Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Book Discussion 1: Tv shows?

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of television. There's nothing I like more (besides Reading) that relaxing with some nice brain-melting entertainment. I recently finished the first season of the HBO hit Game of Thrones and decided hey, maybe I'd give the book a try. I'll admit, seeing the 880 pages was hugely intimidating but I jumped right in and I've barely come up for air since! Which (finally) brings me to the subject of this post; How do you feel about TV shows that are based on books? I found HBO really did a wonderful job adapting A Game of Thrones for TV.

Do you watch any shows that are based on books? Have you read any books because you fell in love with a show? I would love your input! :)

Anna series by Kendare Blake

I just have to say that I am SO excited to review these books! As I said in my previous post, I was in quite the reading rut and I hold Kendare Blake completely responsible for pulling me out of it.

Before I actually get into the review there is something I need to say. GO BUY THESE BOOKS! I, myself, get almost all of my books from the local library system but after reading them I just had to buy a set for myself. It was one of the most worthy purchases I have made in quite some time! Now onto the review:


*I do not own this picture in anyway. I forgot to take my own before I returned the books to the library and got this one from Google!*

Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares are the two books that make up the Anna series. The series revolves around a ghost-ass kicking, high school boy named Cas Lowood who travels around the country with his kitchen witch mom, sending ghosts to their final resting place. Cas does this all with the help of an athame he inherited from his dead (also a ghost hunter) father. He and his mom move around a lot, from town to town, taking care of the community ghosts and moving on to the next. Cas doesn't have time to set down any roots or make any friends, he has ghosts to kill! That all changes when Cas is sent to a small town with a ghost so deadly, Cas may have met his match. Anna Korlov was murdered in 1958 and now she murders anyone who steps foot inside her dilapidated Victorian house. Cas sets out to rid the town of Anna Korlov, but instead of tearing him to pieces, Anna spares his life...

I know I've already said it, but Holy Cow these books are awesome! I read the series in two days and I just couldn't get over it. I was a little apprehensive about picking up Anna Dressed In Blood because I figured it was just another YA Paranormal Romance, but boy was I wrong! I never imagined that Anna Korlov, the ghost, would be my favorite character (And that is just the first in a long list of pleasant surprises). I think one of my favorite things is that after the second book, there could very well be a 3rd book, but Blake left it there. She realized it was amazing where it was and didn't ruin it with an over-done series like a lot of YA authors. Sorry guys!

Kendare Blake has spun quite the story and you're wasting your time by not reading it!

Series Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!!!

Hiatus!

Sorry for my prolonged Hiatus, guys! I've been in quite the reading rut lately and just haven't had any motivation to review the books I've read. But I'm back with tons of reviews so stay tuned!!!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Forsaken Tour Guest Post!





Author Kristen Day has stopped by today with a guest post for the Forsaken A Daughters of the Sea blog tour!
Waiting to see which actors and actresses would be cast to play the characters of the next movie in the Hunger Games franchise has been a lot of fun to watch.  And it begs the question: what did the author ‘see’ in her head while she was describing her characters?  What did they look like to her?  And do the real life actors/actresses match that image?  It’s so subjective; there were debates for months leading up to the choosing of the actor that would play Finnick Odair!  Before I began writing Forsaken, I wanted to create the characters.  I didn’t want to simply write a story about them; I wanted to get to know them!  That was almost as fun as writing the book!  I could see them in my head and hear the things they would potentially about, but in order to describe them perfectly, I needed to find a picture of a current famous person that encompassed not only their look, but also their personality!  I had an entire notebook where I had each character captured - their personality, interests, faults, and abilities.  All that was missing was a picture!  So I set off in search of real people who could represent the character I was trying to portray. 
I wanted Stasia to be beautiful, elegant, strong, and poised.  Dianna Agron fit the bill and captured my ‘Stasia’ image.  Finn obviously had to be breathtaking, captivating, and all things H.O.T. - with a dark side.  I found a picture of Chace Crawford that screamed Finn, and never looked back.  Phoebe was easy - her rocker, alternative style and tri-colored hair matched the lead singer of Paramore (Hayley Williams) to a tee!    Willow was a little more difficult.  I’ve never really been a fan of the Olsen twins, but I found a picture of Mary Kate that was ethereal and beautiful; Willow had her movie-star twin.  Camilla Belle made a perfect Carmen, down to the Brazilian descent and beautiful features.  Below are a few more:
Isadora Dixon: Angelina Jolie
Priscilla: Charliz Theron
Kira: Carrie Underwood
Noah: Cam Gigandet
Nicolet: Bryce Dallas Howard
Olivia: Vanessa Hudgens
Logan: Kellan Lutz
Keto: Megan Fox

So if you’ve read Forsaken, tell me who you think would play Finn, Stasia or any other characters if this were a movie!  I’d love to know what image you have of them!  





