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Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Seriously... I'm Kidding in Books
Jun 21, 2018
As part of Pride Month, I'm spotlighting books by or about GLBTQIA+ people. Ellen is one of the most prominent lesbians here in the US, between coming out on a sitcom, having her own daytime talk show, and her judging stint on American Idol. This is her third book, but the first one I've read. If the other two are like this one, I need to read them!
Seriously...I'm Kidding is a really funny book. It reads a little bit like an ADHD squirrel, but that's part of its charm. I read the print version, but this is one book I might have to get the audio version of, mostly because of the one chapter she wrote specifically for the audio version:
"Anyway, since you have the benefit of being able to hear this, I thought I would include some bonus material of me making strange noises. For those of you who are reading this the old-fashioned way and can't hear me, I've printed the noises below and I encourage you to use your imagination to think of what they might sound like coming out of my mouth.
Meeeeee
Faaaaaa
Cooooo
Gooooood Morning
Bowwwww
Babowwwww
Yelowwwww
(more strange noises listed)"
The book covers a lot of ground, from producing her show to judging on American Idol to coming out as lesbian to hosting dinner parties. It also varies wildly chapter to chapter, from brief short stories (less than a page) to haiku, to coloring book pages of odd things like toasters, to prose, wandering chapters that are an interesting look at Ellen's thought process.
I really enjoyed this book, and it's definitely worth reading because it's just FUN.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Seriously...I'm Kidding is a really funny book. It reads a little bit like an ADHD squirrel, but that's part of its charm. I read the print version, but this is one book I might have to get the audio version of, mostly because of the one chapter she wrote specifically for the audio version:
"Anyway, since you have the benefit of being able to hear this, I thought I would include some bonus material of me making strange noises. For those of you who are reading this the old-fashioned way and can't hear me, I've printed the noises below and I encourage you to use your imagination to think of what they might sound like coming out of my mouth.
Meeeeee
Faaaaaa
Cooooo
Gooooood Morning
Bowwwww
Babowwwww
Yelowwwww
(more strange noises listed)"
The book covers a lot of ground, from producing her show to judging on American Idol to coming out as lesbian to hosting dinner parties. It also varies wildly chapter to chapter, from brief short stories (less than a page) to haiku, to coloring book pages of odd things like toasters, to prose, wandering chapters that are an interesting look at Ellen's thought process.
I really enjoyed this book, and it's definitely worth reading because it's just FUN.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Kristin (149 KP) rated Awaken Me (Connected, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
“Awaken Me” is the story of Aimee, a young woman about to get married to Derek. She was told that six years ago, when she first met Derek and his mother, Elizabeth, she was recovering from an accident, during which she lost her mother, as well as her memory. However, she suddenly finds that all is not what it seems in her little world, and everything she thought she knew about herself gets thrown out the window in a hurry.
I really enjoyed this story, and it definitely held my interest from start to finish. Learning along with Aimee, about her past, who she actually is, about Derek and his family, was like a roller-coaster ride, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened on the next page. The supporting characters of Alec, Iva, and Marcus are all very fun to read about, as well, and I really like their interactions with one another, as well as with Aimee.
However, there were a couple times that I thought the story was rather repetitive, especially when Aimee talks about who she is, once she learns the facts. It seemed like every couple of chapters towards the end there was a “refresher course,” which would be good if you had set the book down for a while, but as I was reading it pretty much straight through, it did get slightly annoying to read the same thing over and over. It didn’t drag me down from enjoying the story, though, and I don’t think it was worth dropping a star from my rating.
All-in-all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal reads with a little revenge and romance thrown in the mix, and if you like a heroine who can kick butt, this one’s for you!
5 stars =)
I really enjoyed this story, and it definitely held my interest from start to finish. Learning along with Aimee, about her past, who she actually is, about Derek and his family, was like a roller-coaster ride, and I couldn’t wait to see what happened on the next page. The supporting characters of Alec, Iva, and Marcus are all very fun to read about, as well, and I really like their interactions with one another, as well as with Aimee.
