Here are my Top 5 biographies. Well, here are six biographies because I couldn’t decide which of Fran Drescher’s books is my favorite, so I picked them both. They share a spot 🙂
The following audiobooks are written by German authors and read in German, so the review will be in German as well. I don’t think any of these books will be published in English at all. These stories are just light, entertaining chick lit and entertaining travel experiences (not so much about destinations but about the travel itself – very funny).
Klappentext:
Wenn die Suche nach dem Traummann zum skurrilen Abenteuer wird – Wir spielten den ganzen Abend Mau-Mau. Ich leerte zwei Fläschchen Rose und fand das Leben eigentlich ganz okay. SchlieĂźlich meinte Katja, dass es an der Zeit sei, nach Hause zu fahren. Sie stand auf, um Jens und Holger Bescheid zu sagen, kam aber schnell zurĂĽck. »Holger und Jens möchten noch bleiben.« Wir sahen eine Weile trĂĽbe gestimmt vor uns hin. »Jens ist ein Arschloch. Und Holger auch.« Katja hatte leider recht. Es musste was geschehen. (Amazon)
Meinung:
Schreibstil: Ich muss etwas überlegen um mich überhaupt wieder dran zu erinnern. Unterhaltsam, flüssig, lässt aber ein bisschen den Kerstin Gier Humor vermissen, den ich durch die Mütter Mafia lieben gelernt habe.
Handlung: Wirklich nicht viel vorhanden, an die ich mich erinnern kann. Typisch Chick Lit mit einer jungen, unstrukturierten und chaotischen Protagonistin, die noch etwas orientierungslos ist.
Sprecher: Gut gelesen von Irina von Bentheim, hat mich aber nicht so sehr gefesselt, wie die Mirja Boes, was aber auch einfach an dem Buch gelegen haben mag.
Fazit:
Nett, aber nicht weltbewegend.
Klappentext:
Wie man Postkartentexte richtig deutet, warum es sinnvoll ist, die Sprache des Urlaubslandes zu sprechen, was man unter “authentischem Ambiente” versteht und wer einem in der schönsten Zeit des Jahres den letzten Nerv rauben kann … Kerstin Gier kennt auch die Antwort auf die Frage, warum sie eigentlich jedes Jahr wieder auf Reisen geht: Damit Sie mal wieder so richtig was zum Lachen haben! (Amazon)
Meinung:
Schreibstil: Hier erinnert mich Kerstin Gier wieder ein wenig an die Mütter Mafia. Lustig, herzerwärmend, unterhaltsam, flüssig und sarkastisch.
Handlung: Kerstin erzählt aus dem schier unendlichen Vorrat an Urlaubserlebnissen und Geschichte, die mich oft zum Schmunzeln gebracht haben. Dabei geht sie mit sich durchaus auch ins Gericht.
Sprecher: Mirja Boes. Ich liebe sie. Seit der Mütter Mafia Reihe (die für mich allerdings immer noch unübertroffen ist), sind Kerstin Gier Bücher nur mit Mirja schön.
Fazit:
Ein lustiges, unterhaltsames Hörbuch, was besonders gut in den Sommer passt und wieder einmal ganz toll von Mirja Boes gelesen wird.
paperback
publisher: Macmillan
published 2012
pages: 502
Book (English)
Blurb:
As the only scion who can descend into the Underworld, Helen Hamilton has been given a nearly impossible task. By night she wanders through Hades, trying to stop the endless cycle of revenge that has cursed her family. By day she struggles to overcome the fatigue that is rapidly eroding her sanity. Without Lucas by her side, Helen is not sure she has the strength to go on.
Just as Helen is pushed to her breaking point, a mysterious new Scion comes to her rescue. Funny and brave, Orion shields her from the dangers of the Underworld. But time is running out. A ruthless foe plots against them, and the Furies’ cry for blood is growing louder.
As the ancient Greek world collides with the mortal one, Helen’s sheltered life on Nantucket descends into chaos. (Goodreads)
In (Very) Short:
My Opinion:
The second installment in the Starcrossed trilogy was a really great read. Dreamless started where Starcrossed has left the reader and though it has been quite some time since I read the first book, it was easy to get back into the series.