About Kristen Day
Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity.  She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky.  She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?). 
She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012).  She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances.  She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember.  Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began.  She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay.
When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001. 

Author’s Links





Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Green Adventures

It is no secret that John Green is a heavy hitter in the YA book community. You can log into Goodreads, search any book of his and instantly be hit with an astonishing amount of 5 star reviews. Somehow I went my whole young adult life without ever reading a book by him and decided to give it a try. I ended up reading two of his books and I wasn't impressed by either.

The first John Green book I read was The Fault in Our Stars.


Synopsis: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now. 

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind

Average Rating: 4.57 out of 5 stars

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Don't get me wrong, I did like this book, I just didn't love it. I found Green's writing to be a little hard to swallow sometimes, almost obnoxious and I found the possibly devastating subject matter to be... not very devastating at all. What I did find devastating however, was the fact that I couldn't love this book as much as I wanted to, as much as everyone else did. I enjoyed the story, I just think if Green had gone more for quality and less for quirk, it would've been a much more successful read.

The second book I read by John Green was Looking For Alaska.


Synopsis: Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps.

Looking for Alaska brilliantly chronicles the indelible impact one life can have on another. A stunning debut, it marks John Green's arrival as an important new voice in contemporary fiction.

Average Rating: 4.27 out of 5 stars.

My Rating: 1 star.

I can't even begin to tell you how hard it was for me to finish this book. (I have a feeling a nerd fighter is going to jump out from behind me and kill me, but...yolo and stuff). I didn't find this book to be insightful or relatable. I frankly found the characters to be annoying, and I just wanted to punch Alaska. I think a lot of my distaste for this book stems from the fact that I am past the teenage angst stage and as a 22 year-old, I don't understand the angst as I would have when I was say, 16. With that said, I'm sure if I read this at a different time, I would've liked it a lot more. Still, I'm not a fan of Green's writing. HOWEVER, I do admire him. The way he captures the YA audience leaves me breathless. Kudos Green, but it's not you; it's me. 



Friday, August 24, 2012

On September 6th I am hosting a Guest Post for the Forsaken Blog Tour!!


Friday, August 10, 2012

Soul Screamers: Volume One by Rachel Vincent


Soul Screamers is a YA Paranormal Romance series written by Rachel Vincent. So far there are 6 books in the series, but this particular copy I read was a bind up of the first two, with a prequel novella included. This series centers around a 16 year old girl named Kaylee, who lives with her Aunt and Uncle due to her mom dying when she was 3 years old. Kaylee is basically your normal teenage girl except for one big difference; she has awful panic attacks that cause her to scream her pretty little head off and have death premonitions when someone around her is about to die. Kaylee meets a very cute boy named Nash who helps her uncover the secret of who she really is. 

I loved this book! What Vincent did here is incredible. It is painfully obvious that paranormal romance is one of the biggest sub-genres in the YA community, so it can be hard to find a top within those lines that is original. Vincent went above and beyond that, providing a very unique idea and having lesser-known mythical creatures come to life before our very eyes. 

One of my favorite things about this series (well, what of it I have read so far) is how witty the writing is. I found myself laughing out loud at parts. There were even some parts that were gruesome and I found myself cringing at the thought. I really liked the character of Kaylee...until book two. In the novella and the first book, Kaylee was a well-rounded and like able character. In the second book, however, she was annoying. She always wanted to throw herself into trouble at any cost. One character that I really appreciate is Kaylee's best friend, Emma. It's not very often that a female character in a YA novel has such a strong relationship with her friend. Usually there's betrayal and heartache, but here Emma was just solid. High five, Emma!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa


The Iron Daughter is the second book in a 4 book series by Julie Kagawa. The series centers around a girl named Meghan Chase who just found out she has a surprising connection to the faery world. In The Iron Daughter, Meghan is just returning to the unseelie court (the court of the winter fey) as per her promise to Ash, the Winter Prince. Over the course of the first novel, Meghan finds herself falling in love with Ash even though their families are sworn enemies. Romeo and Juliet, anyone? 

