Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book.

It took me a long time to decide whether or not to read this because of some of the reviews that I'd seen. People seemed to love it or hate it; with some slating it saying it was terrible and others thinking that it was a piece of literary genius. I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. Some reviews had said that it had poor grammar, that made it hard to read; I disagree with this. Overall, it was pretty well written and had a good flow that didn't require any extra concentration to follow while reading. I think that these people were referring to a couple of spots where a phrase may have been lost in translation, but this only occurred once or twice, so it's really not a big deal. On the other hand, I wouldn't go as far as to say that it is a piece of literary genius either.

I find myself feeling a bit conflicted over this book. I have previously seen the film (both the Swedish and English version, I know I broke a big rule,) so already knew what the book is about. I think that if I hadn't seen the films first, I would never have picked up the book and would have stopped reading after the first few chapters; it was the already knowing that kept me reading. However, it also meant that I found myself questioning why certain bits were relevant and felt like parts were being dragged out.

Overall I think that this is a good book. If you have seen the films, you may feel that is drags in places; if you haven't seen the films and you like reading mysteries/crime books you will probably enjoy this. It's well written, and I personally don't feel like the grammar has been effected when it was translated.

(As a side note I think that the films are pretty truthful to the book, so if you want to know the story but it's not your gene of book, watch the films)

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Book Review: You're Never Weird On The Internet by Felicia Day

You're Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really awesome book, that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading. I get the feeling that Felicia Day writes the way she talks, and that is really what made this book so engaging. I just couldn't put it down; I was so caught up in the anecdotes being told everything else just had to wait.

I think that a lot of topics discussed in this book, are things that everyone experiences in life and can easily relate to; even if you're not a gamer* . So I think that even people that are not familiar with her work (FYI you're missing some amazing stuff) or have never heard the name Felicia Day, would enjoy this book and connect in some way. I loved how this felt like you were having a conversation while reading this, and the analogies are hilarious! I think I started annoying people laughing at some of these. There was a very exciting moment when I saw that there were pictures, I don't remember the last time I read a book with pictures, so that took me back to being a kid again.

Fun and jokes aside, there were some real meaningful stories and lessons here too. Lessons that we should all take good notice of. It was a good reminder that sometimes you have to just do things for yourself and not worry about what others think of you. It's good to see someone 'promote', for lack of a better word, that there's nothing wrong with being different and a bit weird, especially when we live in a world where we are told on a near daily basis, what we should be like.

I cannot highly recommend this book enough. Gripping from start to end, entertaining, with a good message behind it all. A must read!

*(Just to clarify: I'm not a gamer. BUT I do have all 7 series if Buffy on DVD and have watched them more times than I can count. The same goes for Eureka, Firefly etc...I even have Fringe, and I'm working my way through Supernatural, so most definitely knew who Felicia was when I got this book.)


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Book Reviews: The Immortal Rules and The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #1 - #2) by Julie Kagawa

This is a really great new take on the Vampire genre that I highly recommend.


The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Really really loved this book. The Immortal Rules has a, in my opinion, a fresh and exciting concept driving it, and therefore creates an amazing original story line. Awesome story about the decisions that one would be willing to make in order to survive and keep on "living"; even if that means becoming something you hate. It even has a bit of that teeny romance stuff thrown in for substance (I realize that sarcasm doesn't read all that well, but hey ho). I hope there is a second installment on the way soon, because this could really go places. I highly recommend you give this a go.

View all my reviews The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Can't wait to get my hands on the next one!!!!

Great storyline, great characters, awesome writing style. Well worth a read.

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Book Review: Teardrop (Teardrop #1) by Lauren kate

Teardrop by Lauren Kate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So a friend got me this book as a gift knowing that I loved the Fallen series enough to read each one multiple times. I read teardrop in just over a day, (much like I did with Fallen) I just couldn't put it down!

Teardrop takes a new look and idea to the story of Atlantis; this I found quite interesting, as there are Greek links all the way through the book, which is funny considering that it's set in Louisiana. This definitely has that potential to become a interesting and gripping series.

On the other hand, I did notice a couple of similarities with Fallen, such as: Brooks - tall, dark slightly longer hair - friend/ bad guy; kind of reminds me of Cam
Ander - mysterious blond boy that she can't take her mind off and most encounters don't go well; anyone thinking Daniel here too???

Not that there is anything wrong with this, it's still a great book and worth the time spent reading it; the actual character personas are different to that of Fallen, I still can't wait for the next one! I just wonder in the next series that Lauren Kate writes is the bad guy gonna have dark hair be close to the main character in some way and then be trying to end the main character by the end of the book; and the good guy gonna be blond, a bit standoff-ish with the main character and by the end of the book they both head over heels in love with each other and will to die for the other one. Even if it does go this way I will probably still read it because I'm weird like that.

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Book Review: Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7) By Ilona Andrews

Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! I loved this.

Magic Breaks finishes the story arc meaning that we finally meet Roland, aNd Kate has to confront her biggest fears and challenges to date. When one of the Masters Of The Dead is found murdered but what appears to be a werewolf Kate is given just 24 hours to deliver the murderer to Hugh d'Ambray if she wants to avoid a war between the Pack and The People.

With Curran dealing with another issue, Kate has to decide what the best options are, and at the same time make sure it's a decision that will make the Pack council happy. I like the fact that even this far into the series, with all the challenges that Kate has had to face, she has stayed true to herself. She still tries to make the choices that will save her friends and they people that she cares about, even if she has other alphas criticising her. I think that a lot of other authors would have made the mistake of changing what kinds of person she, I'm glad that Ilona Andrews hasn't done this.

