After reading The Martian and loving it, I have had Andy Weir on my radar and when this came out years ago, I was hyped. And then, I started hearing reviews on YouTube and the reviews were not great. The main issue seemed to be that Andy Weir was unable to write a female main character and I have to agree. There were multiple times when I had to remind myself that Jazz was in fact female. I was also very annoyed when Jazz would talk "at" the reader like " did you know this, no you didn't, it goes like this". It was very sexist as well. The age of Jazz is also not talked about. It is more like a guessing game. Ar first I thought she was 12, then 16 and then we find out her true age which is 26. The one thing I did enjoy was reading the science part and it was a very fast paced read. I didn't finish it quickly though because even it was fast, I wanted to take my time and think about what I read.
This book is about a Saudi Arabian woman named Jazz who loves on the moon city Artemis. She is a porter and a known smuggler. She is wanting to get rich quick and have her own place and not her storage closet home that she calls a coffin. She gets an offer from a billionaire that wants to sabotage a company on Artemis that deals with oxygen. She does the job and gets caught and then she has to run for her life as she is the next to be murdered.
I give this four because the world building and the laws and everything about Artemis was simply amazing. I just didn't like the characters or there attitudes.
It's another Tuesday and this weeks prompt hosted by Jana over at Thatartsyreadergirl is to list 10 books that made you laugh. My list is a mix of YA, Middle Grade, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction. When a book makes me laugh so hard that I pee my pants, it instantly become an all time favorite.
1. The Clancys of Queens by Tara Clancy
2. My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows
3. Chosen by Kiersten White
4. Monster Hypothesis by Romily Bernard
5. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
6. 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
7. The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo
8. Shipwreckers by Scott D. Peterson
9. Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson
10. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Going into this book, I knew that it was a travel story. What I didn't know was that the author was going to go into the histories of each place he visited. He set off on this journey in 1995. He decided to travel all of Britain on foot or by train. He is embarking on this journey because he and his family are moving back to America and he wants to take it all in. He goes to many different villages and cities and he stays a day or two in each. He has a deadline of traveling Britain in seven weeks. He talks a lot about how each village and city are the same. How the modern buildings are going up and making towns ugly. He goes into detail of how his hotel rooms are and how shoddy or immaculate they are. He uses the word prosperous many times and you can tell that it is one of the cities or villages he likes.
This took me 5 days to read this and I was so close to DNFing it so many times. I was so bored. I didn't care how many times he had to go around in circle to just get from here to there. I was annoyed with his sexism and misogyny. I hated how he yelled at the McDonald's worker who asked him if he wanted an apple turnover when he could have just said no thank you. He criticizes almost every where he goes and then at the end, he goes I love this country. What do you love about it, being able to talk shit.
I did get a couple of laughs and I did find some of the chapters enjoyable hence why the three out of five stars.
I
am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the MUSIC OF THE NIGHT by Angela J. Ford Blog
Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the
giveaway!
A haunted tower, a mysterious instructor and
the lure of the music of the night…
After the death of her father, Aria is left
penniless and destitute. To avoid working the streets she becomes the ward of a
Count and moves to a remote town called High Tower.
High Tower is a gloomy place with one vivid
attraction: the theater. Lords and ladies come from afar to be seduced by a
night of unforgettable entertainment.
Many are warned to stay away from High Tower’s
dangerous enchantments, but it’s a warning Aria is forced to ignore. Determined
to take her life back into her hands, she and the Count make a deal. She can
avoid an arranged marriage if she learns to sing for him.
When Aria stumbles across a mysterious man in
a dark tower, she begs to learn the power of song from him. Although reluctant,
the man agrees to teach her the music of the night. Between midnight meetings
and emotional singing lessons, Aria falls in love with her alluring instructor
despite his shadowy past.
But something deadly stirs, awoken by the
desire of its master.
Evenings reveries become haunted with terror,
blood and murder. Rumors claim the man in the tower in behind the madness that
haunts High Tower, a truth Aria is loathe believe. For she just gained the
desire of her heart.
What she doesn’t know is that her haunted
instructor intends to use her for his own purposes...
Music of the Night is a complete, stand-alone
novel inspired by Phantom of the Opera. Perfect for fans of dark and steamy
fantasy romance.
