Book Review - Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh

 

When girls get their first period, they are able to take part in the lottery. The young women report to a station and they learn what kind of woman they will be depending on the ticket they get. If they get a white ticket, they can have children and get married. A blue ticket allows them to pursue a career and be free of family duties. This system relieves the burden of choice from a young woman's shoulder. One of the rules of the lottery is that once you receive your ticket, there is no going back.

Calla has received a blue ticket and she questions her fate. She decides to go on the run and live the life she wants. Calla will need to rely on the skills she learned and question those around her. She will have to find a way to escape as the system pits women against her. During her journey, Calla must decide if the lottery knows her better than she knows herself and what the consequences are for going against the lottery.

I was not a fan of this book. I read more than half of the book before I just dumped it. The book lacked world building details. They would share details about certain things but, fail to go into details. I found it hard to understand certain things without understanding the "why".  The writing style felt bland and flat and it was hard to connect to Calla. She came across as cold and clinical. It was hard to put myself in her shoes and feel anything for her plight.

Book Review - The Hidden Things by Jamie Mason

Photo Credit - Amazon

A home security camera captures an attack on fourteen-year-old Carly Liddell. The video also shows her heroic escape. The video appears online and becomes a viral hit. As the popularity of the video grows, the lives of four people will be forever changed by an object that is barely visible in the corner.

The object is a stolen four-hundred-year-old painting by a master of the Dutch Golden Age. Carly's stepfather is the only person in their house who knows the history behind the painting and how it came into his possession. An art dealer who was betrayed and had the painting stolen from her sees the chance to get her life back. An enforcer hired by billionaires to hunt and deliver priceless treasure will stop at nothing to get his prize. However, as Carly comes to terms with newfound fame, she uncovers the secrets behind the painting. Will these secrets destroy her family and everything she holds dear?

The book had an interesting premise. However, I couldn't stand the writing style. I found myself rereading several passages over and over again. I found the story to drag on and on. I didn't find myself relating or even liking any of the characters. Unfortunately, I couldn't be bothered to waste more time on this book and didn't finish the book.

**Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Savannah Darcy Rose is a gifted ballerina. She is known as "Sparrow" to her friends and family. Sparrow has a lot of secrets that she keeps from her loved ones.  She was taught at a young age to keep secrets for her late mother.  However, after a brutal attack from her perfect boyfriend, Sparrow must find the courage to confront her past.

As a person who has been in an abusive relationship, I thought I would have enjoyed this novel. I find that I hated it and I couldn't relate to the main character at all. I liked that each of the characters had nicknames until it became overwhelming. I felt like some of the dialogue between the characters didn't feel authentic or real.

The novel skips from Sparrow and Tristan's first date to Sparrow being terrified of him. I feel like this doesn't give us a chance to see the "good guy" that Tristan is. Was their relationship strong in the beginning or was Tristan always violent? The reason I am asking is that I have a hard time understanding "why" Sparrow insists Tristan is a good guy when all we see is his abusive behavior towards her. Sparrow mentions that he treats her good by "apologizing and buying her things". However, I don't feel that Sparrow and her family needs money as her father is a criminal defense attorney and uses a Montblanc pen. I am wondering if there is an emotional need that Tristan was filling for her.

I wish there was more details given about Sparrow and her mother's death. The author hovers around the incident without going into detail. Another issue I had with the book was that Sparrow observed that she wished her father knew she was in pain and would protect her. However, whenever her friends or family observed Sparrow and her relationship she would get defensive. This wasn't the book for me and I couldn't finish reading it around the 70% page mark.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

BOOK INFORMATION

Sparrow

by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: March 17th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Synopsis:

In the tradition of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak, a devastating but hopeful YA debut about a ballerina who finds the courage to confront the abuse that haunts her past and threatens her future.

There are two kinds of people on the planet. Hunters and prey

I thought I would be safe after my mother died. I thought I could stop searching for new places to hide. But you can’t escape what you are, what you’ve always been.

javascript:void(0);My name is Savannah Darcy Rose.

