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vivalibrarian's reviews
519 reviews
Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld
2.0
Identical twins Kate and Violet have the ability to sense the future and other’s secrets. Kate keeps her gift hidden wanting to be normal and fit in. Violet takes it to the other extreme. When she predicts a huge earthquake(the biggest earthquake to ever hit the U.S. was in Southern Missouri) both are pushed into the spotlight.
I struggled with this one. I never fully engaged with Kate and her emotional struggles, I didn't really buy into them or her character as much as I was expecting to and things seem to just pop out of nowhere(the sex with Hank being a big one). I have no idea how to put this in terms of appeal but the lengthy descriptions of every street and place in St. Louis quickly became annoying.
I struggled with this one. I never fully engaged with Kate and her emotional struggles, I didn't really buy into them or her character as much as I was expecting to and things seem to just pop out of nowhere(the sex with Hank being a big one). I have no idea how to put this in terms of appeal but the lengthy descriptions of every street and place in St. Louis quickly became annoying.
Mr. Wuffles! by David Wiesner
4.0
What if your cat's toy...not that one, go down a few, yep, that one! That one just might be a tiny space ship with tiny aliens in it. I know, right?! Only Mr. Wuffles knows but will the aliens escape his paws?
Adorable. Funny. Lots of things to investigate on each page and the cat expressions will make you giggle. :)
Adorable. Funny. Lots of things to investigate on each page and the cat expressions will make you giggle. :)
Mage's Blood by David Hair
4.0
Yuros and Antiopia are lands that are a study in contrast. Yuros, to the west, is a land with magic. Antiopia, to the east, is a land with resources and great bounty. In a world where the moon is close enough that the sea is so violent it is unpassable, one mage, Antonin Meiros, created a bridge that rises from the sea every 12 years(called Moontide) that unites Yuros and Antiopia. Shockingly, this good is quickly used for evil as Yuros waged a Crusade against Antiopia the last two times the bridge became available. As the Moontide approaches for the third time, Yuros plots to crush Antiopia but this time, Antiopia is ready.
This book has a complex world that is filled with mythology and political machinations. The themes of war, treachery, intrigue, loyalty and mystery reminded me a lot of Game of Thrones. The characters are well-developed and the chapters told from varying points of view. I really liked that there are many strong female characters represented in this dark and violent world. It is pretty easy to see the parallels between east vs west in our own world as well as the historical ramifications of the Crusades. I have not yet decided if this is good or a hindrance.
This book has a complex world that is filled with mythology and political machinations. The themes of war, treachery, intrigue, loyalty and mystery reminded me a lot of Game of Thrones. The characters are well-developed and the chapters told from varying points of view. I really liked that there are many strong female characters represented in this dark and violent world. It is pretty easy to see the parallels between east vs west in our own world as well as the historical ramifications of the Crusades. I have not yet decided if this is good or a hindrance.
The Floating Palace by Grace Lee, Catherine Hapka
2.0
Being woefully behind in writing my reviews and being even more behind the times when it comes to pop culture-I decided to read Sofia the First while helping the children's selector get caught up with new books. There are also sparkles on the book so it wasn't a hard sell. "oooh, pretty," says Jen.
Sofia is a princess who believes in mermaids even if her father does not. She rescues a mermaid caught in a fishing net and finds her magical amulet can turn her into a mermaid too. Just...go with it. Only problem is, Oona's mom is super determined to blow up the floating palace making the ocean dark but really, it's Sofia's family ship. Evil villains, crazy families that don't listen and a seagull that carries around Clover the rabbit make for an interesting ride and whoa, is that Ariel? Where's Ursula? Ah, well. It's a kids book and a little silly but that's ok. Tho, can I suggest not carrying a rabbit around to attack evil villains in the ocean? Poor thing gonna drown.
Sofia is a princess who believes in mermaids even if her father does not. She rescues a mermaid caught in a fishing net and finds her magical amulet can turn her into a mermaid too. Just...go with it. Only problem is, Oona's mom is super determined to blow up the floating palace making the ocean dark but really, it's Sofia's family ship. Evil villains, crazy families that don't listen and a seagull that carries around Clover the rabbit make for an interesting ride and whoa, is that Ariel? Where's Ursula? Ah, well. It's a kids book and a little silly but that's ok. Tho, can I suggest not carrying a rabbit around to attack evil villains in the ocean? Poor thing gonna drown.
