Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Author: Neal Shusterman
Original title: Scythe 
Pages: 448
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Arc of a Scythe #1
Format: e-book
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Blurb: 
     A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

My thoughts: 
     I read the synopsis of this and loved the idea. And I really, REALLY wanted to love this book. It’s so popular on Booktube, Goodreads, everywhere. I was sure it was going to be a good one.
It was such a boring and predictable book. I understand that an imaginary world is created in a dystopian fantasy, but even then, the set up needs to be worked out well with reasons and consequences. The writing was not impressive, the characters flat and predictable.
      All in all, it was an tiresome 450 pages story of some kind of weird apprenticeship. The utopia was full of unexplained, contradictory rules and setup. The action seems to be created for the sake of it and pushed in front of the reader to be taken for granted. I really did not know if I should give the series another chance or just DNF it, but I decided to read the second book and was hooked, it was much more interesting, which I did not expect, so defensively finishing up the series.

  Rating:  

    2/5  

They shoot the horses don't they? by Horace McCoy

Author:  Horace McCoy
Original title:  They shoot the horses don't they?
Pages: 288
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: e-book
Genres: Classics, Crime
Goodreads

 Blurb:         
       The marathon dance craze flourished during the 1930s, but the underside was a competition and violence unknown to most ballrooms—a dark side that Horace McCoy's classic American novel powerfully captures.

My thoughts: 
      I find this title in one of the "you should read before you die" lists and it perfectly suited one of the prompts in my #popsugarchallenge2019 - read a book with the question mark in the title. Was I expecting anything special? No, just another display of difficult life. But I was so surprised by this short novel. It is really short and very brutal, full of events and great array of the side character and snippets of the their lives, all these give us enough to see humanity at the bottom of desperation and despair.
      The entire novel takes place on the dance floor, which is also quite unique and fresh setting. I have a feeling that the contest, in many ways, is the falsity and illusion of the American Dream.
      I found this short work was beautifully assembled, although the prose is quite simple, the narrator gives insight into the events of the dance marathon and the character of Gloria, a negationist, who sees through the falsity of this marathon. I did not like the main female character though and found her terribly irritating. But still definitely recommended.

 Rating:  

    4/5  

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Author:  Seanan McGuire
Original title: Every Heart a Doorway
Pages: 224
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Wayward Children #1
Format: e-book
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

 Blurb:         
       Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.
     Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.
       But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.
My thoughts: 
      It was such a disappointment for me. All this hype and really for what? I saw these series in almost everyone's video and have not heard any bad reviews. It is not that the book is bad, it is just so average and I do not understand the obsession with it.
       It was too short to connect with the characters or the worlds they experienced. The plot centers around a murder mystery. The killings were sudden and pretty brutal. It was quite predictable who was behind the murders. All of the children were one dimensional. They didn't have any personal characteristics. The whole pacing was a rush. The ending was unsatisfying and abrupt like most of the book for me. 
     It was a huge disappointment, I won't continue the series and I also wouldn't recommend it

 Rating:  

    2/5  

Hotel by Arthur Hailey

Author:  Arthur Hailey 
Original title: Hotel
Pages: 442
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: Hardback
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   During five days in the midst of a hot, steamy Louisiana summer, the lives of a colorful cast of characters intertwine in a series of public, private, and personal dramas at the famed St. Gregory luxury hotel.
My thoughts: 
    It's a good little story, one of my favorites by Hailey: who knew that daily running of a hotel might be that interesting.
      Recently I re-read it again and the story totally holds up. Arthur Hailey is a good writer, an excellent storyteller, an expert at plotting and character development, and a genius at weaving story lines and characters together.  Despite some old cliche the characters here are excellent. The book is dated, the views and problems are dated but despite all that it is still a great story and fascinating read.

 Rating:  

    3/5  

The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson

Author: Mary E. Pearson
Original title: The Kiss of Deception/The Heart of Betrayal/The Beauty of Darkness
Pages: 480/480/689
Edition Language: English
Series: The Remnant Chronicles
Format: e-book
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Blurb:    
    The Remnant Chronicles is a three book series. The first book in the series, The Kiss of Deception, was released on July 8th, 2014, followed by The Heart of Betrayal a year later on July 7th, 2015, and completed on August 2, 2016 with the release of The Beauty of Darkness. The Remnant Chronicles is a Young Adult Fantasy series which centers around the journey of Lia of Morrigan, a young princess who flees her marriage to a foreign prince, launching her own life and multiple kingdoms into chaos.

