Call of the Wild - Jack London

Review:

The story of Buck, a St. Bernard/Shepherd cross family pet, stolen and subsequently sold to become a sled dog in the harsh environments of the Alaskan wild.  Passed from owner to owner, Buck soon learns that the only way to survive is to use his sheer size to overpower any would be attackers and show them who's boss. 

 

Told from an odd combination of Buck's perspective in third person, we slowly see Buck transform from beloved family pet to the savage mutt, fighting to survive in the (excuse the pun) dog eat dog world,  finally to the wild and free dog, adopted by the local wolf population. 

 

I have to admit, I'm fond of books told from an animals perspective (Black Beauty being one of my all time favourite books), horrified at the way people treat them, heart melting when they at last have a happy ending.  Though the setting wasn't really appealing to me, I still enjoyed the story.

 

4 stars.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1480716/call-of-the-wild-jack-london

Empire of Storms - Sarah J Maas

Review:

OMG, this arrived Friday, I absolutely devoured it. I won't bore you with the gushing about how much I love this series, and how much I'm going to hate waiting for the rest of it to be published (and how thankful I am that SJM isn't GRRM when it comes to publishing the next novel in a series, hence why I've been in no hurry to finish that series).

 

That said, the passivity of Aelin's followers bothered me a little, especially the way Dorian took a back seat to much of the planning and scheming that went on during the book, but not enough that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

 

5 stars.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1480151/empire-of-storms-sarah-j-maas

Smile - Raina Telgemeier

Review:

Cute graphic novel based on the authors childhood, and the struggles faced in the tween/early teen years, especially when braces are involved.  It almost felt like a walk down memory lane, though I was very lucky to have less-judgmental friends than poor Raina.  The lessons learned in this book are some that all children deal with at some point in their lives, lessons on self, friendship and accidents. 

 

After finishing this I immediately handed it to my 10yo (who happened to be home from school sick) and encouraged my 12yo to also read it when her sister had finished.  Highly recommend to girls in the same age group. 

 

4 stars.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1480147/smile-raina-telgemeier

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Review:

Wow, just wow... This is quite the prophetic read.  

 

In a world where ignorance is indeed bliss; fast cars, inane chattering and 'the family' are all everyone needs. The threat of war is treated with such blasé disregard that no one even thinks twice about how it will affect them, because bad things only ever happen to someone else.  The parallels between the book and modern society are scary, and a stark reminder of the direction the world is headed...

 

4 stars

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1480130/fahrenheit-451-ray-bradbury

Ms. Marvel (2015)

Review:

I love, Love, LOVE Kamala Khan, I just can't get enough.  The 16 year old inhuman tries her best to deal with the strain of celebrity, a pang of jealousy toward her best friend's new girlfriend, while keeping her grades up and doing her best to keep in line with her Pakistani roots.  

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1464823/ms-marvel-2015

5 Ronin

Review:

Eeeh, not awful, but not great either... Follows 5 Ronin (Though I'm not sure how Psylocke counts as one) on the road for vengeance... Each story based on a different character: Wolverine, Hulk, Punisher, the previously mention Psylocke and Deadpool.

 

3 stars, though I may be feeling a little generous.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1464819/5-ronin

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

Review:

I'm a sucker for Alice's adventures, I feel believing in impossible things is a good mantra for life in general. It was nice to revisit a childhood favourite and spend some time in wonderland, instead of the real world. 

 

5/5 stars

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1455657/alice-in-wonderland-lewis-carroll

Somebody Stop Me...

I'm beginning to think I need rehab, but for books.  I keep telling myself that I won't buy any more, but then I find something that I 'really need' or that my girls 'really need' and before I blink I'm through the checkout and out the door with the books in hand...

 

Today was again one of those days, this time I've managed to pass of today's haul off as being super prepared for Christmas, but that still doesn't solve my lack of book shelf space... nor find homes for the stacks of books currently taking over my coffee table. So Santa, if you're watching, I'd love some book cases this year, even if I have been a little wicked as far as my books are concerned.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1452974/somebody-stop-me

Guess who's back, back again...

It feels like forever since I've posted, and I suppose it has been several months.  But hopefully that will change, now that I once again have a working, or at least mostly working, computer, hooray! 

 

Though I've been able to get online with my phone, I hated trying to do anything more than list books I was reading, trying to post was just awful. 

 

My reading seems to have taken a back seat this year, I'm many books behind where I wished to be, but I have Uni (and to an extent life in general) to thank for that. Now that I'm a third of the way into my second semester I'm hoping that things are settled enough that I can catch up on all the books I intended to have read by now.

 

I'm hoping to get some time to catch up on review writing too, since I have a multitude of books that are missing reviews, but those will take a while and will be second to the numerous essays, assignments and exams I have to complete over the next few months.

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1451620/guess-who-s-back-back-again

Review:

Now that I've finished with my Behavioural Neuroscience unit I no longer need to read this, that is until I pick up another Psychology unit.

 

An interesting read, if you are interested in psychology and the inner workings of the great grey lump that keeps us going.  

Original post: cafebiblioaus.booklikes.com/post/1451614/post