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Charlotte Bennardo

Auteur de Blonde Ops: A Novel

5 oeuvres 136 utilisateurs 12 critiques

Œuvres de Charlotte Bennardo

Blonde Ops: A Novel (2014) 46 exemplaires
Sirenz (2011) 45 exemplaires
Sirenz Back in Fashion (2012) 17 exemplaires

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As the publisher's description states, Blonde Ops is "a fun, action-packed romp through the hallways of a fashion magazine and the cobblestone streets of Rome." It's a light-hearted YA read with enough spying, hacking, fashion, and traveling to please almost everyone.

That being said, it didn't feel as authentic as some of the other books in the young adult spy genre. I know, I know, teen spy novels aren't exactly realistic anyway, but the background, situations, and characters in some feel more realistic than others.

I was frustrated with Bec because she often didn't seem to be displaying much common sense. But the adults in the book were aggravating, too -- leaving a delinquent teenager with someone they barely knew anymore, letting a known hacker still have access to computers and other electronics, sharing some sensitive information with Bec but not trusting her with other seemingly less sensitive information, having so much security personnel around because of the First Lady but then not actually paying much attention to the comings and goings of anyone, not thinking it was strange that a celebrity model / magazine editor was bossing around Secret Service agents... Seriously, Bec is the only person who thinks it's strange that Candace has control over and bosses around the Secret Service agents.

Blonde Ops has a fun concept, and YA readers will enjoy it for what it is -- a fashion-tinged spy romp through Rome -- but it could have been polished a bit more to make it more plausible, less frustrating, and an overall better read.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley.
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Signalé
fernandie | 2 autres critiques | Sep 15, 2022 |
Blonde Ops is the story of Bec Jackson, a teenager who has been kicked out of several schools due to her hacking. Bec's parents don't have time for her, so she is constantly shuffled from relative to relative, until this time. Bec is sent to Rome to work for her mother's best friend, Parker who is the editor of a fashion magazine doing a shoot there. Bec barely gets a chance to meet Parker when she is in a car accident and hospitalized somewhere in Rome. Bec knows Parker was seriously injured, but can't find out any specifics about her condition or even what hospital she is in. When Bec starts to investigate the wreck, she finds out that there is more going on than just a car crash. With the imminent arrival of the First Lady of the United States for the photo shoot, Bec starts to wonder about all of the people she is working with and what their endgames really are, especially the mysterious Taj and attractive Dante who have both shown interest in her.
Blonde Ops is well written and interesting, but I had trouble reconciling the fact that when the woman who is tasked with taking care of Bec is injured, she isn't sent back to her parents rather than being allowed to remain in a European city with people that her parents don't know. Also some of the descriptions of Rome are a little long-winded. Otherwise this was a good mystery/adventure story with a good plot and unique characters.
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Signalé
ftbooklover | 2 autres critiques | Oct 12, 2021 |
Oh, so that's why I've been seeing Alice so often lately: it's the 150th anniversary.

I hate to admit it – but I've never been entirely enamored of Alice. It's another childhood classic that I somehow never read, like The Wizard of Oz - just never had a copy, or something.

The call for entries seems to have specified that there be a young main character named Alice, a white rabbit, and a fall. Another theme running through a lot of the stories is that parents can be perilous, unreliable, sometimes dangerous. The variety of things done with the basic elements in this baker's dozen of stories is pretty impressive.

I just wish I liked Alice in Wonderland more. I should, I suppose; I'd like to; I don't. Oh well. Happily, I have more than enough enthusiasms without Alice.

