Tag Archives: reviews

Book Review: Touch Of Power

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Touch Of Power CoverBook: Touch Of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Published January 2012 by MIRA|Pages: 400

Where I Got It: nook store

Series: Healer #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

You can find Touch Of Power on goodreads & Maria V. Snyder on Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary:

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life…

What I Thought:

It was only a matter of time before I started Snyder’s Power series, because I’m such a big fan of her other series.  So, here’s the thing: I liked it, but not as much as I liked her other series.

There’s something interesting about a plague that led to healers being hunted.  And all of the lilies!  I liked how they were introduced and what they do and even some of the studies done on them.  The history of the plague and everything that unfolded after it started popping up was really interesting and one of my favorite parts of the book.

I also liked the boarding school for nobles, and the histories between all of them.  Oh, and how magic worked in this world!  I really liked all of the different abilities the magicians had.  There are so many different kinds of magic, and it’s really cool that there’s such a range in magical abilities.

The characters were fine, but I didn’t feel as connected to them the way I feel connected to the characters in her other series.  And while I liked this world, I also wasn’t as pulled into this world as I was with her series.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked Touch Of Power and the different kinds of magic we see in the book.  I also liked the plague and it’s history (and consequences).  It’s definitely my least favorite book of Snyder’s, but I still am curious about what will happen next.  Touch Of Power gets 3 stars.

Book Review: Stung

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Stung CoverBook: Stung by Bethany Wiggins

Published April 2013 by Bloomsbury|Pages: 304

Where I Got It: Nook store

Series: Stung #1

Genre: YA…I’m not sure WHAT genre this falls in, but dystopic/sci-fi/post-apocalyptic seem to fit best

You can find Stung on goodreads & Bethany Wiggins on her website and her blog

Goodreads Summary:

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

What I Thought:

I’ve been wanting to read Stung for a while, and I’m glad I finally read it!  It’s definitely a different take on a post-apocalyptic story, given that bees take center stage.

I really liked how everything was explained, and I found the idea of bee flu interesting but scary.  And that the bee flu has unintended consequences…it’s something I can totally see happening.  Not the bee flu necessarily, but I can totally see something coming up and people needing a vaccine that goes horribly wrong.  I found everyone’s reaction to those vaccinated for the bee flu to be pretty believable. I did like how everything came together and how believable everything was.

I really liked Fiona, and her actions throughout the book are totally understandable, given everything that’s happened over the last few years.  She has no recollection of what happen, just that she woke up thinking she was a 13-year-old girl, and is confused as to what’s going on.  I thought that worked really well (for reasons I won’t give away), because characters with memory loss can be annoying.  But this wasn’t the case at all!  Especially because we find out what’s going on when Fiona finds out what’s going on.  I also liked the flashbacks and how they were in italics, making them stand out. Especially because she remembers things throughout the book.

Stung has a lot going on, but I liked that we weren’t overwhelmed by details.  And that there’s a good balance between all of the action-y stuff and the learning about the world stuff.  I’m not the biggest fan of Bowden and Fiona, mostly because I was more interested in what was going on.  Still, I think I might warm up to them as a couple in the next one.

Let’s Rate It:

I really liked Stung, and how it’s about the honeybees going extinct, and cloned bees to take their place, which leads to the bee flu and a vaccine that has complications.  Stung is definitely different, and I like that it’s unique but also really believable.  Stung gets 4 stars.

ARC Book Review: The Drowned Forest

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The Drowned Forest CoverBook: The Drowned Forest by Kristopher Reisz

Expected Publication is February 8 by Flux|Expected Number Of Pages: 263

Where I Got It: from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way.  Promise!

Series: None

Genre: YA Horror/Paranormal/Contemporary

You can find The Drowned Forest on goodreads and you can find Kristopher Reisz on twitter and his website

Goodreads Summary:

Holly and Jane have jumped off the bridge over their Alabama reservoir hundreds of times. But one day, Holly’s jump goes wrong. Her body never comes up, but something else does—a sad creature of mud, full of confusion and sorrow. Jane knows it’s Holly, somehow, trapped and mixed up with the river. But Holly doesn’t know she’s dead, and that anything she touches will die, too . . . even those she loves the most.

