12/13/2019

The Lost Sisters by Holly Black

I read this novella in remembrance of Grace, the Rebel Mommy Book Blogger. Grace died earlier this year and to celebrate her life, and everything she stood for in the book blogger community, some of us read either one of the books she still had on her TBR or one she had already read. I chose the latter with The Wicked King still waiting for me to be read and the thought in mind, that I wanted to know if I would feel the same about this book or not. 

The Lost Sisters

by Holly Black
The Folk Of The Air Series #1.5 
Publisher Little, Brown Books For Young Readers on October 2, 2018
Genre Fantasy
Pages 50
Format eBook
Source Purchased
Goodreads
✶✶✶

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke. Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

Story

If there is a story at all, it is hard to see. Taryn tells her sister Jude why things happened the way they happened. That she came to a point where she couldn´t undo what she had done without losing self-esteem or where she saw a way to change things. That one word, one weak moment was the reason why it looked as if she´d betrayed not only her sister but also her family.

Style

Yes, this is a novella. And yes, it was supposed to show me the view Taryn had and how things could go the way they were in book one. But at the end of it, I thought something was missing. I admit, that I never was a fan of Taryn. And in this little story, she shows me exactly the reasons why I never liked her in the first place. But why this novella ended that abrupt and leaving its reader with a huge “?” is a miracle to me. The story isn´t complete. At least not in my eyes.

What I liked, on the other hand, is the wonderful ironic tone it is written in. THAT is the Taryn I know and don´t like. But I said that before, haven´t I?

Characters

There isn´t much to say about Taryn. She wants what Jude seems to achieve very easy but hates everything that is connected to the world she is living in. And yet she wants to be one of them in a desperate way that I almost felt pity for her. She is trapped in a world that isn´t her own, but can´t think of leaving the world she has to live in. Yet she does everything to give her sister a hard time and to make her see how awful everything around them is.

And again, I don´t like Taryn.

Conclusion

It was good that I´ve read this novella. Good in the meaning of understanding the background of book one The Cruel Prince a bit more. To get some answers to some of my questions. But if this novella was intended to change my feelings about Taryn, it failed to achieve that.

Happy reading

*I read the German edition new release by cbj on June 8, 2019

Holly Black

Holly Black is the author of bestselling contemporary fantasy books for kids and teens. Some of her titles include The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi) and The Modern Faerie Tale series. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award, a finalist for an Eisner Award, and the recipient of both an Andre Norton Award and a Newbery Honor. She lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library. 

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12/11/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #120 – Revolver Road by Christi Daugherty

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. 

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I´ve read book one. The second part of this series is on my Christmas Wishlist, so this third one is a candidate for a Waiting On Wednesday post. I would love to know why Harper has to hide, why she´d gotten the death-thread during a call in the first place and how the author is solving the situation. I have so many questions and hope that Christi Daugherty will answer them in this book or at least give me some clues.

Revolver Road

Author Christi Daugherty
Harper McClain Series #3
Publishing Date March 3, 2020
Publisher Minotaur Books
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

Even in the chill of February, no place touches Harper McClain´s heart like Savannah. She should be walking beneath the historic city´s towering oaks, surrounded by graceful mansions. Instead, she´s hiding miles away on Tybee Island after a mysterious voice on the phone warned her that someone wanted her dead. The call was too specific to ignore. The caller knew everything about her. But that was months ago, and she´s getting tired of being scared. Her only escape is her work at the newspaper, where the hottest story in town is the disappearance of Xavier Rayne. The singer had a hit album on his hands and was about to go on tour, but then he walked out of his beachfront home and vanished. The police believe he drowned, but Harper suspects his disappearance may be more ominous than that. Something doesn´t feel right about it. His bandmates and actress girlfriend say he´s run away before. They expect him to come home. Until a body washes up with two bullet holes in it. Now everyone in Rayne´s life is a suspect. As Harper digs deeper into the case, though, the threats against her own life return. The phone call she received was very real. A killer from her past is coming for her. Now, she must solve two murders, or end up dying on Revolver Road…

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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12/08/2019

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #94 – Rollercoaster Days

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it.  And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Tynga´s Reviews and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #94

It kind of feels awkward but no new books.

Sunday Post #51

The last few days felt like a rollercoaster. I was sick and therefore not able to get my kitchen ready for the next phase in the “broken pipe disaster” as I had planned. I feel bad about it and living in total chaos isn´t making things better. I mean, the apartment isn´t getting bigger only because I need more space to get everything that usually is stored in the kitchen or bathroom into a new place. Instead, I use cartons and huge blue dirtbags to keep my stuff out of the way and hopefully (I know it is illusional) dust-free. In other words, you could easily practice an obstacle course here.

