Welcome All Book Lovers

Welcome All Book Lovers

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser, erstwhile Jacobite and reluctant rebel, knows three things about the American rebellion: the Americans will win, unlikely as that seems in 1778; being on the winning side is no guarantee of survival; and he’d rather die than face his illegitimate son — a young lieutenant in the British Army — across the barrel of a gun. Fraser’s time-travelling wife, Claire, also knows a couple of things: that the Americans will win, but that the ultimate price of victory is a mystery. What she does believe is that the price won’t include Jamie’s life or happiness — not if she has anything to say.

Claire’s grown daughter Brianna, and her husband, Roger, watch the unfolding of Brianna’s parents’ history — a past that may be sneaking up behind their own family. @goodreads 












Bloody hell, I'm freaking tired!





So here's the deal. Most of my friends here on Goodreads know that I have been listening to these cd's from the library. Well, I just happened to check the status of their return because I should have had one more month for them to be renewed. Noooooooooooooooooo, on this book someone placed a hold and it's due soon so luckily I started listening to it a few days ago, but now I'm freaking tired because I have had to listen almost non stop while reading another book. Not much sleep. I do not like to listen to audio books for that long even if I LOVE the narrator!

Anyhoo, I'm done and I can take my time with the next audio =)

I didn't like this book as much as the other ones and it didn't even make my favorites list!

I don't like that the family is all broken up and in different places and of course Bree, Roger and the kids are back in the real time world. I must have missed the explanation at the beginning because Bree and Roger are able to read letters from Claire and Jamie. I don't get it and I'm not going to look for it. Oh, there was a book though that was written by Jamie, gave me a little tear in my eye when Roger read it.



Grandfather Tales, the book was titled, with the subtitle, "Stories from the Highlands of Scotland and the Backcountry of the Carolinas," by James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser. Again, printed by A. Bell, Edinburgh, in the same year. The dedication said simply, For my grandchildren.

Claire's portrait had made him laugh; this one moved him almost to tears, and he closed the book gently.


That was Roger that read that and he had seen a picture of Claire.

Bree and Roger live in Lallybroch. I reckon they fixed it up all nice. It just breaks my heart.

William (Jamie's son) is in the book more, what with him in the war and all.

Jamie and Claire go back to Scotland after awhile and we get to meet up with some of the old characters, Jenny, Ian and the kids, who are grown up. And there is a death. And of course, on their way back to Scotland they get attacked by pirates and such again. Just stay off the freaking waters!

Fergus and the gang are in the book a little bit.

But, there is some crap that goes down at the end that I hated! It makes me sick and I want to drop kick Lord John Grey!!! Just grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I'm hoping the next book is better than this one and I can get back to loving them or I'm going to kick something! I'm not listening to it right away though because, uh, I'm done listening for a little while after this one! I need a break! 





GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2013808177

Lord Of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.@goodreads 













Unpopular opinion time! Damn it all!



I was pretty excited for this book to come out. The love triangles in the books get on my nerves so I wasn't drop everything and lets read it now. I just wanted to get through it at one point.

I love Kit's character. I think he's funny and coming into his own at being a Shadowhunter.

I loved that Jace and Clary made another appearance, but I'm worried at one of the things that was told in confidence about a death. It just about broke my heart and I'm wondering if that will come up in the next book a million years from now.

There is something dreadful that happened at the end of the book and I don't even know what to say. It's sad, okay?

I just wish that Emma and Mark could be together. That's who I WANT! I'm tired of reading about Kieran, Mark and Christina. I love all three characters but I want to see Kieran with Christina because the times they were together there seemed to be something there. Something almost sexy and hidden.

Emma and Julian, I just don't. I love Julian for all he does for the family but I just don't find him as a person that stokes my fire. <-- yeah, I said that.

I love the things that Kit, Ty and Livvy got up to together with the exception of the bad things.

I hated that Centurion, Zara, with a passion. I wanted to drop kick her off the roof. The Centurion's had a plan set up and it wasn't a good plan. Not all wanted to go along with it so there's that.

Arthur is still nuts but he did some cool things and you just have to love him no matter what.

