Review: Together by Christmas

Together by Christmas by Karen Swan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eugh.

I just loved it, okay?!

Yes. It's true. This piece of Christmas fluff has thawed my icy heart and left me a melted mess of joy and tenderness and good old Christmas Spirit.

I mean, I don't even know how to explain why I got so much enjoyment out of the emotional rollercoaster this story took me on. I felt every emotion a human can feel reading this book, I'm certain of it. I was so thoroughly hooked that I didn't even have time to feel ashamed of myself for loving a romance novel so much. I just fully embraced the love. If that isn't Christmas spirit right there, I don't know what is.

This wonderful Christmas story follows Lee, who is a single mother to 5yr old Jasper, who is the most important thing in her life. She's got no time for romance, but thankfully her job as a celebrity photographer keeps her busy and allows her to meet people to scratch the itch when she needs it. Then of course something unusual happens - a book ends up in her bike basket, and it's got a strange message scrawled inside. Lee sets about trying to solve this puzzle; meanwhile secrets from her past are drifting to the surface and her simple, controlled life begins to get a little out of hand ...

I won't lie: I was mildly concerned when it started in a war zone, since I abhor reading war stories. However, beyond the prologue I found it added such a fascinating depth to the story through Lee's character, and I just really loved her journey from a war photojournalist to this celebrity photographer still trying to make a difference in the lives of others. I loved who it made her, but also her growth throughout the story as she began to deal with these things.

There were a few different things going on but it never felt messy or out of control - rather, it added a fullness to the story that made it even more enticing to me. Like Lee, I got swept up in the lives of the people around her, and I loved all of them. I loved that Lee would help out almost incidentally - like it was just part of her DNA. But she's no martyr, either - she sticks up for herself, she doesn't hide or lie about her feelings (much) and she is determined to do things on her own terms.

The motherhood angle is another one I'm wary of because I can never relate but, again, I was completely sucked in by the relationship between Lee and her son. It's such a beautiful, meaningful part of the story, and I loved that he was always her number one concern no matter what else was happening. It struck me as much more real than some other stories I've read, where children tend to take a backseat to new love. Jasper was a huge part of this novel, and Lee's love for him is where this novel gets so much of its heart.

At the same time, it was also a lot of fun falling in love with pretty much all the men in this novel. I'm so glad that, as a reader, I don't have to choose - I can have them all! Sam is obviously the one who stole my heart the most, but I also just loved how supportive her friends were, and even the sincerity of the friendship between her and Harry (even though it's kind of messed up on the surface). They were all such real characters and even though they had their own moments of pain their places in this novel brought me so much joy.

The mystery with the book was quite curious, but was just another layer to fatten up the story, rather than the sole driving storyline. I liked that. I appreciated that it wasn't laser-focused, and that Lee still went about living her life in the meantime.

There really was a lot going on in this story but I was drawn in so thoroughly that it seemed to flow together pretty seamlessly to me. Some may find it a little long but I honestly couldn't get enough.

Honestly, I am feeling so much Christmas cheer right now, thanks to this book. It's literally Christmas Eve, I've barely thought about Christmas once this year, and now suddenly I'm just overflowing with love and gratitude and I want to go hug my neighbours. (Obviously I won't, since 2020 is the year hugs were abolished.)

I freaking loved it. It made me so happy. I think it's the first time I've rated a romance novel 5 stars. I don't even care. *happy sigh*

Thank you to the person who recommended I read one of her Christmas novels. You have given me a great joy this holiday season. :)

With thanks to Macmillan for an ARC

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Review: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

DNF @ Pg 536 (61%)

I think it's time to review this monstrosity.

Paolini is a fantasy author and nowhere is that more apparent than in this, his sci-fi debut. Stick to fantasy, buddy.

Let me just start with a list of my complaints and go from there.

- Dull and slow from the get-go
- Science is generally pretty light on, unless it's going into pointlessly detailed explanations of something
- Characters are annoying cardboard cutouts
- Frustrating behaviour
- The plot is almost non-existent
- The aliens are a friggin parody
- Tons of inconsistencies
- Just so pointlessly looooooong

*sigh*

Dull, slow, pointlessly long with a non-existent plot
Here is the formula of this story:
Kira, our protagonist, finds an alien super suit. She passes out. She has a weird dream. She wakes. They are travelling to another location. She goes to sleep. She has a weird dream. When she wakes, they are arriving somewhere. There is a fight. She passes out. Has a weird dream. Wakes up, they're headed somewhere else. Another fight. She passes out/goes to sleep. Has a weird dream. ARE YOU SEEING WHERE THIS IS GOING?!

I read over 500 pages of this stupid book and still have no freaking clue what the actual point of it was. I have no idea what was happening because it was all so similar it just blurred together. Honestly, if I had to read one more fking dream sequence I was going to scream. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS BOOK TO BE NEARLY 900 PAGES LONG.

The science
Admittedly, I don't read a huge amount of sci-fi, because the science tends to go over my head. However I recently read (and enjoyed immensely) The Salvation Sequence and this is the sci-fi I am comparing this book to.

I enjoy science that goes a little over my head, but in The Salvation Sequence the point of all the fancy sci-fi lingo was explained. For example, there would be a scientific explanation for something like about how energy would be channelled through the Thingamajig which would multiply the trajectory of the Whatchamacallit into the square root of pi or whatever and then it would explain, 'basically, when the Thingamajig went off, the tunnel would be blown to smithereens' (Clearly this is an example not just of what I mean but also of my complete lack of comprehension of some of the science stuff haha). Point is, no matter how lost I was with the science, I still understood what was happening.

In this book, there's actually not a lot of science, despite being set in space in the future. It's all kind of dumbed down, but then it will have a little fit here and there where it goes into a scientific explanation about something and you just have to understand it or you get left behind. I'm not exactly an advanced physicist (shocking, I know) so I definitely didn't get it.

Meanwhile, they nickname the giant squid aliens JELLIES. *facepalm*

Cardboard characters with frustrating behaviour
First we have Kira, who is our saintly protagonist who can do no wrong. Even when she's accidentally slaughtering people she's forgiven, because she didn't mean to, and she feels really bad about it. Also she's somehow always saving lives but don't thank her because she's just doing what anyone else would have done. Honestly, how everyone saw her as a hero constantly kind of mystified me because half the time I had no idea what they were referring to. She seemed to always be causing more trouble. She makes so many stupid mistakes and questionable choices and I just could not root for her. Especially when no one gave her nearly as much crap as she deserved.

Next we have the motley crew, and anyone who knows my reading habits knows I love a good motley crew. But these guys were just SO BORING. They are nothing new: the brooding Captain who everyone loves and respects and who our main character is definitely going to bang at some point (mercifully I didn't get there but I guarantee it happens eventually), the gruff sidekick who is actually more kind and considerate than you'd expect, the tough, quiet one with a soft spot, the feisty warrior one, the joker ... and honestly again they all blended together because they were so unoriginal I didn't give two craps about them. I hope they all get blown to pieces in a grand finale. (Tell me they do and I might reconsider finishing this book.)

Among all of this is a handful of terrible jokes and a little bullying on the side which I can only assume is both an attempt to lighten the mood but also teach people that bullying is wrong. (Thank you, Mr Paolini, for pointing this out to me in your super wise, realistic, science fiction/fantasy novel. I am so moved by this completely random message.)

