Credit Where Credit’s Due – Part 2

This post is the sequel to Credit Where Credit’s Due and is about the 4 books that i have read about from a few of the blogs that i follow. From reading their perspective/reviews, i was interested in reading the different books, so i downloaded the preview for each book (if there was one) and i have to say that i am looking forward EVEN MORE to reading them!

They are:

~ How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

~ All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

~ S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst

~ Cry of the Sea by D.G. Driver

I haven’t actually finished reading all the books from my post Credit Where Credit’s Due, however i was cheeky and picked a book from this list to read so hence why i am posting it so i can post the review for said book 😀

Anyway i will be sure to review each book and it will be interesting if i share the same views of the blogger who posted about them!

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The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

Blurb

One letter will turn newly-married Grace Munroe’s life upside down: ‘Our firm is handling the estate of the deceased Mrs Eva D’Orsey and it is our duty to inform you that you are named as the chief beneficiary in her will.’ So begins a journey which leads Grace through the streets of Paris and into the seductive world of perfumers and their muses. An abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank will lead her to unravel the heartbreaking story of her mysterious benefactor, an extraordinary woman who bewitched high society in 1920s New York and Paris.

My Perspective

This is the twenty-second book I read from my post Credit Where Credit’s Due. I read about The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro from Ionia at Readful Things Blog. You can read her thoughts on the book here.

The Perfume Collector is about Grace, a young newlywed living in London, England in the 1950s and how she finds herself the sole beneficiary of a deceased Parisian woman’s estate of whom she’d never met. She decides to stay in Paris awhile to find out who this lady really was however the more she learns, the more she finds there is to untangle.

I love a good mystery and although this one was rather predictable, the telling of the tale with all its intricate details was highly enjoyable.

Grace was a fairly easy character to like. There were moments where I found her frustrating however considering the upheaval happening in her life, it would be unrealistic if she didn’t have moments of weakness and unwise decision making. I didn’t find it easy to like Eva however I found it hard not to admire her. She had it tough, her life was far from easy and she kept fighting all the way. Monsieur Tissot was a dream! Probably too unrealistic

The story was rich in detail and description, with fascinating settings, delicious food and overall beauty and depth. It was hard not to be immersed.

There were some slight sexual references in the book (including rape) however as a said, it is very slight so enough to make me uncomfortable and to mention it however not enough to warrant me feeling the need to stop reading the book.

It was well written, interesting and kept you turning the pages. I would definitely recommend this book if you like historical fiction.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas Pere

Blurb

This swashbuckling epic of chivalry, honor, and derring-do, set in France during the 1620s, is richly populated with romantic heroes, unattainable heroines, kings, queens, cavaliers, and criminals in a whirl of adventure, espionage, conspiracy, murder, vengeance, love, scandal, and suspense. Dumas transforms minor historical figures into larger- than-life characters: the Comte d’Artagnan, an impetuous young man in pursuit of glory; the beguilingly evil seductress “Milady”; the powerful and devious Cardinal Richelieu; the weak King Louis XIII and his unhappy queen—and, of course, the three musketeers themselves, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, whose motto “all for one, one for all” has come to epitomize devoted friendship. With a plot that delivers stolen diamonds, masked balls, purloined letters, and, of course, great bouts of swordplay, The Three Musketeers is eternally entertaining.

My Perspective

The Three Musketeers follows d’Artagnan, a young Frenchman, as he journeys to Paris to join the King’s Musketeers. He soon becomes firm friends with three of the King’s Musketeers whilst entangling himself in the political war between the King, the Cardinal and the Queen.

I really enjoyed this book.

It was fairly slow to start off with and the language took a bit of getting used to however once d’Artagnan was in Paris, it started to flow a lot more smoothly.

Although young and a bit foolhardy, d’Artagnan is easy to like. His companions, Athos, Porthos and Aramis are extremely likeable and the more you read, the more you feel a part of their friendship group. They are both honourable and courageous as well as arrogant and pleasure seekers. I pitied the Queen, thought the King was spineless, and the Cardinal both cruel and intriguing. I absolutely loathed and abhorred Milady. I wondered what on earth happened to her to create such a monster of a person.

