Wednesday, July 29, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - The Unseen (Unseen Trilogy #1)


Format: Kindle eBook (free) on amazon
July 7-9, 2015
Official Blurb: Mackenzie Day constantly struggles to silence the voices in her head. The inner thoughts of those around her intrude upon every aspect of her life, threatening to turn it into chaos. 

All her life, she thought she was alone as a mind reader—a freak. 

Then a member of a secret organization called The Unseen suddenly introduces himself, and she’s immersed in a world she never knew existed. They teach her to hone her skills as a reader, but to what end? Secrets surround her, humming just out of reach, filling her with questions. 

Who are they? What do they do with their mind-reading abilities? In the end, just how far will Mackenzie go to be part of The Unseen? 

The first chapter felt a little trite and not very original, but then it started slowly getting more involved as it progressed. The idea feels like redone YA stuff, but I still feel the use of it was very original and had enough surprises to make it enjoyable. Mac is a decent protagonist, but at times it felt that she was more in her late teens than mid 20s. She didn’t make horrible choices or anything like that, but sometimes she said/did stuff that made you question her age. Maddie is a cool friend, and I was very intrigued by Mitchell (that one line about his past the Owen says makes me DESPERATE to know more!). Mac and her boy had a believable start to romance I think, and it didn’t go over the top but is just kind of nicely there. Cute, but not sappy. The writing is quick to read and enjoy, but the story line doesn’t feel rushed at all. Perhaps a smidgen slow? But maybe that’s just because it’s the first of a trilogy, I’m not sure. I did enjoy how Mac was pretty strong despite being semi-introverted because of her ability. I rushed to get the second book because I want to see what else happens plus I’m hoping for Mitchell’s back story! Here’s hoping Erickson continues the fine writing!

Rating: 4 stars

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

MEME - High Summer Read-a-Thon [Seasons of Reading] {Wrap-Up}

This was really fun, and though I didn't do EVERYTHING I'd hoped, I did get a bunch of reading done!

Goals
1. Atlas Shrugged - currently at page 445 - goal is to get done with Part Two
2. Abuse - currently at  page 180 - goal is to finish book
3. Dirty Bad Savage - currently at 48% - goal is to finish book
4. read and finish any other free romance novel anew
5. get 50 pages done of any paperback book I've currently reading

Actual Progress
1. Atlas Shrugged - page 532 (ch 6 of part two)
2. Abuse - FINISHED!
3. Dirty Bad Savage - FINISHED!
4. freebie romance - FINISHED Alpha Contender vol 1; at 58% of The Seas of Time
5. paperback - didn't even open one

Well, three out of five doesn't sound very bad at all, when you put it like that. Can't wait to do the FrightFall Read-a-Thon in October!

BOOK REVIEW - TUESDAY FLIRTATIONS - Watch Me


I'm sure a lot of us download free romance novels to read because there are SO very many of them out there. And then the little guys breed like rabbits in our eReaders. Why don't we share our reviews/impressions so we can find the best ones to read?

Rules:
1. Read a free romance book (this was started for legally free eBooks, but you can count anything gifted, borrowed, ARC, etc!)
2. Review it on your blog. If you can and it's still available, share the link to the free book.
3. Link back here by using the code below.
4. Leave your link to the specific blog post (NOT your main site) in a comment here or on the recent week's TF post. Or the linky tool, though there may be bugs I gotta work through, please let me know!
5. Delight in reading reviews by real people who's likes/dislikes you can compare to and thus find a romance you most likely will enjoy :D



Cynthia Eden - http://www.cynthiaeden.com/
Format: Kindle eBook (free at the time on  amazon but no longer )
Did it feel like a full novel: yes
Genre: romance, slight thriller/mystery
Dates Read: July 14-16 2015
Official Blurb: He was hired to protect her. 

Watching gorgeous Gwen Hawthorne wasn’t a hard job—but it certainly was tempting. Chance Valentine had tried to keep his distance from the sexy socialite for years, but when her father hired him to keep watch on her—as a twenty-four, seven bodyguard—Chance knew his control was about to be pushed to the limit. 

