December 14, 2013

The Renegades of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

rpern22(Pern (Chronological Order) #22)
Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 11/1989
Publisher: Del Rey
Type: Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction ~ Library Book
Pages: 384
Read: 12/10/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

I thought I had read all the Pern books, but I don’t remember this one. This is the same time period of “The Dragonriders of Pern” but told from the perspective of those outside of the Weyrs, the Lord Holders, those under the Lord Holders protection and those who fell between the cracks, the holdless and those who preferred to be on their own, such as the traders.

While the narrative goes in a straight line chronologically, the story jumps around from one place to another, from one persons view to another and there are big jumps in time. Despite the fact that I had already read “The Dragonriders of Pern” there were many new characters in this book mixing in with the old. We get further insight to characters we already know, looking at things from their viewpoint.

If you haven’t read the other Pern books, you might find this book confusing, however, you would only need to read the first 3 books to be able to follow along with the story line and not get confused.

One thing I didn’t like in this book was how one dimensional the villain was, she wasn’t really given any kind of personality, except for being a deranged spoiled brat of a Lord Holder.

Posted by on December 14, 2013 in 2013, Fantasy, Novel and tagged , , , , , , .

1 Comment

December 12, 2013

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

StardustFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 10/1998
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 248
Read: 10/5/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥

This book introduces us to the village of Wall, which unsurprisingly has a wall. On one side is the village, on the other side is a meadow, where the fairy market comes every x(can’t remember how many) years. On the day the market is there the villagers can go into the meadow. The rest of the time there are guards at the door to prevent villagers from going into the meadow where unknown dangers abound.

During one of these markets a child is conceived and put in a basket through the door and raised in the village. When he grows up he falls in love and leaves the village for the meadow beyond to find a fallen star for his lady love. The star is actually a woman, he captures her and intends to return to the village with her, but its not easy. He encounters obstacles and discovers that there are others who want the star, and not for benign reasons. There are all the creatures that we have come to expect from Neil Gaiman and a surprise, but not so surprise ending that does not disappoint.

Posted by on December 12, 2013 in 2013, Fantasy, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction and tagged , , , , .

Comments Off on Stardust by Neil Gaiman

December 11, 2013

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

neverwhereFormat: eBook
Pub. Date: 09/1996
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 370
Read: 9/20/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥

Neil Gaiman has created a world under London, it is hard to get to, unless you have a guide, and it is dangerous. It is filled with monsters, saints, murderers, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet (note: don’t go with the girls in velvet). There is also an angel. I could tell you what the angel is doing there, but that would be a spoiler.

Richard Mayhew is on his way to dinner with his fiance when he stops to help a girl who is injured. He doesn’t know she is from London Below, he doesn’t even know what London Below is, but when his life in London above is erased he has to go below. In his adventures in London below he learns many things. He finds out the real reason to ‘watch the gap’ between the train and the platform and why to not go with the girls in velvet (almost too late he learns this). He gets involved with saving the underworld, with a little help from some unlikely sources.

The people in this London below are human in that they have human qualities of loyalty, greed, cowardice and heroism. At the same time they are not quite human. Some have unique abilities and come through or disappoint in unique ways. Plenty of twists and scary moments to keep one guessing and reading.

A delightful romp through the scary place that is Neil Gaiman’s brain.

Posted by on December 11, 2013 in 2013, Fantasy, Fiction and tagged , , , , , .

2 Comments

December 8, 2013

True Hollywood Noir by Dina Di Mambro

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

TrueHollywoodNoirFilmland Mysteries and Murders
Format: Trade Paperback
Pub. Date: 2013
Publisher: Classichollywoodbios.com Publications
Type: Non-Fiction, True Crime ~ ARC
Pages: 229
Read: 12/4/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

This book contains just 12 chapters, the accounts of 12 Hollywood people who were involved in criminal activity, their names may or may not be familiar to you. William Desmond Taylor, Thomas Ince, Jean Harlow, Thelma Todd, Joan Bennett, Lana Turner, George Reeves, Gig Young, Bob Crane, Natalie Wood, Robert Blake, and Mickey Cohen. Some of these people I knew their work, some I knew their name, some were completely unknown to me. A few (Bob Crane, Natalie Wood, Robert Blake) I knew the crime associated with them but not the details.

In this book we get the details. The accounts are not heavily detailed, but in some cases it is because there are not a lot of details known. The chapters follow a pattern of the crime is stated, then the history of the people involved is told, then there are examinations of the ‘suspects’. Ms. Di Mambro doesn’t give her opinion, she states the facts or lists quotes from people who were there or knew the people involved.

