikely to be any time soon. I might have to find some other authors who have delved into this history. I definitely don't understand how this series is so popular when it's so dull.

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Review: Preservation

Preservation by Jock Serong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Robinson Crusoe meets Silence of the Lambs meets that old primary school song we all learned about Botany Bay.

This one is based on the true story of a shipwreck back in Australia's early (settlement) days, and man, is it a doozy.

The ship wrecks off the coast of Tassie Van Diemen's Land and a handful of men decide they need to make tracks towards Sydney in hopes of sending help. They take a bunch of slaves and don't even get me started ranting about slavery. Let's just say I'm glad this was 200+ years ago.

So among them is Figge, who is basically the devil incarnate, and while everyone is trying their best to survive in the formidable Australian bush, this guy has his own agenda that makes things a lot harder than they need to be.

So here we have:
- Hostile environment
- Discord among survivors
- White people being jerks to slaves
- Long, arduous trek
- Sneaky little criminal mastermind

So it's actually really fun and devious and I can't lie, I enjoyed it immensely.

The writing threw me at first. I was worried that it was going to be one of those books that works so hard to say things in fancy convoluted ways that I'd be bogged down by the language, but it had just the right blend of description and action. There were actually some beautiful, picturesque phrases and the words really brought the setting to life. This will be particularly effective if you've ever been out into the Australian bush, but it also paints a very clear, realistic picture for people who might want to know more about Australia.

The story is told from multiple viewpoints, which was quite effective in amping up the mystery factor, because you don't know which parts are lies and which parts are truth. They take turns in telling the tale of the trek north, but all slight variations. It did make it a little confusing at times but I think that was kind of the point. Wasn't entirely sure about the necessity of including all the present-day drama with the wife and the illness etc but I guess it was just another facet of life in this new and strange land.

Naturally, the aboriginal communities were a big part of this story. I found it interesting the way they were portrayed, particularly in the way they associated preferentially with the slaves. I think that was a powerful statement. It's also quite a vital piece of Australia's history - to communicate that these people were already here, living full lives with their own social systems, not wanting anything, all before white settlers went tromping all over, claiming the country for themselves. It wasn't a pushed agenda, though; it was just a realistic factor of the story. Handled poorly, this could have caused massive controversy I think, but it was written into the story with great respect, so kudos to the author for that.

This is a fascinating fictionalised account of a small piece of Australia's early history, but it's also a great, sinister novel on its own. I loved the references to Australian wildlife (particularly the 'fat badgers') and I felt such patriotism reading about this hostile environment that only the tough survive. That's my country! You also get to know these nasty characters - Figge in particular is such a subtle menace that it makes for a ripper of a story.

Well researched and eloquently written, I have no hesitation in recommending this one. Crime lovers, people who want to know more about Australian history, or the landscape in general. People who like adventure stories tinged with a little bit of evil. Overall, a fantastic read.

With thanks to Text Publishing for my ARC.

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Review: Kingdom of Ash

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*Throws book across the room*

I'm done. I'M SO DONE.

Huh.

Literally.

So. Let's start with some fun stats!

In this book, the word 'mate' appears 86 times in relation to Aelin and Rowan. (There were at least another ten or so references in regards to other couples.)

There are also 23 missing question marks, and that's after generously conceding that some places made a justifiable impact without one.

I didn't count the number of sentences that were structured in that horribly repetitive way that I griped about in my review for A Court of Frost and Starlight. But that was an equally absurd number.

Honestly, when I read three 'mate's just on the first page alone, I put the book down again and didn't pick it up for another few days. I couldn't face it. I've loved this series since the beginning but Empire of Storms was such a let down for me and I was so worried that this book was going to be equally painful. The romance took such a prominent position in EoS which really detracted from the fantasy elements of the series.

Thankfully, this brought back some of the magic, and while it wasn't the five star conclusion I was hoping for, it wasn't as terrible as I'd feared. There were some real gut-wrenching moments in this one.

WARNING: HERE LIES SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES.

This one opens with Aelin in that terrible iron box that she was forced to endure an extra year while we all trudged through A-Grade Bore Chaol's story. You can thank SJM for that one, Aelin.