The story was long and fairly detailed and although it had a steady pace, most of the time it had me hardly able to put it down. It was quite complex due to its political nature and there were times that I got a bit lost however it was so interesting that I didn’t mind that at all. It had action, some romance, intrigue and drama – all what make a great novel.

I enjoyed the way in which it was written, it was fairly unique with the author’s tidbits throughout.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and I would definitely recommend it if you like historical fiction.

 

I Grew My Boobs in China (Sihpromatum #1) by Savannah Grace

Blurb

In 2005, 14-year-old Savannah Grace’s world is shattered when her mother unexpectedly announces that she and her family (mother, 45; brother, 25; sister, 17) would soon embark on an incredible, open-ended journey. When everything from her pets to the house she lived in is either sold, given away or put in storage, this naïve teenage girl runs headlong into the reality and hardships of a life on the road.

Built around a startling backdrop of over eighty countries (I Grew my Boobs in China relates the family’s adventures in China and Mongolia), this is a tale of feminine maturation – of Savannah’s metamorphosis from ingénue to woman-of-the-world. Nibbling roasted duck tongues in China and being stranded in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert are just two experiences that contribute to Savannah’s exploration of new cultures and to the process of adapting to the world around her.

My Perspective

This is the twenty-first book I read from my post Credit Where Credit’s Due. I read about I Grew My Boobs in China (Sihpromatum #1) by Savannah Grace from Ionia at Readful Things Blog. You can read her thoughts on the book here.

The book follows Savannah, a fourteen-year-old Canadian girl who’s life is uprooted when her mother decides to sell all of their possessions and go backpacking with her and two of her older siblings.

I found the book hard to get into at first. Savannah was obviously quite upset at being uprooted from her life as she knew it and being the age she was, didn’t have much say, so the start was quite self-pitying and not so much negative but not very positive. It also wasn’t super interesting until they finally started their journey however it was a chance to get to know Savannah and her family so I don’t think it was something that could have been edited out without affecting the “character development”.

When they finally started their journey, the pace of the story picked up and it was a lot more interesting to read.

Savannah doesn’t make it easy on herself with the attitude she takes to her mother’s plans. It’s completely understandable however also can’t be changed so you are kind of waiting for her to “get over herself”. Thankfully she does otherwise I think it would be a bit of frustrating read.

It was fascinating reading about their traveling experiences. They certainly didn’t travel luxuriously or much like foreigners and they had plenty of adventures!

This is an interesting yet unusual coming of age story that I would definitely recommend to those who like travel memoirs/autobiographies. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

A Punctual Paymaster by Dan Groat

Blurb

A TOWN DIVIDED BY RACE IS HIDING A MIRACLE AMONG ITS SECRETS

Travel seventy years through the secrets of the white Thanos family and the black Taylor family, twisted like strands of yarn woven together on a loom. The wealthy, powerful Nikkos Thanos owns a woolen mill and almost everything else on the north side of Delphi, Missouri, and is the overseer of a fractured society. The brave, judicious Thaddeus “Cousin” Taylor owns a grocery store and a tavern on the south side and carries a past hauntingly shrouded in tragedy. Each man tries to shepherd his part of town through the turmoil of racism, the depression, and war. With the passage of time, those caretaker roles are filled by Evangelina, Nikkos’ beautiful and strong-willed daughter, and T.J., the grandson who worshipped Cousin. Forty-five years after high school, two friends, Ab and Grady, return for the funeral of their mentor, T.J., and walk into the middle of a mystery. They unweave the black and white threads that are the town’s concealed, troubled past, revealing an extraordinary tapestry of life and death, revenge and triumph.

My Perspective

I downloaded this eBook for free on Amazon awhile back.

