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donealrice

Debbie's Spurts

Just an avid reader. Mostly SF/Fantasy, some hobbies, paranormal, urban fantasy and lighter, fluffier things.

 

Currently reading

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
Samin Nosrat, Wendy MacNaughton
Bring Me Their Hearts
Sara Wolf
House of Earth and Blood
Sarah J. Maas
A Selection of Designs inspired by Iznik & Delft Pottery in Cross Stitch: 16 stunning floral cross stitch designs
Durene Jones
Ain't Love a Witch?
Dakota Cassidy
Progress: 1 %
The Old Witcheroo
Dakota Cassidy
Gemina (The Illuminae Files)
Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman
Progress: 100 %
The Dragonbone Chair
Tad Williams
Progress: 14 %

Favorite Book Quotes


"Never interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake"— Lois McMaster Bujold

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review of "Smart vs. Pretty" by Valerie Frankel (DNF at 20%)

Smart Vs. Pretty - Valerie Frankel

This reader's personal opinion, ©2014, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers*

 

Nope. This one is not for me. I tried and it's not a "quality" issue (meaning horrid writing, lousy with typos and errors, bad ebook format stuff).  But not connecting to characters and finding the story so far uninteresting (and not very believable).  Tried hard since was a buddy read but 20% was pushing it.  

 

Honestly, who hires an employee by yanking down the back of his pants? Or lets strangers re-do their business with vague "pay me later when successful" lines instead of asking "how much will it cost me?"

 

I cannot bring myself to care what happens later in book.  Ne sister is a flake (who makes everyone else wear uniforms while she shows off in boob-highlighting outfits) and the other is passive, depressing and wishywashy...

 

Reading Progress 7%:

Finished chapter one. Rather annoying characters although too soon to tell. Bit defeatist to start with failing business with an eyerolling part of marketing student walks in off the street and offers to save neighborhood coffee joint (with broken cappuccino machinery where they can't even serve all their menu options) next door to big chain coffee shop — for nothing in return and quite convinced she can save a small business that cannot afford their equipment…

 

Too soon to tell but not a great start to the story although writing is fine.  

 

Reading progress: 1%

 

Just starting this one as a Leafmarks buddy read and as part of Silver Thistle's "Little Back Dress" (publisher imprint) Challenge on Leafmarks.  

 

Should just be a fluffy chicklit read. 

 

Harper Collins has re-released in 99¢ ebook format (I'm reading on the nook but kindle and others have available as well).

 

I enjoyed my eight book omnibus of Morganville Vampires -- but, I really need a change of pace to clear all the YA vampire overload away. 


*©2014. All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher to reprint/quote in whole or in part. Copyrightholder posted on booklikes, BookRabbit, Leafmarks, The Reading Room and may have cross-posted to other book sites. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties.

 

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Meh. Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked but kept me reading in hopes would get better.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." Or author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)