My thoughts: 
      Please note that the Mini Reviews for books 2 na d 3 in the series feature some spoilers.

The Kiss of Deception
      The Kiss of Deception gets off to a quick start. But since it starts off so quickly, we do not know anything about the characters and it makes Lia, the princess, slightly less likeable, as she comes across as a bit spoiled and stuck-up, fleeing a relatively stereotypical wedding arrangement for her station. Upon settling down, Lia and Pauline quickly encounter two strangers – Rafe and Kaden. One is a prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Despite to the instability of her current situation, Lia quickly finds herself increasingly attracted to the strange men – perhaps seeking a romance of her own choice, rather than an arranged marriage. But this freedom brings many dangers she has no idea who she can trust. As Lia finds herself falling more deeply in love, she must make an impossible choice, before one of the men in her life makes it for her.
     The Kiss of Deception is a great adventure, and an even better romance, making even the love-triangle working rather smoothly. Lia, Kaden and Rafe relationship immediately draw the reader in, as do their morally grey decisions and motivations.  In addition, the plot is fast-paced, but easy to follow, hooking and keeping the reader’s attention early on, and hanging onto it with every twist and surprise. My most favorite character in this book is the assassin. He is really cruel, but seems just and there is something nice about him.

The Heart of Betrayal
     Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, the assassin, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar’s interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen. Meanwhile, everything is complicated: apart from the love-triangle there are the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives among them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country and her own destiny and she finds herself increasingly embroiled in Vendan affairs, and in the Komizar’s plans.
    The Heart of Darkness is a story of individual growth, of love in the impossible scenario, and of impossible choices, all leading towards a final, heart-shattering conclusion. Lia, Kaden and Rafe's struggles are heart-breaking to read. The reader will find themselves drawn into this tale. The story Pearson creates here is equally masterful and interesting, once again keeping a fast-paced plot with plenty of twists. In this book Lea is shinning all different colors and her personal growth is incredible. The prince is still my lest favorite character and the assassin is starting to loose his stability in judgements and becoming more a softie.

The Beauty of Darkness

Lia has survived Venda, but the threat of the destruction of Morrighan is still on. And only Lia can stop it. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself lost in her relationship with Rafe and is suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down, as Lia and Rafe flee Venda.
    Lia and Ralf are pushed further apart as they find themselves at cross-purposes, each with their own country in mind.  Finally, Lia is forced to leave Rafe and her companions behind, striking out for Morrighan with only Kaden at her side.  Everything comes to a head as Rafe, Kaden and Lia finally stand as a united front in the face of true evil – the Komizar. In battle, each will make impossible decisions, forever changing the course of their lives and the trajectory of their kingdoms.
The Beauty of Darkness is a story of loss, strength and war. No character escapes change as they come face to face with both internal and external horrors, which force them to question their decisions, their loyalties, and their future. Lia, Kaden and Rafe each face impossible decisions, and their choices change them completely, making them stronger and more human people. The only character who changes beyond recognition is Kaden,  and though he is more human and caring, he seems more like a puppy with his master than and a self deficient grown up man, his total compliance without much character , that we saw in two previous books made me sad at a lost of a great literary character.
---
Overall, The Remnant Chronicles were a strong series, which seamlessly blended romance and adventure. Lia, Rafe and Kaden are charming characters who draw the reader into their adventure almost immediately, until they become increasingly invested in their lives. Lia was an exceptionally strong female character, who embodied feminine empowerment as she went about her story, never in distress, but instead a strong warrior who fought for her successes and accepts her failures. The only downside I found in the books is the magic system, which, I guess, suffered because of the action filled plot. Otherwise, it was truly engaging and entertaining series, with great characters and a solid plot.

Rating: 

    4/5 

 

The Final Diagnosis| Strong Medicine| The Evening News by Arthur Hailey

Author: Arthur Hailey
Original title: The Final Diagnosis
Pages: 164
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: hardcover
Genres: fiction
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   A look at the workings of a modern day hospital through the lens of the pathologists department.

