PolyWogg
Ottawa Public Library
PolyWogg's Completed Shelf
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PolyWogg's rating:
2 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 06, 2020
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn HardcastleThe Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, eBook
by Turton, StuarteBook - 2018
All copies in use
PolyWogg's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 22, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Expertly done -- time jumps, loops, and body hopping, oh my!
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman dies at a party at a country resort, the solution obvious. But she was actually murdered, and a guest must solve the crime or never leave. Because the same day repeats each day, and each day the guest is in the body of someone else. He has seven chances to get it right.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The Groundhog Day / time loop is rarely handled well in any genre (TV, movie, books), but Turton not only handles it expertly, he adds in a body jumping element that is brilliant. Each day he learns just a little bit more about the culminating murder, and about the reality he is trapped in, playing detective in a country resort. Some days he is completely new, other days he is locked into exchanges he witnessed the day before and must tweak them to ensure they end the same or differently. Can he prevent the murder? Can he solve the crime? And why does another guess seem to know he's not himself? And who -- or what -- is stalking the guests?
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
It is a bit confusing at times, given the sheer complexity of the story.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Expertly done -- time jumps, loops, and body hopping, oh my!
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman dies at a party at a country resort, the solution obvious. But she was actually murdered, and a guest must solve the crime or never leave. Because…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 20, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Over-rated as a classic
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A man observes the comings and goings of a 1920s party host who is both his neighbor and a paramour of his cousin.
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WHAT I LIKED:
It is weird to go back and read this book some 35 years after high-school. I remember thinking it was this glamourous world of parties and high society, where people really did act differently from the common folk. As an adult, I see it for what it is -- a portrayal of a shallow summer, without substance or value, leading to an inevitable tragedy of people over-estimating their self-importance and narcissism. Beautifully written, harshly portrayed as Nick Carroway observes the desire by Jay Gatsby for a married Daisy Buchanan, the woman he loved but lost years before. All of the summer reads like life without consequences, an embracing of hedonism and simple pleasures, but without anyone asking if it is really what they want or just what they think they want.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I find it intriguing that my young self saw it as a tragedy, but without particular indictment of the lifestyle of the secondary characters. They seemed more cliché or farce than real at the time, but now it just seems simply depressing across the board. I didn't care about any character anywhere in the book, not even Nick, who is mostly a blank slate.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review.BOTTOM-LINE:
Over-rated as a classic
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A man observes the comings and goings of a 1920s party host who is both his neighbor and a paramour of his cousin.
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WHAT I LIKED:
It is weird to go back and read this book some 35 years after…
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A FuckThe Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck, eBookA Counterintuitive Approach to Living A Good Life
by Manson, MarkeBook - 2016
All copies in use
Holds: 3 on 3 copies
Holds: 3 on 3 copies
PolyWogg's rating:
2 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 20, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Not worth reading but at least I got a reading badge for it
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
This is a self-help guide to reducing your stress levels by choosing to care only about those things that are important to you.
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WHAT I LIKED:
I found this a very odd book to read. In almost every chapter, I found myself disagreeing with his evidence and examples, often thinking they proved the opposite of what he was trying to use them to prove, yet at the same time agreeing with some of the premises. It felt more like he had some solid ideas throughout, just not very well developed. Like, for instance, that we have limited bandwidth to care about things and therefore we should not care about a lot of unimportant stuff (hence the title), finding problems you like to solve (i.e. what you love), prioritizing better values for ourselves in line with what we love, and certainty being an enemy of growth (so you should risk failure more).
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Most of his examples are Millenial-style rants, not actual evidence to support his arguments, and it is a lot of work to come to the conclusion "don't sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff", but with swearing.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Not worth reading but at least I got a reading badge for it
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
This is a self-help guide to reducing your stress levels by choosing to care only about those things that are important to you.
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WHAT I LIKED:
I found this…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Mar 14, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
The final battle isn't as big as expected
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Almost three separate stories together -- an opening reset of who is on which team, separate adventures for Kendra and Seth, and then a merged final battle.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Seth's story is almost readable now, although I still feel most of the time it could have simply been one kid's story, not separate ones for Kendra and Seth. I like his adventure to retrieve a magical sword, and the final magical battle is decent.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The final battle seems less intense than the previous one at Fablehaven with the dark plague. Almost "battle-lite" rather than the final battle. The final "solution" is a bit simplistic, more trick than strategic, and a bit of a let-down. And some of the threads of the story, particularly with Seth, are left unresolved.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
The final battle isn't as big as expected
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Almost three separate stories together -- an opening reset of who is on which team, separate adventures for Kendra and Seth, and then a merged final battle.