Meanwhile, Jane’s family doesn’t believe what she knows about Holly. They are threatening to place Jane in a mental institution, and her pastor thinks she is crossing over into the Devil’s playground. In spite of her community’s doubts, Jane can tell it’s Holly, and she has to put her to rest.

What I Thought:

I’m not sure where to start with The Drowned Forest!  Parts of it were really interesting, but I also found parts of it confusing.

So Jane’s friend Holly dies, but it’s a while before you even figure it out.  You know something happened to Holly, but it honestly took me awhile to figure out what happened to her.  The book definitely felt a little confusing at first, because Jane kept thinking about Holly and what happened to her, but I had no clue who Holly was or what happened to her.  Granted, I didn’t read the summary before reading the book, and that could have helped a lot in terms of what was going on.

Still, something about the beginning seemed confusing, and it was really hard to get into at first.  I love the idea that Holly doesn’t realize she’s dead, and kills everything she touches.  There’s this folklore or whatever surrounding this forest in a lake, and that was really intriguing, especially because of Jane’s beliefs and how she deals with the death of her friend.

I felt like The Drowned Forest could have been a lot more creepy and haunting, and it definitely had the potential for creepy and haunting and gothic.  That aspect of the book just wasn’t there for me.

Jane is an interesting character, and I liked that she stuck to her beliefs while also meeting some people who challenged them.  She was very determined to figure out what happened to Holly, which I appreciated.  But something about it didn’t click with me.  So, Jane runs away from home, and I find it weird that there’s little mention of her parents after she leaves home.  As for the other characters, they didn’t make much of an impression.

Let’s Rate It:

The Drowned Forest was an okay read.  There was something confusing and jumbled about The Drowned Forest (well, to me) and I definitely thought it could have been a lot creepier.  But I did like the folklore surrounding the lake and the things and people in it. The Drowned Forest gets 2 stars.

ARC Book Review: Such Sweet Sorrow

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Such Sweet Sorrow CoverBook: Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout

Expected Publication is February 4, 2014 by Entangled Teen|Expected Number Of Pages: 304

Series: None

Genre: YA Paranormal/Mythology Re-Telling/Shakespeare Re-Telling

You can find Such Sweet Sorrow on goodreads & you can find Jenny Trout on twitter, facebook, her blog and her website

Goodreads Summary:

Never was there a tale of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo…

But true love never dies. Though they’re parted by the veil between the world of mortals and the land of the dead, Romeo believes he can restore Juliet to life, but he’ll have to travel to the underworld with a thoroughly infuriating guide.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, may not have inherited his father’s crown, but the murdered king left his son a much more important responsibility—a portal to the Afterjord, where the souls of the dead reside. When the determined Romeo asks for help traversing the treacherous Afterjord, Hamlet sees an opportunity for adventure and the chance to avenge his father’s death.

In an underworld filled with leviathan monsters, ghoulish shades, fire giants, and fierce Valkyrie warriors, Hamlet and Romeo must battle their way through jealousy, despair, and their darkest fears to rescue the fair damsel. Yet finding Juliet is only the beginning, and the Afterjord doesn’t surrender souls without a price…

My Review:

I have no clue where to start with Such Sweet Sorrow!  This is the first time I’ve read a re-telling of Shakespeare- well, one that I’m aware of, because it’s entirely possible I’ve read one that was a lot more subtle.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, and the last (and only) time I’ve read either play was in high school, so it’s been well over 10 years since I’ve read either one, so I knew it would be an interesting read.

The reasons for Hamlet and Romeo for meeting up is interesting and really believable.  I thought their adventures in the Afterjord were pretty action-packed, and I liked the connection to Norse mythology, given that Romeo meets up with Hamlet.  While I remember the basics of both plays, there is quite a bit that is still fuzzy to me.  Still, I thought she did a great job with making them her own, while still staying true to the characters.

Trout did a great job keeping me interested for the entire book.  It did move a bit slow at times, but I didn’t mind, because I wanted to see if things would work out for Romeo and Juliet.  I can’t say I was surprised by the ending, even though a part of me was hoping it would work out differently.