  My thoughts: 
    I simply love this one. Unable to put down the book. Once you are into it, you are hooked. I read this book multiple times and always find it impactful.
      The duration of the story is short, but the author manages to give a life history of all the main characters. It is fast paced with extremely interesting characters thrown into realistic episodes. The descriptions are so vivid one can actually visualise things happening in front of your eyes.
       A story  is told through the perspective of a pathology lab. We don't quite value pathologists enough, always reserving our praise for the kind physicians and fancy surgeons. Of course, a lot of things changed from the times the novel was written, everything is computerized and faster, but if skip the outdated facility, you can see the work that is done and the importance of it for the functionality of the hospital in general.

Rating:  

    4/5  

Author: Arthur Hailey 

Original title: Strong Medicine

Pages: 265

Edition Language: Russian

Series: no

Format: hardcover

Genres: fiction

Goodreads

Blurb:    

   Miracle drugs save lives and ease suffering, but for profit-motivated companies, the miracle is the money they generate...at any cost.  Billions of dollars in profits will make men and women do many things--lie, cheat, even kill.  now one beautiful woman will be caught in the cross fire between ethics and profits.

  My thoughts: 

    First of all, this book took forever to read, because of the way it was written. The writing is passive and too many years are covered. You can easily recognize the well-rounded characters and lots of inside info that Hailey is so good at.  I have read, that Hailey writes from some experience, after medical issues of his own, and also throws in plenty of brand names and current events to keep this topical.

     Secondly, the main character is absolutely unbelievable: too many ups and downs in the life of Celia Jordan and in frequent succession. She is too perfect and I had a hard time believing her decisions and actions to be realistic for a person at the top of the ladder.

     Overall, it was a really long and dull read, trying to cover so many topics that you lose the connection to the main characters and the plot. 

Rating:  

    2/5  

Author: Arthur Hailey

Original title: The Evening News

Pages: 543

Edition Language: Russian

Series: no

Format: hardcover

Genres: fiction

Goodreads

Blurb:    

   This passionate, terrifying drama takes us behind the scenes of a great television network faced with mortal dangers and moral challenges as it collides with a smaller but equally potent force--the most feared terrorist group in the Americas.

  My thoughts: 

    I've read most of Arthur Hailey novels before this one, and this is by far the worst one. The only reason I finished it was because I wanted to tick it off the list. Most of it is just mindless ramble, with little content focused on the workings of the news network.  I did not care about any of the characters. The action sequences and who solved the problems seemed ridiculous and forced.  

Rating:  

    2/5  

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Author: Liane Moriarty
Original title: What Alice Forgot
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary
Format: Audio book
Read by: Caroline Lee
Duration: 15h34m
Goodreads

Blurb:
    Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over…

My thoughts:
       Alice has a fall at the gym and loses her memory of the last 10 years. I really enjoyed how the story was told through Alice's eyes as I learned how she has changed and also the people around her as she pieces the events of the last 10 years together. She remembers the people around her and their situations as they were 10 years ago and given little clues which creates the mystery of how the events of their lives have changed and shaped into who they are today.
    This fiction covers a broad array of topics, including divorce, death, infertility and a complete breakdown of the family unit. Actually, I liked how the infertility topic was dealt with. I never questioned this issue and had a vague idea what women are going through. In the book I saw a scary picture of obsession that shapes your life in all aspects starting with your sexual life and finishing with your perсeption of the world itself, splitting it into two militant camps. Very complicated and disturbing topic.
      The whole "Alice situation" made me think a lot, how we give in to the flow of time and get lost in everyday life, getting far and far away from us - young and purposeful, ambitious and full of great plans. It is not that we are pathetic nowadays, but how life changes and how it shapes up our demands and expectations. The main challenge here is to look at yourself with your younger eyes and say truly if you are happy with what you see. So those kind of questions were popping up in my mind, while I listen to this book, which is a very nice and funny read with a lot of dramatic turns, but still quite enjoyable.

