She will become one of
the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana,
Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .
Diana
longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the
opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and
breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia
Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may
have doomed the world.
Alia just wanted to escape her
overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is
being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a
mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a
horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous
Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
Together,
Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and
divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they
have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side
by side against the tide of war. @goodreads
One of the shortest reviews to what I thought would be a long review of one of my favorite comic book characters. 
Wonder
Woman and the Hulk were my favorite characters of all time when I was
growing up. I watched and own the shows. I just love them still.
Superman followed shortly after and then several more as I got older.
Soooooo, I was really disappointed that this book didn't blow me away. I
thought it would have all of the stars. I love old school Diana.
All
the stars goes to Wonder Woman and I liked Alia well enough but it just
didn't hit me the right way. I didn't care for anyone else in the book.
Don't get me wrong, I love Leigh Bardugo and her Six of Crows duology
but I just didn't love this one.
I don't understand why books
have to be changed around to some weird different stuff and I don't even
know how to explain what I mean. Lol
I'm glad so many loved it
to death because this is the way of the new world. I'm hoping that
someone will write a more adult Wonder Woman book down the road and have
it more to the real story line then bending to the world all young
adult books are taking. I'm glad that Diana wasn't seen as stupid at
least. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was okay.
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1623457578
Alex Craft knows how to
kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister,
Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex
uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.
While
her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other
people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the
shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high
school hallways.
But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all
other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with
the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night
Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years,
and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his
attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.
So
does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled
with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste
of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex
start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and
Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats
they care for.
Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay
together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s
darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that
will change their lives forever. @goodreads
Be prepared
I
just wasn't going to read this book. I just wasn't. I bought it because
I thought it was going to be something I liked. Then I saw some
warnings about things in the book and I thought, if I pick up this book
I'm going to throw it across the room. I almost did a few times.
BUT
I didn't
and I loved it
All of the animal abusers and rapists of any sort should burn. It's just that simple. 
and I really don't care if no one feels the same as I do. I just don't care any more.
I
loved Alex Craft. I wish she was my best friend. She's my role model.
She's a murderer. She hurts evil people and she cares for animals. I
love her.
This is how I kill someone.
I learn his habits, I know
his schedule. It is not difficult. His life consists of quick stops to
the dollar store for the bare minimum of things required to keep this
ragged cycle going, his hat pulled down over his eyes so as not to be
recognized.
Alex had a sister once. She was raped, tortured and killed.
Yes, it is graphic, the telling of what was done to her and how they
found her in pieces. The b@stard was not sentenced. But he was killed.
They let that slide.
This story is about Alex, Peekay
(Preacher's Kid, real name, Claire) and Jack. There are some other
people in the book, their friends, but it's mainly about them.
Alex
and Peekay work at the animal shelter together and they become friends.
Alex calls her by her real name. Alex is different and I like her. Alex
takes care of the animals with a tender heart. Once again, I love her.
They had to go and pick up some puppies that were thrown out of a window
by some piece of sh*t. Peekay has thoughts of bodily harm herself but
they are only thoughts. I can understand what she means.
I
imagine a rusted-out truck, a guy wearing a T-shirt with ripped-out
sleeves. I think about how he'd roll down his window, a casual question
on his face until I opened the door, drag him out, and kick him in the
gut over and over until he's making the same noises those puppies
probably made.Jack is just a guy at school that sleeps
around but starts to fall for Alex. Alex has never had a boyfriend.
She's too damaged and dangerous, but that doesn't mean she can't love.
And they do, for a time.
The books didn't help me find a word for myself; my father refused to accept the weight of it. And so I made my own.
I am vengeance.
This story has so many things going for it. I love the author's
writing. You feel every little thing these kids go through. Even the few
times the parents are in the book. All of these kids learn to be
friends in one sense or another. I love that they can put all of the
things aside and just be friends.
I love that Alex is so tough
and never backs down from taking up for her friends. For someone that
never really had any, she's a damn great one to have. Peekay thought so
too.
No, I didn't know. Everyone else wants to
talk about the Alex who tore Ray Parson's nose off when he tried to hurt
me, the Alex who tortured the man who killed her sister, the Alex who
burned a child molester alive and blew a rapist away with a shotgun
blast. Nobody wants to talk about the girl who held kittens in the palm
of her hand, humming to them while they fed, or the girl who would pick
fleas off a dog for hours. Because nobody knew her.
This book truly got to me. I loved everyone and
hated many. It made me rage and cry. It tore my feels into a million
pieces. It is one of my favorites.
READ THIS BOOK! 
