Ready Player One – Ernest Cline

November 9, 2017 Book Chick2 Comments

20603758 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?

It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

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My thoughts: Great! Great! Oh did I tell you, Great book! Really. It was so “new” and unlike the most of the books I usually reads that it made it all better. It is, literally, a whole new world.

You get to meet great characters who have a miserable life for one or another reason. The real world is dying and the only way to handle the crippling depressions is to flee into another world. OASIS. The biggest virtual world game there is, with millions of planets and there you can be what ever you want, play games, meet people and what not. There is also an very special game in that world. A game where the price is to huge to comprehend. And Wade, our main character, wants it. At that is pretty much what the book is about. That and his fight for survival.

And it was great. The writing was just perfect and for a non Technic gal like me, I really needed those extra explanations. I can see how that is an source of irritation for people who already knows that stuff and probably makes the book wordy for them. But I needed it. However, I do feel that the technical talk got to be a little to much sometimes, and that made me fall out from the story. Just because of that, I cant give the book a full score.

In 2018 the movie on the book will come and I cant wait. It will be awesome to see the world and not just read about it. And since it is Spielberg who is directing it, it cant be other than great.

Have you or are you gonna read Ready Player One?

Everyday things

Bet you didn’t know this about me

November 6, 2017November 6, 2017 Book ChickLeave a comment

I’m one of those weird people who does not read when sick. It is actually a really good indicator that I’m sick if you do not see me with a book in my hand. And when I start reading again, it just shows that i’m starting to get better. I have always hated that. I mean, when you are sick and legally home from school or work, it is the best possible time to get some reading in. Because, when you are sick, there is no expectation that you should be able to do all the normal things and you can just lay there and read. Well, than there is me who do not read while sick and just lay there in bed, watching tv, sleeping and feeling sorry for my self. O and believe you me, i HAVE tried to read. Makes no difference. My head just cant focus.

So well, you probably understand by now that I am sick. Yepp! Oh lucky me. And i’m not even that sick. Just laying there in the middle where i’m sick enough to not be able to read but not sick enough to be home from work to sleep the bug away. Yepp. That’s my luck alright.

So there will probably be some time before I get to read out Ready Player One, which is the book I’m reading right now. But dont worry. If it will take to long, I will write an publish some of my old reviews for you.

Gif source

Suspense · Young, New adult/College

Reread: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K Rowling

November 3, 2017November 2, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

17347384 I’m not gonna write a “normal” review on this one. Mostly because it would not be fair. I do love Harry Potter, no questions about it. I grew up in the Harry Potter prime time and read all the books and had all the stuffs and when the movies came I watch them over and over again and what not. There where no books and movies that I loved as much as I loved Harry Potter. And it is the one series I wish I could forget so that I would be able to read them as “New” again. And it will be the one series I will be reading for my future children and grandchildren.

However, now as I reread the books in a grown up age, I see and perceive the books in a different way then I did as an child. Not necessary a bad way, just different. And since I have seen the movies to many times to count, I do not feel comfortable in writing a accurate review since my feelings from when I was a child, the movie and my grown up perspective is muddled together and I cant separate them enough to be fair. Does it make sense?

Do not misunderstand me here. I do love the Potter series and I give the book the five star rating that it deserve, there just will not be an official review from me on it.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

Voyager – Diana Gabaldon

October 31, 2017October 31, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

10987 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

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My thoughts: It took me a while before I started on the third book in the Outlander series by Gabaldon. That’s because the books are really mentally heavy with a lot of information and feelings and after both the first and second book I have felt emotional drained and need time to put myself together. I did start the third book in February 2017 but was not mentally ready yet and could not finished it. But now (October 2017) I´m trying again. The audio book is separated in three parts, probably because it is so large. I decided that I will be reviewing each part by them self. Mostly because i don’t know or probably will not Finnish this book in one go. There is a high chance of me take a break some times during the book. This review will not be public until I´m finished with the book. So I will try to name dates to make it a little easier.

