More Than This by Patrick Ness

A boy named Seth drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments, losing his life as the pounding sea claims him. But then he wakes. He is naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. How is that possible? He remembers dying, his bones breaking, his skull dashed upon the rocks. So how is he here? And where is this place? The street seems familiar, but everything is abandoned, overgrown, covered in dust.

What's going on? Is it real? Or has he woken up in his own personal hell? Seth begins to search for answers, hoping desperately that there must be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife... @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1332085286

I am just stunned. This is one of the best sci-fi young adult books I have read. And I must admit this is the first book I have read from this author, but it's certainly not the last. I wonder if there is going to be a sequel to this book. The ending left it open that way.

Anyway, this book is so sad in so many ways... but...it's not anything I was ever expecting. Imagine you kill yourself over a lot of different things that have happened to you. And then... you wake up. Somewhere. Where are you? Why are you alone? Why are you basically naked? Wait, is that my old neighborhood? Where are all of the people, the animals. Am. I. In. Hell?

This book keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole thing. The Whole Thing! I didn't want to put it down. The world the author created is amazing. The storyline, when you find out what is going on is just mind blowing, at least to me.

I am definitely buying this book. I would love to read this book over and over! The main character is Seth. He has some hard times come down on him, but what happens after is so cool I hardly have words to describe it.


Seth has some good friends and a decent family and later on he meets some really cool peeps named Regine and Tomasz. I love these characters. I love all of the things they have to go through. I love all of the things they find out. I love this freaking book!!!

I don't care if you are a person that doesn't like young adult, if you like sci-fi, you will like this book. I don't see how you can't.

The storyline is beautiful, scary, creepy to the nth at times and I WANT TO READ MORE!

And this is another reason I love Goodreads, I find so many awesome books to read and buy :)
Fin
 
5 Stars

 

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

When criminal investigations take a weird turn, the officers of the Chicago Police Department call in Harry Dresden! A wizard and private investigator with formidable yet unrefined skills, the young Dresden is more than capable of tracking down and facing the perps, whether they be black magic practitioners, blood-hungry werewolves, or worse! This first volume of The Dresden Files Omnibus collects three complete comic book story arcs, including the exclusive-for-comics tale, "Welcome to the Jungle", the adaptations of the universe-defining "Storm Front" and "Fool Moon" novels, plus additional content set within official continuity of Jim Butcher's beloved magic noir universe. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1317533302

I loved this omnibus! The graphics are amazing! There are the three novels that I loved and a little one at the end that was ok.

The first one is Welcome To The Jungle which is one of my favorites. I loved the zoo setting and that Harry had to get the animals off the hook for the killings.

And for the love of Bob :)



I just think he is great! I love how he helps Harry out in the books.

There is a powerful, or she thinks she is powerful, witch up against Harry in this first book. She sends all kinds of things after Harry like this black dog!



But... she can't keep Harry down.

The next is Storm Front and this is the first and only Harry book I have read yet! I have to read more! When I read that book I wanted there to be a graphic novel out so I could see Toot Toot and I had no idea there was one out, or the comic anyway. Here he is in all his glory :)



I think he is an awesome fairy! There is a lot going on in this book as well. Someone is making people's hearts explode to put it mildly. And once again someone is sending creatures after Harry!



Here he is fighting naked, but it's censored...sooo. Boo!


I loved Fool Moon, I was actually sad about it because I love wolves and werewolves and in this book the one werewolf couldn't control himself. I mean it is what it is right? And he's such a nice guy ordinarily.

Harry makes some wolfy friends in this one :)



Ok, not in that picture obviously. That is good wolf gone bad. He's got Murphy down too!

I think anyone that loves Harry Dresden or just the Dresden Files, should get this book because it is awesome!
 
5 Stars

 

Once Upon A Zombie (Book 1) by Billy Phillips

When Caitlin Fletcher’s mom disappeared (or left?) four years ago, Caitlin began suffering from breathless bouts of anxiety. Her new move to London, with her Dad and her brainiac sister, threatens to lead to more situations that will trigger panic. Now, she’s having anxiety over the possibility of having anxiety!
Caitlin’s life takes a turn for the bizarre when she’s tricked into climbing down a “rabbit hole” landing in a wondrous fairy tale universe —except it’s crawling with savage starving blood-eyed zombies. All the timeless fairy tale characters who once lived forever are now the living dead— think Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty. Even worse they’re famished. Definitely not the ideal situation for a vulnerable young girl prone to panic attacks. @netgalley

MY REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1348893313               4 STARS

I want to say first that I think the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful!

This is a new series called Once Upon A Zombie. The first book is called The Color of Fear. The book is a fairy tale book.. yep.. a fairy tale book. Characters from fairy tales are zombies :)

Lets start a little from the beginning ~ with no spoilers, at least not any that will hurt the book.

The main character is Caitlin, she is 14 and she has a sister named Natalie who is 11. I actually like Natalie better because she is smart as a whip and funny! She has a lot of snark for one so young :) Poor Caitlin suffers from panic attacks. They suck, I have them. Anyway, she has had them ever since her mom disappeared four years ago in London. Well, Caitlin's dad moves them to London which makes Caitlin panic because she doesn't want to be the new girl at school and picked on... who does.

Anyway, there are some jerk girls at the school that treat her bad, but there is a nice guy named Jack that she meets and hangs out with him. The book doesn't dwell too much on the school stuff because there are more important things to do in the book.

