The third book in a series, Disturbing the Dead is not a standalone and you must read the first two books in the series to understand what happens in The third book in a series, Disturbing the Dead is not a standalone and you must read the first two books in the series to understand what happens in this book. Mallory, a woman who time travelled from the modern day into Victorian Scotland into the body of a young and pretty maid helps her employer to solve crimes as police consultants. When asked to attend a party of a mummy unwrapping, Mallory and Dr. Gray find a more recent body instead.
Kelley Armstrong is one of my all time favorite authors and this book proved yet again why I love her. I was riveted by this book and was finding excuses to keep listening to it as much as possible. In some regards in this third book we got some closure as the reader on certain topics. But what I really love is Mallory the main character and all of the relationships she has built with all of the side characters. That's what Kelley does best, bringing a cast of characters to life as if they're people you would know, even in Victorian Scotland.
This has quickly become one of my favorite series, and I hope there's a plan for MANY installments in the future because I cannot get enough of them.
I was gifted an advanced listening copy of this book via libro.fm as a part of their librarian ALC program ...more
It's not the fault of this book that I don't care for novellas but even though books 1 and 2 of this series were five star reads for me, th 3.5 stars
It's not the fault of this book that I don't care for novellas but even though books 1 and 2 of this series were five star reads for me, this one was too short for me to be invested/love it. Taking place between books 2 and 3, this novella follows Mallory as she follows a housemaid into an underground crime ring.
I mostly read this so I wouldn't be confused reading book 3. Lots of little tidbits and new characters thrown in here that I think will become important. I wish this book was in audio as I think I would have enjoyed it much more in that format....more
After her aunt passes away, Clementine inherits her apartment. Clementine doesn't move in right away, but when she does she discovers her aun 4 stars
After her aunt passes away, Clementine inherits her apartment. Clementine doesn't move in right away, but when she does she discovers her aunt had not lied to her about it: sometimes the apartment is a time portal. One day Clementine comes home from work to meet Iwan, except the apartment she entered takes place seven years ago when he was subletting the place.
I really enjoyed this book, time travel stories are something I will always pick up and it was nice to read a more modern day one. Seven years instead of like, 100+ years back. It's funny how much can change (or not change) in that amount of time. I'm glad we got the perspective of Clementine so that most of the book was the "present" and we weren't jumping around in time. It helped to create the disparity between the Iwan seven years ago and the one in the present.
My favorite aspect of the book was the background story of Clementine dealing with her grief and loss of her aunt. Many times people lose someone they love and have to go on with their lives, happy or sad. I thought this book balanced that all really well. It also made me really hungry when I was reading it since it talked about food quite a bit....more
What would you do if you traveled through time, only to return years later with no explanation of why you left? Four years ago Rosalind tra 4.5 stars
What would you do if you traveled through time, only to return years later with no explanation of why you left? Four years ago Rosalind traveled from the 19th century to present day, leaving behind her beloved husband and infant son. Now, she has found a way back and yet she does not know how to explain her absence in a way that will be believed. Disguising herself as a governess, she returns to her husband and son (without them knowing it's her). But someone doesn't want Rosalind there and will do anything to keep her away.
Kelley Armstrong is a favorite of mine, and lately she seems to really love writing time travel books set in Victorian times (I don't mind, they are highly entertaining). This is the second in a series and can be read as a standalone, but I think it would be less confusing if one read A Stitch in Time first. I listened to the audiobook and found I didn't want to stop listening, I loved following along with Rosalind as she reacquainted herself with her family and how she navigated a very complicated situation. The mystery thrown in was a tad bit predictable but I enjoyed it all the same....more
Book 2 of A Rip Through Times series, you must read the first book in order to understand this one.
Mallory, a modern day woman cop trapped in the bodyBook 2 of A Rip Through Times series, you must read the first book in order to understand this one.
Mallory, a modern day woman cop trapped in the body of a 19 year old Scottish Victorian girl in 1869. Her employer and friend Dr. Duncan Gray is aware of who Mallory really is, and while she there she serves as his assistant. When a series of murders occurs via poisoning, Mallory and Duncan find the case hits closer to home than either one realized.
Kelley Armstrong is one of my all time favorite authors and this series just reminds me of why. We get a time travel mystery that is set in Victorian times but with modern eyes. There's a hint of romance, but Armstrong notably is a slow burn writer as her books focus more on the mysteries abound instead.
I liked how in this book we were able to focus more on Mallory's police work instead of her having to hide who she truly was. At some point side characters were also calling her Mallory instead of Katrina (sorry if that is spelled wrong, I listen to the audio version) and I wondered if I missed a big reveal? I even rewound it to be sure I didn't hear wrong.
I think one of my favorite things Armstrong does with this series is tackle topics such as racism, Sapphic romance, transgender community, and more in a Victorian era. I loved that Mallory as a more modern woman was able to recognize things in a way people of the time might not have and was able to address everyone with kindness and respect. All of these topics existed back then as well as today and I enjoyed those elements being incorporated into the book.
