Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Review: Fever By: Lauren DeStefano

Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)Fever by Lauren DeStefano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Continuing where Ms. DeStefano left off in Wither we follow the escape of Rhine and Gabriel.

Written in a way that takes the readers into a opium smoke filled adventure, everything hazy, heart racing, and filled with secondary characters that you immediately love or love to hate. Rhine and Gabriel wash ashore and find the first place they can in the arms of a paranoid Madam with a carnival show of ladies. It is here that the tone takes place for the rest of the book. Somewhere in this dystopian novel you find humanity both good and wretched, the need of survival in all the characters. Through escape and escape Rhine, Gabriel, and a malformed little girl, Maddie find themselves in Manahattan - searching for home. On the chase is Housemaster Vaughn and time appears to running out as Rhine gets horribly ill. With Rowan no where to be found, an unlikely find for the Trio is found in the home of an orphanage. How long can that piece of happiness last, is there a cure for Rhine or is death the answer? As the story twists and turns, as in Madam's ferris wheel, the reader is sure to feel the ups and downs - and the ending leaves much promise for the next in the series.

This is a great follow up to Wither and at times I was pleasantly suprised by the diversity of the syle of writing that seemed to change with tone through the same author. I highly recommend this series and if this is what Ms. DeStefano is capable of I can't wait to read more from her.



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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Review: Good Christian Bitches By: Kim Gatlin

Good Christian BitchesGood Christian Bitches by Kim Gatlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"...for Heaven's sake, don't let Jesus get in the way of a good agenda."

I wonder how much of this book came from personal experience? I am sure some of you know the hypocrites, the group that during Bible Study Prayer Group find more time to gossip (through the prayer requests) than actually learn something. This is a great tongue in cheek book that brings the "prayer room" into light.

Amanda Vaughn has returned to her hometown, divorce papers in hand, and two children in tow. Her presence is noted by each and all within Hillside Park, and not necessarily happily so..afterall there is only so many men available (or in some cases not available but already have someone else). With the green eyed monster and old rivalries, can Amanda even have a chance at returning and making a new life for herself? The annual Longhorn Ball was destroyed last year by the Chairwoman's behavior and has found it's way to Amanda's lap. Is someone out to get her and can she overcome without being a GCB?

I really enjoyed this book but found the ending rushed, the new connection Amanda makes with an old crush superficial. I do recommend this as a great, funny, fast paced read, it will put a secret smile on your face everytime you pull into the Church parking lot.

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Review: Born Wicked By: Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1)Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Welcome Ms. Spotswood! What a wonderful tale of the Cahill sisters filled with danger, intrigue, and romance.

Cate Cahill lives in the New World, filled with the Brotherhood - whom teach the wickedness of women and their need not to be anything other than their husband's chattel, the Sisterhood - a branch for all intents and purposes the woman's flip of a coin of the Brotherhood (but look deeper, they are much, much more and have an agenda), witchcraft (her and her sisters may be part of a prophesy, they are not the only ones with this gift). Cate is the oldest and despite having her father, she is raising herself and her sisters, Maura and Tess. The only messages she has from her mother are cryptic in a diary and her godmother, who is in an asylum because of witchcraft. The promise and message requires Cate to protect and watch over them, which will require sacrifice. Is Cate able to sacrifice the new love that she has found, her independence and hope of living a life she imagines or is the prophesy already set in motion?

I throughly enjoyed this book. And was disappointed that I could not finish the Cahill story, it is part of a series. The imagery and the characters jump out, leaving the reader devouring every page. I can't wait for the next in this series.

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