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WHAT I…
PolyWogg's rating:
1 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 27, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Unreliable narrator, inconsistent story, ridiculous ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A wife of a polygamist starts to wonder about his other two wives and seeks them out, only to find a potentially dark secret.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The original premise was unusual and intriguing, and the writer's use of an unreliable narrator is creative.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The original premise is interesting enough for you to want to find out about a three-wife relationship, where all three wives are kept separate. For most people, the immediate reaction would be, "Why would any woman agree to this ridiculously unbalanced relationship?", and for the story to work, you have to see it "working". Except it never does. For example, you don't see why the protagonist would agree, nor given the fact she is neurotic and alone for four days of the week, she never tries to find out info about the other two. Really? Add in some obvious and not so obvious gaslighting themes that go nowhere, a ridiculous fantasy ending, and it's hard to finish. More importantly, she's a nurse who learns medical info from a lawyer; she is comforting a potential abuse victim and when she starts looking for the door, the narrator puts her hand on her arm to comfort her / encourage her to stay; and she describes herself in one scene as plain Jane and then later as reasonably attractive. I felt ripped off with the ending, not rewarded for making it through. Thank heavens I get a "badge" for this in my reading challenge hehehe.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Unreliable narrator, inconsistent story, ridiculous ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A wife of a polygamist starts to wonder about his other two wives and seeks them out, only to find a potentially dark secret.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The original…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 27, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Great character, great story, a few weak spots
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A detective was framed for rape, temporarily jailed, kicked off the police force and is working as a private investigator looking at a potential case of corrupt cops who tried to commit murder.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Mosley always creates compelling characters (like Easy Rawlins) and Joe King Oliver is no exception. Much of what you see is part of a long history … the story could have been told as a Western, or as pulp noir with Sam Spade, or as Spenser for Hire (or any of Robert B. Parker's characters really). It is a "man's story" taking care of "his business", in a dark world that is full of violence which he would prefer to avoid but willing to endure when necessary. The main case (Oliver's own) is compelling, but a little light in places. Where it falters, the case of his client steps in to keep the story moving. It was an Edgar Award nominee, and it was well-deserved.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
His family (daughter and ex-wife) are a bit too much in the background (i.e., Oliver keeps the women-folk safe, so to speak), his relationship with an ex-prostitute beyond confused, and the relationship with his mentor obvious long before a revelation.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Great character, great story, a few weak spots
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A detective was framed for rape, temporarily jailed, kicked off the police force and is working as a private investigator looking at a potential case of corrupt cops who…
PolyWogg's rating:
2 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 27, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Great dragons, bad story
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Two stories converge, one of faux Kendra and one of a Dragon sanctuary
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story of Kendra and a duplicate is interesting, but a bit slow for most of it. But once the Dragon sanctuary is involved, it takes off again.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Seth is being stupid again and it is really starting to take away from the story. If it was just him in the story, I would have stopped reading long ago. Plus the faux Kendra story is pretty one-sided for most of it. Finally, the teams are separated in the sanctuary, and everyone relativley carries on as if it is "business as usual", despite thinking the others have died. Really?
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Great dragons, bad story
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Two stories converge, one of faux Kendra and one of a Dragon sanctuary
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story of Kendra and a duplicate is interesting, but a bit slow for most of it. But once the Dragon…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 26, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Lots of things happening, almost too much
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Darkness has come to Fablehaven, with many creatures being turned from light to dark.
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WHAT I LIKED:
There are almost three stories working at once, which adds to the complexity - Seth running around being annoying and self-centred in the Preserve; Kendra going to another Preserve on a quest; and a giant battle at the end that seems almost Lord-of-the-Rings-like.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The three stories are not well-integrated, and could rally stand alone. Seth is still being annoyingly self-centred to drive plot devices along, and I don't know if the author wants us seeing him as brave or just stupid. Things tend to work out, but they would have been better if he did nothing. There are also a LOT of characters to keep track of in each segment.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Lots of things happening, almost too much
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Darkness has come to Fablehaven, with many creatures being turned from light to dark.