The story follows the history of two families, the Thanos family and the Taylor family. The Thanos family are white and live on the north side of town, a town that has basically been built by Nikkos, the father of the Thanos family. The Taylor family are black and live on the south side of town and Cousin, the father of the Taylor family, is basically the unofficial leader of the south side. The story is set from 1939 through to 2010 and spans around three generations of the families. It deeply explores the racial tension between whites and blacks in America through a story filled with mystery, intrigue, sadness and redemption.

I had really high hopes for this book because the premise sounded so interesting however i felt it fell a bit flat. It started out really strong and then got a bit lost on the way.

The characters were really interesting however some of them could have been developed a lot more. Even though some of them had a lot of “air time”, i still felt like i barely knew them.

Most of the book was slow paced with a lot of content, the kind of book that doesn’t have you turning the pages as fast as you can, more the kind of book that you slowly digest and can even put down for awhile to process before picking it back up again. The pace wasn’t very consistent though, with big jumps in time and disconnect between chapters where you weren’t really sure what was going on.

I wasn’t sure whether the mystery of the story was meant to be obvious to the reader or not, because i found it was a bit predictable. If that was the intention of the author then it worked well because you wondered whether the characters would be able to figure it out or not and how the story would end – them living the rest of their lives never knowing or them being fully aware of their history and moving forward from it.

Overall it was a good story with a lot of depth and richness however I think it could have benefited from a lot more editing. I would probably still recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction, in particular novels about the racial tension in the USA.

Allure of the Gypsies (Legends of Windemere Book 3) by Charles E. Yallowitz

Blurb

Reeling from broken trust and a battered spirit, Luke leads his surviving friends to the town of Haven where his past will catch up with him.

While Luke faces his family and the woman he abandoned at the altar, his enemies have recruited a deadly ally. Kalam the vampire marches on Haven with an army of undead that will leave a hero at death’s door. To revive the fallen warrior, Luke and Nyx must plunge into the mountain lair of Kalam and steal his spellbook. Exhausted and lost within enemy territory, the pair are going to need the help of a gypsy girl named Sari who may be more trouble than her new friends expected.

Against a strong and experienced adversary, what will Luke and Nyx need to claim victory on the charred battlefield?

My Perspective

Allure of the Gypsies follows Luke, Nyx and Aedyn as they make their way to Luke’s home town of Haven, which he left in disgrace a year earlier. However there is more waiting for him at home than he bargained for.

The story follows pretty much straight on from where it left off in Prodigy of Rainbow Tower.

Apart from old favourites Luke, Nyx and Aedyn, we are introduced to a new character, Sari. I honestly found it extremely hard to like Sari. I found her to be a bit of an idiot however I’m not sure if that’s just an act so we will see. I really enjoyed the Lich and Trinity in this book and the banter between them.

I enjoyed the adventure and storyline of this book immensely however i felt that it was a bit all over the place. It didn’t flow as well as the previous two and sort of rambled a bit towards the end before ending very abruptly. I also felt there was a lot of unnecessary dialogue that could have been scrapped to make the book tighter and more interesting. I also found that there wasn’t a lot of mystery or twists and turns. Even though i enjoyed reading the book, i didn’t really keep me guessing or on my toes.

I really enjoyed the action scenes and even wished there was a bit more action – there seemed to be less in this book than the other two.

Overall this book was an enjoyable read however i felt it fell a bit flat and almost felt like simply a filler book to tie up some loose ends, introduce a crucial new character and get to the beginning of the next book. If you’re interested in an enjoyable fantasy series then i would definitely recommend Legends of Windemere however you really need to start with the first book in the series, Beginning Of A Hero.

These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach

Blurb

Enticed by advertisements for a luxury retirement home in India, a group of strangers leave England to begin a new life.

On arrival, however, they discover the palace is a shell of its former self, the staff are more than a little eccentric and the days of the Raj appear to be long gone.

But, as they soon discover, life and love can begin again, even in the most unexpected circumstances.