So she's being tortured while Rowan and friends tear up the world looking for her (in a relatively fast but otherwise peaceful manner) and Chaol is headed back to the mainland after Getting The Girl (and an army). Dorian and Manon are looking for witches and keys and meanwhile Aedion is fighting a brutal battle against Morath in Terrasen with the help of Lysandra, whom he treats like dirt. Nice, pal.

DRAMA ENSUES.

The torture stuff is whack. I don't know how to feel about it. I just ... I mean, it gets real dark and she's traumatised and all but I feel like it was too extreme? I dunno. It felt messy somehow. Didn't stop my heart aching for her, though. Or for Fenrys. I love that guy. Wolf. Babe. Whatever.

And of course it's so fkn BADASS when she is freed so that was fun. Rowan is a straight up savage. But just the once. It kinda bothered me that he wasn't more savage more often. Does that make me a bad person? Lorcan, on the other hand, is admirably dark and cold and even with all the Elide drama he still stays true to himself and is like, 'I AIN'T GONNA GROVEL, B*TCH!' which I lowkey appreciated with my stone cold heart. I mean, that whole, 'treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen' stuff is not cool. So good on him for sticking to his guns. Even if I did kinda ship that broken little romance.

Meanwhile, Aedion is up north fighting Morath. Tense battles. He's having a hard time.

Chaol returns to his homeland with his Sweet Lil Thang Yrene who honestly I still don't particularly like. (view spoiler)[It bothers me how important she became in this novel. Like, she popped up in a short story from back in the Sam Days, then guest starred in Chaol's book, but now she's the one that's gotta save the world? SJM YOU TRIPPIN'. (hide spoiler)] But they're all cute together and stuff and everyone's super happy that Chaol has a wife and I am happy that his mopiness has been reduced drastically. I mean he's still a bit dramatic over his daddy issues but at least he has a bit more of a backbone now. (HA. SEE WHAT I DID THERE.)

Meanwhile, Aedion and Lysandra are having angst over each other while they endlessly battle Morath up north.

Manon and Dorian are still having a lot of kinky sex mating and Manon is having feelings. I miss the witch who would just slice and dice anything that annoyed her. She was way more fun with no feelings. But I like that she's still mostly an ice-queen. I dislike these two together because they kinda cheapen one another? Separate, they are both so savage, but then they get together and it's all feelings and emo drama. They are more fun when they are apart. This is one ship I won't board. Those two are too fierce on their own. Anyway, aside from their lovemaking mating, Manon is all about finding Crochan witches and Dorian is all about finding Erawan's third key so DRAMA ENSUES.

Guess where Aedion is? YEP. He's up north, still fighting Morath. What a hero. He and Lysandra are still working out the kinks of their relationship.

I kinda got really bored of the same formula being repeated over and over AND OVER again. There's a battle, things are looking terrible, then all of a sudden someone or something shows up to turn the tide. But it's a short reprieve coz that's not enough so the battle starts to go badly and things are looking terrible and then ALL OF A SUDDEN ... and so it goes on and on and on. And it's mostly Aedion up north having to live this repetitive rollercoaster so I really feel for the guy.

There were also so many scenes that reminded me of things I've seen (repeatedly, coz I'm a nerd) in LOTR. Actual battle scenes taken directly from the movie and transposed on the ToG world. It never had the desired effect on me when I read those scenes coz I was a little mad at what felt like a ripoff. (view spoiler)[For example, THE HEADS. We all know those were Faramir's men, not Ansel's. PLEASE. (hide spoiler)]

But as much as I hated the copious amounts of coupling and rip offs and repeated style devices etc etc I still love these characters SO MUCH. They are fun. They are badass. They interact with one another in really fascinating ways (even if it is disturbing how closely related everybody actually is). I love the cadre, and the snarling and ferocity with which they all fight. I love Aelin's resilience (even if it's a bit of a stretch) and I love the women who stand up for themselves. I love Dorian and believe him to be the most underrated character of the entire series. I love how villainous Manon and her Thirteen are. (view spoiler)[And I loved that, at the end, we had that precious moment with Aelin, Dorian and Chaol, as a nod to where this entire series began. (hide spoiler)]

So even though it was way too long and full of tedious battles, I still really enjoyed it.