However, there were a couple times that I thought the story was rather repetitive, especially when Aimee talks about who she is, once she learns the facts. It seemed like every couple of chapters towards the end there was a “refresher course,” which would be good if you had set the book down for a while, but as I was reading it pretty much straight through, it did get slightly annoying to read the same thing over and over. It didn’t drag me down from enjoying the story, though, and I don’t think it was worth dropping a star from my rating.
All-in-all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal reads with a little revenge and romance thrown in the mix, and if you like a heroine who can kick butt, this one’s for you!
5 stars =)
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The One Safe Place in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Review of an uncorrected bound manuscript.
<i>The One Safe Place</i> is a gripping tale by Tania Unsworth aimed at older children, although completely enjoyable by teens and adults too. Written in the third person and set in the not so distant future, we follow Devin’s story.
In the future the climate has changed, the temperature has risen and rain is very rare. The opening scene reveals Devin, a young boy, on a farm, digging a grave to bury his grandfather who has recently died (presumably of old age and not something sinister). Devin, now alone, decides to head to the city, a place he has never visited, in order to find some help for the farm. The problem is he has never once left the farm and knows nothing of the real world. Here he meets Kit, a young girl on her own living on the roof of a building, and decides to tag along with her. But then they meet Roman who promises them a safe home. Although skeptical, they decide to trust him and thus they arrive at the <i>Gabriel H. Penn Home For Childhood</i>. The place is amazing and has everything a child could want: toys, games, clothes, individual bedrooms, a swimming pool, and most importantly, food and drink. So why are all the other children walking around in limbo, uninterested in everything around them?
Devin, with the help of his friends, and his synesthesia, soon discovers and pieces together what is wrong about the home. The pace picks up as they plan their escape leading to the exciting ending.
<i>The One Safe Place</i> is a book young readers will love. Well what child would not love a book where the children outsmart the adults?
Review of an uncorrected bound manuscript.
<i>The One Safe Place</i> is a gripping tale by Tania Unsworth aimed at older children, although completely enjoyable by teens and adults too. Written in the third person and set in the not so distant future, we follow Devin’s story.
In the future the climate has changed, the temperature has risen and rain is very rare. The opening scene reveals Devin, a young boy, on a farm, digging a grave to bury his grandfather who has recently died (presumably of old age and not something sinister). Devin, now alone, decides to head to the city, a place he has never visited, in order to find some help for the farm. The problem is he has never once left the farm and knows nothing of the real world. Here he meets Kit, a young girl on her own living on the roof of a building, and decides to tag along with her. But then they meet Roman who promises them a safe home. Although skeptical, they decide to trust him and thus they arrive at the <i>Gabriel H. Penn Home For Childhood</i>. The place is amazing and has everything a child could want: toys, games, clothes, individual bedrooms, a swimming pool, and most importantly, food and drink. So why are all the other children walking around in limbo, uninterested in everything around them?
Devin, with the help of his friends, and his synesthesia, soon discovers and pieces together what is wrong about the home. The pace picks up as they plan their escape leading to the exciting ending.
<i>The One Safe Place</i> is a book young readers will love. Well what child would not love a book where the children outsmart the adults?
Louise (64 KP) rated Haiku Princess: Poems in Ascending Order of Profanity in Books
Jul 2, 2018
**I received this via Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review**
I really don't know what I read! The one word that comes to mind is bizarre. Now I am not by any means a person that reads a lot of poetry as there are always deeper meanings and sometimes I don't think my intelligence stretches that far. However, I wanted to start reading a bit more and this one instantly caught my attention. I have a crude sense of humour and not one to shy away from foul language or sexual references but this just left me flummoxed.
First of all the Victorian artwork just did not work with the crudeness of the poetry. The title is very accurate and gets ruder and cruder throughout. The book is split into five sections: Cradle, Maiden, Lady Ku, Ku of the crone and The Holy one. The cover of the book and the artwork inside is beautiful and would be worth it just for the pictures. It did get several guffaws from me but that's all. I really wanted to like this but I felt it didn't really work, was there supposed to be a meaning to the pictures or is it just the authors sense of humour. Writing poems out of 17 syllables and getting a message across is an amazing feat and applaud Tanager for her efforts as I know I certainly wouldn't be able to produce anything.
