Reading

The Visitor (4th of 18 Reacher Novels)

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The Visitor (4th of 18 Reacher Novels) by Lee Child

Goodreads Synopsis:

Sergeant Amy Callan and Lieutenant Caroline Cook have a lot in common. High-flying army career women, both are victims of sexual harassment from their superiors; both are force to resign from the service.

And now they’re both dead.

Their unmarked bodies are discovered in their homes, naked, in baths filled with army-issue camouflage paint. Expert FBI psychological profilers start to hunt for a serial murderer, a smart guy with a score to settle, a loner, an army man, a ruthless vigilante known to them both.

Jack Reacher, a former US military cop, is a smart guy, a loner and a drifter, as tough as they come. He knew both victims. For Agent-in-Charge Nelson Blake and his team, he’s the perfect match. They’re sure only Reacher has the answers to their burning questions: how did these women die? And why?

My Thoughts:

This book picks up right where Tripwire finishes. I was sucked in from the first page and didn’t want to put it down. We get the continuation and end of the Jodie and Reacher’s love story. I really enjoyed having Jodie in last two books, her character made Reacher’s seem more real, more desirable, more human and less superman. But I’d advise you to read Tripwire first or the whole Jodie thing won’t mean as much to you.

I’ve said it before but I love how Mr Child and his Jack Reacher always keep you guessing. You think Reacher’s a goner but he always manages to get himself out. This book has all the fast paced page turning action and thrilling mystery you’d expect from a Reacher novel, but the twist, the who done it, I won’t say anymore or give anything away, but it’s my favourite yet!

Five out of Five stars for another enthralling Reacher investigation.

Tripwire (3rd of 18 Reacher Novels)

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Tripwire (3rd of 18 Reacher Novels) by Lee Child

Goodreads synopsis:

Jack Reacher, ex-military policeman relaxed in Key West until Costello turned up dead. The amiable PI was hired in New York by the daughter of Reacher’s mentor and former commanding officer, General Garber. Garber’s investigation into a Vietnam MIA sets Reacher on collision with hand-less “Hook” Hobie, hours away from his biggest score.

My thoughts:

This book grabbed me that’s for sure, I didn’t want to put it down. This book has all the fast paced page turning action and thrilling mystery of the other Reacher novels I’ve read, but also you get to see the more loving side of Reacher through his relationship with Jodie. I would like to think he sticks with Jodie, but I know from reading later penned Reacher books that she’s nowhere to be found, maybe later I’ll come across another book that will tell me what happened to her and General Garber’s house. I really like how with Lee Child we get a running account of all the big players in the story and how they always all come together at the end somehow. I always find myself trying to guess the puzzle, then he gives you another piece and you’ve got to guess again. Mr Child and his Jack Reacher always keep you guessing.

Four out of five stars for another enthralling Reacher investigation.

Reading books

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As a generalisation I won’t read a series until it’s finished. I hate the waiting. I dread falling in love with a book and not being able to read it’s follow up straight away and having to wait another year or so. I’m rather impatient in all aspects of life actually, one of my major flaws, causes me all sorts of grief, but that’s a trillion different stories right there.

I purchased all of J K Rowling’s Harry Potter books at once, then read them back to back! I read all five of Douglas Adams’s HHGTTG in one go, all The Percy Jackson series, hunger games trilogy etc. I’ve got Shadows of The Realm and A Time of Darkness sitting on my book shelf and I’m waiting for Dionne Lister to publish the third instalment so I can sit down and read them all.

I know you’re thinking ummm you bought the whole series before reading the first book, what if you don’t like it? – In my defence, I read reviews to get a feel of the book and see whether I think I’m going to like it or not, I can’t just read for readings sake, it’s got to draw me in! Normally the first book will come out and I’d decide I wanted to read it, if I find out it’s a series I’ll note it down to keep track of it and wait for all the books to come out, then buy the first book, read it and see if I like it before buying the rest – but by waiting till they all are published I can go and buy the next one straight away, no anguish waiting.

Yeah, I should just learn to be patient hey!

My big problem with reading at the moment is my ‘want to read’ list keeps getting longer, my bank out keeps getting lower and I can’t seem to get much time to read, hmmm I’m wasting reading time right now!!

Night All.

