Sweet Summer Reads....

The summer of 2016 has by far been my best and most bookish summer to date. I came in at 17 books read ;)! Four more than I read last year!!!! While most of them where great, eight books really stood out. Here they are:

1)1984 by George Orwell

2) Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

3) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

4) The Bourbon Kings by J.R. Ward

5) The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith 

6) A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker

7) The Girl with all the Gifts by M.R. Carey

8) A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

You can find my no spoiler reviews of these books here on my blog. How many books did you read this summer? What books would you recommend for me to read is fall? Please feel free to leave a comment. Happy Reading 🤓

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU: My review of 1984 by George Orwell

This was one of the books I choose from my book jar. I had been planning to read it this year for several reasons 1) I was born in 1984, 2) its an election year so why not? Let me get started by saying this is book is very different from any other dystopian novel I have ever read. It was frightening and carried in it some wisdoms and (I think) a bit of a warning about the way society might actually look like in the year 1984. Its important to note that the book was published in 1949; just five years after the second world war. During this time some people in the world were still struggling to put the pieces of their lives back together. This novel seems to take a look at what might happen under socialist party rule. In this world that Orwell has created Winston is a young man that seems very much a lover of the party but, also hates everything that his party stands for. He hates the rigidity of his life. Hates that he can not truly be his own man and express himself. He and others in Oceania are not even allowed to truly think for themselves. As part of their motto says "ignorance is freedom". They are not meant to play outside the party lines; because this means you will have to pay the ultimate price, by giving up your life. 

What I found very frightening about the society built into this novel is that everything is so closely monitored. The citizens from Oceania are not really allowed to marry, they can have children but are not expected  to raise them or have any connection to the children. Even when they do raise their children the kids are taught to spy on the parents and are even encouraged to turn them in; because after all there is no real loyalty - unless it is your loyalty to the party. Nowhere in this world can you be an individual. No way that you can be completely free. 

To a point, especially with the election in the United States looming large; I can see how this book fits one of our political parties and who one of the candidates for President could fit the role of Big Brother. When I looked at it that way the book was very damn scary. 

One of the over all themes of the book was really trust no one. Do not trust your "friends", do not trust the person your "fooling around" with because anyone can be the thought police. Because even when you do not think you're being watched you are. Anyone in this world can betray you. For winston this happens via a co-worker and a man whom he purchased a journal from. 

During the story, Winston is silently being watched for months. The thought police giving him enough time to really implicate that he has done something. 

What I loved about this book is that Winston was extremely relatable. He was a character that you could really see yourself getting behind; a man who you wished you could be like in that situation. Someone that is willing to face betrayal and even death in order to change your society. 

I am very happy to have finally read this wonderful dystopian classic. On Goodreads, I gave this book 4/5 stars.

Here are some of the quotes I liked:

"War is peace...Freedom is slavery...Ignorance is Strength"

"It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words"

"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they can not become conscious"

 

Its all about the quotes...

I have not read as many books as I would have liked to so far this summer. But, I have managed to read a few books that have had some lovely quotables. I love them so much I just had to share them!

Hey ya'll I finished a book and here is my opinion....

I must say I was a little surprised with the conclusion of this series. I loved The Strain (Book #1) and The Fall (Book #2) however this book left me wanting more. I was a little thrown by the fallen angel story line; and I really expected something every different. I didn't really see where it fit in. It almost seemed like the authors where just trying to find a neat and tidy way to wrap up the story line. Also, this book did not have the same "pace" as the others. This book was a little harder for me to get through and much easier for me to walk away from. I will say that I was happy in the wrap up of the story line for each character. Things seemed fitting and final and honestly we did not have to worry about any real lose ends. I was a little upset about the ending of Eph and Zack's story line. Mainly because I did not expect it to end in death. I hoped that they would have had a happier; if not heavily flawed ending. I expected to see them walk of into the sunset with the hopes of mending their relationship; however, I do understand the death ending. In a weird; very messed up way there was really could be no other way forward for these to characters. I will also say that Del Toro and Hogan still added to the complexity of each character. They gave you a reason to root for everyone; including the Master. I would definitely read another book by these two again.

Aloha Summer

Happy Summer Reading Season word nerds ❤️! - 

Much love,

The BookBabe of De 

Book I just purchased....The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman

This is a book that I had been waiting to see in Paperback; but I never expected to find it at Barnes and Noble for 6$. Alice Hoffman is an amazing author and is most famous for Practical Magic. The synopsis for the book is below....

Synopsis as found on Goodreads.com

Blends mythology, magic, archaeology and women. Traces four women, their path to the Masada massacre. In 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean desert, Masada. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. 

Four bold, resourceful, and sensuous women come to Masada by a different path. Yael’s mother died in childbirth, and her father never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker’s wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her twin grandsons, rendered mute by their own witness. Aziza is a warrior’s daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman, who finds passion with another soldier. Shirah is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power. The four lives intersect in the desperate days of the siege, as the Romans draw near. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets — about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.

Book Recommendation for the summer

Renee and Jay by J.J. Murray....its romantic, sexy, sweet, funny and an amazing read. Its one of my absolutely favorite books....here is the synopsis...

There are worse places a saucy single gal could be stranded in the biggest winter storm to hit southwestern Virginia in years. Here at Luchesi's restaurant, Renee can fill up on hot breadsticks and spiked mocha cappuccino--and she can check out Giovanni Anthony Luchesi, the finest man this side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But damn, if it doesn't stop snowing soon, she's gonna wind up in big trouble, what with all the amaretto and candlelight.

Days later, the ice isn't all that's melting in Roanoke. Renee's gone and fallen for the whitest white boy she's ever met. Now she feels like she's living a Julia Roberts movie with an interracial twist and gentle Giovanni, with his slow, seductive hands and spicy kisses, as her leading man. Renee always was a sucker for happy endings. Now, with a make-do ring from Giovanni on her finger, her own seems guaranteed. What can possibly go wrong?