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louise1608's reviews
819 reviews
The Familiars by Stacey Halls
4.0
This was a very interesting read recommended to me by a book group. A dramatic, heart warming and occasionally heart stopping book that is set at the time of the pendle witch trials of 1612. It's always fascinating to me to read how differently men and women were treated in these times and also how women from poorer walks of life were often looked upon with suspicion and contempt. I loved the friendship between Fleetwood and Alice. As mistress of her house Fleetwood is willful, improper, intelligent and sassy. I was sort of sad when I finished it!
The Whisper Man by Alex North
4.0
This was a pretty creepy read. The Whisper Man, he's sort of like the boogie man isn't he? It makes your skin tingle and crawl to imagine him coming for you in the night. Whispering to you to come with him. It was a real page-turner though, very gripping and had me absorbed from the off.
1984 by George Orwell
2.0
I didn't really like this. I can appreciate what it was trying to do and the thought of living in a world like the one portrayed in this book is quite terrifying. Overall though I found it quite dull and I only stuck with it because it's one of those books that people say "everyone should read" and so I did but it wasn't my cup of tea.
Triton Vârisi by Anna Banks
3.0
This is so cute, seriously. It's nothing special but at the same time I can't help but keep reading. It makes me smile! I'm not sure where it can go from here so I guess the only way to find out is to move onto book 3!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
2.0
Another "must-read" book ticked off the list. What can I say really? I enjoyed the idea of the book but didn't actually enjoy the book if that makes sense? I don't know if its the writing style or something else entirely but I just found it difficult to get through in general.
Christmas at the Log Fire Cabin by Catherine Ferguson
4.0
What a lovely book this was. Poppy is a shy type and very timid. She has grown up believing she isn't good enough to do what she loves and just basically lets herself get walked all over. She kills herself over a dead-end job day after day and settles in a relationship that you can see is one-sided and not good for her yet convinces herself she is happy. All of that changes this Christmas time though when her boyfriend proposes but then also doesn't? (seriously weird relationship!!!!) and then he leaves her alone to think over his proposal while he spends Christmas in Spain with his mother. During her time alone after a chance encounter due to a misdialed phone call Poppy ends up following her dreams and catering Christmas for a family of 7 at the beautiful log fire cabin. The characters are all so lovely and the book is just so heartwarming and cosy that it just makes you feel warm while you're sat reading it by the Christmas tree! Poppy really grows during the book and becomes a whole new person. Finally realising what she has to do to be who she wants to be and do what she wants to do in life!
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
5.0
My God I just love these books so much. I really don't think it matters how many times I read them they are always just as lovely and magical and fun as the very first time!
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews
4.0
I did it. I finally read Flowers in the Attic.
I remember being about 12 years old and pulling one after another of mums Virginia Andrews books from the shelf. I read quite a few of them, I loved them all. For some reason, although this book sat there on the shelf with the others, I never did pick it up.
As an adult, I have often heard in my book circles that this story is almost like a right of passage. A book that all teenage girls had read. Then I sort of felt like I had missed out.
I knew the basics of what this book was all about, people said it was bad but I thought to myself that if teenagers read this then it really can't be so bad, can it?
How wrong I was...
In terms of the plot, the idea is simple and I think that is part of what makes it so awful. A family forever changed after the death of the father. Leaving a mother with four children and no means to take care of them or herself. Losing their home and all their possessions they have to move back in with the parents who disinherited her many years before. You quickly find out the why of it. Slowly discovering piece by piece what Corrine Foxworth did that was so bad as to be disowned by her parents and all the terrible, heartbreaking things she has to do to win back their favour.
As it goes on though it stops being about favour. It is all about money, it is not about the children she claims to love and want to protect. She lives a lavish life while her babies wilt away in a locked room, maturing and slowly dying. This book is dark, seriously dark. It portrays the complete indifference of both the mother and grandmother. It covers the terrible, emotional effects of incest. The extent of abuse and neglect is incredible. It is truly, terrible but it is also brilliant.
This book genuinely broke my heart. I feel like if I had read this as a teenager I may have actually been traumatised. Though I probably would have been red-faced and giggling at the naughty parts (there are quite a lot of those!)
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who has not read it. I think it is well written and thought out with deep characters that really gets you in the feels.
~~~ *** I am an aspiring new book blogger and working on publishing all my reviews past, present and future onto my new blog. I would love it if you would give me a follow and of course, if you comment with your own blogs I would love to follow you too! *** ~~~
http://www.lousbookstuff.com
I remember being about 12 years old and pulling one after another of mums Virginia Andrews books from the shelf. I read quite a few of them, I loved them all. For some reason, although this book sat there on the shelf with the others, I never did pick it up.
