Book Review: The Tuesday Blade by Bob Ottuman

Read from February 18 to 21, 2016

"The handles were eggshell-white pearl and the days of the week were hand-lettered on each one. She lifted out the Tuesday razor and snapped the case closed.."Glory-Ann had the kind of body that men wanted badly. That made her a highly saleable commodity.She still bore the scars of the time that young hoodlum charged the hometown guys a nickel each for her in the back of a car.When she came to New York City in search of the swinging singles scene, the pimps marked her down as a natural. But Glory-Ann had a razor in her lovely hand and she was through with being anybody's victim...

So, The Tuesday Blade had a good plot line. I liked how Gloria's past influenced and I loved the character of Sergeant DeMario.

But there were some stuff that I did not like at all too. First, the writing style is pretty confusing most of the time. There was too much dialogue with not enough description. Sometimes it was like reading a character's lines in a play.

Also, the ending seemed to lack something. There was no climatic moment in any part of the book and the end of the book just sort of petered out.

I wish there had been more DeMario in the story and that there'd been more of a connection between characters and reader. The only way I can briefly describe is that it was an okay book but it lacked that 'boom!'

my Goodreads review

Book Review: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell

Read on February 21, 2016

A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell – weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish. On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom. This queen will decide her own future – and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems. Twisting together the familiar and the new, this perfectly delicious, captivating and darkly funny tale shows its creators at the peak of their talents.

The Sleeper and the Spindle has got to be one of the most gorgeous books on my shelves! Riddell's illustrations are just absolute perfection and beauty! Can't get enough of them!

I loved this fairytale retelling! Gaiman flawlessly twined the two fairytales into one and I'm very satisfied with what it's turned up to be.

The only reason why this book ended up with 4 stars and not 5 is because I'm not too happy with the ending. It sort of just ended too abrupt for me. I feel like there should have been a bit more there!

my Goodreads review

Book Review: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Read from February 03 to 18, 2016

It began with rumors from China about another pandemic. Then the cases started to multiply and what had looked like the stirrings of a criminal underclass, even the beginnings of a revolution, soon revealed itself to be much, much worse. Faced with a future of mindless, man-eating horror, humanity was forced to accept the logic of world government and face events that tested our sanity and our sense of reality.Based on extensive interviews with survivors and key players in the 10-year fight-back against the horde, World War Z brings the very finest traditions of American journalism to bear on what is surely the most incredible story in the history of civilisation.

First of all, I'm gonna have to admit I was traumatized by the time I was done with this. Like I've gone through World War Z! Haha!

The writing style was huge plus point for this book. It made it all the more realistic rather than reading the story of how a few characters escaped World War Z.

The multiple witness accounts made way for the real gore and brutality behind this war. I'm gonna have to admit that I did not think I'll be as into the story as I was when I flipped to the first page, but it was addictive!

I took a hell of a lot of time to finish this off too, and I felt like I really lived in this war by the end! I was horrified, inspired, saddened and shocked by all that I read, and the realism was so on-point.

World War Z was an addictive read, and I'm most probably gonna be haunted by everything I read, but it was worth it!

my Goodreads review

Book Review: The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson & Sarah Rees Brennan

Read from January 25 to February 02, 2016

It's not easy being Magnus Bane. As a warlock, he's often called upon to fix the problems of others. His life has been long, and his loves have been many. And Magnus has a way of making sure he's at the right at the right - or perhaps wrong - time. The French Revolution, Prohibition, the first great battle between Valentine and the New York Institute... Magnus was there. But smuggling Marie Antoinette out of France is nothing compared to having a first date with Alec Lightwood.Though Magnus's tale is far from over, these stories shed a little light on his often inscrutable character. What happens when an immortal warlock goes mad? Are all Herondales as problematic as Will? (Answer: yes.) And why was Magnus banned from Peru?Magnus will never be able to tell all of his tales. No one would believe him. But here are eleven stories that fill in some of the blanks - stories he probably wishes had never gotten out.

I'm gonna have to admit that I wasn't really into it when I started reading The Bane Chronicles.

What Really Happened in Peru and The Runaway Queen were too mundane for me. The two of those stories are my least favourite.