He’d never wanted another woman the way he desired her. Hot. Intense. Consuming. Being so close to Gwen, Chance knew that he wouldn’t be able to resist her. So he gave into his need, her need, and he took them both to the edge of a dark and consuming desire. 

But Chance soon realizes that he isn’t the only one watching Gwen. Someone else is out there, a stalker who won’t rest until Gwen is destroyed. Every day, every moment…Gwen is in danger. And Chance knows that if he can’t unmask the stalker, then he may just lose the only woman he has ever loved. 



First off, if you at all think you want to read this novel, please do it before you read the synopsis of the others of the same short series! You may spoil something for yourself :[

Starting this book, I wasn’t into Chance’s possession that much. Especially when they’ve had some sort of break up or rebuff situation that you don’t get the details of until much later. Sure he sounds like a good guy sorta, but he seems more concerned with his own desires for Gwen than for Gwen’s happiness regardless of where he’d fit in her life. But as you see them together a little more, there’s a decent base of relationship that it doesn’t feel so weird anymore. Other characters get introduced who’ll be in the other books, but with enough info on them that you know who they are here. I am very curious about Lex, being that twice it’s mentioned his smile is not a nice one. As ‘dangerous’ as Chance is (something that is mentioned but never really shown so perhaps it's just a ploy to make him sound hotter), I have a feeling Lex is a lot worse. Rather intrigued here, as long as he doesn’t turn into a jackhole alpha type :/

The semi relationship that’s hinted between Will and another lady makes me wish their was a book about them, but maybe we’ll pick up stuff from the other books already written. Will didn’t really feel real on his own, but his lady-friend and his daughter kinda help a little. Regarding Gwen, I’m not too sure if I liked her or not, overall. At first I didn’t care for her because of the vague history, but after getting more info, I felt neutral. She wasn’t outright cool, but neither was she annoying. Just kinda there, but with barely enough personality to make her and Chance be cute together.

The sex was a bit boring, but the leads up were good. Maybe it was just because the actual sex acts seemed rushed? But it’s not too graphic if you just want to know they got it on without having to watch it. When it comes to story, it develops just right, giving you info as needed in the beginning, then running with the tension closer to the end. Not the greatest plot for a romance, but still believable and it gave it solidity. Not a heavy mystery, but a perfect amount for me that has to be in the mood for full mysteries.

I have a zillion other free romances to read, but if I didn’t, I’m pretty sure I would have bought the second novel already. I will eventually, because though this book started as a 2 for me, it went up before I got too far. I’d recommend it to readers of romance who aren’t big fans of too much drama, as there’s only a wee bit and it doesn’t get overly exaggerated where you want to slap the characters. 

Rating: 3 Stars



Saturday, July 25, 2015

MEME - Stacking the Shelves - 07-25-15 #003



Today's books are mostly romance this time around. But this time I added a bit more sci fi and fantasy. Not sure which one I should do... Has anyone read any of these that you'd suggest? Or which do you think sounds the most promising?

   

     



Friday, July 24, 2015

Why do we love memes and tags so much?

So I was looking back on my blog and I see that I have quite an abundance of memes and the like as my posts, moreso than reviews it seems! While I see nothing wrong with memes, I wonder at my, and possibly other people's, semi-addiction to them. Here follow my ideas for why possibly they're so popular with us bloggers:

1. They're easy to do
Read so many of your TBR list? Finish a book you haven't touched in a while? Can do! Especially with the impetus of signing up with a meme exclaiming your goal. Then you get it done and get a reward! I don't mean like a raffle or giveaway (though those are cool), you know that you accomplished what you set out to do!

2. They're challenging to do
OK, so usually you read one book a week and this meme requires you to read three. You roll up your sleeves and put on your best running shoes, because you've GOT THIS. It sounds difficult or insane, but you are determined to give it your all. Even if you don't make the finish line, I'll bet you'll be satisfied with how hard you pushed yourself.

3. Great way to network
More often than not, there's link sharing. So you get to put yourself out there in a nice way, for those of you who are worried about leaving your links behind.