The result: I am going for a run more often now because the fresh air is the only thing that helps me get my head clear again. Otherwise, I would be a helpless case. Life has the audacity to go on as if nothing ever happened with that pipe *lol* and so I am thinking about getting a new floor into my kitchen while the entire cabinets are out anyway. But that is, so far, only a thought.

After weeks of searching for one of my burling pencils, I found out that I´ve had apparently left it at an agency while attending an appointment there. The woman with whom I´ve had the appointment found it and was so nice to send it back to me and the envelope arrived during the week. Yep, I know it is ONLY a pencil, but that one is perfect for a lefthander because of the burling it has. My fingers can´t slip and that is great while drawing or doing a sketch.

I should read way more than I managed to do during the past week. With the end of the year closing in and the books I have to read and review until the 31st, I feel bad. Not to mention the blog hopping I am supposed to do. So please bear with me. I hope that at least the broken wall can be fixed and is dry before the year is over so that I am able to go back to an almost normal daily routine. With the list of planned posts (I still need to write them) on my desk staring at me every day I sometimes think that blogging at the moment isn´t really fun. But I also know that the moment I stop doing stuff for my blog, I will skip the entire blogging thing completely. And THAT is something, I don´t want either.

Ah ya … life isn´t always as nice as we want it. Isn´t it?

How was your week?

Happy reading

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12/07/2019

The Last Widow by Karin Slaughter

Her Grant County series is famous for introducing Sara Linton and her late husband Jeffrey to the world. And it was quite shocking for her fans when Karin Slaughter let Sara´s husband die. Now, with Will in Sara´s life, I start to get a feeling for the very different worlds they grew up in. A contrast that makes the love story between Will and Sara interesting and entertaining at the same time.

The Last Widow*

by Karin Slaughter
Will Trent Series #9
Publisher William Morrow on August 20, 2019
Genre Thriller
Pages 446
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

A mysterious kidnapping.

On a hot summer night, a scientist from the Centers for Disease Control is grabbed by unknown assailants in a shopping center parking lot. Vanished into thin air, the authorities are desperate to save the doctor.

A devastating explosion.

One month later, the serenity of a sunny Sunday afternoon is shattered by the boom of a ground-shaking blast – followed by another seconds later. One of Atlanta´s busiest and most important neighborhoods has been bombed – the location of Emory University, two major hospitals, the FBI headquarters, and the CDC.

A diabolical enemy.

Medical examiner Sara Linton and her partner Will Trent, an investigator with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, rush to the scene – and into the heart of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to destroy thousands of innocent lives. When the assailant abduct Sara, Will goes undercover to save her and prevent a massacre – putting his own life on the life for the woman and the country he loves.

Story

Will does everything to get the approval of Sara´s mother Cathy. Unfortunately, he gets to know how Cathy really thinks about him the moment a huge explosion takes part and Sara out of his life. And while Sara does everything to leave hints in the wake of a much bigger disaster, Will is determined to do everything within his power to get her back. No matter if Cathy approves him or not.

Style

At the beginning of the thriller, I was a bit confused. The different perspectives of the same scene kind of gave me a déjávu-like feeling. Sure, that changed the moment the style went to another way of being told. It is, without a doubt, the writing style the author is famous for. She shows you the blunt details in a sensitive but exciting way. And yet this thriller was different.

Yes, I was entertained. And yes, I had my pleasure reading it. But the real thrill, I mostly get from reading a Karin Slaughter book, especially her stories where she writes about Will Trent or her famous Grand County series, was not really there. Somehow, she has changed her style when she combined the Sara books with Will´s. Not in a bad way, but you can see the difference. The tone has changed, the atmosphere, the way how Will is presented. And to be honest, when I read the reason why Will hasn´t gone up the job ladder, I was angry and furious with the person who is responsible for it. And I am not talking about Karin Slaughter.

Characters

Will is literally trapped. When I met him for the first time in “Triptych” he was a man who showed confidence in the way how he did his job or handled his life. Sure, it became soon enough obvious that he had some kind of problem, but the way how he handled it gave me a good feeling. I never saw him, not there and not later, as the man I saw in this newest thriller now. He has many doubts, is insecure when it comes to Sara´s family especially her mother Cathy and no matter what he does at work, it seems that he has to fight for everything. His boss isn´t taking him for full. And THAT made me angry.

