Welcome All Book Lovers

Welcome All Book Lovers

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Alive by Scott Sigler

From New York Times bestselling author Scott Sigler comes something utterly new: a gripping sci-fi adventure trilogy in the vein of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and The Maze Runner. A group of young adults awake in a mysterious enclosed space with no knowledge of who they are or how they got there…and an indomitable young woman must lead them not only to answers but to survival.

A young woman awakes trapped in an enclosed space. She has no idea who she is or how she got there. With only her instincts to guide her, she escapes her own confinement—and finds she’s not alone. She frees the others in the room and leads them into a corridor filled with the remains of a war long past. The farther these survivors travel, the worse are the horrors they confront. And as they slowly come to understand what this prison is, they realize that the worst and strangest possibilities they could have imagined don’t even come close to the truth. @ goodreads


MY REVIEW:  

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1265606522

Read from April 27 to 29, 2015

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book.

I think this book is amazing. It is so creepy. I loved how the kids are in these coffins and some wake up on their own and others being woken up. They all think they are 12 years old and it's their birthday, but in reality they are actually older.

This book is really unique to me. I didn't figure anything out like in other books, you can sort of get a hint of where things are going. This one kept the surprises going for me. I hope in the other books there are a few more things explained.

It's hard for me to put a lot of it into words without giving away any spoilers but I don't want to do that. There are a group of kids trying to figure out what is going on, what happened to them, where they are at, etc. Em is the leader of the group but there are a lot of amazing characters. I love most of them. A few get killed of course which is sad.

They are wandering around this huge place trying to find their way out and find food and water. It seems to go on forever. They are guessing they are underground somewhere, but can't seem to ever get to the top, they just climb and climb.

By some crazy accident they find a botanical room with food and water, but then it gets even more crazier as they meet monsters.

I really enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down. I just wanted to know the answers as much as they did! I'm really looking forward to the next book!

I recommend to all science fiction and fantasy readers.  4 Stars
 

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Chimera by Vaun Murphrey

If you witnessed your parents killed at age five for reasons unknown only to endure eight years of isolation in captivity, what would you do with your life when you were suddenly rescued by family you never knew you had? What if you yourself were even more than you seemed? The universe can be both a terrible and wonderful place to live if you have the courage to explore it. Enter an alternate reality of civil war, secrets, murders and betrayals that transcends space and time with CHIMERA, Book One of the Weaver Series. @ goodreads

MY REVIEW: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1265439502

Read from April 27 to 28, 2015

*I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.*

I put off attempting to read this book because I wasn't sure I would like it. I was WRONG! I just loved it. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was certainly a lot better than I was thinking. It just goes to show, you should try all things if think you might or might not like it.

I love all of the characters in the book. Well, I don't like the evil ones. I am looking forward to finding out more about this one that is supposed to be the Soul Eater. Cassandra's parents were killed when she was little and she was abducted and imprisoned for 8 years before her uncle yanked her out of the prison. They believe it was the Soul Eater that held her captive. I still can't figure out if he's human or an alien or what.

I'm trying to review this without any spoilers. Let's see, Cassandra comes to live with her uncle that saved her and her aunt. Their names are Gerome and Maggie. I really like Maggie, she's sweet and doesn't take any crap from anyone.

They plan on training Cassandra in physical training and in Weaver training. They are Weaver's meaning they can use their minds to bond to each other and other things. They call it the Web. I thought that was funny, lets surf the world wide web in your head!

So they have all of that planned out but things happen and she is going to have to go with a friend of the family to keep hidden. There is some evil alien that has found her and wanting to come after her. Poor Cassandra can't win for losing.

The counsel didn't want her there anyway. They think she is dangerous. They think the Soul Eater actual bonded to her and is impersonating her. Not! But she does have a little secret that I can't tell you.

James and Kara are awesome friends to Cassandra, they are close to her age and get along great. There is a story behind that but you will have to read the book.

Malcolm is really cool! He trains all of the kids from martial arts to weight training, etc.

Like I said, I really did love this book. I hope the rest of them are as good as this one. I would recommend to all of those that love science fiction/fantasy.  4 Stars


Monday, April 27, 2015

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1260040560

Read from April 20 to 27, 2015

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I'm going to say a lot of personal things on here then go on with the review which will include spoilers, but I will put up the spoiler alert before I do. I also want to add some quotes from the book and the author's note at the end.

This book is about teen suicide and bullying. But, it's also about some wonderful people, happy moments and a bit of crazy-wonderful.

When I was young I was bullied in school most of my life. I ended up quitting school and getting a high school diploma through the mail, which is legit but doesn't seem so since I never finished school. I never told my family about this and to this day at 43 they still do not know. My entire family think I was just some kind of a loser that didn't want to go to school. Never judge a book by it's cover right?

When I got sick, physically in 2008 it put me in the hospital overnight and I came out with all kinds of mental disorders. I'm guessing they were brewing on the surface as I have always had some anxiety. I came out with severe panic disorder, agoraphobia (fear of going outside for me), ocd, depression and then came the physical stuff being fibromyalgia and arthritis from all the hard playing I used to do outside before all of this and hereditary with the arthritis, I'm assuming. All of these things turned so bad that I wanted to kill myself many times. I still feel suicidal to this day, and yes I see an psych, no I don't take a million pills, only one for panic. The one thing that held me back was my dog Dakota, I never wanted to leave him, he was my son. Then he had to be euthanized suddenly in Feb. of 2013 from cancer. He just collapsed and then here I am having to kill him. And I thought this is it, I can finally leave and go with him. One out of the couple of friends I have, sent me flowers because she knew he was my son and how much it about killed me much less me killing myself. Surprising to me was that my dad was very understanding and always checking on me since I cried every day. My family knew I always said I wanted to leave this world when he goes, so I guess he was a little worried. And my stupid self let my family and doctor talk me into getting another dog. Now here I am with my rescued greyhound and I don't want to leave her, but I tell you I feel the pull of suicide a lot. I even tell her about it. Her name is Lucy.

