The Bookbabe Reviews: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

So finally, I have finished The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and can I just say that I fell madly in love with the main character Professor Don Tillman right from the start. There were so many reaons why I feel like I was fated to love this book; chief among them is the main characters geek status. Don is what you would stereotypcially expect a genetics professor to be. He is clinical, a bit cold and odd. Don is also tired of being alone and enlisted his close friends in the "Wife Project". The project is doomed from the start and we get to follow Don a few dating adventures that leave him mortified and leaves us in tears laughing at their absurdity. As a means to shake things up Don's bestfriend Gene sets him up with Rosie; a smoker, that works in a gay bar and dressed "weird". Don sees her as unsuitable and is determined not to even consider her as wife material. Their first "date" starts off hilariously when Don gets in a fight with security and the maitre d' of the resturant over his lack of a proper dinner jacket. After this the relationship with Rosie just happens. Don enlists himself to help her find her biological father; this goes against his better judgement and he is also breaking a few universtity rules to help her out. The "Father Project" could end up causing Don a lot in the end but the rewards could also be so much greater.  One of my favorite moments of the book happens close to the end; Don after a conversation with Gene and After returning home from New York comes to the conclusion that he is in love with Rosie. The revelation allows him to see that change and maybe letting go of some of his rigid ways might be the only way to really win the heart of the one he loves. I  honestly enjoyed the book and can not wait to see what happens in Book 2: The Rosie Effect.

Rate: 4 Stars

Favorite Quotes:

"Time has been redefined. Previous time zones no longer apply. Alcohol is hearby declared mandatory in the Rosie Time Zone"

"Sixteen," I told him. "Second - highest score ever." 

Gene looked at it. "Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Do I have to point out that you haven't had a baby recently?"

The Bookbabe Reviews....Angelfall by Susan Ee

What is not to like about this book? Susan Ee gives us all the things that we love about current YA (young adult fiction). It has fallen angels, a post apocalyptic world, a kick ass main character and a hot forbidden love interest. What I really loved about this book is that it was so different from all the others that I have read over the years. Some could say that it is like Hunger games. We have our main character Penryn trying to protect her family after Angels have descended on the world and ripped it apart. She has to deal with a Schizophrenic mother that is off her meds. She also has to support her

handicapped sister. They have little food and have made a decision to make a run for it and so that they can be in a safer environment.
Along the way the stumble across a fight between a few Angels and here is where we meet our hot, sarcastic angel named Raffe. Raffe becomes a very likeable character right off the start. He is not very much unlike many of the other male characters we find in this kind of YA
novel.  In fact when he is first introduced he reminds me so much of Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
   Raffe seems distant and unwilling to help Penryn after her sister is kidnapped by Angels. However, he seems drawn to her and duty bound to help. So they make and alliance that seems fragile at first but later as the book progresses we see that it so something all together deeper that will keep them together a bit longer. Another thing that I really
enjoyed about this book is that Susan Ee is not afraid to be gory and to create creatures that will scare the living mess out of you. The monsters at the end of this book will make you cringe. I can’t wait to see what she does in the next two installments of the series. I will
definitely say that this book is really worth your time and will be a great and very fast read that will keep you turning the pages.

Quote I loved:
“When I was little, I always thought I’d be Cinderella, but I guess
this makes me the wicked witch. But then again, Cinderella didn’t live
in a post-apocalyptic world invaded by avenging angels”.