Diana was awesome and stepped up and put that Zara in her place and did whatever she could to save the kids.

Magnus and Alec made an appearance as well. I always love Magnus so he can make an appearance at all times =)

There's a little bit of fighting and things that need to be taken care of and some evilness, but I felt like it was more about all of these people and their triangles. I just don't know. Maybe I will read both books over again when the other one comes out in a million years from now.

I'm still really sad about that ending. I thought it was going to be a different sad ending but it wasn't and it took me by surprise and it's not a good thing =(

and we have a


 :

Sigh. . .

 
 
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1681870323

Monday, May 29, 2017

A Breath Of Snow And Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1772, the eve of the American Revolution, and the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Governor Josiah Martin calls upon Jamie Fraser to unite the backcountry and safeguard the colony for King and Crown. But there is one problem: Jamie Fraser´s wife, Claire, is a time-traveler, as are his daughter and son-in-law. And Jamie knows that three years hence, the shot heard round the world will be fired, and the end of it all will be independence –with those loyal to the King either dead or in exile. Beyond everything else, though, looms the threat of a tiny clipping from the Wilmington Gazette dated 1776, which reports the destruction of the house on Fraser´s Ridge and the death by fire of James Fraser and all his family. For once, Jamie Fraser hopes the time-travelers in his family are wrong about the future –but only time will tell. @goodreads











I got through another door stopper =) But this one made me freaking cry in the end. Just nooooooooo. I will talk about that later.

I guess I'm going to add some *SPOILERS*

So this review is in no particular order. As I have said before I'm listening to them on audio and marking my place in the book and they are all starting to run together. And there are lots of things going on in the books and I love most all of it. Not the bad stuff!

There are some funny parts in the book. I think my favorite is when Bree is in the shed chasing off a raccoon that is eating their food and Roger comes in - scares her- and she nails him in the head with a potato! I wanted to add the excerpt of this but I didn't mark the freaking spot, but I was rolling with laughter at that part and Roger's reaction.

There's a funny part about a snake in the church. And I can't remember the others because I'm all upset about the ending. Nothing major just wait.

Life is going along with everyone. BUT . . .

Marsali (Fergus wife) and Claire are out at the thingy working on the stuff for booze. They are all by themselves because they think nothing of it. Some arsehole men show up, attack the women because they want the booze but the woman can't give them what they don't have. These freaking jerks kick Marsali in the pregnant stomach and take off with Claire. Claire gets raped of course and beaten to within an inch of her life. I think these are also the same men that killed a family, sold some of the kids and burned another one alive in the home. I think these were the same ones. Oh, how death needs to come to them. And it does. . .

 :

all the evil people should meet the same end. Anyway, Jamie wrings a neck and has the boys kill the rest of the gang. Takes Claire through to make her look at all of the dead so that she knows they are gone and can't hurt her any more. It was horrible. And the part before all of this, when Jamie and Roger find that family killed and the little girl still alive in the burned house, OMG, I can't even. I mean Roger had to suffocate her because it was so dreadful and I felt sorry for everyone involved.

Marsali and Fergus have another child and he's a dwarf that Marsali names Henri-Christian. So they have a ton of kids now. But some arsehole jerk little kids tried to drown Henri and luckily Roger was there to save him and give those evil kids what for. Not long after that Fergus tried to kill himself and luckily Jamie was there and it made me so sad. Jamie and Claire had to send them away and got Fergus a job at a printer and Fergus was happy so hopefully all of that will work out.

Bree got to finally get her vengeance on her rapist. She shot him in the head. Good riddance.

Bree and Roger also had a little girl named Amanda Claire Hope and there were some medical issues with her that Claire couldn't fix because it was one of those advanced things.

This is where I get really sad because Bree, Roger and the kids went back through the stones to save the baby. And now Claire and Jamie only have Ian and it's so freaking sad because that whole family was there and I want them back.




Just damn it all =(

Also, in these books there are always references to the other books and things that happened. Explanations and I like that! Even still, I'm sad - BUT. . . on to the next. 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2004355867

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered - fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she's known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningliess. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend to complexities of human nature - and of herself - while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, ALLEGIANT, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the DIVERGENT series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in DIVERGENT and INSURGENT. @goodreads













That freaking ending!