Honestly, THIS IS A TRAINWRECK OF A BOOK.

The aliens and the inconsistencies
So the Big Bad are aliens which apparently look like giant squid and our protagonist and her squad take to nicknaming them Jellies. Because why call them squids, right? Also, even though Kira and her squad have come up with this nickname, it is coincidentally the same nickname EVERYONE IN THE UNIVERSE picked and chooses to use - even after knowing (or even ONLY knowing) their actual species name. Because 'Jellies' just represents such an intelligent, malevolent kind of vibe, right? How am I supposed to take this threat seriously?! I just kept thinking this was actually set deep in the ocean with mutated sea creatures. Maybe it would have made for a better story if it had been.

Concluding thoughts
Essentially, this is a fantasy novel, set in space, featuring evil sea creatures and it just DOES NOT WORK. There's so much being crammed in but there's not really a plot to drive it or even tie it together neatly. It's just a mashup of a bunch of ambitious ideas.

Imagine this: You decide you're going to let out this massive scream, right, so you draw all this air into your lungs, you're sucking it back, your chest is expanding, it is going to be a scream heard throughout the world, and then when you finally open your mouth ready to unleash this scream ... you let out an involuntary huff of breath - 'ah'. THAT'S THIS STORY. The ultimate disappointment. It is a world built of scraps and falling apart at every join.

My feelings toward this book perfectly sum up my feelings toward 2020: I was excited, had big plans, expected great things, and then as soon as it started it was falling apart and it just got worse and worse and more and more frustrating and now I am just overjoyed that it's OVER.

With thanks and apologies to the publisher for my ARC

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Dymocks 2020 Challenge Eleventh Hour Update

Down to one last book for this challenge, and since I don't even have it yet I think I'm looking at a substitution!

I've been so lucky this year to receive so many great books from publishers, friends, family and authors. It's meant my reading list has been constantly adapting but spending half the year in isolation certainly allowed me the opportunity to read more than I ever have before, so I'm very grateful. Keep an eye out for my 2020 reading breakdown, coming soon!

December is a busy month for me with my martial arts training going into overdrive, but once the madness is over I should have a week or so left to squeeze in the last book for this challenge. Hopefully a few others as well to take my grand total for the year to 150 books read. 

Happy reading!

Progress: 25/26
✔Australian Author: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (AA) Review Here
✔Indigenous Author: Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina (AA) Review Here
✔From Top 101: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black Review Here
✔Kid's Top 51: Withering by Sea by Judith Rossell (AA) Review Here
✔Dymocks 'Book of the Month': House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas (March) Review Here
✔Re-read favourite book of all time: The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien Review Here, Here and Here (updated from The Three Musketeers)

✔Friend's recommendation: Mao's Last Dancer by Cunxin Li (AA) Review Here
✔Featuring favourite country (France): Josephine's Garden by Stephanie Parkyn (AA) Review Here
✔From TBR pile: North Star Guide Me Home by Jo Spurrier (AA) Review Here
✔Award winner: Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (AA) Review Here
✔Mystery/Thriller: One Last Child by Anni Taylor (AA) Review Here
✔Memoir: A Sceptic's Search for Meaning by Mike Willesee (AA) Review Here
✔Outside usual genre: Entranced by Nora Roberts Review Here
Short stories: Saga Land by Richard Fidler & Kari Gislason (AA)
✔Self Help/Motivation: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Review Here
✔Fairytale/Fable adaptation: Beauty in Thorns by Kate Forsyth (AA) Review Here
✔Book 1 in Fantasy series: Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan Review Here
✔Teaches something new: Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall Review Here (updated from The Power of Positive Thinking)

✔Adapted to film/TV series: You by Caroline Kepnes Review Here
✔Red cover: Cherry Pie by Leigh Redhead (AA) Review Here
✔Colour in title: Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin Review Here (updated from Beyond Black)

✔Read in a day: Weapon by Lynette Noni (AA) Review Here
✔About books: The Girl Who Reads on the Metro by Christine Feret-Fleury Review Here
✔Makes me laugh: Challenge Accepted by Celeste Barber (AA) Review Here
✔Published this year: Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff (AA) Review Here
✔Said I've read but haven't: The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Review Here (updated from Wuthering Heights) 

Review: Meditations

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed taking my time with this one.

There's so much wisdom in this book and it absolutely came at the right time for me. It's not a light read - you really have to ponder every line and think about what it all means.

At times, it does feel a little like you're reading a diary. Only the diary of someone super wise who is trying to be the best version of himself he can be, so instead of juicy secrets we get worldly wisdom and inspiration to become better ourselves.

"Meditations" is an apt title as these are things you can ruminate on endlessly. Among the wisdom is the frequent reminder of our individual insignificance in the scope of time, and that we can only be responsible for our own thoughts and actions, so there is no need to bother about what others think of us. It reinforces the message of being a good, kind person and of living life sticking to your own moral compass, no matter what anyone around you is doing.

For me, I mostly enjoyed the references to nurturing the soul first and foremost, with the body being nought but a shell to house the soul. This was probably my favourite line in the whole book:

Disgraceful if, in this life when your body does not fail, your soul should fail you first.

For a little context, I have been on a journey of personal growth through martial arts, and we talk often of how the mind fails before the body. The challenge is to not let the pain signals of the body cause your mind to falter. The body can always handle so much more than the mind thinks it can, so I'm at a point in my life when I'm really testing those boundaries and this book was such a comfort. I love the notion of being much more than the body experiencing discomfort.

It also speaks of death, and how we shouldn't fear our time ending, if that what is necessary for the Whole. These fragments may rub you the wrong way if you're not particularly spiritual or religious, but I found them to be very wise.

This is the sort of book that carries weight in every word, and as such it's one that you can return to at any time. There's even an index in the back (of this edition, at least) so that you can jump to wisdom for specific challenges you may be facing.

Because its his own musings, it does get a little repetitive in places, but I still found an element of enjoyment to that because it's a good reminder that he was human like everyone else, and he was just trying to be the best human he could be.

On the whole, this was a really comforting read. Great for those on a spiritual path, but also just an inspiring read for those looking for some wisdom that may help in a troubling situation. Take your time with it, digest it slowly, and you're bound to find something that resonates.

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Review: Creed

Creed by James Herbert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the writing of this, but the story was a little underwhelming. Only I don't know if it was the story itself or just the 2020 bug. I think, from a distance, it should be a 4-star book, but my experience was a 3-star. So let's call it 3.5.

The Good

1. Creed is a Jerk
He's such a brilliant anti-hero. He's self-centred, smokes and drinks far too much, treats people like dirt, and he delights in his job of snapping embarrassing photos of the rich and famous. He excels at his job. Because he has no shame. He is a despicable human being and totally doesn't care.

2. Creed is a Cynic
This guy doesn't believe anything he can't see with his own eyes. And even when he does see it himself, he'll still try to find a logical explanation for it. This made for an interesting mind-f*ck. Because it makes us, the reader, cynical as well. Are we going to believe in the supernatural occurrences? Or are we going to believe whatever thin logical explanation Creed finds?

3. The Storytelling is Fantastic
More than anything, I loved the way this was written. This is a proper story-telling narrative, with the author explaining things for us and injecting some brilliant humour in the process. It's clever, witty, and I found myself just really enjoying the narrator as a character himself.

