Month: August 2017

Earthsea Series – Book 1: A Wizard of Earthsea – By Ursula Le Guin

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , 6 Comments

Hey Jared,

Good to hear you’re alive. I really want to hear your opinions on the Stormlight Archive before I start my read through. In the mean time I’m continuing my Bookshelf Blitz.

awizardofearthsea.jpgTitle: A Wizard of Earthsea
Series: Earthsea; Book 1
Author: Ursula Le Guin
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: YA
ROTS Setting: UU, Medieval, High Magic, Dragons
Synopsis: Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth. Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death’s threshold to restore the balance.
Recommendation: This book is recommended. Suitable for teens.

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Earthsea Series – Book 1: A Wizard of Earthsea – By Ursula Le Guin

I am still alive!

Jared1 Comment

Hello Robert,

So I am actually still alive. I have a large number of books that just need reviews to be written. I have some Sanderson, a few Robin Hobb, Jim Butcher, Mercedes Lackey and  maybe even a Suzanne Collins. I have recently been severely distracted by the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But good news for you, bad for me. My new Nintendo Switch is broken. So I have scheduled a repair but will be without distractions for a few weeks.

Jared

I am still alive!

Animorphs – Book 5: The Predator – By K. A. Applegate

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , Leave a comment

Greetings Jared,

I forgot how iconic most of the first few books in the series are. So many things happen, but I suppose it would need to given how short they are.

thepredatorTitle: The Predator
Series: Animorphs; Book 5
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: Marco never wanted to be an Animorph. He never wanted the ability to change into any animal he touches. He just wants to chill. Whatever happens, happens.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

SPOILER WARNING: This review assumes you’ve read up-to book 4.

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Animorphs – Book 5: The Predator – By K. A. Applegate

Animorphs – Book 4: The Message – By K. A. Applegate

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , Leave a comment

Hello again Jared,

The Bookshelf Blitz has been going pretty well. I’m starting to see how the month is going to shape up. The big thing is staying focused.

themessenger.jpgTitle: The Message
Series: Animorphs; Book 4
Author: K. A. Applegate
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern, Aliens
Synopsis: It all started with the dreams. But Cassie didn’t pay much attention to them. She and her friends had all been having weird dreams since they’d first learned to morph. Maybe it was just some crazy side effect.
Recommendation: Highly recommend this series.

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Animorphs – Book 4: The Message – By K. A. Applegate

Jurassic Park Series – Book 1: Jurassic Park – By Michael Crichton

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , 5 Comments

Hiya Jared,

I was really pleased with this book and that might not be too surprising. I’d heard it was pretty good (as good or better than the movie).

jurassicparkTitle: Jurassic Park
Series: Jurassic Park Series; Book 1
Author: Michael Crichton
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Present Day, Dinosaurs, Cloning, Genetic Manipulation
Synopsis: A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the DNA that his crack team of scientists extract, he is able to grow the dinosaurs in his laboratories and lock them away on an island behind electric fences, creating a sort of theme park. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something goes terribly wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power.
Recommendation: This book is highly recommended. Good for teens and adults.

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Jurassic Park Series – Book 1: Jurassic Park – By Michael Crichton

Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy – By Luke Samson

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , Leave a comment

Hi Jared,

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway a couple of months ago and it’s been sitting on my shelf every since. So it was perfect for my Bookshelf Blitz.

thaddammousTitle: Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy
Series: Thad Damous; Book 1
Author: Luke Samson
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Youth
ROTS Setting: CU, Instantaneous Travel, Aliens?
Synopsis: Have you ever wanted to spend your summer on an exciting adventure? Well, Thad Damous has and when he gets to his grandparents’ home, he finds an adventure that one can only dream about. Thad meets up with a hermit who lives in one of the caves in Coal Mountain behind his grandparents’ home. The hermit offers an adventure of a lifetime in another world called, M-Core. Thad ends up getting more than he bargained for, and meets a young girl his age. Together they seek to clear the hermit’s name while finding out who really is behind a strange conspiracy that involves transport tubes, spaceships, and a greedy man. Find out if Thad and Tera are able to solve the mystery and help save a man from jail – or worse.
Recommendation: I wouldn’t recommend this book.

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Thad Damous and the Intergalactic Conspiracy – By Luke Samson

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , , 1 Comment

DNFtheroar

I’ve tried to start reading this twice but I could not manage to get very far. The premise is painfully hard to get past. Because of some plague spread by all animals (suspect on its own) they literally built a wall cross the northern part of the planet to hide behind…..across continents, mountain ranges and two oceans……Ya, that’s more than unlikely it’s impossible, let alone doing it while under siege from plague ridden animals and the civil unrest that would cause.

Next is the characters. We get an OP girl with superpowers and a pet monkey who escapes a space station and blindly tries to run home. Her brother who can feel what she feels. And the Bad Guy who is instantly shallow.

There’s nothing to keep me going in this book. So why fight it?

Robert

DNF – The Roar by Emma Clayton

We Bought A Zoo – By Benjamin Mee

Robert @ ReadingOverTheShoulder, , , , Leave a comment

Hey Jared,

This is a book off my shelf (Bookshelf Blitz!) that I’ve been curious about since I watched the movie. It really is just a secret childhood fantasy that someone managed to actually do it.

we_bought_a_zoo_book_coverTitle: We Bought a Zoo
Author: Benjamin Mee
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: UK, Zoo, Animals, Fulfilling Dreams
Synopsis: Benjamin Mee decided to uproot his family and move them to an unlikely new home: a dilapidated zoo on the English countryside, complete with over 200 exotic animals. It was his dream to refurbish the zoo and run it as a family business. There was much work to be done, and none of it easy. Tigers broke loose, money ran low, the staff grew skeptical, and family tensions ran high. Then tragedy struck. His wife had a recurrence of a brain tumor, forcing Benjamin and his children to face the heartbreak of illness and the devastating loss of a wife and mother. But inspired by her memory and the healing power of the incredible family of animals they had grown to love, Benjamin and his kids resovled to move forward. The Mee family opened the gates of the revitalized zoo in July 2007.
Recommendation: An interesting look at this once in a lifetime experience. For those who enjoy non-fiction.

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We Bought A Zoo – By Benjamin Mee