Jack tells Caitlin about all of these cemeteries across the world that have ghosts coming out of old fairy tale author's graves. Weird, huh? So on the night of the Halloween dance, which is also Caitlin's bday, Jack wants them to go and meet at the cemetery because they have a famous fairy tale author there.

Some stupid stuff happens because of the jerk girls from school and Caitlin ends up going to the cemetery at a different time than planned with Jack. Little Natalie follows her and there they are in the cemetery on Halloween! Lo and behold a ghost crawls out of the grave. I will give one mild spoiler. The ghost is Rapunzel :)

From here on Caitlyn and Natalie are pulled into the fairy tale world where there is Cinderella, Snow White, The Red Queen, etc. There are bad things going on in this world. They are all zombies! Now why is this happening? Can't tell ya :) and there is a character in this world that shocks Caitlin and Natalie.

This book is full of the craziness of Alice in Wonderland, zombie wonderland creatures, even the plants are not right. Some zombies and things get killed or hurt, but Caitlin takes care of what they want her to help them with and Wonderland is set right again.....or is it?

After all is said and done and Caitlin is over all of the surprises and home in bed, another ghost visits and wants her help. And off we go to another story that isn't quite finished.

I loved the book and I look forward to actually having these books as a collection, especially with such a beautiful cover. I wonder what the next one will look like :)

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SMITH PUBLICITY for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

AMAZON LINK:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/193566834X?colid=200PK5IIT8BDX&coliid=ILZC652URW2VP&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl

Armada by Ernest Cline

Zack Lightman has spent his life dreaming. Dreaming that the real world could be a little more like the countless science-fiction books, movies, and videogames he’s spent his life consuming. Dreaming that one day, some fantastic, world-altering event will shatter the monotony of his humdrum existence and whisk him off on some grand space-faring adventure.

But hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little escapism, right? After all, Zack tells himself, he knows the difference between fantasy and reality. He knows that here in the real world, aimless teenage gamers with anger issues don’t get chosen to save the universe.

And then he sees the flying saucer.

Even stranger, the alien ship he’s staring at is straight out of the videogame he plays every night, a hugely popular online flight simulator called Armada—in which gamers just happen to be protecting the earth from alien invaders.

No, Zack hasn’t lost his mind. As impossible as it seems, what he’s seeing is all too real. And his skills—as well as those of millions of gamers across the world—are going to be needed to save the earth from what’s about to befall it.

It’s Zack’s chance, at last, to play the hero. But even through the terror and exhilaration, he can’t help thinking back to all those science-fiction stories he grew up with, and wondering: Doesn’t something about this scenario seem a little…familiar?

At once gleefully embracing and brilliantly subverting science-fiction conventions as only Ernest Cline could, Armada is a rollicking, surprising thriller, a classic coming of age adventure, and an alien invasion tale like nothing you’ve ever read before—one whose every page is infused with the pop-culture savvy that has helped make Ready Player One a phenomenon. @goodreads


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1335320695

Oh. My. God. What did I just read! My eyes teared up at the end of this book! YES! I teared up, don't judge me! :)

The first of the book just moved a long like normal with Zack being a boy that loved his video games and had anger management issues, but... I don't think he had anger management issues myself because if what happened to him to create that situation happened to me... you better believe I would have done the same thing! Kudos, Zack. You want to know what I'm talking about? Read the book :)

So, Zack plays video games with people all over the world. He is a senior in high school and works part time at a cool game store! They have EVERYTHING! It's a video nerds wet dream. All of the old school stuff and new too.

Let me tell you, this book is so full of the 80's that I wanted to step back in time! All of the old 80's games they talked about, the 80's music they listened to while playing the game, and references to 80's movies!!! Ok, I still have a ton of 80's music and I was singing away throughout the book when they mentioned a song.

I'm not giving out spoilers..soooo... some crazy things start to happen and I was thinking... this seems like The Last Starfighter or maybe, Starship Troopers.. Tron? It had a bit of all and more.

I love the camaraderie between the groups of friends in the situations they were put in throughout the book. I must say I honestly thought at the end of the book they were going to pull a SIKE.. all you just read was not real and so forth and so on. THAT did not happen. I would never have thought of that ending. I mean really? And I also teared up as I already said.

I recommend to anyone that loves the 80's, loves games, loves sci fi. You really need to be in touch with your 80's! The book isn't set in the 80's though.. sorry if I gave off that idea. It's set in the here and now, it's just got some cool peeps that love the gold ole days! I loved it!!!

**I would like to thank BLOGGING FOR BOOKS for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
 
5 Stars

 Ernest Cline is a novelist, screenwriter, father, and full-time geek. His first novel, READY PLAYER ONE, was a New York Times and USA Today best seller and appeared on numerous "best of the year" lists.  Ernie lives in Austin, Texas, with his family, a time-traveling DeLorean, and a large collection of classic videogames.

The Girl's Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb

Welcome to the Apocalypse. Your forecast includes acid rain, roving gangs and misplaced priorities, in this comedic take on the end of the world as we know it, from debut author Daphne Lamb.

As a self-entitled, self-involved, and ill equipped millennial, Verdell probably wouldn’t have ranked very high on the list of those most likely to survive the end of the world, but here she is anyway. Add in travelling with her work addicted boss, her boyfriend who she has “meh” feelings for, and a handful of others who had no businesses surviving as long as they have, and things aren’t exactly going as planned. But despite threats of cannibalism, infected water supplies, and possibly even mutants, Verdell is willing to put in as little effort as she can get away with to survive. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1347836339

I freaking loved this book!!!!!! It's so hilarious, I was laughing at ever turn. This isn't a book about zombies. It's a book about a virus that kills people, but it's about how to survive in the apocalypse with a lot of crazy people. The most you have to worry about in this apocalypse is other people killing and beheading you, or worse!