The Romeo and Juliet reference brings up and important point to me. The Seelie Court (spring fey) are based on characters from A Midsummer's Night Dream, also by Shakespeare. I guess it's safe to say that Kagawa is a Shakespeare fan. :) Now back to the review:

I had such a love/hate relationship with this book. The first part of this book was so mundane to me. Meghan just whined about her love for Ash, and when she wasn't whining it was all mush. The second half, however, was amazing. The adventure really kicks in and we learn many surprising things about the history of the world of the fey and we see the return of my personal favorite character.

As always, Kagawa's writing was on point. She has such wonderfully vivid languag that I honestly felt like I was stepping into a different world every time I turned on my nook. I love the Iron Fey series and I am very excited to read the next two!

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Monday, August 6, 2012

There's something really wrong with my blog, so please bare with me :( Every time I try and publish a post, it posts it 5 or 6 times and my pictures aren't showing up right. I'm trying to get this fixed as quickly as possible!

And welcome to my two new followers!

Review Copy Cleanup!




After doing a hardcore clean up of my email inbox I realized just how overwhelmed with review copies I am. Because of this, I have decided to participate in the August Review Copy Cleanup. This was started by booksbiscuitsandtea and it's a wonderful idea! During the cleanup I'll be only reading review copies that I have unfortunately abandoned.

The books I'll be reading are:
Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft by Jody Gehrman

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Two and Twenty Dark Tales by Various Authors

Heaven Should Fall by Rebecca Coleman

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel

The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa



Will any of you be participating? If so, what will you be reading? I would love to hear from you :)

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Winter's Passage


Winter's Passage is a novella written by Julie Kagawa, as part of the Iron Fey series. I usually don't read the series novellas. Ever. However, I loved the first book so much that I figured I had to read the novella.

Winter's Passage takes place right where The Iron King ended. Meghan is on her way back to Tir Na Nog with Ash, the winter prince, and they soon find themselves in trouble.

I honestly thought this was a waste of about an hour of my time. (The novella is about 46 pages). I am wholeheartedly not team Ash so reading 46 pages of Meghan's mush over Ash was obnoxious. However, this didn't stop me from reading the next book in the series which I will review next :)

My rating: 1 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

One of my absolute favorite book blogs is hosting a pretty awesome giveaway!

Soumi at http://thoughtsandroses.blogspot.in is hosting a giveaway that I think all of you would really enjoy.

Go look and then comment below saying what you would like to see in future giveaways from me :)

XO

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

I finally got "The Iron Daughter" by Julie Kagawa and I cannot wait to get into it!!!!

You can get it here!

The Iron Daughter By Kagawa, Julie

Monday, July 30, 2012

An update

Hello Everyone! I just realized that is has been over a month since I've last updated you guys, and for that I'm really sorry. On the bright side, I've gained 10 followers in the past month :0

Summertime is definitely one of the big reasons for my lack of posts. I've just been out and about enjoying the sunshine and (I hate to say it) not reading :(

I recently found out that I can check out e books from my local library for my nook! I was taking serious advantage of this service until two days ago when my nook first edition suffered accidental water damage. I was staying at a friends apartment and her upstairs neighbor had a leak. Long story short, no more Nancy the nook. I did call the customer service number and cried so they offered me a Nook Tablet for a $90 discount! My new lovah shall be here in 3-5 business days! :)

During this hiatus I've been thinking a lot about my blog and ways to improve it. I've come up with some fantastic ideas that I think you guys will love!

  1. Remember when I reviewed "London Darkness" by local author Christopher Stocking? Well not only was I the first blog EVER to review his book, but I will also be interviewing him, attending his book signing AND hosting a giveaway of the novel! 
  2. I really want to do a series on e-readers that will span a few weeks. For instance, the first post will just be general knowledge on e-readers (pros and cons), the second will be all about Kindles, the third all about Nooks, and so on and so forth. :)
  3. Audio books anyone? I'm going to start reading (listening?) to at least one audio book a month and sharing my experiences with you!
  4. I would love to share my "book-et list" with you all! It's a list of books I need to read before I die!
  5. "The general public book-et list"- I'll be sharing a list of books I think belong on everyone's "book-et list"! 
As you can see I have many exciting things to come! I hope you're all as excited as I am!
Happy Reading!,

Kelsey x

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads Synopsis: "Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart."