4. The RANDOMNESS
Honestly, most of the time I had no idea what was happening, where it was going, what it was trying to set up. Zero ideas. It was hectic. There was so much random stuff happening - demons and vampires and bugs and faces at windows and evil toilets and ... SO MUCH. I thoroughly enjoyed how disturbing it all was, but I found it more amusing than terrifying. Did I mention the evil toilet??

The Bad

1. The Plot is ... What?
I still am not 100% sure of what the heck was happening here. It begins with Creed snapping a photo he shouldn't have, and it leads to this absolute chaos that is basically Creed being terrorised for reasons I couldn't work out. It was strange and hard to follow and it lessened my motivation to pick it up because the drive wasn't really there for me.

2. The Scare Factor is Low
I was hoping for a horror story but this definitely felt more like comedy. There are some creepy moments but the way Creed (and the narrator) deals with everything just makes it more humourous. I think, because Creed never entirely believed any of this horrific stuff was happening, it took the threat out of it. It was hilarious, but never raised a single goosebump for me.

FINAL THOUGHTS
I won't lie, the 2020 bug has really affected my reading experiences this year, and I find I'm a lot harder to please. I suspect this story lost a star to that. On paper, this book is everything I should have enjoyed, but it took me a lot longer to read than I anticipated, because I never really had the urge to pick it up again. I think that's part the fault of the plot, but also part me.

It's funny and unique, and Creed is a brilliant character, but as a horror novel it does fall a little flat. Still, there are some really interesting monsters here and the writing is truly brilliant, so others are likely to be more impressed than me.

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Review: Honeybee

Honeybee by Craig Silvey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When this book released, I was firmly on the fence (see below for original thoughts).

I wasn't at all motivated to read it, but the positive reviews that started rolling in had me asking the GR community if it was worth taking a chance on.

They said yes.

They were right.

This is a beautiful story.

It's heart-warming and heartbreaking; it's hard and soft; it's funny and sad. There are so many elements to it - it's like articles of clothing coming together to create the perfect outfit. Everything works in harmony, even if some of those things are bad. They're an important part of the overall look.

The blurb gives us Sam and Vic, who meet at opposite ends of a bridge they're both planning to jump from. Wouldn't be much of a story if they got away with it, so instead we get to see their friendship blossom into something that allows them both to learn a little more about themselves, as well as each other. Along the way, we'll encounter friends, enemies, and everything in between.

I definitely went into this one quite sceptical, especially since the old-person-young-person friendship is starting to feel a little overdone to me, so it was a surprise when I became absorbed so quickly.

Me: Ehhh, I don't know if I want to read it. It's probably terrible.
Also me: *reads entire book in a day*

Sam's story just fascinated me so completely. I was wary of getting my heart broken because - let's be honest - it's a bit of a rough start. But then it gave me Aggie, and the The Boy Who Steals Houses vibes were so strong I felt instantly happier. It felt like, yes, we were probably in for some tough times, but everything would work out okay in the end. I'm certain Aggie must have some De Lainey blood in her.

It did end up feeling a little simplistic, which is why it didn't quite make the 5-stars for me. If I may elaborate: (view spoiler)[I felt it was all a little too neat and tidy - Sam suffered some truly horrible stuff but then, lucky him, he just happens to meet the right people so he somehow ends up with his own house and 130K+ to boot, PLUS someone pays for his schooling, PLUS he's so amazingly GIFTED that he gets to study under some master chef dude. That's a lot of things magically turning out well for Sam. It cheapened the story for me. I appreciated that the story included the therapy sessions, so that we can see Sam is still pretty damaged, even with all that money and luck tumbling in his direction, but I'm still a little disappointed that it went the PG route. I feel like a bit more darkness and/or uncertainty would have wrung my emotions out a little more thoroughly. (hide spoiler)] It was a light story in spite of some of its darker moments, and while I'm glad it wasn't 400-odd pages of depressing, it did somehow leave me feeling a little off-balance. It has some humourous episodes, but because the tone is quite heavy they're tougher to laugh at.

All the same, it was a really heart-felt story that had me fully immersed in Sam's life.

It's a contemporary story that mulls over the importance of identity, family and self-acceptance. It's also, refreshingly, nothing like Jasper Jones. So that was a solid bonus for me.

Thank you to everyone who convinced me to read it. Now it's my turn to pass on the love.


***

Wow this is getting some amazing reviews!

Only I have two problems:

1. I didn't like Jasper Jones as much as everyone else (overrated)
2. I am someone who definitely judges books by their covers and I cannot support that mullet.

But maaaaaybe I'll be peer pressured into it. Maybe.

If you've read it, please feel free to leave your argument For or Against in the comments! Thanks!

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Review: Instant Karma

Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, I guess it was pretty cute.

Prudence is, like, super annoying though.

Reasons You Will Love This Book
- Enemies to Lovers cute romance
- Fun beach location
- Sea life vibes
- Karmic justice
- Fun characters
- Music rep
- Realistic character appearances (as opposed to everyone being 'the most attractive person ever')
- Quirky moments
- That one scene in the ... where they're both ... *happy sigh*

Reasons This Book May Lose Stars
- Prudence is super judgy
- Prudence is self-absorbed
- Prudence is kind of oblivious
- Prudence keeps everything a secret instead of just friggin' telling people the truth
- Look, mostly Prudence. She takes a LOT of warming up to

It really did take a bit for me to get into this, but once Prudence started softening up I enjoyed it much more. Quint is fun from the start, and I really love the relationship between Prudence and Jude, even though he treats her way better than she deserves sometimes. Ari is cool, too - I love how generous and warm she is, and I wish she'd been in more of the story.

I'm not usually into romance but this was definitely cute. I enjoyed the way their relationship developed, but how it did so while they both mostly stayed true to who they were. It's not about changing to please someone - it's about being accepted just as you are.

The karma angle was probably a little weak for my tastes, but it means that you can hold on to realism by wondering if maybe it IS all just coincidental. I did enjoy the ethical dilemmas it led to, but it still felt poorly utilised. The story definitely feels more about the romance than karma.

A lot of people are going to love this. I found the writing really addictive, and got to a point where I was surprised to realise I was so close to finishing it. It's pretty adorable, with characters that are easy to fall in love with and sea creatures that will steal your heart. The drama may be slightly predictable, but the relationship dynamics make it totally worth while.

I confess: I would be totally down for a sequel.

With thanks to Macmillan for my ARC

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Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I completely understand the hype, even if this wasn't a 5-star for me.

The racial issue is powerful, particularly in such a time setting, when the N-word is thrown around haphazardly and it's totally acceptable to denigrate people simply because of the colour of their skin. Discrimination repulses me, and I feel physically ill reading accounts - even fictional ones - of despicable conduct towards those who are different. There are some pretty familiar characters here, but how many of these characters are familiar because they themselves influenced more modern work? It's no secret that this is a classic which has inspired millions of people around the world, so I can't complain about stereotypes as I'm sure this book was quite unique when released back in the 60s.