Now for some spoilery gushing:

(view spoiler)[ WTF WAS UP WITH THAT STUPID GRATUITOUS APPEARANCE FROM RHYS??? Come on. I mean, I was totally expecting a nod to other works of fantasy fiction with the whole 'falling through other worlds' bit, but to actually insert Rhys (even if he's not named, I SEE YOU) ... I honestly feel real mad about it but also super impressed that SJM worked that in there. BRAVO.

I am both happy and sad about the lack of meaningful deaths here. Like, I'm glad none of my favourites died but I feel like maybe SJM was too nice there. But I'm honestly so glad that Fenrys survived because I was totally tipping him to be the sacrificial lamb, since he wasn't paired up. People in couples always seem to outlast the single ones. (RIP GAV THO)

Was also hugely saddened by the spectacular deaths of the Thirteen and while it was all super impressive and tragic I feel like they probably didn't ALL need to die for that. Just saying. So glad that Abraxos survived, though, and that Manon was actually so heartbroken when he was knocking on death's door. More fictional characters need to appreciate animals the way Manon appreciates her wyvern. (hide spoiler)]

Anyhoo, I think I've exhausted all of my ranting now.

Summary: Long, with some tedious moments and repetition, but still a worthy end to the series.

But also:

THANK GOD THAT'S OVER.

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NaNoWriMo

So I've signed up for NaNoWriMo for the first time in my life.

NaNoWriMo: That's National Novel Writing Month, for the uninitiated. November, every year, people from all over the world dedicate themselves to churning out 50,000 words of a complete novel. Apparently the prep is a year-round thing - so I'm a little late, boarding the ship at the start of the designated month - but hey, I've always been decent at 'winging it'. (I definitely had to Google how it all works, though.)

I have found that it really helps with the motivation. I've felt the urge to write quite strongly this past month or so, and have been attempting short stories and other writing adventures. But NNWM (is there a rule against shortening it further?!) has inspired me to put some serious effort into a novel I've been working on for years. I've got outlines, sketches, spin-off stories, character summaries etc. but haven't put a great deal of effort into writing the actual story and bringing it all together. So it's nice to finally be spending some time nurturing this one, and coaxing the story out of my mind and on to the page.

At the same time, I'm so eager to get my work out into the public domain, so I'm frustrated at how long this writing process is going to be. So I'm also toying with the idea of putting more effort into the side projects and short stories. But I also feel like I can only write these things when I get creative flares and can punch out a story in one go. I'm notorious for failing to finish my work.

All I know is that I have this burning urge to tell my stories, and have other people read them. I need to create, and I want to give birth to characters that truly come alive. I have such high hopes for my big dreams.

Writing is hard work, man. But I'm looking forward to the extra motivation that NNWM will provide.


***


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Review: The Sea Was a Fair Master

The Sea Was a Fair Master by Calvin Demmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not gonna lie, this was actually a lot better than I was expecting!

What can I say? I'm a skeptic when it comes to e-published authors. So many people seem to write a complete story then just go about self-publishing the ebook ASAP, which means they skip editing, beta reading, etc. - all the refining processes that turn a raw story into a compelling novel. I still enjoy reading amateur work, but mostly because I want to give feedback, suggestions - ways to clean it up and make it a bit more marketable. So many great stories out there meet early deaths because they carry too much dead weight. I like to help lighten the load - Tetris it a little bit, sometimes.

(Yes, I'm a word nerd. I want to do this stuff for a living but dang is it hard to break into the industry. So I just do it for free. :D)

Anyhoo, I digress.

Reading this book, I wasn't compelled to consider ways it could be improved. It never felt raw or unrefined, and the writing is fantastic. Maybe a little too fancy in places (there are A LOT of similes) but it really draws you in and paints quite colourful pictures.

It's such an intriguing mix of stories and I was captivated by every. single. one. Sure, some of them were totally bizarre and left me scratching my head, but there were also others that really sucked me in and had me thoroughly entertained. The Santa one still stands out. I loved that they were so short and got straight into the action. The characters were easily apparent and varied and there was so much refreshing originality here that I just settled in to enjoy the unexpected.

The writing is impressively communicative for such short works but it never gets so descriptive that it detracts from the story. It packs a hard punch and keeps things entertaining.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one, and I'm thankful for being given the chance to read it! Highly recommend for lovers of the bizarre, particularly in horror and sci-fi.

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Review: Contest

Contest by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**Re-read 11/18**

Yep, still love everything about this book.

