Sunday, June 22, 2014

Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

The book was a slow burn, but once it started going, I could NOT put it down. It had all of the things that I like in a fantasy: magic, mythical beasts (like super awesome ones: giant Thunderbirds, acid-spitting Death Worms, & zombie-esq Shadow Stalkers), and super-awesome female leads. That's right TWINS!! Cause what makes a kick-ass main character kick-assier? Two of 'em! Plus when you have two great main characters, you also get two HOT love interests (this is a YA novel after all, why not)! 

Final Recommendations: if you like fantasy, a little bit of magic, unique mythical creatures, animal companions, epic treks, sassy female heroins, a little bit o romance


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

I had high hopes for this one.  I love weird contemporaries.  But for some reason I just did not connect with this story.  I liked the narrator and I understood the thought behind this novel.  What would it be like to come back 5 years after you died?  It's a great premise with lots of opportunity for great emotional revelations.  But, much like his previous release, Where Things Come Back, I feel like there was not enough substance for the amount of book.  There were some good vignettes, but that could not carry the whole book.

Final recommendations: if you like slightly weird contemporary, unrequited love, impossible circumstances


Saturday, June 7, 2014

Not a Book Review, More Of A Pat on the Back & A Request

YAY!!!  I have reached "Side-Kick" status over @ the Recaptains!  If you are not familiar with this wonderful resource yet, you should totally go check them out!  The Recaptains pride themselves on "saving series one book at a time."  Remember how you read book two of that series a year and a half ago?  And then you had to painfully wait for the next in the series to be released?  You've picked it up from your local bookstore only to realize that YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST BOOK!!!  Enter the Recaptains.  They have a whole slew of reviews that break down what happened step by step in your favorite books.  Don't like spoilers?  This site is not for you.  But if you are like me and are either a) getting too old or b) read too much, this site is the perfect place to go to jog your failing memory.  And if you are so inclined, you can read a few reviews that I wrote my very own self!  Enjoy & you're welcome :)

http://recaptains.blogspot.nl/


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

What did I think?  You know how sometimes there are books that are so wholly sad and filled with all the feels you could ever feel and it makes it too hard to to really funnel your thoughts into actual critical ideas about the book?  This is that book for me.  It was all just too full for me as a mom, and a teacher, and a sister and a former teenager, I felt it all.  This book had many beautiful moments and many wonderful quotable quotes.  I guess this isn't really a review but more so a lack of a review and a recommendation for you to read it yourself and come to your own conclusions.

My favorite quote: "And maybe what growing up really means is knowing that you don't have to be just the character, going whichever way the story says.  It's knowing that you could be the author instead."

Final Recommendations: if you enjoy the feels (all of them), lovers of contemporary, a good "next read" if you enjoyed: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Eleanor & Park or Looking for Alaska.