Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Beneath the Sugar Sky - by Seanan McGuire




Title: Beneath the sugar Sky
Author: Seanan McGuire
Published: 9 Jan 2018
Series: Wayward Children #3
Rating: 3 stars
Synopsis:
Beneath the Sugar Sky returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children. At this magical boarding school, children who have experienced fantasy adventures are reintroduced to the "real" world.
Sumi died years before her prophesied daughter Rini could be born. Rini was born anyway, and now she’s trying to bring her mother back from a world without magic.




Sometimes that's all you can do. Just keep getting through until you don't have to do it anymore, however much time it takes, however difficult it is.

I listened to this as an audiobook.

In this book, we learn that in an alternate universe Sumi did have a child - but that child is slowly disappearing. In this book, if feels as if Rumi is definitely is Sumi's daughter and it's amusing - just how they're both so innocent and the way everyone reacts to the things they say (like when Rumi is in the duck pond!).

At the start, it is confusing to figure out what character the book is talking about as quite a few are mentioned, unlike the past books in the series. I think I finally decided that it's from the perspective of a girl named Cora, but about Sumi's daughter Rumi.

I kind of love Cora though. Like when she runs into Christopher on the porch and she stammers and blurts and seems nervous etc. It's a natural human reaction. I also loved that Kade simply looked up direction on Google Maps.

Cora: Why are you so happy? Everything here is dead people.
Christopher: That's why I'm so happy. Everything here is dead people.

My favourite thing about this book is probably that the kids at the school learned to be a little kinder to one another, or at least more careful about what they judge people on. I also like that it shows that fatter people can like to exercise and may just have health problems causing it, and that not every thin, lean person likes to exercise. Lots of learning in this book!

I still don't like Kade's parents from the previous books though. Simply because he wanted to change pronouns because he has gender dysmorphia (he was born a girl but he felt as if he was a boy) and his parents stopped wanting him because of that.

Worlds too and from info was vague, interesting but also confusing. However, I did like that the doors open for the utter need inter bones trying to get out. It's interesting that the only thing that they can bring back from their door world is something that has come out of their bodies like tears or bone or blood if you wanted some magic in the real world.

I did notice something though that I'm guessing was on purpose. The words that were on Jack and Jill's door from the previous book appears in this book too.

All she had to do was be sure.

Spoilers!

I was shocked when we found out that Sumi supposedly had a daughter. Especially after the previous book where she died!

I have questions about Kade driving though: How and why can he drive? When did he learn? Why is this the first time that we're hearing about the bus?

One downside of this book was that I basically forgot that Nadia only had one hand as it was only mentioned at the start of the book and at the very end.

End Spoilers!

__________________________________________________

All books in this series:

    1 | Every Heart a Doorway
    2 | Down Among the Sticks and Bones
    3 | Beneath the Sugar Sky
    4 | In an Absent Dream
4.5 | Juice Like Wounds
    5 | Come Tumbling Down
    6 | Across the Green Grass Fields
    7 | Where the Drowned Girls Go

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

Don't You Cry - by Mary Kubica

Title: Don't You Cry
Author: Mary Kubica
Published: 17 May 2016
Series: -
Rating: 2 stars
Synopsis:
In downtown Chicago, Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her roommate Quinn Collins to question how well she really knew her friend. Meanwhile, in a small town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more sinister.
As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under the stranger's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us.


I listened to this as an audiobook.

The narrator's tone of voice changes when she changes which character is speaking which is good.

I did have one theory that was neither proven nor disproven, but that was that maybe Esther was Alex's first kiss and she was just going by the name of Lee when they met? One question I have that I may have simply missed the answer to - why was Alex practically stalking the woman he called Pearl?

At times, I did find that some things were a little too descriptive.

I liked the premise of the story - roommate goes missing and remaining roommate has to try and piece together what happened from what's in the missing person's room. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't love this one as much as I could have.

Unfortunately, I only understood the title reference at the end when the lullaby was sung. Not a major issue though, just something I noticed.

Spoilers!

So many theories! Prepare yourself:

- I did guess that Esther abandoned the house on Alex's street, and I was half right by that as it was actually her family that did.

- I also wasn't too far off with my guess that Genevive was alive and had changed her name to Esther - they're just sisters and not the same person. My guess that Pearl was Genevieve's sister was almost right in the opposite way - they're the same person and not sisters.

- I did wonder if the EV that was signed in letters was Alex's mother, but it turns out I was wrong.

End Spoilers!

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Illuminated - by Aditya Koppula




Title: Illuminated
Author: Aditya Koppula
Published: 23 March 2018
Series: -
Rating: 2 stars
Synopsis:
"Illuminated" is an anthology of poems on love, pain and hope . It takes you on a profound journey that mirrors deepest emotions we go through in different stages of love. 
You fall in love with Aditya's fascinating felicity and his perception of love as you read through 50 beautifully written poems. 
A must read for everyone.