As far as I know, Such Sweet Sorrow is a stand-alone, but there is something about the ending that makes me feel like there’s potential for a sequel.  While things are wrapped up, I was also left with the feeling that there is more to Hamlet and Romeo’s story.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked Such Sweet Sorrow!  Shakespeare isn’t my thing, but I was definitely interested in how Trout would manage to put Romeo, Juliet and Hamlet together, and I thought she did it really well!  It’s definitely a great book for Shakespeare fans.  Such Sweet Sorrow gets 3 stars.

ARC Book Review: Scintillate

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Scintillate CoverBook: Scintillate by Tracy Clark

Expected Publication is February 4, 2014  by Entangled Teen|Expected Number Of Pages: 304

Where I Got It: I got an advanced review copy from Entangled Teen, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way.  Promise!

Series: The Light Key Trilogy #1

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

You can find Scintillate on goodreads and Tracy Clark on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary:

A mighty flame follows a tiny spark

Cora Sandoval’s mother disappeared when she was five and they were living in Ireland. Since then, her dad has been more than overprotective, and Cora is beginning to chafe under his confines. But even more troubling is the colorful light she suddenly sees around people. Everyone, that is, except herself—instead, she glows a brilliant, sparkling silver.

As she realizes the danger associated with these strange auras, Cora is inexplicably drawn to Finn, a gorgeous Irish exchange student who makes her feel safe. Their attraction is instant, magnetic, and primal—but her father disapproves, and Finn’s mother orders him home to Ireland upon hearing he’s fallen in love. After a fight with her father, Cora flees to Ireland, both to follow Finn and to look for her missing mother.

There she meets another silver-haloed person and discovers the meaning of her newfound powers and their role in a conspiracy spanning centuries—one that could change mankind forever…and end her life.

My Review:

I’ve read quite a few paranormal books but Scintillate is definitely one of the more interesting and unique ones I’ve ever read! What makes Scintillate so interesting is that Cora can see auras after ending up in the hospital.  Add in her  thinking something is wrong but being dismissed by her dad, and you have a girl who is determined to figure out what is wrong with her on her own.

I’ll admit that when her dad dismissed her vision issues, I got annoyed!  Your daughter gets out of the hospital and tells you she’s seeing weird things, and you tell her you’ll take her to the doctor in a few days if it doesn’t clear up?  I know he’s a scientist and all, but I felt like he wasn’t concerned about it. Which is weird, given how protective he is of his daughter.  For a good chunk of the book, it doesn’t fit, but when you find out why she can see auras…I get why he’s protective, but if he had taken her a little more seriously, things might have gone a little differently.

Still, that her going to the hospital and then being able to see auras…I liked that there was something to trigger her ability.  And that having a rare aura is dangerous, given there’s another group with a pure white aura who the silver aura people are at odds with. What’s especially different is that those who have a pure white aura are the “bad guys” while having a silver aura means you’re one of the “good guys.”  If you were to look at things that way.  But it’s different, because it’s not what you’d expect in terms of colors and what they symbolize, but in Scintillate, it actually makes perfect sense.

I really liked how everything is introduced!  It felt very natural, and you weren’t overloaded on the bits and pieces of this world. I feel like there’s so much to learn about the world that Cora lives in, and I can’t wait to read the next book so I can learn more about the ability to see auras and everything that goes along with it.

I really liked Cora, and how determined she was to figure everything out.  She does seem pretty sheltered, which I can understand, given that her dad’s pretty protective because of her own aura.  I also thought Giovanni was interesting, because he knows so much more about this world than Cora does.  I’d actually like to see more of her two best friends, because I felt like they were only there to get her to Ireland.  And I’d really like to see her grandmother, because of her grandmother’s abilities.

As for Finn…I am not sure what to think of him!  He’s cool, and then he’s not, but then he kind of redeems himself, and so my feelings towards him are conflicted and slightly muddled.  Hopefully, my feelings toward him will become a bit more clear in the next book.

And speaking of Finn and Giovanni…I’m not sure how I feel about either of them as a romantic interest for Cora.  Giovanni, because we don’t see a lot of him, and Finn because of my conflicted feelings.  Still, I have the feeling Cora will end up with Finn.