The Demigod Diaries (Heroes of Olympus)

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The Demigod Diaries (Heroes of Olympus) by Rick Riordan

Goodreads Synopsis:

What dangers do runaway demigods Luke and Thalia face on their way to Camp Half-Blood? Are Percy and Annabeth up to the task of rescuing stolen goods from a fire-breathing giant who doesn’t take kindly to intruders? How exactly are Leo, Piper, and Jason supposed to find a runaway table, dodge a band of party-loving Maenads” (“who just might be a little psychotic), and stave off a massive explosion…all in one hour or less?

With his trademark wit and creativity, Rick Riordan answers these questions and more in three never-before-seen short stories that provide vital back-story to the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson books. Original art, enlightening character interviews and profiles, puzzles, and a quiz add to the fun in this action-packed collection.

My thoughts:

I found it very cute the way Riordan set up and linked the short stories as a training manual for Demigods. While I only gave this three stars as an adult, I think if I were a young teen (the demographic that this books is aimed at) I would go crazy over this and have loved it.

In this book we get a story from Luke Castellan’s point of view, a first-person Percy Jackson story, a Leo Valdez story and a short story debut from Riordan’s sixteen year old son Haley.

I will add that the short story by Haley Riordan is quite good and I think he’ll be an emerging author to watch.

Call Me Ishmael

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Today’s post ”Call Me Ishmael” asked us to take the first sentence from your favourite book and make it the first sentence of your post. I can’t really narrow down ONE book as my favourite so here is a mash up of my favourites:

 

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The tracks of an old railway line run from Adelaide in South Australia to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Did you guess any of them?

 

Now these are not in a particular order because I couldn’t choose between them:

 

For out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The hitch hiker’s guide to the galaxy – Douglas Adams. All hail the late Douglas Adams and his trilogy in five parts, I’ve put the first line out of the first book, but in my heart it’s representing the whole series.

 

The tracks of an old railway line run from Adelaide in South Australia to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Albert of Adelaide – Howard L Anderson. If you haven’t heard of it you should look it up. http://sarahalison27.org/2013/12/14/albert-of-adelaide/

 

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. Harry Potter – J K Rowling. As with HHGTTG I’ve put the first line out of the first book, but in my heart it’s representing the whole series.

 

It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen. You all know this book I’m sure. If I really had to narrow it down to one book as my favourite, this would probably be the one –

 

BUT if you’d asked me as a child it would have been Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and this book will always be right up there!! Anne of Green Gables opens with a whopping 148-word sentence.

Mrs Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde’s Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs Rachel Lynde’s door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs Rachel was sitting at her door, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.

All these Books in my opinion are pure awesomeness!!!

365daysofprompts   Post 5/365 missed 1

From Where I Stand

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From Where I Stand, Poetry by Robert Zimmermann

Goodreads Synopsis:

From Robert Zimmermann comes From Where I Stand, an emotional debut poetry collection. Zimmermann explores strained parental relationships, loss of life, and the despair associated with grief. Alongside these darker themes, he delves into the small areas of life that often go unnoticed but become the hope we are searching for.

My thoughts:

Just from reading the forward you already know your about to see a man’s soul laid raw on the pages that follow!

Now normally I look for myself in poetry and I find the more I’ll like a poem is due to whether or not I can place its emotions in my past or present. I went into this collection telling myself, you are not looking for yourself, you are here to learn about this man. Robert really has given us a look at the emotions and experiences he has been exposed to. After reading this collection of poetry I appreciate the man whose blog I’ve come to enjoy reading even more.

I really do think this is a great collection of work. Yes I did prefer the poems I could find myself in, but I found myself drawn into all the poems and at times wanting to jump through the pages into the past and smack Robert’s father in the face.

I find it hard to say I enjoyed these poems, because there is a lot of pain and anger and you can’t really enjoy that, but the collection was emotionally beautiful and I am glad I read it and I will read it again I am sure.

I read to experience what my life can’t give me and to escape my day to day and this book certainly did that, it took me and placed me in another’s life.

I would recommend this collection not just for poetry fans, as I think it’s more of a book for people who like to feel what others feel, to get a glimpse into other peoples life, anyone with empathy could get into this book.

 

I hope that makes sense, I am rather nervous writing a review on Robert’s work as I enjoy reading his reviews, oh dear, better go have some wine now!

Feeling Guilty

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I find it hard to relax when I have things to do, house work, feed the kiddlet, play with the kiddlet, more house work, paid job work.  I feel guilty sitting down reading when there are things to be done and there is always ALWAYS things to be done.   All I want for Christmas is a sleep-in and a relaxing day reading preferably by a nice pool – is that too much to ask?