4. Learn about yourself and fellow bloggers
Sometimes the questions we tag each other with are hard, or require detailed answers. Everyone answering the same thing helps us see each other with the same 'interview' yet with our own flair. Answering such questions make you perhaps think more deeply on why you love a certain book or genre perhaps.

5. Give/get book recommendations
If you're asked for these, it's always great to share your favorites with others, or look around to see what other people who's tastes are dis/similar enjoy. Even memes as Stacking the Shelves might give you an idea for something you want to try that you may not have otherwise heard about.

6. Lovely logos
Yes, collecting logos to place on top of your posts may be something akin to Pokemania. Just gotta catch 'em all.

What other reasons can you think for our love of memes/tags?

Thursday, July 23, 2015

MEME - Burn, Rewrite, or Reread Tag! [Downright Dystopian]


I wasn't tagged individually, but Krystianna from Downright Dystopian was cool enough to open the tagging to anyone who wanted to try it, which I do :P 
The Rules: There are three rounds. Use a random number generator to pick a number and apply that to your read shelf on Goodreads. Then, decide what book you'd burn, rewrite, or reread!

Round One:

Burn: Stranger in a Strange Land I never really grokked this. I prefer its anti-book by Heinlein, Starship Troopers.
Rewrite: Scarecrow It just wasn't as good as the other Reilly books I've read.
Reread: The Jungle I remember it stuck with me through much of high school, and I'd like to check it out as a more mature person with different life experiences. 

Round Two:
Burn: A Game of You Just because it wasn't one of my fave arcs, though the way these groups of characters (mostly female) get together for a quest is pretty nifty.
Rewrite: The Lesser Kindred It was a good mid-way novel between the first and last of the trilogy, but it was lacking in comparison to those two somehow.
Reread: Into the Labyrinth I usually reread this series every two years because it's one of my favorites!

Round Three:

Burn: Dark Harvest Had such a great concept, but kind failed in getting it across.
Rewrite: The Eye of the World There were just some parts that really dragged for me.
Reread: The Wake Such a fabulous end to the Sandman, though it seals so many storylines, you still want more!

I hereby tag anyone else who wants to do this fun game!






Wednesday, July 22, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - Ogden


Cory Abernathy http://www.twitter.com/Cory_Abernathy
Format: Kindle eBook (free - through readingdeals.com)
Dates Read: June 25-June 30

Official Synopsis: A seemingly routine accident investigation just outside of the small town of Ogden, IL, pulls Detective Desmond King into a tempest of terror. What Detective King discovers at that scene causes him to realize that something terrible is happening in Ogden and he must act quickly to prevent the town from destroying itself. When Detective King recognizes he has only a small chance left to save any of the 1,200 citizens of Ogden from each other, a new threat presents itself. One that promises to destroy not only the town itself, but everyone within.

I love me some zombies. Yet I haven’t read too many zombie books and I really wanted to read this one after the synopsis! The story is setup over only one night, with each section spaced apart and from very many different points of view. Definitely cool. The action in the beginning is pretty on par with what you’d want to see in any zombie film. There were also a few characters that were continued throughout, especially the detective who was realistic and likable. However, after a point it feels like the zombies were no longer an issue though the plot was still full of danger. The other characters weren’t as deep as Detective King, though a few of the main ones came close. I wanted to know more about them, and how their personalities might change how they saw things or solutions. The dogs were a good addition as others have said, but I wish they’d had a few more scenes or even parts told from their POVs. The end was all right, but not that satisfying. It was a fairly quick read though, and still fulfilled my zombie quota regardless. [I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.]

Rating: 3 Stars

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

MEME - High Summer Read-a-Thon [Seasons of Reading]

I love how this sounds! Pretty much, during the week of July 20-26th your goal with this is pretty much to just READ as much as you can. They also have a twitter hashtag #HSreadathon full of people's goals, accomplishments, etc!

So at first I wanted a super high goal, but then I realize I'm already a day and a half behind since I just heard about this. Guess I'll have to limit myself to just a few, but wish me luck!

