Basically a study guide

Review:

 

I used this to study for my Educational Media Specialist certification and passed. So... It worked and was worth the ridiculous price I guess.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1779703/basically-a-study-guide

End of Watch

Review:

It's always darkest before the dawn.

- first sentence

 

Bill, Holly, and Jerome are all back and so is Brady. Despite traumatic brain injuries and spending the past 5 years in a vegetative state (or maybe because of it), Brady has developed deadly mental powers. He can take over other people's bodies (and minds) and use them to do his bidding. He wants revenge, not only on Bill, but on the entire city. Brady was dangerous enough walking around, but now he is even worse, especially because no one thinks he is capable of doing anything. 

 

The thing I loved best about this book is the focus on Brady's paranormal abilities. Compared to the other two books in the series (which I enjoyed btw), this book more closely resembled King's previous works of supernatural suspense. This was an amazing end to a surprisingly good series. 

 

I read a few other reviews that complained about the book being unrealistic and not providing a believeable explanantion for Brady's abilities. Being a huge Stephen King fan, I am thrilled with Brady's powers and I definitely wasn't looking for realism in this book. King's ability to take typically benign things/people/animals and turn them into supernaturally terrifying threats is part of his charm. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1777807/end-of-watch

Reading progress update: I've read 215 out of 496 pages.

 

Knowing what that Zappit could do, why would any of them take a chance by looking at it?

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1774323/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-215-out-of-496-pages

How could I forget...

 

My favorite part of this book was when Rhysand explained to Feyra everything he went through, felt, and did from the time he met her until she came to his court to escape Tamlin's control. Heartbreaking, emotional, powerful, and worth every page it took to get there and more...

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1773884/how-could-i-forget

Court of Mist & Fury - Audiobook

Review:

Audience - Young Adult

 

Maybe I'd always been broken and dark inside.

- first sentence

 

Feyre is now High Fae, but she still has her human heart and she cannot forget all she did to save Tamlin and his court. She is depressed, but Tamlin is too busy trying to protect and save her to notice. She still has the deal with Rhysand, new powers that she doesn't understand, and Prythian is still in danger.

 

I loved this book for so many reasons. Mass takes us on an emotional journey as Feyre learns to control and develop her powers and to respect herself and understand what she needs to be happy. She leaves a controlling relationship for herself, not for another guy.  She is an amazing character and so strong.

 

Again Mass makes us love the characters, despite or maybe because of their flaws. So many characters turned out to be different than I expected. The story is emotional, sexy, serious, sad sometimes and funny at others. I loved Rhys's team and the way he respects and loves them. I loved Feyre's strength and her gradual acceptance that she is worthwhile and deserving of happiness.

 

And then, the end. WOW - what a twist. I was so angry along with Feyre and so sad at what happened. And then after that crazy, unfortunate twist, Feyre made a decision that broke my heart...

 

And I'm immediately on to the next book. 

 

P.S. This book was 23 hours, the next is 25 hours.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1773706/court-of-mist-fury-audiobook

Court of Thorns & Roses - audio

Review:

 

The forest had become a labrynith of snow and ice.

- first sentence

 

Feyre is a nineteen-year-old girl who supports her family by hunting. When she kills a wolf, she violates a centuries-old treaty. As punishment, she must live with Tamlin, a powerful, immortal faerie in the land of Prythian. Feyre goes from hating Tamlin to falling in love with him, but there is a darkness over the land and Feyre may be their only hope.

 

This is a robust story with unexpected twists and turns. Feyre taught herself how to hunt in order to keep her family alive. She is a powerful girl and definitely not a typical fairy tale heroine - who needs a strong male to save her. I loved Feyre, Tamlin, Lucien, and even Rhys and I hated Amarantha and her evil court. I loved the derisive tone the narrator gave to Feyre's thoughts about certain characters and the emotion she infused into the story.

 

The end of this book was fabulous and I immediately started listening to book 2 (thank goodness for audible credits). The narrator did an excellent job, and I hope she continues with the next two books.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1773224/court-of-thorns-roses-audio

Intensity by Dean Koontz

Review:

 

The red sun balances on the highest ramparts of the mountains, and in its waning light, the foothills appear to be ablaze.

- first sentence

 

Chyna is a psychology student sleeping at her friend's house when she hears a noise in the middle of the night. A serial killer is in the house and Chyna manages to evade him by hiding under the bed. Through a series of unusual choices and coincidences, Chyna ends up hiding in the back of the motorhome driven by the killer.

 

The story is tense and frightening. Chyna makes some stupid choices, but all in the name of saving another girl who is also the killer's prisoner. It is a bit predictable, but still entertaining.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1773220/intensity-by-dean-koontz

Abandon - Blake Crouch

Review:

 

Wind rips through the crags a thousand feet above, nothing moving in this godforsaken town, and the mule skinner knows that something is wrong.

- first sentence

 

Okay, so the first thing I need to say is that I loved the Wayward Pines series. I thought I would love anything by Crouch.

 

When I started reading this book, I thought there was going to be a supernatural element. I kept waiting for something that was never going to come.... because of this, I didn't like the book. Maybe if I had known what to expect, I would have appreciated the book more. To be fair, the summary on Amazon does kind hint towards a ghost/haunting.

 

Overall, it wasn't a bad book and I did learn a lot of new words - though I probably won't have an opportunity to use them in conversation any time soon.

Examples:

mochila - a Spanish word for knapsack

shabrack - a cavalry saddlecloth used in European armies

younker - youngster

scree - a mass of small loose stones that form or cover a slope

speleothem - structure formed in a cave by the deposition of minerals from water

slumgullion - cheap or insubstantial stew

 

The story goes back and forth between present time and a century ago (when the entire town disappeared). There is a lot of death and killing, but the reason is NOT supernatural, it's just old-fashioned greed. There is a man who thinks God talks to him and makes a terrible choice because of it, but there are no ghosts, no haunting. Oh well.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1773217/abandon-blake-crouch

Reading progress update: I've read 50 out of 496 pages.

 

It has been a while since I read Finders Keepers, so I reread the end to refresh my memory...

 

I'm looking forward to this!

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1772007/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-50-out-of-496-pages