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amandasbookreview's reviews
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The Silent Songbird is a fairytale retelling of The Little Mermaid. Evangeline, who is the ward of King Richard, runs away to avoid being forced to marry. She meets Westley, son of Lord Le Wyse. Evangeline pretends to be mute in order to disguise herself. However when Westley's life is in danger she risks it all to save him.
I love Melanie Dickerson's books, especially the Hagenheim series. I loved this book all the way until the ending. The ending felt so forced and everything came together too easy. Overall, lovely story. They are always entertaining and I can usually finish them within a few hours.
I love Melanie Dickerson's books, especially the Hagenheim series. I loved this book all the way until the ending. The ending felt so forced and everything came together too easy. Overall, lovely story. They are always entertaining and I can usually finish them within a few hours.
Cordingly argument is that pirates spread terror and we need to stop the romanticism behind pirates. First off, he seems to jump around quite often. He jumps from this pirate to that pirate film or the government account so his argument seems to get lost. Second, most of his evidence supporting his argument is from official government records. What I think he forgets is that the pirates were made, they didn't just appear over night and decide to start terrorizing people and ships. I don't disagree that the pirates brought terror with them but they are hardly alone in that responsibility. So between those two things, I had a difficult time getting through the book. However, I did enjoy his first hand accounts and maps he included.
The Lucky One starts off with Logan Thibault, a marine stationed in Iraq who finds a picture of a woman in the sand. after being in the crossfire several times and being one of the only guys to survive, the picture becomes his good luck charm. So after he retires from the marines he walks from Colorado to North Carolina to find the girl in the photo. He finds and discover she is a single mom and a teacher who takes care of her grandmother. He decides not to tell her about the photo but stays in town and him and Beth eventually fall in love. However, Beth's ex-husband is determined to make things difficult for them.
So there are a few Nicholas Sparks books I love like The Guardian, A Walk to Remember and The Last Song. There are also books I absolutely hate like Dear John, The Notebook and The Best of Me. This book is in the middle. Its not his best work but it was tolerable. I just felt his characters are characters I have seen before, they were nothing new. My favorite was Nana and Zeus (the dog). Nana always spoke her mind and seemed to always be right. Zeus was a good dog and a hero in the end. I did like Logan's character. I just don't see the problem of the picture though. He could have brought it up so much sooner and not seem like a stalker. (I know that takes away the conflict) But the story needed a different conflict besides the photograph. It was a rather dull conflict.
What I hated was the ex-husband. He was a terrible dad and a dirty cop. His son, Ben almost dies in the end because The ex-husband is yelling at Beth that he was going to take Ben, so Ben runs away and almost drowns but was saved by the dog Zeus. The ex-husband tried to save him but died in the process. What I hated is that they glorified him in the end because he died. No. He was a terrible person. I understand he was the kids father but he was not a good guy. Not in the slightest. And Sparks tries to make you mourn his lost in the end.
Overall I liked the love story but hated the conflict and hated most of the characters.
So there are a few Nicholas Sparks books I love like The Guardian, A Walk to Remember and The Last Song. There are also books I absolutely hate like Dear John, The Notebook and The Best of Me. This book is in the middle. Its not his best work but it was tolerable. I just felt his characters are characters I have seen before, they were nothing new. My favorite was Nana and Zeus (the dog). Nana always spoke her mind and seemed to always be right. Zeus was a good dog and a hero in the end. I did like Logan's character. I just don't see the problem of the picture though. He could have brought it up so much sooner and not seem like a stalker. (I know that takes away the conflict) But the story needed a different conflict besides the photograph. It was a rather dull conflict.
What I hated was the ex-husband. He was a terrible dad and a dirty cop. His son, Ben almost dies in the end because The ex-husband is yelling at Beth that he was going to take Ben, so Ben runs away and almost drowns but was saved by the dog Zeus. The ex-husband tried to save him but died in the process. What I hated is that they glorified him in the end because he died. No. He was a terrible person. I understand he was the kids father but he was not a good guy. Not in the slightest. And Sparks tries to make you mourn his lost in the end.
Overall I liked the love story but hated the conflict and hated most of the characters.
