Etoile (Mannequin, #1)

by Olivia Best

*I was given a free a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.*

I will start this review by saying that this isn't a genre that I read very often, but I thought I would give it a chance. I really couldn't get into this book. The characters were flat to me and the story and sex scenes were just not that interesting to me.

I liked the opening with Etolie and her being found and whatnot but it just went downhill from there and the stereotypes grew to the point of being annoying. I finished reading it, but I had to put it down about 16 times just to get it done.

My Rating:

Judge Dredd: Year One

by Matt Smith, Simon Coleby

* I won a copy of this on netgalley.com in exchange for an unbiased review*

I don’t really know a lot about this comic series and I loved this. It was beautifully drawn and the story was amazing. It was a little hard to read on my computer in the format they provided it in, so it too several days to read it which made me sad. Overall I just loved it.

My Rating:

Theocracide

by James Wymore

*I was given a free copy of this book from netgalley.com for a fair and unbiased review*

I am not really sure what to say about this one. It was great, but I was rushed in reading it and feel that meant I did not get to enjoy it as much as I otherwise would have. It was fairly simple to read and I enjoyed it a lot, but I wish I didn’t have to read it in a rush. I would recommend it to those who love stories in this genre.

My Rating:

Fat Girl

by Carlos Batts

* I won a copy of this on netgalley.com in exchange for an unbiased review*

I will start by saying that this book was not what I expected it to be. I expected it to be a celebration of being a bigger woman. What I got was pornography and snippets into the life of one April Flores. Not that I am complaining, and some of the photos were nice, but it wasn’t my cup of tea. You’ve got to love the devotion of a man to his woman though.

My Rating:

The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story

by Vivek Tiwary & Others

* I won a copy of this on netgalley.com in exchange for an unbiased review*

I really love this graphic novel. It was beautifully done and the story was one that I am better for knowing. I knew about Brian Epstein, but didn’t know that much about his personal life and this made me feel like I could understand him and some of the life of the band members and the band a lot better. He was an amazing man and The Beatles were lucky to have him in their corner.

My Rating:

The Salinger Contract

by Adam Langer

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

I wasn't sure what to think of this book at first. It was told in an interesting way, but the story was actually really well thought out and I loved it. The concept of writing a story that only one or two people at the maximum would ever read and then what the client does with those stories and how the authors react is a unique and I loved reading it.

It makes me wonder as an aspiring writer if I was ever offered the chance that Connor is given, would I go for it? If I did would I be able to deal with the consequences? Would I have the same type of consequences? I just don't know.

It was an easy read and a fast one as well. I read it one evening while sitting on a couch watching after my mom who had just had surgery. I found it pretty easy to pick up and put down.

My rating:

Unexpected Hiatus...

I was on a short unexpected hiatus from my blog for personal reasons but I am back now. I have a ton of reviews to post and many more that I am working on. Life can throw the unexpected at you, but you have to pick yourself up and keep moving.

And to quote one of my favorite lines from a book: “Once again...welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.” 
― Bram Stoker, Dracula

I Am Pusheen the Cat

By Claire Belton

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

I absolutely love this book. It is one of the cutest things ever. I have always loved Pusheen when I have encountered the adorable animated cat on the internet and this is as adorable as you would expect from this sassy cat.

I think this would be perfect for kids or people like me who never really grew up. I read this to my aunt and my mom. They both thought it was adorable. I am so glad I got this book and would love to share it with my kids someday.

My Rating:

Texts From Bennett

by Max Lethal

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

This book was entertaining, but not really what I was expecting. The texts made me laugh and it made me think of my high school days. At times it was cringe-worthy, as so many things are in life. To be honest I don't really know what to say about this book besides you should read it for yourself. I was not aware of the blog until after I began reading it, and I would have looked at the blog first would I have known. It was worth reading though.

