Month: September 2016

My Misadventures in Procrastination

/ Riot @ Absidity Art - Sarah Fairbairn / 4 Comments

I have so much stuff to do and I’m running out of time – Yet here I am procrastinating by writing a blog post about it.p9x7by

Three will become four (well six if you include the fur-babies) on around the 22nd of December. The house will be bursting full, as will my head. But before I start maternity leave with Baby #2 I have a whole bunch of stuff I need to get set up/finished off to make life easier for everyone at work while I’m away. It’s a small family business so I actually care and it’s nice to try and make things as easy as possible for the others. I’ve still got two TAFE assignments to hand in before December and I’ve still got to clean out the junk room and turn it into a nursery. No one will be getting Christmas cards this year, that s*** will just not be happening.

I’ve been feeling very unreviewy lately 😦 which is probably obvious given the mini review posts I’ve been doing. I’ve only got two review ARC’s left and they just need reviews up before November. I’ll definitely have to keep myself off of NetGalley for the next six or so months if I want any chance of retaining my sanity post Baby #2. I still intend to read as much as possible, but at least if I’m reading books I’ve purchased I don’t have to write a review if I don’t feel up to it. I actually got quite a lot books read while I was off on maternity leave with Riley. When he was awake I’d read aloud whatever I was in the middle of, it always put him back to sleep – Thank you Rick Riordan whose whole Percy Jackson series we devoured at that time.

Once I get on top of my pre-baby to do list – hahahahahahaha, seriously you should see the f***ing list – my reading plan will be to catch up on any series I’ve started, then to tackle the ageing of my TBR. The oldest book on my Goodreads TBR was added back in 2013. I’m now only 3 years behind lol, actually I think that’s pretty good. My plan is to bounce between the eldest on my list and a new release so I can get through all my old amazon kindle purchases but still feel like I know whats going on in the book blogger world. But for now >>>>dmwny

Yes like writing this blog post :-P.

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Yes, yes it has :-P.

imagesMine as well! Can I get a hell yeah, HELL YEAH!

Until next time 🙂 enjoy your shelves :-).

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Review: Disruption & Corruption by Jessica Shirvington

/ Riot @ Absidity Art - Sarah Fairbairn / 6 Comments

Oh wow, where do I start. I finished the last page of Disruption, made myself a fresh cuppa tea then opened up Corruption and continued Maggie’s journey. It was 833 pages of utterly enthralling action. Let me calm down and try to break this down (without spoilers).

19032994Disruption (Disruption #1) by Jessica Shirvington

What if a microchip could identify your perfect match?
What if it could be used against you and the ones you love?

Eight years ago, Mercer Corporation’s M-Bands became mandatory. An evolution of the smartphone, the bracelets promised an easier life. Instead, they have come to control it.

Two years ago, Maggie Stevens watched helplessly as one of the people she loves most was taken from her, shattering her world as she knew it.

Now, Maggie is ready. And Quentin Mercer – heir to the M-Corp empire – has become key to Maggie’s plan. But as the pieces of her dangerous design fall into place, could Quentin’s involvement destroy everything she’s fought for?

In a world full of broken promises, the ones Maggie must keep could be the most heartbreaking.

Published April 1st 2014 by HarperCollins. Goodreads View.

My Thoughts: Disruption sucked me in hard and fast. I wanted Maggie to succeed in her mission, all the while wishing more for her and her family. This books gives us blackmail, bad guy bullshit and sassy bitch brilliance. Maggie is a strong young woman that is not to be messed with. Maggie has worked hard to build up the skills she needs to succeed and she radiates a powerful darkness, but as the reader we get to see past the mentally disconnecting and physical conditioning she has created as her Armor to the real Maggie underneath, the broken soul who just wants to put things right. This book delivers us all the big game players, even if it doesn’t reveal all their true field positions. There is a big plot twist late on and a cliff-hanger that will have you needing to get your hands on the next book.

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Corruption (Disruption #2) by Jessica Shirvington

How do you live with yourself when you’ve deceived the one you love?

How do you move on when the person you’ve been fighting to save betrays you?

Two years ago, Maggie Stevens began the hunt.

Four weeks ago, Maggie’s world fell apart, when she finally
found what she’d been looking for. And when Quentin,
who had blindly trusted her, unravelled her web of lies.

Now, Maggie lives in the dark. But she’s not about to stay there.
Not when she still has to bring M-Corp down.
Not when there is still a chance she could win him back.

In the exhilarating conclusion to Disruption, Maggie must do
whatever it takes to show the world the truth.
And the price for her quest?

Everything.

Published November 1st 2014 by HarperCollins. Goodreads View.