The ending broke my heart =(
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2107371972
You never know who’s watching…
Corinne’s
life might look perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF
attempts it’s her last chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny
part of a doll house outside her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.
But
as more pieces begin to turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too
familiar. Someone knows about the miniature rocking horse and the
little doll with its red velvet dress. Someone has been inside her
house…
How does the stranger know so much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are they waiting for…? @goodreads
I couldn't put this book down! And I thought I had it all figured out, but NOPE. I got it all wrong.
The
story is about Corinne and Dominic who are trying to have a baby.
Corinne is a nervous wreck all of the time. Then pieces of her and
Ashley's (her sister) old dollhouse start to appear in different places
for her to find. That's not creepy or anything.
Ashley is
married to James and they have three kids, Lucy, Benji, and Holly.
Ashley works one day a week at a cafe just so she can have some peace
for a little bit. James has been working a lot more lately. They don't
need the money, but it's what it is. Ashley has a lady watch Holly on
the days she is at work.
The girls father died not that long ago
and they go visit their mother for a little weekend holiday with the
family and kids. There is something strange going on in their mothers
house as well. What is going on with everyone?
The book switches
back and forth between the characters and there is a character that we
don't know, also telling their story. Duh, duh, duh!
The story gets crazier and crazier as this person seems to be involved in everyone's lives.
I thought it was great, although, I kept feeling I have read this same book before and I can't put my finger on it.
That ending though!
Mel ♥*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.*
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2104541748
An unsolved case. A tempest of memories. The future’s at stake—and time is running out...
Gwen
Marcey has done a good job of keeping the pain of her past boxed up.
But as she investigates the case of a missing child in Lapwai, Idaho,
details keep surfacing that are eerily similar to her childhood traumas.
She doesn’t believe in coincidences. So what’s going on here?
No
one knows more about the impact of the past than the Nez Perce people
of Lapwai. Gwen finds herself an unwelcome visitor to some, making her
investigation even more difficult. The questions keep piling up, but
answers are slow in coming—and the clock is ticking for a missing little
girl. Meanwhile, her ex-husband back home is threatening to take sole
custody of their daughter.
As Gwen’s past and present collide,
she’s in a desperate race for the truth. Because only truth will ensure
she still has a future. @goodreads
This book is about a double murder and a missing little girl. The Nez
Perce Tribal Police in Lapwai, Idaho are looking for the killer. Gwen
Marcey is forensic artist who pushed to be sent out to help. She as
going to go regardless because something about the murders has triggered
some memories from when she was a child.
Gwen sets out to help
Chief Seth Kus in finding the little girl. Gwen has to get help from her
best friend Beth when her car is stolen. It seems someone doesn't want
Gwen on the case. They know who she is, they know about her past. She's
in danger herself. I must note that Gwen's Great Pyrenees, Winston,
helped out as well. I'm always going to give credit to the animals =)
Anyway,
Gwen is being shot at, attacked in all kinds of ways, trapped in
places, etc and so on. BUT, this doesn't stop her and she actually finds
out things from her past. She finds the murderer and another murder
from years ago, more missing kids, it's like a free for all.
This
is actually the first book I have read from this author. I noticed it
was the 4th book in the series but it was fine as a stand alone. The
book is also a quick read and a nice little mystery.
*I would like to thank BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book.*
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2105313003
From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Boy In the Striped Pajamas, a sweeping, heartfelt saga about the course of one man's life, beginning and ending in post-war Ireland
Cyril Avery is not a real
Avery -- or at least, that's what his adoptive parents tell him. And he
never will be. But if he isn't a real Avery, then who is he?
Born
out of wedlock to a teenage girl cast out from her rural Irish
community and adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple via the
intervention of a hunchbacked Redemptorist nun, Cyril is adrift in the
world, anchored only tenuously by his heartfelt friendship with the
infinitely more glamourous and dangerous Julian Woodbead. At the mercy
of fortune and coincidence, he will spend a lifetime coming to know
himself and where he came from and over his many years will struggle to
discover an identity, a home, a country, and much more.
In this,
Boyne's most transcendent work to date, we are shown the story of
Ireland from the 1940s to today through the eyes of one ordinary man. The Heart's Invisible Furies is a novel to make you laugh and cry while reminding us all of the redemptive power of the human spirit. @goodreads
The first paragraph of the book is what grabbed me:
Long before we discovered that he had fathered two
children by two different women, one in Drimoleague and one in
Clonakilty, Father James Monroe stood on the altar of the Church of Our
Lady, Star of the Sea, in the parish of Goleen, West Cork, and denounced
my mother as a whore.