Helen is now descending into Hades every night desperately trying to fulfill her destiny (not gonna go into detail in case you haven’t read the first book). This time she is all alone (since nobody can go with her) until she finds another human down there – Orion.
I enjoyed the development in this book – how friendships develop and change once love gets mixed up in it all. Though the action part of the narrative was sometimes a little slow, it left much room for the exploration of characters, friendship, and also the power of dreaming.
I felt sorry for Helen and sometimes I wanted to shake and yell at the other characters for making her feel even worse. As if being in hell, getting hurt, and not getting any rest or sleep for months isn’t awful enough. And as much as I liked some of the characters in the first novel, they were really getting on my nerve this time, since they were not necessarily opposing Helen, but their actions and words put even more pressure on poor Helen.
I got reacquainted with old friends and the characters from the first book, but also met some new characters as well as some of the gods who cause mayhem. I did actually like Orion and did not mind the love triangle thing too much since it wasn’t so on the nose as the relationship between Lucas and Helen in Starcrossed. I am still Team Hector though. I don’t know why, but I sure like him.
Bottom Line:
It was a fun and entertaining read and a good continuation of the series. I am looking forward to the last installment of the trilogy.
Rating:
Hardcover
Verlag: Aladin
veröffentlicht 2013
Seiten: 254
Klappentext:
Als Marlene erfährt, dass ihre Eltern von Füchsen entführt wurden, ist sie verzweifelt. Zum Glück trifft sie Herrn und Frau Hase, die gerade eine Detektei eröffnet haben. Sie übernehmen den Fall und machen sich auf die Suche. Und dabei helfen Plateauschuhe zum Autofahren, schicke Bogart-Hüte und ein Knoblauchbrot mümmelndes Murmeltier. Nichts für Hasenherzen.
In this hilarious chapter book mystery, meet a girl whose parents have been kidnapped by disreputable foxes, and a pair of detectives that also happen to be bunnies! When Madeline gets home from school one afternoon to discover that her parents have gone missing, she sets off to find them. So begins a once-in-a-lifetime adventure involving a cast of unforgettable characters. There’s Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who drive a smart car, wear fedoras, and hate marmots; the Marmot, who loves garlic bread and is a brilliant translator; and many others. Translated from the Rabbit by Newbery Honor-winning author Polly Horvath, and beautifully illustrated by Sophie Blackall, here is a book that kids will both laugh over and love. (Amazon)
In KĂĽrze/In (Very) Short:
Meinung/My Opinion:
Die Geschichte hat mir wunderbar gefallen. Es ist ein lustiges, leichtes, unterhaltsames Abenteuer mit zwei liebenswerten wenn auch eigene Hasenprotagonisten. Ja, richtig gelesen Hasen sind die Protagonisten.
Als Marlene erfährt, dass ihre Eltern von Füchsen entführt wurden, geht sie zu ihrem Onkel dem beste Codeknacker und bittet ihn um Hilfe. Doch der fällt leider ins Koma und nun steht Marlene alleine da. Allerdings naht die Rettung (nur gut nicht wirklich schnell aber sie naht) als Herr und Frau Hase sich dieses Falles annehmen.
Die Tatsache, dass sich beide erst kurz vorher dazu entschieden haben Detektive zu werden und der Meinung sind, dass zwei Bogart HĂĽte allein ausreichen, ĂĽbersehen wir jetzt einfach mal ganz groĂźzĂĽgig.
Das Buch ist wirklich sehr amüsant und unterhaltend. Die beiden Hasen sind etwas merkwürdig, aber dennoch liebenswert, die Füchse ein klein wenig bekloppt, aber lustig und Marlenes Eltern einfach nur zum Haare raufen (die hätten echt auch entführt bleiben können.)
Die Autorin schafft es einen in die Geschichte reinzuziehen und mir Marlene so nah zu bringen, dass mir ihre Eltern echt auf den Kranz gingen, ich aber auch verstehen konnte, warum sie so verzweifelt nach ihnen sucht.
