Category Archives: What I’m reading

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Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1)Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think I’ve become rather spoiled by the amazing authors I’ve read lately because this wasn’t my typical read and gush review. I actually had to take a few days to think about what I wanted to say and how I honestly felt about this book. In the end, I found myself standing on the line – I liked the story, enjoyed the characters, and definitely found some originality in the pages. But some of the mechanics kind of distracted me, which was frustrating, and ultimately, it affected my review.

The Story:

This is one of those almost insta-love books. It’s not quite that, but the main characters, Ethan and Lena, definitely fall for each other rather quickly. Typical of teenage relationships. But there’s another element that I felt justified the quick transition from strangers to love struck teens: they shared the same dreams before they even met. Like experiencing some kind of supernatural déjà vu, they connect during their very first in-person meeting. But Ethan has no idea what he’s in for when he allows himself to fall for Lena. Certainly, he knows she’s strange, but he has no idea just how different she really is. And there’s more. During his relationship with Lena, Ethan learns that things aren’t quite what they seem in the sleepy town of Gaitlin. He also discovers the truth about Lena’s family and her impending birthday. They abandon the warning of their families, and for once, it’s the guy chasing the girl and helping her hold on to something worth fighting for.

The Characters:

Ethan is the main character of this story. I found it refreshing to read a romance book from a guy’s perspective. There aren’t a lot of those out there, and it’s really interesting to see the insight an author is able to give her male protagonist. Lena is your not-so-typical outcast who, despite the fact that things may soon change for her forever, loves Ethan, a boy she shouldn’t love. Other interesting characters worth mentioning include Link, the comedy relief and best friend; Amma, the superstitious hoo-doo-ish caretaker of Ethan; Macon, Lena’s uncle that is hiding more than you realize at first; and Ridley, the seductive dark cousin of Lena. These were the characters that stood out for me the most, and they were characters that I honestly connected with. There were others that played more minor parts, all of which were well put together (with the slight exception of Marian, the town librarian…she kind of talks in quotes and riddles a bit too much for my taste). Overall, believable, interesting characters that I enjoyed.

Book Distractions:

Unfortunately, there were some things I found very frustrating and distracting about this book. The first being the somewhat disjointed thought patterns throughout the book. I found myself confused sometimes, or bored because of redundancy. It felt like the thought-flow was just a bit mixed up at times.

The second issue I ran into had to do with the history. While I definitely felt like the history of Gaitlin and its characters needed to be shared, I also felt like there were some areas where the history overshadowed the story. There’d be whole sections of history that I’d end up skimming over because I felt like it’d just went on entirely too long.

Lastly, I felt like it took me forever to get into the book. It’s a slow read at first, and I had to fight to keep reading. I’d put it down several times, not really sure I even wanted to continue. Thankfully, the book did pick up pace nearly halfway through and I ended up being very glad that I’d continued. By the time I’d reached the last quarter of the book, I had a hard time putting it down.

Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I would recommend it. I’ve started the second book already, and though it’s a slow start just like the first one, I’m going to keep fighting for that page-turning section that I managed to find within book 1. Had there been fewer distractions, I definitely would have given Beautiful Creatures a higher rating because the story, and its characters, were that good.

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Book Review: October Snow by Jenna Brooks

October SnowOctober Snow by Jenna Brooks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Really great books are hard to find, harder to put down, and impossible to forget,” – source unknown.

This quote made me think of October Snow, instantly. It is a book that will stick with me forever. The emotions, thoughts, and personal reflection that this book stirred in me are practically impossible to articulate, but I’m going to give it a try.

October Snow is an in-your-face look at the reality that so many women face each and every day. Centered around the topic of domestic violence, the book is an amazing way for victims to find a character they can fully identify with. It is this common thread of domestic violence that ties the three friends in this book together, but interestingly enough, they don’t even realize it until somewhere towards a quarter of the way into the book. But there is so much more to this book than that.