Pretty powerful stuff, that. Little Cyril is telling the
story as a babe not even born yet and the story he told, whew. I was
appalled at what that priest did to his mom. Threw her out of town and
hit her. I really can't stand those priests of old.
Catherin
Goggin is a 16 year-old-girl who is pregnant and kicked out of the only
home town she has known. But she makes it in Dublin with the help of
some wonderful people. Some that didn't have a happy ending themselves.
Cyril
is adopted to another couple who are very strange. I guess they loved
Cyril in their own way and was never hurt but all of his life he seemed
to miss out on something. A little clueless to things in the world.
The
story is told in different times of Cyril's life, from birth until old
age. It is all very bittersweet and there are some really funny moments.
I really enjoyed Cyril. I thought he was funny and sweet and as an
adult he had some hard times. Friends dying or being killed.
Cyril
was a gay man living in a time where you could be put in jail for it or
killed and nothing done about it. Some of the things are just too
horrific to even think about.
I loved how the story connected so
many people in the book over the years. Cyril even meets his real mom
at one point and neither of them even know it. I wanted to scream at
someone, but that's the way it goes.
The ending made me very happy, some sadness, but mostly happy
Mel ♥ *Thank you to bloggingforbooks for a hardback copy of this book*
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2100899700
At twenty-two, Cheryl
Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s
death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed.
Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive
decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by
blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific
Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to
Washington State — and she would do it alone.
Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild
powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman
forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened,
and ultimately healed her.@goodreads
Re-Read on Audio 2017 ~ Just going to tweek my old review as I still feel the same about the book and movie.
** 2015 ** Review
I
just recently watched the movie "Wild." I have actually watched the
movie several times now. When I saw that it was based on a true story I
immediately logged onto Amazon and ordered the book. I am so glad I did
as this is a wonderful book.
Of
course there are different things in the book than in the movie, but
that just made it better, it was liked I was learning more about
Cheryl's life.
I have always wanted to hike the Appalachian
Trail when I would see the signs to it not far from where I live. But I
got sick and that never happened. If you get a thought to try something,
don't wait, DO IT, because you never know what is going to happen.
I
never even knew anything about the PCT. I want to get books on it and
read about it. I want to see in a book the actual places that Cheryl was
in the book. I want to recognize some of the places.
I can't
state enough how much I loved the book. It was so moving and hard. I
can't imagine the things she went through, what anyone that hikes like
that goes through. I love hiking but this is beyond hiking in my
opinion.
Cheryl found out a lot of things about herself while on the trail. She met a lot of nice people along the way as well.
Sometimes
a person's life is so sad and seems so horrible and then something
wonderful comes along. Cheryl eventually found that in her life and I'm
happy for her.
I recommend this book to anyone that loves
hiking, to anyone that loves stories about finding yourself, to anyone
that loves stories about the hardships of life. And Cheryl made it. ♥
Totally awesome!
Sam is a geek
movie-buff with a ragtag group of loser friends who have been taking
abuse from the popular kids for years. But when the super-cool Camilla
moves to town, she surprises everyone by choosing to spend time with
Sam's group. Suddenly they go from geek to chic, and find that not
everything boils down to us and them. With their social lives in flux,
Sam and Camilla spend more and more time together. They become the best
of friends, and Sam finds that he's happier and more comfortable in his
own skin than ever before. But eventually Sam must admit to himself that
he's fallen in love. If he confesses his true feelings to Camilla, will
everything change again? @goodreads
I loved this book so freaking much! 
I start Monday by falling flat on my arse. A normal guy
might think his day could only improve from here. I seriously doubt this
is going to be the case. I hear laughter and clapping. Someone cheers.
Above
me, a giant sign hangs precariously from the corridor ceiling: a pink
and purple, glitter-encrusted symbol of doom, handmade by the Spring
Dance Committee.
Justin Zigoni takes a flying leap over me and
slaps the sign with his hand. A shower of glitter descends from the
ceiling and a piece lodges itself in my eyeball.
I loved it from the first few paragraphs. 
Sam,
Mike, Adrian and Allison are all best friends. They are the nerds of
the school with Sam actually being the smartest book wise.
They
have this great life together. Sam writes screenplays or at least he's
trying to because that's what he wants to do with his life. He's always a
horror movie buff. YES! And one of his favorites is the original
Halloween, like me ♥ Plus, he's just a movie buff in general. I love all
of the old school movies that are incorporated into the book.
Adrian is a dork. Allison is the quiet female friend and Mike is a black belt in karate.