1. Atlas Shrugged - currently at page 445 - goal is to get done with Part Two
2. Abuse - currently at  page 180 - goal is to finish book
3. Dirty Bad Savage - currently at 48% - goal is to finish book
4. read and finish any other free romance novel anew
5. get 50 pages done of any paperback book I've currently reading

What are you all trying to do? Feel free to post your links to blog posts about this or twitter names so I can check y'all out :D What's your biggest challenge? I think Atlas Shrugged is mine. It's a fantastic novel, but because the challenges the protagonists are facing are frustrating, I have been bad about keeping on track.

BOOK REVIEW - TUESDAY FLIRTATIONS - My Stepbrother's Rules (Club Surrender Book 1)


I'm sure a lot of us download free romance novels to read because there are SO very many of them out there. And then the little guys breed like rabbits in our eReaders. Why don't we share our reviews/impressions so we can find the best ones to read?

Rules:
1. Read a free romance book (this was started for legally free eBooks, but you can count anything gifted, borrowed, ARC, etc!)
2. Review it on your blog. If you can and it's still available, share the link to the free book.
3. Link back here by using the code below.
4. Leave your link to the specific blog post (NOT your main site) in a comment here or on the recent week's TF post.
5. Delight in reading reviews by real people who's likes/dislikes you can compare to and thus find a romance you most likely will enjoy :D




Lila Moore - https://www.goodreads.com/MissLilaMoore
Format: Kindle eBook (no longer free) amazon
Date Read: July 7
Official Blurb: Growing increasingly bored with my status as a junior reporter, I was eager to sink my teeth into a meatier story. When a new club opened in town, rumors swirled about what went on inside. Tales of domination, submission and more intrigued and frightened me. When I pitched the idea of a story about the seedier underbelly of the club to my editor, he was thrilled. I was tasked with going undercover to get the real story. 

Inside the club, I watched wealthy, handsome men seduce and dominate beautiful women. I was just settling in to watch a salacious show when I received the shock of my life: my hot, domineering stepbrother Alex was in the audience! When our eyes met, he looked furious. 

After failing to convince me to leave, we found ourselves in a private room. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew, I was submitting to my new Master-- my stepbrother! 

Our relationship is volatile and dirty; if anyone finds out, our lives will be ruined. We're finding it hard to stay away from one another even though we know it's wrong. Even worse, I think might be falling for my new Master. How long can our relationship last before the truth is uncovered? 

This has a naughty premise, but one I can enjoy, so no worries there;) I wasn’t a fan of the first person POV, but the flow was really good. The setup, the meeting of the two characters, and the sex. Except for one “insert drama!” scene almost at the end, it felt smooth. The pre and actual sex was decently steamy with only some detail. I wish there was more content though, I think this was only a 30 minute read or so? And you don’t really get much personality on either character, or any major description. Alex has muscular arms, but what else? Is he heavy or just lean? Solid or lithe? I know readers like to build up their own impressions, but we gotta have more than a name, please! I will buy the second part once I get my TBR list under a little control, but I’m hoping part 2, as well as Moore’s other works, have more sustenance to them. 

Rating: 3 stars


Saturday, July 18, 2015

MEME - Write On Review-a-Thon #18 [The Book Vixen]

Write On Review-a-Thon 

The Write On review-a-thon is a monthly event created and hosted by Brianna at The Book Vixen. It’s 2 days dedicated to getting reviews done, whether you have one review to write or 30+. This edition of the review-a-thon takes place all day Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th. Let’s get those reviews done!

This is kinda cool, sounds like it'll help keep us on track since sometimes we get a bit behind. Although I like doing my main reviews on Wed, and free romances on Tues, I wonder if it would be OK (or overkill) to add a third review every other week just to keep them going? Or should I just stockpile? It's just that my reviews are getting maybe 2-3 weeks behind when I'm actually writing them. Advice/suggestions please?

My pending reviews:

  • Watch Me written/posted
  • Jurassic World (film) 
  • Hope for Garbage written
  • Unforgiven written
and if I finish any of these by then...
  • Edgewood
  • Dirty Bad Savage written
  • Abuse written 
  • Diary of Anne Frank
  • Who Cooked the Last Supper
UPDATES/WRAP-UP IN PURPLE!
What a great way to catch up! Just have to format some of these, but otherwise it's great to feel accomplished!