Average Goodreads Rating: 4.01

The good stuff: I loved this book. It was one of those reads that sucks you in and doesn't let you breathe until you've read every last word. I loved the subject matter (faeries) because I've always been interested in the faerie world, and I really loved how this book took a unique twist on the normal faerie world. My favorite part of the novel was Kagawa's brilliant writing. When Meghan was walking through the Nevernever I felt as if I was walking alongside her, seeing everything she saw. The nevernever was just one of those worlds that I wanted to crawl into and never resurface from. I haven't fallen this hard for a book in a very long time, and it was a nice surprise. 

The not-so-good stuff: Sometime's I found Meghan's character to be annoying. Since reading twilight, I've had this aversion to female character's who instantly go after the love interest that is the worst for them. Also, although I appreciated Meghan's determination to save her brother, I found her blinded-determination to be slightly overdone. I felt she was somewhat too focused on her family and not so much on herself. I guess I would've enjoyed a stronger female lead. 

Who I would recommend this to: Anyone in search of an epic adventure, who loves very vivid settings. Mainly young adult readers, however.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Thanks to Gigi and Christina for nominating me for a Liebster award! The Liebster Blog Award is an award given to blogs that have less that 200 followers :)

Here are the rules:
1. Each person must post 11 facts about themselves

2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you've tagged.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
4. Tell them you've tagged them
5. Remember, no tag backs.


11 facts about me:
1. I'm afraid of eels, lampreys, worms and snakes. *Shudder*
2. I try to read about 500 pages a day.
3. I'm allergic to everything, even watermelon.
4. I have 3 kitties and a dog, all of who I love more than life.
5. I have a slight obsession with Transformers and Beast Wars.
6. I swear like a sailor. I don't mean to! I try not to! 
7. My favorite show is Adventure Time. I'm not even kidding.
8. I dye my hair red, but I'm naturally a blonde.
9. My dream house will have a library in it.
10. I didn't know what a Liebster award was until yesterday.
11. I absolutely love the smell of chlorine.


Questions from Glasses Girl Reads (Gigi):
1. What is your favourite book and why? Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte was the first author to teach me that it's okay to believe in love, and that it's also okay to do anything for it.
2. How many months have you been blogging for? About three.
3. Why did you decide to blog? I really wanted to share my love of reading with the rest of the world!
4. Are you an author as well as a book reviewer? Not currently, but I will be!
5. What are you five favourite places? Soul Full Cup (a local coffeehouse), Barnes and Noble, the pool, under the willow tree in my backyard and anywhere with my love <3
6. Why do you love reading? I love reading because it takes me away. I can forget about the trouble and drama in my life and escape for a little bit.
7. Who are your favourite people? (Can be anybody). My mom, Mike and my sister.
8. Complete this sentence. Life is... Short.
9. If you could be any literary character, who would you be and why? I would be Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights. She has two men literally fighting over her, and something about that intrigues me :p
10. If you could invent a perfect partner for you, who would he/she be and how would he/she be like? I don't have to invent a perfect partner, because Mike is already the perfect partner for me :) 
11. Do you have any special talents? I can whistle through my eyelid. No jokes.


Questions from CAHreviews (Christina): 
1. What is your favorite movie? Transformers!
2. What is your favorite genre within YA (dystopian, paranormal, romance, etc)? Paranormal.
3. Do you have any dogs? What kinds? Yes, I a have a schnoodle named Toby! (Schnauzer/Poodle mix)
4. What book are you currently reading? "In the Shadow of the Banyan" by Vaddey Ratner.
5. What is your current obsession? The Vampire Diaries! I started watching it when I was house sitting and now I'm addicted!
6. What is your favorite food? Onion Rings :)
7. Who is your favorite Harry Potter character? Hermione!
8. If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? Invisibility, because sometimes I just want to be left alone :p
9. Who wins: Twilight vs. Hunger Games? Twilight.
10. What do you like most about blogging? I get to connect with others who share the same love as me :)
11. Who is your favorite evil character? Lord Voldemort! 

Blogs I tag!:

Questions for tagged bloggers:
1. If you were stranded on an island with only one book, which book would you choose?
2. Where is your favorite place to read?
3. What is your favorite book series?
4. Do you read ebooks?
5. How long have you been blogging?
6. What is your favorite thing to do besides reading?
7. What was your favorite book as a child?
8. What book have you hated the most?
9. Do you ever cry over books?
10. Who is your favorite author?
11. How do you feel about books being made into movies?