Most notable is the fact that there is useful information for victims and their families – information that could make the difference between successfully making it out and ending up being back in the clutches of an abuser. But what really snagged me and kept pulling me in was the emotional investment I had in each of the characters. I was able to identify with all of them in one way or another. I also found myself wonderfully bonded to them and their little circle, if for no other reason than they remind me so very much of the bonds that I have formed with other women in my own life. Their mannerisms, their reactions, their emotional scars, their attachment, all of what you see from these three women describe the reality of how domestic violence and trauma affect a person forever. That, above all else, makes October Snow nothing short of an addictive read. And as I continued to turn the pages late into the night, I found myself gripped with fear, sadness, happiness, and concern. I’m not a person that cries over books or movies, at least not easily. But I cried for at least three chapters while reading October Snow because of how deeply and profoundly the book touched some of the deepest parts of my soul and humanity.

I wanted, so desperately, to give October Snow a full five stars. The story definitely deserves it, but there were a couple of minor issues that kept me from doing so. The first was the fact that there were a few instances where I had a hard time following the story. This was particularly true for some of the dialogues; I couldn’t tell who was speaking sometimes and it threw me. But there were also a few scenes that I felt jumped too quickly for me. There were also a few scenes where I felt like the topic or conversation dragged; I just wanted to get back to the story. But please don’t let any of this deter you from reading October Snow because, in all honesty, it wasn’t so distracting or jarring that it took much from the overall story. I still enjoyed the experience of reading it more than I’ve enjoyed reading any book in a very long time. And I’d give it a solid 4.5 stars if there was a half-star option. =)

Jenna Brooks is definitely an author to watch for; I have a feeling she’s going to end up taking the literary world by storm! And, for the record, if there’s ever a book that needs to be made into a movie, this is it! Many thanks to the author for giving me a reading experience that will forever be a part of my life.
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Fifty Shades of Grey Review

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It’s not often that a book leaves me sitting the fence; I usually either love it or hate it. Fifty Shades was one of those few reads for me. I have so much to say about it, so please forgive me in advance if my review sounds more like word vomit than coherent thoughts.

The BDSM factor, i.e. the sex scenes: All in all, I found the sex scenes to be Fifty Shade’s strength. I’m all for self-expression in the bedroom, whichever side of the spectrum that expression may be. I’m not a big BDSM fanatic, but I’m not opposed to it either. I figure, whatever floats your boat, so to speak. So the sexual nature of the book didn’t deter me in the slightest, but I definitely wouldn’t say it changed my life. I just found that these sections were the best written.

Characters: This is where it’s going to get lengthy, so don’t touch that back button. ;-)
Let’s start with Anastasia. When the book first started out, I found her annoying and unbelievable. I had a really hard time relating to her because I have such a hard time believing that a young woman in her twenties has never, not once, ever had any kind of sexual thoughts, like ever. Sorry, but it just killed her character for me. Well, that and the fact that she had a hard time even talking about her sexual parts AND she had a serious self-image issue….But, after a while, more specifically, as she blossomed from a never-thought-about-sex virgin to an insatiable kitten, she started to seem a little less annoying and a little more real.

Christian, on the other hand, was a totally relatable character for me. As “fifty shades of fucked up” as he was, he just seemed more like a real person to me. He had a past, a history, a story. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about him as a person, but isn’t that what we look for in a character – a personality that is real enough that you have things you love about them and things you hate about them? Christian gave me that. One minute, I hated him – like wanting to scream at or throw my Kindle hate him. The next minute, I was able to sympathize with him. There was one thing that totally drove me nuts about Christian, though…something that kept throwing me off out of the story. One minute, he’s all, “Anastasia, you may fall and hurt yourself. Which will put you in direct contravention of rule number seven, now six,” and the next minute he’s all “Laters, baby.” It’s like he’s got a split personality and while Ana does make several mentions to his “mercurial” personality shifts, this is like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde different. Thankfully, these personality shifts are only occasional so they’re not overly disturbing or distracting; it was just enough that I felt it was worth mentioning.

