Category: Reviews

Mini-Review: The Scottish Prisoner

Published on by Rachelle

Scottish

  • Author: Diana Gabaldon
  • ISBN: 9780385337526

I purchased this book from a used bookstore after I had read the first three books of the “Outlander” series and knew that I wanted all of the related books.

The Scottish Prisoner combines Lord John’s and Jamie Fraser’s timelines more so than any of the other books from either series.  It also tells part of Jamie’s life that isn’t in the “Outlander” books.  Chronologically, the story’s events fall between Voyager and Drums of Autumn.

I’ve been told countless times that I need or should read the “Lord John” books, but I’ve never had any interest in them.  If the series always featured Jamie, then I would read them with the same love I have for all things “Outlander”, but otherwise, I’ll pass, thank you.  However, since The Scottish Prisoner does have Jamie in it, I was glad to pay money to buy the book.  The story is exactly what you can expect from Diana Gabaldon.  I loved it and got through it quickly.  There were several nights when I stayed up later than I should have just to keep reading, and if there is any test to determine the quality of a book, that would be it.  So, if you’ve read the “Outlander” series, at least up to Drums of Autumn, this book is well worth your time.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #39: Read a book with no living thing on the cover.

 

Review: Ready Player One

Published on by Rachelle

Ready

  • Author: Ernest Cline
  • ISBN: 9780307887436
  • Genre: Science Fiction

The above ISBN is for the hardcover edition, but I purchased the audiobook.

Ready Player One is the kind of book that has a lot of hype around it, and once again, because it’s classified as YA, I passed it over.  I wrongly assumed that it was another Ender’s Game.  I had also read somewhere that it was Dystopian.  As much as I love The Hunger Games and a couple of other Dystopian stories, I feel like it has become a bit overdone lately.  However, one of my professors recommended it to me, and there was no way I wasn’t going to check this book out.

Yes, technically this a Dystopian novel, but it’s also a whole lot more.  It’s a tribute to my ’80s childhood and involves much of my favorite music, movies, and video games.  At the same time, it shows the reader the horrible ways life as we know it can go to pot, and there doesn’t need to be a super bug or nuclear war for that to happen.  It also doesn’t necessarily have to be far into the future or involve the complete loss of knowledge about how things used to be.

The reason I chose the audiobook over any other edition is because it’s narrated by Wil Wheaton.  All around, Ready Player One is a geek’s Science Fiction dream.  There is a ridiculous number of geek and ’80s culture references throughout the book, but you don’t have to be a geek or have lived during the ’80s to enjoy it.  However, if you are a geek or gamer or you grew up during the ’80s, you’ll probably enjoy this book even more than the intended young adult audience.  At some point, I’m going to buy the ebook and re-read it while listening to all my favorite ’80s tunes.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #71: Read a book that prominently includes gaming in some way (Book cover is linked to Goodreads synopsis).

Mini-Review: The Glass Magician

Published on by Rachelle

Glass

  • Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
  • ISBN: 9781477825945
  • Genre: Fantasy

I purchased this book not long after I finished The Paper Magician.

You know how sequels don’t often live up to the first book?  The Paper Magician was so great that I was afraid the sequel would be disappointing in comparison.  However, that wasn’t the case with The Glass Magician.  If anything, it was better since Charlie N. Holmberg didn’t just rewrite the same story with a different scenario.  She also didn’t make the mistake of rehashing all of the details of the first book before continuing the story.  There were short and to the point reminders of past events, which were helpful and always in relation to the current story, and that was it.

There is so much more that I want to say about The Glass Magician, but I have to keep my mouth shut to avoid spoiling anything.  What I can say is that I’m very much looking forward to the final book, The Master Magician.  I need to know what happens, and I’ve been saving up my Amazon credits for choosing the slowest shipping option just so I can buy it.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #46: Celebrate 2015 – read a book that’s number in the series can be made from only the number in 2015 (This is book 2 of the Paper Magician series).

Review: Fangirl

Published on by Rachelle

Fan

  • Author: Rainbow Rowell
  • ISBN: 9781250030955
  • Genre: Contemporary YA

The above ISBN is for the hardcover, but I listened to the audiobook edition that I purchased.

If Fangirl hadn’t been a book club pick, I probably would never have read it.  I rarely ever read fiction that isn’t Science Fiction or Fantasy, especially if it’s Contemporary YA.  However, I decided to give it the same chance I give every book I pick up for whatever reason, and I’m glad I did.

The main character, Cath, reminds me very much of my younger self.  Sometimes that was a bit depressing and made it difficult to continue.  I felt horrible for her.  By the end of the book, the story was more cathartic than anything else, and I was a bit surprised when it ended.  It wasn’t so much that the ending itself was unexpected, but that I didn’t realize the story was over.  Part of that was due to my misreading my audible app and thinking there were more chapters than there were.  The feeling was similar to when you believe you have at least fifty or so pages left of a book, and then you discover it’s really only ten because the rest is a discussion guide.  The other reason was that I thought there was more to tell, and I wanted to know what that “more” was.  I got the funny feeling that Rainbow Rowell did that deliberately so that the reader might decide to write the rest of Cath’s story for themselves.

