The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Procrastination at its finest; a hot cup of coffee and a good book.

Mistborn: The Final Empire

Mistborn: The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson This was my introduction to Sanderson, and I can say I was impressed.

I enjoyed Sanderson's take on magic, the premise behind the use of metals is an intriguing concept. His characters are charismatic and likable, though I, personally, would have liked to hear a bit more about their backgrounds. Maybe that comes in later books in the series?

I felt the introduction of the Venture Kandra was odd, there didn't seem to be any purpose behind mentioning it... I felt this part was unnecessary and threw off the flow of the story a little bit.

This is one series that I'll definitely be picking up again once I've finished with my reading challenges for this year.

4.75 stars.

Ready Player One: A Novel

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline Quite an enjoyable tale of an underdog coming through and defeating the bad guy. +1 for the geeks!

The references at times felt like they were being rammed down your throat... It worked in most places but at times it just felt like too much.


But for those of you that play Kingdom of Loathing (assuming any of you read my reviews =P), or are a die hard 80s geek (music, movies, video games, books, you name it it's referenced), then this book is something I can see you enjoying.


4.5 stars, losing that half a star for those moments when I was choking on references.

To Say Nothing of the Dog

To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis Clever! Going to pick up the rest of the series at some point. Also I think I picked the perfect time to read the book, the dates have amused me no end.

Augie and the Green Knight

Augie and the Green Knight - Zach Weinersmith, Boulet Sometimes it felt a little all ocer the place, but given that I've had to fight with the 9yo over our copy to finish reading it, it's definitely working for the target audience. The 9yo will be happy that Mum wont be taking over the bookmarking any more.

The Enchanted Wood

The Enchanted Wood - Enid Blyton It was great to revisit a story I loved so much as a child to find it as wonderful and magical as I did so many years ago.

It's been nice to share that magic with my own kids.

The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Putty

The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Putty - Steve LeBel I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Terry Pratchett meets Douglas Adams feel about this book. Delightful read. Who can resist an underdog story, Bernie is certainly the underdog who overcomes adversity and shows the world what he's made of, even if it is by accident...

full review here

Definitely one I'll be encouraging my girls to read, assuming they ever get over the whole "mum likes it, it can't be fun and exciting" thing ;-)

Obernewtyn (Obernewtyn Chronicles, #1)

Obernewtyn (Obernewtyn Chronicles, #1) - Isobelle Carmody Review to come.

Vreeland

Vreeland - Gabriel Strump I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

Very cute! This is the story of 17yo Anton, a teen who just doesn't quite fit in. Preferring books and music over sport, and keeping his hair longish to cover his elf like ears, Anton was always the target for bullies.

After one such bullying incident at Summer camp, Anton finds himself in a strange place, Vreeland, surrounded by 5 beautiful girls, each with a tiny waist, pointed ears, dainty wings and incredible beauty...

Journeying through Vreeland, Anton meets all sorts of strange and wonderful Vrees, various other creatures, and some not so wonderful Weets.

This book is beautifully written, easy to read, even with the odd Vreeland spelling/pronunciation (it's pretty easy to follow along with once you figure it out). The story itself is relaxed, while still captivating and entertaining. The images and detail to the formatting of various parts was cute and enjoyable.

I had 2 small 'problems' with the book... One, I found it quite predictable, from very early on I guessed the location of Vreeland, and secondly, Anton's lack of concern for finding his parents and returning home. Given that the target audience is tween/teen, neither of these things would have crossed their minds (for the most part). Nor do these 'problems' detract from the story in any way. For these reasons I have not removed stars from my review.

This is one I'll be encouraging my 11yo reluctant reader to pick up, I think it's a story she'll enjoy as much as I did, and can definitely see my 9yo and 17yo book worms devouring this very quickly.

Well done Mr Strump, great work, and thank you for the opportunity to read your book.

Age of Ultron #7

Age of Ultron #7 - Brian Michael Bendis Always enjoy a bit of Wolverine vs Wolverine banter.

Avengers Assemble #15 AU

Avengers Assemble #15 AU - Al Ewing Still giggling at the Doctor Who refernce.

Alchemy: a story of perfect murder

Alchemy: a story of perfect murder - Chris   James I received a copy of this novel through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

Clever. The story, set in Victorian London, centers around the life of Jacob Silver, the son of a Jewish Apothecary owner and his wife, brilliant scientist and artist, who idolises Da Vinci.

The story flicks between Sliver's life from ages 15 - 24, and a court room, where young, naive Silver has been accused of the brutal murders of 5 women, all of whom he loved dearly.

This story is well written and very cleverly planned. It leaves you wondering in your own mind whether Silver is guilty of the crimes he's charged with, or whether his story is in fact as true as he believes.

As an artist, I can relate to Silver's desires to paint masterpieces, and his breech of security when he felt the overwhelming urge to touch the Mona Lisa, it's something I would love to do myself. His genius mind, much like Da Vinci, made him as much a brilliant scientist as he was a brilliant artist, finding both his paintings and scientific discoveries in great demand.


I just couldn't put the book down, would have finished it far sooner had it not been for a household of sick kids.

Full review here

Wrapped Up In Brown Paper And Other Poems

Wrapped Up In Brown Paper And Other Poems - Peter   John Some of the poetry is okay, some mediocre. A resounding meh.

The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes

The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes - Neil Gaiman, Malcolm Jones III, Karen  Berger, Sam Kieth, Todd Klein, Mike Dringenberg Captivating. Couldn't put it down, even though it's 3am.

Strata

Strata - Terry Pratchett Enjoyable and well written sci-fi. While I can't fault it, it does lack that humour that I've come to expect and enjoy from Pratchett.

One I'd be happy to revist again and again.

4.5/5, losing that half a star on the lack of Pratchett's twisted humour.

For my full review visit at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom

Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom - Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata Having already seen the anime, there is nothing new in the manga for me, but I don't mind in the slightest.

I love the battle of wits between Kira (means killer) and L throughout the series. Not so apparent in this first volume, but it is there in part. Each trying to one up the other, L's broadcast and Kira's victim's apparent suicide notes are just the beginning.

The Shinigami, Ryuuku, is one of my favourite characters. I love the idea that gods get bored with life too, and need to find entertainment to satisfy that boredom.

There are moral questions raised, with the killing of criminal types, and the idea behind a safe and crime free utopia. And as in real life, there are arguments for both sides, Kira has his followers and haters.

As an artist I appreciate the manga style art, honestly I find the style quite appealing. I know there are many who don't like the style and that's ok too. It is, after all, down to personal preference.

For my full review visit The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Coraline

Coraline - Neil Gaiman Spooky enough to give you chills, but not so scary that you'd have nightmares.

A good reminder that as kids, no matter how much we wish we had different parents, we wouldn't trade our own for anything. And as parents, we really need to make time for our kids, no matter how busy we are.

For my full review visit The Caffeinated Bibliophile