Consent, Abuse and other things worth mentioning: I know there’s been quite a few discussions about the underlying control theme in Fifty Shades. Christian is extremely controlling and some have made claims that this kind of behavior in a character could be seen as a “bad example” for women in controlling/borderline abusive relationships. Here’s where I stand on this one: Christian’s behavior is very controlling, but given his past, it’s not surprising. And one thing that makes his type of controlling behavior different is the fact that he doesn’t try to isolate her (other than the NDA regarding their sex life), he doesn’t attempt to psychologically damage her, and he actually controls aspects of her life that would KEEP her from getting hurt, which is kind of the opposite of most abusuers. Does that mean that it’s okay for women to try and “rescue” a man like Christian? Nope. Does it mean that I condone or agree with his behavior or controlling personality? Absolutely not. That is exactly the kind of thinking that lands women in abusive relationships. But is Christian “abusive” per say? Not necessarily. Now, before anyone attacks, let me explain. What would be seen as abusive would be in the context of the consensual BDSM relationship between Ana and Christian. Punishment and physical pain are not unheard of in BDSM relationships, and the fact that they are consenting adults negates the “abusive” aspect of it.

Food for Thought: I have to wonder, what is it about Fifty Shades that has made it so controversial? Is it the fact that Ana is so innocent? Is it her lack of self-esteem? Is it Christian’s controlling personality? I have a feeling that it’s a little bit of all three. When mixing these three components together, it’s quite easy to see a potentially abusive situation, and it is true that many abusive relationships are founded on these principles. But it’s important to remember that, as popular as this book may be, it is simply a book – a book that tells of one woman’s fantasy to have a man who knows how to control her body and the bedroom. Nothing more, nothing less. A good friend said it best – what others do with their interpretation of the book is not the responsibility of the collective. Those that interpret a book like Fifty Shades as a reason to stay in an abusive/dysfunctional relationship would have stayed in that relationship, regardless. Those that interpret a book like this as one that tells them it’s okay to continue pursuing guys that hurt them would continue to do so anyway. And just in case you’re wondering, I’m not pulling these thoughts out of nowhere…I spent many, many years trying to “change” or “save” men from their tragic histories; I am a survivor of domestic violence.

All that said, would I read Fifty Shades of Grey again? No. Do I plan on reading book 2? Yes, when I get around to it. I’m not in a crazy hurry or anything. Like I said at the beginning of my very long review, I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it. I’m on the fence, but obviously, reading it elicited some sort of response out of me, otherwise, I wouldn’t have written such a long review.

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Love and Relativity by Rachael Wade

Love and RelativityLove and Relativity by Rachael Wade

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Today is my birthday and I get to share something totally amazing with you: my favorite read this year, Love and Relativity by Rachael Wade! (Yes, I’m strange…I like sharing on my birthday ;-) )

I laughed. I cried. I read until I needed toothpicks to keep my eyes open! In short, Love and Relativity made my very short “epic love story” list. But in more depth:

“My problem is, I can’t do this shit anymore, Emma. The girl I fucking love is sitting across from me, and I can’t have her. I can never have her because all I seem to do is hurt her, and it’s killing me, alright? Seeing you like that last week…it tore me open and ripped out my insides. It feels worse than the three years I couldn’t touch you combined. There’s nothing left of me, because you have it all. You were right. I am no good for you—not now, and not in the future. I’m done with this back and forth bullshit, so please, just say what you came to say and be done with it, because I can’t fucking take it anymore.”

That. Right there. And so much more is why Love and Relativity is currently my favorite Rachael Wade novel, and probably one of my favorite reads this year.

Jackson is totally bad-boy-with-a-good-heart yummy. He tries his damndest to stay away from Emma, to do what’s right by her. He wants more for her than him, but their love is fueled by sheer magnetism and Jackson isn’t the bad boy he thinks he is. He’s caged himself in, simply put up walls because of the things he’s been through, which really just makes him all the more desirable in the end.