I was a bit confused about the unrelated stories of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. The latter is clearly the Big Issue of this novel, but the first part of the novel barely touches on it, making for a rather confusing start to the book. I enjoyed the childhood exploits, and it was quite well-written, but at the same time it felt a little pointless. I can appreciate that there was a beautiful story told in Boo's regard, but it got a little tedious towards the end of Part One. (view spoiler)[ I also felt that his part at the end of the novel was a bit too easy. I get it, I understand that the author wanted to present ideas about the grey area of right and wrong, I can see how it evokes mixed feelings, but it just felt a little too convenient to me, and more of literary device than actual realistic plot development. (hide spoiler)]

The Robinson case broke my heart. (view spoiler)[Particularly knowing the outcome was inevitable, because what sort of powerful statement would this novel make if it had ended happily? (hide spoiler)] Just reading about the small-mindedness of others and knowing that, though the story is fictional, this is a real glimpse of human history - and that this kind of behaviour still exists today - truly saddens me. At the same time, it makes the character of Atticus that much more powerful, because he is a symbol of hope, and he is unrelenting.

There's not really much that I can say that's not already been said by appreciative readers all around the world. I enjoyed reading this novel, and it was an easier read than I anticipated, but there are some dark moments that will boil the blood of any decent human being. I'm glad I read it, but I doubt I'd want to read it again. Humankind really depresses me, sometimes.

It has got me pretty curious about the sequel, though.

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Review: The Mall

The Mall by S.L. Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**Re-read 10/20**

This is honestly one of the most memorable horror stories I've ever read.

The story features Rhoda and Dan, brought together by circumstance, as they search for a way out of the mall but only find themselves getting further in. And the further they get into the mall, the more bizarre things become ...

Firstly, it begins in the service corridors behind the scenes, so if you are someone who has worked in a shopping centre and know these blank, cold, concrete corridors well, you will have a better idea of how creepy this story is. You really do feel like you could get lost and be stuck down there forever. The first time I read this book, I had to do a late night close at the centre I worked, and when I came out all the familiar exits were blocked off and most of the lights were out and it was dark and creepy and I wanted to run screaming down the empty corridors. So this book picked a good subject to feature a horror story around.

It layers in the weird stuff really well, although I was prepared for it this time so it was more enjoyable. It does drift into the bizarre so you have to take things at face value, even though you still spend most of the book asking yourself if this pair is delusional. I think that is a huge part of the appeal - constantly wondering what the heck is actually happening.

The other part of the appeal is being equally horrified yet curious of the 'Downside'. I love the concept of it and it's really interesting to think about all the things this book doesn't tell us. For that reason, I'm looking forward to re-reading the sequel - which I accidentally read first last time. It's hard to say much more without spoiling the experience, but safe to say this is a series that firmly lodged itself in my mind.

This book takes the classic elements of shopping at the mall and twists it into a tense, bizarre thriller that will have you seeing shopping in a different light. It won't be for everyone, but if you're open to things getting weird, this one will give you plenty to think about and add a little creepiness to your next shopping trip.

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Review: The Saints of Salvation

The Saints of Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay I followed maybe 75% of this but it was still 100% EPIC.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous two novels in the series.

HERE WE ARE AT THE END.

The Saints are tasked with infiltrating an Olyix ship and stowing away until they reach the enclave. The hope is that they'll be able to send out a signal so that future generations can send the cavalry. Of course, we're familiar with some members of that future generation - and they are going to need some serious firepower if they're going to succeed.

I've never been big on sci-fi, but this trilogy has completely turned that around. Even though the science is mostly completely beyond me, I've immensely enjoyed my time spent with Dellian, Yirella and the Saints. These are some cool cats making science fun again. I'm definitely keen to explore the genre further, thanks to this trilogy.

The stakes are super high for this grand finale, so the tension is way up. The plots are thickening and technology is advancing at a crazy rate. My head was properly spinning for most of it.

Yirella's always been the smart one, so it's fun watching her work her way through the problems in this book. Dellian is mostly just along for the ride, but he's still one tough cookie and he provides some interesting insights to mull over. But the Saints are still my favourite. They're such an interesting bunch and the dynamics between them are a lot of fun. I love grumpy old Yuri and sarcastic Alik; I love badass Kandara and sulky Callum; I love how Jessika does all the work and is still patient when the others constantly bug her about Neana things and she keeps explaining that she doesn't know. I love how much they get on each other's nerves and yet still work together as such a solid unit.

They're the most relatable unit in this whole series for me.

I can't talk too much about the story because I'm not kidding when I say a lot of it went over my head. *nervous laughter* But it was still just such a rocking good time and it still threw me some serious curve balls. I think the great part is that, even if you're not entirely following the science, you still pick up the essentials. It reiterates the important stuff and, while I mostly had no idea what anything looked like, I was able to follow along what was good, what was bad, and what was about to go down. And it was seriously about. to. go. DOWN.

The epic scale of this novel is exhilarating, and it just keeps building. It was a little trickier to get into because of the science, but by the end I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to discover how things would end.

The conclusion is satisfying, but there are still some loose threads which hopefully suggests we can look forward to more stories set in this world. I know that, if that's the case, I will definitely be strapping in for that ride, too. I'm committed to these guys for life, now.

With thanks to Mamillan for my ARC

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Review: Sour

Sour by Tony Evans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars.

The creep-factor on this one is seriously high.

It's chaotic and fast-paced almost the entire way through, with only a brief lull in the middle to relate a little backstory on witches. But then when it picks up again it's even crazier than before and WOW. It was hard to breathe towards the end there.

I really enjoyed the first part, in which Sam and his friend Anthony take on a witch and her crow minions in a small cabin. I loved how it jumped straight into the action and never let up; I loved how it wasn't just violence - there were mind games, too. Mostly I just love how evil this witch is. *shudder*

It's a short story at only 158 pages, so it packs in a lot of action at the expense of background details. I didn't mind it, but I would have enjoyed a little more on the history and lore and that mysterious black book.

One thing that did begin to frustrate me, though, was all the similes. There were a few too many for my tastes, and while they were rather creative, at times it stunted the action for me instead of enhancing it.

Overall, though, it was a disturbing story that made for compulsive reading. I enjoyed the atmosphere of it, and while Sam made some utterly idiotic decisions, it led to some rather fascinating events.

Not for the squeamish, but otherwise horror lovers should be thoroughly entertained.

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Review: Jack West Jr and the Chinese Splashdown

Jack West Jr and the Chinese Splashdown by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Look, on its own, this is a pretty random short story.

But in the role of an appetiser before the main course of The Two Lost Mountains, it does the job.

Something else to get you excited for what's to come.

Consider me excited.

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Review: The Three Secret Cities

The Three Secret Cities by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**Re-read 09/20**

Basically it's all the global adventuring fun of the first three books with all the fangirling fun of the fourth book. STILL GOOD.

I still lost my mind over the best bits. It's just that epic.

Also, 2020 is here and although it's mostly been terrible the silver lining is quite clearly that we finally get the next book in this series. <3 Patience is a virtue, friends.


**Original Review 10/18**

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! I also LOST MY MIND when one particular character showed up that I wasn't expecting. I still grin maniacally thinking about that grand entrance. SO BADASS. *swoon*

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: Kin

Kin by Kealan Patrick Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story is both deeply disturbing and absolutely brilliant.

It's very much a gruesome slasher flick, which begins with a horrific massacre and doesn't get any prettier, but there's also an intelligence to it that contrasts the violence with very real character depth.

