Tag Archives: recommend read

UnBlessed by Crystin Goodwin and Book at the Door Winner

And the winner is…

Georgia Rose!

Georgia (who writes lovely books of her own) will be getting a signed copy of Crystin Goodwin’s book UnBlessed and this print by Melissa at Ever Growing Farm with the first line of the book on it.

Of course, even if you didn’t win, I still recommend you check out Melissa’s blog, where you can find links to all the fun places she spreads her gorgeous pictures online, (like Instagram, don’t miss her if you are on Instagram!). And of course, you should find yourself a copy of UnBlessed as well!

UnBlessed by Crystin Goodwin

I could tell you…

I could tell you about the world. The magic of the elements and the animals. The ceremonies and the changes. The extensive history of the people.

But I’d hate to ruin the way the author unfolds it for you.

I could tell you in great detail the why’s and wherefores of the characters whom I loved and those who, upon reflection, I wished had been a little more fleshed out.

But I don’t want to introduce any prejudice. I want you to be as taken with the people as I was.

I could tell you what I absolutely loved and what left me wanting.

But I won’t.

I could even tell you just how it leaves you hanging at the end to send you running off to Amazon to see if her next book has yet been published.

I could tell you all of that.

But all that’s really important.

All I really feel you need to know.

Is that I have three young girls who all require breakfast in the early morning.

And the night I sat down to read (and eventually finish) this book I was left with far, far, less than the recommend eight hours of sleep a person is supposed to receive.

Far, far, less.

Would I recommend it? It was my turn for the morning shift with the girls and it was still totally worth it.

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Hi, Honey!

So, don’t be mad but I really feel like the best way to tell, you know, all the people, how good these books are involves you. And by involves you, I really mean me telling you the thing I try not to say too often to the man who is the most wonderful husband ever.

You see, I know that I was a bit girly about the love I had for the completely awesome female assassin main character when I tried to push the book on you. I can see now that perhaps that wasn’t quite the right track to take with you. I could have mentioned more of the plot, or a few of the fairly awesome male characters. Probably I should have told you that thing about the beautiful witches with their iron teeth and nails and how they just “play” with men before, you know, eating them (unless, of course, they are just out killing for fun). And how by the end of the books you won’t hate them and how I think that’s pretty indicative of some amazing writing.

But I didn’t.

I just kept telling you that you were going to love it and badgered you until you finally started reading the first one. Then, of course, I’m sure you remember how I annoyed you until you read it faster so you could get to the amazing parts. That was foolish of me. I’m sorry. But, not even, when you went to the library in another town to pick up book three because you’d be able to get your hands on it sooner did I actually say “I told you so!” like I totally could have.

So sorry, for telling, you know, all the people, about all that. But I want them to believe me (or, really, it’d be believing us now right?) about how great these books are and how they should definitely read them!

Thanks for your help!

Love you!

Would I recommend them? Yes! (And I think John might too, if he’s still speaking to me after this…)

Two For The Road by Ekta R. Garg

First off, if you haven’t read any “Stories in Pairs” before please be so kind as to go read my review of  Two for the Heart in which I explain how “Stories in Pairs” works (and review two of her other works as well, so really, this is a three-for book review sort of post – and you’re welcome for that). It is a neat concept but it does need a bit of explanation.

Click over here: -Two For the Heart by Ekta R. Garg-

Now that you’ve got an idea of the format I can tell you that after reading Two For the Road, I’m just as intrigued with these stories as I was with the earlier ones.

If the sign of a good story teller is to make you feel, “Whooo Boy,” then Garg is a good one! But in a way so subtle as to be surprising. The prose isn’t flowery, the stories aren’t fantastical, these are just people. People that could be you, or your neighbor, or the person on the bus. People told with such an honest simplicity that they can’t help but live on in your brain long after the story has been told.

If you look really closely at the tiny print on the cover you will see the reason I excitedly beat my husband awake the morning I received this book!

Would I recommend it? Yes I would. This is a different story telling format but I think it’s working!

This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.

Dream On by Terry Tyler

On a sliding scale of musical ability we have: the violin maestro, one hit wonder popstars, people who love jazz, those who sing only in the shower, dogs and me.

Therefore my reading of Dream On, a book about a rock band trying to make it in England, was all a bit, “Huh? Really? Interesting…”

“Sprogged? Did he just say sprogged? Does that mean what I think it means? Really?”

I find heavy accents to be slightly befuddling, mildly amusing and completely endearing. After all, if a character doesn’t speak in a broad accent then in my mind it all comes out midwest states even if they are standing in the Kremlin the entire time.

“Wait -these people  want to sing in front of hundreds of people? That’s not everyone’s worst nightmare? Huh?”

I’ve always known, in a clinical sense, that musicians are driven to make music. But reading a book that revolves around that fact made me truly recognize that this is a thing – even if it does confuse my brain more than a broad Scots accent.

“These people are all driven by entirely different things… interesting…”

By far my favorite aspect of the book was the variety of characters (and I do mean characters) and what motivated them into the music scene.

Would I recommend it? I feel I can safely say that if I, the one who has heard more musically inclined dogs than myself, find this book to be a fun and interesting read, anybody could enjoy it! Terry Tyler takes a cast and situation that has me personally befuddled and creates real people, living real lives trying to do what they love. Anybody, even me, can relate to that!

Rosie's Book Review team 1

 This honest review was given in return for a free copy of the book from its author.