Rating: 

         4/5 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Author: John Green 
Original title: The Fault in Our Star
Pages: 456
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Format: paperbook
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
     Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

My thoughts: 
    The story centers around a young girl named Hazel, she is suffering from terminal cancer. Hazel meets a boy named Augustus, he also has cancer. The connection between these two main characters is wonderful. They grasp the meaning of death and are yet still fearful of it, they know they will eventually die but then so does everyone.  Hazel and Gus are actually great characters, I really liked them and I liked their conversations. John Green does have a way with dialogue, that is where his strength lies.

There is only one thing in this world shittier than biting it from cancer when you are sixteen, and that's having a kid who bites it from cancer.

     I cried like a baby while reading it and gave it 4 starts. I though realized the point of the book and generally I do not like tearjerkers.  It just was very obvious from chapter one that there was one purpose, and one purpose only to this plot. To be sad. Take away the emotional aspect, and there really isn't a lot left. It was about cancer, so you knew it would be sad. There were no twists, no mystery, nothing out of the ordinary. Even if you just really love tearjerkers, there are many other sad books out there that are written to provoke more emotion. But there was nothing creative about the story. I do not like cancer being exploited for entertainment and profit... but still...this book hit me hard on an emotional level.

 Rating:  

    4/5 

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

Author: Paula Hawkins
Original title: Into the Water
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery
Format: Audio book
Read by: Imogen Church, Sophie Aldred, Daniel Weyman, Rachel Bavidge, Laura Aikman
Duration: 11h31m
Goodreads

Blurb:
      In the last days before her death, Nel called her sister. Jules didn’t pick up the phone, ignoring her plea for help. Now Nel is dead. They say she jumped. And Jules has been dragged back to the one place she hoped she had escaped for good, to care for the teenage girl her sister left behind. But Jules is afraid. So afraid. Of her long-buried memories, of the old Mill House, of knowing that Nel would never have jumped. And most of all she’s afraid of the water, and the place they call the Drowning Pool

My thoughts:
       Firstly, this book is very different from The Girl on the Train. The ads that keeps saying "If you liked The Girl on the Train, you'll love Into the Water" are really far streched. Into the Water does not  focus in-depth on any character, but rather moves between the perspectives of many people.  It took me a while to wrap my head around this book. All the POVs made me confused for the first third of the book, I was trying to remember how they all fitted together.
     Secondly, while both books contain themes of memory and the limitations on its reliability, the mysteries feel very different. The mystery in Into the Water is not as susspense as in The Girl on the Train. It's more like a domestic thriller, with less tension and excitement. It was more of an examination of various ties between people in a small town, and how everyone was in some way linked to the woman found dead.
       I think this whole book was quieter, on the whole, than The Girl on the Train. The people were unlikable, and yet the stories were less dramatic; the climax less reveling. I never felt any excitement at the end, the book just drew gently to a close.
       All of that said, I had a hard time putting this one down and flew through it. It was a decent, worthwhile read, and I can’t say I wouldn't recommend.

Rating: 

         3/5 

Inkspell|Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke

Author: Cornelia Funke
Original title: Tintenblut 
Pages: 683
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Inkworld #2
Format: ebook
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Author: Cornelia Funke
Original title: Tintentod
Pages: 672
Edition Language: Russian
Series: Inkworld #3
Format: ebook
Genres: Fantasy
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of INKHEART, the book whose characters became real. But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater brought into being from words, the need to return to the tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the ability to read him back, Dustfinger leaves behind his young apprentice Farid and plunges into the medieval world of his past.

  My thoughts: 

       In Inkspell, I love the fact that we finally see the inkworld, as Meggie and Farid decide to embark on their journey to go after Dustfinger. It’s a world inhabited by fantastical creatures like fairies, glassmen, giants and speaking trees, but also human beings like the Black Prince, Clouddancer and Cosimo, the Fair.
       However, some of the plot points in this instalment are a little forced. With Capricorn out of the way, Cornelia Funke was in need of a new villain for this second instalment, and it almost seems like the Adderhead came as a second thought.
       Secondly, Meggie is only 13 and the entire romance between her and Farid is really annoying.   I thought Meggie's character suffered a tremendous loss in her falling in love with Farid. She became less independent and less self-reliant. Their relationship struck me as unbelievable and I just really think the whole little romance thing was way overplayed.