This is not horror for horror's sake.

This is horror that allows for a fascinating examination of trauma.

One of the most incredible horror stories I've read in a long time.

I have this rule about only giving 5-star ratings to books I would definitely read again, but I might just be breaking it for this one. Because I don't know that I'd want to re-live this nightmare, but the initial 4-star rating I gave it just wasn't sitting right. It's worthy of 5.

Here's why:

It's unpredictable
You think you know the formula, you think you can guess what's coming ... you are wrong.

It doesn't pull punches
It gets straight into the nastiness, and it does not hold back. There is plenty of suffering to go around and this book is creative with it.

It's intelligent
The violence is not the main feature, it's just another part that comprises the whole. The story takes the titular theme and explores several manifestations of it, all while holding the tension and probing the depths of trauma.

The writing is addictive
From the very first page it's almost impossible to resist the compulsion to read. There are certainly moments that will make you want to pause but it draws you back in soon enough. There's just something about the way it plays out that makes you want to see it through to the end.

A fantastic horror story with fascinating themes, some epic scenes and memorable characters. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Review: The Two Lost Mountains

The Two Lost Mountains by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Holy crap.

This was all kinds of batsh*t insane.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the previous books in the series.

As we all know, the last book ended in a painful cliff hanger that led to an excruciating two-year wait. Thankfully, this book jumps straight into clearing things up for us - although, let's face it - chances are you had it worked out already.

This book begins in Russia, and it's quick to take on all kinds of trouble from a host of bad guys, meaning Jack is very much on the back foot from the beginning. Frustratingly, this book leaves him trailing further and further behind. Poor bastard.

I can't describe how painful it was for me that Jack was always so far behind. He's always been great at coming from the back to take the win but this book makes it feel almost impossible - the odds are just so ridiculously stacked against him.

This feels very much like an 'in-between' sort of novel; there's a lot of allusion to a labyrinth which was never going to make it into this book, so it feels like it spends a lot of time setting up that final challenge, rather than focusing the attention on the adventures of the lost mountains. It annoyed me a little, but only because I know I've got another wait before that conclusion which I know is going to be all kinds of epic. It also felt a little lacking in all the ancient puzzle-solving that I've enjoyed so much in the other books. The Lost Mountains of the title didn't actually feel that important to the whole progression of this particular episode.

Lots of planes and other vehicles which I always take with a grain of salt - these things don't hugely interest me but I really love the enthusiasm that comes through the writing. The creepy psycho statues are back, too, and are wreaking plenty of havoc.

The team is still split in all kinds of directions and I really miss them all working together. It adds to Jack's desperation that he seems to have to deal with so much of it by himself, but it does also give us some epic moments when characters come together again after a long and/or tense separation. But I'm very much looking forward to some serious teamwork in the last book.

Overall, I really enjoyed how crazy this adventure was, but it was also seriously fkn depressing. It was just so hard for me to read about how dire things looked for Jack at every single turn. So I guess the emotional factor messed with me a little too much to make it a 5-star. They've always been such fun novels but suddenly the drama is real and the consequences are too extreme and things just feel so damn helpless throughout this book. It hurt my heart.

Tell ya what, though. The final book is going to be all kinds of insane and I honestly can't wait. I am ready for everything in this series to come together like the most incredible tapestry ever woven. I AM READY.

...aaaaaand impatiently waiting. Again. 

With thanks to Macmillan for my ARC       

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Review: Mexican Gothic

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating, unique breed of creepy.

I mean, a haunted house is nothing particularly new, but there's something about the way this one delivers that had me constantly shuddering.

Super, super creepy.

The story is set in a derelict mansion on a hill. Noemi has been sent there to check on her cousin, Catalina, who has been ill, and sent a rather troubling letter about how there are ghosts in the house and her husband is trying to poison her. Naturally, things get weird.

First up, it's set in 1950, but it definitely gives off some Victorian vibes. The house has limited electricity and it's a huge part of the atmosphere - along with the mold growing everywhere, cracked and crumbling walls, and a distinct lack of music or merriment. Catalina's husband and his family are decidedly odd - the patriarch of the family, Howard Doyle, is an ogre with some interesting ideas about 'breeding', while the husband himself, Virgil, is all sly smiles and malicious glares. Florence is the strict homemaker who has no time for Noemi, but her son, Francis, does provide a small glimpse at comfort. He's still a bit weird, but he's the most normal of the bunch so Noemi has a little more time for him.

The characters are brilliantly done, and they fit the story so well. Naturally, there are a lot of secrets surrounding this odd family, and it's all brilliantly contrasted by Noemi the socialite, who is more used to dancing, flirting, and generally doing what she wants (provided these things are acceptable for a woman). There is a fascinating conflict between this family with its strict rules and Noemi's stubbornness and strong will, but there's also the overarching sexism that is a fact of Noemi's existence that she doesn't particularly agree with.

The atmosphere of malice seeps into every page and the story becomes horrifying without ever really understanding why. I really enjoyed the complicated relationship between Noemi and Virgil, and then the spark of hope that Francis presented. There are some fascinating dynamics and looming over it all is this ancient mansion with so many secrets trapped within the walls.

I loved the way the story unravelled and enjoyed the foreboding of the whole thing. It just leaves you with a gut feeling that things are not going to end well so it's quite a ride watching it all play out.

Really enjoyed it! I can see why it's getting all the hype. Totally deserved, in my opinion.

Thanks to my friends from HA for the buddy read :)

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Review: A Walk to Remember

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The movie was better.

It's not often that I prefer the movie over the book, but it's also not often that I like chick flicks and the movie of this novel really got to me.

So honestly it was a bit sad that this book didn't have the rich details that the movie did.

That's what it comes down to, ultimately - not enough detail.

For those who don't know the plot, the story is told by Landon, who is a bit of a rebel. His dad hasn't been around so he's a bit reckless and wild, and also sometimes quite a jerk. Then he gets to know Jamie, daughter of the local pastor, and suddenly things begin to change.

There's also this secret that Jamie has, and the movie kinda spills halfway through, whereas this book left it to the last minute which ended up being frustrating. But I think if you haven't seen the film it will be a real gut-wrenching twist that will give you all the feels you want from a Nicholas Sparks book.

I'm not usually into the mushy stuff, but I do really love how this relationship plays out. I love Jamie and how she treats everyone, and there's no pretence to it. She's just such a loving soul, and the way Landon begins to change, just by knowing her, is actually pretty beautiful.

But the novel is short so it doesn't quite expand on the love story and so the ending feels a little abrupt and unsatisfying.

Overall, it's not a bad book - the characters are great and the story is sweet, but it just wasn't enough to win me over after the brilliance of the film.

Read the book before you see the film and you'll probably rate it a lot higher.

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Review: The Kingdom of Copper

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

WARNING: This review may contain spoilers for the first book in the series.

Pros:
- Nahri being a badass
- Dara being a badass
- Muntadhir being unexpectedly sweet
- Ali being an idiot

Cons:
- Ghassan being a jerk
- Dara being a jerk
- Muntadhir being a jerk
- Ali being an idiot

Also there was so much more hatred and pain and death and scheming characters and my heart just couldn't. handle. it.