Let’s Rate It:

I really liked Scintillate and how it was all about auras!  While I’m not sure about the romance or how Cora’s dad initially dismissed her ability to see auras, I think it’s one of the more interesting and unique paranormal books out there.  Scintillate gets 4 stars.

Gilmore Girls 3×14: Swan Song

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Swan Song originally aired February 11, 2003.  This episode was written by Daniel Palladino and was directed by Chris Long.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

We open this episode with a Friday night dinner, where Emily has spent quite a bit of time complaining about Trix, her mother-in-law. Emily manages to direct the conversation to Rory’s break-up with Dean and her new relationship with Jess.

Emily wants to meet Jess, so Rory says she’ll ask him.  Rory does get Jess to agree, but Jess (being Jess) is resistant to the idea. Lorelei ends up going to New York to see a musical with Alex, Sookie and Jackson, which means it’ll be just Rory and Jess for the next Friday night dinner.  Miss Patty happens to need Rory to see her rehearse her one woman show, so Rory finds herself sitting next to Dean for the duration of Miss Patty’s show.

This doesn’t go over well with Jess, who found out on a flier in town, and wishes Rory had told him.  Lorelei isn’t happy with Rory’s plan of studying at school before going to Emily’s and then getting a ride home with Jess.  The dinner doesn’t go well, and it all starts with Jess showing up late with a black eye.  Rory is concerned and wants to know what happened but Jess doesn’t want to talk about it. He’s definitely not in a good mood, because he had to sit in traffic to go to a dinner with Emily (that he didn’t want to go to, of course) and he’s thirsty and wants to eat.

Emily’s making small talk, and Rory keeps pressing the issue of the black eye.  She thinks it’s because he got into a fight with Dean, and Jess makes it clear he doesn’t want to talk about it, because he’s trying to make a good impression on Emily for Rory’s sake. And according to Jess, Rory is making that difficult because she keeps bringing up his black eye.  She and Jess eventually talk in Richard’s study. Rory is still convinced that Jess and Dean got into a fight, and tries to convince Jess that nothing happened with Dean when they were watching Miss Patty’s show.  Jess is trying, but ends up leaving, so Rory has to explain to Emily that he left. Emily is pretty awesome about it…until Lorelei calls Rory to check in, and then goes on a rant about how irresponsible Jess is for thinking cell phones are beneath him.

Rory goes to ask Dean about Jess, where she realizes he didn’t get into a fight with Dean.  She keeps trying to call him, but Jess is ignoring her calls.  It turns out a swan at the lake attacked him, but Luke doesn’t believe him.  They go to the lake, and Jess is glad the dinner is behind him.  Until Luke tells him that this probably isn’t going to be the last thing that Jess will have to do.  Because by dating a girl like Rory, the whole family is involved, and so are her friends.  Luke thinks Jess is jealous of Dean, but Jess thinks Dean is a wuss.  Still, it comes up that Rory and Dean were together for a couple years, and Jess can’t just avoid Rory because of a fight a couple months into their relationship.

Because I’m not sure where to fit this in, part of why Lorelei is freaked out about the dinner and Jess driving Rory home is because she’s concerned about Rory having sex.  Rory tells Lorelei that she’s too busy to think about it, but later on tells her that she isn’t too busy to think about it.  She does promise to talk to Lorelei about it before it happens.

Jess and Rory make up, and Rory apologizes for not trusting Jess.  Jess tells her that he got hit in the face when he was playing football with a friend.

There’s also some band stuff!  The band needs to add a love song to their set, and Lorelei almost spills the beans about Lane and Dave to the band.  Mrs. Kim see Dave with the band in town, and warns him about Lane’s crush on him, and to be careful around her.  The band also finds out that Dave has played at the Kim’s church.

My Thoughts:

So…I have no idea where to start!  Let’s see…oh, I know where I’ll start: the Friday night dinner that Jess goes to.  I know that Jess doesn’t want to particularly go to a Friday night dinner to meet Emily, but at the same time, you’d think he’d want to get it over with.  And I actually respect that Jess does seem to be making an effort even though he didn’t want to be there.  Although…it is very Rory to keep bringing up his black eye even though Jess has made it perfectly clear he doesn’t want to talk about it. And given that she thinks Jess is embarrassing her, I’m surprised she didn’t drop it.