Then I started reading Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale and I really got into it. I started getting that vibe that I get when reading Cassie's work; this mix of harsh realism and wonderful magic. It was addictive.

From then on, I was sucked into this series of short stories. It thrilled me to see so many characters I could recognise and to once again "meet up" with my old "book pals"! I was thrilled reading this! I was giggling and sighing and laughing and sobbing!

The impact that seeing these well-known characters had on me took my breath away. I was so reluctant to finish reading the last story but I just couldn't stop myself.

I'm so glad I got this book when I did; I so wish I'd read this sooner! *sigh*

my Goodreads review 

Book Review: P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #2) by Jenny Han

Read from January 23 to 24, 2016

Lara Jean didn't expect to really fall for Peter.She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren't. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing."

P.S. I Still Love You had much more realism in it than TATBILB did. From the moment this book started, it had a more solemn and honest tone than the first book.

I loved Lara Jean. I loved her for being so flawed, and human, and just a teenage girl. I loved the fact that she was "in love with love". In those so many way, I felt I could relate to her. I especially loved the ending because it was so obvious that she's grown up since book one and it was a heartening thing to see happen!

I loved the rest of the characters too! I was annoyed with Han throwing in new characters at the last moment but then I realized that that's sort of what life does! Haha! I loved the Covey family, as always, I loved Peter (duh!) and Chris and John! Also, I actually didn't realize till the last bit that Han taking away characters as well, like friends drifting away from each other in life.

So, there was a lot happening in this book. While TATBILB was about love and making mistakes, P.S. I Still Love You was about Lara Jean and life. It's almost as if the series grew up with her! Haha! All of that together, I loved it!

my Goodreads review

Book Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han

Read from January 22 to 23, 2016

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Wow, the speed I read this at is amazing! Haha! Anyway, this is the second time I'm reading this and I still love it!!!

I love Han's short chapters! It's part of why I read this whole book so quickly! One chapter and I'm like 'Wow! One done, why not go the next?', and the next thing I know I'm done reading!

It's no secret that I love TATBILB! I loved it the first time I read and I haven't even Jenny Han before! The best thing I loved about this book was Lara Jean!

Lara Jean inspires me so much! She inspires me to bake (I baked Scottish Shortbread while reading this!), to pay more attention to what I wear, to collect cool knick-knacks... I'm just in love with this character!

And let's not forget Peter K.! Love this guy to bits! So adorable and charming; he just charms me through paper! Haha!

And then you put these two characters in a book? I'm spellbound! I love the chemistry between these two! Yes, they go through a very rocky road together but I have hope that they end up together! Oh God, what am I saying, if these two split up, I'm gonna cry!

Luckily, I have the next book right here with me, so I don't have to wait around to find out how this goes! *wink wink*

my first review of TATBILB

my Goodreads review

Book Review: Royal Wedding (The Princess Diaries, #11) by Meg Cabot

Read from January 19 to 22, 2016

In ROYAL WEDDING, Princess Diaries XI, Princess Mia’s planned nuptials to longtime love Michael Moscovitz are in jeopardy when the paparazzi uncover a startling secret: Mia has a long lost younger sister.Now a scheming politico is using the royal scandal to force Mia’s father from the throne, leaving Genovia without a monarch . . . unless Mia can prove to everyone—especially herself—that she’s finally fit to rule.

It felt so good to dive back into the Princess Diaries universe! I've missed these characters so much and it felt so good to see where everyone had to after all these years!

So, Royal Wedding didn't have the 'zing!' that my last couple of reads did but it was still good for me.

I loved Mia; getting back inside her head after 10 books was pretty fun! I'd honestly forgotten how fun this series was! Also, Mia with Michael had me fangirling! *wink wink*

Mia's family is the same level of crazy they've always been... actually maybe more than then too! Haha! All the scandals and stuff in this book had my head whirring non-stop!

I'll admit that I got a bit teary-eyed when I reached the end; it just felt so good to see everyone so happy! Coz everyone WAS so happy and fun and amazing! I'm telling you, reading this book was like having reunion with old friends! *sigh*

my Goodreads review