shayboote's reviews
2187 reviews

This was not my first read of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I first read this book back in my 20's and with it came a rush of spiritual questions that have helped me see the world in a new light. Upon reading this a second time the ethical debates that are centered around human morality, our free will, and our relationship and belief in God could not have been more applicable than in the current state of America and the world, quite frankly. Dostoyevsky is not a read for everyone and if you are a struggling reader it will make or break you, but I think that the sheer reality of our ever changing world, moving toward modernizing and inserting technology into every facet of life makes The Brothers Karamazov as relevant now as it was in 19th century Russia. This work, as well as most of his more popular books, delve into the human psyche during tumultuous spiritual, political, and even social upheaval and The Brothers Karamazov is no different. This book is a must read by anyone who believes in their political or religious agenda to a fault. Dostoyevsky confronts the struggles of faith and a changing world,one that struggles to keep up with ideologies that sit in contradiction sometimes, to a set and never evolving christian climate. He also confronts the very personal moral struggles that erupt from both the political and spiritual sides of Russian life and tries to reconcile them with God, man's free will, and the psychological aspects of both doubt and personal reason that can be used to justify or confuse actions and beliefs.

A quote from this book is just one of many that defines the true struggle of man to reconcile life with God and is also a great reason to read this work.

"Rebellion? I am sorry you call it that," said Ivan earnestly. "One can hardly live in rebellion, and I want to live. Tell me yourself, I challenge your answer. Imagine that you are creating a fabric of human destiny with the object of making men happy in the end, giving them peace and rest at last, but that it was essential and inevitable to torture to death only one tiny creature- that baby beating its breast with its fist, for instance- and to found that edifice on its unavenged tears, would you consent to be the architect on those conditions? Tell me, and tell the truth."

"No, I wouldn't consent," said Alyosha softly.

"And can you admit the idea that men for whom you are building it would agree to accept their happiness on the foundation of the unexpiated blood of a little victim? And accepting it would remain happy for ever?"

Ignite, the Midnight Fire series book 1, by Kaitlyn Davis, has me a little mixed. The storyline is a mix of unique and overdone elements, but somehow the two come together well. The plot was well thought out, but maybe a little predictable, but the characters are funny, bright, and well written. If you make me fall in love with the characters, then you have a fan. Luke was the stand out in this story and I suspect he will continue to hold up this motley crew of characters as the series goes on with his wit and light no pun intended conduits (you’ll get that joke after you read the book). I was not a huge fan of Twilight because it painted Bella as a whiny protagonist and a little weak until the end when she has no choice but to be strong. I can honestly say this book had more substance and soul than Twilight and Kira while a little unfocused on reality is strong, driven, and confident. Which is what you want in a female lead.

The story: After spending the last few years away from home Kira Dawson finds herself back at home in South Carolina. The new kid in the local high school, she is ready to get day one over with. On her first day she is helped out by her new knight in shining armor Luke, who quickly befriends her and shares her with his little group of misfits. Luke quickly becomes her best friend, but thoughts of him becoming something more are squashed when the resident bad boy catches her eye. Kira can’t understand the pull she feels toward Tristan, but in the moments they share she has a hard time reconciling the gentle, tortured artist and the man who lusts for blood. Almost killing Tristan is the moment Kira’s own unrealized path comes to light and Luke is at its center, so are the secrets kept by her mother and the community and ancestry from which her new powers come. Her powers and her new responsibilities make her realize she may have to choose between love or the friendship and community she belongs to.

To add to her troubles, loving Tristan means making enemies with his kind and she soon finds herself in the crosshairs of a very pissed off vampire who wants her blood, literally. The path then becomes learning to use her powers, controlling them before they consume her, not hurting Luke along the way, all while loving Tristan. Luke forever a light even when his heart is breaking is a true hero in the making and it is not hard to see this role blossoming in books to come.

Final Thoughts: What I didn’t like about these book was a certain level of predictability that maybe is just a product of my own reading adventures allowing me to understand how the story will unfold. More than that though and the biggest reason I had to give it only three stars is readability. There are a lot of mistakes in this book, ones that jerk you out of the story because you have to reread lines missing words or whole phrases. A few time, I could only shake my head and guess at what was supposed to be written. That being said I enjoyed the story, I especially enjoyed the characters, some more than others. I am looking forward to the next installment, Simmer.

House of Furies by Madeleine Roux is well written and edited. It is an original story in which Roux paints a vivid picture of a dark world where evil and justice may be the same monster. Louisa Ditton is a runaway, putting distance between her and the boarding school she hates. She believes being on the streets is better than the abuse she receives at school. Through a series of events she finds herself at Coldthistle Boarding House with her new, mysterious employer Mr. Morningside and a cast of seemingly nice, if not a little strange, characters. She immediately feels the house is more than it appears but becoming a maid will help her save money to maybe relocate. She soon realizes that the house and its inhabitants have an awful secret, delivering their own brand of justice to those they deem beyond salvation. Louisa has a hard time distinguishing who the truly evil are and questions even her own sanity at times. One thing she does know is a young man by the name of Lee is anything but evil and she must find a way to prove it before "justice" is served, while also finding a way to free herself from the grip of Coldthistle.

While I am sure I did not do the synopsis any justice with my description, what I do know is this book is beautifully illustrated and hypnotic and darkly written. The direction she takes this story and they roles these characters play in it are fresh and interesting. It had me hooked. I loved Roux's Asylum series and see the hearty echoes of her ability to create dark and sinister backdrops in House of Furies. While I try to dedicate at least 80% of my reading to fellow indie authors, I love supporting traditionally published writers like Roux too.

I really liked this adaptation and the art work. Being a huge fan of the original, I was not disappointed at all.

A sarcastic journey that at the surface is deceptively shallow but the verses sink deep into this crazy thing we call life. I giggled, sadly agreed, and felt the sting of truth. I didn't think I would like this going into it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Poetry is supposed to make you feel something, to make you think and I did a lot of both. I often talked to myself aloud as I read, shaking my head in emphatic agreement as Hanna weaved truth in such an honest and unexpected way. I am reading Egghead next, which was an inspiration to this collection. Can't wait to indulge in any other of Gabbie Hanna's work, as well.