Book Review: Awakened by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

Synopsis: Neferet is in the midst of becoming the biggest and badest High priestess of the dark.  She has now entangled Kalona as her consort and will do anything to destroy Zoey now that Zoey is back from the other realm.

Book Review:  While I like the series in general, I did not like the Zoey vs Kalona vs Neferet angle.  I think it is because I am bored of Zoey taking her sweet ass time to take control of the situation and kick Kalona and Neferet's butt.  I understand Zoey lost her consort but she's got real big problems to solve, like save the world from darkness!

Okay I feel better now.  I just needed to vent because Zoey's storyline with Stark is a bit slow for me.  On the other hand, I really like Steve Rae and Raphaim angle.  I enjoyed how they were now given access to be together but only if Raphaim is serious about leaving his father behind.

I can always count on Aphrodite.  She's still mean, clean and with her man, Darius even if she appeared so many times in the book.

Bottom Line: Neferet is still laying low and acting really nice so don't be expecting much action from her.  As for Zoey, same deal. 


 Nothing Special

Book Review: The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Hi everyone.  I made some time to finish a few books and I'm very excited to share my thoughts with all of you. 

Synopsis: The Lovely Bones is about a fourteen year old girl who decides to follow a elderly neighbor to a "secret hideout" to only be brutally raped and murdered.   The family is torn apart from the crime and not sure if they will ever be the family they once were.

Review: The book follows the girl's soul through the tragic scene and the aftermath that is her family.  You are given a front row seat into the moments where the mom and dad begin to show signs of "I'm lost and don't know what to do".  This is where you think the family could somehow unite but unfortunately, very slowly everyone begins to drift apart.  While the little brother is too small to understand, it is the middle sister who becomes the glue of the family only to quietly suffer while stepping into mother role.

The most interesting deal with this book is that while you see the family cracking, you see this whole perspective from the fourteen year old.  She is in this forever state of "her version of heaven".  The heaven is brilliantly described by the author.  Her heaven every now and then changes according to her attachment to her family.

As for the crime and who done it, that is a big part of the book, but I don't want to spoil that.

The book, while a bit scary for me because of the topic, I still decided to give it a chance.  I wanted a difference pace and subject matter and it was very moving.

I recommend you not read the book before you go to sleep.  It only leaves a feeling of dread and sorrow for the young protagonist.   





Bottome Line:  The author paints a rich and wonderful heaven, but back at the family's home, tragedy is always one step away.  Great book, great change of pace and I do recommend this book for older readers especially because of the subject matter.


 
WORTH READING

Book Review: A 13 to life book series by Shannon Delany

I distinctly remember a beautiful blue cover catching my eye as i searched for new books to read on the main page of barnes&noble. I had just got off from a Twilight high and was ready for something more; something great. Two years later, I hit barnes&noble with my brand new son, 7 months now and a complete cutie pie, I remembered the beautiful blue cover. Instead of buying the first book, I bought the series. And boy was I NOT disappointed.

Shannon Delany is a wonderful, creative and completely refreshing author in her 13 to life book series.

Jessica Gillmansen and Pietr Rusakova is the new couple to beat...Edward and Bella, eat your heart out...Jessica and Pietr sizzle like no other couple in high school you've EVER encountered.

And Max, forget about it. He's the macho brother you want around and the boyfriend you want to be with forever!!

I can't forget, Alexi, Amy, Cat, Sarah, and oh my...Derek.

So when I say refreshing, I mean it. The characters are fascinating and compete for you attention, Shannon Delany makes them come alive.

13 to Life is a wonderful series everyone will enjoy.

I don't want to give anything away. It has to be a complete suprise to the reader so pick up your copy from your local library or book store and read it NOW.


LIKED IT (A LOT)!

Keep your eyes and ears open for the fourth installment to 13 to life by Shannon Delany.  (see ticker above)

Book Review: Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Synopsis:
Nora should have known her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described as anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

Book Review: Crescendo was a book that I felt really anxious about reading even before I turned to read the first page. I remember the way Hush, Hush had me feeling, I just wasn't sure I wanted to go through it again. Nevertheless, I made the choice to chug along; Patch and Nora's story got the better of me ;)

Well to my suprise, I got into my reading groove almost immediately. So the hook in the beginning was pretty great. As for the meat of the story (Nora, Patch and Marcie) I really began to dislike Patch all over again, like in Hush, Hush. I began to think he was a total jerk and was guilty of everything Nora accused him of. And as for Marcie, I felt Vee, as Nora's best friend, should have stuck up for Nora in many instances.

I was pleasantly surprised to read that Nora decided to take care herself as well as Marcie.

As for the book as a whole, there were very interesting plot twists that had me saying "oh" and "no way", the pages turned themselves.

Crescendo as done it again for me. Patch was literally on the end of my boot to kick to the curb until Becca Fitzpatrick sprinkled her charming words on him, that my whole impression of him warmed up.

Bottom Line:  This love story was really great to read and just as dark as Hush Hush if not a little darker. New characters emerged and took some of the spotlight from Nora and Patch. I am a true fan of Becca's and I can't wait to read the third installment "Silence" to be coming soon.

LIKED IT.

Book Review: The Karma Club by Jessica Brody

Pages: 258
Published: (Hardcover)2010

Synopsis:Madison Kasparkova catches her boyfriend of two years, making out with the hottest yet stuck up girl in school and decides that karma is taking too long to punish them both. She along with her best friends, Angie and Jade, embark on a Karma club journey to right all the wrongs ex-boyfriends and snotty girls have done to them. Little do they know that Karma will always catch up to them, whether good intentions are behind the deeds.