Sniff, dab and wipe. Sniff, dab and wipe. Sniff. I wish they just made nose tampons.
If you are a fan of poetry and not easily offended then I would check this out
Overall I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars.
I really don't know what I read! The one word that comes to mind is bizarre. Now I am not by any means a person that reads a lot of poetry as there are always deeper meanings and sometimes I don't think my intelligence stretches that far. However, I wanted to start reading a bit more and this one instantly caught my attention. I have a crude sense of humour and not one to shy away from foul language or sexual references but this just left me flummoxed.
First of all the Victorian artwork just did not work with the crudeness of the poetry. The title is very accurate and gets ruder and cruder throughout. The book is split into five sections: Cradle, Maiden, Lady Ku, Ku of the crone and The Holy one. The cover of the book and the artwork inside is beautiful and would be worth it just for the pictures. It did get several guffaws from me but that's all. I really wanted to like this but I felt it didn't really work, was there supposed to be a meaning to the pictures or is it just the authors sense of humour. Writing poems out of 17 syllables and getting a message across is an amazing feat and applaud Tanager for her efforts as I know I certainly wouldn't be able to produce anything.
Sniff, dab and wipe. Sniff, dab and wipe. Sniff. I wish they just made nose tampons.
If you are a fan of poetry and not easily offended then I would check this out
Overall I rated this 2.5 out of 5 stars.
KatieLouCreate (162 KP) rated Three Dark Crowns in Books
Oct 11, 2018
pacing (1 more)
story
Great Read
I bought this book probably over a year ago while browsing some books in my local supermarket. The cover pulled me in, but the blurb made me buy the book. It was a promising premise of the book and I knew I just had to buy it and find out what happens.
Overall, I love the book. It is such a refreshing read from the stock, cliche, ya books you usually read. This has originality in it. The characters are fully developed and interesting. The story does feel like it is going too slowly or too quickly unless it is needed. It is a well written book and well worth the read if you want something different to you traditional YA reads.
My only woe with this book is the somewhat lack of world building. Usually it would be enough if the book was not a fantasy. But I feel all fantasy books, especially those not based on our world, in our time, needs a lot of world building to it. Sure, there is a map, and you can some world building and traditions/ceremonies. But I am still unsure of what the whole island looks like as a whole. Is it a hot country? Cold? Is it mountainous or flat? Is it a large island or small? Do they have electricity or not? It is just simple things like this, and to be honest, I'm just nit-picking here because I did rather enjoy the whole story.
Now if you need me, I will be reading the second book, One Dark Throne because that cliff-hanger at the end was so juicy I need to find out more...
Overall, I love the book. It is such a refreshing read from the stock, cliche, ya books you usually read. This has originality in it. The characters are fully developed and interesting. The story does feel like it is going too slowly or too quickly unless it is needed. It is a well written book and well worth the read if you want something different to you traditional YA reads.
My only woe with this book is the somewhat lack of world building. Usually it would be enough if the book was not a fantasy. But I feel all fantasy books, especially those not based on our world, in our time, needs a lot of world building to it. Sure, there is a map, and you can some world building and traditions/ceremonies. But I am still unsure of what the whole island looks like as a whole. Is it a hot country? Cold? Is it mountainous or flat? Is it a large island or small? Do they have electricity or not? It is just simple things like this, and to be honest, I'm just nit-picking here because I did rather enjoy the whole story.
Now if you need me, I will be reading the second book, One Dark Throne because that cliff-hanger at the end was so juicy I need to find out more...
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated When Tides Turn (Waves of Freedom, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Every book in this series has been spectacular! Full of intrigue and drama, faith and freedom, handsome officers and daring heroines, and not to mention bursting with history! I have learned so much about the war of the Atlantic during World War II through these books. Not only does Sarah include REAL events and REAL people in these books, it inspires me to do research of my own. To delve into the facts and history that inspired these stories.
