May Flowers

I have found my stride again with fining books to read and wanting to actually finish them. I was feeling discouraged that I would be in this rut until summer but I've read a few good books that gave me hope. They weren't life changing or core shaking but I still enjoyed them.


The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury
BOOK CLUB READ

Such an easy read. The characters were a bit stiff and predictable but I liked them all the same. The final fight scene was awesome. I'm glad that this is a stand alone novel. I am always happy and impressed when an author feels confidant enough to complete a story start to finish in one shot. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a YA romance with a kick.




If You Were My Man by Francis Ray
Last novel of the Invincible Women series

This book became stupid very quickly. I was feeling the chemistry between Nat and Rafael but the conflict that drove them apart was completely dumb. I'm not looking for a grand twist with my romances but I appreciate a little bit of thought. This seemed forced and directionless. The saving grace of the novel was the relationship with Clarice and Jake. I would have loved the book more if it was told from their POVs only.




The Bitten by L.A. Banks
The fourth novel of the Vampire Huntress Legend series
BOOK CLUB READ

I feel like these books go on for too long. There are so many unnecessary scenes and dialogue between characters. It has the awful effect of pulling me out of the book and losing my interest. But I still absolutely loved everything that went down in the Aussie's mansion. The tension was delicious. After that, the book lost me. I mostly skimmed so I'm confused on what actually happened at the end.


Deadman Wonderland by Jinsei Kataoka
The last volume of the series

It's finally over. The last volume has been consumed and it left me feeling giddy. After everything that these deadmen have gone through, they came out on the other side with lives to live and happiness that is well deserved. I was most nervous about what would become of Ganta and Shiro. My bet was that they were gonna kill each other. Thankfully I was wrong. It wasn't what I would have expected but their conclusion made a lot of sense and was so darn sweet. I would have been happy enough just to look at the cover instead of reading the book though. It's gorgeous.


The Winter Girl by Matt Marinovich

What a strange little book. It was a very disturbing read. Every character was god awful, even worse than everyone in The Girl on the Train. I know two stars seem like a bad review but I did have moments of entertainment reading this novel. It was just buried under an avalanche of WTF am I reading. The story is sadistic and I honestly have no idea if the author had a hidden message he was trying to convey or if this was just a story stuck in his head that he just had to get out. Either way, this novel left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm just glad it wasn't any longer than 200+ pages.



Don't Go to Sleep by R.L. Stine
The 54th book of the original Goosebumps series

This was a good one. The plot was just interesting enough to keep my attention to finish this in one sitting. The reality police almost lost me though. And I still will never understand why the protagonist's family has to be borderline psycho. It seriously upsets me.

Reading Challenge 2016 #4

Yadda yadda yadda, I used Goodreads (again) to find a book for this month's challenge. We had to read a book that takes place in another country. I've been using these lists to knock books off of my to read list that fit the criteria for the challenge. So far, it has been working out for me. My friend chose this book because of a previous experience with the author, I think. I just know that I felt pressure to find a good book since he had already found his. I went to Afghanistan to re(read) a popular school book and he traveled to Italy for a dark comedy.


Afghanistan 

So few books devastate me like this one has. I haven't cried this much reading a novel since The Book Thief. It completely gutted me, forcing me to feel things that I wasn't in the mood to feel but had to because of the words I was absorbing. I had forgotten that I had read this book once before for school so I never gave it a rating on here. But after finishing the first chapter, I realized that I was in for a familiar emotional roller coaster. My heart was broken again and again. From that destruction came a sense of rebirth, similar to what Laila and Miriam go through. This is one of those novels that changes you. I'm glad I forgot that I'd read this years ago so I could experience it as I am now. But I know I have no plans to reread this in the future. I don't think my heart could handle it a third time.





Italy

How do I describe the Serpent of Venice? For those that have read Christopher Moore’s The Fool, all I have to say is Pocket is at it again. But what if you’re not familiar with this salacious treatment of the Bards works? How do I describe the comedic interplay of status, station, situation and ambition which whirls from Venice to Corsica to Genoa and back with Pocket, the Motley fool at its center? That where Pocket goes plots and counter-plots, love and betrayal, wealth and debauchery of an absurdly outrageously inventive form follow. Oh, and a ghost, there’s always a bloody ghost. I describe it with one word, entertaining.