As an adult, I have often heard in my book circles that this story is almost like a right of passage. A book that all teenage girls had read. Then I sort of felt like I had missed out.
I knew the basics of what this book was all about, people said it was bad but I thought to myself that if teenagers read this then it really can't be so bad, can it?
How wrong I was...
In terms of the plot, the idea is simple and I think that is part of what makes it so awful. A family forever changed after the death of the father. Leaving a mother with four children and no means to take care of them or herself. Losing their home and all their possessions they have to move back in with the parents who disinherited her many years before. You quickly find out the why of it. Slowly discovering piece by piece what Corrine Foxworth did that was so bad as to be disowned by her parents and all the terrible, heartbreaking things she has to do to win back their favour.
As it goes on though it stops being about favour. It is all about money, it is not about the children she claims to love and want to protect. She lives a lavish life while her babies wilt away in a locked room, maturing and slowly dying. This book is dark, seriously dark. It portrays the complete indifference of both the mother and grandmother. It covers the terrible, emotional effects of incest. The extent of abuse and neglect is incredible. It is truly, terrible but it is also brilliant.
This book genuinely broke my heart. I feel like if I had read this as a teenager I may have actually been traumatised. Though I probably would have been red-faced and giggling at the naughty parts (there are quite a lot of those!)
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who has not read it. I think it is well written and thought out with deep characters that really gets you in the feels.
~~~ *** I am an aspiring new book blogger and working on publishing all my reviews past, present and future onto my new blog. I would love it if you would give me a follow and of course, if you comment with your own blogs I would love to follow you too! *** ~~~
http://www.lousbookstuff.com
The One by John Marrs
4.0
What a ride!
This was a very quick read for me; in fact, I finished it up in a little over five hours according to my library app. Where and how do I even begin to write down my thoughts on this book?
I knew I wanted to read it from the moment I saw it recommended. It is not often when you read as much as I do that you see a completely, wildly new concept that is like nothing you've ever read before.
The book is written from the perspective of a few different "main" characters. Each character has their own little backstory that is slowly explored and unravelled over the course of the book. I found the narrative hard to follow but only for the first few chapters. When you get to know each of the characters, the entire story seems to glue itself together nicely and it all starts making sense.
What I like most about this book is the twists and turns, the shocks, the laughs. I mean imagine being a serial killer and getting matched? It is so interesting to see how it all plays out and whether the concept of DNA matching is actually a good thing for the world or if we might have been better just leaving well alone!
This is a book is tough to review without spoiling the story so ill leave it there but for anyone who enjoys a good thriller, this is a must-read!
~~~ *** I am an aspiring new book blogger and working on publishing all my reviews past, present and future onto my new blog. I would love it if you would give me a follow and of course, if you comment with your own blogs I would love to follow you too! *** ~~~
http://www.lousbookstuff.com
This was a very quick read for me; in fact, I finished it up in a little over five hours according to my library app. Where and how do I even begin to write down my thoughts on this book?
I knew I wanted to read it from the moment I saw it recommended. It is not often when you read as much as I do that you see a completely, wildly new concept that is like nothing you've ever read before.
The book is written from the perspective of a few different "main" characters. Each character has their own little backstory that is slowly explored and unravelled over the course of the book. I found the narrative hard to follow but only for the first few chapters. When you get to know each of the characters, the entire story seems to glue itself together nicely and it all starts making sense.
What I like most about this book is the twists and turns, the shocks, the laughs. I mean imagine being a serial killer and getting matched? It is so interesting to see how it all plays out and whether the concept of DNA matching is actually a good thing for the world or if we might have been better just leaving well alone!
This is a book is tough to review without spoiling the story so ill leave it there but for anyone who enjoys a good thriller, this is a must-read!
~~~ *** I am an aspiring new book blogger and working on publishing all my reviews past, present and future onto my new blog. I would love it if you would give me a follow and of course, if you comment with your own blogs I would love to follow you too! *** ~~~
http://www.lousbookstuff.com
A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
4.0
For my full review and thoughts on the story, characters and ending completely spoiler free please visit my blog here
STORY --
We all know the story of Aladdin but have you ever wondered how the story would have played out if Jafar had got the magic lamp instead?
OVERALL--
For some reason this book gets some really bad reviews and honestly, I really loved it. The writing style is definitely aimed at a young adult audience which makes it very easy to read. The pacing is good and it's a fun, fast and entertaining read. A solid 4 stars from me.
STORY --
We all know the story of Aladdin but have you ever wondered how the story would have played out if Jafar had got the magic lamp instead?
OVERALL--
For some reason this book gets some really bad reviews and honestly, I really loved it. The writing style is definitely aimed at a young adult audience which makes it very easy to read. The pacing is good and it's a fun, fast and entertaining read. A solid 4 stars from me.