My Thoughts: Corruption! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. We really get to know the characters and they feel real, well they did for me. Gus, Maggie, Quin, Travis, Morris and Liam – I loved them all! Actually the character Gus reminded me of a friend of mine. The scary thing with this dystopian is that it really isn’t that far-fetched. I’ve come to realise that the more, oh shit that could totally happen here in the next 10-20 years, a dystopian is the more I enjoy it. Hmmmm yet I love fantasy novels with dragons and trolls, yeah I have issues – ANYWAYS. This book has high stakes, high action, big plot twists, betrayal and forgiveness, world saving, love making (no sex scenes as such), corporate corruption and personal redemption. Maggie’s life tidy’s up nicely at the end, which is probably the most unrealistic part of the whole story, that and Quin’s ability to forgive. But I LOVE HAPPY ENDINGS so it’s all good. Well the ending is only as happy as it can be when a shit loads of innocent people have had to suffer and die along the way, but the bad guys get what’s coming to them, so that’s happy ever after enough for me.Five Stars

The Disruption duology is going on my Recommend-to-everyone-list along with the The Tribe Series, The Medoran Chronicles, The Illuminae Files and anything by the fantastic Will Kotastis. #LoveOzYA people, love that OZ YA!

Author Links: Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter

Mini Reviews: Four free Doctors, Sean & SAGA-37

/ Riot @ Absidity Art - Sarah Fairbairn / 2 Comments

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Doctor Who: Free Comic Book Day 2016 by Robbie Morrison

Jump on board the TARDIS with FOUR all-new short tales of the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors! Whether you’re a whizz with a Sonic Screwdriver or completely new to Who, this is the perfect Free Comic Book Day adventure for Sci-Fi fans of all ages! Written and illustrated by the creative teams of the regular comics, this is the ideal place to start reading!

Published July 5th 2016 by Titan Comics. Goodreads View.

My Thoughts: What is better then a free comic? A free comic that is awesome! And this was most definitely awesome. With new adventures from the Doctors 12, 11, 10 & 9, it was a super fun read. I am so chuffed I came across it on amazon, still free I might add. I can see myself reading it again when I need a quick pick me up. FIVE “I will always love you #10 / Keep on keeping on you scallywag #12” STARS.

22327251Sean (Stuff Happens) by Will Kostakis

Stuff happens sometimes.
Everyday stuff.
At school, at home, with sport, with mates.

For Sean it happened starting at a new school.

Published August 27th 2014 by Penguin Australia. Goodreads View.

My Thoughts: Nawww adorable!! We follow fifth grader Sean as he tackles the terrifying task of starting at a new school and making new friends. Even though this book is aimed around 8-12 year-olds I still enjoyed it immensely. It was full of Kostakis’s entertaining and heart warming style that I know and love from his YA novels. FOUR “I really liked it” STARS.

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Saga #37 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples 

NEW STORY ARC! “THE WAR FOR PHANG,” PART ONE. SAGA is back with its most epic storyline yet, and to celebrate, FIONA STAPLES graces this issue with a gorgeous wraparound cover! Finally reunited with her ever-expanding family, Hazel travels to a war-torn comet that Wreath and Landfall have been battling over for ages. This arc is a self-contained “event” we’ve been building to since our very first issue, so now is the perfect time for readers who love SAGA’s bestselling collections to join our monthly adventures! Goodreads View.

My Thoughts: 37 issues in and this comic is still brilliant! With over three years of awesomeness under It’s belt the saga that is SAGA just keeps on getting better and better. It is a visually splendid and extremely entertaining sci-fi comic series with some important cultural undertones.

I love the motley crew that makes up Hazels’s traveling family and I am looking forward to the adventures ahead of them in the new story arc that starts with this issue. Bring it on Vaughan & Staples. FIVE “I’m addicted and I love it” STARS.

Review: Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short

/ Riot @ Absidity Art - Sarah Fairbairn / 2 Comments

30027064Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short (Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short #1-5) by Arvind Ethan David, Ilias Kyriazis (Contributor)

After the many and conflicting versions of the legendary Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams created Dirk Gently: a detective with a belief in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things, a troubled relationship with the laws of probability and quantum physics, and a love of cats and pizza.
After the events of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea Time, but prior to the detective s relocation to California in The Interconnectedness of All Kings, Dirk finds himself investigating a bizarre case of poaching, dumbstruck tourists, and the inner membranes of a rhinoceros nose.” Goodreads View.
Expected publication: September 20th 2016 by IDW Publishing
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My Thoughts: I’m a big Hitchhiker’s fan, the original books, TV and movie adaptations, I love it all! I have attempted to read Douglas Adam’s first Dirk Gently novel, but I only managed to get the first three chapters in. I tried reading it during a rather stressful time and always vowed to try again one day. So when I saw Adam’s Dirk turned into a graphic novel on NetGalley, I couldn’t not give it a go – interconnectedness and all, I was meant to read this graphic novel 😛 :-). Thank you to IDW and Netgalley for a copy to read and review.

The time jumps from Dirk as a child and as an adult, and both story lines were interesting and easy to follow. In the end Dirk solves the case, but we are left with some loose ends to make as curious about the next edition. I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for the next Comic installment of Dirk Gently. I won’t saw much about the case Dirk works on throughout the story arch, no spoilers, but I quite enjoyed it. It was a fast and fun read.

The art work was crisp, clear and easy on the eyes and there were sprinkles of humor the whole way through the story. I felt Dirk worked really well in the graphic novel median. FOUR “I really liked it” STARS.

Four Stars