I feel as though I should have read the first one though. I didn't realise that this one was a follow-up. I feel thGreat book to finish out the year.
I feel as though I should have read the first one though. I didn't realise that this one was a follow-up. I feel that my experience of her complete story suffered because of it. Although she briefly revisited the terrible things that her father put her through, I assume that she went through more detail in the first one. This was a great read (or listen as I grabbed the audiobook), but was mostly made up of events after the previous novel, her break up of a nearly 20-year relationship, and becoming a commentator. It was also made up of a lot of posts and comments from Instagram. Still very interesting, but I will grab the first one for a bit more context.
A great listen though, and I have no doubt it will help many people in similar circumstances, which is a major part of the purpose. I wish her all the best on her journey. ...more
What a bloody delightful book! Wow! Absolutely loved it! Mika is a witch. Witches need to stay alone and should not mingle with other witches, heaven fWhat a bloody delightful book! Wow! Absolutely loved it! Mika is a witch. Witches need to stay alone and should not mingle with other witches, heaven forbid they be found out. But when she is asked to look after three young witches, she has to put these rules to the side in an attempt to teach them magic so they can remain hidden.
My crappy synopsis for an absolutely fantastic book!
I listened to the audio version which was charming, and this story was just fantastic. It had humour, fun, action, romance, and I found that i could NOT stop listening. I was finding chores to do around my house so I could keep listening! ...more
Nina lives with her Mum. Well, she keeps her mum chained up in the attic because of things she has done. But what exactly did she do to Nina? Was it wNina lives with her Mum. Well, she keeps her mum chained up in the attic because of things she has done. But what exactly did she do to Nina? Was it warranted? What happened then? What happens now?
Loved the format with this one. Jumping back and forward in tim. It was very well done and allowed for a slooooow yet gripping reveal!
In typical Marrs style there was twist after twist in this one. I thought I had it all figured out and then there were more twists. This was my kind of book!
Another fantastic Marrs read. He has not failed to disappoint me yet! The audiobook was great also, very well acted!
This book is set in an alternate reality where all you need to do is send off your DNA to a match company and theyWhat an awesome concept for a book!
This book is set in an alternate reality where all you need to do is send off your DNA to a match company and they will let you know when they find your DNA love match, the ONE person in the entire world that is meant to be for you. With over a billion people on the database, getting a match is highly likely. This is the story of 5 people who for some reason or another, send off their DNA and find their match, and the ramifications that follow.
I just LOVED this whole thing. What a fun ride! It had everything! Lots of romance, thrills, chills, betrayal, humour! What an AMAZING concept for a story!
This is the second book by Marrs that I have read. A few years ago I read The Passengers, and I absolutely loved that one too - so when I read the synopsis for this I IMMEDIATELY downloaded the audio version. It did not disappoint!
The audio! FANTASTIC!! One of the best ones I have listened to in ages - and I have a library of over 300 titles! I couldn't stop listening to it!
So clever and addictive, I absolutely loved this one! I was hooked from the first paragraph....more
There is something about TJR that resonates with me. Im not sure exactly what it is. Oh, apart from Daisy Jones, I really disliked that novel... But eThere is something about TJR that resonates with me. Im not sure exactly what it is. Oh, apart from Daisy Jones, I really disliked that novel... But everything else I have read of hers has struck some kind of switch in me.
Malibu Rising. What can I say. Nothing much really happens in this book, but at the same time it is captivating. Set in flashbacks of the past to one night in four siblings lives, it was slow... but not in a bad way. It was rivetingly slow. Is that a thing? Maybe a new thing?
I thought it was great. And I loved the cameo by Carrie Soto! LOVED IT! What an awesome little universe she has created!
Something about her writing! Something awesome! Evelyn Hugo is still my all-time-fav, but this was very good! Well worth the read, or listen! Love Julie Wheelan as the narrator! She is just awesome! As always!