Dead Set by Richard Kadrey
3.0
Kinda creepy, kinda sad with lots of punk rock undertones. Imagine a record store where a restricted section appears only to certain people. Albums played from this section contain a tiny beating center and reveal to the player a bit of the record owner's life before they died. What price would you pay to hear your dead father?
Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists by Various
3.0
Seventeen fairy tales by seventeen different cartoonists. I think there is something for everyone is this collection, no matter what your taste is graphic art. I admit, I wanted to like this much more than I actually did-some where fantastic others felt meh. But, I love that they told some of the lesser known tales as well. This is a very wishy washy review, isn't it?
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
4.0
I have heard a lot about Raina Telgemeier and would put Drama and Smile on hold, get them and then they would become sacrifices to the timelords of my reading schedule and I'd send them back. Woo hoo! I finally read Drama. You know, I really dig Raina Telgemeier and here's why. I am far, far removed from my middle school years but this threw me right into remembering what it felt like. Falling in love, being driven by your passion that no one quite "got" because you were too young(mine was music), finding acceptance from experience and all the drama, angst etc... What made this different was that it wasn't all just awful. I have lots of horrible stories to share that make people laugh-hell, I am an urban legend in my old middle school to this day-but it was also good and friendships that still exist today were forged and I learned a lot about life. From the cover, you think this is going to be a simple story but it isn't-it is full of life and I've not read anything like it.
Can't Stop Believing by Jodi Thomas
3.0
Nevada Britain has a proposition for her newly released from prison neighbor. Marry her and she will sign over a piece of land that once belonged to his family. Not having much of a choice facing financial ruin, Cord agrees with one condition-she has to sleep in his bed every night of their ill-conceived marriage.
The secondary characters-some of them were pretty distracting. They both drove me nuts in the beginning but as the story moved along it didn't go where I expected it to and the characters didn't do what I assumed they would and that won me over. Very sweet.
The secondary characters-some of them were pretty distracting. They both drove me nuts in the beginning but as the story moved along it didn't go where I expected it to and the characters didn't do what I assumed they would and that won me over. Very sweet.
Ladies' Night by Mary Kay Andrews
3.0
I read this book by mistake. Don't you hate it when you do that? But, by the time I realized that no one had nominated it-I was hooked.
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz
4.0
“She seemed like the type of woman who'd help you forget about your headache by setting your bed on fire.”
If you were to invent the word scandalous and put a face next to your new word, Nora Sutherland would most likely be your choice. A famous erotica author, she decides she wants to write a different type of story and is paired up with Zachary Easton, an editor from England who is nicknamed London Fog because of his not-so-chipper personality. He is not pleased and throws everything he has at Nora, but when she proves she can handle whatever he gives her-will he give her book a chance? Both Nora and Zachary are flawed and terribly broken only in very different ways. This isn't a simple love story and this isn't a book to read if your only goal is to get turned on. It will happen but so will so much more.
Tiffany Reisz is my favorite erotica author. Her books are intelligent, sassy, complicated, funny and yes, hot. Duh. The more I talk and teach about erotica, the more I see this base level of acceptance for bad writing. The kind that seems to shout out that if you like kink then you cannot possibly be any of the above. That is unfortunate and ridiculous (see 50 Shades), I'm just glad to have found Ms. Reisz.
If you were to invent the word scandalous and put a face next to your new word, Nora Sutherland would most likely be your choice. A famous erotica author, she decides she wants to write a different type of story and is paired up with Zachary Easton, an editor from England who is nicknamed London Fog because of his not-so-chipper personality. He is not pleased and throws everything he has at Nora, but when she proves she can handle whatever he gives her-will he give her book a chance? Both Nora and Zachary are flawed and terribly broken only in very different ways. This isn't a simple love story and this isn't a book to read if your only goal is to get turned on. It will happen but so will so much more.
Tiffany Reisz is my favorite erotica author. Her books are intelligent, sassy, complicated, funny and yes, hot. Duh. The more I talk and teach about erotica, the more I see this base level of acceptance for bad writing. The kind that seems to shout out that if you like kink then you cannot possibly be any of the above. That is unfortunate and ridiculous (see 50 Shades), I'm just glad to have found Ms. Reisz.