Flashback (The Saskia Brandt Series #2) by Ian Hocking

Links for Book Descriptions: Goodreads & Library Things

 

I won an ebook of this book from a giveaway on Library Things.

 

I delved into this book without reading Déjà Vu, though my friend let me read the summary from the third book in the series that she won.

 

It was a quick read, seeing that I managed to finish it within one day. I enjoyed the characters, particularly Saskia and Jem, immensely. Each one was carefully crafted and full of dimension. The relationship between Saskia and Jem tugged at my heart a bit and kinda wish to see more of their interactions. The mystery within the plot was interesting as well.

 

The only two drawbacks for me were its non-linearity and lack of translations for phrases spoken in other languages. Now, I don't mind non-linear stories but with the way the book started off like this, it was quite easy for me to get confused and lost, causing me to look back a couple of times. Conversations in German and Spanish were thrown about and I was completely lost as to their meanings as there are neither a translation provided right after or even context clues to allow the reader to figure them out.

 

However, in spite of this, I would be interested in going back to read Déjà Vu just to read more about Saskia and then continue with The Amber Rooms.

I noticed that Ian Hocking has listed Déjà Vu on Library Things for a giveaway so I hopefully will win it and provide a review on that (and perhaps a new look into Flashback).

 

My Verdict: Three and a half stars out of Five

Mr. Wilkinson's Vegetables: A Cookbook to Celebrate the Garden by Matt Wilkinson

Links for Book Descriptions: Goodreads & Library Things

I was fortunate enough to win this cookbook in a First Reads Giveaway. For now, my review is just first impressions of the cookbook itself as I have not yet had the chance to try any of the recipes.

 

I like how the recipes are listed by what vegetable is the focus of the dish, which makes it easier for navigation. And as someone relatively new to cooking, I appreciate the tips for preparing each vegetables and even just discussing the differences between all the varieties of the same vegetable (such as eggplant). The photography and layout of the images are just gorgeous and sometimes I forget that I am looking at a cookbook rather than an artbook.

 

I would love to see a cookbook focusing on fruit done in the same fashion.

My Verdict: Four stars out of Five.

Soriel by Melanie Nilles

**Nota Bene: Possible spoilers may or may not be present in this review.
Read at your own risk**

Links for Book Description: Goodreads & Library Things

I won this in a First Reads Giveaway on Goodreads and this was the first book I have ever read by Melanie Nilles.
 

After finishing the book, I am not exactly sure how I feel about it.

 

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading the book but I was lost from terms like Inari, Shirukan, and Keeper just being thrown around from the start of tbe book as I have not read any of the previous books in the Starfire Angels series. And I was grateful that such terms were explained about a third of the way through the book so I was no longer as lost as I was.

So I don't recommend that anyone else attempt to read this book without first trying to jump into the previous books or else wind up very confused like me.

 

Otherwise, I enjoyed the characters, in particular Lirianda's struggle with herself between being a Shirukan and her maternal side that cares deeply for Soriel despite only being a foster mother as well as Kaira's feisty personality.

 

In the end, I am left wanting to read the four books of the Dark Angel Chronicles and then reread Soriel to better gauge it.

My Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.