Emma is struggling with her own issues: a jerk of an ex-boyfriend, her own walls and inhibitions, the grief and loss of her sister and the secret that binds her and Jackson together – the one thing that tells her that there’s more to Jackson than meets the eye. But figuring it all out is easier said than done.

Be prepared for some serious swooning and steamy scenes. And don’t be surprised if you spend half the book wanting to ring either Jackson’s or Emma’s necks because we, the readers, can see they are perfect for each other but one or the other seems to think that they’re better off sabotaging the entire thing.

My favorite character from Preservation also plays a pretty big role in Love and Relativity. I got to know him better and I got to see him happy, which I totally loved. He’s the sweet, pure hearted guy who most girls overlook because he lacks that bad boy edge. But to me, he’s beyond yummy and totally the kind of guy I would marry (and yes, I did marry the total sweetheart and I’ve never looked back! =)). So for me, Love and Relativity also righted and the wrongs I’d felt at the end of Preservation, making Love and Relativity all the more enjoyable.

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Book Review of The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright

The Burning Bush (Habitat, #2)The Burning Bush by Kenya Wright
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Over the last year, I’ve become a pretty big Kenya Wright fan. The Burning Bush was a prime example of why!
At the end of Fire Baptized, I remember wondering what in the world the author still had to write about: the murderer was behind bars, Lanore had finally decided that she was interested in Zulu…things seemed to be pretty much resolved, at least in my opinion.

Enter The Burning Bush, second book to The Habitat Series. Ms. Wright made it perfectly clear, from the very first page, that I had been wrong in my assumptions about whether or not there should be a second book – boy, had I been wrong!

Zulu, Lanore and MeShack now have a whole new killer to contend with. The only difference is that the killer isn’t after Lanore this time – but someone else is. That someone has found a way to integrate themselves in with the group closest to Lanore and Zulu. Oh, and as always, there’s some hot, steamy, sexy scenes in there. And staying true to her style, Ms. Wright’s characters are amazingly vivid; her description of experiences, locations and details are wonderfully realistic.

I won’t say much more about the book or the story line itself; I wouldn’t want to ruin the experience for anyone else. But I will say this…I cannot WAIT for the next book! The Burning Bush kept me up, wanting to read just a little more. When I got to the end, it was like watching the season finale of your favorite television show – the producers let off at a place that will guarantee you’ll come back for more. That’s exactly what Ms. Wright accomplished with The Burning Bush. In fact, when I reached the end of the book, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss her or scream at her.

Yes, it was just that good!

I received a free copy of the Burning Bush in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own and I have received no other compensation for my review.

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Book Review: Zeke by Wodke Hawkinson

ZekeZeke by Wodke Hawkinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ever wondered how women end up in abusive relationships? Why it is they don’t just leave or how, exactly, they fall in love with an abusive person in the first place? Read Zeke by Wodke Hawkinson. I didn’t just read a story that had me on the edge of my seat; I read a story that so accurately the victim’s mental rewiring and abuser’s charming mental instability that I had to step back and remind myself that I was reading a fictional story.

It’s not often that I find a book that can evoke a strong emotional response from me; Zeke did. And it wasn’t just the brilliant writing: exceptional character building would be an understatement, engaging story fails to do this book justice, and to say that the story and characters were realistic couldn’t even come close to describing what I experience while reading Zeke. In fact, the story was so realistic that I felt as though I was simply reading another victim’s story.

As you may well know, I am an advocate for domestic violence victims. I am also a survivor of domestic violence, so Zeke really jumped off the page for me. He was a living, breathing, standing in my living room abuser for me. I had to take several breaks throughout the book, just to breathe and remind myself that I was safe. But there are women out there that are NOT safe. They are with real versions of Zeke. While not all of them are likely as mentally unstable as our male protagonist, they are all mentally unstable in one way or another. Anyone that has ever been in an abusive relationship could probably find a resemblance of their abuser in Zeke.