No, just no!

You don't trust one damn person in these books. You might can trust a couple but I don't even know.

I don't except that death one bit. I don't accept all of the lies. I don't accept the stupid things smart people were doing. I don't accept a lot of things.

I liked the idea some of them made it outside the wall because I wanted to see how cool it would be in that world. But, it's the same old crap, a bunch of jerks you don't know who to trust. Sigh.....

I mean why?

And I don't care but I didn't like that Nita person one bit no matter what.

But why is everyone some major twat? Why does everyone want to kill everyone else. Why couldn't we have seen some more stuff in the other parts of the world. Oh, who knows. There wasn't enough time for all of that. Either way, it was okay enough but I'm still hating on that ending really bad so I'm right on the edge. RIGHT ON THE EDGE!


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2013451641


Friday, May 26, 2017

Tyrant's Throne by Sebastien De Castell

Would you - could you? - uphold the law at the cost of those you love?

After years of struggle and sacrifice, Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the Greatcoats, is on the brink of fulfilling his dead King's dream: Aline, the King's daughter, is about to take the throne and restore the rule of law once and for all.

But for the Greatcoats, nothing is ever that simple. In the neighbouring country of Avares, an enigmatic new warlord is uniting the barbarian armies which have long plagued Tristia's borders - and even worse, he is rumoured to have a new ally: Trin, who's twice tried to kill Aline to take the throne for herself. With the armies of Avares at her back, she'll be unstoppable.

Falcio, Kest and Brasti race north to stop her, but in those cold and treacherous climes they discover something altogether different, and far more dangerous: a new player is planning to take the throne of Tristia, and the Greatcoats, for all their skill, may not be able to stop him.

As the nobles of Tristia and even the Greatcoats themselves fight over who should rule, the Warlord of Avares threatens to invade. It is going to fall to Falcio to render the one verdict he cannot bring himself to decide: does he crown the girl he vowed to put on the throne, or uphold the laws he swore to serve? @goodreads 













OMG!! This book made me cry in sad ways and in happy ways!



This is the best book of the series to me even though it's the last book and I loved them all. I can't believe it's over. It just can't be over. Not with that ending. I want more =)

I will always love the boys: Kest, Brasti & Falcio. Their banter is the best ever in the books. And I was thinking I might not like this series. Here is some advice, don't think, just read, because you never know.



"My name is Kest Murrowson, a magistrate of the Greatcoats." He paused for effect, before adding unnecessarily, "And I am the Queen's Shield."

"To answer your question, friend, my name is Brasti Goodbow, and I am the Queen's Jest."

"My name your Lordship, is Falcio val Mond." I am the First Cantor of the Greatcoats, also called the King's Heart."


The boys are sent off on a mission to go and find some more people to help secure Aline as Queen among other things. They go off into this bitter land and find some things they weren't prepared for.

They return home with this bad news and set up to fight more people. Yeah, they don't get a break.

There are more revelations. There is the evil Trin. There are a lot of things going on in this book. People die =(

I think the conclusion of this series was excellent. I love it so very much, but I'm sad. Yes, I know they can be read over and over, but still, I want more stories.

I can't wait to add this edition to my shelves along with the first three, when it comes to paperback.


*I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book.* 

GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2008165704

Thursday, May 25, 2017

The Last Place You Look by Kristen Lepionka

Sarah Cook, a beautiful blonde teenager disappeared fifteen years ago, the same night her parents were brutally murdered in their suburban Ohio home. Her boyfriend Brad Stockton - black and from the wrong side of the tracks - was convicted of the murders and sits on death row, though he always maintained his innocence. With his execution only weeks away, his devoted sister, insisting she has spotted Sarah at a local gas station, hires PI Roxane Weary to look again at the case.

Reeling from the recent death of her cop father, Roxane finds herself drawn to the story of Sarah's vanishing act, especially when she thinks she's linked Sarah's disappearance to one of her father's unsolved murder cases involving another teen girl. Despite her self-destructive tendencies, Roxane starts to hope that maybe she can save Brad's life and her own.

