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sodiana's reviews
165 reviews
Chasing Christmas Past by Melanie Karsak
4.0
This was a great quick read. The imagery in it had my mind going and was a delight to 'see'. Not bogging down on too many small details, this Christmas story is the perfect read and will leave you satisfied. Giving you enough details, without overbearing or slowing the momentum of the story.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
4.0
4 out of 5.
Let's see, I've watched the movie before and cried like a little girl so I was already prepared for everything. However, I still cried like a little girl reading certain scenes. There were so many emotional scenes that my heart kept breaking (and screaming). I already knew how this story would end, but I was still invested in her story.
Overall the story is beautifully written. The carried theme of love shown through everything imaginable. From her parents, brother, grandparents, Kim and Adam. Her support system was strong and the essence that love is a very powerful thing did not go over my head during this read.
I finished this pretty quick once I found the time and hours to read through it but the impression that was left on me was everlasting. Overall, I was satisfied; ending included. Highly recommended if you're ready to cry a little, smile, laugh and enjoy the love within the book. Can't wait to read the second book.
Let's see, I've watched the movie before and cried like a little girl so I was already prepared for everything. However, I still cried like a little girl reading certain scenes. There were so many emotional scenes that my heart kept breaking (and screaming). I already knew how this story would end, but I was still invested in her story.
Overall the story is beautifully written. The carried theme of love shown through everything imaginable. From her parents, brother, grandparents, Kim and Adam. Her support system was strong and the essence that love is a very powerful thing did not go over my head during this read.
I finished this pretty quick once I found the time and hours to read through it but the impression that was left on me was everlasting. Overall, I was satisfied; ending included. Highly recommended if you're ready to cry a little, smile, laugh and enjoy the love within the book. Can't wait to read the second book.
Destruction by Eric Mrozek
4.0
4 out of 5.
So this took longer for me to read through ... not because it was a struggle to read it, but I wanted to keep reading it while fighting my urge to sleep. This book, this story, is just beautiful. The narrative is just freaking beautiful to me--it's written in diary format, yet it painted such a world in what's considered (for me) a short fantasy read. Eric did a superb job with the diary format.
Helisah Almari is the voice of this story. Told through her eyes, it never faltered for me. I felt like I was there with her every step of the way. But, honestly, without spoiling it too much, her and her twin brother Aegras are telepathic; they escape the wrath of the first attack and fled with The Raiders--a group of assassins; the evil Telurian Lord Thrakoth is after her family and her friends with benefits (the one that fills her up with so much lust) led the first attack. Along with her brother, The Raiders and a group of citizens they travel through the known lands fighting against the Telurian armies and taking back towns/cities and what belongs to them.
Her entire demeanor through the entries was written so I never pitied her and I understood her thinking process throughout the first two years of war. I loved Helisah to death--her eyes through this war isn't pity, depressed or overly pure hatred, but with an attitude to fight back. That's what I enjoyed the most.
I wished I saw more of Aegras, but his presence in the book semi met my quota when I reached the end. The characters throughout Helisah's entries that were introduced came with brief introductions and few tidbits of background information, yet, you felt like you knew them. She wrote about them in her entries whenever she encountered them and her sense of telling her day in her entries made me feel like I was there in the present with her or reliving it as she wrote in her diary.
The fight is far from over, but where Eric ends the story gives you a since of peace until you pick up the next book.
**I received this book in Ebook format from Eric Mrozek, the author, for free in return for an honest review.
So this took longer for me to read through ... not because it was a struggle to read it, but I wanted to keep reading it while fighting my urge to sleep. This book, this story, is just beautiful. The narrative is just freaking beautiful to me--it's written in diary format, yet it painted such a world in what's considered (for me) a short fantasy read. Eric did a superb job with the diary format.
Helisah Almari is the voice of this story. Told through her eyes, it never faltered for me. I felt like I was there with her every step of the way. But, honestly, without spoiling it too much, her and her twin brother Aegras are telepathic; they escape the wrath of the first attack and fled with The Raiders--a group of assassins; the evil Telurian Lord Thrakoth is after her family and her friends with benefits (the one that fills her up with so much lust) led the first attack. Along with her brother, The Raiders and a group of citizens they travel through the known lands fighting against the Telurian armies and taking back towns/cities and what belongs to them.
Her entire demeanor through the entries was written so I never pitied her and I understood her thinking process throughout the first two years of war. I loved Helisah to death--her eyes through this war isn't pity, depressed or overly pure hatred, but with an attitude to fight back. That's what I enjoyed the most.
I wished I saw more of Aegras, but his presence in the book semi met my quota when I reached the end. The characters throughout Helisah's entries that were introduced came with brief introductions and few tidbits of background information, yet, you felt like you knew them. She wrote about them in her entries whenever she encountered them and her sense of telling her day in her entries made me feel like I was there in the present with her or reliving it as she wrote in her diary.
The fight is far from over, but where Eric ends the story gives you a since of peace until you pick up the next book.
**I received this book in Ebook format from Eric Mrozek, the author, for free in return for an honest review.
All Roads Lead Home by Diane Greenwood Muir
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
2.0
2 out of 5.
27% read.
I'm going to keep this very short. I will said I tried, like about three times to finish/get through this book.
Luckily, this was a free kindle e-book download when I first had a hold of it (unsure of the freebie status now), so no money was wasted. Just time. For a "mystery" book it didn't grab me like I felt a mystery should. It was too filled up with descriptions of scenes that had no bearing on the mystery itself. The mystery is what drew me in from the summary, but it never really focused in on it. It was more of a supporting plot than anything.
Written well, very descriptive, but I was reading for the mystery that seemed to never take action.
27% read.
I'm going to keep this very short. I will said I tried, like about three times to finish/get through this book.
Luckily, this was a free kindle e-book download when I first had a hold of it (unsure of the freebie status now), so no money was wasted. Just time. For a "mystery" book it didn't grab me like I felt a mystery should. It was too filled up with descriptions of scenes that had no bearing on the mystery itself. The mystery is what drew me in from the summary, but it never really focused in on it. It was more of a supporting plot than anything.
Written well, very descriptive, but I was reading for the mystery that seemed to never take action.
Dragon Makes New Friends by Michael Yu
5.0
We both thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's a wonderful read. All the dragon wants to do is play with the kids, he's lonely. But they don't want to play with him, so it takes one brave one and an adventure for the friendship to begin.
5 Little Monkeys Jumpin' on the Bed: A Sing 'N Count Book by Baby Genius
5.0
Great classic. My son likes to turn the page before were done singing, but it's okay cos he's entertained with the illustrations.
Old MacDonald had a Farm: A Sing 'N Learn Book by Baby Genius
5.0
Another classic and hit with the little one. He enjoyed trying to make the sounds as we sung the song together.
Mika and Anna's Blanket Fort by X.F. Shen
4.0
Such a cute story! My son enjoyed the illustrations and the story itself.
Three Wee Peas by Laura Yirak
4.0
I read this to him when he was just turning two and he loved it. We have yet to revisit it, but it was a great short and simple read. During that time his attention span was shorter than what it is currently so this was a book I was happy to get for him.