Friday, October 22, 2010

Book Blogger Hop, Follow Friday and a Review!

Book Blogger Hop

"Where is your favorite place to read? Curled up on the sofa, in bed, in the garden?"

I have a little love seat in my home, on this love seat, I have one of those pillows with the little arms that shoot out the side to prop you up. I lay on the love seat, my back against the pillow, my feet against the armrest on the far side... and end up in a slightly reclined, mostly sitting position, perfect for propping the book on my legs, perfect for hours of reading, perfect for sipping a nice warm drink as I flip pages, and perfectly spaced if a fluffy little kitty wants to come and curl up on my lap :)


 

What are you currently reading? Basically, what book is that?

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

This is the last in the Tiffany Aching series featuring what are possiblly my favorite discworld characters, The Wee Free Men. Otherwise known as Nac Mac Feegle, known for shouting things such as "Ach, Crivens!" and "wailywailywaily"... they make me laugh out loud when I'm reading, and they issue complaints such as "Ach, I kicked meself in me own heed!" How can you not like such feisty little fighters?


REVIEW!!!


 REVIEW:
The Strangers Outside
by Vanessa Morgan


Synopsis:
Two sisters, Jennifer and Louise, return to their remote holiday cabin after a day at the seaside. But little do they know they’re being surrounded. Shortly after their arrival, the girls will come face to face with THE STRANGERS OUTSIDE. When the assailants make their intentions known, things take ashockingly terrible turn and an intense battle for survival
will begin.


Character Likability:
Jennifer is an almost wholly unlikable character. She's down on herself, she's down on life, she's just down. She's also whiny and worthless in a pinch. You find out later she has more reason for that than you suspect, but still, she is a passive character, even in her own life.
Louise, the older sister, is much more likable. She's stronger, determined, and trying to make a better life for both her and her sister. She refuses to let negativity bring her down and is appropriately in shocked disbelief at the attitude of her sister.

Quality of Writing:
This was a fast flowing, action packed story. There were no lulls, there were no parts where I was just wishing the story would get on with it... it was constant action from start to finish.

Ending:
It was an interesting ending, but I would have liked to have seen either more back story on the events leading up to this (the bit about the psychics contacting people) or more alarm from the characters at the very end. I know these are the determined, decisive characters, but still, I wouldn't be willing to split up with the people I found after what had happened... and I certainly wouldn't want to go back to my house by myself!! I think the thing that threw me the most in the whole story was Louise saying she was just going to go home at the end. If you had really just escaped something so terrifying, could you really just decide to go right back again... alone?

Plot:
A very interesting idea, and something that could definitely be a longer story. The motivation of the Strangers is left unexplored and that isn't a bad thing. It leaves the reader wondering "Why?!" and admittedly, reflecting a bit on their own lifestyles and wondering if they'd be chosen too. I mean, I know I'm not as helpless and somewhat pathetic as Jennifer... but still... creeeeepy!
Setting the girls on vacation in an unfamiliar setting helped too, because it threw them off, they were unable to do exactly what needed to be done when it needed to be done, and it made sense as to why... it wasn't just one of those "Oh gee, I'm a lame scared girl" situations you see so often in scary settings. The description of the Strangers, also, was incredibly creepy. There is a line about them seeming to have faces that were too big... and it's imagery like that that just creeps me out in stories... when you take a human feature and describe it as "wrong" somehow.

Believability of World:
Believable. It was set in this world, and it felt like it. I could imagine looking out my own window and seeing the Strangers, and that's creepy.

Overall Grade: B- (This was a really fun, creepy read PERFECT for Halloween!)

21 comments:

  1. I also love curling up into a comfy position to read. It's a great way to work on your flexibility :oD Here's my post. Have a great weekend!

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  2. OK, your description of where you read makes me want to leave work right now and snuggle up with a book! Happy Friday!

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  3. Awww your love seat sounds wonderful! I want one! And I wish my cats would curl up on my lap, Instead they try to sit on the book I'm reading and try get all the attention. :)



    Hop on by :D

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  4. Stopping by the hop to say hey!
    Here's my post if your interested:

    http://bookmarkyourthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-blogger-hop-october-22nd.html

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  5. Stopping by the hop to say hi!
    Great post!

    Here's my post, if your interested:
    http://bookmarkyourthoughts.blogspot.com/2010/10/book-blogger-hop-october-22nd.html

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  6. Thanks for the review, Heather. I'll post it on my blog later today.

    Let me tell you something really creepy about The Strangers Outside... Did you know that it was loosely based on real events? I have several friends who got contacted by psychics telling them things about the end of the world being near and that they would see dark figures and other weird phenomena when this was about to happen. Well... They have now started seeing these dark figures; they pop up everywhere. Who knows what else is still about to happen?

    By the way, the character of Jennifer is based on my real sister. She IS my sister, actually. Let's hope she never comes across this review :)

    Happy Halloween everyone! Here are some pics of the creepy filming locations of the movie adaptation of The Strangers Outside to celebrate: http://vanessa-morgan.blogspot.com/2010/08/strangers-outside-filming-locations.html

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  7. Hi again! I've passed on the Lovely Blog Award to you. You can pick it up at my Friday follow-up post. Congratulations :o)

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  8. I have tried but I just can't get into the Discworld series. Glad you are enjoying it!

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  9. I love when my kitties decide to come sleep beside me while I read. It makes the most awesome reading time. Your love seat sounds amazing!

    My Hop

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  10. Your reading spot seems so cozy! I don't have one specific reading spot because we just got all new furniture in the living room, and it's all so comfy, so I read on any of those :)

    Hope you are having a great weekend so far!

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  11. Love your reading spots :) Perfectly situated!!

    Nice review as well, creepy stories stay in my head for ages - like Stephen King's Carrie. Pretty cool to see the author comment here as well!
    - Dee, on the hop from e-Volving Books

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  12. Hi,
    I am stopping by for Follow Friday and the Blog Hop. I hope your weekend is going wonderfully.

    I'm a old follower.

    http://romancebookjunkies.blogspot.com

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  13. Aww I envy your reading spot! Especially with the cute fluffy kitty =)

    Stopping by on the Hop! Have a great weekend!

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  14. New Follower!!

    I love a warm drink! There is NOTHING like a cup of hot coffee or tea while reading.

    Ah, I am now inspired...to read I go...

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  15. Hopping by from the Blog Hop.

    Stop by my blog if you like to see my answer to the question of the week.

    Happy Hopping.

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com

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  16. Hey :)
    I just wanted to let you know that you've won an award over at my blog, Burning.x.Impossibly.x.Bright. Congrats!! :D

    ♪♫ Ambur

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