Belinda’s Book Nook Book Review: The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack

March 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment

TheMemoryPainter

Title: The Memory Painter
Author: Gwendolyn Womack
Copyright: April 28, 2015
Genre:  fantasy, fiction
Format: book  Pages: 336

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Two lovers who have traveled across time. A team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research. A miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery.

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there’s a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills…like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people’s lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan’s shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan’s most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

My thoughts:

I first heard about this book on the Book Riot’s YouTube channel and the description sounded interesting so I wrote it down on my list. A few weeks ago, I was at the library with the boys and while they were busy I decided to go check out the stacks. I was quiet surprised to see not only did they have it but it was available. Wow! I quickly checked it out and started reading it.

It was very to easy to get into and the fact that the characters were based in Boston made it a delight to read. The pacing of this book was great especially with all of the glimpses back in time. I enjoyed the variety of places this book took you. The book had so many historical stories that were entwined with the story that carried you on an unbelievably fun journey. I enjoyed all of the characters in this book and think they were all well developed. I am being purposefully vague about this story so not to present any spoilers.

I read each night before bed and continued devouring it at “pick-ups” while waiting for the boys to get out of school. I really would lose myself in this story at times and the last third of the book, I had to fight myself to put it down. That’s how engrossing it was. This is Womack’s first book and what a start! It is a stand alone but I definitely think she could make a sequel.

I am giving this book a strong 4 1/2 butterflies and highly recommend it!

Happy reading!

Belinda

4.5rating

 

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Belinda’s Book Nook Book Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

March 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment

anemberintheashes

Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Copyright: April 28, 2015
Genre:  fantasy, fiction
Format: book  Pages: 464

I remember last year when the hype from this book was so over the top. It had a big display at our local Barnes and Noble and some sort of survey thing going on and I kind of got turned off. So although I was curious, I didn’t buy into they hype.  Since then, I have heard only great things about this book and recently it was selected as a book club read. So I started looking for it on Overdrive because forking over $19 wasn’t in my plans.

Much to my surprise, while on a girl’s weekend a few weeks ago, I stopped into a used bookstore and scored a hardcover, new copy of the book for a dollar!! Yes, the book goddess was blessing me for sure. I couldn’t believe it.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

My Thoughts:

Wow. I loved it. I was drawn in from the start. Which has been hard lately so it was a pleasant surprise. Let me start by saying I love ancient feeling movies set in exotic places where the cast have elaborate costumes with Roman Legions like the movie Rome or fantasy films like Thor.  So this book was filled with rich detailed settings that captured my attention to the vary last page. I could see this book easily turned into a film and one of my bookclub friends told me the rights have already been bought so it won’t be long.

I think this debut author did a fantastic job of character development. I liked how strong Laia, the main character was throughout the story.  Of course there was a love triangle but it didn’t overpower the story with sappiness. It was woven in nicely.  I think I’m definitely a team Elias.

I am really happy that I didn’t read this book when it was first released in April of 2015 because I would have a long wait for book #2 (A Torch Against the Night) which is slated to be released in August of 2016 so I don’t have too long to wait.

I enjoyed this book so much I even recommended it to Leao to read after I finished it. Highly recommend it but must warn you there is some violence in the book. You can get it from Amazon in paperback now for less than $7!

I gave this book 5 butterflies!

Happy reading!

Belinda

5rating

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Belinda’s Book Nook Book Review: Walk on Earth a Stranger

November 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment

walktheearthastranger

Title: Walk on Earth a Stranger
Author: Rae Carson
Copyright: September 22, 2015
Genre:  historical fiction, fantasy
Format: book  Pages: 432

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Gold is in my blood, in my breath, even in the flecks in my eyes.

Lee Westfall has a strong, loving family. She has a home she loves and a loyal steed. She has a best friend—who might want to be something more.

She also has a secret.

Lee can sense gold in the world around her. Veins deep in the earth. Small nuggets in a stream. Even gold dust caught underneath a fingernail. She has kept her family safe and able to buy provisions, even through the harshest winters. But what would someone do to control a girl with that kind of power? A person might murder for it.

When everything Lee holds dear is ripped away, she flees west to California—where gold has just been discovered. Perhaps this will be the one place a magical girl can be herself. If she survives the journey.

The acclaimed Rae Carson begins a sweeping new trilogy set in Gold Rush-era America, about a young woman with a powerful and dangerous gift.