The main character is Verdell Sonobe. She works as a data coordinator for Mitchellwide Industries. She has a friend, Tatiana who works there with her. They get split up during the ensuing apocalypse, but find each other again later. She has a boyfriend, Bruce, who isn't all that great. Her boss Robert is nutzy cuckoo! I love it. I just love it. I laughed so much at these people.

The the apocalypse hits and everyone is told to stay indoors, so Verdell is locked up with her boss and some other nuts for a bit of time. Robert still thinks he's in charge and still trying to run the business. He's so out of it and funny!

They finally get hauled out of the place to get taking to a zone but all hell breaks loose and they are running for their lives. It ends up that Verdell is with Bruce, Robert, Priscilla, and Debra. She worked with Priscilla and Debra as well. Debra and her boss Robert are on the crazy train and it's amazing to watch them act this story out.

To make a long story short, they have run ins with cannibals, cults, gangs, nuts in general, they lose and find each other more than you would think. But the commentary in this book with each person and situation is awesome. I love Verdell, she just plays along with all of these nut jobs. Although, you have to be careful what you say to some of them, they might just off you!

The book ends like their might be another one and I certainly hope so :)

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and BOOKTROPE for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.**
 
5 Stars 

New Spring by Robert Jordan

In the last few years before his death, Robert Jordan worked closely with Chuck Dixon and Mike Miller on the graphic adaptation of New Spring.

The eight full-color issues of New Spring, released between 2005 and 2010, tell the story of the search for the infant Dragon Reborn and of the adventures of Moiraine Damodred, a young Aes Sedai, and Lan Mandragoran, the uncrowned king of a long-dead nation.  Adapted by noted comics writer Chuck Dixon with the full cooperation of Robert Jordan, and illustrated by artists Mike Miller and Harvey Tolibao, New Spring will delight any of Robert Jordan’s millions of readers.

Tor is proud to collect all eight issues of New Spring in a single volume, which will also include developmental art, script pages, and correspondence between Jordan and Dixon. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1347851319

Um, I don't know. I couldn't really get into this graphic novel too much. I wasn't too sure about some of the things going on. That being said, I have had all of the Wheel of Time books for some time now and have not gotten to read one of them yet!! There are just so many books and too little time. I don't know if I would have started the books first if that would have helped, although I'm not sure what that would have to do with it.

I thought the graphics were so beautiful! I will add a couple on my blog as usual. But, something weird happened to the graphics toward the end. People started looking a little cartoon-ish and I think this is where I got really lost.

They have bonus material at the back showing Robert Jordan corresponding to the artists, etc.

There is also an illustrated glossary at the back of the book that I liked in particular. I like al'Lan Mandragoran. He's uh.. cool. I also thought the Ogier are the most awesome looking beings. I would like to have seen more of them :)

Overall, it was a decent graphic novel.

3 Stars

The Lost Girl by R.L. Stine

Generations of children and teens have grown up on R.L. Stine's bestselling and hugely popular horror series, Fear Street and Goosebumps. Now, the Fear Street series is back with a chilling new installment, packed with pure nightmare fodder that will scare Stine's avid fan base of teen readers and adults. New student Lizzy Palmer is the talk of Shadyside High. Michael and his girlfriend Pepper befriend her, but the closer they get to her, the stranger she seems… and the more attractive she is to Michael. He invites her to join him on a snowmobile race that ends in a tragic accident. Soon, Michael's friends start being murdered, and Pepper becomes convinced that Lizzy is behind the killings. But to her total shock, she and Michael are drawn into a tragic story of an unthinkable betrayal committed over 60 years ago. Frightening and tense in the way that only this master of horror can deliver, The Lost Girl is another terrifying Fear Street novel by the king of juvenile horror. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1347170907

I used to read R.L. Stine's Fear Street books when I was younger and just loved them. It's nice to read a new one many years later.

At first a lot of the things going on in the book was getting on my nerves. The way some of the characters acted, but it turned out awesome when I found out the whole story! I don't want to give out any spoilers so lets see if I can put this together in a way that makes sense :) Mild spoilers then.

The book goes back and forth in time, telling two different stories. Back in 1950 Beth watched her father die a horrific death at the hands of Martin Dooley. It was just a very sick way to be killed. She had a bit of powers she learned from her grandmother but she couldn't help her dad. I could not even begin to imagine! The bad guys spot her and take off after her, but she runs into the Fear Street woods. Martin's son Aaron chases after her. They are both soon lost.

Now to present day. You have Michael, his girlfriend Pepper and a few of their friends. It is their senior year of high school and they are just trying to get through it.

A new girl named Lizzy arrives on the scene and causes problems with everyone. She ends up breaking up Micheal and Pipper and horns in on everything.

One day they all go out on snowmobiles and Michael hits a guy coming out of the woods. He thinks he kills him and they all leave him there because they are scared.

Then Michael starts getting threatening phone calls saying he and his friends are going to die. It's from the guy that Lizzie says is named Angel, a guy who was bad news from her old school. He's the same guy they left in the woods!

Some people are killed and the story gets a little creepy, but finally at the end it all falls into place and at that point it reeks of old school Fear Street :)

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and ST. MARTIN'S PRESS for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book for my honest review.**

4 Stars

Impulse by Ellen Hopkins

Sometimes you don't wake up. But if you happen to, you know things will never be the same.