Still, Emily seemed to be great about it.  At least, she was good about it in front of Rory, and it’s not until she goes on a rant when she’s talking to Lorelei that we know her true feelings.

One thing I thought was interesting was how Emily thought it was refreshing that Jess didn’t have a cell phone, but later tells Lorelei that how irresponsible it is that he doesn’t have one.  I know this episode took place over ten years ago, and that cell phones were a thing, but I don’t remember them being as prevalent as they are today.

I’m also not surprised by Jess avoiding Rory after the dinner.  And I thought Luke brought up an interesting point in the possibility of Jess being jealous of Dean.  I never paid attention to that line before, but it is a possibility.  And it really strikes me as how different Dean and Jess are.  Because Jess has a lot in common with Rory, but he’s also not the loyal, nice guy to bring home to the family kind of guy that Dean is.  As for the assumption that Dean and Jess got into a fight: it seems like Jess seemed slightly surprised by that, but I don’t blame everyone for jumping to that conclusion, given their history. Oh, and why would Jess not tell Rory a swan attacked him?  Is it because it’s pretty lame, and he doesn’t think she’d believe it?  Because Jess tossing around a football is a bit hard to believe.

As for Rory having/not having time to think about sex…I thought Lorelei’s reaction was really interesting.  Lorelei’s a pretty cool mom, and is pretty open about things, and yet Rory thinking about having sex seemed to be a little weird for Lorelei.  I’m not sure if it’s because it could be with Jess, or if it just generally freaks her out, or if it’s because Lorelei had Rory so young or what, but Lorelei’s reaction is definitely interesting.

Favorite Line/Scene:

Nothing really jumped out at me enough to be a favorite

Pop Culture:

Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez, the rabbit from Monty Python

Episode Rating:

I liked this episode, and it’s a bit more light-hearted than the last episode.  It’s kind of hard to live up to the last episode, but it was still fun to watch.  This episode gets 3.5 mugs of coffee.

ARC Book Review: Doing Harm

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Doing Harm CoverBook: Doing Harm by Kelly Parsons

Expected Publication is February 4, 2014 by St. Martin’s Press|Pages: 305

Where I Got It: from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review.  Promise!

Series: None

Genre: Adult Fiction

You can find Doing Harm on goodreads

Goodreads Summary:

Steve Mitchell, happily married with a wife and two kids, is in line for a coveted position at Boston’s University Hospital when his world goes awry. His over-reaching ambition causes him to botch a major surgery, and another of his patients mysteriously dies. Steve’s nightmare goes from bad to worse when he learns that the mysterious death was no accident but the act of a sociopath.  A sociopath he knows and who has information that could destroy Steve’s career and marriage.  A sociopath for whom killing is more than a means to an end: it’s a game.  Because he is under a cloud of suspicion and has no evidence, he knows that any accusations he makes won’t be believed. So he must struggle to turn the tables, even as the killer skillfully blocks his every move. Detailing the politics of hospitals, the hierarchy among doctors and the life and death decisions that are made by flawed human beings, Doing Harm marks the debut of a major fiction career.

My Review:

Doing Harm is definitely one of the more interesting books I’ve read in a while!  It’s a really interesting look at life at a hospital, and things are explained pretty well.  It wasn’t tedious or boring, and all of the medical stuff was explained in a way that was easy to understand.  It does get a bit descriptive when we see Steve performing surgery, so if you’re squeamish, that might be something to skim over. Parsons is also a surgeon, which really gives the details a certain authenticity.

It definitely feels realistic, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised by the sociopath that Steve comes across.  The idea of a doctor-in-training killing patients to further their own career is frightening.  Steve seemed really smart with some things…but with other things, he seemed not-so-smart.  Still, he always managed to put everything together at the right time, and everything seemed to work out in the end. I did find myself having trouble putting it down at times, because I couldn’t wait to see if Steve would figure everything out in time.

Doing Harm did start off slow, because we get a really good look at what Steve’s everyday life is like. But once things got going, it moved pretty fast.  And knowing what Steve’s day-to-day life was like gave certain events in the book a good reference point, because you could see how much things changed for him.