Alice, Through the Wormhole – Charlotte Bennardo – Alice in space, in a trippy chase after stolen tea, which is more than just tea. Meh; kind of clever, but kind of annoying - ***
They Call Me Alice – C. Lee McKenzie – blend of Chinese mythology, young adult romance, and Alice; really kind of lovely. Though it focused more on the Chinese mythology than on Alice; the heroine could have been called anything, and the rabbit had no relation to Wonderland. Still, it fits well enough, and had an affect on me. ****
Alice, Last of the Bleeding Hearts – David Turnbull – I wasn't thrilled with this one; where the last story's connection to AinW seemed distant, here it felt forced, a science fiction story hammered into an Alice mold. Flaws in the narration showed up here – unless the text actually read "soldiering iron" twice? I wasn't enamored of this version of the Cheshire Cat; I wasn't impressed with the intelligence of the "last of the bleeding hearts" (announcing her weapons to the Red Queen? Wouldn't they be more effective as surprises? And Alice knows how to play chess but wonders at the knights moving in "an odd, L-shaped manner"? ** Meh.
The Watchmaker's Ball – Christine Norris – Here the narrator used a very nice British accent, fitting the Alice-contemporary setting. It was an interesting idea (except how did that mechanic know to give a warning?), interestingly executed – fun. ****
Rabbit Fever – Jackie Horsfall – I don't know. I just don't know. I like the concept of an Alice from another time period, but she seemed a little too prescient. I didn't love it. **
Mustang Alice – Medeia Sharif – My initial comment was simply "oh you have got to be kidding". It's not often I DNF a short story – but I skipped most of this one after Alice stole the car. Nope. (If it had been a Volkswagen Rabbit, now…) *
White Is a Human Construct – Laura Lascarso – Read with a Southern accent – very good and rather intense story of abuse and madness and what it takes to get out of both. I liked what was not said as much as what was. *****
Alice and Her Shadow – Tom Luke – Told in the second person present tense: "None of the streetlamps are working, and your shadow is beginning to worry you." – NICE. I didn't like it – it's a very disturbing story – but I appreciated it to pieces. Creepy as all hell. And in light of a recent (possible)(unconfirmed)(oh please no) major character death on The Walking Dead and how Damon Lindelof, producer of other shows, talked about it … story arcs and taking the show in a direction and that sort of thing. Yeah. *shiver* ****
Alice in Wilderland – Jessica Bayliss YA love story – which should have annoyed me, to be honest – but my initial reaction was "NICE". ****
The Aviary – Crystal Schubert - "ok" love the idea of rescuing someone who doesn't want to be rescued "kids" "my life on hold" Oh, I really don't care about the inside of her belly button. I really don't. "her ribbon arms" I get selfishness, but while she was off enjoying her love nest her family was dying. **
Broken Tethers – Holly Odell – Chick talks to herself a whole hell of a lot. I mean, I do too, but not in text. As such. Was this supposed to be funny? **
Undercover Alice – Jennifer Moore – Aussie (why?) Cute enough story, but not great. ***
Follow the Steam Rabbit – Liam Hogan – parachute? Not awful; not great. ***

The book is introduced as having "dazzling silhouette pieces for the interior title page of each Alice tale" – not exactly a plus to the audible book listener; it's a shame that line isn't deleted from the audio edition.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com.

ETA: It took a remarkably long time to get on Goodreads to post a review there. And come to find out a remarkable number of the authors involved in this book not only reviewed it but gave it five stars. The first word that comes to mind on that subject is 'tacky' - but it's worse than that. It's drastically skewing the rating of a book which not so many people have reviewed. It's worse than getting family and friends to rate and review - they would have fewer horses in the race. I *was* giving this three stars, as a rough average of my opinion of the stories. Under the circumstances, I feel the rating needs a bit of realistic balancing out. Pity.
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Signalé
Stewartry | 1 autre critique | Nov 16, 2015 |
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

The magnificent thing with this anthology in audio form is immediately seeing how vast the narrators voice is. She slips into different persona's and emotions with each story.

Each story has something the Alice's need to work through or learn. There is something, even small, that bothers them about their self or the world they are in and through following the white rabbit they learn there is something better at the other end of the tunnel. There is something for living in the world and working through it all or even, in some cases, that things aren't as bad as they had thought.

This book of Alice tales can be read by young readers and young adults just as well as adults. We all enjoy Alice and her adventures. This book adds more to that setting, and even has a few lessons to share as well.

Alice Through the Wormhole
When leaving the seedy bar on this space station where she meet her dealer and purchased her rare tea, a white rabbit bumps into her. He's late! And off he goes. Alice checks her pocket to find it empty. The overgrown rabbit has stolen her rare tea! She's not going to let him get away with that. Skipping through space and landing on a planet, Alice follows the rabbit to a tea party.

This was a fun space setting with Alice and the white rabbit. I enjoyed this short story. It was different and had the few highlights we see in Alice in Wonderland. Off with her head, Tea party, Cheshire cat, and the color red.

The narrator has fun with the personality of the Queen along with Alice. But it's neat to hear the electronic tone to her voice as she does the cover voice for Alice and the electronic Sentries.

They Call Me Alice
Alice is living a different life than she knows. Alice is a young girl who's lost and misses her parents and China. Her chase for the rabbit brings her to the moon goddess and an offer to stay with her, over tea.

This story is based on an old legend mixed with Alice in wonderland. Chang'e's story. It's a young girl who struggles to adjust to the new world and home she now has. But chasing the rabbit gives her a vision where she gets to talk and decide where she wants to live.

