Scan barcode
raindropsinreverie's reviews
617 reviews
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
5.0
I knew nothing about the LA library fire before reading this book. The news never reached my part of the world. Reading about this horrific incident was heartbreaking and I don't have words to describe how devastated I was. I absolutely loved the way the author has made this book not a textbookish collection of facts and timeline of incidents. It was a gorgeous read. Highly recommended to everyone!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the copy.
The Winter Riddle by Sam Hooker
5.0
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the digital ARC.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A witty and humorous retelling of 'how Santa came to be'. This was definitely a pleasantly unusual read, combining a witch, vikings, Santa, magic, Loki and much more. I found myself laughing uncontrollably throughout the book. The Winter Riddle has something for everyone.
Volgha, the Winter Witch has never had anything in common with her crazy family which have ruled over the North Pole kingdom of Aurora since.. well no one remembers how long they have been there. Volgha only wanted to be left alone and be able to peacefully practice her witchery, away from her extravagantly crazy sister, the Queen and her best friend, Loki. . The Queen enjoys teasing and tormenting her introverted sister, almost as much as chopping peoples’ heads off or getting stimulated with the Royal Tickler. When Volgha helps Loki play a prank on himself, things quickly spiral out of control. Add vikings, druids in trees and an ex-warrior named Santa Klaus, and you have a complete mess with a stressed Volgha in the middle.
This is not an epic adventure, it's an epic mess that a couple of barely sane characters are trying to hold together.
Recommended to everyone who loves humorous adventure tales!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A witty and humorous retelling of 'how Santa came to be'. This was definitely a pleasantly unusual read, combining a witch, vikings, Santa, magic, Loki and much more. I found myself laughing uncontrollably throughout the book. The Winter Riddle has something for everyone.
Volgha, the Winter Witch has never had anything in common with her crazy family which have ruled over the North Pole kingdom of Aurora since.. well no one remembers how long they have been there. Volgha only wanted to be left alone and be able to peacefully practice her witchery, away from her extravagantly crazy sister, the Queen and her best friend, Loki. . The Queen enjoys teasing and tormenting her introverted sister, almost as much as chopping peoples’ heads off or getting stimulated with the Royal Tickler. When Volgha helps Loki play a prank on himself, things quickly spiral out of control. Add vikings, druids in trees and an ex-warrior named Santa Klaus, and you have a complete mess with a stressed Volgha in the middle.
This is not an epic adventure, it's an epic mess that a couple of barely sane characters are trying to hold together.
Recommended to everyone who loves humorous adventure tales!
24 Hours of the Phoenix by Caroline Bertaud
3.0
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC.
This book answers the age old question "What will you do if you had only 1one day to live?" Phoenix Collins or Finn finds herself in this very position when she wakes up in a hospital bed with no recollection of how she got there, and overhears the doctor saying this. The concept was amazing and had me hooked from the very start. The format of the book is unique with each chapter describing an hour and counting down Finn's impending doom.
However, as the book progressed, I gradually lost interest. And the plot twist and the ending definitely didn't work for me. After finishing this book, I felt like I didn't really have to read it. I wouldn't have missed anything if I hadn't.
That said, I would like to appreciate the great character building and descriptions. Sure, at some places, Finn's actions and thoughts were cliched but overall, the characters were well developed. Each character was complex and grey. That is a really important aspect for me. The characters need to be realistic, not cut out into clear black and white, but shades of grey.
This book is an amazing debut novel. Congratulations to the author. This book makes you think about your life and all the people that matter to you.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a light hearted story with a dash of romance in it.
This book answers the age old question "What will you do if you had only 1one day to live?" Phoenix Collins or Finn finds herself in this very position when she wakes up in a hospital bed with no recollection of how she got there, and overhears the doctor saying this. The concept was amazing and had me hooked from the very start. The format of the book is unique with each chapter describing an hour and counting down Finn's impending doom.
However, as the book progressed, I gradually lost interest. And the plot twist and the ending definitely didn't work for me. After finishing this book, I felt like I didn't really have to read it. I wouldn't have missed anything if I hadn't.
That said, I would like to appreciate the great character building and descriptions. Sure, at some places, Finn's actions and thoughts were cliched but overall, the characters were well developed. Each character was complex and grey. That is a really important aspect for me. The characters need to be realistic, not cut out into clear black and white, but shades of grey.
This book is an amazing debut novel. Congratulations to the author. This book makes you think about your life and all the people that matter to you.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a light hearted story with a dash of romance in it.
How to Fracture a Fairy Tale by Jane Yolen
4.0
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the eARC.
This book, as the name suggests, is a retelling of classic fairy tales in new and twisted ways. I adored this book. Although I didn't know the original story behind a lot of the short stories in this collection, I still enjoyed this read. I think Granny Rumple might be my favorite. Or Godmother Death. The author fractured these tales and remolded them into something even more beautiful.
I found myself trying to figure out which original tale was the inspiration for each of the stories. The author solved this question when she added a chapter at the end about how she ‘fractured’ the tales and what the base story is for some on her stories. I also enjoyed the poems at the end that went with every story.
What I absolutely loved about this book is that people in every age group would like to read it. It has no age bar. Everyone can (and should) read this book.
I have not read any previous books by Jane Yolen. But after this book, I will definitely, definitely check her out. She is an amazing writer. I am a fan. Truly.
This book, as the name suggests, is a retelling of classic fairy tales in new and twisted ways. I adored this book. Although I didn't know the original story behind a lot of the short stories in this collection, I still enjoyed this read. I think Granny Rumple might be my favorite. Or Godmother Death. The author fractured these tales and remolded them into something even more beautiful.
I found myself trying to figure out which original tale was the inspiration for each of the stories. The author solved this question when she added a chapter at the end about how she ‘fractured’ the tales and what the base story is for some on her stories. I also enjoyed the poems at the end that went with every story.
What I absolutely loved about this book is that people in every age group would like to read it. It has no age bar. Everyone can (and should) read this book.
I have not read any previous books by Jane Yolen. But after this book, I will definitely, definitely check her out. She is an amazing writer. I am a fan. Truly.