Poetry has never really been my thing, but this was fairly short coming in at only 55 pages with one poem per page, so I figured that I would give it a go.

I do know that not all poems rhyme, but some of these did and some didn't so that annoyed me a little bit. Just like art in any form, everyone will see poetry differently - no one answer is right or wrong. However I do feel like most people will relate to at least one of these poems.

Some of these were cute and I could picture the scene unfolding, but others I wasn't quite sure about.

The poem title I Love You is a short poem, but it makes sense and shows how some people can feel when they realise that they're in love with someone.

My favourite poem out of all 50 was probably Caressed as I can clearly picture the scene in my head, but it's still short enough that I don't lose interest in the poem.

Your breath has the fragrance of grassland
Your skin is smoother than beach sand
Your sweat has an aroma of natural oil
That can never be found on any soil

One question I have about Smell Of You is about the first two lines - it was a little weird comparing someone breath to grassland, but my main issue is that I personally don't think that beach sand is very soft. Try getting that out your clothes!

Two Sides Of The Same Coin gave me flashbacks to high school though. So did a couple of the other poems.

Another question I have: What's the picture on the cover? My guess is that it's two people embracing, but I can't quite tell as it's a fairly faint sketch. I do the love the font that was used for the title though.

It may not have been for me, but it's short enough that you can always try this one for yourself! Like I said at the beginning - everyone sees poetry differently.

Wednesday, 16 January 2019

2019 Reading Challenge - #Dymocks52Challenge

This year Dymocks challenged people to try and read one book per week and I figured I'd attempt it. If there's a book in the list that you'd like to see a review of but it hasn't been done yet, leave a comment and I'll review it. My dates be a little out from what Dymocks is posting with, but as long as I pick one set of dates and stick to it, I think I'll be okay. We'll see how far I get...


Week One (1 Jan - 7 Jan)

Book: There's a Monster in Your Book
Author: Tom Fletcher
Finished: 7 Jan

Week Two (8 Jan - 14 Jan)

Book: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 11 Jan

Book: Illuminated
Author: Aditya Koppula
Finished: 14 Jan

Week Three (15 Jan - 21 Jan)

Book: Memories of Heaven: Children's Astounding Recollections of the Time Before They Came to Earth
Author: Dr. Wayne W. Dyer and Dee Garnes
Finished: 21 Jan

Week Four (22 Jan -28 Jan)

Book: Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 27 Jan

Week Five (29 Jan - 4 Feb)

Book: Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 31 Jan


Week Six (5 Feb - 11 Feb)

Book: Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 7 Feb


Week Seven (12 Feb - 18 Feb)

Book: Heart of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #1)
Author: Helen Sheuerer
Finished: 15 Feb

Week Eight (19 Feb - 25 Feb)

Book: Shadow and Bone (Grisha Verse #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Finished: 22 Feb

Week Nine (26 Feb - 4 Mar)

Book: Rebel's Blade (The Aermian Feuds #1)
Author: Frost Kay
Finished: 28 Feb

Book: The Dark Unwinding (The Dark Unwinding #1)
Author: Sharon Cameron
Finished: 3 Mar

Week Ten (5 Mar - 11 Mar)

Book: The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Finished: 9 Mar

Week Eleven (12 Mar - 18 Mar)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Twelve (19 Mar - 25 Mar)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Thirteen (26 Mar - 1 Apr)

Book: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray
Finished: 28 Mar

Week Fourteen (2 Apr - 8 Apr)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Fifteen (9 Apr - 15 Apr)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Sixteen (16 Apr - 22 Apr)

Book: Blue Bloods
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Finished: 18 Apr

Week Seventeen (23 Apr - 29 Apr)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Eighteen (30 Apr - 6 May)

Book: Aurora Rising
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Finished: 4 May

Book: A Spark Unseen
Author: Sharon Cameron
Finished: 6 May

Week Nineteen (7 May - 13 May)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Twenty (14 May - 20 May)

Book: Heartstopper, Volume One
Author: Alice Oseman
Finished: 17 May

Week Twenty-One (21 May - 27 May)

Book: The Flatshare
Author: Beth O'Leary
Finished: 23 May

Book: Five Feet Apart
Author: Rachael Lippincott
Finished: 26 May

Week Twenty-Two (28 May - 3 Jun)

Book: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Finished: 1 Jun

Week Twenty-Three (4 Jun - 10 Jun)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Twenty-Four (11 Jun - 17 Jun)