With echoes of Sue Grafton, Dennis Lehane and the hit podcast Serial, The Last Place You Look is the gripping debut of both a bold new voice and character. @goodreads 













This is one of those books where you want the answers now!

I did have an idea of some things that were going on when some other certain things started to happen. Don't you just love my meanderings =)

Roxane is a PI and she's hired by Danielle who is the sister of a man on death row, Brad Stockton. Supposedly, 15 years-ago he killed his girlfriends parents and the said girlfriend, Sarah Cook, disappeared. No one knows what happened to her. But there was some evidence against Brad that sealed his deal. He was just a young kid and had no idea what was going on.

Roxane's father was a cop and he had died recently. She was still getting over this and would spend some time with her mom and brothers from time to time. It was kinda funny when they were all together. Made me think of family times with my grandparents.

Anyway, Roxane goes through some of her dads old case files and she finds some stuff on Brad and Sarah. She also finds some other things that are very curious, very curious indeed. There are other things that are linked to people. Geez, I want to tell y'all some stuff so bad but I can't, I want you to read them yourself.

This book has a great story line, a sadistic person that is off their nut, drinking, slight sexual situations with a guy and girl that are both cared for (not at the same time!), and just a really sad story all around when it comes to the end and everything is revealed.

I enjoyed it and I think other mystery peeps will too =) 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2010190717


Saint's Blood by Sebastien De Castell

How do you kill a Saint?

Falcio, Kest, and Brasti are about to find out, because someone has figured out a way to do it and they've started with a friend.

The Dukes were already looking for ways out of their agreement to put Aline on the throne, but with the Saints turning up dead, rumours are spreading that the Gods themselves oppose her ascension. Now churches are looking to protect themselves by bringing back the military orders of religious soldiers, assassins, and (especially) Inquisitors - a move that could turn the country into a theocracy. The only way Falcio can put a stop to it is by finding the murderer. He has only one clue: a terrifying iron mask which makes the Saints vulnerable by driving them mad. But even if he can find the killer, he'll still have to face him in battle.

And that may be a duel that no swordsman, no matter how skilled, can hope to win. @goodreads














My name is Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the King's Greatcoats. Not long ago I was one of the finest swordsmen in the world.

These days? Not so much.


 :

I love maps. I'm going to start me a map collection from all the books I love. That will take awhile.

Anyway, I don't think the second and third book was as good as the first one but it was still freaking awesome.

Aline manned up and showed everyone that's she's not just some little girl they are putting on the throne.

Some crackpots are out killing the Saints which sucks of course. But isn't there always some crackpot.

Peeps die and come back to life. It actually makes me scared for the last book with all of this dying and coming back to life but maybe it will sort itself out.

I just love this series so much. I love Kest, Brasti and Falcio. I know I keep saying that in all of my reviews but it's true. I can't say it enough. They are just great characters who love each other and watch out for each other even if they do cuss each other from time to time.

There seemed to be more fighting in this book. More people being stabbed and other sorts of things.

People being taken over and made to wear these evil masks and attack others or just die. You can read all about that.

Either way, it was another great book in the series and I'm off to the last book. And I'm scared =( 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2008630129


Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Knight's Shadow by Sebastien De Castell

Following his beloved debut, Traitor's Blade, Sebastien de Castell returns with volume two of his fast-paced fantasy adventure series, inspired by the swashbuckling action and witty banter of The Three Musketeers. Knight's Shadow continues the series with a thrilling and dark tale of heroism and betrayal in a country crushed under the weight of its rulers' corruption.
A few days after the horrifying murder of a duke and his family, Falcio val Mond, swordsman and First Cantor of the Greatcoats, begins a deadly pursuit to capture the killer. But Falcio soon discovers his own life is in mortal danger from a poison administered as a final act of revenge by one of his deadliest enemies. As chaos and civil war begin to overtake the country, Falcio has precious little time left to stop those determined to destroy his homeland. @goodreads 












I freaking love these guys! This book starts right where the other one left off. And then they have to fight some evil peeps a few pages after that.



Kest, Brasti and Falcio are three men I just love and the banter between them is the best. Who could carry on crazy conversations while fighting people.

