This was a little on the strange side in that I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next, but at the same time, wasn't reallyThis was a little on the strange side in that I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next, but at the same time, wasn't really interested in what was going on. Does that make sense? I didn't really care for the characters, as Jazz and Rocky weren't all that likable. And their boss really was Creepy, in more ways than one!
Jazz and Rocky are the newest recruits in a strange organization, where they are bound together as partners in more ways than one. They more or less have to learn on the job, as their boss is dead. Not that he stops supervising them....as death doesn't seem to slow this agency down.
They are taught various methods to help in their new job, not that they really know what their job is. And all of the methods are old school, so they sometimes have to improvise.
There are monsters and bad guys and patriotism(!), all leading up to an epic battle. There's always an epic battle, isn't there? Couldn't really work up much excitement, but it may have been because everything was wrapped in the American Flag. Or because things were hard to keep track of. Or I was just bored.
I didn't like the ending as it just....ended. Very dissatisfying. I don't mind a cliffhanger, but this was more like running into a brick wall. Or the author suddenly realized that he had used up his whole allotment of words!
This was a quick read and wasn't all that bad, but didn't knock my socks off. Couldn't work up much interest in the characters and as I tend to like characters more than non-stop action, that could be why the book didn't rate higher with me.
Merged review:
This was a little on the strange side in that I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next, but at the same time, wasn't really interested in what was going on. Does that make sense? I didn't really care for the characters, as Jazz and Rocky weren't all that likable. And their boss really was Creepy, in more ways than one!
Jazz and Rocky are the newest recruits in a strange organization, where they are bound together as partners in more ways than one. They more or less have to learn on the job, as their boss is dead. Not that he stops supervising them....as death doesn't seem to slow this agency down.
They are taught various methods to help in their new job, not that they really know what their job is. And all of the methods are old school, so they sometimes have to improvise.
There are monsters and bad guys and patriotism(!), all leading up to an epic battle. There's always an epic battle, isn't there? Couldn't really work up much excitement, but it may have been because everything was wrapped in the American Flag. Or because things were hard to keep track of. Or I was just bored.
I didn't like the ending as it just....ended. Very dissatisfying. I don't mind a cliffhanger, but this was more like running into a brick wall. Or the author suddenly realized that he had used up his whole allotment of words!
This was a quick read and wasn't all that bad, but didn't knock my socks off. Couldn't work up much interest in the characters and as I tend to like characters more than non-stop action, that could be why the book didn't rate higher with me....more
Buzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new-to-me books and authors!
While I may not read every single word of every single sample, I read Buzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new-to-me books and authors!
While I may not read every single word of every single sample, I read enough to know if I'm going to like the story or not. That's the beauty of these samplers - there's something for everyone!
Here are the samples that stood out for me this time:
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. A retelling of Lady Jane Grey's story, but with a shapeshifter twist! The excerpt was incredibly intriguing, and I'm a sucker for anything to do with the King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I era!
Didn't think I would like The Progeny (by Tosca Lee) after reading the synopsis, but the excerpt really grabbed my interest! It's about a descendant of a notorious serial killer who is being hunted by a mysterious group. Sounds like a fascinating thriller, and I've already requested a review copy!
Another surprise was how much I enjoyed And I Darken by Kiersten White. A historical novel set in the 15th century, featuring the children of Vlad the Impaler. I don't usually read historicals, but the characters really leapt off the page!
Already looking forward to the Fall/Winter sampler, as I love discovering new reads!
Merged review:
Buzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new-to-me books and authors!
While I may not read every single word of every single sample, I read enough to know if I'm going to like the story or not. That's the beauty of these samplers - there's something for everyone!
Here are the samples that stood out for me this time:
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows. A retelling of Lady Jane Grey's story, but with a shapeshifter twist! The excerpt was incredibly intriguing, and I'm a sucker for anything to do with the King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I era!
Didn't think I would like The Progeny (by Tosca Lee) after reading the synopsis, but the excerpt really grabbed my interest! It's about a descendant of a notorious serial killer who is being hunted by a mysterious group. Sounds like a fascinating thriller, and I've already requested a review copy!
Another surprise was how much I enjoyed And I Darken by Kiersten White. A historical novel set in the 15th century, featuring the children of Vlad the Impaler. I don't usually read historicals, but the characters really leapt off the page!
Already looking forward to the Fall/Winter sampler, as I love discovering new reads!...more
Another great collection of samples for the upcoming Fall/Winter season! Here are some of the titles that left me wanting more!
