Category: Fiction/Science Fiction

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Humor/Funny

Mort – Terry Pratchett

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828352| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job.

After being assured that being dead was not compulsory, Mort accepted. However, he soon found that romantic longings did not mix easily with the responsibilities of being Death’s apprentice…

 

 

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My thoughts:

“The one thing I really like is the way Pratchett have brought up such an difficult topic as death in a way that was easy and not frightening.”

This is my first encounter with the Discworld universe and the numerous writings of Sir Terry Pratchett and to be honest, I’m quite confused and this was not an easy review to write. I have read some reviews due to my mixed feelings and several has mentioned that Mort may not be the best book to start with due to that Pratchett’s writing style still was in development and the Discworld was not yet fully realized. Other felt just as confused as me, but also said that this should not affect our opinion of Pratchett and to be open minded for reading more of his books in the future.

Mort, the book about a boy who became Deaths apprentice, is a highly praised book all over the world and by readers in all ages. And it breaks my heart that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted. I really, really wanted to like it but I just didn’t feel the magic other readers was talking about. It had a promising beginning with intriguing characters and a nice story. It was witty and clever, but did not affect me as much as I was expecting and it took me some time and effort to get into it.

The writing style is easy, and I can see why it fits readers in so many different ages and cultures. The one thing I really like is the way Pratchett have brought up such an difficult topic as death in a way that was easy and not frightening. However it was just not enough for me.

 

Classic/Historical · Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

Spellbound – Margit Sandemo

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51ZgfQcxO0L._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Winter 1581: a deadly plague outbreak robs sixteen-year old peasant girl Silje of all her family. Homeless, starving and shepherding two abandoned children, she stumbles out of the corpse-strewn streets of Trondheim on Norway’s northern coast.

Heading desperately for the warmth of the mass funeral pyres blazing beyond the city gates, she encounters in the shadowy forest one of the infamous Ice People, a fearsome, strangely captivating ‘wolf man’. He offers help – and she feels irresistibly drawn to him. But what is the terrible fascination? And where will it lead?

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My thoughts:

“It is a great start on a series who will take place over several centuries.”

This is probably my third or fourth reared of the first book in the Legend of the Ice People series. A book series, written by a Norwegian author and published in 47 parts. Yes. It is 47 books in this series and myself have not read more than eleven. Now I’m fortunate enough to have found and bought the whole series in hardcover. They do not print them anymore, not in Swedish at least, so second-hand was the only option. So now my challenge is to read all the 47 books. It will probably take me a couple of years but one day I will make it.

It is an historical fantasy about The Ice People who have a curse riding through the generations. The first book is about Silje and her travels in the plague ridden part of the Norwegian mountains where she meets some of those people and one of the cursed ones. She is strong and a motivated character in a way that you can relate with her. We meet some of the ground laying characters and gets to know the history and story of the Ice People. It is a great start on a series who will take place over several centuries.

It is easy to read and it have been translated to English. How easy it is to get hold of the books, i do not know, but they must exist out there somewhere if you are interested.

 

Contemporary · Fiction/Science Fiction · Shortstory

The deal of a lifetime – Fredrik Backman

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36297706| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: It all begins with a father telling a story to his son on Christmas Eve. But this isn’t your typical Christmas story. The father admits to his son that he’s taken a life but he won’t say whose—not yet.

One week earlier, in a hospital late at night, the man met a five-year-old girl with cancer. She’s a smart kid—smart enough to know that she won’t beat cancer by drawing with crayons all day, but it seems to make the adults happy, so she keeps doing it.

As the man tells his son about this plucky little girl, he slowly reveals more about himself: while he may be a successful businessman, idolized by the media and his peers, he knows he failed as a parent. Overwhelmed by the responsibility of fatherhood, he took the easy way out and left his wife and little boy twenty years ago to pursue professional success. Now he is left wondering if it’s too late to forge a relationship with his son, who seems to be his opposite in every way—prizing happiness over money, surrounded by loving friends in a cozy town where he feels right at home.

Face to face with the idea that something is missing, the man is given the unexpected chance to do something selfless that could change the destiny of the little girl in the hospital bed. But before he can make the deal of a lifetime, he needs to find out what his own life has actually been worth in the eyes of his son. And so, he seeks him out and tells him this story…

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My thoughts:

“Short story”

Sad story about the meaning of life, the choices we take and the people they affect. Filled with love, hate, happiness and sadness. All emotions crammed onto not even 100 pages. I’m glad it was as short as it was and my Fredrik Backman craving I have had the last days is finally saturated. And now I have officially read every book Backman has published so far and he is still one of my absolute favorite authors.

 

Fiction/Science Fiction · Humor/Funny · Suspense

Folk med ångest – Fredrik Backman (Swedish title, English review)

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43601208.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: “People with anxiety” is an unreasonably messy comedy about a hostage situation on an apartment viewing. A failed bank robber locks in with an over-enthusiastic real estate agent, two bitter Ikea addicts, a pregnant woman, a suicidal multi-millionaire and a rabbit head. Finally, the robber gives up and releases everyone, but when the police storms the apartment it is … empty. In a series of dysfunctional testimonies afterwards, we hear everyone’s version of what actually happened, whereupon a classic puzzle mystery develops around the questions: How did the robber escape? Why are everyone so angry and what is wrong with people these days?