Anyhoo, so they are helping The Tailor try to get an army together to defeat that freaking a-hole, Trin. She wants to be queen but she's evil and the guys are trying to make sure the rightful Queen, little Aline who is only a child, gets on the throne.

Well, it turns out I wanted to smack The Tailor a few times because she ends up causing chaos as well. The old b*tch gets a ton of people killed.

Valiana is trying to fight with the boys now that she is a greatcoat but she hasn't had much training and it's a sh*t show until Dariana starts training her. She is another greatcoat The Tailor sent with the boys. And she's bad to the bone! I love her. Although, there is one part, but it seems to work itself out.

The Tailor is a rude old crone and I don't like the way she puts down Valiana who is trying her hardest to be a greatcoat and protect little Aline
.


The callousness of the Tailor's words, the way she discarded all of Valiana's pain and sorrow-burned in me. I needed her to know how much I hated this, all of it: her cold, calculating strategies, the way she planned and plotted. She wasn't much different from the Dukes we all despised.

The others were looking at me, waiting to see how I would react. I didn't want to be an angry, petulant child. I wanted to be noble and brave and all the things I'd tried to be since the day the King had shaken me out of my madness. But I couldn't. I simply didn't have it in me. "You're a fucking bitch,"I said.


The guys and girls go off to see if they can get some aide from some of the Duke's to help fight against Trin and her army. Well, that just becomes another crazy mess of things. Although, I did like when they went to see Duke Issault because he was crazier than a sh*t house rat. Until he wasn't . . .

Then comes all of the twists and turns and I don't see how the author does it. Oh, and another person I didn't like was Shuran <-- I don't even know if I spelled his stupid name right. Either way he's a twat!

All I can say for sure is that I love these guys and I love they have the girls too. But the guys are my favs and so help me they better not die. It's already bad enough but I won't hold my breath because I know people I like die a lot in the books I read.

And I don't like what all Kest went through. I don't like what any of them went through for that matter.

anyway . . . on to the next . . .


"Tell them the Greatcoats are coming."
 


GOODREADS REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1999905819


Just Some Things . . .



I just wanted to share a few things about myself. I want to be able to ramble on here from time to time so that is the reason I changed my title banner. 

I suffer from severe panic disorder, OCD, Clinical Depression, Agoraphobia, Suicidal Issues, Arthritis and Fibromyalgia. I am home bound. I have a lot of things I deal with from day to day, minute to minute. But, we can't know what everyone is like through the computer, through a phone, tablet . . . 

I used to be very outgoing. Always doing things with my dog (the one that passed) We would go hiking all of the time and whatever. He was my best friend and the love of my life. He was the reason that I kept fighting any feelings of suicide that I would get because I never wanted to leave him. But then cancer took him and I wanted to go too. It was one of the worst times in my life. 

My family and doctors pushed me into getting another dog. I was ready to die but my dad came down every night asking me to go look so I said I will go and if Dakota sent me a Lucy or a Bullet then I would know. We ended up at Petsmart for hours and the retired racing greyhounds came in and there was a girl named Mary that turned into my Lucy. Dakota had sent her to me and I just knew it. Now she's the love of my life and I'm in the same spot. When I think of ending things I have to fight because I don't want to leave her. It's a nasty trick they all played on me. 



So, here's the thing. All I do now is read tons of books, watch Netflix, Amazon Prime w/ add on subscriptions, movies I own and boxed sets. I wanted to try to do something good by reviewing books even though I really suck at it. I have so many friends on goodreads where I spend most of my time. Some of us are very close and have each others phone numbers, buy books and stuff off each other's Amazon wishlist, share hardships and sharing our love for books. They are some of the best friends I have never seen. 

I try to spend as much time with them as I can, I spend time every night talking to one real life friend on the phone that I have known for years (we watch shows on speaker phone), I spend as much time with my sweet Lucy dog as I can and I try to spend time with my parents. They don't really like so watch movies or stuff and since I'm stuck inside me and dad can't hike any more but we do our best. I try to call my one remaining grandparent every day and it makes me sad we are all getting older and I hate living without the ones that are gone and I cry when I sit and think of the ones that are going to go. I would rather us all go together, but that's not how it works. I want to set aside more time to spend with them because it's so important to be with loved ones before they are gone. Not spending time on the phone or the internet. 