Das Buch ist wunderbar illustriert mit wirklich schönen und passenden Zeichnungen und der Schreibstil ist flüssig. Allerdings bin ich mir nicht so ganz sicher, dass der Schreibstil altersgerecht ist. Auch wenn ich über viele Dinge lachen und schmunzeln konnte, bin ich mir nicht sicher, dass Kinder das schon verstehen. Allein die Anspielung auf die Bogart Hüte wird kaum ein Kind oder ein Nicht-Kenner der klassischen amerikanischen Detektivfilme verstehen.
I honestly enjoyed this read. This book is a funny, light-hearted adventure story with two loveable rabbit protagonists. Yes, you read correctly – rabbits are the protagonists in this story.
When Madeline realizes that her parents were kidnapped by foxes, she goes to see her uncle to ask for help. But he falls into a coma. All alone and unsure what to do, Madeline meets Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, who decide to help her.
Although both have just decided to become detective a few minutes before meeting the little girl and the fact that both believe that wearing hats like Humphry Bogart will be enough to be a successful detective they are quite euphoric.
The book is really entertaining and fun. The rabbits are a little peculiar but loveable, the kidnapper foxes are daft but funny, and Madeline’s parents make me want to tear my hair out. They could have remained kidnapped for all I cared.
The author was capable to draw me into the story and made the characters but especially Madeline so approachable and identifiable that I did not question her decisions. Though I was annoyed by her parents I also understood why and that she searched for them so desperately.
The book is illustrated with beautiful and fitting images and the writing is fluent. But I am not sure weather the writing is age appropriate. Though I was laughing about many jokes and witty remarks I am not sure that young kids really understand their meaning. The reference to the Bogart hats for instance won’t be understood by a child and anyone unfamiliar with hard-boiled detective movies.
Fazit:
Ein wunderbar unterhaltsames Buch fĂĽr den noch jung gebliebenen Leser.
A wonderful and entertaining book for those who remained young at heart 🙂
Rating:
The following audiobooks are written by German authors and read in German, so the review will be in German as well. I don’t think any of these books will be published in English at all. These are historical novels set in Germany during the Middle Ages while the other is set in the early 19th century covering Germany, France and later Mexico.
Klappentext:
Konstanz im Jahre 1410: Als Graf Ruppert um die Hand der schönen Bürgerstochter Marie anhält, kann ihr Vater sein Glück kaum fassen. Er ahnt nicht, dass es dem adeligen
Bewerber nur um das Vermögen seiner künftigen Frau geht und dass er dafür vor keinem Verbrechen zurückschreckt. Marie und ihr Vater werden Opfer einer gemeinen Intrige, die das Mädchen zur Stadt hinaus treibt. Um zu überleben, muss sie ihren Körper verkaufen. Aber Marie gibt nicht auf … (Amazon)
Meinung:
Schreibstil: Die Geschichte ist gut und flüssig. Die Beschreibungen detailliert genug um dem Hörer ein Gefühl für die Zeit zu vermitteln, jedoch nicht zu lang um zu langweilen. Das Autorenduo weiß wie man seine Leser fesselt.
Handlung: Auch wenn es sich hierbei um eine gekürzte Lesefassung handelt, kann man der Geschichte gut folgen und hat nicht das Gefühlt etwas zu verpassen. Der Handlungsbogen ist durchgehen spannend und der Hörer wird in den ersten Minuten in die Intrige hineingeworfen.
Sprecher: Anne Moll liest einfach fantastisch. Habe ich vorher nur „kurze“ Frauenromane, Chick Lit und humorige Sachen gehört, hat Anne Moll mich dazu gebracht längeren Romanen eine Chance zu geben.