This story is very heart felt for me. I even started to tear up at the end. It's not my normal story style, but was well done.

The narrator has shown a different side to her voice here. She's soft and kind sounding when voicing Betsy, the adoptive mother. And even as she tells Alice's story from the heart. She even calls out as mothers do looking for their child who's upstairs and are worried for them on their first day of school, hoping they like school and find friends.

Alice, Last of the Beating Hearts
Alice is the last of the beating hearts, humanity. She's determined to fight the mechanicals to survive and avenge her mother's murder by the Queen. But when she arrives at the Queen's lair, what she finds is something that will pull at her heart.

This story was a bit hard for me to get into. I love the creation of the world, but I also got lost in the world. I kept trying to visualize it all and the story moved quickly to get through the events to come. The world is a sort of mechanical dystopian-ish feel. It is strange and has a warped feel (which Wonderland does have too) to it.

It does have the pieces of the Wonderland story, Drink Me (Drink Mead here in the story), tea, the watch, Hatter, and a twist to Chesire Cat.

In this story the narrator creates slightly different voices. The Hatter has a small voice that seems to fit his personality well.

The Watchmakers Ball
Alice is attending the Centennial Exposition with her mother and sister. However, she's stuck in the Woman's Pavilion instead of visiting the Machinery Hall to take in the sight of the clockwork and magnificent machines. A clockwork rabbit takes her to a ball she's invited to, the Watchmakers ball. But the Watchmaker plans to keep her with his other dolls and toys.

In listening in order, this is my favorite story thus far. Alice falls into another adventure of a clockwork world! This story feels like it's another adventure for Alice in a magical wonderland world, but with clockworks. The author pulled a few items from the world of Wonderland but the story isn't held strictly to the Alice in Wonderland feel. It's a story of it's own in a clockwork world. It has a similar feel of the original story once you get through it too.

The world was easy to picture which made it easy to enjoy the story. I really liked the drawing of the world and the story together.

The narrator, Rhiannon, did a wonderful job of voicing the characters here. The rabbit's voice is small like a little child and her proper speak for Alice along with the stern proper feel for her mother felt right on with the characters.

Well done all around on this one!

Rabbit Fever
Alice has been caring for her plague sick brother. There is no where for her to go to escape the plague as only the rich get the passes to leave. Exhausted Alice falls into a deep sleep, and possibly coming down with the plague herself, to fall from the sky on the white rabbit. The Queen comes along, warning Alice to not touch her rabbit. All Alice wants is the unicorn horn ground into powder to help her brother, then to find an escape to return home and help Edward.

Aaah. This was another great story here. I love the use of the plague and the trip following the rabbit to see the queen.

Wow. This is a sad time with the plague. A terrible world to live through. The author has done an amazing job of drawing the dreary world in this short story. In doing so, the thoughts of the plague infested world where only the rich escape comes through in her visit to "Wonderland".

There is some history here with the plague. Very neat to see the meaning of what the "Queen" says in relation to the plagued world. And that Alice puts it together in the real world.

Rhiannon seems to slip into the characters and their demanding, or weakened voices well here. She does the calls as the characters would along with Edwards sick, weak speak. Her cadence picks up when speaking faster, or slows as directed from the story.

Mustang Alice
Alice is on a school field trip for her exceptional grades and hard work. At a rest stop, Alice is attracted to a black mustang that pulls in. The man goes inside and she goes to check it out, finding the keys in the ignition when she sits behind the wheel, admiring the car. Scared, she finds herself taking off in the car as the man comes out. To find a cute boy in the back seat.

Can I like a story but not find it believable? This is how I feel on this one. I don't believe the homebody, excellent grade student would steal a mustang, even unintentional. Yet I enjoyed the time that Alice spent with Lou. Though I felt bad for Lou in the end. This story felt as it had a small touch on bullying. Just a small reflect on it.

Rhiannon gets to do a few new voices here. They might be quick as they are calls in an amusement park, but they are present. She has a feel of remembering when Alice reflects on old memories.

White is a Human Construct
Alice hasn't spoken to anyone in a while. Not with all the rumors of her Congressman father up and leaving her mother. When she sees a white rabbit in a cage on her way to school, she stops to say hi and he answers. The rabbit is a conscience that helps her with how to deal with her mother who's locked herself in her own world. And Finn, the new resident at the home of the rabbits, is the person who is there for Alice when she need a touch or reality and help.

Oh, we get a touch of a southern accent with the characters here. I like the extra sway in the words.