This one of my absolute favorites! The Scarlet Pimpernel is a man of many disguises and uses them to save people from the Guillotine during the Reign of Terror.
Marguerite St. Just is a beautiful French actress who marries Sir Percival Blakeney. Sir Percy is a known fool but also one of the most fashionable and richest man of England. Magueritte is then blackmailed by Chauvelin to spy for him and discover the identity of the Scarlet Pimpnel to save her brother.
She soon discovers that the Scarlet Pimpernel is her own husband Sir Percy. She then sets out to save her husband.
I truly love this story, a wonderful tale of the choice between love and loyalty. Sir Percy has the reputation of a fool but is actually clever and brave. This tale paved the way for future stories of masked avengers.
Marguerite St. Just is a beautiful French actress who marries Sir Percival Blakeney. Sir Percy is a known fool but also one of the most fashionable and richest man of England. Magueritte is then blackmailed by Chauvelin to spy for him and discover the identity of the Scarlet Pimpnel to save her brother.
She soon discovers that the Scarlet Pimpernel is her own husband Sir Percy. She then sets out to save her husband.
I truly love this story, a wonderful tale of the choice between love and loyalty. Sir Percy has the reputation of a fool but is actually clever and brave. This tale paved the way for future stories of masked avengers.
The Joy Luck Club is about 4 Chinese immigrants and their daughters. The 4 women form a club to play Mah Jong. When Suyuan dies, her daughter June is to take her place in the club. They tell her of her mothers past and that she has two sisters in China. Throughout the book, all the women tell stories of their past, their struggles and their Chinese American identity.
I enjoy this read. I enjoy the complexity Tan brings to these women and their struggles before coming to America, adapting to life in America and how the daughters struggle to connect with their mothers.
I enjoy this read. I enjoy the complexity Tan brings to these women and their struggles before coming to America, adapting to life in America and how the daughters struggle to connect with their mothers.
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is an incredible book that I think everyone needs to read, not just young adults. Its a double narrative of a boy named Clay who receives a box of tapes. The tapes are recorded by Hannah Baker, a girl who had committed suicide. She sent the tapes out to the 13 people who had an impact on her death. This book touches on rape, assault, drinking and driving, bullying and many more. The book is taking place while the kids are in highschool but I feel everyone should read this. This story goes to show that we don't know where the person next to us is at in their life. That one thing we do or day can have such an impact on someone. This was a heartbreaking read but it is a book that I definitely think people should read.
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. The United States is no more. The constitution is suspended and women have lost all rights. All the aigns are pictures because women arent allowed to read. The Handmaids have one goal. to get pregnant, to breed. However. Offred remembers bits of her life before, with her family.
This book shook me to my core. Margaret Atwood wrote this in 1986 and the parallels between this story and the current situation in the world. I recommend this read.
This book shook me to my core. Margaret Atwood wrote this in 1986 and the parallels between this story and the current situation in the world. I recommend this read.
Leorah Langden has no patience for the restrictive rules of society. She is headstrong and impulsive. However the Viscount Withinghall is prudent and reserved. A terrible accident results in the damage to reputation and the realization that someone is trying to murder the viscount. They have to work together to solve both issues. The Viscount proposes to save her reputation but she declares that only the most passionate love will make her accept anyone's hand in marriage. As time goes on and there are more threats of the viscounts life, they spend more time together and fall deeper in love with each other.
I enjoyed this book. It was a sweet and simple read. I enjoyed Leorah's character, she is strong, intelligent but also has the capacity to enjoy life to the fullest.
I enjoyed this book. It was a sweet and simple read. I enjoyed Leorah's character, she is strong, intelligent but also has the capacity to enjoy life to the fullest.
I always enjoy reading the Iliad. Its war and drama is the result of fueds between the Gods and how the meddle in the lives of mortals. Agamemnon and Achilles fued over the captive Briseis which leads to Achilles vowing he will not fight. Meanwhile, Menalaus wants to battle to win his wife back from Paris, a prince of Troy. Throughout the story, the gods and goddesses wage war with each other and trick the mortals. Eventually Achilles, rages, and joins the fight to avenge the death of his friend. He ends up fighting the brave Hector, brother to Paris and slaughters him. The story ends with the death and the funeral of Hector. Even though that is the end of the book it is not the end of the story.
