Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
The Thirteenth Tale
Biographer Margaret Lea returns one night to her apartment above her father's antiquarian bookshop.  On her steps she finds a letter.  It is a hand-written request from one of Britain's most prolific and well-loved novelists.  Vida Winter, gravely ill, wants to recount her life story before it is too late, and she wants Margaret to be the one to capture her history.  The request takes Margaret by surprise--she doesn't know the author, nor has she read any of Miss Winter's dozens of novels.

Late one night while pondering whether to accept the task of recording Miss Winter's personal story, Margaret begins to read her father's rare copy of Miss Winter's Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation.  She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories.  Where is the thirteenth tale?  Intrigued, Margaret agrees to meet Miss Winter and act as her biographer.

As Vida Winter unfolds her story, she shares with Margaret the dark family secrets that she has long kept hidden as she remembers her days at Angelfield, the now  burnt-out estate that was her childhood home.  Margaret carefully records Miss Winter's account and finds herself more and more deeply immersed in the strange and troubling story.

Both women will have to confront their pasts and the weight of family secrets...and the ghosts that haunt the still.

2/5 stars (it was OK)
I liked the writing in this book and thought it was very well written.  I actually didn't like the character of Margaret so it was hard to get into the book.  I found Vida's story very interesting though.  I wish the book had more of Vida's story and less of Margaret's story.  The ending of Vida's story did surprise me.

Book Review: Vanishing Girls - Lauren Oliver

Vanishing Girls
Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged.  When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around.  But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked.  Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

3/5 stars (liked it)
Another good book from Lauren Oliver.  This book is from Nick and Dara's point of view.  It flips back and forth between before the accident and after the accident.  Nick doesn't remember what happened to cause the accident.  We learn what the relationship between Nick and Dara was before the accident.  I like how Oliver links the disappearance of Madeline Snow with Dara.


Thursday, April 09, 2015

Book Review: Someone Like You - Sarah Dessen

Someone Like You
Halley has always followed in the wake of her best friend, Scarlett.  But when Scarlett learns that her boyfriend has been killed in a motorcycle accident, and that she's carrying his baby, she's devastated.  For the first time ever, Scarlett really needs Halley.  Though their friendship may be tested by the strain, like a true friendship, it will endure.

4/5 stars (really liked it)
Halley and Scarlett are typical teenagers, they talk about boys and complain about their parents.  But then Scarlett's boyfriend Michael dies and then she finds out she is pregnant.  Then Halley gets close to Michael's best friend Macon.  Though all these experiences Halley learns so much about herself.  Overall a good story with a good ending.

Book Review: Children of God - Mary Doria Russell

Children of God (The Sparrow, #2)
The only member of the original mission to the planet Rakhat to return to Earth, Father Emilio Sandoz has barely begun to recover from his ordeal when the Society of Jesus calls upon him for help in preparing for another mission to Alpha Centauri.  Despite his objections and fear, he cannot escape his past or the future.

Old friends, new discoveries and difficult questions await Emilio as he struggles for inner peace and understanding in a moral

3/5 stars (liked it)
I didn't like this book quite as much as I did the first one.  Although it was nice to get a little closure on Emilio and what life was like in Rakhat after the humans were there.  Because of the humans being in Rakhat it made them question their way of life as well as how the Ja'anata treated the Runa.  Overall I think this book was about Emilio and how he was coping with what happened to him on Rakhat and how he needed closure.

Book Review: Overbite - Meg Cabot

Overbite - Meg Cabot Meena Harper has a special gift, but i's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it.  The Palatine Guard--...