Book Ratings

Book ratings explained:

* I didn't like it | ** It was OK | *** I liked it | **** I really liked it | ***** I loved it

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

The AfflictionThe Affliction by Beth Gutcheon
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This is what passes for a murder mystery in the 1% crowd where even the police are happy to have their jobs done for them by wealthy women who have nothing better to do. Although we're meant to assume who the murderer is and what the motive was, we're never actually given any closure on that point.

Mindless, uninspiring read.

Link to amazon.com

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Obituary: Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking - who died aged 76 - battled motor neurone disease to become one of the most respected and best-known scientists of his age.

A man of great humour, he became a popular ambassador for science and was always careful to ensure that the general public had ready access to his work...
Mrs. Saint and the DefectivesMrs. Saint and the Defectives by Julie Lawson Timmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Link to amazon.com

Monday, March 12, 2018

The Grey Bastards (The Lot Lands #1)The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher for review.

If this book were a movie, it would be rated R. Very liberal use of the f-word as well as other colloquialisms for various reproductive acts. It very much reminded me of playing AD&D with a handful of teenage boys back when I was one of only two females playing with a large group of them. It also reminded me of how much fun that was.

The good guys are mostly good guys. The bad guys are slimy, diseased, backstabbing, and just generally unpleasant. There are warriors and wizards, half-orcs and elves and humans. There are big battles and small fights. There is friendship and love and family and loyalty.

I liked it.

Link to amazon.com

Tuesday, March 06, 2018

Friday, February 23, 2018

Justice Lost (Darren Street #3)Justice Lost by Scott Pratt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review.

This is the first book in the Darren Street Series I've read although it is the third book in the series. I do not know what happened in the first two books though there are references to some things that happened before the start of this one which I assume were the bases for the first two books. I've read Pratt's Joe Dillard series, and the writing style and story telling tone are very similar. However, the Street series seems to be of a darker bent. Where Dillard was a loving family man who resorted to extremes as a last measure, Street's first response are extreme measures by default.

The story starts with the death of Street's partner and their unborn child during delivery and what happens when Street tries to take an action he thinks his dead partner would approve of. When that does not work out as planned, he takes things into his own hands and the story goes from there. Whereas bad things happen to good people in the Dillard books, even the good guys are bad guys in this one. However, despite the generally dark bent of the story, there are some positive things that come out of the darkness.

Link to amazon.com