Review Coming Soon
About Angela J. Ford:
Angela J. Ford is a bestselling author who
writes epic fantasy and steamy fantasy romance with vivid worlds, gray
characters and endings you just can't guess. She has written and published over
20 books
Angela is also a Co-Founder of Booksniffer. A new app for book lovers, plus an effective
way for authors to market their books to new readers.
She enjoys traveling, hiking, and playing
World of Warcraft with her husband. First and foremost, Angela is a reader and
can often be found with her nose in a book.
Aside from writing she enjoys the challenge of
working with marketing technology and builds websites for authors.
Angela is passionate about helping indie
authors succeed and co-hosts a podcast called Indie Author Lifestyle.
If you happen to be in Nashville, you'll most
likely find her enjoying a white chocolate mocha and daydreaming about her next
book.
Visit her website for free stories, character
art, autographed books and book swag: www.angelajford.com
I
am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the REBEL DAUGHTER by Lori Banov Kaufmann Blog
Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the
giveaway!
A
young woman survives the unthinkable in this tale of family, love, and
resilience, set against the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Esther
dreams of so much more than the marriage her parents have arranged to a
prosperous silversmith. Always curious and eager to explore, she must accept
the burden of being the dutiful daughter. Yet she is torn between her family
responsibilities and her own desires; she longs for the handsome Jacob, even
though he treats her like a child, and is confused by her attraction to the
Roman freedman Tiberius, a man who should be her sworn enemy.
Meanwhile,
the growing turmoil threatens to tear apart not only her beloved city,
Jerusalem, but also her own family. As the streets turn into a bloody battleground
between rebels and Romans, Esther’s journey becomes one of survival. She
remains fiercely devoted to her family, and braves famine, siege, and slavery
to protect those she loves.
This
emotional and impassioned saga, based on real characters and meticulous
research, seamlessly blends the fascinating story of the Jewish people with a
timeless protagonist determined to take charge of her own life against all
odds.
Based
on an incredible true story!
AUTHOR
NOTE AND HISTORICAL OVERVIEW:
Additional
back matter includes an Author Note, which gives historical context and
explains author’s inspiration for the book. Included as well is an historical
overview by an eminent scholar of the period.
CHARACTER
DRIVEN HISTORICAL FICTION:
Fans
of THE RED TENT and THE DOVEKEEPERS will appreciate this incredibly detailed
and accurate depiction of historical events, woven within a richly told and
emotionally complex story of growth.
STRONG
EMPOWERED FEMALE HEROINE:
Despite
the constraints of society and the savagery of war, Esther is an independent
thinker exploring her identity and her faith—and showing unimaginable strength
in the face of trauma.
HISTORY
BROUGHT TO LIFE:
The
destruction of the Temple in 70 CE by the Romans is a crucial part of the
Jewish story, but it’s often lost amid more well known historical legends. The
depiction of Esther’s faith is realistic and moving to a modern audience.
FAITH:
The
role of faith and family obligation is explored in depth.
The
story will resonate with people who love Biblical history, Israel and stories
about faith, courage and family bonds.
REVIEWS:
“Esther’s
remarkable, mysterious, and meticulously researched story is one that demands
to be told.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The
writing is clear, smooth, and accessible. An engaging story for historical
fiction fans.”—School Library Journal
"Riveting!"
Allegra Goodman, author The Cookbook Collector
Selected
by the Junior Library Guild
Book
Trailer:
REVIEW: One of my favorite things to read about is Ancient Historical Fiction. I think what draws me in is that all of it is based on real events and we don't know the real story and it becomes that much more mysterious. The author weaving a beautiful story about a woman whose gravestone was first century and located in Southern Italy. What historians have discovered about her story is truly breath taking and heart wrenching. Reading this book and knowing that it is a work of fiction makes me want to find out more about Esther and Tiberius and also learn more about that time period.
About
Lori Banov Kaufmann:
As
soon as she learned of the discovery of the first-century tombstone that
inspired Rebel Daughter, Lori Banov Kaufmann wanted to know more. She was
captivated by the ancient love story the stone revealed and resolved to bring
it back to life.
Before
becoming a full-time writer, Lori was a strategy consultant for high-tech
companies. She has an AB from Princeton University and an MBA from the Harvard
Business School. She lives in Israel with her husband and four adult children.