And I am still prey.

Though Savannah Rose―Sparrow to her friends and family―is a gifted ballerina, her real talent is keeping secrets. Schooled in silence by her long-dead mother, Sparrow has always believed that her lifelong creed―“I’m not the kind of girl who tells”―will make her just like everyone else: Normal. Happy. Safe. But in the aftermath of a brutal assault by her seemingly perfect boyfriend Tristan, Sparrow must finally find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past, or lose herself forever….

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33004248-sparrow

Amazon: https://amzn.to/39Xb2yN

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sparrow-mary-cecilia-jackson/1131253775

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/lookup?isbn=9781250771292

Bookdepository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Sparrow-Mary-Cecilia-Jackson-Andrew-Eiden-Rachel-L-Jacobs/9781250263506

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/sparrow-17

Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mary_Cecilia_Jackson_Sparrow

BOOK AUTHOR

Mary Cecilia Jackson has worked as a middle school teacher, an adjunct instructor of college freshmen, a technical writer and editor, a speechwriter, a museum docent, and a development officer for central Virginia's PBS and NPR stations. Her first novel, Sparrow, was an honor recipient of the SCBWI Sue Alexander Award and a young-adult finalist in the Writers' League of Texas manuscript contest. She lives with her architect husband, William, in Western North Carolina and Hawaii, where they have a farm and five ridiculously adorable goats.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: https://www.marycjackson.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16090834.Mary_Cecilia_Jackson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/marycjackson

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mceciliajackson/

TOUR SCHEDULE

https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2020/02/tour-schedule-sparrow-by-mary-cecilia.html

We will be updating this link daily.

GIVEAWAY

Prize: Win a copy of SPARROW by Mary Cecilia Jackson (US/CAN Only)

Starts: 17^th March 2020

Ends: 31^st March 2020

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d9681b86476/?

 

Book Review - Processed Cheese by Stephen Wright

Photo Credit - Amazon

Graveyard is on his way to look for a job when a bag of money drops from the sky and falls into his path. Graveyard hurries home to his wife, Ambience to share in the good news. Together they go on a spending journey to have everything they always wanted. The owner of the money bag begins to search for his money and is willing to do whatever is necessary to get it back.

At first, I thought the character's names were a bit weird but, I thought I can just ignore it. But, when everything started having wack-a-doo naming, even the days of the week. I started losing interest in the novel very quickly. It took more effort to remember the weird names and what they meant. I spent more time trying to decipher the names than I was focusing on the novel. I couldn't even make it past a few chapters before I realized this book isn't for me.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Takes One to Know One by Susan Isaacs

Photo Credit - Amazon

Retired FBI agent Corie Geller used to help bring down terrorists. After a few years at the bureau, Corie traded in her badge for motherhood and marriage. She married the charismatic Judge Josh Geller and adopted his fourteen-year-old daughter. While being the family chauffeur and chef, she scouts new and upcoming Arabic fiction for literary agencies. Corie joins a few other freelancers every Wednesday at a French restaurant to make friends.

Corie senses that something is off with one of the attendees of their group. Pete Delaney seems like a regular person but, he always shows up early and sits in the same spot with a different cellphone.  And he always keeps one eye on his car parked across the street.  Corie feels that Pete is hiding something. She is unsure if she is just making things up but, she decides the only way to know for sure is to investigate into Pete's life.

I love thrillers and mystery novels. After reading the summary, I was super excited to read the book. The first few pages were a bit tough but, I figured the book would start to pick up. After a hundred pages, I started to realize the book will never pick up and the whole book was rather pointless. I got tired of the constant "Oh, why did he marry me? He's so handsome!" nonsense every few pages. The premise of the entire novel seems so boring. Corie had no actual evidence that Pete was up to go no good but, just a hunch. Honestly, the novel was so boring, I couldn't read more. I am throwing this novel into the DNF pile.

**Disclosure - I received a free uncorrected copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**