Book Review: Soleri

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The ruling family of the Soleri Empire has been in power longer than even the calendars that stretch back 2,826 years. Those records tell a history of conquest and domination by a people descended from gods, older than anything in the known world. No living person has seen them for centuries, yet their grip on their four subjugate kingdoms remains tighter than ever.

On the day of the annual eclipse, the Harkan king, Arko-Hark Wadi, sets off on a hunt and shirks his duty rather than bow to the emperor. Ren, his son and heir, is a prisoner in the capital, while his daughters struggle against their own chains. Merit, the eldest, has found a way to stand against imperial law and marry the man she desires, but needs her sister’s help, and Kepi has her own ideas.

Meanwhile, Sarra Amunet, Mother Priestess of the sun god’s cult, holds the keys to the end of an empire and a past betrayal that could shatter her family.

Pros – Kepi, women came into power, friendship goals

Cons – Sometimes hard to keep track of who relates to who, plans got a bit convoluted and unnecessarily messy at times

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Book Review: Don’t Stay Up Late

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Ever since a car accident killed her father and put Lisa and her mother into the hospital, Lisa can’t think straight. She’s plagued by nightmares and hallucinations that force her to relive the accident over and over again in vivid detail. When Lisa finds out that a neighbor is looking for a babysitter for her young son, she takes the job immediately, eager to keep busy and shake these disturbing images from her head.
But what promised to be an easy gig turns terrifying when Lisa begins to question exactly who — or what — she is babysitting.

Pros – I genuinely enjoyed this book. Possibly the best of the Relaunch titles.

Cons – Terrified me to never babysit again.

Note – This is less a review and more of a quiz…? Read my Status Updates!

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Book Review: Final Girls

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Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers to only as Him. The three girls are all attempting to put their nightmares behind them, and, with that, one another. Despite the media’s attempts, they never meet.

Now, Quincy is doing well—maybe even great, thanks to her Xanax prescription. She has a caring almost-fiancé, Jeff; a popular baking blog; a beautiful apartment; and a therapeutic presence in Coop, the police officer who saved her life all those years ago. Her memory won’t even allow her to recall the events of that night; the past is in the past.

That is, until Lisa, the first Final Girl, is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, and Sam, the second, appears on Quincy’s doorstep. Blowing through Quincy’s life like a whirlwind, Sam seems intent on making Quincy relive the past, with increasingly dire consequences, all of which makes Quincy question why Sam is really seeking her out. And when new details about Lisa’s death come to light, Quincy’s life becomes a race against time as she tries to unravel Sam’s truths from her lies, evade the police and hungry reporters, and, most crucially, remember what really happened at Pine Cottage, before what was started ten years ago is finished.

Pros – the reveal at the end, Quincy, the entire book

Cons – not gonna lie my one and only Con for this book is such a huge spoiler I can’t put it here

Note – I can’t stress enough pay attention to the details in this book. Every. Single. One.

Spoiler – I don’t spoil anything! Not even whether or not people live or die!

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Book Review: Give Me a K-I-L-L

 

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At Shadyside High, cheerleading can be a scream!

For the first time since the original series, R.L. Stine brings back his most beloved characters—the cheerleaders of Shadyside High.

The cheerleading squad at Shadyside has always been strong, but now there are rumors that lack of funds may mean the end of cheerleading at Shadyside. That would be a shame for Heather Wyatt, who has just transferred from her old school, where she was a star, and is eager to join the squad. There’s only one other girl who stands in her way—rich, spoiled Devra Dalby, who is also trying out for the one open slot. The competition to join the squad is anything but friendly—and it ends in murder. Will Heather make the squad—if there’s even a squad anymore—or will she end up dead?

Packed with screams and guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine, this is a terrifying installment in Stine’s bestselling Fear Street series.

Pros – none. Well ok Stine writes as energetically as usual.

Cons – Possibly everything.

Spoiler – You know what, who cares – read my spoilers below.

Note – My level of livid is pretty high here folks.