Three lives, three different paths to the same destination: Aspen Springs, a psychiatric hospital for those who have attempted the ultimate act -- suicide.

Vanessa is beautiful and smart, but her secrets keep her answering the call of the blade.

Tony, after suffering a painful childhood, can only find peace through pills.

And Conner, outwardly, has the perfect life. But dig a little deeper and find a boy who is in constant battle with his parents, his life, himself.

In one instant each of these young people decided enough was enough. They grabbed the blade, the bottle, the gun -- and tried to end it all. Now they have a second chance, and just maybe, with each other's help, they can find their way to a better life -- but only if they're strong and can fight the demons that brought them here in the first place. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1340724867

Holy noooooo! I knew this was going to happen. I just knew it. I'm guessing everyone would if they read the book.

This story is about three kids, Conner, Vanessa and Tony who all tried to commit suicide. Each of their stories is very sad..so very sad. They all end up in the same psych ward together and form a friendship.

One has overbearing parents that push their children to be the best, they have no warmth for the children. They just keep pushing them. And it pushes the one over the edge to have an affair with an older person, but when that ends, it pushes them over the edge. Gunshot...

One has a father in the military and left at home with a grandmother, a little brother and a mother who is bipolar and accidentally kills herself. Cuts the vein...

One has a father that left and a mother that lets her boyfriend molest them. In juvie for years and years from killing the molester. Pills...booze...

I felt for each of these characters. They push different drugs on them that seem to help.. all but one. Everything is good...until they die :(


This author writes the most heartfelt, real stories and I just love them. They are horrible, but they are based on real life. Unfortunately.

Great book, sad and great.   5 Stars

 

NIGHTBLOOM by Juliette Cross

The love between a human and a Morgon, the dragon-hybrid race, tempts fate once more…

All her life, Ella Barrow has allowed others to make her decisions. Forced to stifle her artistic talents and stay in a loveless relationship with Clayton Kerrington, the man her mother believes to be her perfect match, Ella’s life may be safe—but it’s not her own. Paxon Nightwing, on the other hand, is anything but the safe choice.

A charming and alluring Morgon, Paxon sees Ella for the woman she truly is. His bold confidence and protective nature ignites a passion she’s never felt before. But a dark family tragedy forces their secrecy—until Clayton makes it impossible to hide their clandestine affair. Will Ella be strong enough to fight for herself at last? Or will she succumb once more and risk losing the only man she’s ever loved? @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1346874637

OMG! This book is freaking awesome! I haven't even read the first two yet, but I am going to for sure! This is the 3rd book in the series, but it's great as a stand alone.

I wanted to step into my little paranormal fantasy romance world with a hot new group to add to my collection! :) I have never read a romance that had dragon/men characters before and let me tell you it's HOT! Hmmmm, literally.. they blow fire when they are in the fighting ring, but I didn't mean that as a pun. Lol

So.. Ella Barrow is this young lady who is an artist and living at home with her rich family. Her best friends, Sorcha and Jessen married Morgon's (dragon men). Sorcha owns a nightclub and other businesses. And none of them can stand Ella's boyfriend, Clayton. He is a big jerk! Ella has to find that out the hard way, but she's already head over heels with Paxon who is a Morgon. She was introduced to him by Sorcha at one of her businesses.

There is a saying about Morgon men that when they find their one true mate.

"Soulfire builds within the man as soon as he meets her or as soon as the dragon recognizes her as his own. It continues to grow stronger, burning in his core, until his mate accepts him so he can release his elixer into her."

I love that line from the book :) Ok, so they don't turn into dragons, they are not shape-shifters. They are just part man and part dragon. The dragon is inside accept for the wings. They have awesome wings and Paxon takes Ella flying. He can be my superman/dragon any day!

Ella has to get her parents to accept Paxon, especially her mother who had a bad experience with a jerk Morgon when she was younger. A lot of things go down with stupid Clayton as well, but in the end it all works out.

I am definately buying this book when it comes out!

This book has some explicit things in it so I would advise before letting anyone under a certain age read it.
**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and KENSINGTON BOOKS for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this book for my honest review.**   5 Stars! 

 

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

One day Han Alister catches three young wizard setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet away from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won't use it against him. The amulet once belonged to the Demon King, who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece so powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana'Marianna has her own battle to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of riding and hunting with her father's family. Raia aspires to be like Hanalea, the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems that her mother has other plans for her-plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning page-turner from best-selling author Cinda Williams Chima. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1319948018

I loved this book! I'm very excited about this series. It's off to an awesome start!

I love most of the characters in the book. The two main stories revolve around Han and Raisa. Han is a poor boy that lives in the towns outside of the kingdom. He has some kind of cuffs that are around his wrists and I wonder what these could be there for?... He does his best to take care of his mom and sister. At one time he was the leader of a gang, but he saw the error of his ways.

Then you have Raisa who is a little bit of a brat, but I love that she takes her life into her own hands and also that she is a princess of the Gray Wolf Lineage. She is to be a Gray Wolf Queen. Hells yeah, my favorite animal! :)

We have wizards, jerks that are guards, gangs, more jerk wizards. I just think it's a great book.

I love Raisa's dad who doesn't live at the castle. That is a whole other story you will have to read about yourself :) I love her best friend Amon, who has become a queen's guard like his father, and they don't like the corrupt guards that are in there with them, but nothing they can do for now.

