Carolyn Cannot Live Without Books!

Hi, I'm Carolyn F and I've been an avid reader since elementary school when dinosaurs roamed the Earth (also known as the 1970's). My favorite genres change every five to ten years so who knows what it is now.

ALL SYSTEMS RED by MARTHA WELLS

All Systems Red - Martha Wells

What a great book! The cover makes the look all gloomy and dark but it's actually a really funny, sweet, engaging book. I am definitely going to read the series. I definitely would recommend this book

BORNE by JEFF VANDERMEER

Borne: A Novel - Jeff VanderMeer

Audiobook

Mutant giant bears - for some reason I didn't get that scared of them. The author must though. One of the book covers looks more like an ape than a bear.

Although this book is centered on a small portion of the human population trying to survive, the beginning was kind of sweet. Bahni Turpin did a great job with the narration. And it's opinion that I don't think anyone could have done a better job actually because the voices she gave, especially Borne, were so good. I was surprised at how things changed SPOILER!! [with Borne], which I thought was really sad because I just loved that character. The ending kind of scared me. What if it changed again? I loved the book. I would recommend it.

OFF THE GRID by FAITH HUNTER

Off the Grid: A Jane Yellowrock Story - Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam

I read this in the anthology Black Water

The short stories are pretty sad/sick with the victims having a horrible story. This fit right in. I loved that the bad guys didn't get away.

AMONG MONSTERS by JAMIE McGUIRE

Among Monsters - Jamie McGuire

Really good book. I wish it were longer. I'm hoping the author is going to be writing more of this series.

FEED by MIRA GRANT

Feed - Mira Grant

Re-read by audiobook

 

I previously read the paperback book in January of 2012. This time I listened to the audiobook.

This book felt completely different than when I read the paperback. I ended up really enjoying it which is great considering I gave it 2 stars. I liked it so much the second time around I already ordered the next book from the library - so there! 

Previous review: This book kind of dragged for me and I found I had a hard time finishing it. Georgia "George" Mason and her brother Shaun are professional bloggers which has turned into a legitimate job after a virus has made every person and large animal who dies into a zombie. When the normal news media told everyone it was a hoax, the bloggers gave real information and warnings. George writes news stories and Shaun does shock type blogs filming himself teasing and killing the zombies and their friend Buffy is the technician and also a poet with her own blog. Their group is chosen to be part of the press for a presidential campaign which has given them legitimacy. The only problem is someone is sabotaging the campaign and people are dying and thus becoming zombies. There's a betrayal in this that I still don't understand the reason behind. It didn't make sense to me. So instead of being shocked I was thinking "What?" Also a very sad event takes place and being a natural crier, I was surprised I wasn't really moved. The book drags in places, but when I noted the amount of pages it really didn't drag long however I just couldn't get into to it. The concept was good, but it didn't really deliver for me. I'm in the minority though so my review should be taken with a grain of salt. 

DARK MATTER by BLAKE CROUCH

Dark Matter: A Novel - Blake Crouch

Audiobook

I liked this book a lot up until there were over 100 SPOILER!! [Jason's], then it got a lot ridiculous. So 4 stars for 80% of the book.

THE HOLLOW OF FEAR by SHERRY THOMAS

The Hollow of Fear - Sherry Thomas

Audiobook

Great audiobook. I loved that the secret sister wasn't left hanging. I wish the main protagonists would commit to each other in a way that works for them. Really great series.

ROSE PETAL GRAVES by OLIVIA WILDENSTEIN

Rose Petal Graves - Olivia Wildenstein

3-1/2 stars and that's mostly for the ending. I wouldn't say it was a cliffhanger ending but there were a ton of situations that weren't resolved. And the romance, to me, came out of nowhere. I thought there were another couple who cared for each other. Maybe it will make more sense in book #2.

APOCALYPSE SCENARIO #683 THE BOX

Apocalypse Scenario #683: The Box - Mira Grant

Audiobook

So this is how it started? Was the second wave because of something these people did? Or was it truly a mutation. I DON'T KNOW!!

DEADLINE by MIRA GRANT

Deadline - Mira Grant

Audiobook

Not to toot my own horn, but TOOT! I figured out the ending as soon as Kelly said what she did to escape. Also, the SPOILER!! [ George] haunting is just strange. 

And last but not least my prognostication radar has went off and I'll share what I think the next book will show, which I've thought since book one SPOILER!!! [Rick has a bad buy from the beginning and he's part of this new outbreak]. I may be wrong though.

IRON AND MAGIC by ILONA ANDREWS

Iron and Magic -  Ilona Andrews

I never thought I'd say out loud (well in my head actually) that I like Hugh. He was such a dick in the Kate Daniels' series that I didn't think it would happen. 

I loved that two people who are so "different" can find someone that will take them as-is. Can't wait to read more about this couple (well I did already because I read the last Kate Daniels' book and they were in it but you know what I mean).

THE GUNSLINGER by STEPHEN KING

The Gunslinger - Stephen King

Audiobook

It's hard to categorize this book because I'm not sure if the place is real. Is it a type of purgatory or some dystopian alternative world? This feels like a super gritty, non-religious Pilgrim's Progress to me. I'm wondering if I'm the only one who thought that. I'm not sure if I'll listen/read to the rest of the series. Maybe if I had been high I would have understood it.

DRIVEN by MEGAN HART

Driven - Megan Hart

Lots of adventure in such a small book. I'm a little over the long drawn out sex scenes and without them the book was a little flat. Not horrible, just flat.

THE WALL OF WINNIPEG AND ME by MARIANA ZAPATA

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me - Mariana Zapata

Audiobook

At first I thought the male protagonist might have some form of autism, but nope he's just an asshole. The romance part, after all he did and didn't do, didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. An okay book.

EMBRACE THE GRIM REAPER by JUDY CLEMENS

Embrace the Grim Reaper - Judy Clemens

Audiobook

I'm not sure why the main character is running because what can they actually do to her. Is it because she doesn't want to talk to them? 

I did like that she might be the hands and feet for the (view spoiler)which makes future books more interesting. I just wish she wasn't so afraid of the big confrontation that is inevitably going to happen. 

3-1/2 stars

SWEEP OF THE BLADE by ILONA ANDREWS

Sweep of the Blade -  Ilona Andrews

With the readers getting a chapter a week on the authors' website, it was something wonderful to look forward to and I'm so sad it ended. Loved, loved, loved it!