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My thoughts:

“It makes you laugh, cry and love and in the end you sit with the feeling of complete satisfaction.”

The newest book written by Backman is here. With its release in April it is unfortunately not yet translated to English but don’t worry. I believe someone is already working on a translation to be publish. Backman is immensely big in other countries so it would surprise me if not.

The newest book is about a group of people I pretty much hated for like 60% of the book. They are obnoxious and extremely self-centered, angry and just unpleasant. Fortunately Backman is a king when it comes to writing deep characters with layers on layers. He knows how to captivate readers to a degree you feel like you put your own heart on the table and risk losing it. It is an immensely funny book but still has a serious undertone which make you feel all the emotions at the same time. He is good with captivating people and the human nature and it is the true, raw and brutal truth you recognize yourself in. The book offers some curveballs and surprises and if you are a weeper, you will probably cry at the end like I did. In the morning, 30 minutes before I was supposed to be at work. And it was wonderful.

The language is extremely beautiful, almost poetic without being pretentious and I do hope it’s not lost in the translation. It makes you laugh, cry and love and in the end you sit with the feeling of complete satisfaction.

They did a great work with the film adaptation (IMDB) of En man som heter Ove (A man called Ove) and I do hope they choose to do a film from this book to. It will (I just know it) be perfection.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Young, New adult/College

Hollow city – Ransom Riggs

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23164983| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerising) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.

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My thoughts:

“If it was not for the cliffhanger in the end, I would probably have enjoyed it even more.”

The second book in the Peregrine’s children series follows right at the end of the first one and also ends on a cliffhanger. Just want to make a note of that. It is a great, complicated story with a imaginative plot. Some of the reviews I have read have found the second book not nearly as good as the first one. I however actually like it more. It may or may not be because I saw the movie of the first book first, but I really enjoyed the second one. I like that it was more that happened since the children now is traveling instead of being in that one house.

In comparison I would have given the first book three stars (I will not change) instead of the four I gave, since I found the second one to better than the first. I even found it a little funny at some times and it surprised me. I’m loving that. And the pictures, oh it makes the whole book more fascinating and a feel of completion.

It is as well written as the first book and a lot more detailed. We meet more characters, receive more history and we get to know more about the friends and enemies of this world. It is a brilliant dynamic which Riggs has done a fantastic work describing in a way I cannot put my words on. If it was not for the cliffhanger in the end, I would probably have enjoyed it even more.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction

The priory of the orange tree – Samantha Shannon

Book Chick1 Comment

29774026| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

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My thoughts:

“This was certainly an epic journey and overall I really enjoyed it.”

Wow. It feels like someone have stolen my breath away and taken a piece of my body and soul. This was certainly an epic journey and overall I really enjoyed it. The world is so complex, extremely rich, colourful and truly a work of art. Then we have the characters. And they are many, who together weaves a story of love, hate, good and evil. Thanks Shannon for the character overview in the end of the book. Without it I would have had even bigger challenges with keeping track over who was who and who did what. Even with the help it was quite overwhelming at times and that is one of my two negative feelings toward the book. Thankfully there is mostly four point of views you are following which makes it easier.

The other negative thought I have about the book is that it is too damn long. I wouldn’t say it bored me per say, but it made me indifferent. At sometimes I read it mostly automatically because I knew if I stopped, I would have it hard to pick it up again. At other times I devoured it and could not put it down. It was somewhat inconsistent and that made me somewhat detached.

In the end I am happy. I would probably not reread it anytime soon, but I may read it again sometime in the distant future. And I do agree with the hype around the book. It is worth reading for everyone who wants or need an epic journey through the lands in this epic adult fantasy.

 

 

 

 

Adult fiction/Erotica · Contemporary · Fiction/Science Fiction

The storied life of A.J Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin

Book Chick1 Comment

18293427| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

We are not quite novels.
We are not quite short stories.
In the end, we are collected works.

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died; his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history; and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Chief Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward him; from Ismay, his sister-in-law, who is hell-bent on saving A.J. from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who persists in taking the ferry to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, he can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, though large in weight—an unexpected arrival that gives A.J. the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J., for the determined sales rep Amelia to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light, for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world. Or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming.

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My thoughts:

“Heartwarming.”

What a lovely book. Took me by total surprise. I started it because I had it on my list after seeing one of the book tubers I follow talking about it. I just wanted something easy to read during the days before the holiday where I planned to start a real brick of a book, and oh my what a wonderful story. So captivating, sad but jet happy at the same time. It is by far, one of the best books I have read this year.

