Month: May 2018

Review: The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

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This was a truly fascinating read. I’m not much of a science person. Never have been. It was perhaps my least favourite subject in school. I even liked maths more…and I HATE maths…but regardless, I found this novel fascinating.

Two points, as I am sure you don’t need me to summarize this novel and tell you what it’s about…that’s what the blurb on the cover is for!

First point, whilst I loved this novel it was a bit off-putting after a while to be so obsessed with needing to know what was fact and what was fiction. The author does a decent job helping separate the fact from fiction in the notes in the back of the novel…however, I didn’t know this whilst reading it! Ha! I kept putting the novel down and searching out different incidents to see if they really happened. This was wonderful at the start…but it soon became hard work!!! It was distracting me time and time again from actually enjoying this novel as much as I think I could have.

This novel probably educated me more about history and inventions than school ever did. I couldn’t help but to wonder what it must have been like. To live in the an era that was changed so much by new inventions. How lives were forever changed by such men as were in this novel. Yes, there will always be new inventions…but I can’t imagine any that change so many lives in such a huge fashion.

Now, second thing, history is shaped just as much by the people who write it as it is shaped by the actual events that happen. Simplified, imagine all those times in primary school when your parents told you to ignore something and it would go away. That if you keep on fighting with someone and giving them attention it wold never stop. Well history is the same. If the media, or schools or whatever, never talk about xy&z, well it’s not very long before xy&z just completely disappears in the history books…but on the other hand, the things that the media choose to report, or the schools decide to teach…well they remain the history that future generations start to believe. It doesn’t matter if huge chunks are missing…or even if they aren’t all exactly true…they *become* true over time as more and more people hear and repeat it.

It really makes one wonder…

Until next time…
Urania xx

Buy it now The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

Review: To the Moon and Back by Karen Kingsbury

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There’s just something about books, that are based around real life tragedies, that suck me in. I read, and very much enjoyed, Karen’s 9/11 series. Being a wife of a public service employee, I find myself sucked into these types of stories very easily. When I saw that this was about the Oklahoma bombing, I knew the same thing would happen. And I was so right.

It’s been a while since a book pulled all these emotions from me. My eyes were wet more than they were dry. The feelings of loss and despair were so overwhelming, I was chocking on it. I know there is healing and comfort through faith, but while you’re in the midst of it, it’s sometimes hard to feel it.

There are two different stories happening here. One is about Amy. Not having read the first two Baxter books, I am unsure if her story played out in those, but in this book she is living with an aunt and uncle, since her parents and sisters were killed in a car accident. She may be 12 but she has this inner strength that makes me want to reach in and hug. She wants to get a sapling from the Survivor Tree, in honor of her being a survivor, and that basically sets the stage for the main story about Brady and Jenna.

Brady and Jenna were both children when their parents were killed in the bombing. Brady was in the building with his mom at the time, and he seems to be having a harder issue with letting God give him comfort. Jenna met Brady at the memorial when they were both 17. They had a connection of grief, but they never saw each other again.

But it only takes a moment to change the course of your life.

This book is about healing and finding hope, when yours is lost. It’s about holding on to those left behind. And it’s about having faith in someone stronger than yourself. Very powerful.

~Melpomene

Buy To the Moon and Backhttps://amzn.to/2HSXruu

Review: Legendary by Stephanie Garber

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Seriously‽‽ Now what am I supposed to do‽‽ This is not how I expected this story to go at all. If you read Caraval, you know how it ended. It wasn’t cut and dry. There was still more fun to be had.

Legendary was an experience. Definitely one of a kind. Magical and mysterious with more jaw dropping scenes than I ever expected. The game has changed. This time, everything is real…or is it…

Romance played a bigger role in Legendary than in Caraval. But while it was still familial, there was way more romantic love throughout it. In fact that’s probably why I enjoyed this one more. Lots of swoony scenes that had me all twitterpated.

Dante had my heart fluttering. I know he was the typical bad boy before, and he had his moments here, but he definitely showed his true colors in this one. Pleasantly surprised by him. And then just plain, downright surprised at him.