For personal book recommendations you can email me at thebookbabe84@gmail.com

The Bookbabe Reviews: The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett

When I first started this book I really did not know what to expect; I took it upon myself to avoid reading reviews this was to insure that I would not be tainted by what others thought of the book. This book is a book of three stories; its about a young man grieving the lost of his first love and wife. Its a tale of lost documents and books; its a tale about the lies people are willing to tell and sometimes murder for. My favorite things about this book was the complexity of the main character Peter Byerly. Peter is a young man trying to find his way back after the sudden death of his wife Amanda. He abandons his home in South Carolina and ventures across the pond to England and a small cottage to get away from everything. While there he finally decides to venture out and ends up in a small bookshop where he comes across a watercolor of a woman that looks like Amanda. While some people would have just thought that finding the photo was an uncanny coincidence; Peter can't let it go. This leads him to a watercolor society meeting in London where he crosses paths with Liz Sutcliffe; an editior that is working with an author on a book that is linked to B.B. The mysterious artist that created the watercolor that Peter just some happened to have discovered. The tale takes us on a journey between the time of Shakepeare, 1995 England, and Ridgefield college in the 1980's. Well we are getting flash backs we are learning more about out main character and the mystery that surrounds forged documents, an extramartial affair and blackmail. The beauty of this book is that it is a book for book lovers; if you love a good mystery, a beautiful romance or a book about over coming grief and anxiety then this is the book for you. I can definitely say that I would recommend and perhapd have a give away from a copy of the book. 

Other Books by Charlie Lovett:

First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen

Favorite Quotes from the Book: 

"....all sense of dread and panic banished by the simple act of losing himself in an old book"

"Well," said Francis, "forgery is telling lies. And no matter how good a liar you are, if you tell enough of them, you can dig yourself a hole so deep that the only way out seems to be murder"

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Throne of Glass By Sarah J. Maas; a review by the Bookbabe of Delaware

            The beginning of this book brings us to the salt mines of Endovier as the crown prince of Adarlan; Dorian, is coming to retrieve the self proclaimed assassin of Adarlan; Celaena Sardothien. Celanea is told that she will be competing in a competition to become the kings champion; his assassin. Celaena at first is not happy about the competition because the king is a tyrant; at the kings hand anyone practicing magic has either been killed or driven into hiding. The king is also interested in taking over all the kingdom’s around him. While competing in the championship several of the champions begin to die off; and in very horrific ways. It seems like a beast of some sort is loose in the castle and that magic may be what is helping this beast evade detection. This leads Celaena to start investigating the symbols that are left behind at the scene; this in itself is dangerous because if she is caught with knowledge of this kind of magic should could be killed and implicated in the murders of her fellow champions. Celaena begins to suspect Princess Nehemia Yteger of Eyllwe; who knows about the Wyrdmarks and who may even know how to use them. Of course, by the end of the story we know exactly who was yielding the Wyrdmarks  and we even get a glimpse behind who really sit it all in motion. However, the why is still up in the air. So on to book two we go.

What I Loved about this book:

            What I enjoyed most about this book is that the love story took second place to everything else and it also took some time before it launched. Dorian, of course, is the natural on to root for but I (of course) am rooting for Chaol Westfall (the underdog). I also really loved that Celaena was very no nonsense and did not play the victim at anytime through the story. Of course, we see her vulnerable side because she is far from weak and is a fighter. And for the first time in a long time she is a female character that I really find myself loving. The book also has another strong female character in Nehemia Ytger (the Princess of Eyllwe); she was a little bit of a mystery as the story went on and I cannot wait to see what Maas does with her in the rest of the series. Another things to love about this book is the action; there is enough of it that you will never get bored.

What I didn’t like about the book but….:

            What I found a little grating about the book was that it started out a little slow and the first champion did not die for some time. I will chalk this up to the authors need to really build the characters and get the reader invested in the story and to get them to fall for the characters. I know that some authors just rush into the things and the reader can be left thinking “what the hell did I just read” (or at least I have had that issue). Maas character development really is what I loved so much about the book. I feel very happy with the way the first book wrapped up and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Favorite Quotes:

“You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.” – Queen Elena to Celaena

“My name is Celaena Sardothien. But it makes no difference if my name's Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I'd still beat you, no matter what you call me.” – Celanea to Cain during their duel.

“No. I can survive well enough on my own— if given the proper reading material.”  - Celanea