Christina's World by ChAnother great collection of samples for the upcoming Fall/Winter season! Here are some of the titles that left me wanting more!
Christina's World by Christina Baker Kline is about the woman behind Andrew Wyeth's iconic painting. She intrigued me and the story left me wanting to learn more, so definitely adding this to my wishlist.
A friendly dinner party between neighbors turns into a suspenseful thriller when a baby goes missing. In Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door, a couple's decision to leave their six month old daughter at home while they go next door for dinner turns terrifying. Coming home, they discover the front door open and their baby missing. Who knew that their baby sitter had cancelled at the last minute? Was someone watching the house? Where is baby Cora? And what are the parents hiding? Can't wait to find out!
Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple had me from the title. I don't know how many times I've woken up in the morning vowing that today would be different and that I'd be productive and creative and yada yada yada. So I felt like I could relate to Elenor right off the bat. And I did! Definitely on my wishlist!
Historical novels are not my usual cup of tea, especially foreign historical novels. What can I say, I like my modern conveniences! But A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles had me wanting to learn more about Count Alexander Rostov. Sentenced by a 1920's Bolshevik tribunal to house arrest in a grand hotel, the count finds himself confined to an attic room instead of the luxury suite expected. The count seems to take this in stride, piquing my curiosity about this Russian aristocrat.
My favorite sample in this collection has to be All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai. Really loved the voice of the narrator as he tries to tell his story. Seems that he stole his father's time machine and accidentally ruined the future. We were supposed to have all the wonderful inventions mentioned in The Jetsons, like flying cars and robot maids. But Tom screwed it up. Now he has to decide if he can fix the future or if he wants to stay in the present and make a new life. I don't know about you, but I want those flying cars so am rooting for him to fix the future!
The last sample to catch my eye was a memoir by Mara Wilson called Where Am I Now?. Non-fiction, especially memoirs, aren't usually my thing but I really liked Mara's voice. Can't say that I was ever a fan of hers, although I have vague memories of the Mrs Doubtfire movie.
This sampler was chock full of excerpts so sure to please all readers! Already looking forward to the next collection!
Merged review:
Another great collection of samples for the upcoming Fall/Winter season! Here are some of the titles that left me wanting more!
Christina's World by Christina Baker Kline is about the woman behind Andrew Wyeth's iconic painting. She intrigued me and the story left me wanting to learn more, so definitely adding this to my wishlist.
A friendly dinner party between neighbors turns into a suspenseful thriller when a baby goes missing. In Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door, a couple's decision to leave their six month old daughter at home while they go next door for dinner turns terrifying. Coming home, they discover the front door open and their baby missing. Who knew that their baby sitter had cancelled at the last minute? Was someone watching the house? Where is baby Cora? And what are the parents hiding? Can't wait to find out!
Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple had me from the title. I don't know how many times I've woken up in the morning vowing that today would be different and that I'd be productive and creative and yada yada yada. So I felt like I could relate to Elenor right off the bat. And I did! Definitely on my wishlist!
Historical novels are not my usual cup of tea, especially foreign historical novels. What can I say, I like my modern conveniences! But A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles had me wanting to learn more about Count Alexander Rostov. Sentenced by a 1920's Bolshevik tribunal to house arrest in a grand hotel, the count finds himself confined to an attic room instead of the luxury suite expected. The count seems to take this in stride, piquing my curiosity about this Russian aristocrat.
My favorite sample in this collection has to be All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai. Really loved the voice of the narrator as he tries to tell his story. Seems that he stole his father's time machine and accidentally ruined the future. We were supposed to have all the wonderful inventions mentioned in The Jetsons, like flying cars and robot maids. But Tom screwed it up. Now he has to decide if he can fix the future or if he wants to stay in the present and make a new life. I don't know about you, but I want those flying cars so am rooting for him to fix the future!
The last sample to catch my eye was a memoir by Mara Wilson called Where Am I Now?. Non-fiction, especially memoirs, aren't usually my thing but I really liked Mara's voice. Can't say that I was ever a fan of hers, although I have vague memories of the Mrs Doubtfire movie.
This sampler was chock full of excerpts so sure to please all readers! Already looking forward to the next collection!...more
Buzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new books! Here are the titles from this edition that caught my eye:
How To Walk by Katherine CenterBuzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new books! Here are the titles from this edition that caught my eye:
How To Walk by Katherine Center:
This one sounds sad, but left me wanting more. Margaret has her whole life ahead of her with a loving fiance, dream job, bright future, but then it's suddenly ripped away. How will she cope? What will she do next? Will she be able to go on?
Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall:
Not my usual type of read as I'm not a big fan of stalkers or jealous ex-boyfriends, but the writing grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go! Mike and V used to date, but now she's marrying another man. To be honest, they both sounded like jerks. But V doesn't seem to know that Mike doesn't believe they really broke up and is just waiting for the right moment to "rescue" her. Just like the bar game they used to play, where he'd be the jealous boyfriend chasing off anyone flirting with her. Now I'm wondering what Mike will do next?
Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins:
Three overweight teenage girls meet at summer camp and become lifelong friends. Sixteen years later, one of them winds up in the hospital, morbidly obese. Before her body gives out, she makes her friends swear to a deathbed promise. What was in the envelope? What had her friends promised? Definitely left me wanting to find out what happens next!
This I Know by Eldonna Edwards:
Grace is the daughter of a small town Evangelical pastor and has a gift, although some seem to think it's a curse. Grace knows things. Things that she shouldn't. Like when a little boy drowned in a nearby lake. Or that her mother is pregnant again. And there's also the small issue of talking to her twin brother, even though he died at birth. Another sample that left me wanting more!
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney:
Woman wakes up in a hospital. She's in a coma, so can't communicate with the people around her. What happened? Was she in an accident? Why can't she remember? And why is she so sure that her husband had something to do with it? Inquiring minds want to know!
Tell The Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams:
Intriguing story about a woman who works as a Contentment Technician for a company that knows what will make you happy after a simple cheek swap. A machine spits out recommendations. Check everything off the list and you'll be happier! With a 99.97% approval rating, there's gotta be something to it. There's also her relationship with her unhappy bulimic son, but I was more interested in learning more about her job.
A Handful of Happiness by Massimo Vacchetta:
A non-fiction story about an Italian veterinarian who discovers his new life's passion while caring for an orphaned baby hedgehog. How could anyone resist a baby hedgehog?
Already looking forward to the next batch of samples!
Merged review:
Buzz Books are one of my favorite ways to discover new books! Here are the titles from this edition that caught my eye:
How To Walk by Katherine Center:
This one sounds sad, but left me wanting more. Margaret has her whole life ahead of her with a loving fiance, dream job, bright future, but then it's suddenly ripped away. How will she cope? What will she do next? Will she be able to go on?
Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall:
Not my usual type of read as I'm not a big fan of stalkers or jealous ex-boyfriends, but the writing grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go! Mike and V used to date, but now she's marrying another man. To be honest, they both sounded like jerks. But V doesn't seem to know that Mike doesn't believe they really broke up and is just waiting for the right moment to "rescue" her. Just like the bar game they used to play, where he'd be the jealous boyfriend chasing off anyone flirting with her. Now I'm wondering what Mike will do next?
Good Luck With That by Kristan Higgins:
Three overweight teenage girls meet at summer camp and become lifelong friends. Sixteen years later, one of them winds up in the hospital, morbidly obese. Before her body gives out, she makes her friends swear to a deathbed promise. What was in the envelope? What had her friends promised? Definitely left me wanting to find out what happens next!
This I Know by Eldonna Edwards:
Grace is the daughter of a small town Evangelical pastor and has a gift, although some seem to think it's a curse. Grace knows things. Things that she shouldn't. Like when a little boy drowned in a nearby lake. Or that her mother is pregnant again. And there's also the small issue of talking to her twin brother, even though he died at birth. Another sample that left me wanting more!
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney:
Woman wakes up in a hospital. She's in a coma, so can't communicate with the people around her. What happened? Was she in an accident? Why can't she remember? And why is she so sure that her husband had something to do with it? Inquiring minds want to know!
Tell The Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams:
Intriguing story about a woman who works as a Contentment Technician for a company that knows what will make you happy after a simple cheek swap. A machine spits out recommendations. Check everything off the list and you'll be happier! With a 99.97% approval rating, there's gotta be something to it. There's also her relationship with her unhappy bulimic son, but I was more interested in learning more about her job.
A Handful of Happiness by Massimo Vacchetta:
A non-fiction story about an Italian veterinarian who discovers his new life's passion while caring for an orphaned baby hedgehog. How could anyone resist a baby hedgehog?
Already looking forward to the next batch of samples!...more
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