Scookie Reviews

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn  5 Stars  Verdict: Kinda messed up, aren't they? When Nick finds his wife missing in suspicious circumstances, he doesn’t react the way a loving husband should. That’s all I’m going to say (fearful of spoilers). The film is also very close to the book, so don't watch if you plan to read it! At first I enjoyed the two narrators, Nick's present day musings which are obliviously insensitive towards his wife, juxtaposed against Amy’s quirky diary entries of a girl falling in love. I'd say I had medium interest. The treasure hunt kept me semi-interested, and the mystery of the ‘gone girl’ seemed a little underwhelming considering how long this book was in the charts for. I think it’s fair to say this book starts off with an average plot written with flare, but no less average. When the twists began, the story began. It might have taken a while, but it was worth it. I could say ‘I saw it coming’ but that wouldn’t be the whole truth...

Unfortunately stacking a self-pub fest onto my plate right now is going to put cracks in the china. What I mean is, I don’t have enough time to coordinate the blog event I was hoping for. Organising good quality content from a bunch of authors takes time, and I want to be able to put that time in. My boyfriend of five years has a job in the same county as me – a commutable distant if we pick the right location! We’re looking to rent in one of the most expensive places to live, so there’s that. I’ve taken on new responsibilities at work too, which is taking up more of my energy although not so much my time. This isn’t the end. I’m hoping to get it up and running when everyone is thinking about those summer reads! So if you’re interesting in taking part, please get in contact. As soon as I get enough content polished up, I’ll announce the new schedule. See original post for more details.   Here's what I'm looking for: ~*~ 1000 word extract of your most enticin...

FIND ME IF YOU DARE by Vicki Leigh  (Dreamwalker #2)  3 Stars  Verdict: An action romance. Not bad.  Review of book 1   As Kayla’s father plots to bring on the apocalypse, the Protectors join forces with a coven in order to take down her father before it’s too late. This book has a lot of things I love – protective characters, thrilling action, magical powers – yet I don’t think it was quite as good as the first book in the series. As before, Daniel leads the narration. Usually I love a protective character, but in this book I found Daniel overbearing. Poor Kayla proved her strength over and over, but Daniel still saw her as weak. On the other hand, I liked how much Kayla developed in this book, both in her powers and her ability to take on anything that came her way whilst remaining sweet at heart. The story seemed to lunge over a few weeks, tumbling head first into action – but with context and characters I couldn’t place. Too many names were list...

THE WINNER'S CURSE by Marie Rutkoski 3 Stars  Verdict: Slow and flowery.  Kestrel is clever and tough, with a strategic mind and a sharp affinity for reading others. Arin is a defiant yet skilled slave, and clearly just as intelligent. After paying too much for him in an auction, Kestrel’s name becomes tarnished in society... The first half of the book is sssssslllllooooowwww. While I’m not denying the author is good at the flowery prose (a bit of an oxymoron), a lot of words were wasted telling me something which could have been shown in a much more interesting and succinct way. But what really puts cement in its shoes is that nothing much happens. Oh, there’s gossip. And romance. Silly romance. Time spent with horses. Tea parties. Other parties... Where’s the, erm, well...story? Kestrel can be an idiot too. She’s a little hypocritical when it comes to gossipers, and spends a lot of the book sorting out her own shortfalls – actually, that made her a wel...

DEMON ROAD by Derek Landy 5 Stars Verdict: Easily the best book I have read this year. #2 - Desolation #3 - American Monsters Amber’s parents want to eat her. Amber doesn’t want to be eaten. This calls for a deal with a demon, a hunt for a murderer, and an action packed road trip! Fantastic premise. Loved the characters too. Amber is relatable - the right amount of awkward, self-conscious, and generally a good sport. Milo is her hired protector, although something felt very off about him... He’s serious, strict, and secretive. Blunt too. Gotta love a blunt character. Then there’s the loveable idiot, Glen, who they accidentally acquire on their way. He grinds Milo’s nerves, which makes a great banter. I’m so glad this book isn’t about romance. It wouldn’t have worked. Instead it’s witty and entertaining, and an adventure that will make an amazing film, or even a series... Ever watched Supernatural? It’s hard not to see the similarities: old car, deals with demons, tu...