The reason I'm telling all of these personal things is I want some people to know a few things from someone that really thinks about these things. It doesn't make any of us freaks and we can't "just get over it." That's what people say in this world with mental illness. If it's not physical it's not real, well I would like them to walk a day in any person's shoes with any kind of mental illness. If we could "just get over it" we would have freakin' done that by now.

I'm going to add a quote from the book that sums up how I feel personally and I know alot of people feel the same way.

*QUOTE FROM BOOK*

Amanda stares at her hands. "I can only tell you how I felt. Ugly. Disgusting. Stupid. Small. Worthless. Forgotten. It just feels like there's no choice. Like it's the most logical thing to do because what else is there? You think, "No one will even miss me. They won't know I'm gone. The world will go on, and it won't matter that I'm not here. Maybe it's better if I was never here."

**Quote finished**

This gave me chills because I have said that in my head and out loud so many times. I even asked my parent why they even had me. And you see so many people seem like they are ok, they can hide these things. Look at Robin Williams, it doesn't matter if your rich or poor, if something is going on with you and there is nothing to be done or no one sees it... that's it. Being lonely sucks!

Okay, let's move on to the review! **SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT**

I fell in love with Finch from the very beginning. I liked Violet too, but it's Finch that steals the story. He is fun, crazy, seems like he is so full of life, but he's not..

Finch and Violet meet at the top of the bell tower at school. This was not a planned meeting, this was a random meeting of two people that where thinking of committing suicide. Can you imagine, someone messes up your suicide attempt. These stupid, insignificant prats are yelling for Finch to jump. They should have the crap beat out of them. People like that make me sick. Anyway, Finch ends up talking Violet down from the tower but lets everyone think it's the other way around and she is labeled as a hero.

They end up being friends, but not without a lot of pushing on Finch's part. Violet doesn't really want to be around anyone too much. Her sister Eleanor was in a car wreck with her almost a year ago and Eleanor died and she didn't. Violet feels like this is her fault because she told her to take the ice-slicked bridge. So Violet has her own issues. She won't get in a car, things like that. Sweet, wonderful Finch brings out all of the good in Violet. Brings her back to herself. They do a cool report for school together where they wander around and look at wonders in their town. It's so wonderful and I would love to do that!

They do fall in love, and I was so hoping this would help Finch. But throughout the book he is still fighting these death feelings. He has a mom and two sisters, but they don't see anything wrong, they just say that is Finch. He has a dad who left them for another woman and her son and he is a big jerk of a dad always saying Finch is a loser etc.

I think Theodore Finch is a wonderful character. Just like so many out there that take there lives or lose their lives. I can see how wonderful he is, but he just can't.

Obviously, Finch takes his life, but I'm not going to say how he does it. I'm not going to say any more about this wonderful book but to tell everyone to read it! Read it! Understand it! Love it! These things are real! People like this are real! And there should be no room left in the world for bullies or people that don't understand mental illness. Get off your high horse and let others live the way they want and try to have some compassion!

I can't find the other quote I highlighted but I think I got my point across!

**I'm going to put the Author's Note in here because I think it is another important thing for people to read. I'm not going to add her personal parts of the note because that may not be right to do unless she asks me too. I'm just going to add the basic parts and some hotlines.**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE FROM THE BOOK**

Every forty seconds, someone in this world dies by suicide. Every forty seconds, someone is left behind to cope with the loss.

In All The Bright Places, Finch worries a lot about labels. There is, unfortunately, a good deal of stigma surrounding suicide and mental illness.

Often, mental and emotional illnesses go undiagnosed because the person suffering symptoms is too ashamed to speak up, or because their loved ones either fail to or choose not to recognize the signs. According to Mental Health America, an estimated 2.5 million Americans are known to have bipolar disorder, but the actual number is a good two to three times higher than that. As many as 80 percent of people with this illness go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

If you think something is wrong, speak up.
You are not alone.
It is not your fault.
Help is out there.

**End of partial AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Some hotlines:

SUICIDE PREVENTION 1-800-273-TALK - suicidepreventionlifeline.org
DIAGNOSING MENTAL ILLNESS IN TEENS - helpguide.org

I recommend this book to everyone!  5 Stars


Sunday, April 26, 2015

Forsaken by J.D. Barker

"J.D. Barker's Forsaken is a remarkable debut, a gripping tale of suspense in the tradition of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and John Saul. Truly the birth of a new master in the genre."

Bram Stoker Award Nominee - Superior Achievement in a First Novel


"A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind!"
Jeffery Deaver
#1 International Bestselling Author 

"Incredibly written, supremely creepy. I don't say this lightly: J.D. Barker is a force to be reckoned with."
Tosca Lee
NY Times Bestselling Author


Book One of the Shadow Cove Saga



Inspired by Actual Events

Excerpt from the Journal of Clayton Stone - 1692

She was examined today without torture at Shadow Cove township on the charge of witchcraft. She said she was wholly innocent of the crime and has never in life renounced God. I watched as they brought her out. A poor, sickly thing, worn by her time behind the walls of her prison. Her bared feet and hands bound in leather, her clothing tattered to that of ruin. Despite such condition, her head was held high, her eyes meeting those of her accusers. Upon being stripped and examined, on her right side is found a bluish mark, much like a clover leaf; it was thrice pricked therein but she felt no pain and no blood flowed from the wound. She still refuses to provide her name so we remain unable to search baptismal records, nor has her family stepped forward to claim her as their own. We have no reason to believe she is anything but an orphaned child. I find myself unable to look at her directly in the moments preceding her trial. She is watching me though; with eyes of the deepest blue, she is watching me.


Thad McAlister, Rise of the Witch

When horror author Thad McAlister began his latest novel, a tale rooted in the witch trials of centuries past, the words flowed effortlessly. The story poured forth, filling page after page with the most frightening character ever to crawl from his imagination. It was his greatest work, one that would guarantee him a position among the legends of the craft.

But was it really fiction?

He inadvertently opened a door, one that would soon jeopardize the lives of his family.