My Perspective

These Foolish Things is about a retirement home that is set up in India for those living in Britain. Instead of wiling away the rest of their years in some dreary place in the UK, instead they could be enjoying the best that has India has to offer – and for a fraction of the cost. The story follows a few different characters and their different perspectives on the place.

When i found out that the movie, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, was based on a book, i really wanted to read it. It only took me around five years!

I really enjoyed the story. It was well written, interesting and flowed at a nice, even pace. Although i had watched the movie and knew the basic premise, the book is quite different with more characters and different story lines. There were a few similarities however not enough that you knew the story or how it would end. I can see why they changed what they did for the movie (too many characters in a movie can make it hard to follow).

The characters were really well developed. They were diverse and you couldn’t help but love most of them even if they weren’t lovable! I love reading books where it’s written from the perspective of a few different characters as i find it really lends a depth to the story and makes it that much more interesting.

There wasn’t really any sex per se in the book however there were a few sexual references that were quite blunt and descriptive. I actually found some of it was a bit out of place and i didn’t really understand the relevance or need for it.

Overall this was a really enjoyable read that was fresh and different to a lot of what’s out there. I would definitely recommend it.

Rewrite Redemption by J.H. Walker

Blurb

She’s sixteen. He’s seventeen. They don’t know each other…at least not yet.

She has a secret and her whole life revolves around keeping it. Every few months and with little warning, she simply disappears, pulled into the past for hours or even days. She’s terrified it will happen in front of someone, changing her life forever. So far, the only witnesses have been her parents, and that didn’t end well. She has no control over it and no idea why it happens to her.

She wants answers.

He has answers—at least he understands what’s going on. He has a secret, too. He’s part of an organization that goes back in time to rewrite reality. But he also has a problem. He broke the organization’s number-one rule by altering his own timeline. As punishment, he’s been blocked from time travel, which is most unfortunate. Because the changes he made to his timeline, accidentally resulted in disaster for his family. A disaster he’s now prevented from repairing. No one can travel beneath the organization’s radar except a Shadow. But they’re rare, so rare he’s never even met one.

Then he moves to her town.

My Perspective

This is the twentieth book I read from my post Credit Where Credit’s Due. I read about Rewrite Redemption by J.H. Walker at Ramblings In The Skye. You can read their thoughts on the book here.

Rewrite Redemption is mainly about A.J., a sixteen year old girl who is able to travel back in time. However not by her own will, it happens randomly and not always at the best of times. Struggling to survive high school without her secret becoming known, A.J. hides behind dark glasses and a large hoodie, her only friends being Lex and iPod. However one day that all changes when a new boy moves into town, he too having her ability.

I really enjoyed this book. The premise of time travel has always interested me so i like to read books that explore it. This was a completely different take on it, which i appreciated it and it reminded me slightly of the ISOs in Tron: Legacy.

A.J. is easy to like and root for. My heart really went out to her because of what happened with her parents and you really want everything to work out for her. Lex and iPod were great best friends and you couldn’t help but like them too. Constantine on the other hand had me in two different minds. He was a great guy who was easy to like however he also annoyed me and i didn’t like everything about him and his attitude. However in a way it was good because it meant he wasn’t perfect.

Obviously as the premise of the book is time travel, you kind of get the obvious that everything is probably going to work out well because they can just go back in time and “fix” things. However the journey on how and what the end result will be was not what i expected. I had some inklings about things however didn’t know if the author was going to go there or not and I’m really glad that they did.

As it is a young adults book, there is teenage romance throughout, which didn’t have me rolling my eyes as much as i thought. It was very present however i enjoyed it more than i thought i would. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of eye rolling, corny moments – however the story was interesting enough that it was able to carry them without it losing my attention.

The explanations and science behind everything was a little far fetched however explained it quite well and was to some extent plausible. Obviously you have to suspend some belief when it comes to time travel however this was a good example of it not being ridiculously impossible.

I did find that some of the book may have been a bit unnecessary. I found that the story got a bit bogged down by the amount of inner dialogue. I felt it would have been a bit more interesting had some of that been trimmed down and that it would have flowed a bit faster.