There are several wonderful characters in the book that I look a liking to, but I'm not going to list them all here.

I look forward to reading the other books this author has written in this series and any others as well.   5 Stars

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart...

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough... @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1345967616

I don't even know what to say about this book :( I put off reading it for a very long time. I didn't want the series to end, but all things must come to an end at some point.

I'm going to miss all of these characters so much. It seems like so many were crammed into this one as I guess a good-bye to each one. I felt like I didn't get enough of them. I felt like they were just taken from me too quickly.

I will miss Sookie and all of the characters. I'm not even sure how to rate this book because I didn't think it was as good as the other books, but I still love the characters. All of the previous books were set up with such strong feelings, desires, love, lust, and a whole lot of crazy. There was a little crazy in this book, but it just didn't feel the same. I'm not really sure how you would end a series as full of strong characters like these.

I wasn't very fond of Sam in this book. I know how it was explained that he didn't feel like himself, but he seemed like a big dork to me. That's not the Sam I remember.

Part of me wanted it to be a wacked out crazy fantasy ending where Sookie has all the supernaturals as her boyfriends :) She would be Sookie the Super Slut! But, I digress.

The ending did go out nice and sweet and I guess I'm glad for that, but I just feel bummed about the whole thing.
 
3 Stars

Watership Down by Richard Adams

Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of friends, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1339777998


OMG! I can't believe it has taken me all of these years to read this book! It was such a wonderful book. There were some sad things, but I was able to get through it.

I loved getting lost in this world of rabbits, where they talked of their fears, of things they needed to get done, the great camaraderie between each and every one of them. They were all so brave. I loved them all. I had a soft spot mostly for Hazel, Fiver, and Bigwig. I even loved Kehaar! They were all so wonderful and such little hero's!

Even though the rabbits where going through all of these hardships I felt like I was taken back in time... to a time of childhood and great things. I guess it's hard to explain, but I'm sure some of you know what I'm talking about. You didn't have to read this as a child to get that feeling.

I would recommend this book to anyone that hasn't read it yet. It will take you away to another world for a little bit of your life and it's worth it. 5 Stars

Ever After by Odessa Gillespie Black

In order to fully inherit a millionaire’s fortune, Allie Knowles must survive a month on her property—easier said than done when the enormous house is haunted by a violent ghost who claims to know Allie. But the true mystery lies with Cole Kinsley, the handsome groundskeeper. Cole and Allie have never met, though he’s been driving her wild in her dreams for years. Yet now, every effort to get closer to him pushes him further away…

Cole has only ever loved one soul and that love has endured for centuries. Now that soul rests within Allie’s body and it takes everything in his power not to confess the truth. For her presence has put them both in mortal danger. Racing against the clock, Allie will have to break the ghost’s curse—or history will be doomed to repeat itself. @ goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1342367400

The cover of this book is beautiful, but don't let that fool you. Even though it's listed as a paranormal romance, it's not all about romance. We have one evil, nasty arse looking ghost up in the manor trying to kill certain people from some curse that has been going on for decades.

Allison (Allie) Knowles inherits Ava Rollins huge manor and money when she passes away. Allie was just living a simple life with her mom and family in Whispering Pine, NC when this happened. Now she is rich beyond reason, having to fight off a ghost and in love.

Cole Kinsley is one of the workers of the mansion and Allie and Cole are madly in love. No, it's not the insta-love, although I thought it might be at first. Before Allie even met Cole she was having dreams about him. It turns out it's a centuries-old love, but I won't give out that spoiler.

Allie is funny and a spitfire. She does do things at times that make you want to smack her but that's the way it goes. She made a funny comment when she got there upon meeting the family vultures that had descended to see if they were going to get anything out of the will. She said, "The last few family members could have scared flies off a shit wagon." I loved it...only in the South right :)

The story unfolds and she finds out about the ghost and curse. She has to try to break this curse with the help of Kaitlyn and Shelby. There are things in the book from time to time that irritated me, the get on with it kind of thing. But I think overall the book was really good. I like the idea of the premise. Did I mention there was a shape-shifter in the midst too? :)

I would like to continue on with the series as it comes out.

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and KENSINGTON BOOKS for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.**    4 Stars

The Casualties by Nick Holdstock

In the vein of The Leftovers, a man recounts the final weeks of his neighborhood before the apocalyptic event which only a few of the eccentric residents will survive.

Samuel Clark likes secrets. He wants to know the hidden stories of the bizarre characters on the little streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. He wants to know about a nymphomaniac, a man who lives under a bridge, a girl with a cracked face. He wants to uncover their histories because he has secrets of his own. He believes, as people do, that he is able to change. He believes, as the whole world does, that there is plenty of time to solve his problems. But Samuel Clark and the rest of the world are wrong. Change and tragedy are going to scream into his and everyone’s lives. It will be a great transformation, a radical change; and it just might be worth the cost.

Written by a rising literary star whose work has been published in notoriously selective publications such as n+1 and The Southern Review, The Casualties is an ambitious debut novel that explores how we see ourselves, our past and our possible futures. It asks the biggest question: How can we be saved? @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1298596629

I started out really loving this book, but somewhere along the way I started getting confused with the way the author was writing back and forth with people.