Good, the author shows in a very impressive way that men and women do see things in a different way. That they think different and act differently. And it is quite obvious that a lot of things Sara is used to in the behavior of a man, don´t fit when it comes to Will. We all know, at least Karin Slaughter fans do, that Will´s way of growing up isn´t the same as Sara´s. Not in the least. Will is not used to calling his girlfriend to let her know where he is or that he´ll be late for dinner or whatever. A behavior that drives Sara bonkers. And she tells him that. Sara does things too, Will can´t put in place. But unlike Sara, he isn´t speaking with her about it. For him it is normal that a woman he is in love with (or believes he is) comes and goes she pleases and that every serious word about it only leads to trouble.

The way how Will and Sara handle their relationship, the problems they have to face because of their different upbringing, is shown by the author in an ironic, entertaining and very blunt way. It was really fun to read Wills thoughts about things, Sara didn´t even bother to think about.

Conclusion

It was no page-turner and for sure not the absolute thrill for me. But I had my pleasure reading it. And with the great scene, where Sara finally finds out the title of a song and the reader has the pleasure of reading the lines from that song while Sara literally twists her mind – that was quite something. It is a solid read and for the Slaughter fans who love to read a story about Sara always good entertainment.

Happy reading

Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter, born 1971, is from Atlanta, Georgia. In 2003 her debut novel Blindsighted was published and went straight to the top of the international bestselling list and catapulted her onto the Thriller-Olympus. She is the #1 internationally bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including the Will Trent and Grant County series and the instant New York Times bestselling standalones, Cop Town and Pretty Girls. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print around the world.

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12/06/2019

Nikolaus Day

During my childhood, I put one of my winter boots outside our front door on the 5th of December so that Nikolaus was able to leave some things for me in it overnight. It was always fun to find and discover in the morning of the actual Nikolaus day what he had brought during the night. Usually, my boot was filled with some nuts, fruits you mostly get during the wintertime (an orange, a clementine) a bit chocolate, maybe a set of cards, a little book or whatever I used to have on my Christmas Wishlist. It wasn´t much and I am sure my family did it only for the pure fun of finding something in a boot. And of course, when I was around six, I knew that my mother was acting “on behalf” of Nikolaus and put all the things into my winter boot. 

Today we have the 6th of December and I have my chocolate Nikolaus standing on my desk. The times where someone filled one of my boots is over and doing it all by myself isn´t half the fun it used to be when I was a kid.

I don´t know if you are celebrating the Nikolaus day but if you do, I wish you a wonderful day and maybe the one or the other sweet thing that comes across your way. 

Happy Nikolaus Day

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12/04/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #119 – The Dilemma by B.A. Paris

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. 

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I haven´t read many books by the author, but this one sounds like a thriller I could enjoy very much. So far, I guess, I´ve only read Behind Closed Doors and that one was pretty good. Hopefully, this one will be a page-turner too.

                           

The Dilemma

Author B.A. Paris
Publishing Date January 9, 2020
Publisher Harper Collins UK
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

It´s Livia´s 40th birthday and she´s having the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Everyone she loves will be there except her daughter Marnie, who´s studying abroad. But although Livia loves Marnie, she´s secretly glad she won´t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she´s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together. Adam wants everything to be perfect for Livia so he´s secretly arranged for Marnie to come home and surprise her on her birthday. During the day, he hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia, because how can the party go on? But she´s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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12/01/2019

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #93 – First Advent

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it.  And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Tynga´s Reviews and Caffeinated Reviewer and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #93

My copy The Rise Of Magicks has arrived.

Sunday Post #50

With all the bathroom stuff going on and the mess I am still dealing with, I had no time or head, to get the Christmas decorating done. I am simply not in the mood for much Christmas decoration and if I can find a quiet minute next week, I will go and get, at least, my advent wreath out of its box and on the table.

The entire situation is stressful. My father was here on Saturday to help met get the upper kitchen cabinets down and the light. During the day, no problem having no light in my kitchen. But at night I realize how used I am having an electric light in it. I don´t know how long the situation will last, but I am already tired of it.

How was your week?



Happy reading

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11/27/2019

Waiting On Wednesday #118 – Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. 

