I can't believe I finished this book in 24 hours! Wait, yes I can: I couldn't put it down!
'Til Death picks up where "Life & Death" left off, after the marriage of Lily and Val. It's back to business as usual for the newlyweds, as they're thrown into training vampire hunters to take out the Austere. From there, though, things go crazy. Lily comes home to find the house thrashed, her husband missing, and her son locked away for safe-keeping. The rest of the book is an emotional roller coaster ride-- is Val turning Austere, was he killed, did he just run off with some tramp?
I spent the entire time channeling Lily's feelings-- hurt, rage, heartbreak, relief, denial, hope, and moments of happiness. As soon as I could settle into a feeling of comfortable acceptance, there was a new surprise thrown at me. Way to keep a reader on their toes!
A thoroughly enjoyable read, I definitely recommend it! Now to wait (im)patiently for book three to come out! I can't wait to see what happens next!
To purchase 'Til Death Do Us Part:
http://www.amazon.com/Death-Part-Lily-Drake-ebook/dp/B00CHYJRAQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369915125&sr=8-1&keywords=Til+death+t.+michelle+nelson
Showing posts with label Book reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book reviews. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Deadly Ever After-- It wasn't that bad!
I made a point of reading Deadly Ever After, the last book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I've been waiting anxiously for this release since about last summer, when I managed to devour the rest of the series in about a month. I'll admit, I was a bad girl and even read some of the rumblings on Amazon and the facebook world about what may have happened, or what did happen. Since I had to finish Jane before I could start Charlaine, it seemed like the rest of the world got to finish the book before me. I was positively gobsmacked by the level of hate that I saw spewed at both Ms. Harris and the series.
Now, let me preface this by saying I'm firmly on Team Eric. Maybe it has to do with Alexander Skarsgard playing him on True Blood, or maybe it's because I have a weird fascination with all things Viking. Either way, my heart hurt at the end of Deadlocked when he just up and left. What the heck was that all about! So for months now, I've been hoping/praying/daydreaming of Eric coming back and giving this passionate fight to keep Sookie...and he didn't. It felt kind of like he shrugged his shoulders and said, "oh well, he can have her," and gave up. Threw in the towel, didn't put any effort into salvaging 4 books' worth of relationship (or more like 12 if you include the back-and-forth banter from book 1!), and just cut his losses. It felt a little "un-Eric-like" to tuck tail and ride west to Oklahoma like that, but it's not my story to write.
Even still, I didn't think the book was all that bad. Was I bummed that it didn't go the way I envisioned? Maybe a little. But I still had a bit of, "oh, well isn't that interesting, I didn't see that coming...." which, honestly, I like. I don't always want to read a book where I get what I predict. Twists and turns are nice! It may not have had the shock value that other books in the series had given me, but if Ms. Harris is happy with the final product, then that's what matters. It's her baby, after all. Just read it and enjoy the journey!
Now, let me preface this by saying I'm firmly on Team Eric. Maybe it has to do with Alexander Skarsgard playing him on True Blood, or maybe it's because I have a weird fascination with all things Viking. Either way, my heart hurt at the end of Deadlocked when he just up and left. What the heck was that all about! So for months now, I've been hoping/praying/daydreaming of Eric coming back and giving this passionate fight to keep Sookie...and he didn't. It felt kind of like he shrugged his shoulders and said, "oh well, he can have her," and gave up. Threw in the towel, didn't put any effort into salvaging 4 books' worth of relationship (or more like 12 if you include the back-and-forth banter from book 1!), and just cut his losses. It felt a little "un-Eric-like" to tuck tail and ride west to Oklahoma like that, but it's not my story to write.
Even still, I didn't think the book was all that bad. Was I bummed that it didn't go the way I envisioned? Maybe a little. But I still had a bit of, "oh, well isn't that interesting, I didn't see that coming...." which, honestly, I like. I don't always want to read a book where I get what I predict. Twists and turns are nice! It may not have had the shock value that other books in the series had given me, but if Ms. Harris is happy with the final product, then that's what matters. It's her baby, after all. Just read it and enjoy the journey!
Feeling a little Austen-tacious
Corny title? Maybe. But even still, it fits.
I can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading anything by Jane Austen. Seriously, that should be a crime against humanity, or at the very least put my reputation as an English major in jeopardy. The fact that I waited until I had an assigned reading of "Sense and Sensibility" actually makes me sad. I should have gotten to this point a lot sooner, and if you haven't read it yet...GO.