Fantasy and Contemporary

I usually lean heavily towards fantasy/sci-fi novels. I love to read about things that are otherworldly. It helps me escape from my sometimes boring, stressful life. But in the past few weeks, I've been craving regular old fiction. I failed to satisfy that craving though, having only read two non fantasy books. And one of them was a reread. I still hold out hope that someday soon, I'll read a great novel based in real life. Whether it be adult, young adult, or children based.

Gangsta Vol 1 by Kohske
4 STAR RATING

Hello, new obsession. The high point of this novel is definitely the art. Just Nic's face alone is enough to have me read the entire series. Every character stands out on their own but are still able to play well together. I would love to have more back story in the next book. I am interested in seeing more from Worick's dark past.



Family of Lies by Mary Monroe
BOOK CLUB READ
1 STAR RATING

I think I knew deep down that I was not going to like this book. I rarely read AF-AM and from what I've heard, Mary Monroe is not my cup of tea. This is the only book I've read by her and one is definitely enough. The dialogue, the characters, the plot; everything was just awful. I hated every person and every thing that they did. I wish I had left this book club pick unread.


The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
First novel of the Ravenspire series
BOOK CLUB READ
3 STAR RATING

This was so close to getting the dreaded DNF. I found myself extremely annoyed with almost every character. The only chapter POV I was enjoying was the evil queen's. Every one else was whiny and stupid. But the action kept my attention. The ending was satisfying. Just enough action to get the blood pumping. I just hope that the next book learns from this one's mistakes.


Blood Kiss by J.R. Ward
First novel of the Black Dagger Legacy series
4 STAR RATING

Thank the romance gods that this book was great. Ward had me worried for a second there with a few of her BDB novels. I felt she had lost what made the series great in the first place. But she's definitely found her footing again and came back full force with this spin off. The characters, old and new, seem like a breath of fresh air to me. The only fault I have is when a character says, "Aaaaaaaaaand..." I don't understand why this is incorporated into the inner dialogue now. The internet lingo is one thing but I get super annoyed at the drawn out words for emphasis.


Lessons From a Younger Lover by Zuri Day
BOOK CLUB READ
REREAD
3 STAR RATING

I had originally gave this book 4 stars but I'm knocking off one because this book is a tad bit ridiculous. I still loved the melodrama and characters but it's just too much. It makes me question whether I'll like other Zuri Day books as much as I used to. Either way, this way a fun romance read and I was more than happy to reread it for book club. I couldn't get a good image of Ransom in my head but I had no problems connecting with Gwen. She's a likable protagonist and I'm glad she got her happy ending.

A Book Club Miracle

March marks the first month, in a really really long time, that I read every book club read assigned to me. I'm a part of three different clubs, two online and one in person. I always find it difficult to read all of the books because I read so much other personal picks on my own. But I finally did it. I can only hope to continue the streak in April.

Forgotten Sins by Rebecca Zanetti 2 STAR RATING BOOK CLUB READ This was just a sad horrible attempt at a thriller romance. I felt no chemistry between Shane and Josie. I found them to be equally annoying and hard to root for. The fact that Josie kept saying she was AFRAID of Shane turned me off completely. Why would that make me hot and bothered, to think about this woman worrying if she'll get hurt by the man she loves? The saving grace of this novel was the appearance of Shane's brothers. I really liked them a lot, although I'm sure they have even more issues than their little brother. Too bad I'm not interested enough to read the second book in the series. I've had my fill.   A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston 4 STAR RATING BOOK CLUB READ I have found a rarity in the YA novel universe. A fantasy teen novel without a love triangle or any love interest at all that wraps up in a neat little bow at the end. No sequels, no waiting, no angst! I will admit that the beginning was boring and stiff. I had recently read a retelling of this old folk tale and wasn't keen on reading another. But our heroine, who I'm pretty sure is never named, won me over with her wit and restraint. The villain gets his own mini chapters which were very well written and exciting. I wish he had more of a voice in the book but it definitely doesn't lack because of it. I'm glad I gave this book a chance because it is easily one of the best I've read this year.                                      Soul Eater Vol 6 by Atsushi Ohkubo 3 STAR RATING The Kinshin battle at the end wasn't as epic as I was hoping but I'm confidant he'll be back and creating madness. The best part of this volume was Maka fighting against the black blood or whatever was making her crazy. The little souls of her and Croana were so darn cute. I wanna see more of that. Attack on Titan Vol 17 by Hajime Isayama 3 STAR RATING This was a slower volume but it makes sense to take a breather after all the craziness of the last book. Eren and Historia have good chemistry and I hope it blossoms into a romance. This story could use a light-hearted love story. The ending with the monkey titan was great. Anytime he shows up, I shout with joy.