My favorite character is Hector. He is brave, noble and a good father and husband. He also calls out his cowardly brother Paris, many times. Hector is often seen as stern and fierce but then Homer shows the other side if him when he sees his son and his wife. He meets a tragic demise that I dont think he deserved.
My favorite character is Hector. He is brave, noble and a good father and husband. He also calls out his cowardly brother Paris, many times. Hector is often seen as stern and fierce but then Homer shows the other side if him when he sees his son and his wife. He meets a tragic demise that I dont think he deserved.
France in the year 1380. The King has died. There is a political shift as a new king takes the throne. This political backdrop for the story. We get introduced to Jean de Carrouges, a squire, looking to better his position and obtain more land. At every turn he gets denied. Causing him to make enemies. One in particular, another squire, Jacques Legris. They were once friends but Legris has been granted the land Carrouges wanted and now is a favorite to their lord. Carrouges who will not go down without a fight, will do anything in his power to get this land. He marries the beautiful and young Marguerite Thibouville. This marriage is both good and bad. Her family is wealthy but her father was a known traitor which causes Carrouges to become more segregated from the court.
Carrouges goes to war. He comes back knighted for his services and once again attempts to regain the land he feels entitled to and also causing more tension between him and Legris. While he is gone, Legris pays a visit to Carrouges home, corners Marguerite, ties her up and brutally rapes her. He threatens her to keep quiet. Marguerite has a choice, most would keep quiet but she chooses to tell her husband despite that it could be the downfall for both of them. Carrouges is obviously enraged of what his wife tells him and vows justice. The case is brought before the king. Duels are becoming more rare. However, due to the circumstances, a knight vs a squire, both well-known at court, a lady who is the chief witness, the king defers to Parliament who orders the duel.
If Carrouges is succesful, justice is served. However, if not and Legris is the winner, Marguerite would be burned at the stake for making a false accusation of rape. So this trial is to determine if she get justice or dies. After a grueling duel, to the death, Carrouges is declared the winner and justice is served. It is also the duel to end all legal duels in France.
This is by far one of the best historical nonfiction that I have ever read. It is a true story about a brutal crime and scandal. The fact that innocence is proved based on who lives or dies in the duel shows how far we come. But is also shows how we still view victims of sexual assault. Marguerite had to risk being burnt at the stake in order to see justice. Today, victims are shamed, bullied and not believed. She was the hero in this story. This true story. I think Jager did a fantastic job presenting the history, presenting the story and presenting the culture in Medieval France. 5/5. Definitely recommend.
Carrouges goes to war. He comes back knighted for his services and once again attempts to regain the land he feels entitled to and also causing more tension between him and Legris. While he is gone, Legris pays a visit to Carrouges home, corners Marguerite, ties her up and brutally rapes her. He threatens her to keep quiet. Marguerite has a choice, most would keep quiet but she chooses to tell her husband despite that it could be the downfall for both of them. Carrouges is obviously enraged of what his wife tells him and vows justice. The case is brought before the king. Duels are becoming more rare. However, due to the circumstances, a knight vs a squire, both well-known at court, a lady who is the chief witness, the king defers to Parliament who orders the duel.
If Carrouges is succesful, justice is served. However, if not and Legris is the winner, Marguerite would be burned at the stake for making a false accusation of rape. So this trial is to determine if she get justice or dies. After a grueling duel, to the death, Carrouges is declared the winner and justice is served. It is also the duel to end all legal duels in France.
This is by far one of the best historical nonfiction that I have ever read. It is a true story about a brutal crime and scandal. The fact that innocence is proved based on who lives or dies in the duel shows how far we come. But is also shows how we still view victims of sexual assault. Marguerite had to risk being burnt at the stake in order to see justice. Today, victims are shamed, bullied and not believed. She was the hero in this story. This true story. I think Jager did a fantastic job presenting the history, presenting the story and presenting the culture in Medieval France. 5/5. Definitely recommend.