She wants to come back.

At home, his wife struggles to keep their family alive. Secretly wondering if she caused it all...a deal she made long ago. A deal with the Forsaken. @ goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1230841042

Read from April 22 to 26, 2015

*This book was on the read now list at Netgalley*

This book is creepy!! I'm going to have to add a few **SPOILERS**

Ok, so the cool part is Thad's wife stops into the shop, "Needful Things". Does that ring a bell? She picks up this journal for Thad to do his writing in, he's an author. The journal belonged to Clayton Stone from the Salem witch trials, but was never written in besides his name. Thad seems to have no trouble writing out this new horror novel, which is actually true. The book brings the witch to life and all kinds of horror ensues as you can imagine.

I'm not going to put too many spoilers from here on out because what would be the point of telling you everything! So, Thad goes out of town to push this book to get released and a movie, etc and so forth.

His wife, who is pregnant, stays home with their daughter Ashley, the housekeeper and dog Buster :)

Well now that the witch is out and all these people are involved they make Thad go and get this old ancient box and they want his unborn baby so the old crone can live in the child.

The creepy stuff are these little minion things that run around attacking them at home but they collapse into dirt if you hit them etc. They are there to keep the family from getting away.

OK BIG **SPOILER**

The thing is, when his wife was in Needful Things she told Mr. Gaunt she would give her first born child for Thad to have a great book, something along those lines. Soooo, all the people that show up to steal the baby at the house, since she goes into labor, it's not the baby they take! Can you guess who it was?

So, a lot of people die and the evil witch is in the new body. There are going to be more books to the series so I'm wanting to see what happens! 4 Stars

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge. @ goodreads


MY REVIEW: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1121446734

Read from April 21 to 26, 2015

I'm not really sure what there is left to say about this book. There are so many good reviews and some not so great.

I loved the characters, but at times I felt like the book left me wanting for something. I don't even know what that could be. As one reviewer stated, maybe it was my mood at the time, I'm just not sure.

I fell in love with Marie-Laure and her papa. The sweet little things he did for her while their lives were still normal. I'm not putting any spoilers in this book so the ones who have read it know what I'm talking about. The things he did for her after she became blind.

I liked Werner, Jutta and Frederick. I was appalled at what happened to Frederick but not really surprised. The way humans are to each other and every living thing, it's sad though.

There is a special place in my heart for Marie-Laure's uncle Etienne and Madame Manec. They were such nice people. There are a few different people in the book that are good characters.

The book is sad and does have some happiness. But I could never imagine being Marie-Laure and blind in those times. Everything was bad enough to add that burden.

All in all it was a good book, it wasn't all about the war and stuff, it's about Marie-Laure and Werner growing up during this time and how they reacted and the things they had to go through. 4 Stars


Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly

In this classic from a #1 "New York Times" bestselling author, Detective Harry Bosch thought he'd stopped the serial killer known as the Dollmaker. Now the dead man's widow is suing Harry and the LAPD for shooting the wrong man--an accusation that rings true when a new victim is discovered with the Dollmaker's macabre signature. @ goodreads

MY REVIEW: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1242026572

**This was a goodreads/first reads giveaway. I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read this book**

This is the first book by Michael Connelly I have read! I'm not sure why either, but it certainly won't be the last. This book is packed full of psychological craziness! The killer is a nutsy- cuckoo, but who isn't if your a killer right?

I loved the whole plot of this book and the turn it took. I did want to smack a few people but that is nothing new in a book for me!

**SPOILER**

I did figure out who the second killer was toward the end by how the author put in a very important clue. I was like, yes, I finally figured one out! :)

I am so glad I won this book and I will be reading more of this particular series.
4 Stars


Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Celaena Sardothien is the king's Champion—yet she is far from loyal to the crown, for the man she serves is bent on evil. But working against her master in secret is no easy task. As Celaena tries to untangle the mysteries buried within the glass castle, she can trust no one, not even her supposed allies Crown Prince Dorian, Captain of the Guard Chaol, and foreign princess Nehemia.

Then, an unspeakable tragedy shatters Celaena's world. She must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie . . . and whom she will fight for.

An action-packed and romantic adventure that readers “will never want to leave” (Kirkus Reviews), the next chapter in this smash hit New York Times best-selling series is sure to please Sarah Maas's enormous and ever-growing fan-base–and to set the stage for an explosive third book.

@goodreads

MY REVIEW:  

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1257298060

Read from April 17 to 25, 2015

OMG!! This book rocks! I can't believe who/what Celaena really is! I can't wait to get to the next one and see what she is going to do.

In this one, she goes about beheading, etc, people the King thinks are against him. She has to do these things per her contract.

Celaena and Nehemia are still trying to figure out what all of the symbols mean. And of course, Nehemia is upset with Celeana going around killing people. But they sort all of that out.

There are so many surprises in this book! We find out someone has magic, which was supposed to have been destroyed by the King years ago. We find out the things about Celaena. We find out who she picks as her first lover :) We get to mourn a death :( And a few other tidbits along the way.

She still has her love for books and all things a little glamorous. There isn't really time for all of that in this book though with all of the chaos going on. She still has Fleetfoot, who I just love :)

I still can't believe the turn of events at the end of the book. Talk about a cliffhanger! I have the next one pre-ordered as I started the series in paperback so I will get them all in paperback. Actually I have the next two pre-ordered in paper back :)

I recommend this book to all that love bad to the bone women, evil Kings, handsome dudes and all kinds of monsters and what not! Oh and doggers :) Enjoy!  5 Stars


Friday, April 24, 2015

Fire & Ash by Jonathan Maberry

Benny Imura and his friends have made it to Sanctuary, they've found the jet and they've discovered that civilization is struggling to regain its foothold in the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. Scientists are on the verge of finding a cure for the zombie plague. It should be time for celebration, but it's not. Benny's best friend, Chong, has been infected by an arrow dipped in the flesh of a zombie and he hovers between life and death and Dr McReady, a researcher who may have the critical formula for a cure, has gone missing. So Benny convinces Captain Ledger to mount a search and rescue mission to find the doctor and help Chong. But with the Reapers still pursuing their plan to turn all zombies into super-fast shock troops even if they can save Chong, can they save themselves? In the fourth book of the thrilling and emotionally charged Rot & Ruin series, the battle to end all battles is about to begin... @ goodreads

MY REVIEW: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1257296814

Read from April 17 to 24, 2015

I love the Rot & Ruin series by Jonathan Maberry! The only exception would be Tom, and that is all I'm going to say on that one.