Albert of Adelaide

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I have just read this book again because I love it and I know this won’t be my last time reading it.

Albert of Adelaide – Howard L Anderson

Albert is a platypus, fed up with his life in Adelaide Zoo, he manages to escape and we see Albert make his way through a tough wild west, bang bang shoot em up outback Australia with the help of some unlikely friends he meets along the way.

A Platypus is extremely out of place in the center of Australia and Albert gets into a lot of mischief with his friends, which of course makes for a very entertaining, funny and enjoyable story.

But the whole book isn’t fun and games, there are some deeper moments Mr Anderson managers to hide in there, through the inter-species friendships, alcoholic bandicoots and some rather spiritual Dingoes.

Howard L Anderson writes a fantastic story and you can’t help but fall in love with his characters, you will want to read it time and time again.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/740944.Howard_L_Anderson

“Albert had done all he could, and if it wasn’t enough, he’d worry about it in another life.”

― Howard L. Anderson, Albert of Adelaide

 

“Second Son” a Jack Reacher short story

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“Second Son” a Jack Reacher short story – Lee Child

Before I had read this story my Reacher familiarity had only been through One Shot (9th of 18 Reacher Novels) and Echo Burning (5th of 18) I read One Shot and thought it was the most amazing thing ever.

Before One Shot I’d never been into reading crime novels. Really before one shot I’d mainly read fantasy and romances, but Lee Child manages to write in a way that keeps me wanting more as opposed to making me feel sick from the pointless horror I’d come to associate with crime and thriller novels. I’ve only ever gotten the Oh My God that was awesome ‘buzz’ before from epic fantasy and thrilling romances.

I really liked this short story because it took you back to a 13 year old Reacher living with his parents and older brother. I liked reading about Reacher’s father and seeing the start of how his life turns him into the man he becomes. In this story he and his family have just had to move AGAIN, following his dad around in the service. It goes on to show what a tough not so little cookie he has always been, getting into fights and beating up the bigger kids on the base, solving perplexing mysteries and even getting himself a girl – same old Reacher as always – Pure Awesomeness!

http://www.leechild.com/

Books I’ve Read Recently

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I’ve decided to create a section on my blog ‘’Books I’ve read recently’’ dedicated to the books I read.

I love to read, but can never seem to find the time, especially now with being back a work part time and a mum to a five month old.

I am really bad at time delegation at home, fine at work, but I get home and all my plans go to shit.

So if you’re interested in any of the books below, stick around. If you’ve read any of them and would care to give me your thoughts on them that would be great, leave me a comment or if you’ve got any books you really love and would like to share, I’d love to hear about them.

So the list of books I’m going to start with:

“Second Son” a Jack Reacher short story – Lee Child

Albert of Adelaide – Howard L Anderson (reading this again because it’s awesome!)

Pet Rescue’s Amazing Dog Stories

Bad Luck and Trouble (11th of 18 Reacher Novels) – Lee Child

Mop Stroud, A life in two acts with many scenes – Betty Stroud

Shadows of The Realm, Book 1 of the circle of Talia – Dionne Lister

A Time of Darkness, Book 2 of the circle of Talia – Dionne Lister (I’ve been holding off reading these two books as there’s a third on the way and I know once I’ve read the first two I’ll be hanging out for the third)

Close Call: A Doris and Jemma Vadgeventure – Eloise March

The Killing Floor (1st of 18 Reacher Novels) – Lee Child

Bitter Greens – Kate Forsyth

Die Trying (2nd of 18 Reacher Novels) – Lee Child

Initiate – Tara Maya (This is another long series, so I am scared I’ll fall in love and want them all)

The Salmon of Doubt – Douglas Adams

Casting Shadows Everywhere – L.T. Vargus

Pride & Prejudice – Jane Austen (Reading again >> before reading) >>

Mr Darcy’s Diary – Amanda Grange  (and >>)

Longbourn – Jo Baker

Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell

Water for the elephants – Sara Gruen

 

Hmmmm does the randomness of the list say anything about me lol.

I’ve written these down now,

I’ve said I’ll read them,

So I have to,

Right?

YES RIGHT!!!

Give it a few weeks and the list will probably double, especially since I’ll still have another nine Reacher novels sitting on my book shelf waiting and another 75 eBooks on my tablet WAITING, as well as I really miss Ron, Hermione, Harry, Hagrid and Dobby and need to visit Hogwarts again soon.