My one regret is reading these books as they were released and now I have to wait probably another year for the next book. But I am sure it will be worth it as I have already grown to love these characters.
ALC provided by Libro.fm as a part of their Librarian ALC program ...more
Mallory is a Canadian detective in Scotland caring for her ill grandmother. When she is attacked while on a run one evening, she is transpor 5 stars!
Mallory is a Canadian detective in Scotland caring for her ill grandmother. When she is attacked while on a run one evening, she is transported 150 years earlier, into the body of a 19 year old housemaid. Confused and desperate to get home, she does her best to pretend she belongs there. Until there is a murder and Mallory may be the key person to solve it…
I’ve been a big fan of Kelley Armstrong ever since her Darkest Powers series and luckily she has a huge backlist of books. I got the audio of this one from the library and ended up loving it way more than I expected to. It’s an odd concept and can be difficult to market I think. But reading the actual book I fell into the story and all the wonderful historical facts and fun characters. Having a modern day detective investigate Victorian age murders in that time? It was actually a lot of fun.
I loved all the characters and felt they really brought balance to the story. Mallory a modern girl stuck in an old time, a doctor she works for who is a bit of an outcast based purple on his race, his half sister a widow and a chemist. They were all fantastic and I am excited to read the next book and equally sad it is not published yet....more
One of my favorite authors wrote a Victorian England time travel gothic romance? Sold. Didn’t even have to think twice about wanting to read 4 stars
One of my favorite authors wrote a Victorian England time travel gothic romance? Sold. Didn’t even have to think twice about wanting to read this book.
A Stitch in Time is about 38 year old Bronwyn who returns to Thorne Manor when her aunt passes away and leaves it to Bronwyn in her will. More than twenty years ago Bronwyn left the manor after a tragic death, and she also left behind an unbelievable secret. Returning to Thorne Manor, Bronwyn reunites with her young love William, who is not so receptive to her return.
I thought this book was a wonderful time travel romance. I don’t understand the science of it all in this one but I also don’t have to because it’s fiction so I went along with it. Second chance romance is my favorite trope in the romance genre, so I ate this book up so fast! I love Kelley Armstrong’s writing and the way she can deliver a good story with great characters. This was definitely the escape from real life that I needed right now....more
“ I never realized how easily people could be trained to accept slavery”
Kindred is the story of Dana, a young black woman living in 1976 4 stars
“ I never realized how easily people could be trained to accept slavery”
Kindred is the story of Dana, a young black woman living in 1976 California who is one day sucked into the early 1800’s Maryland. There she meets one of her ancestors Rufus and saves his life. But even when Dana returns home, she is repeatedly transported back in time whenever Rufus’ life is at risk, and saves him time and time again. The more time she spends in the past, it becomes apparent she might not have a future at all.
“Repressive societies always seemed to understand the danger of "wrong" ideas.”
Kindred is a book that I’ve intended to read for a long time. It’s sat on my tbr shelf for longer than I’d like to admit. I’m very glad I read it, because for me the largest takeaway was the point that people could become used to slavery as a way of life and come to accept it. Which blows my mind, because slavery is one of the most evil concepts ever created and implemented and it’s a stain on our world. This book was horrifying and haunting, I truly believe it will stay with me for a very long time.
I’m eager to read more by Butler, her writing style is absolutely magnificent. She did an incredible job with the concept and the characters, in addition to the daily life aspects of the early 1800’s. This book has been around a long while and it really stands the test of time. I hope people in the present and future read it and that no one forgets this book.
“Slavery was a long slow process of dulling.” ...more
“Everything will look better in the morning. There will be hope again when the light returns. The despair is only an illusion, a trick the 4.5 stars
“Everything will look better in the morning. There will be hope again when the light returns. The despair is only an illusion, a trick the darkness plays.”
One of the most compelling books I’ve read this year!
Recursion is about a detective, Barry, who takes a late call for a suicide jumper. While trying to talk her off the ledge of a building, she reveals that she has False Memory Syndrome, something sweeping the world in which infected people remember an entire life they never live. From there, Barry is swept into an unknown world and works to help save the world.
“Life with a cheat code isn't life. Our existence isn't something to be engineered or optimized for the avoidance of pain. That's what it is to be human - the beauty and the pain, each meaningless without the other.”
If I were to briefly describe this book, I would call it a prequel to Minority Report. There was a lot of science and theories that I didn’t one hundred percent understand, but I think the author did a great job of not dumbing it down nor making it too complicated. I honestly don’t want to say more because I think readers should go in blind. But I devoured this book in like, two sittings. Definitely worth reading!
“He has wondered lately if that's all living really is—one long goodbye to those we love.”
“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet you 4.5 stars!!
“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself.”