These new zombies in this book are freakin scary! I mean if all of the zombies were like those I don't think there would be much left on the planet for them to eat!

I was so happy that Joe played a big part in this book. I have been wanting to get a hold of that series as well. Now that I have a crush on him, I'm guessing I need to get them all up to date :) OH and I love Grimm! I was about ready to blow up some peeps if they hurt Grimm!!

There are many unexpected twists and turns in the book but I'm not giving out spoilers, just read it!

Lilah is still bad as ever! She is my fav! Although, I'm starting to really like Riot too. She's one tough cookie. She has some sad stuff happen to her, but who don't in the zombie apocalypse!

I loved the book and I have the next one on pre-order! Wahoo!  5 Stars


Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life. @ Goodreads

MY REVIEW:  

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1254027584

Read from April 13 to 22, 2015

I mean there really isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said on this book. I love the book! I love the movie!

I watch the movie over and over. This is the first time reading the books as it was in my stacks. I loved reading a lot of the things that weren't added in the movie.

I picked this book version because my favorite movie is the one with Keira Knightly and Matthew MacFadyn in it. I know plenty love the other, but to each their own and this is what I love.

If you loved the movies, you will love the book!

Enjoy! 5 Stars


The Returned by Seth Patrick

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED?
Camille: A young girl wakes cold and alone on the side of a mountain, with no memory of how she got there - and no idea that she died four years' ago. When she arrives back home, her family are both thrilled and terrified. How can such a miracle be real?
Simon: A troubled young man comes back to find his fiancée is betrothed to another man. Jealous and angry, he cannot forgive that she has moved on with her life.
Victor: An enigmatic boy refusing to speak, possessed with a strange intensity that gives no clues as to his intentions. He's lost. Equally as lost as the emotionally vulnerable Julie to whom Victor gives a reason for living.
Serge: Tormented and driven by a hunger so overpowering that not even death could keep him from his desires . . .
The Returned hit the UK in July 2013 on Channel 4. It attracted nearly eight million viewers over the eight episodes and quickly became a cult phenomenon with high-profile fans such as Stephen King. It's been shown world-wide, and won an International Emmy for Best Drama. With fantastic audience support, and amazing reviews in the press, Pan Macmillan is thrilled to be publishing novelizations of the first two series written by the author of The Reviver, Seth Patrick. @ goodreads

MY REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1243656093
Read from April 13 to 22, 2015

*I would like to thank Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read this book.*

At first the book pulled me right in, it was creepy with dead people coming back just as they were when they died. Not mangled, I mean age, etc. I think it was like 30 years since they were dead.

I don't know what happened but it started getting a little confusing closer to the end and I'm not even sure what was going on with the evil priest. Maybe I missed something, I don't know.

The ending was sort of a dud or maybe I missed the significance in it as well.

I really love the idea of the book and the creepiness it had to it, I just wish I could have figured out what really happened at the end. I read it a couple of times but I don't know.

It's still good enough to read and I'm sure someone could explain a few things to me if they read it :)

3 Stars



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Angelfall by Susan Ee

It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain.

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night.

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back... @ goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1257296198

Read from April 17 to 21, 2015

This book was awesome! I love the characters, Peryn's mom is a wackadoo but a cool one!

I love the storyline of the angels coming down to start an apocalypse. That being said, I wouldn't want to be in one :) But it's a really good story line and I am excited to see where this one is going.

What's crazy is the angels fighting humans and their own kind. I guess that happens in all society's though right?

A little bit of a **spoiler**

I wonder if Paige is going to turn into one of those little demon things? What the crap did they do to her, or is she going to turn into a scorpion thing? I'm sure it will come out in the next books.

And I don't know if anyone else thought this, but when Penryn met Dee and Dum the first thing I thought of was the twins in Harry Potter. :) They are awesome too.

I will enjoy the next books. I already know :)  5 Stars


A Man Called Ove

In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He's a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him "the bitter neighbor from hell." But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn't walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove's mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents' association to their very foundations.

A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Fredrik Backman's novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. @ goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/974325145

Read from April 17 to 21, 2015

OMG! I love this book! I have laughed until I thought I was going to stroke out! Ove is a character everyone should read about. I would love to meet someone like Ove! He just tells it like it is and doesn't give a crap what anyone thinks!

I loved every little thing about this book! I only wish I would have started it sooner. It sat in my stacks for a few weeks.

There are some really sad things in the book and I was crying at the end but there are mostly funny and touching things in the book. You can't "NOT" laugh at Ove when he gets going.

I'm not going to give any spoilers out about this book. I just want to say it's in the list of one of my favorites because there is just something about Ove that makes me have a better day. :)

The characters in the book are wonderful too. I fell in love with many of them. There are only a couple that are no good but they don't really matter.

If you want to read a book about a grumpy older man that is hilarious as the day is long, then this is one you won't want to miss!  5 Stars


Monday, April 20, 2015

The Sword of Shannara Trilogy

THE SWORD OF SHANNARA: Long ago, the world of Shea Ohmsford was torn apart by war. But the half-human, half-elfin, Shea now lives in peace - until the forbidding figure of Allanon appears, to reveal that the long dead Warlock Lord lives again

THE ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA: Ancient evil threatens the Elves and the Races of Man. For the Ellcrys, the tree of long-lost Elven magic, is dying - loosing the spell of Forbidding that locks the hordes of Demons away from Earth. Only one source has the power to stop it: the Elfstones of Shannara.

THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA: Evil stalks the Four Lands as the Ildatch, immemorial book of evil spells, has stirred to eldritch life. Once again Allanon, ancient Druid Protector of the Races, must seek the help of a descendant of Jerle Shannara. @ goodreads


MY REVIEW:  

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1139671051

This book is a trilogy so I'm going to break it down into each book. There will be ***SPOILERS***

The Sword of Shannara:

This is the beginning of many books in the series. A Druid named Allanon comes looking for the half elf Shea so he can get the sword to destroy the Warlock Lord. Shea's brother Flick comes along for the journey. They have to fight for their lives with all sorts of evil creatures. They pick up some friends along the way and Allanon recruits more to help. Menion Leah is a friend of Shea's and he decides he is going. He is the prince of Leah. Balinor is a borderman and the Prince of Callahorn. You have Hendel the dwarf and Durin and Dayel who are elf brothers. They fight off gnomes and all sorts of this and that creatures. At one point, they get separated when Shea falls off of a cliff into the water that takes him away. He is eventually taken prisoner by the gnomes who are taking him to the Warlock Lord.

I just know I'm leaving some stuff out! So the others keep traveling as they are all headed in the same direction. OH and duh! I forgot to mention Allanon gives Shea the elfstones which has magic to the one who has them. He uses them to fight off a few monsters when it's just him, Flick and Menion.

Anyway, so they all make it to the city where the Warlock Lord is and all kinds of stuff ensue as they are looking for the Sword. The sword isn't there, they fight with gnomes and other such creatures, everyone gets split up again. I mean they need to be attached at the hip.

The gnomes who took Shea prisoner were killed by a funny character and theif named Panamon Creel. He has a friend who is a Rock Troll named Keltset. I loved Keltset. They find a gnome that was hiding and a little off his rocker. He has all of these weapons and random stuff he stole and guess what? one of the swords is the Sword of Shannara but everyone is too stupid to look at them closely. By the time Shea figures it out the gnome got loose and is on the run.

Closing this up before I tell the whole story, Menion Leah finds a woman he saves and falls in love with, a few of them die and the day is saved when they finally get the sword and kill the Warlock Lord.

I liked this book, but I really wish that Keltset didn't get killed. I was hoping to have him in more of the stories.

THE ELFSTONES OF SHANNARA:

Ok, this book jumps ahead 50 years! I was sad because more of the people are dead now :( I thought it would go on with their stories, but nope! So we have in this book Wil who is a relative to Shea and Flick. They are still alive and run an inn. They are his grandfather and great uncle.

Allanon comes to him to help with some more bad stuff coming. He gets the elfstones but he doesn't have too much magic in him and they only work a little bit.

What happens is the elves have a tree called the Ellcrys. She keeps all of the evil demons, etc. in a place called the Forbidding. But she is dying and they are starting to escape. There are 7 Chosen to take care of the tree, but one of the demons tears all but one to shreds! They are all males. The one female, Amberle didn't want to do it so she was banished. Soooo, Allanon gets Wil to go on the adventure and talk Amberle into taking the seed from the tree to the Bloodfire. This makes the seed be reborn and has to be returned to the earth.

So once again, we are off on a journey. I fall in love with Amberle, she is really sweet. Her and Wil fall in love for a short time. To make this one short, they find the place they need to go and get the seed all set up.

Meanwhile, the elves and Allanon are fighting the demons that escaped when the ellcrys finally died.

When they finally get back Amberle goes to the dead tree and "She" becomes the new tree. Of course, Wil is heartbroken!

There are other characters in the book but I didn't want to drag it out, but one is a woman named Eretria who ends up staying with Wil. This story was pretty good.

THE WISHSONG OF SHANNARA:

Twenty years later...

This one is great. Eretria and Wil have two children, Brin and Jair. They inherited a gift from the Elves called the Wishsong. They sing and it causes magic. Well you can guess what I'm going to say next :) Here comes good ole Allanon! He asks Brin to come on a journey with him to use her wishsong to destroy a book or the same ole junk is going to happen. Jair has to go off on his own journey.

Rone Leah goes with Brin and Allanon. He is Menion Leah's great grandson and a prince himself. He is in love with Brin too.

They come upon some wonderful characters in this book. Jair runs into a gnome named Slanter, who is a tracker. Him and his gnome buddies drag Jair with them, but Slanter seems like he likes Jair.

They all run into Garet Jax who kills them all but Slanter as he is a good gnome and they escort Jair on his journey.

Slanter is freakin hilarious! He's always going on about this and that and thinks everyone is stupid! I love him.

Brin and Rone come across some new friends. One is Cogline a crazy old man who is hilarious, his granddaughter Kimber Boh and their moor cat Whisper, which is huge. They go with them on their journey after Allanon is killed. Yep, Allanon is killed, but he is still a spirit in the water.

Anyway, Brin does what she is supposed to do and puts an end to that evilness.

I liked these books, but my review can't give them credit because I loved so many people and there were so many things going on that it would take forever to even mention. I thought I was just get to the point of most things and mention some of the people that I really enjoyed. I have a few more of the trilogies and I wonder how far in the future these are going to go or if they are going to backtrack, I'm not sure yet.

At any rate, they are good books with loveable characters.  4 Stars


Friday, April 17, 2015

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win? @goodreads 


MY REVIEW: 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1244951223

Read from April 03 to 17, 2015

I don't know. I have this love/meh thing going with the book. One minute I'm reading and can't put it down. Another minute I want to smack too many people.

I want to find out what is going on with Mare, what is she? They have the Reds and the Silvers. The Reds are pretty much normal humans the Silvers think are beneath their feet. The Silvers have all of these cool powers and bleed silver. That part would be kind of cool as I love silver :) But Mare, is a Red with a power. I won't say as it would be a spoiler. So, where did this power come from? Is she really part this or that? She bleeds red so..... Maybe we will get to find out in the next book.

I liked a few of the people in the book. Mare's family of course, Cal, Kilorn, Julian, Tristan Lucas and I'm sure there are a few other peeps.