Book Review:The Karma Club was a great book to read, a book I think everyone could relate to. Who hasn't had a broken heart or felt like throwing rocks at a person who seems to get away with snide remarks and sketchy actions. Jessica Brody brought the message of Karma to the forefront and gave some very entertaining examples of how young people can misinterpret how Karma works.

The main character, Madison, is a senior in high school with the perfect boyfriend and a good person overall. But her rage over her boyfriend's cheating really gets her going over the edge. That part was very engaging and had me flipping the pages.

The books language captured the essence of a chatty teenage girl and it got a bit old that I'd skim the chatty parts. Nevertheless, I was very interested to see how Jessica Brody wrapped up the idea of the "Karma Club" getting caught and how Madison and her friends were going to turn their actions around.

Bottom Line: The Karma Club was entertaining to read and it made me think twice about rushing Karma myself.

LIKED IT!

Book Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Hello everyone. And welcome to the last Book Review for Vampire Academy (For Rose and Dimitri's epic love story, that is.) I am so excited to show you the book trailer I didn't even know existed. Where have I been? you might ask. Well let's just say, I righted my wrong and am now up to date.



Would you cast these actors for the upcoming Vampire Academy Movie? Why or why not? I want to know. So don't forget to comment.



Now, to the book review:

Rose Hathaway, is locked in Moroi jail after being framed in the cold-blooded murder of the Moroi Queen. The punishment for this crime is immediate execution. At the same time, she is faced with the challenge of somehow locating princess Lissa Dragomir's lone remaining relative, her secretly existing illegitimate sibling. Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.

Book Review:I've never been more terrified and elated to read the last book in a book series as I was with Vampire Academy. To know that once I finish the last page, I would no longer be filled with glorious, gut wrenthing anticipation for the next chapter in Rose and Dimitri's epic love story. But all good things must come to an end.

Richelle Mead did a fantastic job really bringing her main character, Rose, full circle with Dimiitri, Rose's love interest. Spirit Bound, the 5th book in the series, left the readers hanging with Dimitri's character in anguish over his feeling for Rose, his renewed transfromation, and his loyalty in question. So, with Last Sacrifice, Mead, had no choice but to tie up some pretty big loose ends. And I love her for that. Note: Some loose ends in this book are for the spin off I heard..Yay, spinoff!

Her game in the beginning was to get Rose out of the pickle she was in, in a very action packed, conspiracy kind of way, that really set the tone for the rest of the book, only to shove Rose right into that romantic pickle, we as readers couldn't wait to devour. When I say romantic pickle, I am talking Rose, Dimitri...and Adrian. Yes, a delicious, mouth watering, and crunchy pickle it was.

Then of course, there were some ends that had me saying, what? ...to easy. But it is what it is and I had a great time with it anyway.

Here is what I am getting at. I could not, would not, put the book down. I have never loved a book series so much to almost tear up. And as for the movie that is in slow motion at the moment, well it needs to get made pronto. I want others to know and love Rose and Dimitri's story and I do.

LOVED IT!

Book Review: Infinity: Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Synopsis by Amazon: At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity. Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead. But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu. As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Book Review: I finally had a chance to read Infinity and I was very surprised to realize I liked to story immediately. Looking at the cover, my initial reaction was simple curiosity. Who is this guy on the cover? As I dove into the story, I soon realized I was reading about a 14 year old kid. But that's just it. Even though I was a bit like why am I reading this, the story began to grow on me as well as the character and loyalty of Nick. By the end of the book, I became a big fan and really enjoyed his innocence and his need to keep positive. A character way beyond his years, not alot of young characters are written that way but it was very refreshing to read. I look forward to future installments of this series. As I am now a true fan... GO NICK!

WORTH READING

Book Review: Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme.

Book Review: Never Say Never was a lovely story of new love, forgiveness and the chance one takes to find where they belong, find a "home" and put down roots.

Lisa Wingate is a new author for me and I really enjoying her novel Never Say Never. Her writing is simple and full of color. She paints a vivid picture of the main characters without being over the top.

The beginning of the book did have a few slothy moments but soon picked up.

Lisa has a subtle way of presenting issues the main characters deal with and are never overwhelming. In fact, the story rolls smoothly along until the crescendo 3/4th's into the book. I will say, Kai and Kemp's blossoming relationship had me intrigued and was well worth waiting for.


Bottome Line: Never Say Never is a book worth reading. Lisa Wingate shares a wonderful tale of love and the struggle to find yourself and your place in the world that readers of all ages will relate to.


WORTH READING

Book Review: Fallen by Claire Delarcroix

Synopsis: When her estranged husband's mysterious death is declared an accident, Lilia Desjardins knows that it is a lie. She leaves all she knows to risk the dark heart of the Republic - only to find that she herself has been targeted by forces unknown.

Adam Montgomery will do anything to complete his earthly mission, even if he has to tangle with the enigmatic Lilia Desjardins. But when his contact is murdered and he must rely on Lilia's silence to save him from the slave dens, Adam knows that his wings were only the first sacrifice required of him.

As danger and intrigue surround them, Lilia and Adam realize that they must work together - body, mind and soul - in order to save the world.

Book Review: I was very suprised I liked Fallen this much. I'm not usually into stories that deal with the future where there are lazers, pseudoskins and such. But the plot and the characters were very exciting and I had a great experience with this particular "future" book.

Claire Delacroix is very well versed in vocabulary, fantastic visual descriptions and action scenes. The main reason I was able to enjoy this book despite its subject was because the surroundings and characters themselves were essentially believable.

Bottom Line: I love a great action hero and Lilia Desjardins is no exception. This book was a great distraction and full of action. There were plenty of hard-headed protagonists and enough love scenes to satisfy a romanace reader.


LIKED IT!