The pace is a little uneven compared to The City of Brass so I was worried from the slower start that I might not like it as much. But once Ali and Nahri were reunited, I was happy again. It's very dynamic and by the end it devolves into absolute chaos which was a lot of fun but also nearly stopped my heart from fear and pain. So ... yay?

The politics still confuse me, as well as who is in what tribe and who has what magic and why things are scandalous etc. so that got a bit frustrating, but there is a glossary and cast of characters at the back which helps a little.

There was not nearly enough Dara for my liking, but I like how powerful he is. I did NOT like him being M's lapdog, though. I just did not like her one bit at all. Dara belongs with Nahri and if you disagree with me on this I will fight you.

I also liked Ali's new friends. They seem nice.

The whole persecution of the shafit really made me sad, and I got so frustrated at how people were just constantly jerks to others. It's part of why I love Ali so much, even if he's an idealistic idiot sometimes. He's just so honest and raw and there's no faking from him. He's such a pure soul.

I really love this world, but DAMN does it have some issues.

Very much looking forward to the next (and final, I believe) book in the series where hopefully everyone will sort their sh*t out.

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Review: The Girl in the Mirror

The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daaaamn this book made me so anxious.

I hate lying. Lying makes me nervous. Liars always get found out. ALWAYS.

But this concept fascinates me.

It's similar to the plot of that TV show with Sarah Michelle Gellar that got axed, leaving me without a conclusion. So it was nice to get some closure through this story.

But still.

It was close to agony living through this story.

The blurb sums up the first third of the book, which is something that frustrates me a little but it also allows you to hang in there for the boring first 100-odd pages while rebel sister Iris goes sailing with perfect sister Summer and then loses her to the sea. Now Iris - who has been living in the shadow of her perfect twin all her life - is faced with the opportunity of stepping into that very same perfect life.

Look, I should have known from that blurb that it'd make me uncomfortable, but the lies upon lies really made me nauseous. I don't know why it gets me so much! Just the thought of the humiliation and pain that will come from being exposed in the lie ... it does something to me. I don't want that for anyone - especially not a character like Iris who I tragically related to so much. She's the one who's considered a bit of a rebel, the black sheep of the family, and she's cynical and ruthless and totally awkward with kids but at the same time she actually just wants to be loved as much as her twin is.

I loved the way Iris was written, because she has some very clear flaws and is a bit of a lost soul but somehow I still felt drawn to her. You can feel how much she's hurting, and you can tell all the bluster about nice people being idiots is just a false layer to cover how much it hurts that her twin is preferred by everyone.

The story is twisted, and damn near broke my heart so many times. But all the lies and false pretences make it such a wild, thrilling ride, and you know it's all going to end badly but you can't help but keep reading anyway. It really did make me anxious lol. The twists are unreal though so if you love a good twisty thriller you'll eat this right up.

Once you get over the mildly dull start that sets it all up, you won't be able to put it down.

This is an intelligent, anxiety-inducing thriller that I highly recommend. You will be on the edge of your seat til the very last page.

With thanks to A&U for a copy

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Review: The Four Legendary Kingdoms

The Four Legendary Kingdoms by Matthew Reilly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**Re-read 09/20**

The benefit of forgetting details of books I've read is that I can re-read something like this and still be on the edge of my seat. It's so intense!

You can definitely feel the time between books, so it's good that it's set many years after the conclusion of The Five Greatest Warriors. The vibe is a little different, and it feels very much like a book written with the fans in mind - there's less history-chasing, and we're fixed in one spot rather than galavanting around the world. I think, by tightening the scope, Reilly has been able to produce a harder, faster installment, and it makes it much more thrilling. Plus there's that one character (or two, really) that fans have been waiting for Jack to meet so finally our fan-girl/boy/other dreams are all coming true. <3

Jack is still faced with complicated puzzles to solve, but there's no way he can go it all alone so there are some familiar faces along for the ride. That being said, several from the previous books don't even appear here, and others have rather minor roles. (view spoiler)[Astrooooo my looooove hello <3 (hide spoiler)] I didn't mind it at all, though, because there are so many new characters we get to have fun with, and Jack is facing off against a bunch of horrible, ruthless people so you know there's gonna be some serious carnage. I'm glad some of our friends were safe from it all!

I loved that it was this ferocious set of challenges but there was still the logical element to it, too, and the ancient mythology and historical facts mixed in to make it a proper Jack West Jr adventure. I also love that Jack is just so true to himself. He grumbles a little bit about being thrown into these messes (understandable) but then he just gets it done anyway. But no matter the challenge he still does things his OWN way - it makes him such a loveable character. Plus it gives us so many awesome moments. Like, sure, he's this noble guy and he believes all people derserve respect and he fights for what's right, absolute hero, etc etc ... but please don't think for a second that he's above giving the bad guys the finger.

Absolutely LOVE this adventure. It's a separate adventure from that covered in the first three books, but there's still that link between them, and it's definitely setting up for an epic continuation of the series. (The next of which I've also read, and forgotten. LOL *awkward laugh*)

A fantastic read and a brilliant addition to the series, but if you're not familiar with some of Reilly's other work you'll miss out on a fair bit of the fun of this one. Same goes if you're not familiar with the previous three novels. On the other hand, if you're all caught up, you should absolutely love this.


**Original Review 10/16**

Epic. Totally epic. Well worth the wait for this fourth installment in the Jack West Jr series! It's a beautiful blend of the old and the new, with more history and mythology built into non-stop action, only the scale here is much bigger. We don't have the whole team from the previous novels but there's a decent serve of other characters that quite easily fill the hole and indeed make things even more interesting. The challenges themselves are interesting; perhaps less puzzling than what we're used to but they still maintain plenty of intensity. Even amidst the action though there are some beautiful themes so the human element is still very much present. There are some predictable outcomes however it's their delivery that keeps things alive so they in no way lessen the thrills. This novel can be easily devoured in one sitting if you have the time but beware - finishing it so suddenly is likely to result in a decent book-hangover. I already miss it, and will be hanging out for the next one!

An absolute must for fans of the Jack West Jr series, and a worthy read for fans of Matthew Reilly. You won't be disappointed!

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Review: The Survivors

The Survivors by Jane Harper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Maybe it's me.

Maybe I'm just not feeling crime novels like I used to.
Maybe I've been too spoiled lately with unique stories.
Maybe too much reading has left me jaded.

Whatever the reason, I found this frustrating and slow and ultimately disappointing.

Setup: A whole bunch of secrets in a small Tasmanian coastal town, and Kieran digging through the past while we all try to work out who's responsible for the recent death of a girl.

The Good Bits

The Setting
I can't argue about Jane Harper's ability to set the scene. She does it well, and anyone who has ever visited an Australian coastal town will recognise it here. She has a way of transporting you to the locations she writes about, and it's definitely the best part of her writing.

The Tangle of Information
There is a lot of information to absorb - some of it relevant to solving the mystery, some of it just to throw you off. It's all jumbled together so there is the fun element of trying to untangle everything and come to your own conclusions.

The Cast of Characters
Look, I didn't really like any of them, but they were an interesting bunch and different enough that it kept the story interesting. Plus having so many of them meant there were lots of guesses as to who was behind all the drama.