Have fun!!! :)

Saturday, June 23, 2012

London Darkness: Infernal Inventions by Christopher Stocking!

I am so excited to review this book! I am the first person to review it and the author is a friend of mine! :)

I have never been interested in the steam-punk genre, and until very recently I didn't even know what it was. Reading this book was as much an adventure for me as a learning experience and I would love to share what I learned with all of you :)





Goodreads Synopsis: Victorian London–When Ryker Mayson comes across the dead body of a high-ranking member from the League of Inventors, his life changes forever. Murder, lies, and deceit become all too familiar as Ryker searches the dark city streets to find out who is behind these deaths, and why.

With the help of Wendell, his Gnomish best friend, Celia, his prostitute lover, and some newly made friends from the League, he scours the city in search of whomever is lurking in the shadows, slaying unsuspecting inventors for taking part in a tragic injustice.


What I loved: Chris has an amazing writing style. Everything was so beautifully written and so very detailed that the entire story plays out in your head like a movie. I could not tear my eyes away! I also loved how "Infernal Inventions" read as an epic adventure tale. I am a huge fan of  books like "The Hobbit" and "My Side Of The Mountain" because they spin you this adventure that you never want to pull your head out of; "Infernal Inventions" is one of those kinds of adventures. I also really loved how I didn't need to know anything about steam-punk to understand what was going on. They story read like a beginners guide to steam-punk while taking you on an unforgettable journey. The characters were relatable there is just something that feels so familiar about Chris' writing.  Also, Mechanical Cougars! How awesome is that! 

What I didn't love: It ended and now I have to wait for a sequel! :(

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! Great work, Chris! I whole heartily suggest that everyone check out "Infernal Inventions"!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

I need your input, you guys! :)

I've been doing a lot of thinking about exciting blog ideas and I was wondering, would anyone be interested in seeing a post about movie adaptations of books? I have a few that I absolutely love, and more than a few that I absolutely loathe. How many of you would like to see this post?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

I just want to start out this review by saying that I am not one of those people who can separate books and their film adaptations. If I read a book, I want the movie to be as close as it can be to the book. So of course after seeing "The Hunger Games" in theaters, I was completely discouraged to read the rest of the series. I know many people loved the movie, but I just hated it. I finally talked myself into reading the rest of the series, so here is the review!



Basic Synopsis: Catching Fire starts up not far after The Hunger Games ended. Katniss is now living in the Victor's Village with her family and still feigning romance with Peeta. There are rumors of rebellion in the other districts and Katniss and Peeta quickly become the faces of said rebellions. Obviously, President Snow and the capitol aren't happy about this and Katniss soon has to worry about keeping up her fake love with peeta, not hurting gale, and not causing more of an uprising.

What worked: I absolutely loved how Suzanne Collins' writing improved in this book. She was already a very talented writer but damn, she really got even better. Having the book be written solely from Katniss' point of view helped me to feel just as unsure and confused as she was. I loved all of the twists and turns and surprises the story had in store, and I loved getting so excited to find out what happens next. Up until the epic ending, much didn't make sense but it all played out perfectly.

What didn't work: I hate Peeta. I think he's one of my most hated characters.

My rating: 4/5 stars!




Sunday, June 17, 2012

Upcoming reviews! :


  • Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
  • Delirium by Lauren Oliver
  • The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Enjoy :)

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Accidental Bestseller




My first thoughts when reading this book were, "HOLY BOOKCEPTION!". I mean, come on, the book is about  A woman whose writing career falls apart and her 3 best friends (also writers) get together to help her write a book about A woman whose writing career falls apart and her 3 best friends (also writers) get together to help her write a book about...yep, you guessed it! It's a book inside a book, inside a book. 0.o

The four main characters in the book are Kendall, a woman's fiction writer, Tanya, a romance writer, Faye, an inspirational fiction writer, and Mallory, a New York Times Bestselling author. The book starts out with Kendall and her friends at an award ceremony, an award ceremony that she lives empty handed (something she didn't expect). After this, her career is just a giant downfall. Her publishing company tells her that after she writes the final book for their contract she is done, and her husband tells her that he is leaving her for his new girlfriend, one who is at least 20 years younger. Feeling defeated and unable to write, Kendall moves to her cabin in the mountains to get away from it all. At the cabin Kendall becomes obsessed with DIY projects, and much less obsessed with finishing the novel she is in a contract to write. So of course her three best friends come up to help her out. Tanya comes up with the idea that they should all create and write their own characters, and then come together to put it all in one book. The catch is, they are all in contracts with other publishing companies so only Kendall's name will be on the cover. The writers set off writing the book, keeping their stories way too close to the truth. When the book is finished they face scrutiny they never thought possible and find out secrets that lead them to believe they never knew each other at all.

