BOOK REVIEW: SIX Mini-Reviews
I've gotten behind in reviews again, so here is my attempt to get caught up.
Prepare yourselves for six very diverse books that I have read over the last couple months. The fall has been extremely busy for me, and I just can’t keep up with reading, my podcast, my website AND writing a long solid review of all the books I’ve been reading.
Honestly, I’ve been more motivated to read than write lately anyways, so here we are. There are a few books though, that I will be writing a full normal review of before the end of the year. I bought myself a little time with that timeframe.
Made of Stars by Jenna Voris
Reading Dates: June 12 -July 14
Ok, I read this one a long time ago, but I was really hoping to get around to writing a full review of it. Alas. With that said, it was because this book really took me by surprise, and I wanted an opportunity to flesh that out. This is a YA Sci-fi version of Bonnie and Clyde, and I was sucked in from the very beginning.
The world building is great - from the prison moon of Chess, to West Rama that is slowly falling apart and suffering greatly. Through in a capital and a corrupt government and you’ll understand why Shane and Ava decide to take on some illegal actions to provide money or their families. Alternating POVs from Shane and Ava to that of Cyrus, a young cadet in that corrupted government and the full magnitude of the world is developed as you wait for the two sides to collide.
Shane and Ava make those desperate decisions that come when backed into a corner. Even though you know how the story ends, at least you do if you know the story of Bonnie and Clyde, it is still hard, but is a turning point in changing the world.
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Top Shelf, simply because I went in wanting to like it but having doubts and coming out thoroughly satisfied.
The Grand Hotel by Scott Kenemore
Reading Dates: October 11-October 17
This was like a cool, spooky type book with a bunch of short stories making up the middle of it. It was such a creative structure as a “tour group” enters when at first seems to be an abandoned hotel. The desk clerk precedes to give the group a tour of the majestic Grand Hotel, stopping to allow all the permanent guests to share their stories as to what brought them to the hotel.
You pretty much go the whole book trying to figure out what all the different and at times over the top stories have to do with each other and what the ultimate goal of the desk clerk is. The guest stories themselves leave you with questions and many seem to end incomplete. In all, there are 12 stories. There are travels through space, famous chefs, dancers and ghosts of drug dealers.
The stories were so different, that you don’t get tired of the structure. Much the opposite. I wanted to keep reading, I wanted more. I was engrossed in these wild tales, and I knew that I would be rewarded at the end with some type of twist. And that I was. The characters and stories are well written and well developed. This was a fantastic choice to read in October!
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Top Shelf. It was just a fun and unique read. The structure made it a quicker read and hard to put down.
Hell Divers by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
Reading Dates: September 26 - October 2
In this sci-fi-ish, post apocalyptic, thriller novel, what is left of the Earth’s population lives among two massive airships after World War III left the planet uninhabitable. Now, an elite group of people, called Hell Divers, risk their lives to basically skydive to the surface to scavenge for parts the ships need to stay in the air.
There a series of unfortunate events, one airship is damaged in an electrical storm and the Hell Divers must go into the most dangerous location on the surface, referred to as Hades. Unfortunately for the group, there are mutated creatures that want nothing more than to eat them. Well, basically. I would not normally pick up this book, but it was a free audio on Audio, and I was in the mood for something different.
I ended up getting sucked into the characters, their plight, both on the surface and on the ship (you know the typical rebel groups think they can overthrow the command and make everything better, but only makes everything worse). It was a back and forth adventure to see if those on the ship to maintain altitude and order long enough for the Hell Divers to return with the parts they needed to save the ship. This is heavily character driven, which I loved and I found myself invested in the characters and the urgency of the mission.
This is book one of a series, and even though I don’t know if I’ll read any more of the books, I regret absolutely nothing about reading this. There was a little horror, thriller, adventure, sci-fi, and dystopian all wrapped up into one. I will say I’m pretty partial to little Tin.
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Middle Shelf. But I do highly recommend it!
The Troop by Nick Cutter
Reading Dates: October 17 - October 24
I was looking for a good horror story to read for Halloween, and it’s really hard for me to find something that scares me. This one did not scare me; however, I found it a little gross and disturbing which are two things that I appreciate as well.
A weekend boys scout camping trip on an isolated island turns into a nightmare when a stranger shows up in the middle of the night, bringing something nasty with him.
I love that you don’t know exactly what is wrong with Tom as you are introduced to him before he makes it to the island. It is through some of those “nontraditional” structures that are dispersed throughout the story that paint a pretty horrific and sad story. There are interview transcripts and newspaper articles that help to support and explain the events that occur in real time on the island.
As the boys are teenagers, there comes a moment where there were some Lord of the Flies vibes. While the boys have all grown up together, it takes this moment, this weekend for their true natures to be exposed, and it’s not pretty. This was almost as bad as what was happening to them internally.
However, it was an interesting plot that was well developed. There were peaks and valleys in the tension and plenty of moments where you questions the whys and hows of humanity. It wasn’t scary and I wouldn’t even say it was creepy, but it was a times pretty gross. It was also a perfect October read. There will be more Nick Cutter books in my future.
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Middle Shelf. I just want more scary!! Still really great read!
Winter Spirits: Ghostly Tales for Frosty Nights by 12 different Authors
Reading Dates: November 21 - November 30
I don’t think I would have picked this one up if it wasn’t for our Speaking LITerally podcast book club. However, I would say that I liked it better than I thought I would even if I didn’t love it.
This is a collection of 12 gothic wintery short stories by some amazingly talented authors. If you like gothic tones, historical fiction, short stories and lots of death and ghostly things, you will probably love this one. For me, I just felt that I was beginning to read some type of variation of other stories in the collection. They were all very different, but they literally all had the same mood and tone and very similar main character who is flawed, tragic and at times desperate for something.
There really isn’t too much else to say about this one. If you want to hear more specifics on the book and what the rest of the book club thinks, the episode will be available wherever you listen to podcast on Monday, December 16.
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Middle Shelf. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it.
Back to the Burbs by Avery Flynn and Tracey Wolff
Reading Dates: November 30 - December 5
I was really looking forward to this one. After leaving her lying cheating husband, Mallory decides to try to start over on her own after inheriting her Aunt Maggie’s house in the suburbs. She leaves the bright lights of NYC for the nosy neighbors and annoying HOA.
There were some many things I really enjoyed about this one, but the things that bothered me, really bothered me. I had opinions at both ends of the spectrum, but I did enjoy the book. These books, I find, need to have really strong characters are they are over before they can really begin. At the beginning, I liked Mallory, which is probably why I didn’t see it coming. What is it? It’s the fact that she is a broken record for 97% of the book. What is the saving grace? All the side characters.
My favorite are Aunt Maggie, who is dead the entire time, and Nick’s parents that you don’t meet until about the 96% mark. The plot it self, if you take Mallory’s dialogue out of the mix can be pretty funny at times. She has no idea what to do and is overwhelmed by the episode of Hoarders that she finds her Aunt left her. I do appreciate the evolution of her relationship with Nick, and I will probably never think of Lord of the Rings the same again….or Star Wars.
Where does this land on my bookshelf: Middle Shelf. But I do recommend it if you are looking for a quick little romance.
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