Book: Blackbird
Author: Anna Carey
Finished: 16 Jun

Week Twenty-Five (18 Jun - 24 Jun)

Book: Deadfall
Author: Anna Carey
Finished: 23 Jun

Week Twenty-Six (25 Jun - 1 Jul)

Book: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1
Author: Sui Ishida
Finished: 26 Jun

Book: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1
Author: Sui Ishida
Finished: 26 Jun

Week Twenty-Seven (2 Jul - 8 Jul)

Book: Furyborn
Author: Claire Legrand
Finished: 8 Jul

Week Twenty-Eight (9 Jul - 15 Jul)

Book: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 10 Jul

Book: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 2
Author: Sui Ishida
Finished: 10 Jul

Book: The American Lover
Author: Rose Tremain
Finished: DNF

Book: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 12 Jul

Book: Heartstopper, Vol. 1
Author: Alice Oseman
Finished: 15 Jul

Week Twenty-Nine (16 Jul - 22 Jul)

Book: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 17 Jul

Book: Nevernight
Author: Jay Kristoff
Finished: 19 Jul

Book: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 3
Author: Sui Ishida
Finished: 21 Jul

Book: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 21 Jul

Week Thirty (23 Jul - 29 Jul)

Book: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 29 Jul

Week Thirty-One (30 Jul - 5 Aug)

Book: Undying
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Finished: 1 Aug

Book: Memento
Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Finished: 1 Aug


Book: Heartstopper, Volume Two
Author: Alice Oseman
Finished: 2 Aug


Book: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 4
Author: Sui Ishida
Finished: 3 Aug

Book: Godsgrave
Author: Jay Kristoff
Finished: 4 Aug



Week Thirty-Two (6 Aug - 12 Aug)

Book: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 11 Aug

Week Thirty-Three (13 Aug - 19 Aug)

Book: The Bone Witch
Author: Rin Chupeco
Finished: 16 Aug

Book: In an Absent Dream
Author: Seanan McGuire
Finished: 17 Aug

Book: It's Not What It Looks Like
Author: Molly Burke
Finished: 17 Aug

Week Thirty-Four (20 Aug - 26 Aug)

Book: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J.K. Rowling
Finished: 26 Aug

Book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Author: Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
Finished: 26 Aug


Week Thirty-Five (27 Aug - 2 Sep)

Book: Reign the Earth
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Finished: 30 Aug

Book: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Finished: 1 Sep


Week Thirty-Six (3 Sep - 9 Sep)

Book: Strange the Dreamer
Author: Laini Taylor
Finished: 6 Sep

Book: Winter's Snow
Author: Carrie Hope Fletcher
Finished: 7 Sep

Book: Muse of Nightmares
Author: Laini Taylor
Finished: 9 Sep

Week Thirty-Seven (10 Sep - 16 Sep)

Book: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Finished: 10 Sep

Book: Super Lexi
Author: Emma Lesko
Finished: 10 Sep

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 13 Sep

Book: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 16 Sep

Week Thirty-Eight (17 Sep - 23 Sep)

Book: A Court of Wings and Ruin
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 20 Sep

Book: A Court of Frost and Starlight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Finished: 20 Sep

Book: The Quintland Sisters
Author: Shelley Wood
Finished: 22 Sep

Book: Dare to Dream
Author: Izzy Judd
Finished: 23 Sep


Week Thirty-Nine (24 Sep - 30 Sep)

Book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Author: L. Frank Baum
Finished: 24 Sep

Book: The Little Paris Bookshop
Author: Nina George
Finished: 26 Sep

Book: The Near Witch
Author: V. E. Schwab
Finished: 27 Sep



Week Forty (1 Oct - 7 Oct)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Forty-One (8 Oct - 14 Oct)

Book: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Finished: 9 Oct

Week Forty-Two (15 Oct - 21 Oct)

Book: -
Author: -
Finished: -

Week Forty-Three (22 Oct - 28 Oct)

Book: City of Ghosts
Author: Victoria Schwab
Finished: 22 Oct

Book: An Abundance of Katherines
Author: John Green

Finished: 23 Oct

Book: The Princess Diaries
Author: Meg Cabot

Finished: 25 Oct

Week Forty-Four (29 Oct - 4 Nov)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Forty-Five (5 Nov - 11 Nov)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Forty-Six (12 Nov - 18 Nov)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Forty-Seven (19 Nov - 25 Nov)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Forty-Eight (26 Nov - 2 Dec)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Forty-Nine (3 Dec - 9 Dec)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Fifty (10 Dec - 16 Dec)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Fifty-One (17 Dec - 23 Dec)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

Week Fifty-Two (24 Dec - 31 Dec)

Book: 
Author: 
Finished:

BOOKS COMPLETED: 66/52