This was my favorite book as a child, in fact I devoured the entire quintet throughout my tween awkward years. I remembered I had loved the book, but aside from a few random details, I found I barely remembered what happened. In fact, I read it so long ago, this was my copy:
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Okay, so I’m not THAT old, my mom just bought a lot of books from the local used book store. I read too fast for her to keep up with me, normally it was just library books growing up. Anyways, I digress.
A Wrinkle in Time is about a young girl named Meg, she’s very awkward, has many faults (according to herself) and feels like an outcast. The only people she really finds a comfort with are her scientist mother, and her odd brother Charles Wallace. Meg’s father had also gone missing about two years ago, and while the town suspects he ran off with another woman, Meg and her family know this not to be true.
On a stormy evening, Meg and Charles Wallace receive a visitor, the peculiar Mrs. Whatsit. From there, Meg and Charles Wallace, along with a boy named Calvin, get whisked away in a journey to rescue their father. But they must travel through time and space to do so, and face a terrifying darkness to get him back.
“We can't take any credit for our talents. It's how we use them that counts.”
First off, I have to say, with the few exceptions this book really stands the test of time. It’s not dated at all, and except for the mention of a typewriter, this book could take place during any decade. It’s so rare to read a book written in the 1960’s that’s like that, so a solid kudos to the author.
One thing I’ve always loved about the story is Meg, and the idea that she’s not a perfect heroine, and that’s what makes her the hero of the story. It portrays that even though we have faults, sometimes our faults can be our advantage, and that fitting in with everyone else isn’t always the best thing for a society. I love that we have an “ordinary” heroine, who is expected to do extraordinary things, even though she’s not the smartest of the bunch.
It’s a bit obvious, being when this book is written, there are some subtext about the dangers of communism. The evil IT and how it makes everyone and everything the same, or else. I think with this subtext, it also portrays how important it is to be an individual and to make up one's own mind. In a way, this book is very relevant even present day. To fight against what’s wrong and not succumb to forces who want their definition of perfection.
Once I was able to put my mind to it, I was able to devour this book in a matter of hours. It’s a very fast read and one I believe all ages can and will enjoy.
I grew up with Harry Potter. Yes, I am that generation. I was a little bit younger than 11 when the books were relea 5 Expecto Patronum stars!
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I grew up with Harry Potter. Yes, I am that generation. I was a little bit younger than 11 when the books were released, and when the final book was published I had just graduated high school. I'm also the same age as Daniel Radcliffe and he's only older than me by less than a month. I also have a deathly hallows bumper sticker on my car. So, I think it's safe to say that this series has had a profound effect on me, to the point where I am still a little bit bitter that I never got my Hogwarts acceptance letter.
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A couple years ago I reread the first two books in the series and loved them just as much as when I was a kid. So when I got into a horrible reading slump, I saw my dad watching Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family (as he does for every fucking Harry Potter weekend mind you), I said to myself, what the hell. Time for a reread. So hence, Harry Potter 3 reread.
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All of us may know the story but I am going to reiterate. In his third year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter learns that a dangerous man named Sirius Black has escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban. Harry then overhears the fact that Black is the reason his parents are dead, as Black sold them out to Voldemort and then killed 13 people in broad daylight.
So in a unique part of the review from me, here are all the amazing parts of this book that I forgot because I've been watching the movies instead:
-Peeves the Poltergeist: Holy crap how did I forget about this hilarious menacing spirit? He's not as present in this book but he has always had a part in the series and I completely forgot he existed! I know they can't include everything in the movies but I wish Peeves had been included.
-Charlie Weasley: Ron had yet ANOTHER sibling that is only mentioned in the films! This one is the cool brother in Egypt.
-Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory: there are soooooo many mentions of Cho and Cedric in this book! I never really noticed Cedric until the 4th book where he becomes prominent. And this is the book where Harry's crush on Cho began. Stomach flutters!
-More details on Whomping Willow/Shrieking Shack: This may be a spoiler for those of you who haven't read it, but the Whomping Willow was actually planted to hide Lupin's werewolfism as well as the shrieking shack to hide him. I thought this little tidbit was super interesting, along with the details of how Black escaped Azkaban.
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And just in general, I love JK Rowling's ability to tie things together. There's so much in this book that becomes important later and tiny little details and sharp wit that make me giggle.
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So in a small factoid, this book is probably my least favorite of the entire series. It's good, obviously, but for some reason I like all the other ones better. The movie, well it's my second to last favorite (just ahead of that godawful Goblet of Fire film which ruined everything but I digress). The movie director added so many unnecessary things that weren't in the book, and I wish he hadn't so he could of kept the good stuff! (And I've heard a rumor that he didn't even read the fucking book until JK kept vetoing all of his weird ideas. Look it up!)
If you haven't read these books, do not tell me!!!!! I will smack you!
For those who care, the Outlander tv series trailer is up! Looks pretty good! (I found the trailer on Facebook and the Outlander page on Starz's websiFor those who care, the Outlander tv series trailer is up! Looks pretty good! (I found the trailer on Facebook and the Outlander page on Starz's website)...more
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