I have been having so much trouble for some time doing my reading and my blogging. I have gotten so bad that I have wanted to quit everything, including goodreads and that is the only place I love so that would really suck. I feel like I'm being pulled in so many different directions and I have gotten advice from friends to stop for awhile. To not write as many reviews or blog all of them because it is bothering me health wise. They are so kind to me over on goodreads. But, I still feel like I have to spend so much time getting these books read, reviewed, then you have to look at everyone's reviews or they get mad, and you have to be all over bloglovin' or they get mad and leave and I lose friends on google all of the time because I don't have the time or the strength to go and look at all of their stuff too. I try to post some pretty pictures for them to look at every time I'm on here, but it's not enough. Nothing in life is enough for people. I really wish everything wasn't a popularity contest because I feel like that's what things have turned out to be. I admit I get really down when someone doesn't like my stuff and I don't blame them because like I said before, I suck at reviewing. I'm surprised I even get free books to review. I just want to slow down, be careful of my health, not stress over books and getting to everyone I know just so they don't go away. I do the best I can and it doesn't seem good enough. It seems like it's taking time from me, from my family (which includes my dog, because they are family)





When I start taking breaks or I'm not on every minute trying to do and like what every one does, it doesn't mean I'm not ever going to, it means I'm doing the best I can and I hope to keep the wonderful people in my life that I really enjoy. If not then please let me know so I can take you off my lists so I can make sure I'm spending the time with the people that matter to me. And I really hope everyone decides they need time for themselves, don't push yourselves so hard or one day you will look up and everything has passed you by. I really enjoy the blogs on bloglovin' of people who can still get out in life show all of these wonderful pictures of things that I used to do. It makes me happy seeing people living a life outdoors doing anything. And I love seeing all of the recipes people put up and make-up and clothes (even though I'm not into that anymore) I love seeing little blogs about life and what you guys are doing. It's so much fun to me. I don't want to lose that love. I don't want to feel like I'm not good enough because I'm not on every single minute of the day and talking to people and commenting and liking. Life really doesn't work that way. Be kind to each other and value yourself. I'm sure going to try that last one, it's going to be hard, but I'm going to try. 




I hope everyone has enjoyed or taken something away from my little bit of rambling. I hope it was something good and not (lets run from the crazy person) I want good things for everyone and I hope I can continue to write my goofy reviews that some people seem to love for some strange reason =) 

Peace, Love & God Bless ♥

Mel

Divergent & Insurgent by Veronica Roth





In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. @goodreads
 










I think it may have been my mood for me to give this book 3 stars. I loved the movie years ago but I think I might have over watched it and then was just meh. So, when I read the book it wasn't as exciting for me. I'm hoping to re-read it and hopefully change my mind. 







One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian DIVERGENT series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature. @goodreads
 











OMG! That ending! Well, now I'm going to have to binge the next two books along with some other books I'm reading so I will probably fade away into the mist somewhere!

I loved this book a lot more than the first book. I'm seriously going to read that one again at some point because I think something was just off with me. I really think I had watched the movie so many times that it felt like I was kinda watching it again only not watching it and it was weird. Who knows!!!

Movin' on . . .

This book had a lot more going on and someone I really liked died. Well, a lot few people died in both books I liked but that's the way it goes.

I'm going to have a hard time with the next books because I saw someone's spoiler about what happens to someone so that was a bummer. But, I'm going to get through it.

So all of these factions are against each other now with all of the stuff that went down in the first book. Well, some are getting together to go against other ones. I can't keep up with them all. I just know that I like Abnegation and I do like the good Dauntless people. Oh, and the Amity people.

It turns out Tobias is a very important man because of his parents. I still think he's crush worthy =) Not because of his parents, because it just popped in my head. Don't ask.

Tris is going around like some kind of robot. It makes me wonder, I really wonder what is going on with her. I know the Divergent's are different but still, I wonder if something else is going on too.

Caleb, her brother is a twat. I mean one minute he's this and one minute he's that but he's still with them. He's just easy to brain wash.