       Inkdeath was not my favorite of the series, but the writing was good. Honestly, I'd hoped for better. Don't let this put you off though. I definitely recommend Inkheart and Inkspell.
       What I really didn't like about the book is the way it jumped around. Dustfinger is alive, now he's "dead", now he's alive again. Then there was the whole transforming into animals thing. Where it came from? The ending was really rushed, and I kind of wish that the author had slowed down to explain some things and left out all of the unnecessary details that amounted to nothing in the end anyway.

Rating:  

    3/5  

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Author: Kristin Hannah
Original title: The Great Alone
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary
Format: Audio book
Read by: Julia Whelan
Duration: 15h02m
Goodreads

Blurb:
   Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.
    Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.
    Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown

My thoughts:
       This book was beautiful and devastating, I found myself so incredibly frustrated with the characters. Domestic violence, PTSD, coming of age story and it covers so many destinies and themes, and overall a pretty solid book, but...Kristin Hannah wrote 70% of a novel and then 30% of a soap opera.
      We get the story of Leni and her family. "The Great Alone" is set in the 1970s, and Leni’s father is a Vietnam War POW who suffers from nightmares and an explosive temper. It makes you wonder why he chooses to take his family to Alaska, which feels like the end of the world and where they definitely become as isolated as they can be.  So from this point the things are getting worse.  As the days creep toward winter, the main character’s father becomes increasingly paranoid. Instead of working with the townspeople to keep everyone alive through the winter, he suspects everyone and isolate his family from the rest of people even more. The relationships between the characters are so volatile, that they go from loving each other to abusing each other in seconds.
       Kristin Hannah brings the beauty and danger of Alaska to life and this is a great background for drama that is taking place. I love the nature descriptions. The small town is vivid and full of memorable characters. I liked Large Marge, but really hated the parents of Lani: absolutely worthless, selfish and spineless people, who did nothing for their child to have a childhood. They put their own petty arguments ahead of their child’s safety.
          So the first better part of the book was just excellent, but the end...  By the end, it was pure soap opera and over-the-top tragic. It spoiled the whole enjoyment of the book and left some unpleasant aftertaste. Still the first part was 5 star read!

Rating: 

         5/5 

Headhunters by Jo Nesbø

Author: Jo Nesbø
Original title: Hodejegerne
Pages: 224
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: crime
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he’s a master of his profession. But one career simply can’t support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife’s fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that’s been lost since World War II—and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve’s apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to Roger Brown.

  My thoughts: 
    I am a Nesbo fan and so this book has to be read.
    It was a good beach or airline read. It pretty much relies on one plot twist; not one character is likeable, and there is no real character development.  It is a short novel and a quick read that is well plotted and has more than a few twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming. Most of which are plausible and worked, some did not and felt forced.
    I liked that Nesbo stepped away from the police procedural detective and choose this unexpected and unlikable character. The main character is a corporate headhunter who also happens to steal fine art in order to fund a lavish lifestyle. He has no proper training or former military background to survive in the mess he was caught up, just a  proud white-collar, used to office banquets and cocktail parties, thus the more enjoyable it was to follow him on this adventure.
     Overall, this is a fast-paced novel, with some truly clever bits of shock and surprise that will keep you entertained.

Rating:  

    3/5 

Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel

Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Original title: Only Human
Edition Language: English
Series: Themis Files  #3
Genres:  Sci-Fi
Format: Audio book
Read by: Sylvain Neuvel, William Hope, Charlie Anson, Laurence Bouvard, Adna Sablylich, Laura Kirman
Duration: 8h41m
Goodreads

Blurb:
   In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other.
My thoughts:
      I love the series, but this was my least favorite of the three. 
Firstly, some of my favorite characters were no longer around so this lacked the attachment I had before. And there was no longer the air of mystery surrounding Themis that had sucked me in from the start. We basically know everything at this point and it's just wrapping up how things might play out. 
      On the other side, the book is dealing with a lot of racial and religious issues, this is a book that will make you really think about the future. There are tons of great quotes in this book, reading this conclusion will definitely make you contemplate the situation of our world. There were an incredible amount of things talked about that I thought was very relatable and applicable to our society. 
      Unlike the previous two books, there are not a lot of giant robots fighting here, there is only one action sequence in this book. Most of the books is devouted to character development and growth. And it is greatly done and interesting to follow.