In this book I think that the fact that Curran would move heavens and he'll for Kate is really make concrete. I love these two as a couple. The dynamics between them are great, and I love the fact that they still disagree with each other and are very much their own people. I like that the relationship side of things never takes over the story.

It's taken me a couple of days to come to terms with how this book ended. It really show what is important to Curran and Kate.

I can't wait for what comes next in this series

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Book Review: Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) By Ilona Andrews

Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much awesome-ness and not enough words in the world to do it justice. To say that I loved it would be the understatement of the century,so let me put it in a simple format.

Action : Check
Humour : Check
Sad moments : Check
Suprises : Check
Twists, turns, and potential game changers : Check checkerdy check.

Change is afoot in Atlanta people; change is afoot.

Don't worry though, Kate 'll fix it! :)

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Book Review: Gunmetal Magic (Kate Daniels 5.5) by Ilona Andrews

Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(By the time I am writing this review, I have actually read the book two or three times)

Andrea has her own book!!! Yes a full length book!

I really liked this book, but then I like everything by Ilona Andrews, especially if it is part of the Kate Daniels series in some way. It was interesting to see this world from a different perspective, especially a shapeshifter one. I think this was a good chance to get to know Andrea's personality a bit better and understand her character more. As well as this, I think it worked well as an opportunity to see the changes in her character; like the effect of excepting that she is beastkin, and no longer works for the Order and the relationship between her and Raphael, that would have been hard to explain and fit in to a book from Kate's perspective, without it feeling like you were missing something or it not being relevant to the story line.

It was also nice to see how someone without Kate's knowledge of myths and legends, handles situations with all the weird and wonderful creatures that the magic waves throw up.

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Book Review: Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) By Ilona Andrews

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What more do you want from a book than a big doomsday device, that can wipe out anything with magic, and some crazy woman with a sword and shapeshifter army trying to stop it all? I don't know what else you need either.

The Red Guard come to see Kate at Cutting Edge to see if she can find a missing inventor and the device that he was building. What they leave out is that the device could pretty much and the world. Kate being Kate, takes the job and she and Andrea set out to solve the mystery. fun to get to see them as friends and to see them working together. It make it more than just these characters that are thrown together. That is something that Ilona Andrews is great at; she is a master at developing characters and the relationships between them. You really get a sense of the different personalities and can really relate to them. I think that's why these books never get boring.

A lot of different groups come into play in this book. Some of the conversations/arguments between the groups are so funny. I think it was a very clever way to explain some of the politics between the different groups but keep things interesting and moving along, and make some of the newer characters likable.

Once again a fantastic book!

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Book Review: Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4) By Ilona Andrews

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just another amazing book from Ilona Andrews in the Kate Daniels series.

In this book we learn a lot about Kate's family, and what this means for all the people that are close to her, and what it could mean for all of Atlanta.

The relationship between Kate and Curran is taken to the next level in this book in pure Kate Daniels style. This means arguments at the most inappropriate of times, and that just adds to the hilarity of their situation. We also see exactly how much that they mean to each other and the lengths that they are willing to go to protect one another in the most dangerous of situations. Kate also discovers that it's not all plain sailing being with the Beast Lord.

As always there are plenty of fight scenes, that are really well written, as per usual and keep the pages turning. There's lots of wit and humour that really make these books as awesome as they are. These are characters that I wish I could be friends with.

Such a good series. Must reads!!

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Book Review: Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3) by Ilona Andrews

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't remember how many times that I have read this book..at least 6 times. I never get bored of reading the Kate Daniels series, or anything that's by Ilona Andrews.

When Derek gets himself into trouble, Kate steps in to help save him and help Jim and his team hide it from Curran.

This if course make for great dialogue between the pair of them. I love the relationship between Kate and Curran, and the way that Ilona Andrews has developed it. This is something that Andrews is amazing at. She really know how to build tension between two characters and develop a relationship between them that doesn't feel forced or rushed. This and the way she has worked in the weird shapeshifter customs, ensures that you will laugh till your sides hurt.

There, of course, is plenty of action and fight scenes in this book to keep the pages turning. I love how after a big fight scene there tends to be something funny and light hearted; like Kate trying to work out how she is going to move a body of a creature that is twice her size.

This a great book. The last page is just genius, I might add.

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Book Review: Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2) By Ilona Andrews

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love everything that Ilona Andrews writes. I haves read this series over and over and never get tired of reading them.

Every Seven years a magic flare occurs. This is a magic ways that lasts a lot longer than a regular wave, so this means big trouble for Kate. The Pack have asked Kate to retrieve some maps that have been stolen. This turns out to be ore difficult than it seems for Kate, especially when she also has to stop an evil Goddess from entering the world.

I love that no matter how serious a situation is the characters still maintain a sense of humour and can be witty. We also see relationships change, even if Kate doesn't realise it at the time. There is plenty of action that carries the story along without it being a constant battle.

You're life will be incomplete if you don't read Ilona Andrews's books, especially this series.

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Book Reviews: Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1)By Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have officially lost count of how many times that I have read this particular series of books.

They are all just as entertaining each time I read them and I can't recommend them highly enough. This is one of those time where I want to be able to dive into the book and just live there with the characters.

The series is set slightly in our future where magic and technology are fighting for dominance. This is a world where anything can happen. Mystical creatures can be conjured during the magic waves and then wreak havoc on the city of Atlanta once they get stuck here during the tech, and it's Kate Daniels job to clean up the chaos and try to keep casualties at a minimum.

The chemistry and dialogue between the characters is so well written, really get a feeling for who they are and can create such clear images in your head, you could be standing next to them in the conversation. While you get the whole relationship development and personal side of things, it never dominates the plot; it has the perfect balance between the two.

You really must read all of Ilona Andrew's books! it would be a crime not to!