Review: A Confusion of Princes

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never read book summaries, but with Princes in the title, I thought it was an odd book for Garth Nix to be writing.

Then I read it. Yeah, definitely a Garth Nix book, not all Prince and Princess-y fairy tale stuff that it sounded like.

From page one I was so intrigued by the premise. I knew right a way that this was my kind of book and couldn't read it fast enough to find out more about the world, and see where it was going. This is definitely a new favorite for me. Great sci-fi book. I could read a series of books set it this richly developed world. Also, for how short it was, to have developed such a rich, complex universe and make it so easy to understand as a reader is just freaking impressive.

View all my reviews

Review: Me Before You

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Had to read this after seeing a preview for the movie a while back. Pretty much everything everywhere (preview included) already gave away the ending, but it didn't ruin the book for me, and I was still hoping for a different ending, even knowing what it was going to be. I still liked it a lot, even though it was such a different kind of book for me. I feel like it ended so fulfilling-ly that I'm not sure I'll read the sequel.

View all my reviews

Review: The Heir

The Heir by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, I read it.

This book had four huge things going against it. 1) The premise reads as if the political ideals in books 1-3 never happened. 2) It's the same book as 1-3, but gender swapped 3) All the reviews complain about the main character being a brat. 4) It focuses on a different character than the first books (really should be a companion series but...)

I liked it. Let's address the things going against it in order 1) The premise for the situation was satisfying enough. You already know that's what it is, you already picked up the book anyway, so it's nice to see that it was justified, and in a way that I felt worked. 2) Yea, but, that was the best part of the books! I'm not mad that it's the same thing. 3) I didn't hate her. I might be in a minority here, but the Heir's personality makes sense for who she is. She's the first one who is allowed to be an Heir despite having brothers. She's walking that thin line between a strong woman in charge and traditionally feminine, and it's hard. She's got herself into a personality rut, like people do, and she's working through it. It's fine. She never made me mad, unlike every character in the first books. She's not stupid. I didn't mind her at all. 4) Well, you see how much I liked the new character. I barely even remember half the people in the first book to really remember them when their names pop up. I think it worked because it'd been so long since I read the first three that I was no longer tied to those characters.

Anyway, over all, I liked this way more than I thought I would, considering the reviews and change of cast, and I'm really glad I read it. It's everything it should be. I actually think it worked way better than the first three. I never really liked the back story to the kingdom, and now that explanation is done with you can just enjoy the selection process. Of course, politics still plays a role. The state of the country plays a role. It's still fun though.

View all my reviews

Review: UnHappenings

UnHappenings by Edward Aubry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I stumbled upon this book my accident while looking for something to read from the kindle store.

The initial concept is really fun and interesting- the narrator's life keeps 'unhappening' meaning there are little things around him that change, and no one notices but him. He meets a girl who knows what it's like, and knows what's happening.

UnHappenings is so well thought out. It has the potential to be really confusing, but it's not, not at all.

As I joyfully made my way through this page-turner, a few thoughts did creep in my mind, mainly that the whole book kind of centers around the complete selfishness of the main characters. I began to worry about this as it was revealed. But I needen't have worried. Stick with it to the end. Like I said, this novel is so well thought out, and the issue is thoroughly addressed. [ Maybe not in the most respectful way to Time and any people who did wind up suffering (Two in particular), but in a way that way right for the characters and story nonetheless.(view spoiler)[

Anyway, this is going to go on my 'highly-recommended' shelf.

I'm a little worried about the half sequel/companion novel in the works. They tend to lose the wonder of the original- but do know in this book the story is contained and all the lose ends are tied, so you can just read this by itself. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]


Anyway, this is going to go on my 'highly-recommended' shelf.

I'm a little worried about the half sequel/companion novel in the works. They tend to lose the wonder of the original- but do know in this book the story is contained and all the lose ends are tied, so you can just read this by itself.

View all my reviews

Review: The Translator

The Translator by Nina Schuyler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book combines so many things I love. Japanese, translating, Japan. Hanne is a translator, working on a novel that's going to be 'huge' though the author doesn't seem to like the direction she's taken with it. We learn about her life and how her up-bringing caused rifts between her and her children.

Though I wanted a resolution of sorts that was similar to the actual ending, and though I can also see how the novel lead to that end, still somehow, the end felt a little disjointed from the rest of the novel. And it wasn't just the character transformation, because that was very well done. I don't know, it just felt tacked on at the end. I really enjoyed this novel so much but felt like the end was just shrug worthy. Not bad, but not what I thought really matched the story.

View all my reviews

Review: Buying a Fishing Rod for My Grandfather: Stories

Buying a Fishing Rod for My Grandfather: Stories by Gao Xingjian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always wanted to write a kind of disjointed dream story. Gau Xingjian does this magnificently. I, as always, didn't know what to expect when I began this collection but really enjoyed each story except the very last, that one was a little too disjointed for me.

View all my reviews