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WHAT I LIKED:
There are almost three stories working at once, which adds to the…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 26, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Not as good as the first book
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Kendra and Seth start to receive their training in protecting the Preserve from three experts.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The three experts and their specializations are pretty cool, all with slightly different skills and personalities. And the finale seems like a solid "Indiana Jones" challenge.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The book is a lot slower than the first, and while Seth isn't quite as annoying, the ending reads almost like a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (series of chambers, different puzzles) and the main protagonist, Kendra, is relatively an observer for most of it while others do the heavy lifting.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Not as good as the first book
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Kendra and Seth start to receive their training in protecting the Preserve from three experts.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The three experts and their specializations are pretty cool, all with…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 25, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
A nice preserve to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Kendra and her brother Seth protect a magical preserve against dark forces.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Like most stories of youth being exposed to magic for the first time, there is a healthy skepticism like they're being punked. What differed in this one is that the initial intro is one mostly of light and wonder, not darkness and fear. Kendra and Seth want to explore and see all the wonderful things, without first encountering people trying to kill them. The darkness is revealed more slowly. And so you share that burgeoning love and mystery. I also like the funnier moments, a bit like the humour in some of the Percy Jackson series more so than the Harry Potter constant impending doom.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Seth is annoying. Most of the early plot developments are because he doesn't listen to his grandfather, constantly screws something up, and even after suffering consequences, does similar things again. Separate from being annoying, it seems incredibly repetitive too.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
A nice preserve to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Kendra and her brother Seth protect a magical preserve against dark forces.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Like most stories of youth being exposed to magic for the first…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 18, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Interesting premise, average mystery, soft ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A fictionalized "true" story of the author observing a brilliant detective attempting to solve the murder of a woman who went in to plan her funeral and was murdered the same day
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WHAT I LIKED:
The premise of the story of the woman planning her funeral and then being murdered was a great Agatha Christie-style plot, more so than Sherlock Holmes. Yet the writing arrangement of Horowitz as Watson and Hawthrone as Holmes works reasonably well, even if Hawthorne is more prickly and flawed. Lots of different characters to meet. While I figured out several red herrings and had most of the clues assembled at the end, I didn't quite interpret them the way the final answer is given.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There are three things in the story that bothered me. First and foremost, Horowitz has inserted himself as the narrator as if the premise is real. It's a bit gimmicky, but if you ignore that, and treat it as if it was a fictionalized person, the premise works okay but not great. Yet as a result, he pulls in various people he knows in real life, and of course they are treated with kid gloves. All positive words, meeting people like Spielberg for instance, no chance he might be sued. Second, Horowitz or his fictionalized version is downright whiny. He complains about everything. He reads like a self-righteous child in many places. Third, there is a premise introduced very early on, and not only does it not play out the way it was described, the real explanation is done only through assumption and speculation. It didn't feel like the book played fair with that clue, or the character. Equally, the ending has a lot of exposition that implies "this is the only explanation" but there were several other equally plausible solutions.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Interesting premise, average mystery, soft ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A fictionalized "true" story of the author observing a brilliant detective attempting to solve the murder of a woman who went in to plan her funeral and was…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 11, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Okay, but expect most middle-graders would find it slow
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A blackout hits New Jersey and two kids try to figure out how it happened and how to fix it.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The level is middle-grade and moves along at an okay pace. The cause of the blackout comes down to computers, and the solution is relatively straightforward without seeming too simplistic. Good interesting characters, for the most part.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There's a plot hole in the solution -- without revealing spoilers, the solution might fix homes and businesses but it wouldn't have fixed the street lights, for instance -- but it's a small quibble. The real challenge is the level of exposition that is frequently dumped heavily into the story. Since they're kids, they don't know the "details" so everything they find out, they ask someone to explain it to them. At length. It really slows down the pace. The book tries to ramp it up a bit with a bit of suspense and violence, but they seem more amateurish than threatening.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Okay, but expect most middle-graders would find it slow
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A blackout hits New Jersey and two kids try to figure out how it happened and how to fix it.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The level is middle-grade and moves along at…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Jan 11, 2020
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
An okay book, will likely read the next two in the trilogy
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A young girl who lives with her aunt and uncle is sent under mysterious circumstances to a resort hotel for Christmas break.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story has a bit of a Harry Potter-esque feel to it at the start -- things happening that seem magical, parents dead, not very nice relatives, and leaving on an adventure. The resort hotel is called Winterhouse and is an amazing place to hang out for a vacation. There's another kid like her who enjoys puzzles, and she meets a few interesting characters who either live at the hotel or are other guests. The magical elements are "just right" (not too much, not too little).