This is a short story with only 260 pages but it is enough to capture both my heart and soul. It is charming, funny and an easy read with some deep thoughts and emotions. How I have missed it for so long I have no idea. I love this kind of books. Heartwarming. I read a review on Goodreads written by a person who do not like heartwarming books. *Dramatic gasps* That is like the best thing ever. And I love when I find those like The Storied Life och A.J. Fikry who are not only heartwarming but also captivating on the brink to life changing. I cannot rave enough about this one without giving away spoilers. You just have to read it.

This is a definite reread for me.

Fiction/Science Fiction · Thriller/Horror

Pet Sematary – Stephen King

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51YOjBvyolL| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis:

The house looked right, felt right, to Dr Louis Creed. Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle; the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago. Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive threat.
But behind the house and far away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully cleared path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial. A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding…

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My thoughts:

“This was actually a lot better than I expected but that ending though. Come on!!”

I’m not easily frightened! Specially not by books but this was really one of those few who made my skin crawl right from the beginning. And it is all due to this skill with taking something real, something you know or could imagine experience and twist it to this ugly, supernatural, frightening thing of reality that just hooks you deep in your soul. And Stephen King has that skill and in The Pet Sematary he excelled.

But however, I have said it before and will say it again, that ramble is my biggest problem with books written by King. He can go on and on about a thing in a middle of a conversation or a suspense filled moment and sometimes it is so extensive that I loose where in the conversation I was or what was happening. It made the suspense simmer down and me come back to reality, which changed the amount of impact it had on me. It doesn’t defined the book and make it a bad one per say and I can honestly say that this is one of the best I have read so far this year. That is just one of the things with King I have a problem with and it takes some of the experience away and in this case, also one star.

Other than that, I enjoyed this immensely and I’m now looking forward to see the new movie who had premier now in April. This was actually a lot better than I expected but that ending though. Come on!!

Fiction/Science Fiction · Mystery/Crime · Thriller/Horror

Ritual – Mo Hayder

Book Chick1 Comment

39784787| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Nine feet under water, police diver Flea Marley closes her gloved fingers around a human hand. The fact that there’s no body attached is disturbing enough—until the discovery of the matching appendage a day later. Both hands have been freshly amputated, and there are indications that the victim was still alive when they were removed.

Newly seconded to the Major Crime Investigation Unit in Bristol, DI Jack Caffery soon establishes that the hands belong to a young man who has recently disappeared. As Caffery and Marley search for the rest of the victim—and for his abductor—they journey into the darkest recesses of Bristol’s underworld, where drug addiction is rife, street kids sell themselves for a hit, and a disturbing occult ritual may be making an unexpected appearance.

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My thoughts:

“… you have lost the touch with Caffery. He is a numb and stiff character, I no longer feel the love toward.”

I’m sorry to say that this is not what you would expect after reading the two home runs before this one. I expected more and not start off with the feeling that I have missed something. The third book about Caffery, did not pick up where the second book ended and that was quite confusing because I did not understand what was going on. And it does take some time before you get to the part which explained it all. Specially since Caffery is the main character but he is written like a sidekick and you follow Flea more or less the whole book.

It is supposed to be a series about Jack Caffery, haunted detective, who tries not to break the rules but still find out the answer on a 30 year old “mystery” while still trying to solve the more fresh today “whodunit” cases. But in reality we are following Flea, a socially awkward, grieving woman who is depressed and keeps focusing on the wrong things which has nothing to do with the main plot. The main story and plot is pretty bland and boring. There is no excitement or the need to find out who did it and why. It started of pretty good with the introduction of Flea, but it never delivered in the end.

What happened, Mo? The pace is slow and in comparison to the two other books, you have lost the touch with Caffery. He is a numb and stiff character, I no longer feel the love toward. I feel disconnected, sad and I missed the page turning feeling.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

A discovery of witches – Deborah Harkness

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41952734| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

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My thoughts:

“The only thing I discovered was that no matter what “world” you try to place a romance story in, if you do not decide one thread to follow, it will not succeed.”

At first I thought this would be a solid five star book. But then I got a couple of hundred pages in and the author has completely abandon the original plot. That took away a star but thinking, hey it can still be good. Reading a couple of hundred more pages and now even the “love” story is so over dramatic that I started to wonder, wasn’t this supposed to be an adult romance and not a YA? Goodbye another star. I’m over 400 pages into it and it feels too late to stop now and I keep hoping for Harkness to take her common sense together and save it in the end. It can’t be possible that so many of my people on Goodreads love the book but me however not so much. I feel the need for this to be a success. However that never happens and it even gets worse.

I was hoping for an action filled, non-cheesy, paranormal romance with some substance. What I got was a highly dramatic, slow and puzzling love story, cloaked in the “discovery” of witches, vampires and daemons. Written like an YA book with every angst filled thought possible but with an analytic mind, a lot of history and details. The only thing I discovered was that no matter what “world” you try to place a romance story in, if you do not decide one thread to follow, it will not succeed. It was all over the place and Harkness should have stayed with the alchemical manuscript and the dynamic of the world with witches, vampires and daemons and left it at that.

Even though it ended quite interesting with some time traveling and other loose threads, it is not enough for me to feel the need to pick up the second book in the series. I will more likely watch the series instead, but don’t count on it.