MEME - Stacking the Shelves - 07-18-15 #002



Found a boatload of free books this week, but am adding one I paid for to this grouping. I had thought Cale was free when I clicked on it, eep. But it sounds ok, so I think it'll be one I try for sure. I did get The Angel of Zin on purpose because it sounded fascinating. This time I linked the books to their amazon pages to make it easier for y'all to check 'em out if you're curious.



 


Wednesday, July 15, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - Lord of the Storm (The Coalition Rebellion #1)


Format: Kindle eBook
Dates Read: 6/19-6/20/15

This is the first novel I've read that has been recommended to me as a romance with a tragically hurt hero rescued by a strong woman. Oh yiiiiisssss. I love to finagle with these kinds of themes in my own writing, and I'm delighted to find out it's a "thing" other people like that exists out there! But anyway, onto my review:

Fighter pilot Shaylah is highly decorated, captain of her own ship, and generally a badass sort of character. She takes leave with a friend and is given access to Wolf, a sex slave of five years. He does not obey merely because of his station, but because of a collar he wears. It permits control of his libido, his thoughts, pain, and can even inflict death. Though subservient, he is not broken and Shaylah wants to help him. In fact, she’ll even have to risk her position and her life to save him!

So, I must say that Wolf was never quite as broken as I was hoping for *blush*. Yes he suffers from being a slave, but my personal preference was for Shaylah to really bring him up from nothing. However, whenever he’d regain some of his strength/confidence/what-have-you, I was glad to see that Shaylah did not suddenly lose her own and become a weakling. The sci fi element was lite, but still had enough to be enjoyable, including a space battle! The sex I felt was a bit "meh" and repetitive, but not over the top. What most bothered me was that the couple had their misunderstandings OFTEN. I can understand a few, but when it's like a running gag, it is annoying and hurts the story. You’d think after they've bared their souls after the last five misunderstandings they wouldn't take a minute to clarify their situation a bit. But it's not as grating as other books where both partners get unrealistically depressed and broody on top of those misunderstandings. Being somewhat upset, such as this novel had, is perfectly OK and realistic. They were a great couple from beginning to end, trying to understand each other in different ways throughout. I enjoyed how well they complimented each other!

Overall it was a really fun story with enough talk of punishments and torture that I really felt for the hero, but not so much to be squicked out. Plus he was hot in almost every description. And I was happy to see the characters when they were happy together or working on a problem. Glad this was my first book by Davis, because I certainly would like to give some of her others a try!

Rating: 4.5 stars

EDIT: Let it also be known I would love for recommendations similar to this novel in particular. I can't help but enjoy big strong men hurt and needing a friend, or companion, or lover to help them heal. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - TUESDAY FLIRTATIONS - Garden of the Wolf #1


I'm sure a lot of us download free romance novels to read because there are SO very many of them out there. And then the little guys breed like rabbits in our eReaders. Why don't we share our reviews/impressions so we can find the best ones to read?

Rules:
1. Read a free romance book (this was started for legally free eBooks, but you can count anything gifted, borrowed, ARC, etc!)
2. Review it on your blog. If you can and it's still available, share the link to the free book.
3. Link back here by using the code below.
4. Leave your link to the specific blog post (NOT your main site) in a comment here or on the recent week's TF post.
5. Delight in reading reviews by real people who's likes/dislikes you can compare to and thus find a romance you most likely will enjoy :D 





Mac Flynn - http://macflynn.com
Format: Kindle eBook (free at the moment) at amazon
Dates Read: July 4-6
Official Blurb: Abby Lee and her friend Susie Baker leave their boring, stressful office jobs for two weeks of fun and relaxation at the Gardens, a mountain resort that advertises itself as the next Fountain of Youth. Sparks fly when Abby gets her first look at the handsome manager and owner of the Gardens and he insists the promise of youth is true, but doubts nag her and howls haunt her nights. She finds herself falling for the sexy manager, but what secrets does he hide behind those beautiful blue eyes?