All in all, the only minor thing that I didn’t like about Fangirl was the lengthy readings of Cath’s fan fiction.  I think they could have been considerably shorter and still got the point across that Cath was really writing about and trying to process certain events from her life.  However, you don’t have to be a lover of fan fiction to enjoy this book.  I’ve never been into fan fiction, and I loved it.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #75: Step outside your comfort zone and read a book in a genre you have read less than five times this year. (I haven’t read any Non-Fantasy Contemporary YA books this year.)

Review: The Library at Mount Char

Published on by Rachelle

Library

  • Author: Scott Hawkins
  • ISBN: 9780553418606
  • Publisher: Crown Publishers
  • Genre: Dark Fantasy/Horror

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Library at Mount Char was not what I expected at all.  I’m not sure if that’s because the synopsis was misleading, or because I feel like this book belongs more in the Horror genre than Fantasy.   Either way, it’s less about the Library than it is about the main character’s quest for revenge.

Putting aside my disappointment at not reading a true Fantasy book, Scott Hawkins gets bonus points for grabbing my attention with the very first sentence, and keeping it up to the point where Erwin enters the story.  The author lost all of those bonus points with Erwin, who’s character is completely unbelievable and who’s actions are mostly implausible.  Why?  Erwin is supposed to be a Vietnam vet who retired as a Sergeant Major.  If you’ve ever served in the Army, you’ll quickly figure out that the author either didn’t do enough research or he exaggerated the already tall tales he heard from a soldier.  The only reason I’m willing to forgive Erwin’s existence is that the story itself is beyond the point of “out there”.  Think of the most bizarre story that Stephen King ever came up with, and you’re close to where The Library at Mount Char is on the scale of outlandishness.  Somehow, it works.

With the exception of the parts involving Erwin, my desire to continue reading this book never wavered.  I’m glad I forced my way through those parts because The Library at Mount Char is a solid three-star read.  I enjoyed it most of the time, and I’m likely to read the author’s future books.  While Scott Hawkins is no Stephen King, I can safely recommend this book to fans of the King of Horror.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #49: Read a book that contains all the letters in the word BLUE.

Review: The Last Dragon

Published on by Rachelle

Dragon

  • Author: Silvana De Mari
  • ISBN: 9780786836369
  • Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

I tracked down and bought this book after a ten year old girl insisted that I needed to read it.  It took me a while to find a copy, and it was even longer before I finally got around to reading it.  That ten year old is now sixteen.  Over the years that we used to talk, she recommended quite a few books that have become some of my favorites.  She is the reason I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.  I also read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer thanks to her, and no, I’m not sorry I did.  If she recommended the back of a cereal box, I would read it.

So, it was no surprise that The Last Dragon is one of the best middle-grade Fantasy books I’ve ever read.  My criteria for a middle-grade book, or any book for that matter, to be placed on my “Best Reads” list is fairly short: 1) make me cry, 2) make me laugh, 3) make me think.  If a book can make me do all three of those things in the space of one or two pages, it gets bonus points.  This book hit all three of those more than once.

The Last Dragon was also the perfect story for me right now.  It was comforting, and it made a connection with a place in my heart that very few books reach.  The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of those few books, and while The Last Dragon doesn’t top my all-time favorite book, it might be a close second.  If you need a comfort read and you enjoy middle-grade Fantasy, or if you’re looking for a special book for a kid, I couldn’t recommend a better book that doesn’t have at least one hobbit in it.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #66: Read a book with a castle on the cover.

Classics Club: Around the World in Eighty Days

Published on by Rachelle

80

  • Author: Jules Verne

This was one of the free books given away by audiobooks.com during Audiobook Month.

I’m glad I listened to the audiobook rather than experience Around the World in Eighty Days in any other format.  I don’t think I would have enjoyed it nearly as much as I did.  Jim Dale did a fantastic job of providing distinct voices for every character no matter how small a part they play in the story.  Also, with every new location that Phileas Fogg and his servant, Passepartout, come to, music from that place plays briefly in the background.

The only drawback to this book is some of the language and viewpoints on different cultures and races, which was at times full of stereotyping and at other times glossed over the very brutal history of colonization.  However, considering when this book was written (1873), I can’t really blame Jules Verne for keeping with how Europeans believed anyone that wasn’t European to be and overlooked the personal and political atrocities caused by Imperialism.

Overall, this book was well written, fun, and entertaining enough to keep me happy during my commute.  As far as Classic Literature goes, it’s a new favorite, and one I recommend to anyone who wants to read more of the Classics.

#COYER Scavenger Hunt #29: Read a book with no magical or futuristic elements.