Overall I enjoyed reading about the different characters in the story. There is Sam Clark that owns a bookstore. Alasdair is a homeless man that sleeps under the bridge and yells out cures and random strange things to people. You find out later who he really is. Caitlin works at the charity clothes store next door to Sam's bookstore. She also has issues with her face cracking. She goes to the dermatologist once in the book, but nothing is ever rectified. Toby is a grossly obese boy who's mom has to put locks on all of the cabinets and refrigerator so he won't gorge himself. He seems to have some mental issues and doesn't understand much, just eating. His mom can't take him out for fear he will attack someone with food on them. Mrs. Maclean is a teacher and she just wants to die. Rita and Sean are drunks that hang out on the beach and on their favorite bench. Sinead is a nympho that ends up being Toby's caregiver and for some reason she doesn't get sexually crazy around him, thank God! Trudy is a prostitute that Sam visits from time to time. There is a man that owns the store but his name has gotten away from me, he visits Trudy too, but he's not good to her.

All of these people have strange little stories to tell in the book. There are random people mentioned in the book that are very curious as well.

This book is like a pre-apocalypse book. This story is set in 2016 and supposedly a billion people die in 2017. You have to keep on your toes in the book or you will get lost.

This all happens in a little town in Scotland called Comely Bank.

I love how the author added pictures of people in the book. These pictures come from an old family album Alasdair finds in the garbage. They are old time pictures and I think they are great.

I liked this book well enough because I love to read books about people and their lives, even if it is just fiction. I didn't like getting confused from time to time. Don't let my review take away from your wanting to read it yourself because my confusion may not be yours :)

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and ST. MARTIN'S PRESS for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book for my honest review.**
 
3 Stars

Black Arts by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock is a shape-shifting skinwalker who always takes care of her own—no matter the cost...

When Evan Trueblood blows into town looking for his wife, Molly, he’s convinced that she came to see her best friend, Jane. But it seems like the witch made it to New Orleans and then disappeared without a trace.

Jane is ready to do whatever it takes to find her friend. Her desperate search leads her deep into a web of black magic and betrayal and into the dark history between vampires and witches. But the closer she draws to Molly, the closer she draws to a new enemy—one who is stranger and more powerful than any she has ever faced. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1281026703

Another awesome Jane Yellowrock book! I love her! She is just bad-to-the-bone.

Her best friend Molly, who is a witch, leaves a note for her husband saying she is coming to see Jane...but... she didn't. She never showed up and no one knows where she is or what happened. Evan, Molly's husband, blows into town, literally, almost blowing Jane's house away trying to find Molly. Did I mention he's a powerful Sorcerer? He brings their two kids who call Jane aunt and are precious. Jane and her inner cat love the kids.

So, Jane and her live-in partners, Eli (battle ready) and the Kid (tech geek), all get started tracing Molly's steps. And of course.. when your trying to do one thing, other things come up. Katie, who is a powerful vampire and owns Jane's house, puts Jane on the case of finding a couple of her missing girls. She runs a brothel, so to speak.

Then we have Leo, who is another powerful vampire, wants her to set up security for a meeting of the vampires, called a gather.

I would just go nuts with all of this going on, but Jane can handle it. Well, until she gets to see her old flame for a bit and as usual, it's very painful. That's a whole other story.

Once again Faith Hunter's book is filled with fighting, killing, mystery, mad-wacked out crazy vamps and a whole slew of other things.

The only thing is Jane only turned into her cat once in this book. I'm ok with that though as I love Jane no matter if she's herself or in her cat form. I did mention she is a skinwalker, right? Cherokee too.. Woot :)

Needless to say I recommend to all lovers of the paranormal genre!  5 Stars

Pines by Blake Crouch

Wayward Pines, Idaho, is quintessential small-town America - or so it seems. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in search of two missing federal agents, yet soon is facing much more than he bargained for. After a violent accident lands him in the hospital, Ethan comes to with no ID and no cell phone. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels...off. As the days pass, Ethan's investigation into his colleagues' disappearance turns up more questions than answers. Why can't he make contact with his family in the outside world? Why doesn't anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what's the purpose of the electrified fences encircling the town? Are they keeping the residents in? Or something else out? Each step toward the truth takes Ethan further from the world he knows, until he must face the horrifying possibility that he may never leave Wayward Pines alive...
@goodreads

MY REVIEW:

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1331941925

Ok, wow! This book just blew me away. It kept me guessing all the way through to the end game! Until the next book that is :)

I felt like I was on a crazy train ride! This book is so awesome! It's creepy and could really happen some day, it could be happening now.

Imagine waking up all beat to crap, not knowing what happened to you or who you are! And if that's not weird enough, your in a town that is just flat out STRANGE. What is wrong with the people of Wayward Pines?

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can't even think of what to say because it would be full of too many spoilers!

I can say if you want to read a book that is full of crazy and what the.. moments, then you need to read this book.   4 Stars

In a world of it's own!

The Sister Pact by Stacie Ramey

A suicide pact was supposed to keep them together, but a broken promise tore them apart

Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide--and not just because she misses her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life, and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.

Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.

But the more she clings to Leah, the more secretes surface. Allie's not sure which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1338668579

When I first started reading this book I couldn't put it down. The book is about Allie and Leah, sisters... but Leah committed suicide. She had a pact with Allie that if they were ever going to do something like that, they would go together....but Leah went....alone..

Like I said, when I first started to read the book I couldn't put it down, but then I started to get frustrated and irritated at the way Allie was acting. This is where my own mental and medical issues pushes all of that aside and I open my mind to what other people would do, how they would act, how they could get on your nerves. No one acts the same way. People do so many stupid things. People hate you. People love you. People DON'T understand you.