I absolutely loved this book! I do occasionally like to read a chick-lit book but I never get as much enjoyment out of them as I did out of this one. This book gives the nitty-gritty on the world of publishing and writing, and as an aspiring author I ate it right up. I also loved how Wendy Wax changed between each writer and even the publishers point of view. You get a really good vision of whats going on and it's just damn awesome. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

"Fifty Shades" Trilogy











I was shamefully invested in this series until I found out it was written as "Twilight" fan fiction. E.L. James just changed the character's names and took out the supernatural elements. Boo. Now on to the review!

At first, I had a serious "What the actual fuck did I just read?" moment. E.L. James has the worst writing style of any author I've read, but her work is so addicting! I read the entire trilogy in 3 days! I've read numerous reviews on the trilogy and they've been completely split in half; either you love it or you absolutely hate it. I'm not going to go through and give you a basic synopsis of what the books are about because everyone knows the books are all about kinky sex, so instead I'm going to just give you my obnoxious opinion :)

One thing I really didn't like about the series was how the character's used the same phrases OVER AND OVER again. If you were reading these books on an e-reader and you searched "holy fuck" or "kinky fuckery" you would probably get over a million results. Another thing that really bothered me is I hate overly wordy authors. You know, the kind that use big words that they don't necessarily know the meanings of just to sound smart? Well E.L. James is a prime example of a wordy author. It was annoying.

A lot of people are calling this series "trashy" because of the over use of sexual imagery. Yeah, there are a lot of sex scenes but after about the third one they are EXACTLY the same so you can just skim over them and you wont miss anything.

I give these books an okay rating even with all of their flaws because, let's face it, they are damn entertaining. I usually read pretty heavy historical fiction books so this was a proper change. I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for a light read that doesn't want the commitment of an average contemporary fiction novel.

I know I gave the first two rave reviews but after I finished the series my opinion greatly changed.

Also, E.L. James, fuckery isn't a word.
I've decided that these toned-down, censored book reviews really aren't me, so expect some seriously outlandish posts in the near future.

Because anyone who knows me at all knows I am neither censored or toned-down. :)

Thursday, May 24, 2012

After reading "Fifty Shades of Grey" I became slightly obsessed and realized I just had to read the whole trilogy. I recently finished "Fifty Shades Darker", and I must say, I love this series, even if it is smut!





"Fifty Shades Darker" opens up with Anastasia Steele reeling from her break up with the "most eligible" billionaire, Christen Grey. Christen's outrageous sexual tastes prove to be too much for Ana and she decides to leave him. Obviously she doesn't stay away for long or else there wouldn't be a whole trilogy! This novel shows a different side to Mr. Grey; instead of being a sexual predator he is seen as romantic and almost vulnerable. Ana and Christen decide to turn their sexual contract into a full blown relationship, but two of Christen's ex's just wont stay in the past.

I honestly wanted to slap the shit out of Christen throughout this book. When Anastasia mentions that she is uncomfortable with his relationship with his ex Elena, he basically tells her to get over it. I would be GONE after that. Anastasia just putting up with this and other bad behavior from Christen made me almost hate her. It was strange having my feelings for the main character's completely switch like that, but it was a well-welcomed change. E.L. James may not be the best writer around, but she sure knows a thing or two about character development.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars. If it wasn't for Christen's extreme character development the rating wouldn't be so high. As I am already almost done with the third and final installment of the series, I can say that "Darker" is my favorite book of the trilogy.
As you may know, hollywood is planning on turning my favorite erotic novel, "Fifty Shades of Grey" into a movie. I've been giving this a lot of thought and below are my suggestions for casting! :)

Christian Grey:

Ian Somerhalder


Anastasia Steele:


Emmy Rossum

Kate Kavanaugh:

Katie Cassidy

Elliot Grey (or Taylor the bodyguard):

Chris Hemsworth






Wednesday, May 23, 2012


"Fifty Shades of Grey" is an erotic novel penned by first time author, E L James. Since it's publication, "Fifty Shades of Grey" has made it's mark on the world of literature by being known as an over the top but poorly written BDSM novel. I glanced at some other reviews on Goodreads.com and realized that this novel is definitely a "love it or hate it" kind of book. The reviews were split completely in half, with half giving the book 1 star and the other half giving it 5. I personally enjoyed this book. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I immediately reached for the sequel and dove right in. I usually stray far, far away from erotic novels but after hearing so much about this one I figured it was worth a try. This is a book I definitely suggest!

