Book Review: Ruby in the Smoke (A Sally Lockhart Mystery) by Philip Pullman

Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

BOOK DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:

“BEWARE THE SEVEN blessings . . . ” When she first utters these words, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart doesn’t know their meaning. But when an employee of her late father hears them, he dies of fear. Thus begins Sally’s terrifying journey into the seamy underworld of Victorian London, in search of clues to her father’s mysterious death.

MY BOOK REVIEW:

I just finished Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman a few days ago. It took me a while to read. As you can tell from that, I was pretty much just so/so on the book. If I love a book, it will be read within the week. If it's okay, it will take a few weeks and if it's so/so I have to give myself a little shove to finish it. Only if it's horrible will I put it down. I usually like to know how the story turns out.

What I liked: I liked the idea of a mystery set in Victorian London. It's a great setting for a mystery! I also like Sally, who is an enterprising girl who sets out to solve the mystery surrounding her father's death. I also liked the photographer Frederick, who I'm guessing will be a love interest in later books, since there's some hints of that in this book.  

What I didn't like: I wasn't a big fan of the writing style. It felt a little slow to me. I suppose it's in similar style to The Golden Compass, but somehow, this felt like old school mystery and I got bored pretty quickly. That style can be great, but maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it. I may be too in the mood for Hunger Games pace. 

The mystery itself did keep me guessing. I did guess one big twist before it happened, but I won't spoil it. There was also a great villain in this book, in the form of Mrs. Holland. She was pure evil.    

A NOTE: Ruby in the Smoke was made into a BBC movie and I would be curious to see it. I really didn't hate the book, I just felt so/so about it, but I would be interested to see what they did in the movie version. Here's a clip I found on youtube, as Sally investigates the mystery and is given a diary to read to get some answers to her questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8HeA5anmuo 

By the way, I also found tons of book trailers made for people's English classes. Pretty fun stuff! I almost feel like I should do a follow up post all about those! Here's one, if you want to watch a fan-made book trailer:


If you read this book, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below!  

I give Ruby in the Smoke: 2 Books out of 5 = A So/So Read 

Top 10 Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet! It's Top 10 Tuesday!

It's Top 10 Tuesday! It's an internet meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish!

I love this week's theme! I have a billion books I want to start and it's fun to think about all of the series I'd like to read. The only frustrating thing is...I want to read them all NOW!

Here are my top 10 series that I'd like to start (NOW!) but haven't yet! They're mostly YA along with a couple of others and I think they're pretty self explanatory.

 

 1. The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa - I kept reading about the great romantic chemistry between the characters and okay, I'm hooked!

2. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare - Besides the fact that a ton of people have told me to read these, I saw a book trailer a while ago and it made me super interested!

3. The Lux Novels by Jennifer L. Armentrout - I came across her name while I was looking at books that might be in a similar genre as my book Doppelganger and, um, I also found one of my next TBR series!

4. The Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking - Besides the fact that Amanda is an inspiration to me (why I became an indie author), this series sounds REALLY interesting! Can't wait to start Switched!

5. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - I've heard so many great things about Cinder from other book blogger on Top 10 Tuesday, so I'm in!

6. Divergent series by Veronica Roth - I feel like this series will be the next Hunger Games to me!

7. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins - Speaking of Hunger Games, I know this series is different, but I heard it's also quite good.

8. The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich - The first book has been sitting on my shelf for years and I did just watch the movie, but still, come on, I need to read the book! The movie was ok, but I saw the fun potential of the book!

9. The Hollows series by Amanda Hocking - What? I know I have two Amanda Hocking series on this list, but the truth is...I like zombies.

10. Game of Thrones by George RR Maltin - I started watching the TV show and it's great. I gave the books to my husband for a Christmas present and um, I just might borrow them!

And, that's 10! Until next week, happy reading everyone! 

COVER REVEAL: Wait For You by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Writing as J. Lynn)

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What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?

“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT

“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES

“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books

“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes

“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” Total Bookaholic

“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms

“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says

Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU? 

Synopsis

Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Wait-for-You-ebook/dp/B00BLTOXEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361958795&sr=1-1&keywords=wait+for+youhttp://www.amazon.com/Wait-for-You-ebook/dp/B00BLTOXEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361958795&sr=1-1&keywords=wait+for+you
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wait-for-you-j-lynn/1114701569?ean=2940016231921   

J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites:

Twitter https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/

Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List

Top 10 Tuesday is an internet meme hosted by The Broke And The Bookish

Top ten authors that I'd put on my auto-buy list... Ooooo - I wish I could afford an auto-buy book list!!! Here's to dreaming!

I'd love to auto-buy from these 10 authors:

1. Meg Cabot- She had me at Princess Diaries and I love her adult mystery series starting with Size 12 Isn't Fat. There are still a few books of hers that I haven't read, so hopefully that auto-buy list can include them too!

2. Sophie Kinsella - I fell in love with her Shopaholic series and I pretty much read everything she writes. Her stories are funny, heartfelt, and I just have a great time reading her books.

3. Dean Koontz - I haven't read a book of his in awhile, but I love his style. His books are creepy and scares can be fun!

4. Julie Kagawa - I'm in the middle of The Immortal Rules, but I also really, really, really want to read her Iron Fey series!

5. J. K. Rowling - Although I do have a condition - I only want to read her YA stuff. I'm not that interested in the adult book she just wrote. I loved Harry Potter and I'd be interested to see her do other young adult fiction, whether it involves magic or not.

6. Suzanne Collins - I loved The Hunger Games and I hear that her Gregor the Overlander series is great too! I'd definitely be up for being on an auto-buy list for her books!

Here's a couple of authors I'm looking forward to reading and um, would like to prepare to buy all their books in advance because I'm pretty sure I'll love them! 