For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend this book to everyone. For those that are still healing from the trauma caused in an abusive relationship, Zeke may not be a suitable read. But I would recommend this book to anyone else that enjoys psychological, nail biting, edge of your seat books. I’d also highly recommend this book to any young woman who is just starting out in the dating world or to any woman that may be on the verge of entering an abusive relationship.

There are Zeke’s on every corner, ladies, and they don’t come with a sign. Instead, they are charming, handsome, sweet, and completely in “love” with you. But what you see on the surface is nothing more than an act; deep down, they only want to control you, and many of them, like Zeke, actually enjoy seeing you in pain.

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Foretell Review

Foretell (Wanderlove, #2)Foretell by Belle Malory
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Foretell carries on where Wanderlove left off, for the most part, but the story is now told from a different perspective. Readers are now taken into the thoughts and experiences of The Oracle, otherwise known as Estelle.

Estelle first learned of her curse shortly after her father’s death. She’d always known her ability could be dangerous in the wrong hands. In fact, her own mother and sister have fully abused her abilities to obtain wealth and fame. But it wasn’t until meeting Lola, Rex and Gabe that Estelle realized just how much danger she and the world could be in because of her ability. She also learns that gypsies from all over the world are hunting for her, trying to find her so that they can use her abilities for their own gain.

After earning the trust of Estelle, Lola, Gabe and Rex take Estelle to safety, but that safety is soon compromised when Estelle decides to try and break the curse. This journey will lead her to love, heartbreak, and even to the brink of death. Will she break the curse or will she forever serve evil people?

Again, I am fully wowed by Belle Mallory’s story. Something about her writing just captivates me. It’s so real to me, as if the whole gypsy world, the curse of the Oracle and the reincarnation of gypsy souls truly does exist. I also find myself fully engrossed in her stories. The writing flows so easily, so beautifully. The characters wonderfully created. I love how they seem so much like real people.

All in all, I’m a little sad that there probably won’t be another book in the Wanderlove series. (Although who knows except Ms. Mallory.) Nothing has changed for me. I am a dedicated Belle Mallory fan and look forward to reading anything she writes in the future. A huge thank you to the author for creating a story that will forever stay with me. I am certain I will read both books again sometime in the future.

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Life is Short – Make Memories

This week has been a very difficult one for me. I took on work project that I really shouldn’t have, spent days concerned that I had made a huge mistake on a client’s website, only to find out that the problem was easily solved, and I have had to dig my heels in hard and heavy with my professional writing. This, unfortunately, has left little time for the things that matter most in my life: my husband and my five amazing children.

Of course, on top of all that, there’s the cooking, the cleaning, the house repairs…AAAAAHHHH!!! It’s all enough to make a person go insane. What’s worse is that I haven’t even touched my book in weeks.

Now, before you run away and never return to my site because I sound like a compulsive whiner, let me just say that there really is a point to all of my complaining.

Life is short.

Right now, I am reading Lillian’s List by Bradley Salters.

My mother died at 46.

I am now 31.

My oldest son is now 14.

I have been married to my amazing husband for almost 5 years.

My baby is now 2.

Too short.

The point I am trying to make is that we get so caught up in the day to day hustle, bustle, frustrations, conversations, entertainment, complaining, working, and everything else that fills the hours of our days, that we often forget just how short life is.

After my Mom died, I told myself that I would never, ever forget just how short life can be. But that was more than six years ago. Life continues. Jobs continue, raising children continues, house work and chores continue. Yet, amidst it all, a life didn’t continue. A life that was important, precious and special to me and everyone that it had touched.

So, this reminder is probably more for myself than anyone, but I wanted to share it with you as well….

Life is short.

Too short.

Have fun, make memories, let the dust bunnies lie, learn to say no to commitments that monopolize your time, make someone laugh, be gentle with yourself and others, say a kind word, smile at a stranger, hug, forgive, take a walk, hold hands, dance in the rain and find ways to make each moment of this too short life count.

Make your life count because to someone else, you are that special life, and those moments will be cherished, treasured and missed, long after you’re gone.