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I chose it as an Edgar Award nominee, and it was a bit disappointing that there are two plot inconsistencies, almost like no one did a continuity edit on the book for point of view. At one point, Elizabeth doesn't know anything about what's going on or why her aunt and uncle have "sent" her to Winterhouse, and then she reveals that she overheard her aunt and uncle talking about it the previous week and she knows everything there was to know (someone else paid them to send her). In another spot, two characters are revealed as the schemers, but another character knew all about her arrival and some of her backstory, yet didn't know the biggest piece which is the only reason he would know anything about her. Finally, if you have ever read a male-centric story and felt like the woman had nothing to do but be a damsel in distress, you'll feel the same way seeing the other kid be completely irrelevant to the story. He adds a bit of Fifth Busines background info, as do some puzzle guys, but pretty lame. I am not sure the constant word puzzles add anything to the story, they didn't for me, but easily tolerated.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
An okay book, will likely read the next two in the trilogy
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A young girl who lives with her aunt and uncle is sent under mysterious circumstances to a resort hotel for Christmas break.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story…
PolyWogg's rating:
5 out of 5 stars
Added Dec 05, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Best mystery I have read all year
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
An orphan in the mid-1800s is diverted from the gallows to a school for girls, gets her high school education, and graduates to become an operative for a special investigating Agency of women run by the heads of the school.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story has a very strong "Anne Perry" historical fiction feel to it, but without the constant discussion of Jane Austen-style society. The mystery is solid, the characters are rich, and the investigator -- Mary Quinn -- is inexperienced, which shows in some of her actions. I didn't guess the outcome, although I suspected some of it, and the hint of romance improves the flavour as it goes. She is more active than the Anne Perry-style heroines, and it shows as she breaks into various places.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Her age is a bit distracting as she is 17 passing for 20, which no one really believes.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him / her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Best mystery I have read all year
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
An orphan in the mid-1800s is diverted from the gallows to a school for girls, gets her high school education, and graduates to become an operative for a special investigating…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 17, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Well-written but superficial mystery plot
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman witnesses an armed robbery at a truck stop, and as the FBI closes in on the robbers, they worry that the woman saw too much.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story is told from the perspective of four groups -- the woman who saw the robbers, Lisa; a journalist digging for the story, Jack; the robbers themselves; and the FBI agent hunting them, Frank. The story jumps from person to person, which is great for seeing the different aspects of the investigation vs. home life. Short chapters, kind of Patterson-style, keep the action moving.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The short chapters seem a bit too jumpy in places, and the constant PoV shift isn't even. The journalist is good, but the backstories for the witness and the FBI agent are overkill. Past losses, current illnesses, everything reads a bit more soap opera-ish than mystery novel. And the final motive for the robbery is ridiculous.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation in exchange for this review, but I did receive it in a gift bag at a writing event. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Well-written but superficial mystery plot
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman witnesses an armed robbery at a truck stop, and as the FBI closes in on the robbers, they worry that the woman saw too much.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story is told…
The Book of LifeThe Book of Life, eBook
by Harkness, Deborah E.eBook - 2014
All copies in use
Holds: 5 on 2 copies
Holds: 5 on 2 copies
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 16, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
An action-packed but not completely satisfying ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
After falling in love (book 1), and hiding in the past (book 2), Diana and Matthew return to the present to start a family and figure out what is in the Book of Life.
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WHAT I LIKED:
This third book recaptures some of the mystery from the first book and tackles head-on the issue of the lineage of demons, vampires and witches. Gone are the long, loving descriptions of places, and instead, there are multiple action scenes, broad moving parts across multiple continents, confrontations with the Congregation, and a reckoning for some wayward players. More importantly, you get to see Matthew and Diana weave all of it into a family. It even rectifies one of the glaring gaps from book 2 regarding a young boy named Jack.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The true villain of the trilogy is revealed as is a hidden hero. But while the villain is vanquished, the hidden hero who is around for most of book 2 and is revealed in book 3 ends up disappearing near the end. It left a feeling of incompleteness, as did two other villains who are not really dealt with at all, except politically.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
An action-packed but not completely satisfying ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
After falling in love (book 1), and hiding in the past (book 2), Diana and Matthew return to the present to start a family and figure out what is in the Book…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 14, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
A slow middle book with no ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A witch and a vampire hide out in 1590 Europe while she learns to control her powers.