Fazit:
Ein gelungenes, spannendes Hörbuch, dass den Hörer sofort auf die Reise mitnimmt und
Klappentext:
In der Schlacht von Waterloo rettet der junge Walther seinem Kommandeur das Leben. Zum Dank nimmt dieser sich des Waisenjungen an – ebenso wie der kleinen Gisela, deren Vater im Kampf fiel. Beide wachsen von nun an im Schoße der Grafenfamilie auf – sehr zum Unwillen des Grafensohnes, der sie aus tiefstem Herzen verachtet. Jahre später wird aus der Abneigung Hass, denn der Erbe des Grafen will die schöne Gisela für sich. Doch deren Herz schlägt schon lange für Walther – und er erwidert ihre Liebe.
Am Ende scheint es für das Paar nur einen Ausweg zu geben …. (Amazon)
Meinung:
Schreibstil: FlĂĽssig, detailreich, dabei nicht ĂĽberladen. Wieder einmal schafft das Autorenduo mich in die Geschichte hineinzuziehen und mich in die Zeit nach dem Krieg Napoleons zu entfĂĽhren.
Handlung: Auch wenn die Handlung diesmal sehr „actionreich“ startet, entwickelt sich die Handlung und die Problematik doch etwas langsamer. Wir erleben mit wie Walther und Gisela erwachsen werden. Dabei kann die Lesefassung einige Jahre auslassen, ohne dass man das Gefühl hat, etwas wichtiges zu verpassen.
Sprecher: Wieder einmal hat Anne Moll wunderbar gelesen, was wahrscheinlich auch der Grund ist, warum mir die Lorentz Bücher so gut gefallen. Natürlich liegt das auch an den Büchern an sich, aber wenn einem der Sprecher nicht gefällt, dann funktioniert das Zuhören auch nicht.
Fazit:
Wieder ein spannendes, wenn auch etwas langsameres historisches Hörbuch, was wunderbar gelesen wurde. Diesmal merkt man aber, dass die Geschichte gleich für mehrere Bände ausgelegt wurde.
paperback
publisher: HarperCollins
published 2008 (first published 1971)
pages: 386
Book (English)
Blurb:
A message from a dead acquaintance prompts a bus tour to an unknown crime…In utter disbelief Miss Marple read the letter addressed to her from the recently deceased Mr Rafiel – an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. Recognising in Miss Marple a natural flair for justice, Mr Rafiel had left instructions for her to investigate a crime after his death. The only problem was, he had failed to tell her who was involved or where and when the crime had been committed. It was most intriguing. (Amazon)
In (Very) Short:
My Opinion:
This was an absolute highlight. I loved this novel. It was great, entertaining, exiting, thrilling… it was Miss Marple.
After an acquaintance of Miss Marple has died, she is left with a rather puzzling request: to look into an incident that might or might not have caused some injustice. If she solves this „case“ she will inherit quite a sum of money. She is left with almost no clues until she learns that she has been booked on a tour of British famous houses and gardens. From there on the case slowly starts to unravel.
I thought the idea was really intriguing and I was wondering how Miss Marple would be able to solve such a puzzle with almost no clues whatsoever. I know it seemed a little far-fetched that Miss M. would be able to get to the bottom of whatever, but she did. The story line unfolded beautifully and I was able to follow. It did not seem to forced, the writing was great and Miss Marple an absolute dream. I enjoyed her banter and dialogue with the other characters and I loved that she was actually part of the story from the beginning. (Unlike Bertram’s Hotel were she was missing for some time.)
I was trying to piece everything together myself and although I did not understand everything right away and would not have guessed some connections, I was pretty good at discovering the actual culprit. I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but in the end I was right. Good guess I suppose (well and I have read quite a few Christie novels by now that I think I might get the hang of things).
Bottom Line:
All in all, a great, entertaining read with an ever-present Miss Marple.
Rating:
So, I did not “buy” that many books (no physical ones and I actually did not pay for any virtual ones either), but I finally caved and purchased a Kindle. I am always very reluctant when it comes to technology and things. It takes me a little longer to warm up to those, but in the end it was a space decision. I just don’t have that much space in my apartment and my shelves are already stuffed and some of my darlings have to live in boxes. Hence the Kindle. And of course I have a few eBooks to haul because I couldn’t help it.