As the Waves of Freedom series comes to a close, Tess and Dan completely steal the show with their strained relationship and beautiful, er, practical? romance. Tess is full of life, color, and longs to be seen for who she is beneath the pretty face. Dan, has a one track mind focused on his career...That is, until his heart cries out for something more. Both Tess and Dan must learn to trust God to guide their paths, to find who they are in Him, individually. Once they surrender to God's plan, it is amazing to watch the events unfold.
While the books in this series can stand alone, you will want to begin with book one to enjoy and appreciate the full effect of the storyline. Plus, they are simply amazing books. All three have made it on my top reads list!
Get ready for one last amazing ride in the Waves of Freedom Series. And do not despair...For Sarah has a new WWII series she is working on titled, Sunrise at Normandy. The first book, The Sea Before us will be released Spring 2018.
I received a complimentary copy of When Tides Turn from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
As the Waves of Freedom series comes to a close, Tess and Dan completely steal the show with their strained relationship and beautiful, er, practical? romance. Tess is full of life, color, and longs to be seen for who she is beneath the pretty face. Dan, has a one track mind focused on his career...That is, until his heart cries out for something more. Both Tess and Dan must learn to trust God to guide their paths, to find who they are in Him, individually. Once they surrender to God's plan, it is amazing to watch the events unfold.
While the books in this series can stand alone, you will want to begin with book one to enjoy and appreciate the full effect of the storyline. Plus, they are simply amazing books. All three have made it on my top reads list!
Get ready for one last amazing ride in the Waves of Freedom Series. And do not despair...For Sarah has a new WWII series she is working on titled, Sunrise at Normandy. The first book, The Sea Before us will be released Spring 2018.
I received a complimentary copy of When Tides Turn from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Arranged</i> is a contemporary, chick-lit by Catherine McKenzie about love and marriage. Anne Blythe, a thirty three year old <i>Anne of Green Gables</i> look alike, has been unlucky in love. After breaking up with her most recent boyfriend she despairs that she will remain alone for the rest of her life. But that very day she finds a business card titled “Blythe & Company Arrangements Made”. Intrigued by the surname and assuming it is a dating company she books herself an appointment.
Anne soon discovers that <i>Blythe & Company</i> is actually an arranged marriage service, however she decides to go along with it and ends up in Mexico marrying a man named Jack who she has only just met. Now comes the hard part – living together, coming up with a plausible story to tell her friends and family and dealing with their mixed reaction. But just as Anne begins to feel she may have got her happy ever after she learns something about Jack that could ruin everything.
This story is a brilliant concept that makes the reader want to keep on reading. All the main characters are likable, particularly Anne, which ensures the reader will not get bored of the storyline. For over three quarters of the novel McKenzie writes as though everything is going to turn out ok, leaving the reader feeling sure that something must go wrong somewhere along the line, yet also wishing that it will not.
Admittedly, chick-lit is not my first choice of genre to read and many of these books are nothing special. However this concept was really interesting and I enjoyed the novel. I would definitely recommend it to lots of female readers particularly the hopeless romantics.
Arranged</i> is a contemporary, chick-lit by Catherine McKenzie about love and marriage. Anne Blythe, a thirty three year old <i>Anne of Green Gables</i> look alike, has been unlucky in love. After breaking up with her most recent boyfriend she despairs that she will remain alone for the rest of her life. But that very day she finds a business card titled “Blythe & Company Arrangements Made”. Intrigued by the surname and assuming it is a dating company she books herself an appointment.
Anne soon discovers that <i>Blythe & Company</i> is actually an arranged marriage service, however she decides to go along with it and ends up in Mexico marrying a man named Jack who she has only just met. Now comes the hard part – living together, coming up with a plausible story to tell her friends and family and dealing with their mixed reaction. But just as Anne begins to feel she may have got her happy ever after she learns something about Jack that could ruin everything.