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WHAT I LIKED:
After timewalking from present day, Diana has to learn to live in Elizabethan England, adapt to the customs of the day, and attempt to blend in. Lots of historical figures pop in and out, friends of Matthew in the "School of Night", and she feasts on the living history. But it is only when she is at Sept-Tours that the book really brings the same sense of place that the first book did. She learns about the nature of her witch powers from a coven, and her family grows in size, including a nephew named Gallowglass.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The sense of place that was so common in each of the locales in the first book is not as vivid, except in Sept-Tours with Philippe (Matthew's father). In addition, the book drags on and on in places with hardly anything happening relative to the mystery of magic, rather than just politics of the day, yet there are two fairly important events regarding children that are practically ignored as commonplace (with seemingly no emotional impact at all). There are also major happenings that happen elsewhere in time, and you only hear about them as throwaway news, including the death of a significant character.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
A slow middle book with no ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A witch and a vampire hide out in 1590 Europe while she learns to control her powers.
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WHAT I LIKED:
After timewalking from present day, Diana has to learn to live in…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 13, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
A fantastic start to a fantasy series
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A witch who has ignored her powers feels them re-awaken in Oxford as she does research on alchemy and encounters a vampire interested in the same book.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story is far removed from the world of young magicians or young love. Instead, we see a budding partnership, collaboration and even romance blossom between Dr. Diana Bishop, hidden witch, and Matthew de Clermont, vampire. But it is the richness of every place and event that overwhelms the senses...Oxford comes alive, his castle in France is a presence all on its own, the changing relationship between Diana the witch and Ysabeau the mother-in-law vampire, and even the life in America with Diana's aunts. Each segment is visual, sensual, tangible to the reader. Yet at the same time, it combines all the magical elements with DNA tests and the use of science.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The sheer magnitude of the story is hard to keep straight with all the characters and the various histories that intertwine. There is also not enough info about demons, while an abundance for vampires and witches. And the ending is basically "to be continued".
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
A fantastic start to a fantasy series
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A witch who has ignored her powers feels them re-awaken in Oxford as she does research on alchemy and encounters a vampire interested in the same book.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 11, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Still classic Reacher, albeit more violent than usual
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Reacher wanders into a town and accidentally flames the fires of a turf war between the Albanian and Ukainian mobs.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The progression from what Reacher sees at the start to the war with the 2 mobs is awesome, and the almost slapstick element the way the mob interprets what's happening reminded me of the Remo Williams series. Good escalation throughout.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The secondary characters were a bit, well, odd. Too ready to jump in and kill bad guys, and the waitress can suddenly figure out battle plans. Plus, Reacher is too violent even for him, regardless of the repeated justification of the shoe being on the other foot.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Still classic Reacher, albeit more violent than usual
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Reacher wanders into a town and accidentally flames the fires of a turf war between the Albanian and Ukainian mobs.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The progression from…
PolyWogg's rating:
1 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 10, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Revenge fantasy disguised as light romance
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman dumped by a guy tries to create the perfect life that will bring them back together, whether he wants it or not.
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WHAT I LIKED:
There is a revelation about 60% of the way through that explains some of her behaviour, a pseudo-rationale to her logic, but even it is really far-fetched. The initial incidents are just plausible enough to be believable, and the light touch that makes it feel almost like a Bridget Jones' Diary type storyline makes the story seem all the more creepy.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
She got dumped, and she creates these elaborate plans that all seem to go off without a "WTF?" moment, as they take place entirely from her perspective. But the light touch the author uses to make it seem like a chic-lit romance is so inappropriate. If the protagonist was a man, everyone would see this book for what it is -- some sort of stalker / revenge porn hybrid. But even within the storyline, there are two violent episodes (one with him in a bathroom, one with his new gf) that are completely ridiculous.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Revenge fantasy disguised as light romance
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A woman dumped by a guy tries to create the perfect life that will bring them back together, whether he wants it or not.
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WHAT I LIKED:
There is a revelation about…
PolyWogg's rating:
2 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 09, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Over the top plotting in places, ridiculous relationships, and absurd ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A surgeon wakes up in the hospital, an apparent victim of a home invasion that left him shot in the head, his wife dead, and his infant daughter missing.
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WHAT I LIKED:
There were a fair number of possible red herrings running around in the story, and everybody gets suspected of something. His lawyer friend, his dead wife, his sister, an ex-girlfriend, a scummy adoption lawyer, even the police investigating the crime…all of them are a little bit off.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
There are a couple of scenes that are completely over the top, and the ending is ridiculous. All of the work to find his daughter, with lives at risk all the way along and him accused of murder, and someone he knows knew the truth all along. But he's semi-forgiving. Ridiculous.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Over the top plotting in places, ridiculous relationships, and absurd ending
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A surgeon wakes up in the hospital, an apparent victim of a home invasion that left him shot in the head, his wife dead, and his infant…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Nov 03, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Nice backstory, weak mystery
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Jack Reacher is still in the military and gets transferred out of Panama just before New Year's Eve, 1989. The Berlin Wall is falling, Panama is heating up with Noriega, and Reacher is watching grass grow at his new post, until a General drops dead at a seedy motel.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The story gives more of Reacher's back story, and it is interesting to see the "man alone" working within a command structure with others. And it is an interesting premise -- what do you do in the military when the future looks like you're about to become obsolete? The supporting characters were good, and it was nice to see Reacher with his brother and mother. At the end, there is a twist about an error Reacher makes early on that comes back to bite him, and it is a great element to keep. The aftermath is kind of abrupt, with who went where and what happened next, but hard to avoid in a "flashback" style story.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The premise for the story is a little far-fetched, but when they get to the final reveal, the real specific motive is ridiculous as the people involved would never have done what they did, at least not on paper, and not openly. Reacher stumbles around in the dark long past where certain lines of enquiry should have been obvious, and particulalry for the identify of a specific witness. And the killer.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him / her on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Nice backstory, weak mystery
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Jack Reacher is still in the military and gets transferred out of Panama just before New Year's Eve, 1989. The Berlin Wall is falling, Panama is heating up with Noriega, and Reacher is…
PolyWogg's rating:
4 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 11, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Bestiality is a strange theme for an award-winner
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A historical librarian gets a chance to catalog the books at a remote island home for a summer in Northern Ontario, and encounters locals, free time to figure out her life, and a pet bear.
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WHAT I LIKED:
This book was given to me back in my teens, a gift of quality literature as it had just won the Governor General's Award for fiction. I knew nothing about it as I started to read it. And I was relatively shocked to see "high literature" include bestiality and graphic descriptions of oral sex performed by the bear on the main character. The historical parts were awesome, as was the descriptions of the island and the passage of the summer.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
I found the romanticization of the relationship with the bear a bit odd, as was the depersonalization of her other sexual partners during the summer. I also felt there were gaps in the ending -- we saw what she intended to do, not what she would do once she was back in Toronto.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I was not personal friends with the author.BOTTOM-LINE:
Bestiality is a strange theme for an award-winner
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A historical librarian gets a chance to catalog the books at a remote island home for a summer in Northern Ontario, and encounters locals, free time to figure out…
PolyWogg's rating:
3 out of 5 stars
Added Jul 10, 2019
Comment:
BOTTOM-LINE:
Love Perry but this is not his best work
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Elle is an old-fashioned cat burglar with updated methods to tell her when houses with valuables are likely to be sitting empty. And she happily liberates them, feeling no remorse because the people are rich and she mainly takes things that are insured. Cash, jewels, guns. Which is all fun and games until she walks into the master bedroom at an empty house and finds three dead people sharing a bed after sharing each other.
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WHAT I LIKED:
The initial premise is strong, and watching her case, enter and rob houses is exciting. The initial twist is that the murders were accidentally recorded on a nearby camera, and Elle has to steal it to wipe the memory of her entrance. Her sense of ethics requires her to edit the footage to remove herself and then return the camera before the police find the bodies. But somehow the killers are looking for her, they know she was there and maybe saw too much.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
Elle is supposed to be young, hip, and in the criminal underworld…and then spends more than half the book thinking the rough crowd in suits following her are probably cops, even after it is clear there is only one group looking for her, not two, and somebody killed her friend and the friend's boyfriend. Everything about them screams mercenaries / ex-military even down to their office location, but nope, she keeps thinking they might be cops. Right up until she sees them shoot two people. A little slow on the uptake. In the middle of the "case", a hit man comes after her, but rather than kill her as he is supposed to do, he plays with her for days trying to get her alone. Which he could have done by force ANY day and moved on. Whatever. She then turns into super sleuth to ferret out who they are, document all the evidence she'll need to turn over to the police (i.e., days of surveillance and note-taking). At the end, the entire motive for everything is revealed in page after page of exposition, just dumped on the page by the bad guy which she conveniently records. And then it ends with only the barest of explanations of what happens to people, and her looking for work after getting out of the burglary game. Like maybe being a private investigator in a sequel, perhaps? While dating a new boyfriend she didn't even really like.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow him on social media.BOTTOM-LINE:
Love Perry but this is not his best work
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Elle is an old-fashioned cat burglar with updated methods to tell her when houses with valuables are likely to be sitting empty. And she happily liberates them, feeling no…
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