Part One
27 September – 2 October. Started listening again, had to take a break to finish the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, but did take it up again at 2 October. If you do not know it, there is a chance to be really confuses because the book starts 20 years in the “future” and you feel like you have missed a couple of books. But no this is correct. I have checked. And it will make a lot more sense later in the book. Even though I’m not sure that I like that way it was build. I would want it more in a chronological order. The part One is mostly about what have happen the latest 20 years and it makes my heart hurt. Off course the book is as always good written with the extreme detail work on both history and scenery. The part one ends a little on a cliffhanger so I will start the second part as soon as I get a chance. Life and work needs a place in my life to.

Part Two
10 – 11 October. Part two was a little more slow than first expected. Here we get to met a lot of the characters from the earlier books and that is just wonderful. To “see” them again and read about what they have been up to the last 20 years. I do feel that Claire in this part is a little to much of a diva. She overreact on somethings and I totally understand Jamie and I feel that a lot of what is happening, he do not deserve. Off course there is some traveling (A lot of traveling in this series) and there is some fights and the some love of course. You get to meet new characters who was not even born the earlier books and you get to meet characters that was born but still just an infant. It is wonderful. But the cliffhanger on the end. OH My! Jamie is soo “dead” or he will wish he was!

Part Three
27 – 31 October. Quite happy that I’m now finished with the book. This last part was kind of slow and not as exciting as the rest of the book. There is a lot of traveling and there is some things you just need to know and that was what kept me going.
Ends pretty great and if I use my imagination, I could stop here and not read/listening further in the series. I probably will in the future but now I need a break.

Overall a great book as usual. The first book in the series is still my favorite and this one is the least favorite so far. There is several books left in the series so that can change in the future. Still would recommend this book to anyone who needs something to read.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance · Suspense

Tyrant – T.M Frazier

October 27, 2017October 31, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: I. Remember. Everything.

Only now I wish I didn’t.
When the fog is sucked away from my mind like smoke through a vacuum, the truth that has been beyond my reach for months finally reveals itself.
But the relief I thought I would feel never comes, and I’m more afraid now than I was the morning I woke up handcuffed in King’s bed.
Because with the truth comes dark secrets I was never meant to know.

I will put the lives of those I love most at risk if I let on that my memory has returned, or if I seek help from the heavily tattooed felon who owns me body and soul.
I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist the magnetic pull toward King that grows stronger every day.
He’s already saved me in more ways than one. Now it’s my turn to do whatever it takes to save him.

Even if that means marrying someone else…

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My thoughts: I’m so split when it comes to this book. At first I did not like it at all. It is slow, boring and I just want to bang my head in the wall because I also cant stop reading. I need to know how it will end. But if you are strong enough to keep reading, you get that mushi, suspense that is just what the book and story needs.

Well, if you can pass like 60% of the book it is starting to get good. Real good. And I mean, there is twists that I never had foreseen and that totally saved the book up from 1 star to 3 stars. Or like in this blog, hearts. 🙂

Everyday things

7 More Books. :O

October 25, 2017October 26, 2017 Book ChickLeave a comment

Oh Man! I did it again. I was just gonna order the three books but then I finished the third book about Harry Hole and just needed to order the two next in the series. You know that need you get in your heart and you just have to? Well! Since I ordered from a online store that have a limit to reach before you get free shipment and it was not that much left to reach it I looked at some more books. And Suddenly I am ordering 6 books from that store. And and, I also ordered one more book from Book Depository so in total 7 more books. My god, now I have to stop and no more book shopping for a while.

So beside Nemesis and The Devil’s star by Jo Nesbø, I also ordered To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This is just one of those books I have never read but always thought that I should read. So now I finally bought it.

A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny. It is the forth book in the series I follow about Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. A really nice fiction crime series that takes place in Canada.

The Treatment by Mo Hayder. The second book about Jack Caffery. A series I absolutely had forgotten about and wanted to continue after I read the first book.