Savage aliens ✔
Explosions ✔
Blood and gore ✔
Epic chase scenes ✔
Dumb people getting what they deserve ✔
Unpredictable fight scenes ✔
Creative deaths ✔
Reluctant hero ✔

It's so FAST and EXPLOSIVE and has so much FIERCENESS and I just ... *happy sigh*

Plus it's set in a library and honestly, what book lover doesn't love a library setting?

RIP though to all those books that got slimed, or bloodied, or shredded, or burnt ... etc. *moment of silence*

***

**21/10/18**

Re-reading this book ASAP. I need to remind myself of the reasons I still love it so much.

***

It's been a while since I've found a book that I find impossible to put down! I read Contest in two days, despite having to work. The pace was nice and fast, there was always something interesting happening and the characters were cleverly created. Highly addictive and straight to my favourites list!


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Review: Carmilla

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Such a classic, old school, vampire novel.

The unsuspecting hosts, the beautiful and mysterious guest. The girl who begins to grow wearier day by day. The strange behaviours of the beloved guest.

It just builds the suspense so brilliantly, and part of the fun is in seeing how these rational people deal with the irrational.

This one was interesting because the vampire is a girl very similar to her victim, and there is the element of friendship (and courtship?) that makes things so much more sinister. Every time Carmilla got handsy it gave me chills.

A great little horror story for Halloween!

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Review: Ace of Shades

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MUST HAVE NEXT BOOK ASAP.

In short: Lady and the Tramp meets Six of Crows.

Lady: Enne; prim and proper and easily corruptible more fight than you'd expect. She's come to the City of Sin to find her missing mother.

Tramp: Levi; conman and street lord with a heart of gold massive debt to pay off.

He sees Enne as his ticket to freedom; she sees Levi as the only one who can help her find her mother.

I liked the pair together. I liked that they were slow to get along, and had plenty of insults to throw at one another. I liked that Enne kept her prim and proper ways, even when she began to do less prim and proper things. She's still a lady, duh.

Levi was one of the most pathetic street lords I've ever met in a book but I kinda loved him more for it? He actually seems human and I really enjoyed that.

It does has a similar Six of Crows vibe, but where SoC was super clever with its plotting and sass, this one dialed back the action and allows the reader to understand that these characters are actually human. They mess up, and they hurt, and sometimes they cry, too. Yes, they seem badass, but you never know someone's real story. I liked that this one kind of went a bit deeper. Made you think about the lives that led these two kids to here.

That being said, it meant I kinda missed the Squad Sass. The nice mix of competing personalities that always leads to crazy shenanigans. This one is very Enne-and-Levi. I'm hoping the second book gathers a bit more of a crew.

It had some really fun moments and I loved the magic/powers/gifts stuff. It's quite clever and keeps things interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing more of that. Plus, I love Levi's gift. Super jealous, tbh.

Honestly, if you want to compare it to the cleverness and sass that was SoC, you'll probably be disappointed, but if you want a similar kinda frolic that goes a lot deeper but still has fun dark themes, I highly recommend this one. I was expecting it to be mediocre and was pleasantly surprised.

And I really need to get my hands on the next one. I NEED MORE.

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Review: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"For some, I realize, business is the all-out pursuit of profits, period, full stop, but for us the business was no more about making money than being human is about making blood. Yes, the human body needs blood. It needs to manufacture red and white cells and platelets and redistribute them evenly, smoothly, to all the right places, on time, or else. But that day-to-day business of the human body isn't our mission as human beings. It's a basic process that enables our higher aims, and life always strives to transcend the basic process of living ..."

I really enjoyed the message of this book. I actually found it to be rather inspiring. It's all about doing things your own way; being true to yourself. Phil Knight pursued his Crazy Idea, even when no one was backing him, and he fought for it when people tried to bring him down. He overcame obstacles through the sheer determination to keep fighting. And he gathered around him people who believed in the dream as wholeheartedly as him.

It's also fascinating to learn how this iconic brand began and all the brilliant little Nike trivia throughout. I'd never heard of most of the people mentioned in this book, yet they were big names back in the day. It's amazing all the effort that went into building this brand. I work for a company that sells predominantly Nike products, and to be surrounded by it - and dressed in it - while reading about those humble beginnings was an awe-inspiring experience. Plus, it'll be fun to tell customers and colleagues all these new and interesting facts. I'm always thirsting for knowledge.