“We’re not heroes. No one is. Every movie we watch, every book we read, we see people who can solve every problem, face every danger all on their own. But in real life, Vincent, we just call the cops. That’s what I did.” 

      I listened to the audiobook and I definitely recommend this format if you're able to listen to them. The full cast is always impressive. 
      So, this was a solid ending of fast-paced series, a fun audio experience as always, but I just wasn't as into it.

Rating:  

    4/5 

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Author: Gustave Flaubert
Original title: Madame Bovary
Pages: 338
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: e-book
Genres: classics
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Madame Bovary tells the story of farmgirl Emma, who marries provincial doctor, Charles Bovary, and almost immediately regrets it when she realises that it means she has to live in the provinces.

  My thoughts: 
    Finally, I finished madam Bovary. It was one of my must read classics list. I am not sure what I was expecting, another Gaskell or Austen probably, so I was totally unprepared for what I got into. Such irritating, and unpleasant main character. I was angry with her almost all of the time.
No one can deny the beauty of prose and description. The writing style captures straight away and I could only amaze with what ease and skill the author describes the nature and striving of one's soul.
As for the story, it is a good one, that depicts triviality of provincial life. The main character lives beyond her means in order to escape the trap of her marriage and is looking desperately for happiness. This driving throws her from one desperate and stupid decision to another.
 I was still sick and tired with the main character. I had no patience to all the whining and sighing. I could find no compassion for her, as her behavior, her superiority thinking, her total absence of respect to the only person who truly loved her, made me only more and more irritated.
 I must confess, that I believe, that if I would have read this novel 10 years ago, I might deeply sympathize with madam Bovary, with her unhappiness and romantic wishes. However, now from all the life experience I have no tolerance with her. A person, who failed as a wife and as a mother, in search of something that she deserves, purely based on vanity and a couple romantic books. And her stupid, selfish and dishonorable way of resolving her problems, leaving her family in the mess she created... Not my hero. I took the star from my rating purely based on my disliking of madam Bovary, which does not make a book less worth reading.

Rating:  

    4/5 

A Stranger in the House|The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Author: Shari Lapena
Original title: A Stranger in the House
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery
Format: Audio book
Read by: Tanja Fornaro
Duration: 9h02m
Goodreads

Blurb:
     Karen and Tom Krupp are happy—they’ve got a lovely home in upstate New York, they’re practically newlyweds, and they have no kids to interrupt their comfortable life together. But one day, Tom returns home to find Karen has vanished—her car’s gone and it seems she left in a rush. She even left her purse—complete with phone and ID—behind.
       There's a knock on the door—the police are there to take Tom to the hospital where his wife has been admitted. She had a car accident, and lost control as she sped through the worst part of town.
      The accident has left Karen with a concussion and a few scrapes. Still, she’s mostly okay—except that she can’t remember what she was doing or where she was when she crashed. The cops think her memory loss is highly convenient, and they suspect she was up to no good.

My thoughts:
       I did not enjoy it as much as I was hoping, judging by the popularity of it, because the plot was somewhat predictable and the characterizations seemed to me unrealistic at some points. Also, I could not relate to the characters and found myself annoyed at the decisions they made throughout the novel. The last three pages were quite interesting, the rest of the story was not impressive. I would not recommend it.

Rating: 

         2/5 

Author: Shari Lapena
Original title: The Couple Next Door
Edition Language: English
Series: no
Genres: Contemporary, Mystery
Format: Audio book
Read by: Friederike Kempter
Duration: 6h43m
Goodreads

Blurb:
     Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all-a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.
     Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they've kept for years.

My thoughts:
       I liked this novel more than the above one, though the characters are also plastic and unrealistic. What I appreciated is the multiple hints in this or that direction, so we could constantly guessing who's done it. I guessed somewhere in the middle, but still I wanted to know why, so the story was going nicely for me. The ending though, was a bummer, which made the whole story pointless.

Rating: 

         3/5