The Frustrating Bits

The Pace
The first half of this novel really dragged, because it put so much time into talking about the lives of so many characters and setting out the misdirects for the mystery to come. So there are a lot of info dumps and not really a lot of action. The second half picks up a bit, and finally it does get to be an addictive read but, for me, the lack of interest at the start meant I wasn't as invested in the conclusion as I could have been.

The Allusions to the Past
This was hands down the most frustrating part for me. It works so hard to be mysterious that it ends up just seeming obnoxious. It drops all these hints about a mystery we clearly know nothing about, then there's a quick info-dump to scratch the itch, followed almost immediately with another hint about something else. The formula was so repetitive that I found myself not wanting to pick the book back up because it was so frustrating.

The Pushed Agenda
For a book told from a male's POV, this sure wants to make a point about how hard it is to be a woman. It reminds us that women can't walk in the dark without feeling safe and that beautiful women will always be harassed and blamed for being beautiful. As a woman I totally get these issues, but it just felt so out of place the way it was discussed in this story. She worked too hard to make a point of it, and it grated for me because it never felt organic. Especially when she spent so much time talking about how attractive the females in this book were. Overall, it was pretty jarring and made me feel awkward.

Final Thoughts
It wasn't terrible, and it definitely had me hooked towards the end, but on finishing the story I was left scratching my head a little, wondering what the heck just happened. It's one of those endings that kind of leaves you disappointed, thinking maybe you missed something. It just kind of - I think the technical term I want to go with here is 'fizzled'.

I never really liked any of the characters, and it all felt complicated for the sake of complication. There were so many secrets that didn't need to be secrets. Because of this, it also feels like there was a lot that was never properly explained.

Certainly not her best work, and a little disappointing when I enjoyed her last one so much. But, as mentioned, maybe I've just become a little jaded with the crime novel formula.

It's intriguing and full of secrets, and it takes some twisty turns for you to explore. If you don't overthink it you're bound to enjoy it well enough, but those looking to be blown away might be a little disappointed.

With thanks to Macmillan for my uncorrected proof ARC

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Review: The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Loved the martial arts, liked the characters, not a fan of the war strategy.

Also super weird reading a rather modern, first person account of something that allegedly was taking place back in 484 AD.

But I liked it nonetheless.

One of the best things about this book, in my opinion, is Mulan's fear. She's a trained warrior, which is excellent, and she is loyal to her family, so she doesn't think twice about enlisting to save the rest of her family. Her intentions are honourable. But she wants to come home to them, so if that means hiding out on the sidelines then that's what she'll do. When she does finally see battle, there's no fancy fighting - there's just Mulan dealing with the first serious fight she's ever been involved in and her reaction is raw and real. She's terrified - as anyone would be.

It's lacking the fun of the Disney version, and there's a lot more emphasis on China politics at the time. There's no Mushu or lucky cricket sadly, and there's a serious tone to the whole thing that did unfortunately drag it down for me. But the characters to serve to lighten the mood a little - particularly Kedan, who I was quick to take a liking to.

The martial arts scenes were clearly written by an author who did her research. This was probably my favourite part of the book, reading the intricate details and the strategy of each fighter. I loved it all. Plus I really enjoyed the chemistry between Mulan and Kai when they're fighting - both with and against each other.

I have mixed feelings about it being a YA novel, because the tone seemed wrong to me - it was light on details and the language was modern, so it failed to properly immerse me in the setting of ancient China. But, at the same time, I wasn't particularly keen on all those details anyway so I'm kind of glad it skimmed over it all.

In the end, it was an easy read with some memorable moments, but nothing particularly special. I found it a little bland, but it was a decent re-telling of the legend.

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Review: The Nightingale and the Rose

The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

UM?!

WHY DID I READ THIS.

Humans are STUPID.

So beautiful and elegant. I wasn't sure about it at first but, man, did I end up getting invested in this lil nightingale. Such a sweet soul.

What a heart-wrenching story.

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Review: Spite

Spite by Katy Bauer
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Another nothing book.

Plot: Narrator is jealous of successful people, decides she needs to become successful. Ropes in friend to make a film. Complains the whole time.

It's written like a diary, so the writing is choppy and short and mercifully jumps through the 'action' pretty quick. I say 'action' because most of it is just the narrator getting drunk and stoned and complaining. It's really dull and I skimmed most of it to be honest.

It just had nothing really driving it. I think it's supposed to be sassy and hilarious and we're supposed to laugh at how the narrator is such a ridiculously terrible human being, but it fell flat for me. I found her unbearable and as such it made it really painful to read her diary. She just does not care about anyone or anything but herself. How her husband continues to love her is the biggest mystery of this book.

Honestly, I just didn't care.

There are relationship dramas but the whole filmmaking process is the backbone of the story, meaning this story holds together like soggy cardboard. There are some interesting parts but on the whole it's essentially a pointless story.

It was so dull I can't even be bothered writing more about it.

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Review: Devil's Creek

Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay I went into this really excited but unfortunately it kind of ... fizzled.

Mostly, the story just seemed a good excuse to:
1. Trash talk religion
2. Make people do weird kinky things

The story follows Jack, who is returning to his hometown after his Grandmother's death. Back when he was a kid, he was part of a cult led by Jacob Masters, who fathered six children specifically so he could later sacrifice them. Jack was one of those kids, so now he has to face his past, particularly since it seems, after 30 years, Jacob may longer be satisfied with staying dead.

So it begins with exactly what went down with the demise of the cult and Jacob's death. Jacob is a religious nut who realised God is not above but actually beneath, and he demands blood, suffering and general depravity. To start, I kind of found it hard to believe that this religious nut hears a 'god' from below and doesn't even think about the possibility it's the devil? How did the dude with the horns and pitchfork not even turn up beyond the title? That surprised me a lot. I found it a little unbelievable that this pastor who was so devoted to God suddenly had his switch flipped by a voice from below. Then again, what do I know about religion? *shrugs*

Soon enough it jumps to present day, 30 years later, where the 'Stauford Six' are just trying to live ordinary lives. Jack is the only one who ever moved away - he went off to become a highly successful artist, thanks to the disturbing artwork inspired by his nightmares. Way to capitalise, buddy. Anyhoo, now he's back in town and we're following as he reunites with a few of his siblings and suddenly discovers that his loving grandma was into some weird stuff before she died.

It was all a little too detailed for me. We get to know half the town in greater detail than was really necessary, and it slowed everything down so much. I got King vibes from the storytelling, but it never drew me in like King's work does. Instead we get to know all of these people that just end up meaning very little to the story. Plus all the backstory with the idol got kinda dull after a while.

The violence is graphic yet sporadic, so you can get this really terrifying, gruesome scene, then the next is an info dump of history that's mostly boring. Also, it's so sexualised. I'll spoiler-tag the details, but safe to say some kinky stuff goes down. (view spoiler)[Firstly there's the kids being raped and violated, Susan and Ozzie and their kinky relationship (I lost count of how many times this story wanted to talk about Susan's Naked Body), the talk of BJs and fucking and incest, and then of course the ending with everyone getting naked and the fucking mass orgy. It was all a little too gratuitous for my tastes. (hide spoiler)] It also starts really strong and creepy but then it ends up being more of the same so it gets a bit repetitive, to be honest. It's like it wants to get creative but just misses the mark.