Man, I am in such a reading slump. I haven't rated anything over 3 stars in a while. I was hoping this was going to be the exception - but unfortunateMan, I am in such a reading slump. I haven't rated anything over 3 stars in a while. I was hoping this was going to be the exception - but unfortunately not.
Look it was good. I see why all the youngins' are getting excited about it. DRAGONS AND SEX!! WOOHOO I get it, I really do. And it was clever. It was well written. It was solidly written. So why didn't I love it? Am I getting TOO OLD!!???
I didn't love the perspective. I thought there was probably too much going on for 100% one person's viewpoint. I liked the dragons but I didn't LOVE the dragons. I didn't particularly like the main characters and the strange little obsession they had going with each other.... Yes, I must be too old. ...more
When I read the first two books in this series I was BLOWN AWAY at how much I enjoyed them. At the time that I finished the second one, this one hadn'When I read the first two books in this series I was BLOWN AWAY at how much I enjoyed them. At the time that I finished the second one, this one hadn't been released yet and that is an awful habit of mine. Even series that I am absolutely loving, I forget about it. I bought The Toll on pre-release audio but yet - it still took me three years to get to it! By that stage I had forgotten the events of the first two so had to do a re read, or re-listen in this case.
I actually found this one to be my least favourite out of the three. Don't get me wrong, the series is great, it just went in a direction I wasn't expecting and didnt love. The first two though, I adored them!
I really enjoyed the new characters in this one, although there was not enough romance for my liking. There was nothing new in regard to that. Even with all these new characters, the romances were side-stepped and lackluster. There was a potential for at least two. I don't want fireworks, I just want SOMETHING.
I didn't love the way the thunderhead went and I really didn't enjoy the ending. Maybe thats why I am put off a bit by this one and found it the worst out of the three.
I would love to read more of Shustermans work. He is very talented, creating this intricate world with its politics and wonderful characters. There were plot twists I did not see coming and overall it was an amazing series! I would like to read the companion book about gleaning.
I liked this fantasy tale. It really read like a young adult - even though the characters were in their 30's and older!
I really enjoyed it, but I didI liked this fantasy tale. It really read like a young adult - even though the characters were in their 30's and older!
I really enjoyed it, but I didn't fall in love with it like I was hoping to based on the Goodreads score and friends reviews which were all glowing and 5 stars.
I just felt that so much if it was... I don't know how to explain it, "less than what it could have been" comes close. There was a cute budding romance that could have been more. There was a section at the start about cannibals and it felt almost apocalyptic, but that fizzled out. There was a DEMON CHICKEN. Which was awesome, but it was just kind of there with no explanation.
The whole thing felt a little lacklustre. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed it a lot. It had some funny moments and was very sweet. But it isn't making it to my favourites list.
I will say it again. I am devastated that I only have a finite number of Butlers books to read. I would be quite content reading her work and no one eI will say it again. I am devastated that I only have a finite number of Butlers books to read. I would be quite content reading her work and no one else's for the rest of my life.
This series. Absolute perfection. What a story!
I never thought I would read an alien encounter story and be so totally on the side of the aliens. She has summed up humanity PERFECTLY in this series. This is EXACTLY what we would do in this situation. I mean sure - the aliens want to mate with us making humanity as we know it obsolete, but they have offered us an out. But NOOOOO humans have to be violent dicks just like we knew we would be. Because this is our nature. We are such a flawed species. Contradictory and violent! I have said it in the last two reviews for this series and I will say it again. I am on the aliens side! Beam me up to the ship!
Ok so there was a bit more alien loving in this one. Wait, no! - Don't click off! Don't close the review! It is not what you think. It is not graphic or porny. It is not even sexual really. I don't even know how to explain it. It is nothing like you have ever read before. They don't mate in a mammalian way. I can't explain it! Just read it, Butler is so unbelievably clever!
I won't go too much into the synopsis because if you have made it this far chances are you have already looked at it and are wondering if you should read the series or not.