The Reds are in a group called the Scarlet Guard, these are the rebels that are wanting to take down the Silvers. Why can't people just get a long!!!! Too many innocent people get killed or executed, although a few jerks get what's coming to them.

I will probably say this book is more of a 3.5 for me. I love those characters so much that I want to read more about them and what's going to happen. 3.5 Stars


Thursday, April 16, 2015

Joyland by Stephen King

College student Devin Jones took the summer job at Joyland hoping to forget the girl who broke his heart. But he wound up facing something far more terrible: the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and dark truths about life—and what comes after—that would change his world forever.

A riveting story about love and loss, about growing up and growing old—and about those who don't get to do either because death comes for them before their time—Joyland is Stephen King at the peak of his storytelling powers. With all of the emotional impact of King masterpieces such as The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption, Joyland is at once a mystery, a horror story, and a bittersweet coming-of-age novel, one that will leave even the most hard-boiled reader profoundly moved. @goodreads



MY REVIEW:

5 STARS 



OMG! I love this King book! I had a feeling I might just from reading the synopsis of the book. It just blew me away! I loved the atmosphere of the carnival. I fell in love with Devin, Tom, Erin, Mike, Milo, Annie and a few other side characters.

I felt like I was in the book with each one of them and I could see all of the old carny rides and amusements. I could feel the old mystery of the girl that was killed. I wish they would make this into a movie, but do it right! It as to be to a T from the book and it has to have the old time feel when you walk inside the carnival gates.

I'm soooooo glad Dev got over that jerk Wendy. She was a right ass-hat! But he met so many good friends at the carnival. Oh and I forgot to mention I loved his dad, he was so sweet. I wish he could have come and seen him up at the carnival.

I'm glad Dev took a little time off college to stay at the carnival and get closer to the people he needed to get closer to. It was a turning point in his and a few other lives in the book.

I didn't think the killer was who it turned out to be, but I kept thinking it was someone close. I'm not giving away that spoiler!!

I cried at the end. OMG! It was so bittersweet. I'm not giving away that spoiler either.

I have to say this is going into one of my favorite books sections. I just have my reasons. It's damn good.  5 Stars

MY GOOD READS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1165259881

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Joyland-Hard-Case-Crime-Stephen/dp/1781162646/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1469100757&sr=1-1&keywords=joyland+in+books

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever. @goodreads


MY REVIEW: 





https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/877672649

Read from March 28 to April 14, 2015

Another awesome book! I had no idea I would love this book so much. This is my first real troll book, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and I'm looking forward to the next book!

I am rooting for Cecile and Tristan. I hope they can get back together and work things out. I hope Cecile nails that witch that caused all of these problems!

It was so cool they were living in a land underground, called Trollus. I mean, it's not cool they were cursed to stay underground by an evil witch, but still, they made it nice down there. Well, there are the creatures that want to eat you, they have a name, but I keep calling them the big sucky worms in my head so forget their real name :) And they do have what they call earthshakes that drop tons of rock and kill many.

They have troll, humans and human troll inbreeds in the community. Tristan's dad is the King and a jerk so we need to get rid of him. There are a few more jerks and a few nice peep troll things :)

Cecile originally is stolen from the normal world by a so called friend and sold to the trolls. They wanted her to try to break the curse. But in the end Cecile starts to have feelings for her new troll husband Tristan. They are kind of funny and sweet about falling in love.

Anyway, I loved it and their better be some good arse kicking of a witch in the next one. And a few more people for that matter! 5 Stars
 


Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

#1 New York Times bestselling author Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series has been hailed as “one of the best” (Library Journal). Now Mercy must deal with an unwanted guest—one that brings a danger unlike anything she’s ever known.

When her mate’s ex-wife storms back into their lives, Mercy knows something isn’t right. Christy has the furthest thing from good intentions—she wants Adam back, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get him, including turning the pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. As the bodies start piling up, she must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1252742751

Read from April 12 to 14, 2015

I have loved Mercy Thompson books for quite some time now! I have all of them up to this point.

I loved this one as much as the others with one exception....CHRISTY! Yes, the stupid ex-wife to Adam. I can't stand her. I would not be able to be as nice as Mercy, I would knock her arse out! I hope before this series ever ends, that she does just that!

**SPOILER-ISH**

This time the stupid woman meets some man while she is out gambling and sleeps with him because he takes notice of her! It ends up he's some fire god that she awakens and has to come crawling back to the pack and live with Mercy and Adam until they can help her. Of course.. she tries to take over. I'm sorry, I would not be the good little coyote. I would take her down and let her know how it is, we will help you, but you will do as I say.. PERIOD!

Ok, I'm done ranting about Christy. So they have to figure out how to fight this demon jerk. Also, they pick up a new wolf traveling through, he's a submissive so he's not much trouble. A Gray Lord wants Mercy to get the staff back from Coyote. You have to read the books to know about the staff :). It's a bunch of crazy going on as usual.

I don't like what happened to the dogs! They should have loaded them up and taken all of them with them. Just saying!

We also get a cameo with Stefen. I love him :) A new character is introduced, although I don't think he is coming back.

Anyway! I loved the book as usual and I can't wait to read more!  5 Stars


Monday, April 13, 2015

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah takes her talented pen to the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:


5 STARS



I finished this book in tears. I'm not sure there are many that haven't done the same. What is there left for me to say that I'm sure so many people have already said about this book. It made me mad, made me sad, made me cry, made me happy.

The things these two sisters went through during this horrible time is unbelievable. I know this is a work of fiction but the truth is there in things that have happened. More atrocities than are in this book. But, I'm talking about THIS book.

All of these people they talk about in this book trying to survive. They are starving, they are killed, they are destroyed. But there are a few brave souls willing to risk their lives to help as many as they can.

To me, this book is about struggle, compassion you didn't know you could have, broken hearts and lives. All of these things for some sadistic idiot. I can never understand the things people do to other people, they still do!

The story of Vianne and her sister Isabelle is something that gets inside of your heart and makes you route for them and for all they do. Your on the edge of your seat through a lot of it!