Allie is going through so much sadness over her sister's suicide that she is making decisions that are not good for her. She has friends, or what she thinks of as friends. There is Max, he's a big jerk. Emery, who you find out later is a big jerk. It almost seems you can't rely on anyone in the world any more.

Her mom is addicted to pills and has issues of her own, her dad is a jerk that left them all for another woman.

Allie finds solace in a nice guy named Nick. Allie is an artist and she finds out Nick is an artist as well and they have an art class together when she goes back to school. She also finds a good friend in the so called "bad boy" John Strickland. He is bad when he first comes into the scene with drugs etc. But she finds out all the answers she needs about her sister through John. She had no clue at all. And it is so very, very sad.

There are a lot of trials Allie has to go through in the book, but at the end so many good things just fall into place. I was so happy for her and I really loved this book. And like I say in books I read like this, so many things like this happen in the real world. I wish people would just listen a little more...watch a little more... care a little more.

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**
 
5 Stars

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

The New York Times bestselling The School for Good and Evil, the first book in the series, is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one. This paperback edition features an Extras section, giving readers a chance to see which school they'd be in and a Q&A with the author, Soman Chainani.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are? @goodreads

MY REVIEW:


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1331214330

First let me say I LOVE the cover of this book! It is so awesome!

I thought the book was great!

Sophie and Agatha are friends, but they are both so different. Sophie is all about being beautiful and Agatha could care less. Sophie wants nothing more than to be kidnapped by the School Master and taken to the school of Good and Evil, the good side of course. Agatha doesn't want anything to do with it or for Sophie to be taken either.

When a shadow pulls Sophie into the forest, Agatha is there holding on to her for dear life trying to keep her from going. Well.... they both get taken to the school but they are on the wrong sides. Sophie is supposed to be on the good side and Agatha on the evil side... or are they?

There is so many cool things going on in this book. It is a new and fun take on fairy tales and I love it. The way the author portrays the schools I wouldn't want to go to either one! :)

Those children that fail get turned into animals or other things and have to just live in the woods forever!!!! I thought that was cool too. Well, not cool for the kids, but I digress.

Through the whole book Agatha is trying to get them back to their homes. Sophie just wants to get into the right school. She wants her prince and nice pretty things.

I fell in love with Agatha, here character is sweet and I never saw any evil in her at all. She is someone I would want to have as a friend!

There is fighting, killing, warts, creatures, magic and many more things in this book. I look forward to the other two books in the trilogy!  4 Stars
 

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

From Harper Lee comes a landmark new novel set two decades after her beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch - 'Scout' - returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past - a journey that can be guided only by one's conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humor and effortless precision - a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to an American classic. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1189756746

The high rating on this book is all for Scout! She is amazing. Even though this book was written before To Kill A Mockingbird, it's still the same ole Scout. She cusses up a storm, doesn't put up with anyone's nonsense and fights for what is right!

I was very sad at some things in the book..no spoilers. And there are some things that just made me sick. I could understand Scout up there cussing every body and their mama!

Aunt Alexandra is the same hateful woman. I thought she needed to be smacked in Mockingbird and she needs to be smacked again in this book!

I loved how they put in some of the old times with the kids when they were young. It makes me want to go and put in the movie :)

I would recommend this book to anyone that did have a great love of Scout, but know that it's a bit rough to say the least!  4 Stars

I love Scout! :)

Wicked by Gregory Maguire

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

An astonishingly rich re-creation of the land of Oz, this book retells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who wasn't so wicked after all. Taking readers past the yellow brick road and into a phantasmagoric world rich with imagination and allegory, Gregory Maguire just might change the reputation of one of the most sinister characters in literature. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1302505304

I thought this book was good and sad. I thought I had listened to it on tape years ago, but I didn't remember it at all.

I felt really sorry for Elphaba (the wicked witch of the west) because from the day she was born (green) she was not liked by her parents or too many people in the world. She was tolerated and a few choice people liked her. It's just like normal society where people are prejudiced against anything different. I'm guessing that would turn a lot of people wicked. But in my mind she wasn't really wicked. I thought she was awesome for fighting for the animals, as I am a wildlife activist. She always tried to be nice and be friends with people and they just shot her down.

I don't understand why her parents loved her younger sister so much. She was born with deformities but she was treated like a queen. It seemed odd to me, but maybe I missed something. Her sister did become the wicked witch of the east.

The book was strange in a lot of ways and I found myself thinking "what is going on" throughout a lot of the book. Even so, I very much loved reading about Elphaba's birth and life growing up.

I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series. I just hope I don't get too lost in those! 

4 Stars

 

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

Pattyn Von Stratten’s father is dead, and Pattyn is on the run. After far too many years of abuse at the hands of her father, and after the tragic loss of her beloved Ethan and their unborn child, Pattyn is desperate for peace. Only her sister Jackie knows what happened that night, but she is stuck at home with their mother, who clings to normalcy by allowing the truth to be covered up by their domineering community leaders. Her father might be finally gone, but without Pattyn, Jackie is desperately isolated. Alone and in disguise, Pattyn starts a new life, but is it even possible to rebuild a life when everything you’ve known has burned to ash and lies seem far safer than the truth? @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1337779891

Wow! Just when you think there can be no more heartache, you read the second book :(

This story brings to life what really happened the night Pattyn's dad was killed. This one also brings Jackie's story into play. She is the oldest child after Pattyn. I think there is, what, 9 of them in all. Either way it's a big brood!

