Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Pride and Prejudice

by Jane Austen

Rating: ***** (5 stars)

Book Length: 228 pages

Genre: Classic, Fiction, Romance

I didn't expect to like Pride and Prejudice. I am not sure why. I have enjoyed other books by Jane Austen. There was just too much hype over Pride and Prejudice. There are too many movies that other females swoon over. I do not make a good fangirl - even for book characters. I started the book with the expectation of grinning and bearing it. 

Obviously, from my rating, that is not what happened. 

Jane Austen is an amazing author who has reached across the gulf of time. This book was originally published in 1813! That is over a hundred years ago. Yet, it is still read. It is still loved. It still remains relevant to readers of our generation. 

The writing style is witty. The characters are engaging. Elizabeth Bennet is the parament of strong female lead character. While I may not be swooning over the movies, I will no longer be shying away from Jane Austen's other works.

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A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkings

A Brief History of Time

by Stephen Hawking

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Book Length: 224 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction, Science, Physics

This book was first published back in 1988. I remember reading it when I was in middle school when most of what I read was physic oriented non-fiction. I was fascinated with time. While this did not really go into time as much as the title would suggest, it was one of my favorite books. 

It has been many years since I have read this book. I have grown both educationally and maturity. In addition, the field of physics has changed since this work was first published. Reading it again, after many years, the work took on a different perspective. There were many ideas that were once unique and fresh that I found to be commonplace. Even talking about Hawking's hope for black holes to be confirmed was more nostalgic than a scientific wonder. I talk with my kids with them regularly - yes really. 

This book deserves to continue to be read. While it was not the first science book to be written for the non-scientist, it is one that made doing such more popular. It is written in such a way to engage and excite even those who do not usually engage in science. 

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Dempsey's Demise by A.B. Thomas

Dempsey's Demise

by A.B. Thomas

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Horror

Book Length: 104 pages

Dempsey's Demise reads like a prequel to another series. It is a beginning story. The beginning of this story happens to be how Harriott becomes a vampire. Perhaps it would be better to describe her as a hate filled, bitter, vengeful vampire. What else would happen when you are turned at fourteen years old. 

This novel will capture your attention and take you for a ride. Although that ride may be more of a freak show or haunted house at a carnival. The story is not for the faint of heart. It is pretty gruesome. While the descriptions themselves are not overdone, leaving my dinner safely in my stomach, it is evident that the author has no qualms about throwing anything gruesome in is novels. It makes for one fantastic story that left me more emotionally involved than I expected. I was hooked - in the same way that you can't stop looking at your festering wound. 

I do not usually enjoy a story where I do not relate to the main character. Harriott has major emotional issues. Maybe it wasn't as concerning because she has legitimate excuses for them - not that slaughtering everyone in her path is truly excusable, but it is a vampire novel. 

While I enjoyed Dempsey's Demise very much there is sometimes where the person narrating the story would change within the same section. This was confusing and did not add to the story. There were also sections that seemed to switch from showing the story to just telling about it. Usually, it was to sum up longer periods of times but it was a bit jarring. It didn't stop the flow of reading, though. I ended up reading most of the novel in one sitting. 

Dempsey's Demise is not a book for everyone. It is something different to pick up if you are into the darker side of Urban Fantasy. The language is pretty clean but the content could be a bit disturbing. It also does contain sex scenes. It flowed with the narration rather than dominating the story and were not erotica graphic. 

***This book was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review.***

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