The writing was surprisingly good and I, like many, wonder if there was some ghost-writing involved. If not, it's pretty impressive. I was actually entertained throughout, even with all the mentions of numbers, loans, shoe materials, factories, etc. There's a great human element that's evident in the storytelling, and it helps you to connect.

It's also incredibly honest. Knight was kind of a jerk, and did some questionable stuff. But he reflects on himself and is able to admit when he was acting petulant, or whiny, or stubborn. The story of how Nike got its name was my favourite.

It would have been nice to have some pictures, but I guess there's always Google for that. I was also hoping to read about the signing of Jordan, whose first choice was Adidas, but alas, he only gets a brief mention in the final few pages. There was some stuff that I feel didn't really need to be included, though I can see why it was, and was still interesting to read.

All in all, a fascinating look at the beginnings of a sports giant, and a rather inspiring memoir about doing things your own way, being true to yourself, and making more out of life than just money.

Anyone interested in the brand will enjoy the trivia, but this is also an inspiring memoir for people who are interested in stories of overcoming adversity, of the little guy with sharp teeth, of a start-up business that ultimately became one of the most successful in the world.

Highly recommend.

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Review: Hekla's Children

Hekla's Children by James Brogden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was entirely not what I was expecting, and I kinda don't know how to feel about it.

The blurb sounded more like a sinister crime novel but this is way out of the box. Less crime, more ... sinister evil weird time travel monster. There's a thing, and it is evil, and it steals children from it's place in 'Un' - the 'other side'. I mean I kinda got it but also goodbye any sense of reality.

This story travels a long distance. First you get Nathan and the mystery of the disappearing kids, then you get him going back to figure out what's going on, and then slightly weird time travel moments and craziness and then it kinda progresses to full-scale batsh*t insane and it's both fascinating and completely bizarre. I don't know if I enjoyed it, but I certainly couldn't stop reading once I'd reached a certain point.

I feel like the story was actually pretty clever. The fact that it was so involved but I still managed to follow it is pretty miraculous. And massive props for originality because I've certainly never read anything like it before. Huh. Look at me warming up to it.

The tense changes were a bit annoying, but definitely made sense in the context of the story so I'll let it slide. I didn't particularly warm to any of the characters (view spoiler)[(except for maybe Scattie, when her survival story came into play) (hide spoiler)] but I was too intrigued by the setup to really care about emotional connection. There is a very subtle horror, here. The notion of time, and being trapped by it; of facing the horror of our true natures; opportunities lost. There's actually very little gore, all things considered.

Honestly, I feel like I'll be pondering this bizarre mess for a little while.

If you want to read something mildly spooky that is unlike anything you've ever read before, get your hands on this one. Don't expect any kind of reality, or scientific explanations, or logic. There is no sense here. But if you like convoluted time-travel stories that kinda make sense in their own nonsensical way then you'll eat this right up.

SO. FREAKING. BIZARRE.



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Review: The Three Secret Cities: A Jack West Jr Novel 5

The Three Secret Cities: A Jack West Jr Novel 5 by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OH MY GOD I CAN'T DEAL.

And you're telling me I have to wait til freaking 2020 for the next one?!!

I don't even know how to process this.

This book has been my most anticipated read of 2018, and it did not disappoint.

There's the trademark action involving vehicles and guns, chases, puzzles and some seriously evil villains. Once again, Jack has to save the world with assistance from his friends, solving riddles and brushing shoulders with death. It's super far-fetched, so if you're one of those people who needs realism, this is probably not the series for you. Me, I personally love how outrageous things get, and I'm more than happy to suspend disbelief.

It picks up where The Four Legendary Kingdoms left off, with the Minotaurs having to face what comes out of the coffins, while Jack is back home, recuperating. I had to flick through the last half of 4LK to refresh my memory and it was well worth it. This is a definite continuation of that story, but its own contained arc of it.

This is back to the global scale of the first few novels, meaning we've got more characters as well. I was so happy to have the twins pop up again! (view spoiler)[I'm also not gonna spoil properly til after the release date, but I LOST MY MIND when one particular character showed up that I wasn't expecting. I still grin maniacally thinking about their grand entrance. SO BADASS. (hide spoiler)]

I love the way these characters interact with one another, so I was sad they were all so spread out! They kinda clump in groups of two or three, but it does allow for fast action in multiple locations so it works.