Review: The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy

Published on by Rachelle

Fangirl

  • Author: Sam Maggs
  • ISBN: 9781594747892
  • Genre: Non-Fiction

I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sam Maggs mentions in The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy that her book is the only one written for geek girls and fangirls; however, that’s not true.  In 2011, Leslie Simon wrote a book called Geek Girls Unite.  That being said, The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy is much more up to date, includes even more geeky awesomeness, and is all around better suited as a guide to entering the geek world no matter what amount of knowledge you might have about it.  I’ve been a geek my whole life, and I bookmarked multiple pages concerning things I had no idea existed.

Since the copy I received was an uncorrected ARC and I don’t have a published copy to compare it to, I won’t go into details as to what is or isn’t in the book.  However, I will say that the one problem I had with it is that it assumes the reader can afford their fandom(s).  As someone who often can’t afford to buy a graphic novel or materials to make a decent cosplay outfit, I would have appreciated the inclusion of something like what Omar and Mia do in their 2 Broke Geeks videos.

Overall, this is a great book for any geek girl, no matter what your fandom is or how knowledgeable you are about what the geek world has to offer.  If you’re a broke geek, check to see if the book is at your local library and then take lots of notes.  After you’re done, head over to the 2 Broke Geeks Youtube channel to find out how you can celebrate your geekiness without having to live off of 3 for $1 microwave burritos from the grocery store.

Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora

Published on by Rachelle

Lies

  • Author: Scott Lynch
  • ISBN: 9780553588941
  • Genre: Fantasy

I purchased this book.  Actually, the Boyfriend bought it for me as part of our deal to get me through the Spring semester.  I read it as part of the Gentleman Bastards read-along.

I’m ambivalent about The Lies of Locke Lamora.  On the one hand, there were quite a few parts of the story that kept me reading, but, on the other hand, there were several when I easily put it down to read other books.  I sometimes cared about the characters, but I also felt that I hadn’t gotten to know them well enough to be invested in them.  The world building was fantastic, but there are a couple graphically violent scenes that put me off my lunch and made me reconsider continuing.  I could continue with the waffling, but I’ll spare you.  The main issue I had with this book is that I was apathetic about the story and the characters more often than not.

I wanted to love The Lies of Locke Lamora.  I’ve read nothing but great things about it.  It even has praise from George R.R. Martin right on the cover of the paperback edition I have.  I looked forward to reading it, and I got excited when I heard about the read-along.  Now I just feel “meh” about it, and I’m probably not going to bother checking out the next book from the library.  It’s very rare that I feel this way about a book.  I either like it, love it, or hate it, and I usually have lots of opinions as to why.  This book, however, is like one of those relationships you stay in far past their expiration date because you don’t have a good enough excuse to end it.  I actually feel kind of guilty.

Due to a lack of solid feelings one way or another about this book, I’m not sure who to recommend should read it.  I love Game of Thrones, and so I assumed I would love this book too, but I didn’t.  If you’re a fan of darker, grittier Fantasy like Game of Thrones, try this one out for yourself.  I sincerely hope you have better luck with it than I did.

Review: The Raven Boys

Published on by Rachelle

Raven

  • Author: Maggie Stiefvater
  • ISBN: 9780545424929
  • Genre: Fantasy

Since June is Audiobook Month, audiobooks.com has been giving away a selected audiobook every day of the month to its members.  The Raven Boys was one of those books.

The Goodreads synopsis for The Raven Boys (click on the book cover) is what kept me from reading this book prior to audiobooks.com giving it away for free.  I assumed that it was the stereotypical YA story that centers on a romance and all that is ever different is the setting and the characters’ names.  While there’s nothing wrong with a good romance story, particularly one in which the characters’ relationship is met with an obstacle of some kind, there is much more to life than finding someone to fall in love with and I prefer my stories to reflect that.

However, The Raven Boys is so much more than what the synopsis makes it out to be.  Most of the story has very little to do with romance.  Instead, it’s more about magic and mythology and all the very real issues that teenagers deal with besides who they want to date.  All of the characters are struggling to find their place in the world, none of them is perfect, and they don’t always make the best decisions.  This isn’t an afterschool special, though.  I never got the sense that the author was trying to pass down some lesson about the consequences of making poor choices while having it all work out for the best in the end.  Rather, Maggie Stiefvater is showing a slice of reality through the lives of teenagers who could easily be you, me, or a high school friend while bringing to life a world filled with magic.

This book is exactly the kind that I’m always on the lookout for; the kind that says magic exists alongside all the things we take for granted as being real, and as with everything else, it is neither wholly  benevolent nor truly evil.  It is also the kind that is full of complex characters who live lives that are never cut and dry, and it is the kind of Fantasy story that reflects reality more clearly than Literary Fiction ever could.  I’m looking forward to reading the next “Raven Cycle” book, The Dream Thieves.