Overall it was a really enjoyable book that i would definitely recommend if you like young adult science fiction.

Draekora (The Medoran Chronicles #3) by Lynette Noni

Blurb

“I swear by the stars that you and the others slain tonight will be the first of many. Of that you have my word.”

With Aven Dalmarta now hiding in the shadows of Meya, Alex is desperate to save Jordan and keep the Rebel Prince from taking more lives. Training day and night to master the enhanced immortal blood in her veins, Alex undertakes a dangerous Meyarin warrior trial that separates her from those she loves and leaves her stranded in a place where nothing is as it should be. As friends become enemies and enemies become friends, Alex must decide who to trust as powerful new allies—and adversaries—push her towards a future of either light… or darkness. One way or another, the world will change…

My Perspective

I was hanging out for the release of this on April 1! I bought it as soon as it was available and i couldn’t put it down.

Draekora follows Alex as she begins her training in Meya, specifically the Varranguard, to test her abilities and where her strengths and weaknesses lie. However fate has a different course of action for her and Alex soon finds herself caught in something she never could have imagined.

Draekora is the sequel to Raelia and is the third instalment in The Medoran Chronicles. I was slightly disappointed in Raelia however i can say for sure i did not feel the same about Draekora!

The story continues on pretty much from the end of Raelia. It jumps right into the action and i was almost immediately immersed in the story. It is fairly even paced yet still keeps you on your toes.

I liked Alex again in Draekora however i still find her a bit naive. I feel like some things are so obvious and she takes forever to “get them”. I enjoyed meeting the new characters, who were really likeable and also getting to know familiar characters even more. It was also interesting to get to know them in a different way. You certainly feel a bit torn by the end of the story.

I have to say that the main plot of the story was super predictable however all the smaller storylines throughout weren’t and despite knowing where it was all leading, i still really, really enjoyed reading the book. Like I’ve mentioned before, although it’s not a Nobel Prize winning novel, i love reading them. They are interesting, hold my attention and i can’t wait for the next one to be released. Also i definitely noticed a significant improvement in the author’s writing throughout Draekora.

Without spoiling the ending…it really tears you apart. Even though i knew what was going to happen, the way that it happened was heartbreaking. WHY IS IT ANOTHER WHOLE YEAR FOR THE NEXT BOOK TO COME OUT?

Overall i would definitely recommend this series to those who like YA fantasy, however you obviously should start at the beginning with Akarnae.

The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde

Blurb

Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax are both in love with the same mythical suitor. Jack Worthing has wooed Gwendolen as Ernest while Algernon has also posed as Ernest to win the heart of Jack’s ward, Cecily. When all four arrive at Jack’s country home on the same weekend, the girls to fight for Ernest’s undivided attention and the “Ernests” to claim their beloveds, pandemonium breaks loose.

Only a nursemaid and an old, discarded hand-bag can save the day!

My Perspective

I actually read this because i was impatiently awaiting April 1 so i could read Draekora, the third book in The Medoran Chronicles. I’d seen the movie with Colin Firth so knew the general story line however i actually didn’t realise it was written as a play!

The story is about two young gentlemen friends who get themselves in a bit of a pickle when their fictional alter egos fall in love, their lovers think their names are Ernest and they won’t accept a lover with any other name.

The characters are all equally lovable as well as irritating, which works well for the story.

I couldn’t help but giggle all the way through the story, knowing what was coming yet still laughing like it was a complete surprise.

Obviously as the story was written in 1899, the language is a bit heavy however like I’ve said before, i don’t mind that at all. Also as it was written in the format of a play, some might find it stilted because it doesn’t flow like a novel however I’ve read quite a few plays and i don’t really even notice it anymore.

Overall i thoroughly enjoyed reading The Importance of Being Ernest and it was a nice, quick read that left me unhindered to start reading Draekora as soon as it was released. I would definitely recommend it if you like classics and comedy.