Then
Camilla
transfers to their school. She becomes super popular because her dad is
someone and knows people. But she finds her way into the little group
and I just love her. She gets them to do things they never would have
done and I love it. She doesn't try to bully them like the other kids
and everyone likes her.
She even gets them to go to the beach
over in Brighton with the mean kids. And some of them turn out to be
nice. Although, Sam almost freaks out just going. I love him =)
Adrian skips ahead, Camilla threads an arm through
Allison's, and Allison smiles at her gratefully. The two of them follow
Adrian.
Mike drapes his towel around his neck. "Dude, are you
gonna pass out? Cos I'm not sure unconsciousness will be your best
defense.
"Mike-assuming we're not killed on sight-are we actually expected to talk to these people?"
I love how everyone sort of falls all over themselves when
Mike decides to take his shirt off and of course, Sam's commentary. Lol
My best friend might live in a uniform of thick hoodies,
but he has also spent the majority of the last four years doing push-ups
and sit-ups and whatever other stuff they get yelled at to do in karate
classes. Maybe I look like a prepubescent girl with my shirt off. But
Mike-well, Mike looks exactly like he has spent the last four years at
the gym.
Sam
and Mike are the closest in the group and there is something up with
Mike during the whole book. He quits karate and won't tell anyone what
is going on even though they keep bugging him about it. They think it
might be over a guy but that's not it at all. I love how Sam rallies
everyone together to find out what's wrong and how he helps Mike.
Sam
and Camilla get close and they play Warcraft together, they learn about
each others family, they learn a lot of things. I think they are so
cute!
There is so much laughter in the book and I loved it so
much. I need more laughter and I found myself laughing out loud many
times. I want to have friends like this damn it!
They all seem
to help each other out when the other has a problem. I love that so
much. I mean there are things with parents not really being there for
some of them. Parents splitting up and depression trying to set in but
the friends don't let that happen. It's just wonderful.
Then
some stupid stuff happens as it always does and they are not talking.
Then there is an apology and Sam finds Camilla sick at her home all
alone so he brings her to his house where his mom can take care of her
while he's at school. It helps him come out of his depressed mood over
some things that happened.
I change out of my feral depression clothes. I shower and
brush my teeth, put on clean track pants and an old T-shirt, and then I
stare at my face in the bathroom mirror until Mum taps on the door and
asks if I've drowned.
Oh, this book was amazeballs. I love when I can find a book that makes ME happy. That's what it'a all about peeps.
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2096614296
After losing someone she
loved, artist Candy Chang painted the side of an abandoned house in her
New Orleans neighborhood with chalkboard paint and stenciled the
sentence, "Before I die I want to _____." Within a day of the wall's
completion, it was covered in colorful chalk dreams as neighbors stopped
and reflected on their lives. Since then, more than four hundred Before
I Die walls have been created by people all over the world. This
beautiful hardcover book is an inspiring celebration of these walls and
the stories behind them. Filled with hope, fear, humor, and heartbreak,
Before I Die presents an intimate portrait of the dreams within our
communities and a chance to ponder life's ultimate question. @goodreads
I have had this book for awhile. I got it from Book Outlet and I'm so
glad I did, it made me feel so good to read about what this lady started
all over the world. 
The front and back cover of this book is beautiful. It looks like the walls that are out there in the world.
While
looking for photo's from the book, I freaking found that we have a wall
here in Chattanooga! YES! It's down the interstate toward downtown
though. =( Most of my good friends on here know I have agoraphobia (fear
of leaving the house) and my panic disorder causes all kinds of
problems being in a car. It takes all I can to ride to my doctor's
appointments. Luckily they are all about 5 minutes away. But, this wall
will not be something I can handle to go and write on. Maybe that should
be one of my goals, to make it to that wall. Here is a woman in
Chattanooga getting ready to write on the wall. 
From the link I read, our wall was revealed in June of this year (2017) and it was set up by Hospice and some others.
I
decided I'm making my own wall, but inside a notebook. I think it is a
wonderful thing to have and I want to write down any and everything. I
thought about talking to dad about making one and putting it right in
our front yard!
Here are a few pictures of some other walls. 
This
book was put out in 2013 (at least my edition was) so there are
probably millions of these places that haven't been documented yet. I
think they might have a website too. I would think so.
In this book is says there are over 200 walls created on 6 continents & 40+ countries. I think that is amazing.
Well, I was looking for an inspirational book and I found it ♥
Here is a little thing I made of a few of the comments on the walls. 
Also,
at the end of the book it gives you instructions on how to make your
own wall. Getting permission, materials, stencils etc. I think it's
perfect, just perfect.
Mel ♥
GOODREADS REVIEW:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2094292426