My rating:

Follow the White Rabbit (Beautiful Madness, #1)

by Kellie Sheridan

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

I liked this book very much. I am a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland and I do love books that play with or reference that story. I like this twist and I do love the modern sort of twist, but I am a little sad that it was so sort. I wanted so much more from this and felt so sad when it ended just when it seemed to be getting good. I hope the next one will be good and I hope it is as on par as this one. I can't wait.

My Rating:

I. T. Confidential

by C.D. Rahm

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

This was an entertaining book on the structure and real life of being in the I.T. department of a big or small business. I thought it was skillfully written and entertaining. I loved everything about it.

It was a little different than what I was expecting. I thought it was going to be a tell all about a guy from tech support who answers phones and it would be a collection of war stories, but this proved to be about as funny as the other could have been. Either way it was enough to hold my attention and I am glad I read it.

My Rating:

Affliction (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #22)

by Laurell K.Hamilton

I liked this book. I like that while there is still sex in in, it seems like there is much more of a story here than some of her recent books in this series. That being said I also think this book was maybe 100-160 pages longer than it might have needed to be and seemed bogged down by conversations that seemed to go around in circles and never get where they needed to go and it seemed at times underwhelming because of that.

It was nice to meet Micha's family and I am happy about that aspect, but even that seemed to be at times more drawn out than it should have been. This book was incredibly long and I had to set it down several times and it seemed that every time I set it down it took it a while for me to figure out what was going on again. Even the actions scenes I had to reread several lines to make sure I got it right to figure them out, but to be honest, that could be more me than her writing. I am having more trouble concentrating lately.

I know many people have fallen out of love with this series and I don't think I will be that kind of person anytime soon, but I understand what they don't like about how things have changed and I don't think it's as bad as they all make it out to be. I still think this was a pretty good book compared to some. I will keep reading.

My rating:

Bones of the Lost (Temperance Brennan #16)

by Kathy Reichs

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

I love this series. I have always loved this series and I love the science involved in this series. I have always loved how they tie the unique and yet seemingly unrelated threads of a story together and make a great story.

I love how a simple case of an unknown undocumented girl that was almost discounted because they suspected that she was hispanic and illegally in the country when she died and bundles of Peruvian mummified dogs ended up a rich and engaging story and wonderful addition to this well weathered series.

Some series do not last very well and this one seems to be the exception to that rule. I hope that this trend continues. I will continue to read her books when they are available to me.

My Rating:

Earth Power

by Adam J. Black

*I was given a free copy of this book for an unbiased review*

In the beginning I wasn't sure what to think of this book and it was what I call a slow burner. It was very interesting, but took it's time getting going. The story was good, but the pacing was a little off.

The characters were alright, but they didn't seem to have the same amount of depth. I think you get a good feel for Raphael and Sam, but all the other characters seem almost 2D compared to their 3D level.

I like the ending and the twist that I did see coming, but I am good at predicting those sorts of things. I hope this story continues because it is a story I would continue to read.

My rating:

The Trench (MEG #2)

by Steve Alten

I am super happy that I read this book when I did. I love the uniqueness of this series and it is reminiscent of Jurassic Park. While the first one was arguable better, this one was a very logical step in the aftermath of the first book. I liked that about it.

What I didn't like about it was that there were less meaningful deaths and less chaos than the first one. That isn't to say that nobody died and there was no chaos, but when the first book is so full of chaos and death and the second one isn't it sometimes feels like you were cheated. That being said the actual plots and story made perfect sense.

I was not too sure about Benedict and Celeste in the first place and their storyline was a little too twisted in the end for me to appreciate and the involvement of the CIA and other government agencies was a little weird feeling to me.

The one thing that pulled me out of the book a little is that this book had a plot that involved terrorist organizations and Osama Bin Laden funding the operation and it does date this book a little. This was written before 9/11 so it would have made sense, but in the aftermath of that day it loses a little of its impact.

My Rating:

MEG: A Novel of Deep Terror (MEG #1)

by Steve Alten

This book was a little weird from the get go, but it was pretty good. I like the fact that they not only find a Megaladon, but figure out a way to get it out of the Marianas Trench and to the surface in a feasible way.