This was even better than the first one, Dawn! It is awesome and terrifying at the same time.
Far out - I love books like this! Sure, I love a good miThis was even better than the first one, Dawn! It is awesome and terrifying at the same time.
Far out - I love books like this! Sure, I love a good mindless romance or a fun thriller. But books like these are why I love reading. Once in a while a book comes along that changes your entire outlook on life. Makes you think of things you have never contemplated before. Makes you question everything. This series has done that for me. And I am not even finished it yet.
I don't even know how to put it into words. She has described humanity so well. I watched the news tonight. Murders and assassinations, assaults and espionage. People mindlessly hurting others. All I could think about was this book.
The aliens have come and they have offered humanity a way to continue. Kind of. We would continue, but not entirely as ourselves. But as a species, we are so goddamn stubborn. Stubborn and stupid. Yet she tries to show us the good parts amidst the savage. The hope. Will we cling to the old ways and just end up killing each other again? Most probably. Do we deserve a chance? Well that is the question, isn't it.
Again, the atmosphere that she has created with this series is so out there. But it works. You are transported to a 'saved' earth and it is almost spooky at times. And there is Akin, the first male hybrid "construct" of both alien and human. What a gripping read his journey was. What he missed out on. How much he has learned. Where his paths have taken him. The humans are so desperate to have children of their own that they welcome him just because he looks like they do. But he is not like them. Not at all.
I don't know. This series has turned my head upside down. I don't even know if I truly believe that humanity deserves another chance in this. I am pretty sure I am siding with the aliens when they say we are a doomed race. Doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Unable to learn how to live without this hierarchal "I am better than you" attitude that will surely be our downfall... Again...
Again, I think I want to be beamed up by the squirmy aliens, rather than being left on the planet with savage humans. AARG my brain hurts!
I can't wait to read the finale. But I need a brain-cleanser or two first. WOW
Note - This cannot be read as a stand-alone. You have to have read Dawn to know what the hell is happening!...more
This was so close to sheer perfection for me. Looking at the cover and reading the info about this one I was not sold. However, after seeing EVERY SINThis was so close to sheer perfection for me. Looking at the cover and reading the info about this one I was not sold. However, after seeing EVERY SINGLE review was 5 stars I thought I would give it a go and WOW. Fantastic.
Over a span of 30 years, this book delves into the friendship of Sadie and Sam, who grow up to design video games together.
When I first started listening to the audio version it made me think twice. Her voice is quite monotonous and there wasn't much animation to it at all. But having listened to the entire thing, I can honestly say I don't think there would be any other narrator able to do this one justice. I just loved it. I didn't even speed it up, I just wanted to listen to it as it was intended.
I didn't like Sadie at times, but that was a good thing. And the dynamic between her and Sam was so odd, but so well written. I was expecting it to go to places that it never went, but I wasn't upset at all that it didn't.
The main thing I enjoyed about this one was the video games. I love a good game, especially the retro games and the descriptions of the games in this were pure genius. Each game became like a character in itself. The way she came up with them!!! AMAZING! I would play each and every one of them. Even "Solution". It awakened a nostalgia in me for the way some of the games made me feel, Quest for Glory (V especially), Grim Fandango, Monkey Island, Zelda, Mario, Donkey Kong... I have played these all again over the last few years, but they don't have the same effect on me as they used to when I first played them as a child/teenager, so I leave them be in my memory. But they moved me so much.
It was so refreshing to read a book based on the other end of games. How they were designed and what the people were thinking when they designed them. Even though they were all fictional games, I could relate to all of them and it was something amazingly special about it as the games weaved into the story with these characters. No matter how frustrating the characters were, there were always the games.
I wish there were more games. Every single design, every single aspect of the development enthralled me. I went on steam as soon as I finished this to try and find some retro-like games that could captivate me like I once was.
I didn't like the Friendship chapter and the ending. Otherwise I adored it. I loved the weird character dynamics and the strained moments of the relationship.