I like the development in this! The lovers meet at least twice before they get it on, which makes it feel believable. There’s enough meat in Abby’s interactions with other people to feel rather flashed out, and the side characters aren’t just there to bounce off dialogue. The one thing that threw off my groove was that I liked Scott until he said THE THING. I won’t mention it here, but more than likely you’ll know it when you see it, ugh. He didn’t have as much characterization as Abby, Susie, or Linda, so maybe there’s more to him, like something in his past that gave him that biased thinking? Hoping it’s an opportunity for him to grow as a person, but we’ll see. And by that I mean I shall be investing in another part soon, just need to whittle my TBR list a little more. Kinda short for a book on its own, perhaps only 45min-1 hour? The sex was so-so, and I wonder if it’ll get better later. Also wondering how the wolf thing is going work itself in, and hopeful it’ll be as interesting as the rest of the story, not just a maguffin kind of thing. 

Rating: 3 stars

Monday, July 13, 2015

BOOK TAG MEME - Reading Habits


I was not tagged directly by Hazel at Hazy Reads, but she pleasantly opened the tagging to anyone so I'm taking it ;)

Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

I like to read anywhere on my phone app, but I think the two places I prefer are in bed before going to sleep, and on the couch in my day room/computer room/formal living room (I can't really pick just one name yet hehehe).

Bookmark or random piece of paper?
It it's my book, I dog ear. I know other people think it's a sign of a devil worshipper or worse, but I like the quick method that works for me. But for borrowed books or from the library, I just use random bits of paper though I have several lovely bookmarks that are sad because they are ignored.
Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/a certain amount of pages?
I can because I'm used to reading on the run, but I prefer to stop at chapter ends or other stops like that. When it's really good though, I have a much harder time trying to stop!
Do you eat or drink while reading?
Usually drinking tea or soda, but the more intensive the storyline, the more I forget until my tea is cold or soda is warm.
Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?
I don't need silence, but I'm usually too lazy to set up background music. When I do (such as period music or maybe dub-step for dystopian novels) I really enjoy it. I can sometimes switch back and forth with TV, but I don't like losing my mind-film. 
One book at a time or several at once?
Many, but two distinctions. I have like eight-ten that I'm reading at the same time, but only in the sense that I haven't finished them and will pick up here and there. I have six that I'm more actively reading at the same time.
Reading at home or everywhere?
 Anywhere, but most comfortable at home so I won't be interrupted.
Reading out loud or silently in your head?
Always silently. I was one of those kids who hated reading out loud for two reasons. I didn't have the patience to read at everyone's out-loud pace and preferred to read ahead at my own, and I hated my voice. 
Do you read ahead or even skip pages?
I am not comfortable with spoiling things for myself, so I never got into the habit of reading the end of chapter or book. Rarely though, I will glance down the page when I'm happily anxious for something. Like a fight you know the character you like will win and you want to see that they do as they're throwing the first punch. But just a glance at keywords, because then I hurry back to read through it all.
Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?
 Always a spine breaker. I regret nothing!
Do you write in your books?
Except for textbooks, not really. I would dog ear the bottom corner of a page if it's a good scene or maybe intro to a character I don't want to confuse, but nothing else. Doing a bit more of that with eBooks since with paperbacks I can vaguely flip and be like "I didn't mark it but I know the fight scene was about this many pages behind the middle half" and it's impossible for me to estimate that with an eBook. 
* * * * *
I shall be tagging:

Book Chatter
Tynga's Reviews
Girl Who Reads

and anybody else who would like to do these fun questions! Feel free to link on a reply to your post, or just pick your favorites to answer here!

Sunday, July 12, 2015

When you just can't finish a book but really want to


THIS BOOK. AAARRRRRGGGHH!

 I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I am having the toughest time with it! It's the first Lovecraft book I've ever read. I love horror games and movies and tropes, and decided that it was high time I take in some Lovecraft, right? This grand decision came like maybe a year ago.

Since then I've been going through the stories. Twice I've hit them when my mind is clear and ready, and zoomed through several pages in a sitting. But the rest has been slow and steady. VERY SLOW. I do have a favorite story, which I loved during reading it and after "The Reveal", but I'll talk about that whenever I get to review it. I still enjoy the rest, but I think it's his language maybe. The sentences are long but he justs talks SO SMART.