I'm just at a loss for words at how much this book touched my heart. I recommend it to anyone who also has a heart.



*I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and my book group for a copy of this wonderful book*

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1252082637

AMAZON LINK TO THE BOOK:

http://www.amazon.com/Nightingale-Kristin-Hannah/dp/0312577222/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453684439&sr=8-1&keywords=the+nightingale

The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler


"Dear Mr. Watson, I came across this book at auction as part of a larger lot I purchased on speculation. The damage renders it useless to me, but a name inside it—Verona Bonn—led me to believe it might be of interest to you or your family...."Simon Watson, a young librarian on the verge of losing his job, lives alone on the Long Island Sound in his family home—a house, perched on the edge of a bluff, that is slowly crumbling toward the sea. His parents are long dead, his mother having drowned in the water his house overlooks. His younger sister, Enola, works for a traveling carnival reading tarot cards, and seldom calls.

On a day in late June, Simon receives a mysterious package from an antiquarian bookseller. The book tells the story of Amos and Evangeline, doomed lovers who lived and worked in a traveling circus more than two hundred years ago. The paper crackles with age as Simon turns the yellowed pages filled with notes, sketches, and whimsical flourishes; and his best friend and fellow librarian, Alice, looks on in increasing alarm. Why does his grandmother's name, Verona Bonn, appear in this book? Why do so many women in his family drown on July 24? Could there possibly be some kind of curse on his family—and could Enola, who has suddenly turned up at home for the first time in six years, risk the same fate in just a few weeks? In order to save her—and perhaps himself—Simon must try urgently to decode his family history while moving on from the past. 
The Book of Speculation is Erika Swyler's gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books and family and magic. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1209086495

**I would like to thank Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.**

I love the ideal of this book, but it wasn't really for me. I think the only person I really liked in the book is Mr. Churchwarry. They are not bad characters, I just didn't click with any of them.

I loved Amos story from when he was a child. It was so very sad what his family did to him, but I am glad he found the circus.

Simon gets this book from Churchwarry with his grandmothers name written inside. After doing a lot of research he finds out generations of women in his family performed as mermaids, women who could hold their breathe a long time and did acts underwater. But each of these women drowned on the same day of the year at different years in time. I mean just walking into the water and drowning themselves. They have some kind of curse on the family.

I don't like Simon's sister Enola at all. She is annoying in everything she does. Every time her mouth opens it's something annoying.

I think this book is a wonderful read for a lot of people, but I just couldn't feel it. The only thing I really liked is the mystery of the mermaids. 3 Stars

Saturday, April 11, 2015

New Hampshire's Julie Bigg Veazey has created an intimate coming-of-age novel set in an elite girls' boarding school in the 1950s, rich in psychological insights, compelling characters, and gothic elements. Silent Cry is a moving story of strength in the face of shattering life-changing events. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1252072050

Read on April 11, 2015

This is a very short book. I loved all of the characters accept for some of the teachers. These girls are sent by their parents to this very elite school, but it's really a place where parents want to send their girls to get rid of them for whatever reason.

One girl got pregnant and they didn't let her keep the baby. One girl is just in the way of her rich parents, that sort of thing. Several of these girls form a little group. They smoke, get into trouble, complain about teachers, have affairs, etc.

I loved the setting of the book as well. The ending was so very sad though. I'm not saying anything, but I was hoping for something better for two of the girls.

At any rate, this was a great little gem out of the blue. 4 Stars
 

Book 1 of the Redivivus Trilogy

John Wild knows something is dead wrong the moment he finds the local airport deserted.

Returning home from work on an isolated reservation, he is unaware of the cataclysmic events that rocked the globe, leaving a plague-ridden, apocalyptic wasteland in its wake. As he struggles to survive against all odds, John learns that even when monsters walk the earth, people can still be the most dangerous things in the land.

Two things, above all else, become his focus. Can John find his family and help his longtime friend, Dr. Lin San, in her search for a cure, or will the merciless plague prove to be his demise--and the threnody of the entire human race? @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1203277252

Read from April 08 to 11, 2015

**This was a goodreads/firstreads give away. I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to win and read the book.**

I thought this was a good zombie book. The two main characters are Dr. John Wild and Reams. John was at a Native American Reservation and had no idea what was happening. When he was coming home and trying to land his plane he couldn't figure out why no one was answering at the tower. He has a run in with a friend from the airport that has turned into a zombie. As he almost gets bit, Reams comes to the rescue, gets him back in the tower and tells him all that he knows. John freaks out of course and tries to call his wife and daughter. At this point no one really answers cell phones. John decides he's going to try to get home and see if they are still alive and talks Reams into going with him. Before they leave, John gets an unclear call on his cell from his old friend Dr. Lin telling him about the virus, that is started in Brazil and she's on her way back to try to help find a cure.

I'm not going to give any more spoilers about the book. I will say they meet up with a few more people along the way, a lot more zombies and a little madness and mayhem. I mean it is a zombie apocalypse!

I look forward to reading the next two books in this trilogy. I think the author did a really good job!
4 Stars

Friday, April 10, 2015

The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig

When Zach and I were born our parents must have counted and recounted: limbs, fingers, toes. We were perfect. They would have been disbelieving: nobody dodged the split between Alpha and Omega.
Nobody.

They were born together and they will die together.

One strong Alpha twin and one mutated Omega; the only thing they share is the moment of their death.

The Omegas live in segregation, cast out by their families as soon as their mutation becomes clear. Forced to live apart, they are ruthlessly oppressed by their Alpha counterparts.

The Alphas are the elite. Once their weaker twin has been cast aside, they're free to live in privilege and safety, their Omega twin far from their thoughts.

Cass and Zach are both perfect on the outside: no missing limbs, no visible Omega mutation. But Cass has a secret: one that Zach will stop at nothing to expose.

The potential to change the world lies in both their hands. One will have to defeat the other to see their vision of the future come to pass, but if they're not careful both will die in the struggle for power. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1237933984

Read from April 06 to 10, 2015

**I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and my book group for a copy of this book**

I went into this book a little skeptical at first, but after the first few pages I was hooked! I totally love this book!