Steve is definitely ambitious, and while I didn’t connect with him as a character, I still felt bad for him because of the situation he found himself in.  Overall, I didn’t care for the characters, but I was so interested in what was going on that I didn’t really mind that I didn’t particularly care for the characters.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked Doing Harm!  It’s definitely a good book for Dan Brown fans, but if you like thrillers of any sort, I think you’d also like this book.  It did start off slow, but I liked the details in the book, and how well everything was explained.  Doing Harm gets 3 stars.

Audio Book Review: The Corpse Reader

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The Corpse ReaderBook: The Corpse Reader by Antonio Garrido, translated by Thomas Burnstead, narrated by Todd Haberkorn

Published May 2013 by Brilliance Audio|Run Time: 12 hours, 14 minutes

Where I Got It: Audible.com

Series: None

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

You can find The Corpse Reader on goodreads

Goodreads Summary: After his grandfather dies, avid scholar and budding forensic investigator Cí Song begrudgingly gives up his studies to help his family. But when another tragedy strikes, he’s forced to run and also deemed a fugitive. Dishonored, he has no choice but to accept work as a lowly gravedigger, a position that allows him to sharpen his corpse-reading skills. Soon, he can deduce whether a person killed himself—or was murdered.

His prowess earns him notoriety, and Cí receives orders to unearth the perpetrator of a horrific series of mutilations and deaths at the Imperial Court. Cí’s gruesome investigation quickly grows complicated thanks to old loyalties and the presence of an alluring, enigmatic woman. But he remains driven by his passion for truth—especially once the killings threaten to take down the Emperor himself.

Inspired by Song Cí, considered to be the founding father of CSI-style forensic science, this harrowing novel set during the thirteenth-century Tsong Dynasty draws readers into a multilayered, ingenious plot as disturbing as it is fascinating.

My Review:

The Corpse Reader isn’t a book I’d normally seek out on my own, but when I heard it mentioned on the Book Riot podcast, I was intrigued enough to read it.

What’s most interesting is that the book is inspired by a real person.  I can’t speak to the historical accuracy of the book, but it did the feel of 12th century China.  I’m definitely curious about Ci, and the sources Garrido used, because I’d really like to learn more about Song Ci.  It, unfortunately, wasn’t included in the audio book, so I may have to check out a print or digital version of the book to see if anything’s included at the end of the book.  It does seem pretty well-researched, and it’s pretty detailed while not being boring.  You get the right amount of information at the right time, and it was easy to stay interested throughout the book, since I didn’t find myself bored at any particular point.

I did notice that when we got closer to the ending, it kind of reminded me of an episode of CSI or Law & Order.  It’s definitely dramatic, but given that Ci seems to be considered the father of forensics, it also seems appropriate.  I like that it’s a murder mystery set in medieval China, because it’s not something I normally read about.

Garrido really does seem to be a great story-teller, but at the same time, there was something about this book I couldn’t quite connect with.  I’m not sure if something was lost in translation, but…there is something about The Corpse Reader that I can’t put my finger on.  Still, it did seem like it was pretty well translated.

As for the narration, I felt like Todd Haberkorn did a pretty good job.  I wasn’t blown away, but he wasn’t horrendous either.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked The Corpse Reader, and it’s definitely a book I wouldn’t have picked out on my own.  It’s different in a good way, and I liked the time and setting because it’s not what I’d usually go for in historical fiction.  The Corpse Reader gets 3 stars.

ARC Book Review: The Forgotten Ones

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The Forgotten Ones CoverBook: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

Published August 2013 by Indie Inked|Pages: 132

Where I Got It: I got an e-ARC from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review.  Promise!

Series: The Danaan Trilogy #1

Genre: New Adult Paranormal

You can find The Forgotten Ones on goodreads & Laura Howard on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary: Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

If there’s something I love, it’s a story that centers on fairies.  And I was pleasantly surprised that The Forgotten Ones is not your typical fairy story.