Jacks left me with a lot of unanswered questions. There’s so much more to him that we didn’t get to see. But since he’s a master at trickery, I fell under his spell.

Many times I forgot that Tella was only 16 years old. Sometimes she can act like the flighty school girl but most of the time she made difficult decisions that would give us mature adults pause. I really liked her. I think more than her sister even. My heart felt what she felt. It raced when her was racing. It hurt when hers hurt. Part of me hopes we eventually get more from her. Even a little short story. I feel like her story isn’t done yet. She has a lot of life to live.

The conclusion was way more open ended than I was expecting. In fact, it left me reeling. I can honestly say that I’m not sure how I feel. I think I wanted a definitive ending. I wanted a choice to be made…and yet there was. Gah!! I want more!! My head is still spinning.

And I’m editing this now because the author just announced that we WILL be getting a third book! Holy moly. I am so excited now. I need more.

~Melpomene

Grab both books:
Caraval https://amzn.to/2GkC7kG
Legendary https://amzn.to/2pUnTMA

Review: The Summer Sail by Wendy Francis

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Abby, Caroline, and Lee hop on a cruise ship with their guys and their kiddos… to celebrate a 20th wedding anniversary, share some personal news, await a proposal, and straighten out some of life’s twists and turns.

I loved the cruise ship setting. So fun! For an hour or two each night I was whisked away into the land of lounge chairs and umbrella drinks — and hot sunny days. Wendy Francis did a fantastic job making the friendships real and easy. The women were like sisters with each other – just how I’d imagine this trio in real life. And although some of the plot was predictable, Francis developed it in a fresh, engaging way. I was in it for the whole cruise: laughter, tears, and mouth agape. Nicely written, very entertaining!

-calliope

Buy THE SUMMER SAIL

Review: The Runaway Wife by Dee MacDonald

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Oh Connie. Taken for granted by her husband and adult children — and not done a thing about it for years. Finally she and her little car set out find freedom on the open road, but of course they find so. much. more. I can’t really say all of what she finds because that would be giving away the good stuff, but let’s just say she has quite a few adventures and makes some new lovely friends who really appreciate her. Connie also meets up with some old friends who remind her how much they value her.

One big surprise is the ending. I don’t mean the ending ending, but like the last few chapters. I didn’t realize I was going to be reading such heartwarming stuff… but be forewarned and have a tissue ready.

Apart from a little morality misalignment (but that’s just me personally), I really just loved the entire book. Maybe because I sometimes feel taken for granted or ignored, like Connie did, I could truly relate. Or maybe because I’m feeling the itch for a good road trip, I was happy to live vicariously through Connie. And it could even be that I so loved this book because it provides a helpful perspective on seeing people and situations in a hopeful, positive light.

The end of the book mentioned a future sequel, so I’ve now added Dee MacDonald to my “regularly search for this author on NetGalley, Amazon and Overdrive” list.

-calliope

Buy THE RUNAWAY WIFE

Review: Somewhere Inside of Happy by Anna McPartlin

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This is one of those books I read to just shut up a friend that was insistent that I read the novel. Every now and then I read a novel and I feel the exact same way…Going between feelings of wanting to bully or beg someone to read a novel that moved me a great deal, so I truly do understand why she demanded I read it. I usually ignore these pleas…but not this time…I went straight out and bought the book and proceeded to read it. Maybe partly to shut her up…hahahaha…but also I wanted to be moved as well….

Well then…this novel did move me. I loved these characters. Especially the Nan. Birdie broke me heart over and over again, and once I knew it was completely broken she would do a fast jig on top of it to make sure it was well and truly crushed!

We know from the very start how this book ends. No need to read the blurb (but if you do, it’s right there as well), it is on the very first page. Knowing the ending didn’t stop me from hoping against hope that it was just some bad dream and that it would all be okay. Not only did I love the characters and not want them to suffer, I loved the son and wanted him to know not only the inside of happy. I wanted him to know it inside AND out. I wanted him to grow up and do great things, as I know was the only option for him as an adult. What a wonderful lad and caring lad!