It wasn't perfect for me. But it was close. Even the cover which looks strange, now makes perfect sense and I love it.
--- “The way to turn an ex-lover into a friend is to never stop loving them, to know that when one phase of a relationship ends it can transform into something else. It is to acknowledge that love is both a constant and a variable at the same time.” ― Gabrielle Zevin, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow...more
I really enjoyed this one. Sci-fi romance with a fun plot, great characters, and a great narrator.
I haven't read Polaris Rising yet but I hear great tI really enjoyed this one. Sci-fi romance with a fun plot, great characters, and a great narrator.
I haven't read Polaris Rising yet but I hear great things. If it is anything like this one I will be in for a treat!
Octavia is the captain of a starship and she is approached by her wartime enemy Torran, to find something that had been stolen from his family. If she accepts she will have to put up with him for weeks, but it is more money than they had seen in years. So reluctantly she brings his team on board and so starts their adventures.
I loved the slow burn between the characters. There is much more than insta-love. They grow to respect and appreciate each other before anything sexy happens. And when it does, BAM!
It had a good plot, some interesting twists and turns and I loved the narrator of the audio version. I found myself wanting to listen all the time.
Ok so I am a sucker for a good sci-fi. And I did enjoy this one. But unfortunately it did not live up to the previous two blockbusters from Mr Crouch.Ok so I am a sucker for a good sci-fi. And I did enjoy this one. But unfortunately it did not live up to the previous two blockbusters from Mr Crouch.
In the not-too-distant future, Logan is involved in an accident that leaves him infected with an unknown virus. Little does he know that this virus is actually an upgrade. His genome has been hacked and he becomes the pinnacle of intelligence and strength. Who has done this to him? What do they want? And how is he going to stop them from doing it to everyone?
I enjoyed the fast pace! Logan was a good character, there were loads of twists and turns which I appreciated. But I don't know. It was just lacking... Something... When it ended I did not feel that it was the end if you get me, it felt like there was more to it. Even though the story had finished.
I really loved Logan's backstory and how he came to be working where he does. I liked the relationship with his family. Not sure why I didn't love it. I still can't quite put my finger on it. I will still read whatever he puts out though :)...more
This is the first YA I have read in AGGGGGES!!! I do miss the genre from time to time. I just can't take all of the angst most of the time and end up This is the first YA I have read in AGGGGGES!!! I do miss the genre from time to time. I just can't take all of the angst most of the time and end up leaving them unread. But I find so many gems that are super-clever. And this one was AWESOME.
Kiva lives in Zalindov, the biggest and most notorious prison in the realm. She was brought there with her father as a young child and has grown up as the prison healer, a talent she learned from her father before he died. She knows the rest of her family outside the prison are alive, rebelling and are eventually going to help her escape. When the rebel queen is captured, it is up to Kiva to keep her alive so that she can see her family again.
What a great original storyline. I absolutely loved all the characters and their backstories. I didn't even mind the angst!
My gosh there were some AWESOME twists and turns in this one! I didn't see ANY of them coming! I was blown away! The ending? OMG POWWWW!!! SHOCK!!!
Great writing! Superb storytelling. Not too much angst... Feisty clever main character. Romance yes but it didn't overshadow the book and the TWISTS! WOW I still can't get over them!
Fantastic read! Can't wait for the next one!...more
Ok so if you thought the three body problem was mind-bending...
The second in the Remembrance of Earths Past trilogy was NUTS in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY!Ok so if you thought the three body problem was mind-bending...
The second in the Remembrance of Earths Past trilogy was NUTS in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY!!! Although I still didn't even understand the science stuff it didn't matter! It was still absolutely awesome!
I am still thinking about this book a month after I finished reading it. Much like the first, the plot is slow and the characterisations are minimal (but a lot better than the last one). They are also mostly male. There are only a few superficial female characters in this book. Not that it really stopped me from enjoying it, it is just something that I thought about after it was over and I had a chance to reflect.