I really liked how Allison’s dad became immortal because he spent too much time in fairie.  As far as I can tell, Allison is not a fairie, which is definitely different, but a different that I’m intrigued by.  And Allison’s mom?  I totally didn’t see a certain plot point coming.  At all.  Actually, I have random thought about her mom: for some reason, the portrayal of Allison’s mother as a schizophrenic who’s heavily sedated and can’t go anywhere without being sedated bothered me, and I have no idea why.

The Forgotten Ones is pretty short, but it moved at a pretty good pace, and I felt like things were wrapped up really well, while also leaving things open for the next book.  It’s because things get fairly resolved that I wasn’t annoyed by the length of the book.  It doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, which is also nice, but given that last line, and everything that happened in The Forgotten Ones…let’s just say that I really want to know what that means for the characters after finishing the book!

I’m feeling pretty neutral about the characters.  The fairies seem pretty interesting, and I wanted to know more about them!  At the same time, I liked what we did learn about them, and I’m sure there’s more to learn!  Other than that…no one really has made a lasting impression.  I will say that I think the length played a part in this, because I felt like I didn’t really get to know the characters, and maybe a book that was slightly longer would have helped in their development.  Hopefully, we’ll learn more of them in the next book.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked The Forgotten Ones, and how it’s a different take on fairies.  It’s pretty rooted in Celtic mythology, which seems pretty rare in fairie novels.  Still, I wish I knew the characters a little bit better, but I really am hoping to learn more about them.  The Forgotten Ones gets 3 stars.

Gilmore Girls 3×13: Dear Emily And Richard

Posted in Season Three, The Gilmore Girls Project by

Dear Emily And Richard originally aired February 4, 2003.  This episode was written by Amy Sherman-Palladino and was directed by Gail Mancuso.

Gilmore Girls Season 3 Graphic

This episode starts off another Friday night dinner, where Richard and Emily are horrified that Rory and Lorelei plan on backpacking through Europe and staying in hostels, instead of staying in hotels for their trip to Europe.

From there, we see a bit of the construction on the soda shop, and we learn that Dean is helping Taylor out.  There is also going to be a retirement party at the inn, which has an ever-changing theme.

We go to a flashback, where Lorelei and Chris are at Emily’s and Chris is talking about how he wants to take a year off and travel around Europe for a year instead of going to college.

Rory is at Chilton, working on the paper, when she gets a call from Sherry’s friend Maureen.  Sherry, of course, has screwed up by going into labor early, instead of sticking to the c-section that she had scheduled for the following week.  Maureen wants to know if Rory can reschedule school and go to Boston, since Sherry screwed up, but Rory says she’ll be there.

We have another flashback, where Lorelei can’t fit into her dress for the portrait she’s having done for her coming out.

Back in present time, Lorelei meets Nicole at Luke’s because she needs some coffee before heading over to Emily’s.

Rory arrives at the hospital to see that only Maureen is there, because everyone had planned on next week’s c-section, because yet again, Sherry has screwed up.  Maureen goes back to work, while Rory goes to see Sherry, who is feeling abandoned.  Sherry is not happy about having GiGi at the moment, because she wrote it down for next week, and that it’s not supposed to be happening.

Lorelei goes to see Emily on…a Sunday.  Richard is out of town again, and Lorelei is curious about what Emily does all day while Richard is gone.  Emily spends her time on functions and fundraising events and the DAR and managing the household.  Emily doesn’t watch a lot of tv, but does like musicals.

We have another flashback, where Richard and Emily and Chris’ parents are talking about what to do about Lorelei being pregnant. Francie wants to send Lorelei away, because there are places for girls like her.  Strobe suggests abortion, and Richard suggests that Chris and Lorelei get married, live with Richard and Emily, and Chris will go to school and get a job at Richard’s firm.  It also comes up that Chris shouldn’t sacrifice everything because Lorelei got pregnant.  Richard goes to his study, and we see that Lorelei and Chris are listening on the stairs.  Lorelei thinks they should decide for themselves what to do, but Richard’s plan sounds fine to Chris.