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell. The first book to an series that I keep running into in different places. I know that years ago I read one of the books in the series but I cant remember which on and it was before the time of Goodreads. I remembered that I liked it so thought that I should give the series a chance with starting with the first book.

The Black Ice by Micheal Connelly. This is also a second book to the series about Harry Bosch that I had forgotten about. I generally like this types of “old” (it is from 93) crime thriller books so before I forget it again I ordered the next book in the series.

So with these 7 books + my three books I ordered earlier, and the 50+ books I have on my kindle, I wont be needing to buy an book for a loong time. But as we all know, need and want is two completly different things.

Everyday things

My First Order From Book Depository

October 25, 2017October 25, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

Capture You all probably already know about bookdepository.com. The online store that have like every book you could think off and also have free shipping world wide. Yeah i know. Sounds to good to be true really, but my friend in Portugal praise them to the sky’s. Me, I have never made an order there. Until now. Before I didn’t because I could find the books cheaper in my own country or as an e-book from like Amazon. But there was one book I wanted in a physical form that I could not find anywhere. And since I already was at the store, I checked some other books and in the end I ordered three new books. And I´m really on a no buy plan right now. O well.

Do not know how long the shipping will take and according to my friend in Portugal, I will probably receive them in three different shipments. But that doesn’t really matter for me as long as I get the books.

The first book you probably already have seen circulating around on the internet since it´s movie have premiere in 2018. I have not been able to decide if I want to read it or not but finally decided that i should. It sounds like a sweet story.

The second book is the third book about Helen Grace. I have read the first two books and wish to continue the series. This is the one I could not find anywhere else.

The last book by Dean Koontz, I read as an kid an actually wrote about it in my post about my top 5 horror books. I really want to read it again so just had to order it to.

Have you read any of this three books?

Contemporary · Fiction/Science Fiction · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Sacred Sins – Nora Roberts

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

682156 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis:
In the lazy days of summer, a merciless heat wave is the biggest story in Washington, D.C. But the weather is knocked off the front pages when a young woman is found strangled to death. A note left behind reads Her sins are forgiven her.

Two more victims soon follow, and suddenly every headline is devoted to the killer the press has dubbed “the Priest.” When the police ask top-notch psychiatrist Dr. Tess Court to help with their investigation, she comes up with a disturbing portrait of a twisted soul.

Detective Ben Paris doesn’t give a damn about the killer’s psyche. What he can’t easily dismiss is Tess. Tall, dark, and good-looking, Ben has a legendary reputation with women, but the coolly elegant Tess doesn’t react to him like other women he’s known — and he finds the challenge enticing.

Now, as the two are thrown together in a perilous quest to stop a serial killer, the flame of white-hot passion flares. But someone also has his eyes on the beautiful blond doctor … and Ben can only pray that if the madman strikes, he’ll be able to stop him before it’s too late….

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My thoughts: The book is from the late 80’s and actually is older than me. But you do not notice the time difference which is great. It makes the book like one of those timeless classics and a book you really notice is written by Nora Roberts when you read it.

Roberts have an huge talent for characters development and it is no difference in this book. Even though it did not happen that much for the majority of the book, it was the progress of the story that just made it all great. Unfortunately the end of the book took away one star in my rating. This because it was to predicable and really no suspense and excitement. It was boring and felt more like Roberts just wanted to be done with the book so the end got rushed.

Everyday things · Thriller/Horror

Horror Books I’ve read and recommend

October 20, 2017October 19, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

Be afraid. Be very afraid! Mohaha ha oh, *chough* just kidding.

Halloween is here and by that, everything we think, do and see is influenced by this horror culture we live in. I first thought that i would make a horror book list with like five books I wanted to read this month. However my job has been crazy and I have hardly had time to sit down and write the reviews on the books I do have read.

So instead of a list of books I have not read, I thought I would make a list about the top 5 horror books I do have read and also recommend to you.

Enjoy!

