Video Game Wish Fulfillment to the Extreme - August 13, 2015

Armada by Ernest Cline
3 stars



Zack Lightman spends a lot of his time playing video games.  One video game in particular, Armada, where he is currently ranked sixth in the world.  This interactive video game has him fighting alien invaders using drones which he controls.  As a video game nerd with a reputation of anger management issues, life is fairly normal until he starts seeing spaceships out his school window that closely resemble those from Armada. He then realizes that Armada is no ordinary video game and many of his favorite forms of entertainment are not what they seem. This novel is really about wish-fulfillment and I can see why avid video game players might find much to enjoy here.  While entertaining, I honestly found it boring at times as drone maneuvers and missions were detailed ad nauseam.  Zack is a likable character and the plot interesting but it got bogged down in so many details.  I haven't yet read Ready Player One but from reading this, I definitely think that it a book that I would enjoy more as I liked the almost playful plot points and pop culture reference in Armada.  This book is just a little to focused on the minute details of gaming for me.  I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. 


You're the Earl That I Want by Kelly Bowen
Pub. Date - August 25, 2015
3 stars



Joss and Heath grew up together and as children spent a lot of time tormenting each other.  Now, Joss is recently returned from traveling and Heath has inherited an earldom.  While Heath is in desperate need of a wife, he is hoping for someone bland and uncontroversial... the opposite of Joss.  When the two become entangled in an elaborate crime, they cannot hide their attraction for each other.  I love the character of Joss.  She is intelligent, sassy and confident and she is a very refreshing heroine.  Unfortunately, for me the plot of this book was just too convoluted and took away from the great relationship between these two characters.  I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.