This story is a brilliant concept that makes the reader want to keep on reading. All the main characters are likable, particularly Anne, which ensures the reader will not get bored of the storyline. For over three quarters of the novel McKenzie writes as though everything is going to turn out ok, leaving the reader feeling sure that something must go wrong somewhere along the line, yet also wishing that it will not.
Admittedly, chick-lit is not my first choice of genre to read and many of these books are nothing special. However this concept was really interesting and I enjoyed the novel. I would definitely recommend it to lots of female readers particularly the hopeless romantics.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Yoshiko and the Gift of Charms (The Land of Dragor) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
This is the first book of the children’s series <i>The Land of Dragor</i> by Julia Suzuki. Dragor is the land inhabited by dragons, hidden from the rest of the world, away from the evil humans, with the smoke produced by the The Fire Which Must Never Go Out. Dragor is where it is safe. The dragons are forbidden to leave. However, it may not be as perfect as it seems.
The story begins with the birth, or hatching, of a dragon named Yoshiko. Unlike all other dragon births, Yoshiko’s egg was a variety of different colours, which led to speculation as to whether this young dragon was cursed. Other than being a late developer, Yoshiko is physically well and attends school like all the other youngsters where, unfortunately, he experiences bullying from one of the other dragon clans – something the reader may be able to relate to through their own school experiences. Each clan is a different colour, but one day Yoshiko realises he has the ability to change the shade of his scales. Horrified by his discovery, he seeks help from an old, but wise, outcast, who, whilst supporting Yoshiko as he learns to control the colours, helps him discover his destiny.
The initial two thirds of the book felt like a really long introduction with the final third being a hastily written climax. Despite this it was an enjoyable read and would be particularly entertaining for children. Some of the language though may be a little too advance for the younger readers. Despite the introduction/climax issue, the story contains enough information to understand the way the dragon’s small world works and ends by setting the theme of the next installment. It will be exciting to find out what happens next!
This is the first book of the children’s series <i>The Land of Dragor</i> by Julia Suzuki. Dragor is the land inhabited by dragons, hidden from the rest of the world, away from the evil humans, with the smoke produced by the The Fire Which Must Never Go Out. Dragor is where it is safe. The dragons are forbidden to leave. However, it may not be as perfect as it seems.
The story begins with the birth, or hatching, of a dragon named Yoshiko. Unlike all other dragon births, Yoshiko’s egg was a variety of different colours, which led to speculation as to whether this young dragon was cursed. Other than being a late developer, Yoshiko is physically well and attends school like all the other youngsters where, unfortunately, he experiences bullying from one of the other dragon clans – something the reader may be able to relate to through their own school experiences. Each clan is a different colour, but one day Yoshiko realises he has the ability to change the shade of his scales. Horrified by his discovery, he seeks help from an old, but wise, outcast, who, whilst supporting Yoshiko as he learns to control the colours, helps him discover his destiny.
The initial two thirds of the book felt like a really long introduction with the final third being a hastily written climax. Despite this it was an enjoyable read and would be particularly entertaining for children. Some of the language though may be a little too advance for the younger readers. Despite the introduction/climax issue, the story contains enough information to understand the way the dragon’s small world works and ends by setting the theme of the next installment. It will be exciting to find out what happens next!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Thing: Zero Day in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The Thing: Zero Day </i>is a short science fiction, horror story by Lee McGeorge. Inspired by John Carpenter’s film <i>The Thing</i> and the story <i>Who Goes There? </i>by John W. Campbell, McGeorge has created a creepy, fast paced thriller for readers to enjoy.
It is 1982 and a group of twelve Norwegian climatologists witness the crash landing of an unidentified flying object. Curiosity getting the better of them, they try to salvage what they can of the craft and discover an alien in a block of ice. What at first seems like a magnificent discovery turns frightening after all but three of the climate scientists begin behaving strangely, becoming impassive as if something has a psychological hold over them. The story becomes more horrific as it goes on with gruesome descriptions of the things that happen to the men.