The science stuff was even more mind-blowing than the first book and I didn't think that would be possible! I still needed Wikipedia a lot to look up big science-type words, and I still had to re-read and re-listen to sections. Again it took me ages to get through. However this time it was a complete 5-star read for me. The twists throughout the book were crazy-good! The directions that the book took us were boggling!
The tri-solarins are on their way to earth. 400 years and they will be here to do whatever it is they are going to do. There are factions on earth, those that are welcoming the invasion, and those who oppose it for numerous reasons. There are people who want to escape earth, people that want to fight. But because the tri-solariums have halted most technological advancement, Earth is at a major disadvantage. Enter the wall facer project. People are chosen to devise a plan to combat or stop the tri-solarins, however because the tri-solarins can see and hear everything except humans thoughts, the plan can only be in their own mind.
Just wow. That's all I can say. Wow. The pay off to the hard work of reading this book was so much better than the first. The directions it went and the time scale it went through were fantastic.
I just loved all the politics and ways that the world handled (or probably more accurately DIDN'T handle) the upcoming potential extinction seemed at times to be not so much a story, but a prediction based on the way humans treat each other right now: NOT VERY WELL!!
From a love story in a secluded cabin, assassinations in open space, to a trip across the solar system in the future, this book had everything and is my clear favourite of 2022 so far! 5 stars and I am BRACING myself for the third one which people rave is EVEN BETTER! AHHHHH!!!...more
I can’t believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading a Robin Hobb book! I kept hearing to start with the Farseer trilogy and I would not bI can’t believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading a Robin Hobb book! I kept hearing to start with the Farseer trilogy and I would not be dissapointed. They were absolutely correct! The audiobook was great!
Fitz is a bastard son of a king in waiting although no one knows he exists. That is until his keeper leaves him at the royal's doorstep when he is 6 years old. All of a sudden the poor kid is thrust into the spotlight. Nobody wants him there and his father won’t even acknowledge his existence. And he also has a special gift, he is able to connect with animals, and see the world through their eyes. Eventually, he is taken in secret to become an apprentice assassin.
Great start to a series! You can easily see how a lot of fantasy authors have taken inspiration from Hobbs stuff from the early 90’s.
Fitz is a great character, the ensemble cast of characters is interesting and engaging. I really enjoy the talking to the animal's thing. It felt quite unique. There was a lot of intrigue and politics. I loved the King's character. What a smart and conniving King! Can you really trust him or not? She definitely left it open for some exciting future adventures!
Although I loved Assassin’s Apprentice, I wasn’t completely blown away. I am looking forward to reading the next two in the trilogy. Hopefully, as Fitz becomes older there will be some romance and more intrigue! Absolutely a very talented author and I am looking forward to reading more! --- For more reviews check out my: YouTube Blog Instagram Twitter Facebook...more
I had heard of Octavia Butler before – I'd heard of books like kindred and the parable of the sower. But I had never heard of this series, The PatternI had heard of Octavia Butler before – I'd heard of books like kindred and the parable of the sower. But I had never heard of this series, The Patternist. And I didn’t know what to expect at all. I didn’t even really read the plot of this one. I knew it was a prequel to The Patternist – which is some sort of dystopian sci-fi. Everyone raves about Butler’s writing and prose, and when I saw a recent review of one of the later books in this series it sounded fascinating so I thought I would pick this up and try the audio version. I have been in a bit of a reading slump, I tried a few audiobooks I couldn’t get into – So I started listening to this one while hanging out the washing last week. AND OH MY GOODNESS! I couldn’t turn it off!
From the very first section of the book, I was utterly enthralled. I had no idea what was going on, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to be along for the ride.
Doro is an immortal being who jumps from body to body and lives for thousands of years. Anyanwu is also powerful, she can heal herself and shapeshift at will. When Doro finds Anyanwo in Nigeria and convinces her to travel with him she assumes she will be his wife and live in a new colony of people that he has created with special gifts. However, she soon comes to realise that she has been coerced into being a breeder for Doro’s ultimate goal of breeding a race of humans with amazing powers that will overrun the world.
