Ghost Story (Harry Dresden Book 13) by Jim Butcher

Rating: 4 out of 5
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 793 KB
Print Length: 497 pages
ISBN: 1841497614
Publisher: Hachette Digital (July 28, 2011)
Sold by: Hachette Book Group
Language: English
ASIN: B0057MLQWW

 Ghost Story is the latest instalment in the Harry Dresden series. In the last book Changes we were left with a cliff hanger ending. Which will make this review very short and vague as I do not want to spoil it for people who have not yet read Changes. But the events from Changes impact directly on this book.

I loved the development of Harry, Molly, Karrin, and Butters. Good or bad all the main characters in Harry’s life have been deeply effected by the events in Changes. The time between Changes and Ghost Story (Ghost Story is set 6 months after Changes) has seen some major changes with the main characters, and most of those changes are bad. In all honesty the only character who seemed to be improved was Butters, but he was not involved in the final smack down of Changes so that maybe why. I really liked Butters in this book (I have liked him in the other books as well), he really seems to have come into his own. The strength of this book I feel is the character development.

The usual Harry Dresden story elements are all there and are enjoyable but the focus of this book is Harry and him having a serious self reflection. While this was happening it didn’t feel forced or a gimmick, it blended well with the story and will hopefully provide a new direction for the series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you like the series you will no doubt already have this in your to be read book pile.

No LOL Cat review today (sorry) but found this clip of Jim Butcher reading an excerpt from the first chapter. Enjoy!

Goddess Girls: Athena the Brain (Book 1) by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Rating 4 out 5 (for under 10 girls)
Rating 3 out 5 (for everyone else)
Reading Age: 8-10
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Aladdin; Original edition (April 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 141698271X
ISBN-13: 978-1416982715

"Athena thought she was a regular human girl until she receives a letter from her father, Zeus the king of the gods (and principal of Mount Olympus Academy). Zeus requests that Athena come attend MOA and, hoping her eccentricities will fit in better with the other god boys and goddess girls than they do with mortals, she happily accepts. While at school, Athena quickly makes friends--and enemies--with the other god boys and goddess girls and learns how to adjust to life as a goddess."

This story is set in ancient Greece when the gods were children in school. This story follows Athena as she starts her life at the god school and adjusts to this world. I loved the characters, they were fun and  captured their essences really well.

The book is really well researched and the Greek mythology is woven into the stories and personalities. For instance Athena is brainy, Aphrodite is beautiful and obsessed with boys, and Pandora is obsessed with gossip. Their school personalities reflect their adult persona's. The story of Helen of Troy is also woven into this book in a fun and quirky way.

The story is a quick, and an easy light read (for an avid reader). I knocked it over in about an hour while sitting on the plane flying off to my Christmas holidays. It really is just a cute story that is fun and light.

My only quibble was the ending. It just seemed to stop with a few things left unresolved. I sat there flicking the last pages thinking “is that it?” But as this is a series of books (with each book following a different goddess) perhaps the stories flow into each other?

Young girls (roughly 8-10) will probably love this series and relate to it best. It is also a great introduction to the Greek Gods and Goddesses. If I get my hands on other books in the series I will definitely give it a read.

1Q84 Contest Winner

Firstly a big thank you to all who entered my first ever competition. I was thrilled with the response. Now on to the important business.

**insert drum roll**

The winner is.......

Harvey from Book Dilettante.

Congratulations Harvey! you should receive your copy of 1Q84 in the next week or two (depending on international shipping). I hope you enjoy the book.

Again a huge thank you to all who entered and a big thank you to Random House Australia for providing me with the copy to give away.

Movie Reviews: January 2012

Johnny English Reborn - C+
Not that funny at all. It felt forced and the jokes missed the mark. A few chuckle worthy moments but I am glad I didn't pay to see this at the movies. Gillian Anderson was a little weird in this role and Rowan Atkinson seemed to be just going through the motions.

Real Steel - B
An interesting retelling of the boxing looser to hero story. There are lots of good CGI. The acting in this is average and does the job. Not much else to add but it was a good movie that most people should enjoy but it wont blow anyone away.

The Three Musketeers (2011) - C-
What a bizare retelling. It seems the directors tried to make it appeal as much as they could to the current teenage generation. The musketeers were doing martial arts type moves, and there was weird booby traps (like a hallway with razor thin wire criss crossing it that could only be seen with dust, which is eerily similar to modern thief movies and a hallway with lasers), and an air ship or two, just to name a few of the weird things. Milla Jovavich's Milady was an ass kicking go getter in period costume (and sometimes just a corset) which was an interesting change but her acting had no depth at all. All the actors put in average to rubbish performances. I probably shouldn't compare, but the 90's version was way better. We didn't even finish this movie.

Fast and the Furious 5 - C
Nothing special or surprising in this film. Just average at best and hardly any car chases. I fell asleep half way through.

Cowboys and Aliens - C

What a weird movie. I didn't get the point. There was no "wow" moment, or terribly witty one liners, or even interesting characters/acting to make up for the fact that the script made not a lot of sense. Just an average movie.

The Help - A+

An excellent movie. A powerful message and story. I cried, I laughed, I felt angry for them. The acting is amazing. Even hubby enjoyed this movie! Couldn't recommend this movie enough. The movie stayed pretty true to the book with a few minor changes.

Friends With Benefits - B

A fun romantic comedy where Justin Timberlake isn't annoying. Predictable but still good with some good laugh out load moments and lots of chuckle worthy other moments. A fun light movie that was way better then the "other similar" movie that came out around the same time with Natalie Portman in it (see was so good I cant even remember the name).

Old School

Ice Age 1, 2 & 3 - B
Strangely I did not enjoy the first Ice Age movie this time round as I did the last one. 2 was ok I laughed a few times but Ice Age 3 was where the laughter was at. No idea why. These are still firm favourites though.

Mission Impossible 1, 2 & 3 - A, C- & B

Ack MI 2 I don't remember you being so terrible! it reminded me of a day time soap opera with the long lingering stares and long periods of no one saying anything just staring. It just felt clunky and boring. MI3 was much better and ties in with the latest movie! Of course Mission Impossible is the best out of the lot and is always a favorite.

Bad Boys - A

Yay Michael Bay at his best in the 90's. There is not much not to like. Great action, funny one liners, and Will Smith doing what he does best action/comedy blockbuster. Always enjoy watching this film.

Songs for January

Going with an Aussie theme for this month with Australia Day just gone.

Timomatic - Set It Off
This guy is from Australian X-Factor but I believe didn't win (I didn't watch it so didn't know). I quite like this song nice and catchy.


Jessica Mauboy & Stan Walker - Galaxy
Jessica has a fantastic album this time round, there hasn't been a song released so far I don't like.


Reece Mastin - Good Night
This guy won X-Factor Australia. A few people have said this song sounds like Pink but I dont mind.


Havana Brown -We Run The Night
An excellent techno tune.


Ricki-Lee - Raining Diamonds 
I wasn't to keen on this song the first time i heard it, but it has grown on me :)

Men At Work - Down Under Well you couldn't go anywhere before or during Australia Day with out hearing this song.