Category: Ebook

scunner?

Posted on by Greig

Pacific Rim

Alex Irvine

pacific rimSolid novelization of one of my favourite genre films of the last couple of years.
There was a richness to the world of the film that made me wonder if any of that would be on display in the novelization.
It’s there but not to the extent that I expected. What was intriguing is that several small details must have changed between script and film because there are a few things that happen differently in the book.
If you’re interested in giant robots fighting giant alien monsters then check out the film first. While the book is enjoyable in it’s own right it’s probably only really of interest to fans of the film.

Rating: B

idlewild?

Posted on by Greig

Anne Of Green Gables

L.M. Montgomery

Anne of Green GablesThis much loved novel tells the story of the irrepressible orphan Anne Shirley who is adopted by sober elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert in late Victorian Prince Edward Island in Canada.
It’s an enjoyable read and it’s hard to not love the three lead characters for their various strengths and faults.
I basically only read this because various Lizzie Bennet Diaries fans really love it.
You can find yourself a copy at the Gutenberg archive – it’s well worth a read if you like a good bildungsroman.

Rating: A-

capri?

Posted on by Greig

The Summer I Became A Nerd

Leah Rae Miller

the summer i became a nerdA diverting, speedy read, this YA novel is a coming of age story where the lead character is a closet nerd who has carefully constructed a ‘popular’ persona to help her survive the social minefield of school life.
The plot finds her learning to be honest with herself and the people in her life.
This is another one of those Kindle Daily Deal books. Oh the dodgy books you end up reading just because they were a bargain…
It really is nothing special and only worth reading if you’re after something to switch your brain off with.

Rating: B

baz?

Posted on by Greig

Fangirl

Rainbow Rowell

fangirlCath hates new places, new people and new things. Which is a bit of a problem when she’s just moved away from home to study at college. Doubly so when she’s forced to share a room with someone other than her identical twin sister for the first time in her life.
Escaping into writing her popular serial fanfic she struggles to adjust to her new life and to deal with the problems that life throws at her.
This is easily the best YA book I’ve read since The Fault In Our Stars. I really enjoyed spending time in Cath’s head. I’ve read a ton of fanfic in the past year after going crazy for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and I really empathized with her, while recognizing that she’s young and frequently mistaken about how other people thnk and how the world works.
In fact I devoured the book in less than a day.
I recommend this to anyone but especially to those with an interest in YA books or the world of fanfic.

Rating: A

veronica?

Posted on by Greig

Faking It

Jennifer Crusie

faking itA charming romance novel about con men and art forgers.
I got a very Gilmore Girls vibe from this book with all the pop culture references and the family of wonderful and off kilter women. This isn’t surprising when you remember that the author once edited a collection of essays about that beloved TV show.
I liked the slightly neurotic lead character Tilda a lot and I think I would like to read more about her.
I’d recommend this if you’re in the mood for an entertaining slice of romantic hokum.

Rating: B

match?

Posted on by Greig

I Am The Secret Footballer

The Secret Footballer

i-am-the-secret-footballer-lifting-the-lid-on-the-beautiful-gameI followed the Secret Footballer column on the Guardian website for a while so when this turned up in the 99p Kindle daily deal on the Amazon website I couldn’t resist getting it.
I read this in dribs and drabs over months when I needed to kill time and I only had my phone to hand to entertain me.
It’s an entertaining and decently written insight to the life of modern top level footballers with just enough self awareness to stop the author from seeming massively entitled. It’s still irritating in places when he talks about the obscene behaviours of his fellow professionals, especially with regard to women, but since this feels like honest reporting it’s not enough to put you off.
If you’re a football fan then it’s definitely worth splashing out 99p on this.

Rating: B

ladder?

Posted on by Greig

Insurgent

Veronica Roth

InsurgentThe sequel to Divergent is a similarly entertaining slice of YA dystopian sci-fi.
It definitely feels like a middle volume of a series with a lot of talking and a lot of having the protagonist stuck in dangerous situations that they escape by the skin of her teeth.
Still, a fun read, and definitely recommended if you enjoyed the first book.

Rating: B+

heels?

Posted on by Greig

Something About You

Julie James

Something about youThis is an incredibly fluffy, totally predictable romance novel about the romance between an assistant DA and an FBI agent that blossoms after she becomes the only material witness to a murder.
It was recommended to me by someone on Tumblr. I’ll be ignoring their recommendations from now on.

Rating: C

mechanism?

Posted on by Greig

Catching Fire

Suzanne Collins

catching fireThe latest trailer for the film version of this book was released at San Diego Comic Con and it got me slightly excited.
So I dug out my ebook and started reading and you know what? I think I like this book a whole lot more than I did the first time round.
The first person perspective is both the strength and weakness of this series.
It’s a strength because Katniss is such an interesting, damaged person and seeing the world via her naively cynical viewpoint skews the world in novel ways.
It’s a weakness because much of the really interesting stuff that happens – politically, culturally – are events that Katniss doesn’t attend or doesn’t understand.
It’s kind of wonderful that you have to piece together the back story by yourself but sometimes you really can’t tell what’s happened to place Katniss in whatever fresh hell she’s landed in.
What’s interesting about Catching Fire on a second read is how hard Katniss is trying to be empathetic, how much she’s learned from the horror of being in The Hunger Games about valuing the survival of other people.
Despite the many ways she’s been used and abused by the powerful, this is someone in the slow process of growing into a better person before fresh trauma is heaped upon her.
I really do recommend this series. It’s no masterpiece of literature but it is a very enjoyable and thought provoking read with a compelling central character.

Rating: A

malerie?

Posted on by Greig

Struck By Lightning

Chris Colfer

Struck by lightningEntertainingly sarky high school novella by the Glee star.
I bought the book after being entertained by the film’s trailer.
It’s told in the form of the lead character’s diary as he blackmails his way through the school popular elite in order to publish a literary magazine to strengthen his college application.
The story is told for maximum dark humour and with absolutely no interest in making the central character sympathetic.
Not outstanding but certainly worth a read.

Rating: B