7. Cassandra Claire - I haven't read any of her books yet and I'm dying to! I know there's a bunch out, so yeah, auto-buy works!

8. Veronica Roth - I just know I'm going to love Divergent and I'll want to read the rest, so yeah - auto-buy! In fact, the only reason I haven't read her books yet, is that I'm using Divergent as a reward for finishing writing a book of my own (Funeral Crashing #3). Once I finish, I can read it...and get absorbed and do absolutely nothing else for a few days.

9. Jennifer L. Armentrout - I've heard a lot of great things about her books too and Obsidian is waiting for me on my ipad. I know I'll be obsessed...once I let myself be. Besides, I'm following her posts on Facebook...and her books really do sound fun!

10. Amanda Hocking - She's the person who inspired me to put my writing out there - agent or not and take a chance - and I have yet to read one of her books! I want to read them all!

And, that's it! HAPPY TUESDAY! Now I want to go spend money on books! Happy reading!

Nickie Anderson & 3 Wacky Questions for Indie Authors with Ebooks Online

Author: Nickie Anderson

Check back every Friday for Indie Authors with Ebooks Online answering Wacky Questions and find your weekend read!    

Nickie Anderson, Indie Author of Bright Star answers 3 WACKY QUESTIONS for Indie Authors with Ebooks Online:

Find Nickie's book for sale on: Amazon | Barnes and  Noble | Kobo | Smashwords
 

1. What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria from your uncle?

I'd die of happiness and high cholesterol. But more seriously, I'd expand it to include a beer parlor as well. And then I'd never leave!

  

2. If you were a dog or cat, what would you want your name to be?

If I was a dog, I'd want my name to be Princess Sparkles. I'd be a miniature schnauzer, and I'd climb on the dinner table and eat off of people's plates.

If I was a cat, I'd want my name to be Lethal Weapon. I'd be a twenty-five pound ball of fur and fury. My owners would never get me declawed. Mwahahaha. 

3. An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents. So, how much is a pear?

This is where I put on my pointy Vulcan ears and talk logic. You can't draw a conclusion about the price of pears from the prices of the other fruits. You could have just as easily asked about the price of watermelons or lychee instead of pears. As an analogy, you couldn't draw a conclusion about the height of Andrew given the heights of Tom, Dick and Harry.

My math teachers would be so proud.

Hahaha! Thanks, Nickie! But wait, there's more... 

About Bright Star by Nickie Anderson:

Bright Star by Nickie Anderson

It's bad enough that Sadira Pascal's father doesn't make it home to celebrate her fifteenth birthday. He might be a busy hovership engineer pulling overtime on a new design, but he's always been home for the important things. It's worse when she discovers her father decided to ride on the maiden voyage of his newest ship, the CAS Bright Star, without even telling her. But things really fall apart during Sadira's field trip with her class to observe the hovership launch. Instead of a successful flight, she watches the Bright Star fall out of the sky.

The Central government confirms her father's death, leaving Sadira to pick up the pieces of her former life. While she struggles with her loss, Private Baruj Haddad tries to convince her that her father and the rest of the Bright Star crew are still alive. At first, Sadira doesn't believe there's any hope. But then she stumbles across a message that makes her think maybe, just maybe, her father is still alive. As she digs deeper into the Bright Star's crash, Sadira uncovers secrets about her father's work, secrets that put her and everyone she loves in danger.

What inspired your novel (or series)? Talk about writing it. 

I've always enjoyed writing. I was the kid in school making up short stories, or drawing a comic strip about the teachers. But I always had this idea that writing wasn't a 'real' career. I studied marketing and computer science in college, and did freelance web-design after I graduated.

Here comes the sob story part. About two years ago, my dad passed away. He was young, barely fifty, and it left me questioning what I was doing with myself. Life is so stinkin' short. Why waste it doing something I don't love? Why not pursue writing, even if it's not a conventional career choice? 

I had a few story ideas I'd been sitting on, thinking about writing 'eventually'. I realized that there was no time like the present to start putting words to paper, to make my dream of writing a book a reality. I ditched the web-design job and started tutoring part-time, which gave me time to work on writing. Even if I never make a red cent off of my stories, I'll at least be doing something I'm passionate about.

'Bright Star' is the kind of book I always wanted to read when I was young. I tried to pull together everything I liked about science fiction and adventure stories, and create a cast of characters I could both love and love to hate. It's got space ships, deception, explosions, and a corrupt government. What more could a YA book ask for?

About the Author: 

Nickie Anderson has her Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, which she's put to good use by writing, reading, and tutoring. She loves cooking (because the cook gets dibs on the food!) as well as jogging and biking (because she has to make up for all of the eating!) She lives in North Carolina with her husband, where they perpetually renovate their home.

Find Author Nickie Anderson on:  Her Blog | Goodreads

Pay it forward – Best Indie Author you’ve read or admire?

I've been doing a weekly Indie feature on my blog, so I feel lucky to have read some really amazing indie books over the past year. Lisa Nowak's 'Running Wide Open' stands out as one of the best character-driven YA books I've ever read (no qualification necessary). I also enjoyed Jeff Gunhus's 'Monster Hunter'. One of the best surprises of the year was Kevin George's 'North Pole Challenge', a cute and fun-filled book about a boy who discovers he's actually one of Santa's elves.  

And, of course, I really enjoyed 'Adventures in Funeral Crashing'. I love a good mystery, and you kept me hooked to the end!
 
Woo-hoo! I got mentioned! So glad you enjoyed Adventures in Funeral Crashing! Such a great compliment from a fellow author!  - Milda 

Are you an Indie Author with ebooks online? Would you like to be interviewed? Check out the details for the 3 Wacky Questions Interviews for Indie Authors with Ebooks Online!