If you like alternate histories, this is the book for you. Airships, zombies, Civil War soldiers, the Seattle underground. What’s not to love? Set nearly two decades after the Civil War was supposed to have ended, the War is still raging on. This takes place in Seattle, Washington, where a major catastrophic event has altered the city’s air supply, resulting in a wall being constructed to keep the horrific effects within the area the event took place. I don’t want to reveal too much, because it is a major part of the novel. However, with the audiobook version, Wil Wheaton is one of the narrators, and he truly brings life to the story. I won’t lie – every time I heard his voice, I got the image of Sheldon Cooper yelling “Wheatonnnnnnn!” While I loved the basis of the story, the alternate history, I could not make a connection with Briar – her character just fell flat. Zeke was a bit more lively, as were the minor characters in the story. I definitely want to know how the story continues. Hopefully Briar takes on more form and develops more.
Review: I Found You
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you liked Gone Girl you should read this. If you did not like Gone Girl (like me), this will assuage your disappointment with that book as Jewell’s book certainly blows it out of the water! “I Found You” was riveting from the start and just when I thought I had every angle figured out a new twist was thrown in. Lisa Jewell is a talented storyteller and has now jumped to the top of my favorites in the mystery/suspense category. While I listened to the audiobook version of this I would guarantee the physical print version would have been a page-turner!
Review: Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and while it was quite long, the narrator William Dufris made it a pleasant experience. His ability to switch between Hank and the other supporting characters effortlessly is commendable to his talent and Twain’s alike. One thing that I kept thinking about throughout the entire book was whether Hank’s story was “real” or whether he had dreamt it all up. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and learning the answer to this question. You will need to read it yourself to find out the answer.
Review: Eli
Eli by Bill Myers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What if Jesus had been born in our modern era instead of 2000 years ago?
An amazing storyteller, Bill Myers, provides a riveting look into this alternate possibility. A man of Jewish descent is born to a young couple in 1970s Santa Monica, California during the height of the hippy movement. Told through the eyes of Conrad Davis, a man who questions everything to do with faith and who is catapulted into an alternate universe where Jesus has not existed…until now. Taking human form as Eli Shepherd, the Messiah walks along the California communities introducing His ministry that introduces the Kingdom of God amongst the backlash of Big Americanized Religion. The parables are the same, just a different setting. The feeding of the 5,000 occurs beside a lake in a quiet California community, where not fish and bread multiplied, but burgers and fries! The healing of the demonic occurs on a CA overpass when a homeless woman is freed of her captors, and the demons are cast into her band of feral cats. The driving out of the money handlers of the temple takes place at the heaven/worship theme park in Georgia. And most shocking of all, is the unjust arrest and conviction of the Messiah Eli wherein he is wrongly accused of a horrendous attack of a worship center. Powerful and wealthy religious leaders use their political sway to set Eli up, ending in His unjustly lynching and His ultimate sacrifice. While this is merely fiction, as the author prefaces, it offers a gut wrenching and eye opening view into what it could have been like had Jesus postponed his coming until our modern age. I dare you to come away unchanged my this phenomenal fictional portrayal of our Savior’s ministry and sacrifice.
Review: Deja Dead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was hopeful that this book would be as good as the Bones television series, since this is what it was based upon. I was not impressed. Aside from the dated references throughout (it takes place in 1994 – digital records were just taking off, people were still using pagers, and no one had cell phones), the story line as a whole wasn’t too bad. The continuous cursing throughout was a big turnoff, especially when listening to the audiobook version. Yes, I get that authors will frequently use cursing in their characters’ dialogue and such, but my goodness, can you not come up with any alternative adjectives than those? That is just lazy writing, in my opinion. I have many of Reichs’ other books, but based on my disappointment with this one, I may forgo the rest of her series.
Review: Glass Sword
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The second installment of Victoria Aveyard’s Red Queen series started out pretty good, but by the middle of the book it had hit a stalemate. I am not sure what it was about it, maybe the constant whining of Mare or the introduction of more characters that I couldn’t keep track of, but I did not enjoy this one as much as the first book. Here’s hoping the third book redeems the series.
Review: Red Queen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So many books, so little time. That is why I have started listening to some audiobooks of ones that I have been meaning to read, but just have not had the time. First off, I am not exactly a fan of the narrator of this series. I am not sure what it is about her voice, but I just can’t seem to acquire a liking to it. Though, to enjoy the book I had to get past that. Now on to the story…. aside from it reading like a cross between Hunger Games and Divergent, it is pretty synonymous with the YA distopian novel. The twist in the plot regarding the plan to overthrow the kingdom and the supernaturally talented bloodlines is rather intriguing. There are many characters to keep track of, so it is easy to get some of them mixed up, especially when listening to the book. Otherwise it’s been a captivating novel.