The locations themselves were a lot of fun to puzzle out, as with any Jack West Jr book. Reilly does some meticulous research, then plays around with history wherever there's a gap and it's always a good time reading about all these myths and legends that have been turned on their heads. The scale is always big and he uses familiar legends and historical figures so that you're easily drawn in.

There was a teaser recently from the author that warned he did something terrible in this book, and it was in my mind the whole time. I was constantly wondering which of our favourites was gonna die, and if he was in fact going to kill someone or just teasing. That little teaser had me believing anything is possible, so all those fatal situations became so much more real! Because suddenly there's no, 'oh he can't kill off a main character' moments and it amps up the intensity instantly. (Read it for yourself to discover the Mystery of the Teaser :P)

SO MUCH INTENSITY.

I loved it, but it gave me mild anxiety on repeated occasions.

Safe to say, I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had everything I've come to love from Reilly's books, and it's just such a fun ride to lean back and enjoy. There's never a dull moment, but it has its emotions, too, so that you can really invest in these characters.

The cover is gorgeous, too, and the inside cover is also gorgeous but totally intriguing and confusing. I could study the pictures and diagrams in this book for hours.

Highly enjoyable, totally worth the wait, and absolutely ridiculous fun.

Matthew Reilly fans should enjoy this one immensely, and for people who love treasure-hunt-type action, get onto the first book, Seven Ancient Wonders so you can enjoy the journey properly.

Copious thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for my sneaky early copy.

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Review: Catwoman: Soulstealer

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I LOVE ME SOME SUPERHEROES.

Or villains, in this case.

I've also read everything by Sarah J Maas since I first read Throne of Glass and fell in love. (Let's not get into my love/hate relationship with that series, though.)

So naturally, this was a must read for me. Thanks to my friend Kiera for encouraging me to read it sooner rather than later!

I've been a bit disappointed with the latest offerings from Maas so I was a little worried, but thankfully there was no noticeable lack of question marks in this one and it was a fresh and exciting story, with new - albeit iconic - characters.

As much as I love Marvel and its colourful offerings, Batman is probably my favourite superhero ever. (If you're thinking visually, think Christian Bale, NOT Ben Affleck. For the love of God, please not Ben Affleck.) Batman is a superhero who actually doesn't have any super powers. (Just a sh*t-ton of money.) But he goes out and toughens up and works hard to become unbeatable. He has purpose, and drive, and just does what needs to be done. SO BADASS. *swoon*

Selina Kyle speaks to me for the same reasons, although her motives are less pure. She's wicked, which is a lot of fun, but she has a good heart underneath it all.

This story from Maas ups the angst a little too much, taking out some of the fun (goodbye, 5th star), but Cat still has that ambition and dedication - with a side of B&E - that makes heroes so appealing to me. Add Ivy and Harley into the mix and you have a pretty hectic trio of ladies to deal with.

I liked that the three of them worked together, though it was hard for me to picture Selina as their leader. I've seen/read too many different incarnations of these characters and it was weird trying to bring them together and reconcile them with the partnership I was reading about. But once you get past the preconceived notions, it's a pretty fun romp.

Luke Fox ... mmmmhmmm. I mean, as Batwing he was kind of pathetic? Not actually winning much for the Good Guys? But guh, the ex-marine with PTSD ... that guy stole my heart, the precious little guy. But still gentlemanly and strong. I really liked him, and appreciated the split viewpoints. Sad his dad wasn't in it more, though, coz Morgan Freeman Lucius Fox is a Total Boss.

The League assassins were disappointingly weak, all things considered. I wanted more intense showdowns, a little more blood. Oh well. Can't have everything, I guess. *shrugs*

I feel like this might wander a little too far for the hardcore comic fans, but once I relaxed into the idea of it being something a little different, I really enjoyed it. There's plenty of recognisable characters, but Maas has put her own spin on things to craft something unique with our beloved characters.

Hardcore comic book fans: read at your own risk
Maas fans: definitely worth a read
Heroes/villains fans: YES
Batman fans: Absence just makes the heart grow fonder, right?

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