I enjoyed the lore and the building of the story behind this evil, but all the rituals made it a little too confusing for me and at the end of it I'm still not entirely sure I understand it. I feel like so much detail went into it when it was actually more simple? It got a little bit wild and I think a lot of it was kind of wasted.

I think the takeaway message is that people can do crazy stuff when they think they're doing God's will. It definitely takes a nice solid swipe at the devout, but in doing so it divides the town into 'evil religious nuts' or 'outcasts with no faith'. I think I really needed that middle ground to become properly invested.

I never really felt a lot for the characters, and I think that's because we jumped between so many of them. The substance was certainly there but I just didn't stay with them long enough to really get too invested.

Finally, the whole thing just took so long to play out that, by the end, I was just bored. It started strong but then put so much effort into creating substance and fleshing out details; normally this is something I would appreciate but it just felt pointless and wasted on this story. I think the amount of violence and depravity in this story called for less effort in the storytelling. Alternatively, I would have appreciated fewer, more effective incidents of violence. Basically, the balance was off.

Overall it was an enteraining story that I think just took itself too seriously. I didn't hate it, but I think there's a fair bit of room for improvement.

With thanks to Netgalley for a copy.

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Review: The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think of all the worlds I've visited in books, that created by Tolkien will always be my favourite.

The detail is so rich and its history so compelling that it so easily comes alive for me. If you want to know more about Middle Earth, the info is there. You just have to find the book that tells it. If you're looking for more beyond The Lord of the Rings, this is that book.

Now, I'm not going to lie - the first 150-or-so pages are a bit of a slog. This could be retitled "A Condensed History of Middle Earth" and it begins with the world's very creation. It's basically the Bible of Tolkien's world. Don't look for any mention of familiar names too soon. (This is also very likely the reason I gave up about a third of the way in when I first read it, back when I was 17 or so.)

First, there's The Big Guy, Illuvatar, who brings into being the Ainur, who essentially end up being the gods of this world (The Valar). Then there's the creation of the physical world, and the people destined to inhabit it. It's all described in rather complex detail, so this is not light reading, my friends.

From the very beginning, one of the Ainur has evil intentions, and Melkor (aka Morgoth) swiftly becomes the Big Bad who lurks throughout this entire history, darkening all that the others create. His presence sows the seed of good vs evil, and suddenly this fancy new world is marred into something tragically more recognisable and honestly far more interesting.

So the first half of the book is all about who creates what, who descends from who, what the land looks like, and who ends up in which lands. We know the elves are quick to inhabit, so then we must learn all of the elves of importance, and how they come to scatter throughout the lands of Middle Earth.

It gets incredibly confusing, not least because of the multitude of characters but additionally because each character tends to come with several names, and reference to them is not consistent.

Thankfully, there's an index and a few family trees at the back to assist, though it's not really until great deeds are done that the characters become somewhat familiar.

But, man, when those deeds begin, things start to get really interesting.

The underlying story is about the creation of three jewels, the silmaril, and the quest to reclaim them, yet this actually composes very little of the stories within these pages. It's more about the various fates of all those affected by the existence of the jewels, and the endless feud with Morgoth. The fates are many and varied, and I ended up sticking post-it notes throughout my book to remind myself of some of the most epic occurences within these pages:

We have people chained to mountains, limbs hacked off, people crushed by boulders and thrown from cliffs, destroyed by monstrous creatures, betrayal, murder, incest, lies, greed, arrogance, jealousy, veangeance ... there were actually so many moments in this book where I felt the need to cover my gaping mouth in horror.

I FREAKING LOVED IT.

Eventually I found my favourites among the stories, and characters I got to know and love - Turgon, Maedhros, Thingol and Melian, Hurin, Beren and Luthien and Huan the hound ... and so many others whose parts I loved but then forgot in favour of the next great hero to arise. That's another thing - you hear about the deeds of one, then they disappear from the story for a time, only to reappear later when you've all but forgotten them. It was confusing but it was also kind of fun to have friends coming back into the story.

There are also a lot of echoes of other myths and legends, and of deeds made familiar through The Lord of the Rings. There's definitely a sense that life is circular, and history often repeats.

I loved the complexity of it, but it doesn't make for easy reading. You really have to concentrate on every word of every sentence, so this is only for those fully committed to learning the lore of Tolkien's world. It's told more than shown so it can feel a little tedious at times, but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded by fantastic stories rich in detail. Consider the fact that within 366 pages we have centuries of history and lore - Tolkien actually does pretty well to keep it entertaining.

Truth is, I still managed to feel so much for some of these characters. I loved Thingol so his fate really affected me, and I was bemused to learn that the true hero of the story of Beren and Luthien was actually a dog. I loved that damn dog so much. The story of Turin Turambar horrified me so many times, and Maehdros was one I felt loyalty to without really remembering why. I loved the friendships and loathed the actions of those lacking honour and generally ended up being fully invested in everything. There are also little gems of information that will spark the memory of things read about elsewhere, or embellish a little. For example, one fun fact I learnt is that dwarves apparently went into battle wearing these terrifying masks. Oh if only those masks had appeared in Peter Jackson's imaginings.

Then of course as time draws closer to the Third Age, learning about Aragorn's ancestors was a real treat. Although working out that he was kiiiiinda related to Elrond made things a bit weird, if you follow me.

GUH.

This just ended up being so rewarding to read and I'm really glad for that. It's definitely reignited my love for this world, which never dies but does sleep from time to time as I immerse myself in other worlds.

This is probably only for the hardcore Tolkien junkies, but if you make the effort it will be well rewarded. I know I was.

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Review: The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Once again I am disappointed by a book because I misunderstood what I was getting into.

I honestly thought this was a biographical account of a dude who really did sell all his posessions and wander off to discover the meaning of life. But that's just the ruse the author uses to tell you what he believes are the secrets of life.

It's basically a beginner's insight into spiritual development in a form similar to both The Courage to be Disliked and The Alchemist, in that it uses a fictional discussion between two characters to deliver all its wisdom.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything new enough here to make up for my disappointment at being jipped on the motivational biography I thought this was.

The setup is this: Julian is a hotshot lawyer who has a heart attack one day in court. This serves as his wakeup call so he sells everything he owns then goes off to India to live among sages who will teach him the meaning of life. Then he comes back and passes on all this wisdom to his hotshot lawyer protege, and this book is essentially that conversation between the two.

Firstly, it's a bit of a stretch that this protege is so open to changing every single aspect of his life so dramatically, and the sporadic attempts at humour just make this more ridiculous. The setup is a poor one, because it's so unrealistic, which doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the methods. It all ends up feeling rather far-fetched instead of practical - and this from a person who completely supports the seven points that are made.

It's almost like the author was too lazy to provide actual facts, figures and examples, so just put all is own thoughts into these two fictional creations. I guess the point is to make it more accessible but it made it seem phony and conceited to me. I guess the delivery just really rubbed me the wrong way.

But aside from that, the concepts it provides are actually quite useful, and it's all stuff I've read repeatedly in books on personal development. It just simplifies it all, which is what I mean about being 'Spirituality for Beginners'. I'm not denying the information, but it just barely scratches the surface. Ironically, it's like the 'quick-fix' version of personal development.

So overall I hated the delivery and it was a little too basic for me, but I do support the information it conveys and think this is a great entry point for anyone who may be looking to begin a little self development.

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