I'll admit that I watched the Ang Lee movie first. I'm a bit of a fangirl over Alan Rickman, so of course, I absolutely adore Col. Brandon, and would like to beat Kate Winslet's Marianne soundly around the head and shoulder area. Poor chap, strung along the entire time while watching her getting all moony-eyed over a total cad. I adore the movie, it has a permanent location on my DVR, and a DVD in our library. Even still the movie doesn't even come close to describing ever little detail of the book!
So now I demand that everyone runs out to either see the movie, or read the book, but both would be best! I love coming across a gem that I have overlooked before.
I can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading anything by Jane Austen. Seriously, that should be a crime against humanity, or at the very least put my reputation as an English major in jeopardy. The fact that I waited until I had an assigned reading of "Sense and Sensibility" actually makes me sad. I should have gotten to this point a lot sooner, and if you haven't read it yet...GO.
I'll admit that I watched the Ang Lee movie first. I'm a bit of a fangirl over Alan Rickman, so of course, I absolutely adore Col. Brandon, and would like to beat Kate Winslet's Marianne soundly around the head and shoulder area. Poor chap, strung along the entire time while watching her getting all moony-eyed over a total cad. I adore the movie, it has a permanent location on my DVR, and a DVD in our library. Even still the movie doesn't even come close to describing ever little detail of the book!
So now I demand that everyone runs out to either see the movie, or read the book, but both would be best! I love coming across a gem that I have overlooked before.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
The Life and Death of Lily Drake!
Kudos go out to my friend, Hope, who told me about this book I just finished reading: The Life and Death of Lily Drake by T. Michelle Nelson. It was honestly a fun read!
Lily is a down-to-earth character that a reader can really relate to. As a mother myself, I connected with her "mom on the go" exhaustion, especially with an older child. How she found the strength to juggle parenting, dating a vampire, being a vampire killer, all while holding down a full-time job...wow, is all I can say. Many of the vampire characters introduced are colorful, and a never-ending source of entertainment. Mathias and Val, I had an alternating love/hate relationship with. At one point, I even told them both to quit being a butthead, as if yelling at my Kindle Fire accomplished anything.
Now...as a (temporarily displaced) Mt. Vernon resident, I'll admit to having some reservations. A vampire story in Mt. Vernon? Is Mt. Vernon capable of living up to all that? It's a pretty small town, and I suppose being there for the last couple decades had left me jaded to its small town charm. Reading about my hometown from a different perspective opened my eyes to just what the area has to offer! It's also funny that the school Lily mentions in the beginning-- I went there for elementary school. Coincidentally, we all used to sit on the playground and look at that mansion (yes, the mansion exists!) and scare everyone else by saying it was either haunted...or full of vampires! It's a very, very fitting residence for Mathias and Val!
Speaking of vampires, it's refreshing to read a book about vampires that doesn't either fall into old and tired stereotypes of coffins, or the new age stretch of sparkling in the daylight. They're regular people, working regular jobs-- who knew?
The plot moves very quickly, I don't think there was ever a lull in the storyline from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series now, I can't wait to see what's next! I would definitely recommend snagging this book!
Here is the link for the book at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Death-Lily-Drake-ebook/dp/B009LX8P3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363994856&sr=1-1&keywords=t.+michelle+nelson
Lily is a down-to-earth character that a reader can really relate to. As a mother myself, I connected with her "mom on the go" exhaustion, especially with an older child. How she found the strength to juggle parenting, dating a vampire, being a vampire killer, all while holding down a full-time job...wow, is all I can say. Many of the vampire characters introduced are colorful, and a never-ending source of entertainment. Mathias and Val, I had an alternating love/hate relationship with. At one point, I even told them both to quit being a butthead, as if yelling at my Kindle Fire accomplished anything.
Now...as a (temporarily displaced) Mt. Vernon resident, I'll admit to having some reservations. A vampire story in Mt. Vernon? Is Mt. Vernon capable of living up to all that? It's a pretty small town, and I suppose being there for the last couple decades had left me jaded to its small town charm. Reading about my hometown from a different perspective opened my eyes to just what the area has to offer! It's also funny that the school Lily mentions in the beginning-- I went there for elementary school. Coincidentally, we all used to sit on the playground and look at that mansion (yes, the mansion exists!) and scare everyone else by saying it was either haunted...or full of vampires! It's a very, very fitting residence for Mathias and Val!
Speaking of vampires, it's refreshing to read a book about vampires that doesn't either fall into old and tired stereotypes of coffins, or the new age stretch of sparkling in the daylight. They're regular people, working regular jobs-- who knew?
The plot moves very quickly, I don't think there was ever a lull in the storyline from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series now, I can't wait to see what's next! I would definitely recommend snagging this book!
Here is the link for the book at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Death-Lily-Drake-ebook/dp/B009LX8P3Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363994856&sr=1-1&keywords=t.+michelle+nelson
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