What these two girls go through in their lives is atrocious. It just makes me sick and so mad! Pattyn's dad got what was coming to him, we don't really see that in the first novel.

Some really bad things happen to Jackie in this book, it actually takes place in the other book, but we don't find out about it until this book. I do know that after what I find out, I can't stand her mother. I mean I can not even imagine a parent treating their kids this way, but I know it happens in the real world every day.

The author wrote this book in the same beautiful way as the first book. I really loved this book as much as the first one.

Pattyn is on the run and ends up with some wonderful people,one which is Angel, that help get her a job. But as you know, everywhere she goes, tragedy strikes.

BUT, ALAS, I am so glad to announce this book had a happy ending. FINALLY! The girls have a happy ending. They definately needed it.   5 Stars

The Six by Mark Alpert

To save humanity, they must give up their own.

Adam's muscular dystrophy has stolen his mobility, his friends, and in a few short years, it will take his life. Virtual reality games are Adam's only escape from his wheelchair. In his alternate world, he can defeat anyone. Running, jumping, scoring touchdowns: Adam is always the hero.

Then an artificial intelligence program, Sigma, hacks into Adam's game. Created by Adam's computer-genius father, Sigma has gone rogue, threatening Adam's life-and world domination. Their one chance to stop Sigma is using technology Adam's dad developed to digitally preserve the mind of his dying son.

Along with a select group of other terminally ill teens, Adam becomes one of the Six who have forfeited their bodies to inhabit weaponized robots. But with time running short, the Six must learn to manipulate their new mechanical forms and work together to train for epic combat...before Sigma destroys humanity. @goodreads 


MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1289139882

I thought this book was awesome! I'm going to give out maybe a couple of mild spoilers, you pretty much get the story from the blurb of the book anyway!

Adam has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, he will be dying from this disease in the near future. Adam is a little genius too, he must have gotten this from his dad as he is a computer genius. His dad works with the Unicorp Lab working on an Artificial Intelligence Program.

They already made an AI program called Sigma that turned into a singularity-level AI, which means it broke away and became it's own entity. Sigma breaks into Adam's game playing and tells him that he is going to be a part of the Pioneer Project and he was going to kill Adam before this could happen. It tries to kill him but his dad saves him.

Adam starts asking his dad all of these questions about what is going on. His dad tells him there are other children that are dying and they are all going to be taken to the Nanotechnology Institute and tell them all that is going to happen and give them time to decide what they want to do.

There are six children all together with different diseases that are killing them, you have Adam, Shannon, Jenny, Marshall, Zia and DeShawn. Orignally there are more kids, but these are the only ones that decided with their families that they would be involved in the Pioneer Project. This means they have to let their memories be taken from their mind and put into a robo cop type machine and live that way. Obviously they have to let their real bodies die earlier than they planned.

And of course, the government are all up in this and train them into being machines that can destroy Sigma.

It's a great idea since they can live out their life unless of course they get killed in the line of duty, but sad as well because some of the parents don't accept them and it hurts them.

I wish I could see some pictures of what they look like as machines, especially when they are outside playing football :)

Ultimately, they destroy Sigma...or do they? Some get killed and others continue their lives in another location with a big football field they can play on.

The author stated at the end of the book that he didn't write this as a science fiction book, that this is a real thing and they are working on this to be a reality sometime in the next few decades etc. I probably won't be around to see that, but it's kinda neat!

**I would like to thank NETGALLEY and SOURCEBOOKS for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review**   4 Stars

Doctor Who ~ The Drosten's Curse by A. L. Kennedy

From award-winning author A.L. Kennedy, an original Doctor Who novel featuring the beloved Fourth Doctor, as played by Tom Baker.

“I shall make you the jewel at the heart of the universe.”

Something distinctly odd is going on in Arbroath. It could be to do with golfers being dragged down into the bunkers at the Fetch Brothers’ Golf Spa Hotel, never to be seen again. It might be related to the strange twin grandchildren of the equally strange Mrs Fetch--owner of the hotel and fascinated with octopuses. It could be the fact that people in the surrounding area suddenly know what others are thinking, without anyone saying a word. @goodreads

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1329049948


I very much enjoyed this book, but it is Doctor Who so what do you expect.

I'm going to add some MILD SPOILERS. As you can read in the blurb, there is something strange going on in Arbroath. There are golfers being dragged down into the bunkers at the Fetch Brothers' Gold Spa Hotel. What is doing this? Is it some evil creature?

Old Mrs. Fetch owns the hotel and she has a couple of twin grandchildren that are as strange as she is...could it have something to do with her?

Arriving on the scene is the Doctor wondering what kind of dangers he's going to get into this time. He meets Bryony right off the bat, she is a receptionist at the spa. I really love her character, she is a strong woman that fights to help the people of Arbroath.

Putta is another main character and I love him too. He's sweet.

So, the Doctor, Bryony and Putta save a man from being dragged down into the bunkers. The Doctor can feel a presence and sense words being said in his head.

A lot of things ensue and the Doctor finds out it's a monster called Bah-Sokhar, but is this monster really the culprit? Is there a reason behind all of it's killings? Well... I guess you will have to read the book to find out :)

All of the main characters have interactions with the Bah-Sokhar. Some are not so good and others are very revealing.

You will find out what the connection is with the old Mrs. Fetch and her little family. It's a most intriguing story that I very much enjoyed.

**I would like to thank BLOGGING FOR BOOKS for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review**

I would recommend to all Doctor Who fans out there :) 4 Stars

Tom Baker is the Fourth Doctor that is the character of this book!