The book is short enough to be read in one sitting, however it ends, annoyingly, without a definite conclusion, leaving the reader to imagine what happens next. <i>The Thing: Zero Day</i> is not a novel but a piece of fan fiction for the film <i>The Thing</i>. Although I have not seen the film I am led to believe that this book is a sort of prologue to the main story line.
Being short, the narrative is gripping from start to finish, jumping straight into the story. Readers are sucked into the tale and will most likely read it from beginning to end without putting it down. <i>The Thing: Zero Day</i> is obviously recommended for lovers of the film, however people who have not had the opportunity to view it, yet enjoy horror and science fiction, will also enjoy this book.
The Thing: Zero Day </i>is a short science fiction, horror story by Lee McGeorge. Inspired by John Carpenter’s film <i>The Thing</i> and the story <i>Who Goes There? </i>by John W. Campbell, McGeorge has created a creepy, fast paced thriller for readers to enjoy.
It is 1982 and a group of twelve Norwegian climatologists witness the crash landing of an unidentified flying object. Curiosity getting the better of them, they try to salvage what they can of the craft and discover an alien in a block of ice. What at first seems like a magnificent discovery turns frightening after all but three of the climate scientists begin behaving strangely, becoming impassive as if something has a psychological hold over them. The story becomes more horrific as it goes on with gruesome descriptions of the things that happen to the men.
The book is short enough to be read in one sitting, however it ends, annoyingly, without a definite conclusion, leaving the reader to imagine what happens next. <i>The Thing: Zero Day</i> is not a novel but a piece of fan fiction for the film <i>The Thing</i>. Although I have not seen the film I am led to believe that this book is a sort of prologue to the main story line.
Being short, the narrative is gripping from start to finish, jumping straight into the story. Readers are sucked into the tale and will most likely read it from beginning to end without putting it down. <i>The Thing: Zero Day</i> is obviously recommended for lovers of the film, however people who have not had the opportunity to view it, yet enjoy horror and science fiction, will also enjoy this book.
Jessica - Where the Book Ends (15 KP) rated Manic (Rook and Ronin, #2) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Manic picks up shortly after TRAGIC leaves off. Ronin and Rook are loving their time together, and the TRAGIC campaign has wrapped up, and now we are prepping for the new STURGIS campaign. Rook quickly discovers that she is going to be part of a reality based show based on the STURGIS campaign. When she hastily signed the contract while angry at Ronin she didn't read the contract quite as closely as she thought. This is a three month contract where she ultimately has no privacy. She signed the contract so now she's obligated to do it.
The STURGIS campaign is a body art campaign. Spencer Shrike will be painting Rook's body to match the different motorcycles he is taking to Sturgis. Throughout this book you can see that Rook becomes more and more conflicted. She is constantly under the watchful eye of the reality show, and Ronin is always gone helping Clare (a former model in rehab).
Spencer, Ronin and Ford are a hard trio for Rook to juggle, and trust me, they make the story that much juicer. This book is a great follow up to TRAGIC. You get to see more of the supporting characters. I absolutely loved it.
These two books are a breath of fresh air. There is nothing else out there like them. I love the basis of the stories in these two books, and as I said before, the characters are so easy to love. The books are fast paced, easy to read, and equally as hard to put down. These are great summer reads, and I will be recommending them to everyone I know.
*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review! ***
The STURGIS campaign is a body art campaign. Spencer Shrike will be painting Rook's body to match the different motorcycles he is taking to Sturgis. Throughout this book you can see that Rook becomes more and more conflicted. She is constantly under the watchful eye of the reality show, and Ronin is always gone helping Clare (a former model in rehab).
Spencer, Ronin and Ford are a hard trio for Rook to juggle, and trust me, they make the story that much juicer. This book is a great follow up to TRAGIC. You get to see more of the supporting characters. I absolutely loved it.
These two books are a breath of fresh air. There is nothing else out there like them. I love the basis of the stories in these two books, and as I said before, the characters are so easy to love. The books are fast paced, easy to read, and equally as hard to put down. These are great summer reads, and I will be recommending them to everyone I know.
*** I received this book in exchange for an honest review! ***