Blown Away

I haven't done a non-themed blog post in a while so here it is, long overdue. If it's not for a challenge or book club, I've mostly been reading multiple series that I'm trying for wrap up. It's hard when I get easily distracted by other, newer novels. And being a part of three separate book clubs is finally catching up to me. I can't read them all and read my other side books. When it comes to reading, I'm a free agent. You can't tie me down. 

Chicken Chicken by R.L. Stine

Book # 53 of the original Goosebumps series

2 STAR RATING

This was such a filler book for the series. It felt like it had been written in a hurry. And that ending was more annoying than anything. You just got changed back, why would you go and be rude again? The cover is hilarious though. It makes me think of chicken nuggets for some reason lol

Happily Ever After by Elizabeth Maxwell

BOOK CLUB READ

4 STAR RATING

Okay, that was awesome! I wasn't really sure what this book was about so I wasn't jumping at the chance to read it. I feel like that worked in my favor. The surprise fantasy quality of the novel really hooked me in. I was not expecting Sadie's characters to actually come to life. Everyone was expertly written and my only complaint was that this book was not longer. I wanted more Greta. Seriously, that housekeeper needs her own spin off. I have high hopes for Maxwell's next book. For a debut novel, this one was damn near perfect.

The Hunted by L.A. Banks

Book #3 of the Vampire Huntress Legend series

BOOK CLUB READ

3 STAR RATING

At this point, I feel like the series is all over the place. Damali and Carlos got crap piled on top of crap that they have to deal with. And this book was packed to the brim. There was no reason for the novel to be over 400 pages. Most of it was filler and unnecessary. The saving grace of this one is the connection between Damali and Carlos. When they finally got it on, I was DONE. I literally screamed with glee. I hope I see more of them together than apart on future books from the series. And that the drama is toned down just a little. 

Deadman Wonderland Vol 12 by Jinsei Kataoka

5 STAR RATING

I'm almost at the end but I feel like I still have too many questions and not enough answers. But the bonus stories were really cute so I had to give this volume 5 stars. I'm still holding out hope that Shiro and Ganta will have their happy endings. I hope everyone will make it to the end too. I don't want any more killings except Toto's. He needs to get got.

The Invisibles by Cecilia Galante

3 STAR RATING

This book is the complete definition of a filler read. I enjoyed it throughout but it will quickly fade from my memory and I will be hard pressed to recall ever reading this novel. Chick lit just rarely does it for me. It's sappy and melodramatic. It has the potential to be great but then falls short. The emotional ending of the story turned me off. I was riding high with the drama of these old friends reuniting but was left unsatisfied for the finale. I could relate to some of their issues but I was mostly annoyed. I'm still glad I gave this book a chance. Now on to better reads, hopefully.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

NEW FAVORITE

BOOK CLUB READ

5 STAR RATING

This book is in a league of its own. It's damn near perfect. It was confusing at times and sometimes hurt my eyes with the writing style, but I loved every bit of it. I'm still not sure what this book is exactly about but I know I want more of it. Ezra, Kady, and AIDAN. were just awesome. You don't get much of Ezra but he's a strong presence. He's a lovable goofball and I'm happy that SPOILER he didn't die like AIDAN told Kady he had. I was devastated when I read that. I actually teared up a bit. SPOILER Kady was annoying but the final showdown definitely had me rooting for her. AIDAN was the anti-hero and I still don't know how I feel about him...it...whatever. All I know is that I am beyond excited for the next book.