Back in the present, Rory is helping Sherry with work stuff, and we learn that Chris is out-of-town but is also on his way.  A nurse wants to know who’s going in with Sherry, and it’s going to be Chris.  The nurse wants to know who will go in with her if he’s not there, but Sherry wants to wait until he’s there. The nurse isn’t accepting this, and it’s decided Rory will be with Sherry in the delivery room.  Rory decides that she needs a coffee break, and goes out of the room to call Lorelei, because Rory really needs Lorelei there.  Of course, Lorelei goes, which doesn’t go over well with Emily, who still thinks that Sherry destroyed any chance of Chris and Lorelei being together.  And Emily also doesn’t understand why Rory is there or why Lorelei is going.

Lorelei arrives at the hospital, where she manages to get Sherry to stop working.  Chris also arrives just as Sherry is going into the delivery room, much to the relief of Lorelei, who does not have to be with Sherry in the delivery room.

We also have a few more flashbacks.  One where Lorelei arrives at the hospital, one where Richard and Emily arrive at the hospital after getting Lorelei’s note, and one where Chris and Lorelei are watching Rory in the nursery.

Chris comes out of the delivery room, and Lorelei goes to see GiGi, since Rory is sleping.  He eventually goes to get Rory, and we next find Lorelei at Emily’s to set up a DVD player, so that Emily can watch musicals.

We have one last flashback where Emily and Richard are going to a function, and discover that Lorelei has left because of a note she left for them.

The episode ends with the viewer looking at a portrait of Richard, Emily and Lorelei.

My Thoughts:

Let’s start with Emily’s reaction to Sherry’s pregnancy.  She’s still clearly not happy about it, and it is important to point out that Lorelei went to Boston because Rory called her.  And of course Rory is going to be there, because GiGi is her half-sister.

Maureen going on and on about how Sherry screwed up by going into labor early…I was really annoyed with that!  I honestly don’t know why she keeps focusing on that.  Because when it happens, it happens, and there’s no stopping it.  And Sherry not wanting to do it because she wrote it down for next week…I’m sure scheduling a c-section is a thing that actually happens with a certain segment of the population, but the way Sherry and her friends are acting…it just seems like they’re a bit out of touch with how being pregnant goes for most women.

Also, what day is this happening?  Because it’s said that it’s a Sunday, which means the Chilton newspaper staff is at school on a Sunday.  Since it’s been a while: what kind of school is Chilton that it lets its students be there on a Sunday to work on the paper? It being on a Sunday doesn’t match up with Rory rescheduling school.  Again, Maureen seems to be slightly out of touch with the fact that school is mandatory and can’t be rescheduled.  Although…it can’t be regular school hours, since Rory just leaves, unless it’s something that happens off-screen.

I really want to focus on the flashbacks, which were totally amazing.  They worked with this episode really well, and they were so seamless!  I feel like this is the most neutral version of Lorelei’s pregnancy that we get in the entire series.  I don’t think I picked up on this before, but Lorelei and Rory’s trip to Europe when Rory graduates…I wonder if it’s inspired by the trip that Chris and Lorelei never took?  It is like Lorelei to not tell Richard and Emily she’s in labor, and I actually don’t blame Emily for being upset that Lorelei just left a note.  As for the conversation all of the parents have, I’m not surprised that Francie suggests Lorelei be sent away, that Strobe suggests abortion, and that Richard suggests marriage.  I am curious as to why adoption doesn’t come up, but then again, adoption rarely seems to come up in these situations.

Them living with Richard and Emily make the most sense, given how Francie and Strobe react.  I know homes for pregnant teens was a thing at one point, but was it still a thing in the 80’s?  Because I wasn’t alive for half the 80’s, and I was too little to remember the other half, so I have no clue.

And the flashback where Emily discovers that Lorelei has left home?  I kind of get some of the tension between Emily and Lorelei, and if Lorelei just left with a note…I feel like I have a better understanding of where Emily is coming from.

Pop Culture:

I know they’re there, I just didn’t keep track of any of them.

Favorite Funny Moment:

Everyone’s reaction to the retirement party changing themes.

Episode Rating:

This is the only episode where we have flashbacks, and if there is any episode that warrants them, it would be this episode.  This is one of the best episodes of the series, and some of the tension between Richard and Emily and Lorelei make more sense.  Dear Emily and Richard gets 5 mugs of coffee.