McPartlin has written such a wonderful and moving novel. I look forward to reading more by her. She engages us in such a way that we are not just bystanders at a terrible train crash, unable to look away, but she leads us from a happy place to the site of the crash and not only does this, but makes us willing to follow her…We do not follow her blindly, we go willingly.

Awww…man, lots of really feel good moments in her writing, but it’s all just so bittersweet…

Don’t miss out on this one…it’s worth your time…and your tears…

Until next time…
Urania xx

Buy it now Somewhere Inside of Happy by Anna McPartlin

Review: Come Home to Me by Liz Talley

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Protagonist Summer comes home to more than just one “me” in this romantic women’s fiction by Liz Talley. She comes full circle with herself after being kind of a martyr for a while, and she has some loose ends to tie up regarding an old flame and an old grudge.

I liked the realistic aspect of this book. When there was a problem, Talley showed how it affected everyone. And when there were successes, those were shared too. Come Home to Me discusses some social issues that bounce along a journey of love. The happily ever after was too neat of closure for me- I liked the ending per se, but it didn’t seem to naturally follow all the real life problems that happened throughout out the book. However, I’m always a sucker for forgiveness and reconciliation – definitely present when Summer finally is able to honestly face those two significant men from her past.

-calliope

Buy COME HOME TO ME

Review: The Beekeeper’s Promise by Fiona Valpy

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Looking for a fun little piece of historical fiction? Look no further!

When Abi finds herself in need of some time to heal, she decides on a yoga retreat in rural France. Soon, however, she ends up taking a summer job at a château with a long history. As she herself recovers, she learns the story of another brave young woman from long ago…

Under the threat of war, young Eliane occupies herself with tending to the gardens and beehives at Château Bellevue. It is here that she finds, and then loses, love. Circumstances lead her to join the Resistance as France finds itself engulfed by the war and under German occupation.

As is the case with many pieces of historical fiction, this story is told from two viewpoints in two different time periods. And as is the case with the best of them, this one does a great job of meshing the two all the way to the very end. A definite must read if you’re a fan of the genre!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Beekeeper’s Promise

Review: A Game of Ghosts (Charlie Parker #15) by John Connolly

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What I love most about Connolly’s Charlie Parker Books is that they are becoming more and more supernatural…or maybe it’s just that Connolly has done such a great job of making these books real that I no longer question the veracity of them. They are just as believable to me as the sun in the sky…and that is also why they are more and more terrifying as the series goes on…Connolly has managed to mesh the very ordinary world of former policeman Charlie Parker with the spectral world where some things just can’t be explained until suddenly they are all one and the same…but he does so in a way that keeps the real world the focus and the paranormal in the shadows. This isn’t some attempt by an author to create an alternative world or universe or future time period. Connolly isn’t asking the reader to suspend what they know…only that you open your mind to the possibilities…and with your own imagination the possibilities are infinite…which explains the vast amount of fear I experience whilst reading them…

Until next time…
Urania xx

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now A Game of Ghosts by John Connolly

Quick Review: Soldier by Julie Kagawa

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A YA love triangle with dragons. That’s all that needs to be said.

I kid…

Sorta…

Ember and joined Cobalt and is still struggling with the exit of Garret. She is torn between two boys, a dragon or a soldier. Both seem to be pulling her in their directions. But she’s not sure what to do.

Even though Garret left, he can’t seem to forget Ember. When he discovers something extremely disturbing about The Order, he must go back to the states and see if he can help make things right.

Another exciting installment in the Talon series that left me breathless. I’m about to dive into the next book. I’m so glad I waited till they were all complete. This really is a fun YA series. It’s been added to my list of recs.

On a side note, my non reader son read these books and thoroughly enjoyed them. He is currently rushing me to finish so he can talk about them. That’s saying something. It’s nice to find books like this.

~Melpomene

Grab
Talon https://amzn.to/2GiEr77
Rogue https://amzn.to/2KqyiIx
Soldier https://amzn.to/2Kt7K9B