A very interesting book with a lot of pictures. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Cadence Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Posted by on December 8, 2013 in 2013, Non-Fiction, True Crime and tagged , , , , , , , , , , .

Comments Off on True Hollywood Noir by Dina Di Mambro

December 7, 2013

Acorna by Anne McCaffrey

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

acornaAcorna: The Unicorn Girl (Acorna #1)

Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 1997
Publisher: Turtleback Books
Type: Fiction, Fantasy ~ Library Book
Pages: 400
Read: 11/23/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

Recently I watched a review for “The Last Unicorn”, it was based on a book, however when I went looking for the book I couldn’t find it. I found this book however. Having read all of the “Dragonriders of Pern” series by Anne McCaffrey I decided to give this series a try.

This was an enjoyable book. It seemed to lack somewhat in characterization and plot. My memories of Dragonriders are a little fuzzy as it was several years ago I read them, but it seems they were much better written. These books boil down to good vs evil. The good being Acorna and her friends, the evil practically everyone else. I say practically everyone because not everyone is evil, but it seems that everyone who is not a friend of Acorna, if they are not evil, they end up becoming her friends.

The story starts with 3 space miners finding a floating escape pod and inside it is a little girl, human-like, but not human. Before they can back to their planet they take care of her, they become her ‘uncles’ and as such decide to keep her and raise her as their own. They discover she has some special abilities. Upon returning to their planet they find things have changed, this leads to the first encounter with ‘evil’ and they end up on the run and on a planet Kezdet, which uses child slave labor.

What follows is Acorna trying to free the children and acting impulsively, which disrupts the carefully laid plans already in place to save the children.

This could almost be considered a young adult book, but there is some violence and adult situations in it.

Posted by on December 7, 2013 in 2013, Fantasy, Fiction, Novel and tagged , , , , , , .

Comments Off on Acorna by Anne McCaffrey

December 2, 2013

Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

Kushiel3(Phèdre’s Trilogy #3) (Kushiel’s Legacy #3)

Format: eBook
Pub. Date: April 2003
Publisher: Tor
Type: Fiction, Historical Fantasy
Pages: 702
Read: 11/20/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

This is the last book in Phèdre’s Trilogy, since I had started to read the next book in the Kushiel’s Legacy Series I knew how this book would end, I was mainly interested in seeing how we got there.

After getting a little tired of Phèdre nó Delaunay talking of her beauty and how Terre d’Ange was a place of beauty and everyone there prized beauty above all other, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to read this book. While reading it I was surprised to discover that this book is better than book #2. Phèdre seems to be more focused on her goal, the reason she has to endure what she is subjected to.

We get back to the rescuing of Hyacinthe, and Melisande Shahrizai surprisingly (or not) plays a part in it. She has information that will help Phèdre which she will give her, at a price. The rest of the story unfolds from there.

Like I said I enjoyed this episode better than the last one, there is more focus on what is going on than on Phèdre. It is an end, but also a beginning as the next book starts Imriel’s Trilogy.

The one thing I didn’t like was the cover, I thought Phèdre looked ugly in it, so I chose the cover from a foreign language edition.

Posted by on December 2, 2013 in 2013, Fantasy, Fiction, Novel and tagged , , , , , .

Comments Off on Kushiel’s Avatar by Jacqueline Carey

November 30, 2013

Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell, Steven T. Murray (Translator)

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

FacelessKillersFormat: eBook
Published: January 14,2003 by Vintage (first published 1991)
Type: Fiction, Foreign ~ Library Book
Pages: 280
Read: 10/2/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

This was an enjoyable read. First the murder, an elderly farmer is bludgeoned to death and his wife left to die with a noose around her neck. The last word she utters before dying is “foreign”. Since Sweden is currently having problems with anti-immigrant sentiments, this could be a problem for the police. Also the crime appears to be motiveless, why would anyone want to kill a farmer and his wife?

I liked everything about this book, the way the author describes the victim’s neighbors realizing something is wrong and finding the crime. The way events are related very matter of fact appealed to me. Apparently Swedes are not squeamish about bodily functions, as I have noticed in other books.

In Ystad police Inspector Kurt Wallander we have a dedicated investigator who is always thinking about the victim, he wants to solve this crime. He is also drinks too much, eats the wrong food (too fast most of the time) and gets angry and irritated at almost everyone. He also appreciates the wisdom and experience of others. He has an ex-wife he is trying to get back with, a daughter he is trying to reconnect with and a father with health problems who resents Wallender not being there and also trying to run his life at the same time. He also starts to develop romantic feelings for the new beautiful prosecutor who happens to be married. We end up with a complex but very human character. All the characters in this story are well done.

