google-site-verification: google935433b691795853.html KRISTY BERRIDGE: 2013-05-26

Friday 7 June 2013

The screaming Question


It seems that everywhere I look lately, women are having babies, or should I say, women my age are having babies.
What do I mean by that? Well, apparently my biological clock is ticking and I'll supposedly change my mind about reproducing in the near future, and should in fact hurry before my ovaries shrivel up and die. Or so I've been told.
For those of you who don't know my stance on the screaming small person, it's a very definitive 'No thanks, I don't want one'.
It's not that I don't like children. In fact, they're actually quite pleasant when they're asleep, at someone else's house or perhaps eating something sticky and time consuming.
You got it. I love my personal space, free time, and the general air of peaceful silence that lingers in my house. I've never once felt the urge to add to the world's population and certainly have no intention of doing so in the future. So why is it that people assume I one day will? Why is it a woman's life mission to repopulate the species? Why can't my mission be to write awesome horror novels, look fabulous in spandex, and buy designer shoes like they're going out of fashion?
I suspect some of you are shaking your heads at me, counting off the reasons why having children is the joy of joys, but honestly there's no convincing me. I think you're all crazy and also the bravest people on the planet. Seriously, parents should be given medals. You go to war everyday with crying infants, wordy toddlers, and arrogant teens, yet somehow survive the stinky nappies, scattered toys, half-done homework, and piles of dirty laundry.
You are to be commended. I can't even commit to a pet.
So power to the parents and the ongoing daily sacrifices you make, but just remember there are some of us that value the vacant uterus, spare time, and the sporadic nature of a childless life. So let's agree to disagree that the tiny humans are not for everyone.

Kristy :)

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Book Review: Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy

Ever Shade is the first book in the Dark Faerie Tales series by Alexia Purdy, an uncomplicated novel about a young girl called 'Shade', seemingly human, but very quickly inducted into the world of the supernatural.
An epic tale begins, Shade is drafted into a Faerie queen's cause to save her throne and subjects by obtaining magical waters from the Santirian Mountains. It's uncertain exactly why Shade is involved, and you never really find out why this water is so important, but the journey seems to be the true object of the tale.
A quest for the brave, we meet some interesting characters along the way. Warriors of righteous might, disfigured princes, crazy, riddle-driven queens, and of course, an abundance of fey. We are offered a snippet of each character, some background information, and are often rewarded by a showing of their gifts in deliverance of an action-based sequence.
What I liked about this story was the writer's imagination and clear delight in her craft. I also liked that I was often confused by the misleading, romantic interludes that left me guessing as to the true intent of Shade's heart. Even now, though drawn to several characters, I'm at an impasse as to who I think she should choose - if anyone at all given her blasé attitude towards any and all encounters.
Unfortunately, that's where my enjoyment of this story ended, and although I will not critique the writer's ideas, as these were compelling, I was not enamoured with the editing or lack of clarity in the sentence structure.
I was flooded with pointless adverbs that I found often confused the imagery and over-crowded what could have been simplistic paragraphing. Metaphors were slung around like a backyard football, clumsy and sometimes falling short of point. Combine this with a lot of double descriptions, and I felt as if I was reading every sentence twice.
As I said, the ideas are wonderful and the passion is evident, but it was difficult for me to get past the wording. I rate this novel two fangs out of five, based entirely on what I believe to be easily redeemable with stronger editing. But please remember, this is but the opinion of one, not a general consensus and certainly not an errant dismissal of the writer's obvious passion and creativity.

Synopsis:

For Shade, a chance meeting with a powerful Teleen faery warrior who wields electrical currents and blue fires along his skin has her joining him on a treacherous mission for the good Seelie Faerie Court across the land of Faerie. Magic and malice abound and nothing is what it really seems to be.
The evil Unseelie Queen and her treacherous allies are round every corner as Shade makes her way across the breathtaking landscapes of the world of Faerie, which exists alongside the mundane human world. Shade discovers her own uncharted magic and meets some of the most powerful warriors in Faerie while battling evil dryads, conniving Teleen guards and challenges on her life with every step in a world where nothing can be taken for granted.





Saturday 1 June 2013

Book Review: Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Finale is the concluding novel in the Hush, Hush sequence by Becca Fitzpatrick. Not an entirely unexpected ending to this saga between fallen angel and feuding Nephilim. Many lines had been drawn in the sand, making war an unavoidable certainty.
Patch and Nora head up the cast, their love and loyalty for one another unshakable, despite their differences. Patch is one of the fallen, and Nora has been cast under oath to lead the Nephilim army to victory. No longer will the cast-out angels take wanton possession of the archangel's offspring, especially with the aid Devilcraft and the desire for freedom spurring them on.
With too many suspect players, underhanded deals and the threat of death looming ever present, it's no wonder this novel culminates in bloodshed and tears. Friends are lost and old rivals attempt to settle new scores - Nora and Patch on a path to a rocky end.
But just when you think all hope is lost, a blizzard of fighting frisks the final chapters and then suddenly it's all over. With the strike of a sword to the heart of a troublesome individual, all problems are swept under a tidy rug of convenience.
What I loved about Finale was the carefully crafted writing and intense imagery. The strong bonds explored between friends and the uncertainty of patch and Nora's romantic future. 
Predictable though the ending was, I was still captivated by the fast-paced story and curious as to how a happy ending could bloom from such oppressive sadness. The sense of hopelessness offered intrigue, and I'm pleased to say that I did enjoy the novel, rating it three out of five fangs.

Synopsis:

Will love conquer all?
Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.
Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.
But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.
As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

Kristy :)