Basic Synopsis: The novel focuses around a 21 year-old girl named Anastasia Steele who is coerced into doing an interview for her roommate, Kate. Katie writes for their school magazine but came down with the flu and needs Ana to take over for her. Ana interviews the amazingly beautiful Christian Grey and for some reason can't get him off her mind. They soon run into each other again at the hardware store where Ana works and she is shocked that she is interested in this man. He scares her, yet intrigues her at the same time. This leads into a whirlwind romance based solely on contracts and kinky sex. 

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. If it wasn't for the poor writing, it would've gotten a 5 hands down. The book, while being something I wouldn't normally read, kept me interested and I absolutely devoured it. I suggest everyone read it!

Monday, April 23, 2012




I want to start off this review by saying, the description on the back is completely misleading. I bought this book assuming I would learn about Pilate and more about Jesus being crucified, but that didn't take place until the last 20 or so pages of the 368 page book! Although the back summary was misleading, all in all it was a great book. It lead me to Google Pilate and learn a great amount about the Roman Empire. One large downfall of this novel is the timing. As I mentioned, the main focus of the book didn't take place until the very end, so less-meaningful events were often stretched out while important details were rushed. I think May would have done much better with a short series rather than one novel.

Basic Synopsis: The main character of this book is a girl named Claudia who is the daughter of Roman royalty. What makes Claudia unique is her "sight". All of Claudia's dreams happen to come true. Drawn to goddess Isis, (much against her fathers wishes) she becomes an initiate and a follower. Soon after she meets a man named Pilate and becomes quickly enamored by him, leading her to cast a love spell for his affections.  Her spell is successful and the couple is married shortly after. After her marriage, Claudia quickly starts to realize that her husband is unfaithful and finds solace in the couples young daughter. Claudia starts losing all of her family members at once due to conflict within the empire, which leads her into the arms of a handsome gladiator from her past. After a mandatory move to Judea, Claudia meets a Messiah, the self-proclaimed "King of Jews" named Jesus, who becomes the focus of her visions. She goes on to tell Pilate of her dreams of death and crosses surrounding Jesus, but as history goes on to tell, Pilate doesn't listen.

My Rating: I give this book a 3.9 out of 5 stars. If it wasn't for the sometimes rushed or lengthy writing, I would've given it a full 5. The way the author describes woman's roles in the Roman empire makes this a very fascinating read.





Thursday, April 19, 2012

So a local library is having a spring cleaning book sale and of course I over indulged in books. I went three days in a row and decided to show you which books I picked up on each day! :)

*Since I'm currently going through a severe historical-fiction phase, I've bolded all of the historical-fiction books!*

Tuesday:
"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. $2.50
"The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. $1.50

Wednesday:
"Spells of Enchantment" by Jack Zipes. (This is a collection of rare western fairy tales). $2.00
"An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobglobins, Brownies, Bogies, and Other Supernatural Creatures" by Katharine Briggs. $2.00
"The Accidental Bestseller" by Wendy Wax. $0.60
"Atonement" by Ian McEwan. $0.60
"Pilate's Wife" by Antoinette May. $1.25 (Currently reading).
"Midnight Never Come" by Marie Brennan. $1.25
"The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant. $2.00

Thursday (today):
"Sepulchre" by Kate Mosse. $1.50
"The Fellowship of The Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien. $0.75
"The Russian Concubine" by Kate Furnivall. $0.75
"Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See. $0.75


Happy Reading! <3

Monday, April 16, 2012





This past weekend was full of reading binges, the first of which being on Friday when I completely attacked The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter. I honestly read this book solely because the cable was out and I had nothing better to do, but I then realized it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. This book is slightly forgettable and definitely doesn't have the writing, but based on pure entertainment factor it was a winner. If you love Greek Mythology and indulging in Young Adult romance, this is the book for you.

Basic Synopsis: The story is based around a high school senior named Kate whose mother is quickly dying of cancer. As per her mother's last wish, she and her pack up everything to move to the town where she grew up, named Eden. Kate is soon befriended by a man named Henry who is claiming to be Hades, God of the Underworld. Henry tells Kate that if she agrees to live with him for 6 months of the year, he will save her mother. Kate agrees knowing that she cannot lose her mother, not realizing that she still has to pass seven "Goddess Tests" to see if she is worthy of ruling the Underworld and being Hades' new Persephone.