My Thoughts:

I just finished this book and wow, what a pleasant surprise. This is my first book written by Rae Carson that I have read. I remember hearing about this book all over booktube and thought the concept of a person that could sense gold in the ground was really cool. So I took a chance and pre-ordered it this summer. When it arrived, there was definitely insta- cover love! Very pretty cover and I dived right in.

The characters:

I really liked the main character Leah. She was both strong but still retained her youthful innocence when it came to her love interest.She of course couldn’t read her friend Jefferson so it allowed for a slow burn romance.

I also like how it touched even if lightly on the treatment of the Native Americans and Slavery in the story. Their encounters with the Native Americans were not stereotypical from the part of the Natives. However the ignorance of the whites was represented a bit with regards to the Native Americans and I think this was important for her to include that rather than ignore the prejudices that were prevalent during this time period (1849). Her inclusion of a free-black man was also a pleasant surprise and I liked that he played a big part in the story too.

The setting:

The book initially takes place in Leah’s hometown and then moves on the road towards the west and I truly enjoyed how the book took you on this journey with her. I know little about the American Gold rush and so historical fictions are my fancy for peaking my interest in different aspects in history. I felt like the author did a great job with the details of the atmosphere.

The story:

I was not disappointed in this book. I think it quickly built a foundation of characters and drew me right in. I felt the pacing was also great. I especially love reading author’s notes at the end of their books. Carson Rae expanded on some of the thought behind her characters and her reasons why to include them. Her decisions reminded me of Sue Monk Kidd’s author notes in that she chose to include a free-black man and they in fact were real people.

The rights of women which were pretty much non-existent set up the stage for Leah’s struggle and eventual decision to dress and pretend to be a boy in order to make her journey. I found it both sad and fascinating to witness her journey as a girl pretending to be a boy and all of the rights the boys received.

Overall, wow, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to book 2.  So I will be giving this book 4.5 butterflies.

4.5ratingHappy reading friends!

Belinda

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Belinda’s Book Nook Review: Never, Never by Brianna Shrum

October 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment

NeverNever

Title: Never, Never
Author: Brianna Shrum
Copyright: September 22, 2015
Genre: fiction, fantasy
Format: book  Pages: 368

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

James Hook is a child who only wants to grow up.

When he meets Peter Pan, a boy who loves to pretend and is intent on never becoming a man, James decides he could try being a child—at least briefly. James joins Peter Pan on a holiday to Neverland, a place of adventure created by children’s dreams, but Neverland is not for the faint of heart. Soon James finds himself longing for home, determined that he is destined to be a man. But Peter refuses to take him back, leaving James trapped in a world just beyond the one he loves. A world where children are to never grow up.

But grow up he does.

And thus begins the epic adventure of a Lost Boy and a Pirate.

This story isn’t about Peter Pan; it’s about the boy whose life he stole. It’s about a man in a world that hates men. It’s about the feared Captain James Hook and his passionate quest to kill the Pan, an impossible feat in a magical land where everyone loves Peter Pan.

Except one.

My Thoughts:

OK, so a few weeks ago I told you about my excitement about two pre-ordered books arriving on my doorstep. I love books but there is something absolutely special about getting a book the day it is released and actually reading it then.  I had heard about Never, Never on another book bloggers’ site and decided I wanted to read it. Growing up, I have seen numerous movie adaptations of Peter Pan, and there is even another currently in theaters called, “Pan”. But none take the story from the perspective of Captain Hook. So the synopsis had me hooked (come on, you know I had to do it at least once).

The book drew me in at the start and then slowed a bit and then picked up again…  I was consumed by the story, and had a deep need to see where the story would go. I really loved the way the author developed Hook’s character. It made me understand why Hook was the way he was. In the typical story, Peter Pan was so easy to love. But in this story, I found myself drawn to Hook and wishing him well. I also think the author did a great job of developing the world of Never Never and filling it with key characters.

Each day, I would go to pick-up, an extra 5 minutes earlier, to squeeze in more reading time.  So when I tell you I am only giving this book 3 butterflies, you might scratch your head and say, “Why?”. Well let me explain: All of the things I previously wrote about this book is true. However, the end of the book was a let down, in that it left me with so many unanswered questions, and it felt rushed compared to the pacing throughout the rest of the book. So for those reasons I am giving this book 3 butterflies.

I will be back soon with some more reviews.

Happy Reading!

Belinda

3rating

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