Since they were an offer of amazon, I got them for nothing. So, I chose a few books and classics to have some variety. Here they are:
paperback
publisher: Jove
published 2006
pages: 304
Book (English)
Blurb:
Fredericka Bimm – Fred – is a mermaid. But she is not the stuff of legends. A marine biologist, she knows what’s in the water so chooses not to expose herself to those toxins. She’s allergic to shellfish. The sea creatures she can communicate with won’t do her bidding. She doesn’t have long blonde hair or a perfect body. And she’s definitely not perky! Fred’s life is mostly spent trying to conceal her origins – and lately she’s been trying to figure out just why there are weird levels of toxins in the local seawater. Then two strangers come into her life. Her new colleague is a sexy – if over-curious – hunk with a mermaid fixation. The other claims he is Artur, the high prince of the black seas – and Fred’s rightful ruler! (Amazon)
In (Very) Short:
My Opinion:
Sleeping with the Fishes is for sure a fast paced, easy, entertaining and taking-your-mind-of-things novel. And there is glitter on the cover. (I am a girl, I can’t help but notice and love 🙂 ) Fred is a mermaid (which nobody but her parents and her best friend know), cranky, and works at an aquarium. When she notices rising levels of toxin in the water things get out of control. One of her colleagues figures out what she is and the prince of the Black Sea stops by for a visit. While the guys vie for her affection (and possibly more), they have to work together to find out what’s going on and to not be discovered. So naturally chaos ensues.
I have never read a novel by this author before but I sure as hell will read more know. It is really an easy and light entertainment, where not much world creation is needed. Thus the story is easy to follow and fast paced. The writing just washes over you and the characters are enjoyable, funny, and just the right amount of crazy. The love triangle thing was a little on the nose, but Fred fighting to keep both guys off of her was just funny. It’s chick lit with mermaids – and merdudes.
Bottom Line:
I fun and entertaining read, but maybe not if you are looking for something more fantasy and ambitious – this is maybe not it. You want fun and not much thinking – here you go.
Rating:
My reading month was pretty good and I am quite happy. I probably not gonna match my final goal of 65 books this year, but still very happy about this month.
I started this month with the second installment of the Starcrossed trilogy, which was enjoyable and entertaining. Helen descends into the Underworld every night and after many hours, days, and weeks of despair, she finally meets someone living and willing to help her – of course he does not look bad either… I thoroughly enjoyed the book which had a lot more going than guys and Underworld hopping, but I don’t want to spoil too much since it is the second book in the series.
My first review copy was a Sci Fi – adventure – mystery novel. It had pirates, archeologists, aliens, in it and it was set in different times.
It was a solid and enjoyable read with lots of action with an Indiana Jones feel to it.
This short story was actually quite fun. I decided to read it because it is set in Edinburgh. If that is your choice for reading this … there is not a lot of Edinburgh in it. But the pixie hunt was hilarious. Don’t read it when in a serious mood.
I just love Rumblewick’s Diaries. The series is funny, cute, and entertaining. The story is narrated by the cat Rumblewick who gets into trouble in the witch world because his witch just does not want to be so witchy. Really cute.
My first graphic novel was more of an experiment and since I haven’t read any others, I don’t feel to knowledgeable and comfortable to write a review. I feel like I need to read more graphic novels first. Anyway. I love Pride and Prejudice and of course I enjoyed it. The story was taken directly from the book. You couldn’t do anything wrong there and just as Nancy Butler said in the introduction: You don’t mess with Jane.
This is a collection of conversations and situations that people have overheard while listening to other people. The original idea come from New York, where people would send in such stories to overheardinnewyork.com. Now, this is the German version and it was hilarious, strange, weird and occasionally crazy. A great read for in between since the stories are very short. Good fun.
After my Marple mystery last month I decided to go with a fall theme and pick up a Poirot mystery. It was a good read, but not the best. I barely remember what really happened in the book. A young girl was murdered after she claimed she witnessed a murder some time ago herself. So Poirot started to investigate. It lacked motive and possible suspects, it dealt with so many past mysteries/murders and of course everything was connected in the end. Good, but not great.
Franzi's Book Chase 