Ange

• Rated 0 stars

“Divergent is the first novel in a planned series, a futuristic dystopian novel that reminds me a lot of The Hunger Games trilogy and the Matched series. In the story, Beatrice has grown up in a faction of society known as Abnegation, a grouping of citizens who believe in and follow a plain, grey selfless life. As she comes of age, she discovers she is actually "divergent," meaning she is a rare anomaly that possesses instinctual qualities and characteristics of more than one faction (Abnegation and Dauntless). She is warned there is great danger in being "divergent" and is told to hide this facet of herself from the world. In the end, she chooses to join the Dauntless faction -- a society of rebels and stunt-people who jump from trains and rooftops and laugh in the face of danger. The things I liked best about this novel are that it was fast-paced, full of plot twists and I never really knew which person/side/faction to trust. One minor drawback for me is that the book was written in a very simplistic, first-person present-tense style and there were times I longed for a more "Erudite" experience. It has one of the best cliffhanger endings ever, though -- I can't wait for Insurgent!”

Ange wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“The premier book in the Discworld Series introduces the reader to Rincewind, a cowardly failed wizard and Twoflower, a tourist from the Agatean Empire visiting Ankh Morpork. They are joined by The Luggage (an anthropromorphic traveling case with a series of hundreds of tiny legs) on their journey as they travel across Discworld and beyond. This novel is a bit of farce, fantasy, sci-fi and magical realism rolled up into a pleasant package. I quite enjoyed the escape. The writing is good, but not impeccable. There were some rough transitions and places where the plot began to drag for me. However, all in all it was a satisfying read. I rounded 3 1/2 stars up to 4 for the vivid imagery, dry geeky wit and the adventure of it.”

Ange wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Have you ever had an online relationship? In Love Virtually, Emmi mistakenly sends a total stranger (Leo) an e-mail cancelling her magazine subscription and their electronic banter spins off from there. Throughout this epistolary novel, we discover more about the two main characters and see only the information that is shared in their electronic correspondence. It felt as if I had hacked into someone's e-mail account and was reading their intimate words and secrets. I appreciate the realism that went into the writing of this novel. However, I wish the second book in this series was available as I was left completely on the precipice of a cliff! This quick, easy read is perfect for those who enjoy epistolary writing, romance, relationships and want to read something different from the norm. ”

Ange wrote this review Saturday, January 7, 2012. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is a story about a boy on an adventure, seeking his Personal Legend and finding it in the Soul of the World. The writing, having been translated is simple, but the message is poignant and far-reaching. It's no wonder this story has become a revered classic and loved the world over. Perfect for the introspective reader, believers in love and soul mates, destiny and adventures, faith and hope, truth and oneness. Worthy of the re-read every time.”

Ange wrote this review Thursday, January 5, 2012. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 0 stars

“The Magician King is the second book in the Fillory series and it picks up where the first book left off, and goes into so much more detail. The series is a combination of Harry Potter, Narnia, Lord of the Rings and The Secret History, all rolled up for adults! I loved the escapism. It is most definitely a vividly stunning walk through the magical realm of imagination. Highly, highly recommended for fantasy lovers!”

Ange wrote this review Saturday, December 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Although Bumped seems to have been written for a completely different demographic (I'm guessing the target age is females ages 15-20), I really enjoyed the food for thought. It is by no means a well-written book. The language of the teenagers is at times quite irritating and their motivations are immature. But if one can get past that (as I did), there is a very brilliant concept to the novel and it will stay with me as one of the more interesting reads of 2011. I quite enjoyed the vocabulary and language liberties in the text. I thought it contributed to the dystopian mood and overall futuristic effects. The only real complaint I have is that the writing itself is sub-par. I deducted 1 1/2 stars for the writing, but I think I'll round up because it left me wanting to find out what will happen in the next book, Thumped. ”

Ange wrote this review Friday, December 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“Lord Peter Wimsey is a pretentious, self-deluded brain fart. I believe his appeal is in a long-deceased ideal, the quintessential hero of the walk for the era in which the book was written. The language was actually the high point of the novel for me, chock-a-block full of "Dash it all's" and the like. But the story itself was kind of lack-luster. It failed to capture my attention and keep me turning pages. I felt the momentum really picked up in the last 40 pages or so, but in hindsight I can't really tell if the plot had me excited or if I had hit my seventh wind of determination to finish this novel. This just wasn't my cup of tea. No more Lord Peter Wimsey for me, I'm afraid.”

Ange wrote this review Saturday, December 17, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“Outlander is a rather enjoyable romp in the heather of Scotland. It is a bit of an adventure, a romance, a time-travel comparison of two very interesting time periods. Our heroine, Claire (a World War II veteran nurse) is on her second honeymoon with her husband Frank in Scotland when she mistakenly slips through a time portal and emerges in the late 1700's. It is her adventures in time travel we experience as the reader, and there is never a dull moment. Just when things start to get sleepy in the novel, another unexpected turn of events or a hot and heavy sex scene emerges. I really loved getting lost in the novel with Claire. By the end of the book, I had almost forgotten about her other life. There is a bit of a cliffhanger, which is to be expected of a series. The writing is good and strong, although I felt at times it could have been better edited. All in all, it is a very fine first book in a series of lengthy adventures.”

Ange wrote this review Tuesday, December 6, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“If you have read Angels in my Hair and craved more from Lorna Byrne, this book is for you. It is very simply written and has no chronological sequence or fancy editing, but it packs a spiritual punch. Any book that can make me cry tears of grief and sadness and make me smile and laugh with joy is one to be treasured. This one happens to involve the angelic realm, a topic of great interest to me. I hope those who need this book will find it.”

Ange wrote this review Monday, November 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Do you ever read a book that takes forever because you weren't in the right frame of mind and the timing was off? That's how Kafka on the Shore started out for me. My first thought was that this book was bizarre. One thing I knew right away, but couldn't exactly put into words was my aversion to the 2nd person, present tense narratives. I felt at times this book could have been better with the help of a good editor. All that said, it's really a unique read and worth checking out. The writing itself is quite good -- handsome and ready to please if one can actually sit down and take the time to focus. I don't even want to tell you what it's about because I think it transcends the typical plot summary/descriptions. I'd recommend reading this if you're in the right frame of mind to do so!”

Ange wrote this review Monday, November 14, 2011. ( reply | permalink )