My Rating: I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. The rating is average because while being somewhat predictable, it was highly entertaining. I will definitely add this book to a list of Guilty Pleasures that I will read more than once. :)





I consider myself a lover of all books, but every once in a while a book comes along that I just can't get over it. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is definitely one of books. I acquired this book long ago and just recently decided to give it a chance. The first few paragraphs were bland and I wasn't sure about it, but once I got past them I literally could not put the book down! 499 flew by over the course of only one day!

Brief Synopsis: Based in the 1920's, the novel focuses on a girl named Chiyo who lives with her sister, ill mother and aging father in a poor town called Yoriodo. Chiyo is described as beautiful with her strange blue eyes, while her sister (6 years her senior) is considered 'pudgy' or 'average'. Chiyo's father soon sells the girls to a man named Mr. Tanako, a man they think they can trust. Mr. Tanako then sells Chiyo to an okiya ( a Geisha House) and her sister is sent to a brothel because she isn't nearly as good looking as her sister. Chiyo's life in the okiya becomes almost unbearable with the senior Geisha Hatsumomo causing her great misery. Chiyo finds her sister Satsu and they hatch a plan to run away together, but Chiyo gets caught and she never see's her sister again. The story then goes on to tell of Chiyo's hardships in the okiya and how she eventually puts her past behind her and becomes the breathtaking Geisha known as Nitta Sayuri.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars out of 5. This is a book I will always consider one of the best books I've ever read.


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

So my post today is a matter of opinion; when is it time to completely stop reading Young Adult novels? I'm 21, should I have outgrown this genre completely? I would love to hear what everyone else thinks :)

Monday, April 9, 2012

I have decided that the next book I am going to read (for the challenge) is "The Hobbit" by J R R Tolkien. I would love to hear everyone's book suggestions! Leave them in the comments below :) XO
I have just finished reading, "Lone Wolf" By Jodi Picoult. The book had 421 pages and amazingly beautiful cover art. As Jodi Picoult is my favorite author, her books generally take me about two days at most to finish. However with this book, it too me much longer. I think because of the subject matter I wasn't allowing myself to get as close to the characters as I needed to be, because of how painful it was.

The book deals with the issue of life support and when is the appropriate time to remove a family member's life support. After a car accident, Cara's father, Luke, is on life support and decisions must be made about his life. Since Cara is only 17 and under the legal age her absent brother Edward is summoned from Thailand to make the decision, after being absent from the family for 6 years following a fight with Luke. The book is bland at parts, and excruciatingly painful at others. The only time I cried this hard over a book was when Dumbledore died.

I cut this short because as with Jodi Picoult's books, there are many surprises and I promised to leave out spoilers.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. 
Last night as I was laying in bed I was thinking that there are just some series that I have  to re-read. One of the series that stuck out the most was Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events". I bought the first book at my school's book fair back when it was first published and devoured it and then devoured the rest of the series as they were released. I am so excited to re-read this series!

Also I've realized that unless I get my ass in gear there is no way I am going to meet my goal of 50 books in 2012, sooo I made a daily goal. Everyday I have to read a minimum of 100 pages. :)

Videos will be filmed today!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

I was at my parents house today and decided to skim through my book shelf, where I found my favorite book from my childhood: "Dangerous Angels" by Francesca Lia Block. I am SO excited to re-read it! I am also filming my first youtube video tonight :)

Friday, April 6, 2012

2012 Book Challenge!

I have decided to partake in the 2012 reading challenge! This challenge consists of me setting a goal for the total number of books I'm going to read this year, and hopefully completing my goal. I have set my goal to be 40 books, but I'm quite nervous that I wont reach it unless I start some heavy reading soon! I also plan on making a you tube channel that is completely focused on my books. :)

Here is a list of the books I've read already this year:

  1. "To Ride a Silver Broomstick"- Silver RavenWolf
  2. "The Hunger Games"- Suzanne Collins
  3. "Wicca: A guide for the solitary practitioner"- Scott Cunningham
As you can see I really need to work harder. Right now I am reading "Lone Wolf" by Jodi Picoult and as with any of her books, I'm sure I'll become hooked and read it in a matter of hours.

Happy Readings!