Most of the words I don't recognize I can pick up from context, but his sentences are just twists and gnarls and branches that sometimes I can't follow. You know how when you're reading, you start to realize you got absolutely nothing from the last paragraph and have to go back? It keeps happening to me! I think I have less than a third of the book to read through, but I dread it. I dread not making progress I think. Especially now that I'm flying through romances and YA like a madwoman (madbear?)!

But I refuse to give up. This is not a bad book, and it's not impossible either. I know I can do it if I just MAKE myself do it. And I will have enjoyed it once I've finished it. I just have the fear that it's going to take another year to do so!

Do you all have any books you have trouble getting through? Any you've abandoned but didn't want to, or had to drag them on and on?

Saturday, July 11, 2015

MEME - Stacking the Shelves


Got a few this week that I can't wait to start to read, and here's the top four I'm gong to try to decide among (decide between? this kind of grammar always thwarts me!). Any particular recommendations?





Thursday, July 9, 2015

CHALLENGE - 2015 Read Your Freebies Reading Challenge [The Book Vixen]

2015 Read Your Freebies Reading Challenge

This is a wonderful challenge currently hosted by The Book Vixen! The goal is to read as many of those TBR freebies we keep downloading, heh heh. I believe the minimum is 12, and the signup ends at the end of Sept 2015. It's for any genre of legally free eBooks you read during the year of 2015. Considering I'm going to try to keep my schedule with the Tuesday Flirtations, I think I can catch up even if I started reading any eBooks roughly 2-3 weeks ago. Please click on the pic-link above to get see more of the rules and hopefully take the challenge yourself! 

I'll be keeping track of my freebies here, at least as I review them:

1. Lord of the Bears - Jess Hayek
2. Curse of the Alpha 1 & 2 - Tasha Black

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - Curse of the Alpha: Episodes 1 & 2: A Tarker's Hollow BBW Shifter Romance Serial (Curse of the Alpha #1 & 2)

Tasha Black
Format: Kindle eBook (free at the time)
Dates Read: 6/22-6/23

Ainsley Conner returns to her hometown to finalize her parent’s affairs. She moved away in college and now lives in New York, never looking back. However the other werewolves won’t let her leave so easily, not when they need her to choose an Alpha to rule the pack.

Was not a fan at how the chapters just felt jarring when they ended or began, or the awkward flashbacks. Also had a big problem with this Alpha-finding business. She has to pick the next Alpha, but she has to mate with them for life. So does that mean her options are to find someone she loves who will make a horrible Alpha or a good leader she can’t get along with? Ugh.

I had to look up what BBW means because of the title. And I don’t think it’s a useful, nor accurate, term. But figuring how Ainsley decides CONSTANTLY if someone is “her type” merely by their looks, I guess personality doesn’t have to count for much. She’s not really described that much, and remarks concerning her “voluptuousness” are vague and redundant. Unfortunately, her thought process feels like ‘oh she felt bad about herself, but she felt hotter than those skinny bitches’. Can’t someone just like themselves for who they are? Without putting anyone else down? I wouldn’t say she’s a strong character, she’s more feisty if I had to pick a single word. The way she’s shallow makes her not easy to like, or the way she dismisses these guys at times. I can understand telling them she’s not interested, but she more shoves them away in a tiff, or just ignores them.

I did like that it was a quick read and it was free. And I suppose the sexy men everywhere, even though only like one seemed a cool guy that I actually wanted to learn more about because he seemed REAL. The setup of suspense as to a deeper plot didn’t come until about the second episode, so that did make me curious about parts 3&4. I do have to say the sex scenes were a bit steamy, though a little rushed feeling, which I hope changes in the next parts. Though I likely wouldn’t spend a lot of money on them, I am curious to see what happens here!

RATING: 2 stars

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - TUESDAY FLIRTATIONS - Lord of the Bears: Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear-Lord Book 1)



I'm sure a lot of us download free romance novels to read because there are SO very many of them out there. And then the little guys breed like rabbits in our eReaders. Why don't we share our reviews/impressions so we can find the best ones to read? 