You have this nuclear holocaust that caused an apocalypse and out of that came the Alpha's and the Omega's.

**SPOILERS**

So, get this, the Alpha's are the only ones that can have children and they always have twins, one alpha and one omega. The Alpha's are cruel and call the omega's mutants because most are deformed in some way. They send them off to camps where they live together and the Alpha's get to go to school and rule everything.

The main characters in this story in the beginning are Cass and Zach. Cass is an Omega but hides it until they are both 13 because she doesn't have an outward appearance deformity. She is a seer. Her brother Zach is the Alpha and he finally tricks her into telling that she is the Omega so he can go and have the great life while she is exiled from her parents.

Another twist to this story is if one of the twins dies for any reason, the other one dies too, no exceptions. I thought that was pretty cool!!

Cass sees bad things in the future that Zach has in mind. They come to her in dreams mostly. Zach being a high figure at the age of nineteen has his henchmen capture Cass and keeps her in the Keeping Rooms for a few years. They are just dungeons. He's afraid someone will try to kill him through her. He has an Omega seerer working for him, who is evil, she tries to get different kinds of information from Cass. She thinks she knows about an island where there is an Omega resistance force.

Cass manages to escape and get into a room that has people in big vats with tubes and all that good stuff keeping them alive. One of them looks at her, he is aware, so she breaks him out. Literally. She names him Kip because he has no memories.

Cass and Kip end up running away and well, I'm not going to say more from here. Let's just say there is a few more cool people to meet a long the way. Some very astonishing things that come out I didn't see coming and a tragic ending.

I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!!! Awesome!! 5 Stars!


Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Anna Benz, an American in her late thirties, lives with her Swiss husband Bruno and their three young children in a postcard-perfect suburb of Zürich. Though she leads a comfortable, well-appointed life, Anna is falling apart inside. Adrift and increasingly unable to connect with the emotionally unavailable Bruno or even with her own thoughts and feelings, Anna tries to rouse herself with new experiences: German language classes, Jungian analysis, and a series of sexual affairs she enters into with an ease that surprises even her. Tensions escalate, and her lies start to spin out of control. Having crossed a moral threshold, Anna will discover where a woman goes when there’s no going back. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:


Read from April 04 to 08, 2015

**I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for giving me the opportunity to read this book**

There will be **SPOILERS**!!

I'm not even sure where to begin with this book. At times I hated it and times I loved it. You have Anna and her husband Bruno who live the ordinary life, he works, she takes care of the kids, she goes to a German class during the day while her mother-in-law watches the baby.

But Anna seems to be bored with life, lonely, whatever it is and she has affairs. She sees a therapist but I don't think that helps at all. The book jumps around so much I got confused a bit at what was going on. I liked the author's writing style, the way she put things into words, but I still don't know.

Anna starts having sex with a man, Archie, from her German class. At some point, I'm thinking this was before Archie, she was having sex with Stephen who she fell in love with, but he moved back to America. Then there is another man sort of in the family who's name I have already forgotten, I think she was only with him a couple of times.

The book is all about her having sex and going to German class. She does pick up a friend, Mary from German class and her and Bruno become friends of Mary and her husband. They have dinners at each others houses.

Mary has three children, Victor who is eight and Charles who is six. Polly is the new baby, which turns out is Stephen's baby but no one ever knows that but Anna.

She loses one of her kids and goes into a withdrawal. I still just don't know what to think of this book. It was a good book to read, but there was just something about it that put me off.

In the end, somehow, Bruno finds out, I still don't know how, because he just comes in the kitchen asking about who she was having sex with, more bluntly than that, beats her up and throws her out. The book ends with her wandering around and never getting anywhere. I don't know what ever happened to her. I don't know if she decided to leave the town or what. I just felt too confused during the book.

Maybe it was just me and other people will get it, but I just couldn't. I think if I could have understood more then I would have liked it a lot more. There is something about it that I like and something about it that is just messed up and I'm thinking it's the back and forth things that probably did me in.

There is a good bit of vivid sex scenes. This makes Anna happy and sad. It seems to me she is just a lonely woman that will never find her peace.  3 Stars


Monday, April 6, 2015

ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.

The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.

Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1243096074

Read from April 01 to 06, 2015

OMG! I am in love with Homer! This cat Gwen rescued from her vet is the most touching stories I have read in a while. He was brought in by some people at around 3 weeks with messed up eyes. They said they found him and wanted him euthanized. Well the vet wasn't having any of that, she removed his eyes and when no one wanted him, her last resort was to ask Gwen who already had two cats and couldn't afford another one at the time. She couldn't help herself and took him!

The stories about Homer learning the lay of his land in the house is amazing! He just had a strong will to live and discover things. You just have to read the book to get the full effect!

I have to say my favorite part of the book is with the burglar. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to crack a rib! Who ever heard of a blind attack cat! Well that burglar was stunned to say the least. I can not believe how funny that scene was, I would like to write it out here but I will save it so you can buy the book :)

I am going to add a SPOILER!!!!!! IT'S A PART FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK!!!

**SPOILER**

*TAKEN FROM THE BOOK*

When I walked in with my date, Homer ran to greet me at the door. And there, hanging from his mouth, was a tampon. The whiteness of it stood out against his black fur in vivid, mortifying relief. He scampered around in gleeful triumph for a moment, then promptly ran over and sat expectantly on his haunches in front of me, tampon clutched in between his jaws like a dog with a rawhide bone.
My date looked taken aback, to say the least, "What the....is that a.." He stammered for a moment, before finally managing, "Did something happen to your cat?"
I hunkered down on my heels, and Homer happily climbed into my lap, dropping the purloined tampon at my feet. "He's fine," I answered. "He doesn't have any eyes, is all."

*END*

I thought that summed up Homer to a capital T!

I recommend this book to one and all, it's a very inspirational story about a cat that beat the odds!
5 Stars