Watch, I'm going to get to the end of the books and the author is going to say it was all a dream or something weird. NO ONE TELL ME!

And I have to mention that I am in love with these hardback covers. I still had the plastic on the boxed set until I opened them last week and started them so I had no idea. I don't usually like those shiny weird covers, but these are awesome. I don't know if it's a different kind of shiny cover and they are so pretty and big and YES, I WILL JUST ADMIT I HAVE HUGGED AND PETTED THEM SEVERAL TIMES! There, you happy? I love my books, I can't help myself.

On to the next and I'm scared =( 



Sunday, May 21, 2017

Eliza And Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of Monstrous Sea, a wildly popular webcomic, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, smart, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community. Then Wallace Warland transfers to her school, and Eliza begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart. With pages from Eliza’s webcomic, as well as screenshots from Eliza’s online forums, this uniquely formatted book will appeal to fans of Noelle Stevenson’s Nimona and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl. @goodreads
 












I loved this book so very much!

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*****There will be some spoilers because I can't help myself*****

I love the book has drawings and stories all through-out the book. They are so awesome!


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I love Eliza. She's quiet, wants to be left alone in her online world where she writes her webcomic: Monstrous Sea. She has two wonderful friends online that have helped her with her business. There is Max who runs security on the trolls (we need him for GR) and Emmy who set up the merch for the comic and sales for the comic, etc. Eliza makes enough money to live off of and put her way through college. She famous and she's anonymous.


I do have friends. Maybe they live hundreds of miles away from me, and maybe I can only talk to them through a screen, but they're still my friends. They don't just hold Monstrous Sea together. They hold me together.

Max and Emmy are the reason any of this exists.


Eliza doesn't talk to people at school. Some people are actually afraid of her and she's happy with this because all she want's is to draw out her next parts for the comic during school. Then when she gets home she puts the drawings and stuff on her photoshop to get it complete and uploads them.

God, I wish I could draw and do something so freaking cool like that. Anyhoo . . .

Eliza isn't really close to her parents. They are always trying to get her to do sports and random stuff she has no interest in. They think her comic is a hobby, she never told them how famous or how much money she makes. They think she makes a little bit of money and just let her do it. I do wish that Eliza would have been up front with them and I do wish that her parents would have taken the time to actually go online and read her comic and see how famous she actually was, but none of this happened. And later on, it bites them all in the butt.

Eliza has two brothers: Church and Sully. She doesn't do much with them because they are into sports etc. She has no idea that they follow her comic and so do their friends. And when Church takes up for Eliza when her parent do something extremely stupid, I was so proud. I mean so proud. He put them in their place once and for all because sometimes parents aren't always right, even if they mean well.

I must also mention that I'm in love with Davy, their Great Pyrenees =)

Moving on.

Eliza meets the new kid at school, Wallace. He starts writing notes to her because he doesn't really like to talk. It's really super cute and he's freaking hot. Just sayin'. It turns out that he writes fanfiction for Eliza's comic!

They become close and start going out which is way beyond anything Eliza has ever done in her life! I think they are wonderful together but she never tells him that she is LadyConstellation and the creator of Monstrous Sea. I wanted to scream! He finds out when every one else does when her parents do something stupid. Poor Emmy and Max have to try to fight and keep everyone off Eliza's back and even Church cusses people to leave her alone. Eliza has a breakdown after her cover is blown and doesn't even want to finish her comic. She has to see a counselor and take anxiety meds, it's all just one big mess. If her parents would have just butted out and if Eliza would have just told them how big she is. . . so many things.

Wallace gets mad at her obviously. I mean she should have told him but it is what it is. He gets even more mad at her when she decides she's not going to finish the comic because he has an offer to get his fan fiction published. It could make his dreams come true as well. I find it strange that people can make money off other people's work but I guess that's life.

Some drastic things make everything come to a close and the world to be complete again. Eliza is even closer to her family and things are awesome with Wallace. It was a happy ending for all involved.

I really wish this book would continue or maybe a little novella of what happens with everyone later on.

This book was so awesome to me and it meant a lot on so many levels. It's a really great thing when a book can make you feel so good. Fin


GOODREADS REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2004537030