Wallander has to deal with all these problems and more while trying to solve this seemingly senseless crime. How he does so is fascinating and made this book work for me. I recommend it.

Posted by on November 30, 2013 in 2013, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Foreign, Mystery, Novel and tagged , , , , , , , , .

Comments Off on Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell, Steven T. Murray (Translator)

November 27, 2013

Searching for Bobby Orr by Stephen Brunt

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

1138328Format: Hardbound
Pub. Date: 9/1/2006
Publisher: Knopf Canada
Type: Non-Fiction ~ Library Book
Pages: 304
Read: 9/24/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥♡

The book that hockey fans have been waiting for: the definitive, unauthorized account of the man many say was the greatest player the game has ever seen.

My best friend knows nothing about hockey. She does know who Bobby Orr is though.

The author comes right out and says it, “Bobby Orr did not give his blessing on this book.” But he is of the opinion that Bobby might have if he hadn’t been writing his own book about his life. The author honored Bobby’s request to not talk to his family. The information in this book is taken from published accounts and people who know Bobby. Some of Bobby’s friends refused to talk, others talked on condition of anonymity, this is all detailed in the book. There is information about Bobby’s life growing up in Parry Sound, how he got into hockey, his style of play etc. There is almost no information about his personal life after he got married. Bobby kept that part of his life private.

One of the reasons I like reading sports bios is there is usually information about the sport. This book does not disappoint in this area. We learn the history of hockey from when there were only 6 teams. Mr. Brunt talks about how hard it was to get new teams. He talks about the difference in the game then and now. We learn about agents and junior league, too many things for me to mention here. But its all there. Told in a compelling narrative that grabs and doesn’t let go.

This book was so compelling I bought my own copy. I recommend this book.

Posted by on November 27, 2013 in 2013, Biography, Non-Fiction and tagged , , , , , .

Comments Off on Searching for Bobby Orr by Stephen Brunt

November 26, 2013

Breach of Trust by Andrew J. Bacevich

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

17286660Format: Trade Paperback
Pub. Date: 9/10/2013
Publisher: Metropolitan Books
Type: Non-Fiction, ARC
Pages: 256
Read: 11/6/2013
Rating: Was O.K.

I probably should not write a review since I didn’t finish the book. I promised to though and since I don’t see myself finishing this book I feel I should write something.

When I promise to write a review I make a concerted effort to finish the book. I gave it a low rating since I was not able to finish it. I can’t say why, I just couldn’t get into the book, it might have been because of his style of writing or perhaps because I kept having to stop and look up words. It started to be less a book and more a vocabulary lesson. I’m not impressed by people throwing obscure words into their writing, it feels as if they are showing they have a better education than I do. Which Mr. Bacevich does.

I was so disinterested in this book by the time I quit I can’t even remember most of what I read, except that he was comparing the World Wars and Korea to the army today and the army today lost.

Posted by on November 26, 2013 in 2013, Non-Fiction and tagged , , , , , , .

Comments Off on Breach of Trust by Andrew J. Bacevich

November 11, 2013

Death Will Help You Leave Him by Elizabeth Zelvin

If you enjoy reading my reviews, please like my page on Facebook: Bella Foxx

Death(Bruce Kohler #2)
Format: eBook
Pub. Date: 10/13/2009
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Type: Fiction
Pages: 288
Read: 9/18/2013
Rating: Liked it ♥

This was free Kindle book (I think, either that or a bargain Kindle book). I mainly got it because it is set in NYC. It was a rather quick read.

It’s the second in a series, which I didn’t realize but there was enough information about the characters that I wasn’t lost. Bruce Kohler is a recovering alcoholic, the book is told from his perspective. His friends are a guy he used to drink with that is now also a recovering alcoholic and Bruce’s sponsor and this friend’s girlfriend who is an Al-Anon sponsor (I didn’t know Al-Anon had sponsors but it makes sense). One of the members in Al-Anon is the suspect in her abusive boyfriends murder.

I would almost call this a cozy murder, if I knew what cozy murder meant, but I think it might be a little hard-edged for that considering the number of women in here who have abusive boyfriends. The investigation Bruce and his friends conduct seems to consist mainly of them going to Brooklyn to get cannoli while asking family members vague questions.

Meanwhile, Bruce’s ex keeps calling him and he goes running, trying to please her while at the same time trying to get her away from her abusive boyfriend/drug dealer.

A quick enjoyable read.

Posted by on November 11, 2013 in 2013, Acquisitions, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Manhattan, Novel and tagged , , , , .

Comments Off on Death Will Help You Leave Him by Elizabeth Zelvin