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Book Review: Party Games

 

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Her friends warn her not to go to Brendan Fear’s birthday party at his family’s estate on mysterious Fear Island. But Rachel Martin has a crush on Brendan and is excited to be invited. Brendan has a lot of party games planned. But one game no one planned intrudes on his party—the game of murder. As the guests start dying one by one, Rachel realizes to her horror that she and the other teenagers are trapped on the tiny island with someone who may want to kill them all. How to escape this deadly game? Rachel doesn’t know whom she can trust. She should have realized that nothing is as it seems… on Fear Island.

Pros – Fear Island! Fear Family! MURDER ON AN ISLAND

Cons –  Well. I’m confused by what really happened here?

Note – As the start of the non-Canonical return to Fear Street, this was an interesting effort. I 100% recommend you read my status updates from when I first read this.

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Book Review: The Blazing Star

the-blazing-starSixteen-year-old Portia White is used to being overlooked—after all, her twin sister Alex is a literal genius.

But when Portia holds an Egyptian scarab beetle during history class, she takes center stage in a way she never expected: she faints. Upon waking, she is stronger, faster, and braver than before. And when she accidentally touches the scarab again?

She wakes up in ancient Egypt—her sister and an unwitting freshman in tow.

Great.

Mysterious and beautiful, Egypt is more than they could have ever imagined from their days in the classroom. History comes alive as the three teens realize that getting back to the present will be the most difficult thing they’ve ever done. Stalked by vicious monsters called Scorpions, every step in the right direction means a step closer to danger.

As Portia and the girls discover that they’re linked to the past by more than just chance, they have to decide what it truly means to be yourself, to love your sister, and to find your way home.

Pros – Egypt! Sikara and Alex’s bickering, not insta-love just add teen lust

Cons – Alex’s general attitude, lack of context at times in regards to people, vague undefined time frame

Note – Isn’t that cover beautiful? You should also check out the book trailer, also gorgeous!

Spoiler – my historical note at the end contains spoilers for the Egyptian/Ancient Personages that appear in the book as well as documented history. Please refer to my GR Review if you’d like to avoid all of that.

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My Life as Books: 2016 Edition

I did these on Poisoned Rationality since 2009, and continued the tradition here in 2015…so what’s new?

Using only books you have read this year (2016), cleverly answer these questions.   Try not to repeat a book title. (links lead to GoodReads)

Describe Yourself:  Broken Fate by Jennifer Derrick

How do you feel: the gods lie. by Kaori Ozaki

Describe where you currently live:  Tower of Thorns by Juliet Marillier

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The City on the Edge of Forever by Harlan Ellison

Your favorite form of transport: Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton

Your best friend is: The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

What’s the weather like: Into the Dim by Janet B. Taylor

Favourite time of day: North Sea Dawn by Susan Amund

What is life to you: The Sleeping Life by Andrea K. Host

Your fear: The Monster Within by Kelly Hashway

What is the best advice you have to give: Give to the Heart by Wann

Thought for the Day: Can You Keep a Secret? by RL Stine

How I would like to die: Daughters of Ruin by KD Castner

My soul’s present condition: Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

lexie


Lexie Words

Top 8 Reads of 2016

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That’s right I said eight readers. Why 8? Because to be honest while I read quite a few really good books this year some stood out more. When making this list those that stood out more only numbered to 8. These are books (or graphic novels) that I have crisp clear memories of. Stuff I keep telling everyone to read.  Tell me did you read any?

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2017 Anticipated Titles: Whatever I Want Edition

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Ben Wyatt is literally my patronus

Friends, readers, laymen…lend me your eyeballs. As we approach 2017 let’s look at some awesome cool books coming out shall we? From the gloriously expected from authors we know will please us to newcomers, 2017 has some whoopers of titles being released.

Leading up to 2017 there shall be 5 posts about books I’m looking forward to in:

  • SFF (Science Fiction & Fantasy) (link)
  • Romance (link)
  • Anthology (link)
  • Whatever I Want
  • Young Adult Contemporary (link)

Some books may cross over in terms of category, but I tried to list them on the list I consider them first to be.

Today’s edition is all about whatever the hell I want. There’s graphic novels here mostly, but also some other interesting titles…

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