There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I have not even read Aurora Rising yet (it will be published in Germany somewhen in 2020) but with Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff responsible for the plot and story, you can´t do much wrong, can you?! They know how to get their reader´s attention. They know how to create fascinating characters and how to weave a haunting novel full of unexpected twists and turns. And when I saw the cover of book number 2 on Instagram, I was hooked. Who could resist those eyes? 😉

                           

Aurora Burning

Author Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
The Aurora Cycle #2
Publishing Date May 5, 2020
Publisher Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

First, the bad news: an ancient evil – you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy-deal – is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They´ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first. Like the clan of gremps who´d like to rearrange their favorite faces. And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who´ll stop at nothing to get heir hands on Auri. Then there´s Kal´s long-lost sister, who´s not exactly happy to see her baby brother and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted. When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it´s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short. And if Auri can´t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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11/26/2019

Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven

After reading the first book of this series, it was quite clear to me, that I had to read this second one as well. It turned out to be in a completely different style and tone. Sure, it is without a doubt, written by Leisa Rayven. You can tell that by looking at the plot and the figures. But this novel isn´t like the first one. And it took me a while, to get into it. But it was worth my time and that I gave it a chance. 

Broken Juliet*

by Leisa Rayven
The Starcrossed Series #2
Publisher St. Marin´s Griffin on April 28, 2015
Genre Novel
Pages 324
Format Softcover
Source Publisher
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶½

How do you fix a love that´s been broken beyond repair?
For years, Cassie Taylor tried to forget about Ethan Holt. He was the one great love of her life, and when he failed to return her love, a part of her died forever. Or so she thought. Now she and Ethan are sharing a Broadway stage, and he´s finally able to say all the things she needed to hear years ago. But can she believe him? What makes this time different from all his other broken promises? Ethan knows he can´t change their tumultuous past, but if he´s going to have any chance of being with the woman he loves, he´ll need to convince Cassie that her future belongs with him.

Story

Cassandra can not believe it: After all these years, Ethan wants a new chance and makes her feel that he still believes in their love. But too much happened for Cassie. Now that Ethan is back at her door again, and the old emotions are coming over her with all his might, she does not know what to do, because if she still can trust him – or wants. But where her mind still quarrels, her body speaks a different language.

Style

From the point of view of Cassie, the reader goes through an emotional roller coaster, which does not really want to ignite the first half of the novel. The love for Ethan brings Cassie to the brink of destruction, which in turn she cannot allow. Her internal conflict, her struggle for herself, trust in Ethan, and how he reacts to it, the author shows in a strange mood.

That only changes in the second half, when it becomes more and more clear through the two strands of the story – one plays in New York about 6 years ago and shows how life was back then for Cassie and Ethan and that strand tells a story which comes closer and closer to the second strand, which plays in the present where Cassie struggles with her feelings and all that comes with the new Ethan.

This second book isn´t as much fun, as the first one was, but that´s because the feelings have changed, Ethan and Cassie have changed and there are no scenes anymore, where they have to play things and get all those instructions from their director. I missed that actually, it was exactly what made the charm of that novel. Now the author uses more silent tones, there is a lot of pain, fear to lose, and they fight on a whole different level now.

Characters

How messed up and upset are the feelings of Ethan and Cassie, and how it looks in them gives the reader in Bad Romeo his very own idea. While Ethan has overcome his doldrums and is practically at peace with himself and the world, Cassie still has this walk ahead of her.

Ethan has changed a lot over the years. He is now much more open, lives alone and does everything to win Cassie and her love for him back. The way how he does it is quite something and the author knows exactly which buttons to push to make it work. Fine, the end wasn´t really my thing, but the pages till then were wow. There is suddenly a depth, a vulnerability, and a fear – which gives the reader an unvarnished insight into the two characters. And that creates a charm and warmth that are completely different from what was presented in the first book, but it makes it even more believable, even more, real, and becomes the absolute plus point.

For Cassie it isn´t easy to trust Ethan again – and that struggle is shown very good. She still has the old Ethan in her mind and the way how he treated her is hard for her to overcome. So she ends up at the exact same spot as Ethan did some years back and now she is the one who has to deal with her feelings, her inner darkness and to get clear with it.

Conclusion

Sensitive, clear and often very direct. It may sound strange, but in the end, I was like numbed, agitated and totally sad – all at the same time. If you can stick to the book during its bit dogged start you´ll get rewarded with a very haunting and emotional story that´s worth being read. And when you´ve read Broken Romeo, this novel is kind of a must for you.

Happy reading

*I read the German edition published by Fischer TB on October 22, 2015.

Leisa Rayven

Leisa Rayven lives at the other end of the world, in Brisbane, Australia. Actually, she wanted to become an actress. "As a young woman, I often did not know where I belonged, it seemed to me easier to play different identities than develop my own identity. This is particularly true when you are suffering from a wild temperament, but actually shy and introverted.” Leisa Rayven is a freelance actor and producer and became famous beyond Broadway when one of her texts sparked a wave of enthusiasm with more than 2 million internet readers almost overnight.

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