Misleading titles are the worst

Here's a book club read that I was not excited about starting at all. I've read mostly bad reviews on it so it turned me off on reading this. But whatever the book club wants, the book club gets. So I sucked it up and read it. I mean, how bad could it actually be?

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
The first book in the White Rabbit Chronicles series
2 STAR RATING

So I was really unsure if I wanted to read the second book of this series. It started out really good, got super boring, then became good again in the end. Nothing about this book reminded me of "Alice in Wonderland" except the main character's name being Alice and her being warned by a white rabbit. The title is so misleading but the story itself isn't that bad. I'm intrigued enough to read the second installment in this series. God knows I shouldn't be starting another one. Hopefully, the next book picks up on the action from the end of Alice in Zombieland and runs with it. I'll be looking for a lot more character development too. Sometimes these people felt like cardboard cutouts of who they were actually supposed to be.

I really want the second book to be good. Even if it's horrible, I know I'll feel obligated to read the third book anyway. Once I decide to start a series, I can never leave it unfinished unless it actually makes me consider burning the book. Then I know it's time to let go and move on.

Wait, what?!

This series is absolutely bananas. It's like eating a whole bunch of junk food, you know you shouldn't be indulging in it but you can't help yourself.

Egg Monsters from Mars by R.L. Stine
The 42nd book in the original Goosebumps series
3 STAR RATING

This book was one of the more realistic ones I've read from this series. I could totally see some weird scientist keeping a child captive for alien experiments. The last line had me scratching my head though. How did he lay the egg? It says he "crouched down"...so that means it must have come out of his...OH HELL NO! lol

Enough said.

Sad love story

I was planning on reading this book when it first came out. I kept pushing it to the bottom of my reading list for reasons that made sense to me at the time. Finally, here I am, feeling like I should have read this when I first had the chance. I think it's one of the best historical fiction books ever written. To be fair, I haven't read many of those but I'm sure anyone that reads this book will agree.

Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
A fictitious tale of the doomed romance between Edgar Allan Poe and Frances Osgood
4 STAR RATING

It might have taken me a while to read this book but I enjoyed every minute of it. I took my time so that the building attraction between Poe and Osgood felt genuine. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, wondering what was going to happen to the lovers, knowing it was not going to end well. I knew nothing about Poe's personal life before reading this book and I think that was to my advantage. I felt that this story was true. I don't really care how it really went down, this is what I'll choose to believe about Poe's epic and tragic love life. I will say that none of the characters were very likable. Every one seemed to have selfish and destructive tendencies. It was hard to find a "hero" or "heroine" of the story. I'll just go ahead and say that love was the protagonist. It was also the villain. 

The author's note is a must read after finishing this novel. It makes the story even more devastating.

Both funny and sad

I picked this book up randomly when it came into the library. The title totally captured how I was feeling about my job at the moment so I knew I had to read it. It was my first time every reading Dilbert comics and I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed them.


I Sense a Coldness to Your Mentoring by Scott Adams
A collection of Dilbert comics
4 STAR RATING

It's both painful and funny to admit how much I can relate to these comics. It seems like no matter what your job might be, it doesn't fail that you'll be surrounded by idiots, incompetent people, and assholes. And 9 times out of 10, they are your boss. I guess it's better to laugh about these things. Otherwise, you're likely to die from a heart attack or something. This is why I drink a glass or three of wine after work, keeps me healthy.

If I happen to come across any more Dilbert books, I'll definitely be reading them.


 

Starting something different

So I only post on this blog about once a month. I find it hard and annoying to sit down and force myself to write a full blown review and to post frequently. So from now on, I'll just be writing little reviews for every book I read. It's less stressful that way and now I can post on here all the time like I wanted to.

So I had a goal of reading 150 books this year and I finished it! I'm so happy that I finished ahead of schedule so now I can just read whatever I want, however slowly or quickly I feel like reading it. These two books are the ones that put me at my goal 2 months early :)


Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
The second book in the Giver series
2 STAR RATING

This book does not compare to The Giver at all. This was too slowly paced and not enough was going on until the end. The ending was also very abrupt, leaving the story feeling unfinished as apposed to a cliffhanger. I am still interested in seeing how these stories will all come together in the end.



Reaper's Property by Joanna Wylde
The first book in the Reaper's MC series
1 STAR RATING

The sex scenes were okay but the writing was just horrible. I didn't like it at all. I was laughing at how unrealistic this entire scenario was. Now I usually don't care how ridiculous a story is, as long as it's engaging and entertaining. This was neither to me. I'm gonna go ahead and call it a day on this series. I don't wanna read anymore about this motorcycle club.


Unfortunately, the last two books of my challenge were not my favorites. I'm still going to read the Giver series since it's a book club series read-along. As for that smut series, I'm not interested in continuing it. I usually stay just for the sex scenes but even those weren't doing it for me.