James and the Giant Peach EPub tải xuống miễn phí

Ghosts Ghosts _eterno_ — Laura Ingalls Wilder with magic. I loved Effie's voice, I loved the family dynamics, and I loved the details and sense of wonder in all the different magical systems (Aphrikan, Hijero-Cathayan, Avrupan and Columbian, in this alternate world history). Edited to add, because I've been thinking about it ever since I finished the book last night (although I wasn't sure how to talk about it, which is why I didn't, at first): the one nit I had with this otherwise-wonderful book was that as a reader, I really, really wanted some good worldbuilding explanation to be *right there* in the text to tell me why there wasn't a Native American presence in this alternate America. (I do think there probably was a good worldbuilding explanation which would go along with all the other major changes in world history and migration that ARE covered in the text - but I believe that mostly because I have faith in Wrede as an author, after reading and loving so many of her books over the years. There wasn't any explanation in the book itself, though, and that felt like a bit of a gaping thread in the tapestry as I was reading.) On the other hand, though (and this is the issue I spent so much of last night thinking about), as a writer myself, I haven't yet been able to think of any practical, plausible technical way she could have slipped in an explanation of that change while maintaining Eff's point-of-view narration, since Eff lives in a world where there never was a Native American presence, so she would never believably sit there thinking about why her world was the way it was and not a completely different way she wouldn't have any reason to imagine. So...in other words, I'm torn on that one point between what I want as a reader and what I can imagine would be practical and possible as a writer. But on the other (third?) hand, I loved that one of the side-effects of this vastly different world-building and changes in world migration was that there got to be multiple strong African-American characters in positions of authority (teaching white children and college students, working as magicians, etc.) in this alternate 19th-century America. Washington Morris (magician, circuit-rider and naturalist), in particular, was one of the most swoon-worthy male characters I've read in a really long time - I have no idea whether Eff will end up with him romantically in future books (there are a couple different romantic possibilities laid out for her by the time this book ends, even though romance is not the focus of Book 1), but he's certainly the one I'd want for myself. (I LOVE relationships partially formed by beautiful letter-writing. Swoon, swoon, swoon!) And when I finished the last page of this book, my first thought was: "I need Book Two NOW."

Greg Kendall gken30 — Great story, but it's just a repeat of Angles & Demons, so once you've read two of Dan Brown's stories, the books don't seem so great anymore.

Cesar Orenday ascer_orenday — This was my first Lisa Jackson, I listened to Absolute Fear on audio, which was enjoyable but I felt it lessened some of the suspense. This book is part of a loosely based series but having read out of order I didn't feel as though I'd missed anything with the characters or plot. A serial killer is murdering victims in a bizarre ritualistic manner & the only connection appears to be Our Lady of Virtues Hospital. Unspeakable secrets in the asylum's past may hold the key to preventing more bloodshed. Eve Renner is trying to put her life back together after the man she loved tried to kill her. Cole Dennis is that man, & he is desperate to rebuild his life, & determined to prove his innocence to Eve. Enough twists & turns in this one to keep you guessing and second guessing & the clues were nicely interjected throughout the story. Even though it didn't take me long to guess the killer, who the killer actually was, in the novel, did come as a surprise (if that makes sense.) The main characters, Eve, Cole & Detectives Bentz and Montoya were well developed & interesting but I didn't think the secondary characters had the same appeal. A good stand-alone novel but the ending finished on a bit of a cliff hanger in regards to Detective Bentz so I'm definitely going to follow this one through. But, I do think I'll give the audio a miss & read the book instead. I like to be on the edge of my seat, biting my nails & scared to turn out the light with a suspense/thriller & this wasn't the case with Absolute Fear. Maybe it just wasn't that scary or maybe 'audio' decreased the scare factor.