Intensity by Dean Koontz
The first book I ever read by Koontz and I probably was way to young when I read it to. But I loved it. It was probably more terrifying for me as a young child reading the book than now as an adult. But just have to recommend it. You get to met Vess who is not right in the head. In his cellar there is 16 year old Ariel and Chyna who Vess has taken everything from, takes it up on her self to save Ariel. It is just an great and terrifying book. In Swedish (the language I read the book in) the title is “Psykopaten” which translate to “The Psychopath” is just a more fitting name for the book really. Just read it. Click here to read more about the book.

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. (Book 1)
I dont think this book was supposed to evolve to an series but I´m really happy for it because I LOVE freaking Pendergast. He does not have the big main part in the first and second book but from the third one it is all about him. I still choose to recommend the first book because it is such an great story. The monster is loose at the museum. Yeah I know, how cliche isn’t that but the story is about just that. An monster, museum and the people who tries to fight it. The story is just great and one of those cozy horror story’s. Click here to read more about the Pendergast Series.

The King of Plagues – Jonathan Maberry (Book 3)
There is like nine books so far in the series about Joe Ledger and I have read three and the last one was so far the best one. In this series we get to follow Joe who is a Teamleader over an highly secretive group of black ops people. They more or less is trying to save the world. The books are great written but are a little to long or slow sometimes. But they are still great and Joe Ledger is one of my favorite characters. The story line is reality horror. He writes about stuff that could really happen and it makes it real and horrific for me as an reader. Click here to read more about Joe Ledgers series.

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper by J.L Bryan (Book 1)
This is more of an young adult kind of horror story even though it is not labeled as an young adult. The story is about Ellie who is working as an Ghost Trapper and each book is about a new case. I really like these storys. They are not to long and wordy as often fantasy books can be and they are really good written. There are today 8 books in the series and I have read two so far. Click here to read more about the series.

It – Stephen King
Well I just had to have this one on here. Not because it is such an great horror story but because it is such an great story. Just as an story should be. I often find King to be over the top with his books which takes the horror right out of it. It gets just to unreal. And it happens in this book to. But not until the end. So I as an reader still gets like 1000 pages of that clean, heart beating horror that I love. Here we meet the Clown Pennywise who is killing people around the town Derry. 7 Kids takes it up on them self to kill Pennywise to save them self and revenge those who have been kill. Well, it is not that easy. Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read my review of the book.

Have you read any horrors lately? What books would you recommend?

Contemporary · Romance

Pagan – Jessica Gadziala

October 19, 2017October 19, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis:
Pagan-
Fighting. F@cking. F@cking things up. That was my life. That was how I got out of the world I had been raised in. And it was how I intended to keep living my life.

That was, of course, until I came across her. The game changer.

Kennedy-
Hard work. That was pretty much all you could say my life consisted of. It was what got me out of a rough childhood. It was what made me get my first taste of success. Before things went to hell, that is. But it was what was going to get me back on my feet too. So I didn’t need any distractions. Certainly not one that came covered in scars, blood, leather, and in a cloud of cigarette smoke.

Yet, there he was.
And I was thinking maybe a distraction wouldn’t be that bad, right?

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My thoughts:
My biggest problem with this one is that I totally did not connect with either Pagan or Kennedy. I really did not like Pagan at all. Kennedy was somewhat nice. A girl I probably could have connected with if it was not for that the book was kind of superficial.

As you probably now by now, I love Gadziala and her books. But I do not love every book by her and this is one of them. It felt forced and superficial. Not even the “dark things” was that dark. It took me like 50% before I started to like the book and then it was suddenly over. It all was just a little to easy and a little to perfect.

Dont get me wrong here. I do love a happy ending and I do not want to change that. But the road to that ending dont have to be as fluffy, easy and perfect all the time. Yeah there are happening some “dark” stuff but it all it´s fixed a little to easy.

Maybe I´m not giving the book justice here. Maybe I´m still fucked in my head, since I read the book by Karin Slaughter. Maybe I need some time. Get my head on straight again.

Oh well. One great thing about the book though is that I have started to learn to know some of the new characters and oh my. I see some really good books in the future.