In this story, the fantasy world falls in the white rabbit's presence and how Alice deals with what's happened to her.

This is a story that touches my heart. Alice seems to have troubles with what's real and what's not. Finn seems to be her lifeline to the real world, and really helps just by being here. Alice has dealt with some terrible things in her life, which is why she shuts things away and tries to pretend. Poor girl.

Alice and Her Shadow
Alice has an admirer. Someone who's watched her whole life and feels it's starting to get boring, so she has taken over.

Mmm, this story didn't really work for me. I didn't feel there was really anything here in the meaning of the story and it didn't feel as if there was much resolve in the end, for me. You might feel different. The story also talks in You form at the beginning. That You (I the reader/listener) is Alice and doing these actions. With this it throws the story off for me.

Alice in Wilderland
Alice enjoys nature. She's part of the Wilderland camping trip and falls behind the group as she photographs a beautiful rare flower. Aaron comes to bring her back to the group. Alice and Aaron need to spend the night in the woods alone so they don't get more lost.

This is a sweet story. It's a young adult romance. Alice has had a crush on Aaron, and maybe Aaron has been eyeing her too? I enjoyed this one. It's clean and sweet as two older teens spend an evening together learning a bit more about each other. I enjoyed this story as nothing goes too far, they get to know each other and act as proper adults, not pushy on the other.

Rhiannon reads Alice as a young innocent girl that has insecurities at moments with Aaron, filling in the feelings with the words written.

The Aviary
Alice and her family have remained locked in their castle, away from the plague. Her father is determined to keep them safe until they join her mother again. Food is dwindling and her beloved birds are dying from the scarce scraps of meat they receive. Alice does have a friend she's never seen face to face. A young girl she talks to through the large shrubs while sitting in the hidden garden sanctuary. Diana wants to share the world with Alice.

This is a sweet short story. The world isn't as Alice is told and her eyes are opened to what is really going on and the world outside the walls of her fathers castle. I really enjoyed the twist with her father and how the story comes around to the ending.

The stern voice of her father comes through when Rhiannon speaks for him. We get the wondrous view of the world as Alice sees and lives it with Rhiannon's voice. It almost feels as it's a dream. Maybe it is, a dream come true.

Broken Tethers
Alice is looking to break the tethers to the world for a little while, to find peace and quiet from all. She works her way through the overgrown brush and yard to come to a dilapidated abandoned mansion. She takes pictures of the abandoned home and finds a way inside. Finding a children's book she loves, she falls through the weakened floor to the basement, and finds a door to a magical world.

Rhiannon gets a great voice workout in this short story. She shares her talent of different accents with different eras the men in the magical world are from.

I really enjoyed this story and how Alice came to the magical world. It's a modern way but very believable. It's well written to fit the character and her curious ways. Oh! I did love what Alice calls one man who has some really cheesy pick up lines. lol. I did laugh at it. Great creation!

This story is a bit of a safety lesson. When traveling on your own, have a way to contact the world if you happen to get hurt.

Undercover Alice
Alice is working to get the big story and photos of Maddy Hatter and her new hat line to impress Jason. Alice uncovers more than she ever imagined in Maddy Hatter's shop and big presentation of her newest hat, thinking it all was a crazy dream.

Rhiannon shares her British accent in this story as Alice along with the proper prissy persona for Maddy. The rabbits even have small voices too.

This is an interesting story with animal rights motive behind it. The rabbits. Oh my. Nice turn of events and adventure for Alice in this story. What she finds is nothing as what she was looking to learn when first sneaking into the event. She even thinks it's all a dream!

Follow the Steam Rabbit
Alice is relaxing, reading her text book under a tree when a steam powered rabbit comes by, looks at it's clock and announces it's late. Alice follows the point of the rabbit to a hole. A back entrance to her Uncle's work room. Falling down the hole, Alice finds herself in her Uncle's lab wanting what she's designed.

Rhiannon gets to share the sounds of an intellectual young woman full of determination and a kind Uncle who knows new creations can be used in ways never intended.

Alice is a very smart young lady and has big plans for her future. She's determined to solve mankind's problems instead of create for fun, like her Uncle seems to do. This was a nice little story with the thought of all things made for good could be used for the opposite as well.

I do enjoy the idea's of steampunk and this story uses those to the fullest.
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Signalé
MelHay | 1 autre critique | Oct 18, 2015 |

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Statistiques

Œuvres
5
Membres
136
Popularité
#149,926
Évaluation
½ 3.4
Critiques
12
ISBN
11

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