Wrap Up l January 2019

New Year, New Goals, see how it all goes.

Not going to fool myself this year on how much blogging I will get done, because it is going to be hit and miss at best. I just don't have the time, or the inclination to find the time, to be consistent and post regularly.

Parasite

Mira Grant

3 / 5 stars
This was a good book, but comparing it to the Newsflesh series, it fell a little bit short. I had guessed most of the twists before the halfway point of the book and I found that it dragged on a little bit. Which probably stemmed from the fact that I couldn't connect with the main character, she seemed silly, spoiled and whiny to me (I know why she was the way she was, but I couldn't get past it to enjoy her and the story as much as I might have with a different lead) 

Devil in the Dollhouse

 Richard Kadrey

4.5 / 5 Stars
This was Awesome, it was everything that I love about Simon Green's Nightside with a Clive Barker, Scarlett Gospel style mixed in. I loved the cynical almost unlikeable main character. For a short story it was pretty action packed and still developed atmosphere and characters. Hoping the library gets the entire series soon because I would love to check it out. 

Castaways

Brian Keene 

4 / 5 Stars
Quick, easy fun read. There was little character development, the setting was pretty simple but when it comes to a cannibal island massacre what could anyone expect? This was exactly what I wanted when I picked up the book. I will have my eyes open for more Keene books from now on. 

Tiger Lily

Jodi Lynn Anderson

3.5 / 5 Stars
The best description of this novel is conflicting. Did I love that it was a Peter Pan, Neverland spinoff? yes and it did a really amazing job of illustrating both Tiger Lily and Tinkerbell. Did I like that it subtracted most of the magic from Neverland? not really, the new world setting and timeline made sense but I would have preferred sticking to the land above the north star. So overall it had its highs and lows, I really think the book tried too hard though, in an attempt to include a little bit of everything it glossed over a few things that could have been very powerful. 

Angelic

and 

Counterfeit Magic

Kelley Armstrong

3 / 5 Stars
I always enjoy Kelley Armstrong's writing but I am very rarely amazed by it and this pretty much followed the pattern with these two short stories. The characters were good but not original, same goes for the plot. The reading was easy and quick, her style is simple but very effective although even when she is discussing adult content or more mature topics I find that it is written in a "young adult novel" ish way. It might be that her voice just sounds young to me after reading so many classics and difficult to read "adult" toned novels. 

The Voice

Anne Bishop

3 / 5 Stars
O.K. novelette, to really understand and appreciate I think you would have to read the series it stemmed from. At a few point I felt Bishop was referencing something that I should have known (from the other books obviously) while that is not a bad thing, I do find it annoying, almost like a tacky sales pitch. 

The Help 

Katheryn Stockett 

5 / 5 Stars

Reread

As always I find this book to be funny and enjoyable, prompted me to re-watch the movie as well. The writing is executed so well, the characters and plot support the statements behind it all seamlessly. The cultural and political statements overt without being obnoxious or out of place. 

What I Saw and How I Lied

Judy Blundell 

This book was great, but after all the hype around it I was still a little let down. The characters were good, strong and well developed but fell into a few cliché's and traps. I could halfway see where the novel was going most of the book although the twists and turns were still exciting. The plot took the perfect amount of time to develop and it was original in choosing the perspective of Eevee over anyone else in the book. I think it speaks a great deal about girls of that era as well as girls of our era. As history repeats itself more than anyone would like to admit. 

The Halloween Tree

Ray Bradbury

4 / 5 Stars
Fun, fun, fun. It was the Nightmare before Christmas meets Alice in Wonderland, meets When A Monster Calls. This short story will be a Halloween tradition for my children I am sure. It was whimsical and wonderful. 

Blackwood Farm & Blood Canticles & Prince Lestat 

Anne Rice

4 / 5 Stars 
Anne Rice is always fun to read and this is no exception. Over the course of her 13(?) novels I have read she has fallen into a bit of a pattern with the stories but they are still great reads. Rice will either be your cup of tea or not though, I can see how her style isn't for everyone. 

The Shadow Over Innsmouth & Dagon

HP Lovecraft

5 / 5 Stars 
Rereads

Meddling Kids 

Edgar Cantero

4 / 5 Stars
HP Lovecraft ran head first into Scooby Doo and its amazing! This was action packed, I loved the characters, I loved the plot. It was a wonderful perfect read.

Les Misérables 

Victor Hugo 

3.5 / 5 Stars
Finally got to this novel and can check it off my TBR list, it was an easier read than I had expected but I think that it will be a better movie or play than it would be a book. 

Smoke 

Ellen Hopkins

3 / 5 Stars
The second novel in this series and was perfect, I didn't love the characters as much in both these books as I wanted too, I found them to be believable but a little bit flat, it wasn't the roller coaster I was expecting after the Crank, series. Not bad books but very different from Hopkins other writing. 

A Gathering of Shadows

VE Schwab 

3.5 / 5 Stars
I was amazed by the fist novel, so I wasn't surprised to find the second novel a little pale in comparison. It was still a good read and the characters were equal to the first novel, it was a huge setup for the final book, that I can't wait to get my hands on. It was a little long considering not much went on but character development.