How have I not read anything from Octavia Butler before? Just incredible! I adored how she wrote this one and I am hoping that all her other stories are written as flawlessly! I don’t know quite how to describe it. While other authors write stories, she weaves ideas and plot together in such an amazing seemless way. There was a point of the book where it hit me that she has just given me a big lesson in ethics and humanity. But not just delivered the lesson to me, but made me FEEL it. Made me actually FEEL the themes that she delves into.
And the audiobook! Absolutely fantastic! I would say the BEST female narrator I have ever heard (and I have over 300 titles in my library!). Her portrayal of all the characters was absolutely superb. I was gripped on to every single word and character.
Yes, parts of it were slower-moving, but I have not been able to stop thinking about this novel since I finished it! It has been a very long time that a book has moved me so much, in such an amazing way.
I would not recommend it if you are in the mood for a light read. There are some dark, bleak themes in these pages. What is humanity? Why do we do the things that we do? We live, breed and die. Is that all that we do? Is this all that we are leaving in our wake? What would happen if we could live forever – Would we view the world as Doro? Or as Anyanwu? Butler makes you consciously wonder what on earth the point of all of this is. But at the same time, captivate you with the world’s beauty. I have never read anything like this.
Doro. I loathe him but at the same time – what a magnificent character! How lonely it must be to live millennia, all alone. With nothing else to do but try and manipulate the future through advancing the human race. What would any of us do in his place?
My gosh, my brain hurts. I am thinking about things I have never even considered before. And FEELING it at a level that I never knew existed before this book. Eugenics and morality. Hope and despair. Humanity and the meaning of life.
How have I never read anything of Butlers before now? This was written BEFORE I WAS BORN and yet is so pressing to the events of today’s world.
I absolutely cannot wait to read more of her work. I have so much to catch up on! I am going straight on to the second in the Patternmaster series after Wild Seed, Mind of My Mind.
I miss reading! I have been knee-deep in a new job and a master's degree, and although I want to read more than anything, I can't 3.5 Stars Rounded-Up
I miss reading! I have been knee-deep in a new job and a master's degree, and although I want to read more than anything, I can't justify using the time that I could be using to get through the last 2 months of my degree!
But, I can't study when I am driving! So I use that time to listen to audiobooks or podcasts, and I found this little gem on an audible sale and couldn't help myself as soon as I saw the cover - I had to listen to it!
This story follows three women across a couple of centuries.
Nella is an apothecary owner in 1791. But it isn't your typical lotions and potions that she makes. She specifically helps women who have been wronged by men, making potions that kill them. She is actually quite the serial killer.
Eliza is sent to get a potion for her master from her mistress. She is instantly taken by Nella and the shop and wants to become an apprentice. Unfortunately, after some miss-stepping, she might just lead to Nella's downfall.
Caroline goes on an anniversary trip in present-day London. However, she goes alone. Why? Because she has just found out that her marriage is not what she thought it was and she has some big decisions to make. Fate will entwine her in the past and a series of events will have her finding the apothecary and discover what really happened in there all those years ago.
It started off great. I was into it from the start. But about ¼ of the way in it became a bit... I don't know.. Easy. Everything happened too easily. A little too much coincidence. I can't quite explain it. There was something missing. Some element of somewhat believability. Perhaps that's not the right word. Maybe it's just the world-building. Everything fit together a little too seamlessly.
That said, I did enjoy it overall. I loved the characters and both storylines grabbed me. But it just didn't take me further into it. And I found the ending a little lackluster.
Would I recommend The Lost Apothecary?
I was a good read. It is SO NICE to read again! It wasn't too long and was enjoyable. I heard this was a debut and I am interested to see how she develops as an author.
I purchased The Lost Apothecary on audible at my own expense. ...more
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