I am fascinated by sharks and the deep sea so this book, while many would say was written a little badly, was a pure treasure for me to read. I loved it. I loved the family dynamics and the fact that not everyone makes it and that you never know quite what to expect. It is a good book in the way that it shows just how scary one of these animals could be if it ever did surface.

The ending was a little hard to believe, but it wasn't exactly too incredible to be impossible. I didn't see the ending coming and I know it is a series and I hope to read the rest of it.

I am excited, and that takes a lot.

My Rating:

Beastly

by Alex Flinn

This wasn't a bad book. I like it as a modern telling of the classic Beauty & The Beast story. I think it is a nice story, but it didn't really seem to have anything special about it to make it stand out from other versions of this story.

The only thing that I like about this book is that The Beast was thinking enough to add that he wanted to give his blind tutor his eyesight back and let his housekeeper go home. It was a nice touch that was added that was almost like a bonus.

This is a book that simply falls into that category of I enjoyed it enough, but if I had never read it, I wouldn't have missed much.

My Rating:

The Island

by Jen Minkman

This is a unique twist on a type of story that seems to be popping up a lot at least in my reading circle. Stories where a virus of some kind kills anyone who is an adult and kids are left to their own devices.

I like this one because of the twist of the island divided and the Star Wars theme that runs throughout. I like the characters and their naïveté of the world and the fact that they are cut off from the rest of the world, but now they know the truth and have to deal with it. I like that. It is also short and easy to read.

My Rating:

Hush, Hush

by Becca Fitzpatrick

I like this book. It had some things that I found annoying, but in general I liked it.

The mysteriousness of Patch was nice, but revealed so DAMN slowly that I wanted to smack someone into giving it up. Also Nora was a nice character, but she was a little too slow in some ways and I found it a little annoying about her. It made me not like her as much as I could have.

This is a good story and I am not complaining, but I felt that some of it was lacking like the Elliot & Jules thing. Yes it all made sense in the end, but it was just awkward to me for some reason.

I think the ending was fitting and it was a good one to read. I might continue the series, but I am not in a rush to read the next one. I have a lot more to read and they are more interesting to me than this one ended up being.

My Rating:

I'm a Dog, You're a Cat: Love Lessons from Our Furry Friends

by Marla Press, Jim Tweedy (Illustrations)

*I was given a free copy of this book on Netgalley.com for an unbiased review*

I loved this adorable book. This was a very true and adorable way of showing how in a relationship you are generally a dog or a cat and that cats normally attract dogs. The illustrations were adorable and complimented the text very well. I have always been a cat, but I never realized just how much of a dog my fiance is. I can't wait to tell him, because he is adorable, just like a dog.

I am very happy for the opportunity to read this and would recommend it to others.

My Rating:

Vivid

by Andrea Murray

*I was provided a free copy of this book for an unbiased review*

This was a good book, but to be honest it reminded me a lot of Hush, Hush and I had trouble reading it because I had to read it suddenly and I was in the middle of reading Hush, Hush and kept getting the two mixed up. It could be just me. Plus the names Elliot from Hush, Hush and Easton from this book made my confusion worse for a while. There are differences of course, but in my head they got tangled.

There are differences and those are what make this book what it is of course. There is of course The powers that Vivian has and her trouble with them and her past. The mysterious people/organization out to get her and the troubles of being a teenager in High School. It is a pretty good book, but It wasn't super stellar. It wasn't a waste of my time, and that is always a good thing.

Plus you have to like a book that has the line: "The butterflies in my stomach feel like pterodactyls."

My Rating:

Rash

by Pete Hautman

I am sorry but I loved this book. I really did. It is how I could totally see our future where everything is essentially bubble wrapped and safety is taken to a level insane enough by our current standards to be considered comical and ridiculous.

It was incredibly easy to read. I really liked Bo as a character even though he was a little stiff at times. I felt that he really did get screwed. The rules in this society were insane and ridiculously strict. An insult about someone's face is a class-three misdemeanor? Ouch.