Rules:
1. Read a free romance book (this was started for legally free eBooks, but you can count anything gifted, borrowed, ARC, etc!)
2. Review it on your blog. If you can and it's still available, share the link to the free book.
3. Link back here by using the code below.
4. Leave your link to the specific blog post (NOT your main site) in a comment here or on the recent week's TF post.
5. Delight in reading reviews by real people who's likes/dislikes you can compare to and thus find a romance you most likely will enjoy :D






Format: Kindle eBook (free at the moment) amazon 
Dates Read: July 4

Official Blurb: Logan is a bear-shifter with a heart as big as his body and he's searching for a new mate.

Jenny wasn't expecting much when she finished work at the diner. Just another sad and lonely night alone in her cheap apartment. She definitely wasn't expecting Logan, a rich and handsome wanderer with the body of a god to be waiting for her outside. 

As things heat up in Logan's cabin, can Jenny resist giving herself completely to this seductive man with a supernatural secret?

This sounded like it’d be so good, with some meaningful love and sexy bits. But alas, it feels like a first draft kind of outline. Everything moves fast, so fast that it feels ridiculously fake. The worst offense to me was Logan mentioning the idea of a family and Jenny suddenly wanting nothing more than to have this stranger’s babies. There’s very little suspense/thrill in the action or the sex scenes, and Jenny just accepts everything without A) thinking twice or B) being surprised. It was also very short, maybe 15-20 minutes roughly? 

But if Hayek could take the time to develop her characters and make the heroes not so annoyingly perfect, and the heroines not so foolish, that’d be interesting. The sex could have been hot, but it was too rushed and only half of it was described. I might be curious about another book/series of Hayek’s to see if she got better, but I’d probably only get it if it was free. 

Rating: 1 star


Monday, July 6, 2015

TUESDAY FLIRTATIONS - Introductory Post


Welcome to Tuesday Flirtations!

[or at the very least, the first draft thereof... Suggestions to improve this diversion are most welcome!]

I'm sure a lot of us download free romance novels to read because there are SO very many of them out there. And then the little guys breed like rabbits in our eReaders. Why don't we share our reviews/impressions so we can find the best ones to read? 

Rules:
1. Read a free romance book (this was started for legally free eBooks, but you can count anything gifted, borrowed, ARC, etc!)
2. Review it on your blog. If you can and it's still available, share the link to the free book.
3. Link back here by using the code below.
4. Leave your link to the specific blog post (NOT your main site) in a comment here or on the recent week's TF post.
5. Delight in reading reviews by real people who's likes/dislikes you can compare to and thus find a romance you most likely will enjoy :D


Wednesday, July 1, 2015

BOOK REVIEW - Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1)


Tamora Pierce
Format: Kindle eBook
Dates Read: 6/20-6/22/15
Alanna is the daughter of a Lord Trebond, and her twin brother and herself are about to be sent out to their respective life training. However Alanna does not wish to be a lady, and wants to be a warrior. Her brother Thom does not want to be a knight, he’d rather be learning magic. Looks like the old switcheroo it is! Alanna becomes ‘Alan’ and devotes herself as best she can to her studies, making friends along the way. But she fears discovery, though there is nothing else she wants more than to be a warrior maiden.

I like this first book intro into its series, which I read based on a recommendation from a friend. It’s a relatively quick read, so if you like fantasy or general female coming of age stories, I would suggest it! Granted, being for younger readers makes it a little a too much a quick read at times. I would have loved to learn more about their magic, as it popped in randomly, and I couldn’t figure out what was “normal magic” as opposed to people with “strong magic”. Also, I wished for a bit more info on Thom, but as he’s not in such a precarious position, his story is likely not as fascinating as Alanna’s. I love that it’s just the beginning of a fairly large series which involves books in the next generation and far past prequels. The fight scenes were well done without too many details bogging you down, just enough to see what’s going on. The other characters didn’t feel too deep or involved, but they aren’t cardboard cutouts and I’m sure they’ll develop nicely as the series progresses. Recommended for younger readers, especially people who like heroine books but are tired of the recently popular love triangles.

Rating: 4 Stars

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