Review: Witchful Thinking

Title: Witchful Thinking (Jolie Wilkins ~ Book 3)
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: February 28 2012
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
ISBN: 0345531450
Length: 336 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 4 Stars

First things first, as with the other Jolie Wilkins books... I loved Witchful Thinking! Now with my love put out there for all to know, lets get the nasty business of a little grunt and rant out of the way.

It wasn't until I was about 65% into this book that I realized that that the first books in this series were self published, and this was the first which was traditionally published.

There is so much back story telling in the first 38% of this book I was almost in tears. Ever since I have read the first sentence from Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble I have not been able to put these books down. When I started Witchful Thinking I was needing for the story to move forward, I wanted new interactions between Jolie and Rand, and many more interactions between Jolie and Sinjin... You might even say I was craving it.

The story does pick up just as Toil and Trouble left off, just as the other books have done. But immediately you can tell this one is going to be different as Jolie is keeping a diary. This diary turns into a way for her to remember past moments and to painstakingly retell the previous books that I had only just finished reading. Yes the story does slowly continue to move on and there are new story lines developing but every time there was a flashback or a retelling in full detail of a past event or who a person was I groaned and wanted to turn my Kindle off.

Thankfully I continued...

Now why is that this being the first traditionally published book in the series matter to the retelling of the previous books? It's for the newbies! This will have been the first book that somebody could find on the supermarket shelf or in the local book store. If somebody saw the cover, read the back and liked it they weren't going to go out to Amazon and download a Kindle version or try to find a self published copy of the first two books now are they? They would buy this book and so they needed to be informed of what was going on and what went on in the past. Fair enough for them, and I understand the need but for somebody that was reading them all in full it was frustrating.

However, at around 38% the retelling appeared to die down, yes there were still moments later that it popped up again but just little titbits here and there and it was no longer distracting.

Finally, we are all on the same page, what was happening to the story now that we could successfully carry on? It was amazing as usual! The characters are written so wonderfully that I struggle right along with everybody. I can understand how Jolie is so torn between Rand and Sinjin, I feel the same. However, if I am being honest with myself I think I know I love Sinjin more. But see even saying it here makes me feel guilt toward Rand... Wow, H.P. Mallory is an amazing storyteller. I speak as if these people are real! Maybe I'm just losing my mind.

As I have said before, I would strongly suggest these books to anybody but please start from Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble and read Toil and Trouble, do not just start at Witchful Thinking and hope to be caught up. You will have to reread quite a bit of back story but the first two books are too good to skip.

Review: Be Witched

Title: Be Witched (Jolie Wilkins Novella ~ Book 2.5
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: December 12 2011
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN: n/a
Length: 55 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Can no longer be purchased on it's own, however it is currently included with 'The Witch is Back'

My Rating: 5 Stars

I knew this was a Novella when I started but that didn't stop me wishing it were longer. I loved going back to a couple important scenes from Toil and Trouble and seeing them from Rand's point of view. How he interacts with Sinjin when Jolie is not around, his true feelings for her which we all really knew but are so hard for him to voice to her, I could go on for ages...

I would have loved there to be more! I would also absolutely love a story from Sinjin's point of view, what does that vampire get up to when he is not with Jolie and annoying Randall?

Review: Toil and Trouble

Title: Toil and Trouble (Jolie Wilkins ~ Book 2)
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: November 30 2010
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN: 1456428810
Length: 272 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

I can not remember the last time that I have fallen so in love with a series of books. I dread having to stop reading, I get excited when am able to go back to reading and I am already dreading catching up to the latest book as I do not know what I will be doing with myself until the next one comes out. It does make me happy that I did not discover this series right away so that I can read 3.5 books in one go because the wait between them would have been terrible.

I also find myself very torn between Rand and Sinjin. I have never really faced this problem before it has usually always been so clear in the past in other books. Team Edward, check. Team Peeta, check. I can not for the life of me stand Jacob or Gale. However in this book... I love Rand and Sinjin both so much!

However after writing out some of my favorite passages below they are mostly centered around Sinjin. hhhhmmmmm.... maybe that is a sign? But no it can't be because I found myself in tears during some moments between Rand and Jolie in this book and I love them together.

Honestly, I can't pick. I have no idea how Jolie is going to come to her final decision. I have an inkling who it will be. I guess my true feelings will be found out when that decision is made as I am sure I will feel saddened with either choice.

It is now 12:55am and I am in work at 8:00am so unfortunately I can not start Be Witched right away but as soon as I am off work tomorrow I will begin. It is only a Novella but I am so excited to see parts the story of Toil and Trouble through the eyes of Rand.

Do I really have to go to sleep????

Review: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble

Title: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins ~ Book 1)
Author: H.P. Mallory
Publication Date: July 2 2010
Publisher: Self Published
ISBN: 1470088282
Length: 304 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

This book had me from the first sentence "It's not every day you see a ghost." I honestly read this book in less then a day and found myself unable to put it down. I had to stop to make and eat Tea and couldn't stop thinking about going back to reading it.

This is the first book by HP Mallory that I have read and I must say I found it highly enjoyable and I will be reading her other books without a doubt. In fact I can not wait to start Toil and Trouble which is the next in the Jolie Wilkins Series.

A few lukewarm reviews I have found are because they say there is too much mention of sex in the book. This is a Paranormal Romance book, I would be disappointed if it didn't mention sex. I found the level of sexual tension in this book at just the right amount to be honest and wouldn't sway anybody away from reading it. Except of course if you are a prude or can't read about somebody being sexually attracted to other people.

But if you would like a great fun read then start this book today. It has romance, danger, fantasy and I found myself smiling many, many times while reading.

Now I am off to start the next one...

Review: Charlotte Street

Title: Charlotte Street
Author: Danny Wallace
Publication Date: May 10 2012
Publisher: Ebury Press
ISBN: 0091919029
Length: 416 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 3 Stars

This is going to be a tough review to write... not because I loved this book or because I hated it, in fact I am decidedly somewhere in the middle. If they allowed 1/2 stars then I would give this book a solid 3.5, as there are only full stars I have decided to bump it up to 4.

This is a book about real life. The good, the bad and the ugly. There is more good than bad and ugly but I did find myself struggling at certain points. I even found myself skipping small sections (gasp) when I saw it was entering into another very drawn out life experience montage. I also found that when something happened in Jason's life the story would all of a sudden switch to some other time and place and I had to reread to make sure my Kindle hadn't skipped a page or section.

I was a bit disappointed in the ending, would have loved to had more of 'The Girl', I mean after all this is what it was all building toward right? Although this is more of a story about friends and life in general, you know the stuff that gets in the way of your dreams...

In the end I am glad I read it and I would suggest to others, however I would suggest the sample first. If you find yourself not loving it or the style of writing then I would skip it because it will not be for you.

Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

Title: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith
Publication Date: March 2nd 2010
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 0446563080
Length: 336 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

What a marvellous book! Seth Grahame-Smith has been able to seamlessly combine the real life history and facts of one of America's most beloved Presidents with such a bizarre subject... vampires!

I started this book with the idea in my head that it would flirt on the edge of insane or quirky but instead I actually found myself thinking far too many times, "This could have really happened." My suspension of disbelief completely melted away and I found myself believing every word that I was reading. Even today at work I was explaining the book to a co-worker and I had to actually stop myself as I was retelling parts of the story because I found myself speaking as if it were all truth and facts. The writing seemed effortless in how it weaved fact and fiction flawlessly.

I was so happy when I reached the end, not because I was glad for it to be over but because I enjoyed it so much I was nervous that somehow the ending would let me down. But thankfully it did not.

This book is dark, gory in places, violent and completely wonderful.

Review: Love... From Both Sides

Title: Love... From Both Sides (Book 1)
Author: Nick Spalding
Publication Date: September 2 2011
Publisher: Racket Publishing
ISBN: 2475002956
Length: 142 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

Do not attempt to read this book:

1) In bed with somebody who is trying to sleep next to you or in bed if you have cats who try to sleep on top of you when you read
3) Are in a public place. On a train, in a waiting room or at work? Forget it
4) If you can not laugh at sex and or poop

Do read this book if:

1) You don't mind laughing out loud more than once (please note you may also have a few full on belly laughs, hence the reason the cats were not happy about me disturbing their sleep)
2) You have a good sense of humor and just really want a hilarious easy read

Needless to say I absolutely loved this book! Honestly found myself laughing so hard a few times that I had proper tears in my eyes and even my husband came to check on me to ask what I was reading and what was so funny. I have read another of Nick's books, Life... With No Breaks and I found it so enjoyable I knew I would love this. It did not disappoint. I fell in love with Jamie, it was so refreshing to also read the unfolding love story from his point of view. Too many books are solely from the woman's point of view, this made for a nice change to see he was not afraid of the feelings he was having and in fact embraced them (long story short, it was good to see the man do a little of the chasing for once...)

I have already purchased Love... And Sleepless Nights and plan on starting it right away.

Review: Love... And Sleepless Nights

Title: Love... And Sleepless Nights (Book 2)
Author: Nick Spalding
Publication Date: May 10 2012
Publisher: Racket Publishing
ISBN: 1477488138
Length: 171 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

Nick has outdone himself again! From the first chapter I was laughing with tears in my eyes, then when we first hear from Jamie I had to put it down from laughing. I tried to tell a friend at work about it and again started laughing so hard I had to stop and compose myself.

I am a little sad with the ending I have to say... I can only hope that there are some lost diaries and blog posts out there that eventually come to surface. I can't have this be the end of Laura and Jamie! I need to know what happens, there are too many good years to read about.

I would recommend Love... From Both Sides and Love... And Sleepless Nights to anybody who would ask my opinion... and truth be told to people who don't ask for it because they would not be disappointed.

Review: Mockingjay

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games ~ Book 3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publication Date: August 24th 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439023513
Length: 390 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 4 Stars

** SPOILER ALERT ** 

I have to say I am so sad to have this series come to an end. I managed to read all three of them so quickly and now I wish it would have taken me longer, however once I had started I simply could not put them down. As I went to bed last night I was at 81% complete and I kept wondering what was going to happen next, thinking about the last few pages I had read... I might as well have just stayed awake and finished it.

Before reading this third and final book I had saw some grumblings here and there about not liking the ending. I understand that. I also felt it was a bit to rushed. There was so much build up making it to the mansion, finding Snow, killing him... then 'it' happens and we are back in a hospital, fighting over, war is won.

'It' of course is the death of poor sweet Prim. Everything started with Prim and really it ended with Prim. In my eyes it was a sacrifice for the greater good. If those children had not been targeted by the Rebels would Katniss have killed Coin? We could all tell she was power hungry and by the way things ran at #13 [like a concentration camp, including being imprinted with numbers/times at the start of everyday.] I could not see how her as a President would be all that great. If those children and Prim had not been murdered I can't see how Snow could have ever got Katniss to see Coin was no better...

...Well that is until she went and suggested one last Hunger Games. I have to admit I have no idea how Katniss did not kill her on the spot. This moment in the book was very interesting. At first I expected Katniss to go crazy at the thought, such as how Peeta did. But when she voted 'Yes', I was at first stunned. But then when I thought about it I fully understood. I think she was buying time. If she had voted 'No' and agreed to the killing of the Capitol Residents who is to say Coin didn't already have them all lined up ready to be killed? If it was agreed that there would be one final Hunger Games then there would need to be time to get ready for it. This gave Katniss the time she needed to kill Coin.

I do wish however than when Peeta found his way back to #12 and to Katniss that there would have been a discussion about her decision. It is never mentioned again and we are left to insert our own thoughts on her decision... but maybe that is what the author was wanting to have happen.

I am glad that Katniss and Peeta found their way to each other in the end, I was never a big fan of Gale.

All in all I have to say Catching Fire is my favorite of the three books. If I had not watched the movie for The Hunger Games first then I may have found it to be my favorite. But as I knew what was going to happen I found Catching Fire exciting from start to finish as it was all new to me.

As I have said all along I would strongly suggest this series to anybody and I will be making a case for everybody I know to start reading it immediately so that I can have some more people to talk about it with.

Review: Catching Fire

Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games ~ Book 2)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publication Date: September 1 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439023491
Length: 391 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

** SPOILER ALERT **

My plan is to keep this review short and sweet... mostly because after that cliffhanger I am dying to start Mockingjay right away! There is a plus side to waiting to read a series of books, you don't have to sit and wait for the next one to be published.

I started Catching Fire last night at 11pm and read until 2pm. After breakfast today I picked it right back up, stopped a bit for lunch and then finished reading it around 7pm today. The phrase 'couldn't put it down' doesn't even express how engrossed I was. I'm surprised my Kindle Touch didn't have smoke coming out from it.

As with The Hunger Games, I absolutely loved this book. From a few of my friends that read them before me I knew to expect a twist. However, I still did find myself shocked when the contents of the Quarter Quell letter was read by President Snow.

I know in these Games there were adults mixed with children but I found myself reminded of playful children a bit more in this book than the last. Such as when Peeta is asleep and Katniss and Finnick wake him up with their faces close to his to give him a little scare. I felt a pang of sadness when they were sat there laughing on the beach. Even though I felt there was an underlying plan unfolding with some of the other tributes... I just felt so sad for them and how their lives have turned out.

Or on the beach when Peeta shows Katniss the locket. I know he did this in order to try to convince her to let him save her but you could feel his love. And Peeta's love for Katniss is something that I have never doubted.

However in saying this I do find myself every now and again wanting to slap Katniss when she goes back and forth between Peeta and Gale. As with any book such as these there are 'Teams' and I guess you can just say that I am Team Peeta all the way! :)

Okay, I'm off to start Mockingjay. As ever I would strongly suggest this book to anybody who is willing to listen to my suggestion.

Review: The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games ~ Book 1)
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publication Date: October 31 2008
Publisher: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439023483
Length: 374 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

** SPOILER ALERT ** 

Let me first start off by saying that I actually watched the film before reading the book... normally this would be the other way around but in this instance I am so glad it was in this order. Quite a few of my friends read the book and kept asking me to but I just could not find the time, until now.

The reason I am glad that I saw the film first is because I enjoyed it. In fact I went with a friend first and then again with my husband so I must have really enjoyed it.

However...

If I would have read the book first I am not so sure I would have liked it as much as I did. The main reasons are the same you could use for any book turned film. The characters have more time to develop in a book, you get more of a back story in a book, the film could never be long enough to fit in every single aspect of the book, etc...

I have hidden this review because I want to talk about key points in the book that the film left out that I feel are very important. I know this is a review of the book and not of the film but as I saw the film first I simply keep comparing the book to it so it seems my review is also steering in that same direction.

I loved in the book that District 11 sent Katniss the bread. This showed her that they respected her and thanked her for what she did for Rue. In the film we see them saluting her but obviously this is not something she can see. The are obviously another poor district and she understood what it meant for them to spend that money on her.

I loved that in the book I could tell that Katniss was having true feelings for Peeta. I honestly could not tell in watching the film if she really did or if it was just an act since Haymitch had sent her the note in the soup to say 'You call that a kiss'. It was not until after that note that she really started showing affection toward him.

My biggest question mark of all is why in the World did the film not show the genetically mutated dogs? The fact that they were the fallen tributes to me speaks volumes. There is a lot of talk in the book of how the Capitol used mutated animals to win the war, however there was no talk of this at all in the film. I am sure it was not used in the film as they needed to 'PC' it down in order to get a specific rating for the cinema. But I can only feel that going forward the use of mutated animals/people will play a large part in the forthcoming novels and the fact that those who will only be able to see the film will not have this back story. However, I may be wrong and it may never be mentioned again.

From my understanding the film I watched in the UK was also made even more 'PC' by removing almost all of the blood from the film. Maybe this is why in watching the film I did not feel the overall weight or gravity of the situation. In reading the book I felt this weight. It actually made me stop and think 'these are children killing each other as the World watches'. The placing of wagers and bets, the cheers in the streets it was all very eerie and in a way wonderful. It helped me understand and almost feel what was actually happening in the Games. The way Katniss kept reminding us that the World watched on with her thoughts on how something would appear on TV or to the game makers. Then when even in death how the Capitol could bring back the fallen in the form of mutated dogs. You know right then, these people are diabolical and will stop at nothing to show they are superior. Then the fear you feel when Haymitch tells Katniss she is still in trouble...

Anyway, I could ramble on all night but I am keen to start Catching Fire. As always these are my views and I know everybody will have their own. At the end of the day I would strongly suggest the film to anybody who asked my opinion but it would be followed up with a 'Make sure you also read the book'.

Review: I've Got Your Number

Title: I've Got Your Number
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publication Date: February 14 2012
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
ISBN: 0385342063
Length: 433 Pages
Link to Synopsis: Goodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy It: Amazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

I absolutely adored this book! I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella and I've Got Your Number now currently sits up top with my other favorites Twenties Girl and Can You Keep a Secret. I laughed, I got teary eyed, I noticed my heart skipping a beat here and there(1) and it could not have had a better ending... What more can you ask for?

I highly recommend I've Got Your Number for a lovely bit of escapism which will end with a big smile on your face.

(1) Not giving anything away.. But the wood scene? ! ? ! Wow.