Prison life wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it still wasn't great and he was lucky he survived at all. Then there were the bears and the rash. Anyway, it was well written, easy to read and different enough to be very enjoyable.

My Rating:

Update: Just an FYI

I am taking a few days to work on things at my home, so I will not update this until I get back on. I will also be without internet access for a little bit of next month, so there is a chance I might not get to update as easily. I might go inactive for a short period but I will try and maybe schedule some reviews to post while I am gone. I might do that. We'll see. It would be around the 12th to the 24th of August. Well, I better get to work. I hope you enjoy my blog posts and I will try to keep them coming.

Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School #1)

by Gail Carriger

I really liked this book. In fact I liked it better than I thought I would have. I am 3 books into her other series and I find it sometimes hard to read but this one was easy. I guess that writing for a young adult audience helps that much in this case, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I loved the elements of this book. I love that the school floats, I love that they have a vampire and werewolf on staff. I love the elements of the flywaymen and Picklemen even if they confused me a little for a while, and the Picklemen still kind of do. I love the mechanimal and want one of my own.

I love how Sophronia is so strong and independent. I love Dimity and the fact that she wants to be diabolical but really is more of a lady and the other supporting characters and teachers are a great compliment. I love Soap and the sooties. I think that brings a good element to the story.

Some of my joy in reading this book also stemmed from the fact that I had one of my cats who is newer to us since we are watching these cats, but they may end up staying with us and Stella keeps laying on my books. She lays on the book in such a way that I can read but she gets to cuddle. She has a white tip on her tail so I call her my white tipped kitty. She's my new reading buddy.

I think I am going to like this series and I would love to keep reading it. Hopefully it stays this interesting and the characters stay interesting. I really can't wait to read the next one.

My Rating:

Blameless (Parasol Protectorate #3)

by Gail Carriger

This was a very interesting book. A good installment in the series. Considering how underwhelming the last book was to me this one proved to be an improvement and well worth the continuation of me reading the series. I was pleased to see Madame Lefoux again in this installment and actually being a major role.

I was actually really put off by the lack of Conall Maccon and his overall behavior and his incredibly slow progression to his senses. I applaud his beta for all that he did for his alpha, but he doesn't get enough credit really. I have never really been a big fan of the Earl of Woolsey and his behavior in casting Alexia out and putting his own pack in danger did nothing to make me think better of him.

I think it was a very big mistake for Alexia to go see the Templars, but I don't think she had a chance. I really can't wait to see what happens pregnancy wise. I am in this series for the long haul. Only two books left I believe.

My Rating:

vN (The Machine Dynasty, #1)

by Madeline Ashby

This book was very addicting. It kept me reading and I couldn't put it down. Nothing like having the main character be a robot who shares your name and she happens to eat her grandmother in the essential opening act of the story. I was glued to the story because it was unlike anything I have read in a long time, if ever.

Science Fiction is one of my favorite genres and this was one of the more amazing stories I have read in that genre. The entire cyber world and the way the androids were made by a religious group and everything. It was just very different. I loved it. The end was not quite as amazing as it could have been, but it fit. I would recommend this to anyone who likes these kinds of things or even those who don't but would like to give it a try.

My rating:

HETAERA: Daughter of the Gods

by J. A. Coffey

*I was given a free copy of this book for a fair and honest review*

This was a wonderful Historical Novel that was essentially a classic telling or version of Cinderella. It includes a slipper that only fits on one girl's feet and tales of wickedness and suffering. I really loved this book.

To be honest, in the beginning I wasn't sure what the heck was going on because I didn't read about the book, I just signed up for a copy and got it. I knew it was a historical novel but when Aesop showed up and they ended up in Greece and Egypt It made a lot more sense.

If you are into Historical Novels and especially ones that take place in ancient Greek or Egypt I suggest you take a look at this one. It is a good read and I would recommend it.

My rating: