Tuesday, October 31, 2017

October Updates + Recap + October Haul

This is something I thought would be fun to do. A bit of a haul on this blog. I have seen these floating around the interwebs and decided to give it ago. I was a good girl this month and didn't buy anything. I did get several books from publishers, as well as authors that I am extremely excited about! Check out previous book hauls.

Hitler, My Neighbor: Memories of a Jewish Childhood,

An eminent historian recounts the Nazi rise to power from his unique perspective as a young Jewish boy in Munich, living with Adolf Hitler as his neighbor.

Edgar Feuchtwanger came from a prominent German-Jewish family—the only son of a respected editor and the nephew of a best-selling author, Lion Feuchtwanger. He was a carefree five-year-old, pampered by his parents and his nanny, when Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party, moved into the building opposite theirs in Munich.

In 1933 the joy of this untroubled life was shattered. Hitler had been named Chancellor. Edgar's parents, stripped of their rights as citizens, tried to protect him from increasingly degrading realities. In class, his teacher had him

Book Review: Christmas with a Bite ( Adult Novel)

This book is different from my normal reviews and contains sex and cussing if these things bother you feel free to skip this review and read other things on my blog here.

Book info

A paranormal category romance from Entangled's Covet imprint…

Sometimes the holidays totally bite...

This Christmas, Mara Livingston is determined to start over. But as she's driving to her "new" home, a freak winter storm forces her off the road. Now she's stranded in the middle of nowhere. Then he shows up. And there's something strangely familiar about him...

Connor Reese never expected to see Mara again. Nor is he prepared for the onslaught of emotions―including an unimaginable rush of desire―she stirs within him. Now he has a chance to claim the woman he's always wanted. Except, there are a couple of small details that Mara doesn't know. The first is that Connor is a vampire. And the second is that if his family finds out about Mara, she will most certainly be killed...

My Thoughts About This Book:

This book was so horrible. I couldn’t even handle it at times. Get ready for a long rant.

My issues with this book start with the first chapter. This story is crazy predictable, which really disappointed me because I was ready to love this book after the synopsis. The main character Mara gets into a car accident in the middle of a bad snowstorm. She is in the middle of nowhere because she thought her GPS would take her a quicker way.I am trying to understand why you would think backroads would be better than the main roads in the middle of a snowstorm. This part just really bugged me.)

After she crashes she gets chased by a pack of wolves. They chase her deep into the wolves, and just when all hope is lost and she gives up, a guy named Connor rescues her. Which isn’t predictable is it? Of course, it is predictable. I expected these wolves had a purpose in this story, unfortunately, that was wrong. They have no point, they are simply hungry wolves, in Texas, in the middle of a snowstorm, cause that makes sense.

This vampire guy named Connor has some sort of sexual obsession with her from the get-go, he just wants to have sex with her right away. He has this odd internal monologue conflict about how he can’t have sex with another mortal.

I had a major issue with the way he reacted on a couple of pages in, having just met mara why is he so upset that she was married before. I mean really to call him a “real fucking douchebag” seemed like a bit much. I thought was a crazy thing to say about someone you don’t know. Also how on earth did he know that Mara was such a treasure in the few hours he had known her.

““My divorce was finalized today, as a matter of fact,” she

said with a heavy sigh. “I’m a free woman.”
He steeled himself. That wasn’t what he expected to

hear. She had been married? He wanted to tear the head right off the bastard’s shoulders. The bloody image made his stomach growl.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, but he was far from it. He was grateful the dumbass hadn’t figured out what a treasure Mara was, even if he couldn’t keep her for himself.

“I’m not,” she admitted, a forced smile gracing her face. “I can’t believe I stayed with him as long as I did. He was a real fucking douchebag.”

Later in the story, we do find out that their paths had crossed before but for some reason, fate was keeping them apart. This sets up to your typical story about the one that got away. Normally I enjoy stories that make the reader think about what would have happened if you made a different choice in your life? Does fate actually exist? Would you be the same person if things had happened differently? These are normally really interesting reads for me. Unfortunately the way this story read just really rubbed me the wrong way. It came off as convoluted and extremely forced.

Another issue I have is on page 26, Conor is deciding sleeping arrangements and wants her to sleep in his bed. Of course having just met this guy she doesn’t want to sleep in the bed. When she says no, his reaction is far from okay, He glares at her and dares her to argue with him. I guess I just really had an issue with how much he seemed to force her. That's a big no for me.

This is some hot steamy sex in this novel. I don’t mind books that have some aspects of sex but this was slightly ridiculous. I really couldn’t contain my laughter reading this part, “He pressed her body into the mattress, his touch igniting desires that burned within her. Wicked arousal claimed her, setting her world on a tailspin. Heat pulsed at her neck as his lips stayed latched onto her flesh.” No one really thinks this way, do they? It just seemed absolutely ridiculous to me. I didn’t enjoy any of these parts.

I did like the twist of Christmas this book had. I had never read a paranormal fiction book set around any particular holiday season so that was interesting. It is a light quick read. I am sure there are some that would enjoy this particular tale, but it just wasn’t for me.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Book Review: The Clue in the Trees

Book info

Francie’s brother Theo has secrets—secrets Francie thinks she wants to know. But what if one of those secrets is that Theo is a murderer? To avoid considering that possibility, Francie plunges into her senior year at a small-town high school near Enchantment Lake in northern Minnesota. It’s a radical change from her private school in New York, but she hopes to keep an eye on her great aunts and maybe finally learn more about the mother she never knew. A small silver box seems to hold the answers, and she is determined to get her hands on it.

But when her long-lost brother turns up, so does a dead body, and once again Francie is drawn into a mystery. A long list of suspects, with Theo at the top, keeps her head spinning. When Francie herself becomes a suspect she starts to feel like she is walking on thin ice, but it isn’t until she is literally walking on thin ice that the pieces start to come together—and by then it may be too late.

In her previous adventure Enchantment Lake, Francie was thrown into northern Minnesota lake living: fishing, berry picking, lost kayaks and scary boat rides, poisoned hotdishes, exploding bulldozers, a forest fire . . . and murder. But if she thinks things have settled down, she’s in for a surprise. A new school with new friends (and a few enemies), a lead role in a play, an encounter with a giant muskie, archaeological twists, secret tunnels, thin ice, and a strangely sticky murder are all coming her way in The Clue in the Trees.

My Thoughts About This Book

This was a sweet and adorable story. This was something that I read in a fairly quick manner over the course of a week off and on while waiting for class. While this is a book that is really for middle grade to young teens, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. It doesn't seem to have a groundbreaking moral to it or taking away, but still, it is a great modern mystery.

The Clue in the Trees is the second book in the Northwoods Series, but it can it can be read as a stand-alone. There are some references that you may miss but for the most part, you can read this by itself. I felt like the end was really a cliffhanger that set up for the sequel. I can't wait for the third book to come out.

The book follows a little girl named Francie, who in my opinion was pretty immature for the character she is supposed to be. I feel this could be a really good modern mystery series similar to the Boxcar Children Series.

In terms of plot, this one has some many interesting topics. Things that I haven't read about previously. Things from mysteries in small towns, pipeline protests, long-lost brothers, maple syrup heists. The points are intriguing they are quite predictable which is expected for a general middle-grade novel.

I wouldn't say for older kids or teens this would be scary but for the intended audience, it might be scared by some parts of this book. This is a clean book, that you can enjoy with your children or have them read independently without fear.

Disclaimer: This ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

A Super Short Book Review: The Sex Offender

Book info

This extravagantly imagined tale chronicles the rehabilitation of a lapsed teacher who is guilty of having had a love affair with a twelve-year-old boy.

While the man’s crime was to mistake molestation for love, his cure will partake of the same confusion: in the name of love, the police and the doctors subject the teacher to increasingly bizarre forms of therapy.

The Sex Offender is at once a burlesque of the State and an unmasking of the foundations on which our notions of love and psychological health are based. In lavish prose, it weds compelling mystery with comedy, satire, and politics.

My Thoughts About This Book:

I normally will not write a review for any book that I can't find a single redeeming quality in. Man is this book bad. This is the story of pedophilia, a teacher falls in love with a student and the student is only twelve years old. This is something that we are seeing more and more across genders. Which perhaps says a lot about the values of some people. The thing that disturbed me the most was I never really felt like the author solved anything. He seemed to be condoning the actions of the teacher. It seemed he was allowing this abuse or anything that the teacher was in the wrong for being punished, even though in reality, he really wasn't punished. It made me sick in a lot of ways.

This book is ummm odd? It's umm extremely interesting, but not in a good way. I still can't seem to figure out the point of this little book or the purpose? I can't figure out what the heck is going on in this book. It is bizarre, creepy, crazy, and filled with obnoxious language. It is different than lolita which was disturbing but had a purpose. This book is not worth the time and effort of reading.

Book Review: Whatever Happened To Janie? * Lots of spoilers**

Book info

As Janie Johnson glanced at the face of the ordinary little girl on the milk carton, she was overcome with shock. She recognized that little girl?it was she.

How can it possibly be true? But it is. With the mystery of her kidnapping now unraveled, Janie's story continues, and the nightmare is not over. No one can bring back or relive the 12 years gone by. The Spring family wants justice, but who is really to blame?

The Johnsons know that they must abide by the court decisions made, but it's difficult to figure out what's best for everyone. Janie Johnson or Jenny Spring? Who is she? Certainly there's enough love for everyone, but how can the two separate families live happily ever after?

My Thoughts About This Book:

THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

THIS REVIEW HAS SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

You know that book that you have read over and over again from your childhood or teens, and each time it just is so good? That is this entire series for me. There is just something about Caroline B. Cooney's dramatic flare that just entertains me so much still. I will say in the latest re-read I didn't realize just how overly dramatic the writing is. At least it shows me that my tastes have improved a little.

I first read this book when I was a preteen wandering the rows of books at the library. I came across a librarian that I knew who asked me what I was looking for? I have no idea what I exactly said but it was something to the affect of "surprise me" and she ran off and brought this series to me. It quickly became my favorite series.

I never thought I would say this but this book is so much better than the first book, The Face on the Milk Carton, which is a book that hooked me from the start. At this point, Janie has found out that her parents that she has lived with since she can remember aren't her real parents. Her life and her world has shifted, twisted, and been thrown upside down. There is so much complexity to her feelings, she loves her "so-called" mother and doesn't want to leave.

She has a challenge ahead of her. She has to deal with conflicting emotions and feelings. She has to deal with the anger from her siblings. She has to deal with the feeling of betrayal, which is something she feels that she is doing to her "fake" family. She has to learn how to live and find her place among the Springs. Her real family, her real blood.

In the end, she makes a decision that so few expected. Which was to return to the family that kidnapped her. As she didn't feel as if she belonged or fit into the family. This creates chaos and hurt in the Springs, and ultimately both families are rocked to their core. The siblings now want revenge. Will they all just suffer more sorrow and pain?

This book is so captivating. It will draw you in and take you on an emotional journey. It is far from perfect, but has a great plot line and takes on issues that few young adult books did at the time it was released. I believe many readers will enjoy this one.

Book Review: Esperanza Rising

Book info

Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants.

But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers.

Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces.

When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it

My Thoughts About This Book:

This a great kids book that deals with the hot topic of racism fascinatingly. This a great book to teach with. You could talk about how racism is wrong and how it has affected people. Or you could use it as a discussion about how illegal immigrants can be detrimental as well as helpful to the country. This book has a broad range of elements that teachers and parents can use to teach critical lessons.

This is such an inspiring story of struggle, hope, and hardship. This book gave me such a good perspective as an adult. This is a fantastic book of fiction for anyone. This book is a book that is based on a real-life woman, the grandmother of the author Pam Muñoz Ryan.

The book follows little Esperanza, who is the daughter of a wealthy landowner. Her mother is being forced to leave Mexico, and start life over in California. Working on a farm, after the death of the father. Their life savings are gone, being forced to change their entire lifestyle. In a country that doesn't accept them.

Set in the 1930's, this book is set in the Great Depression. This book tells the tale of the struggles these people faced. It is packed full of child-appropriate history and social issues. While it dives deep into powerful topics that invoke so much emotion, it does accurately describe them in a way a child will understand. It reads quickly.

Another interesting part of this book is it would be great to introduce a child to a foreign language. The book is filled with Spanish words and phrases. It is also an excellent introduction into culture and traditions as well.

Filled with topics of economics, labor, race, rights, family, prejudice, work, pride, kindness, and a search for a purpose this book will enrich your child's bookshelves. It will spark deep, meaningful conversations.

About The Author:

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, ECHO, a 2016 Newbery Honor Book, and winner of the Kirkus Prize. She has written over forty books for young people—picture books, early readers, and middle grade and young adult novels.

She the author recipient of the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, the Willa Cather Award, the Pura Belpré Medal, the PEN USA award, and many others.

Her novels include Esperanza Rising, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi León, Paint the Wind, The Dreamer, and Echo. She was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, holds a bachelor's and master's degree from San Diego State University and lives in north San Diego County with her family.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Book Review Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn

Book info

‘I really did have an empire, you know,’ said Dunbar. ‘Have I ever told you the story of how it was stolen from me?’
Henry Dunbar, the once all-powerful head of a global corporation, is not having a good day. In his dotage he handed over care of the family firm to his two eldest daughters, Abby and Megan. But relations quickly soured, leaving him doubting the wisdom of past decisions...

Now imprisoned in a care home in the Lake District with only a demented alcoholic comedian as company, Dunbar starts planning his escape. As he flees into the hills, his family is hot on his heels. But who will find him first, his beloved youngest daughter, Florence, or the tigresses Abby and Megan, so keen to divest him of his estate?

Edward St Aubyn is renowned for his masterwork, the five Melrose novels, which dissect with savage and beautiful precision the agonies of family life. His take on King Lear, Shakespeare’s most devastating family story, is an excoriating novel for and of our times – an examination of power, money and the value of forgiveness.

My Thoughts About This Book:

My initial thoughts after finishing this novel:

I really loved this book. The writing is beautiful and descriptive.

My full review of this novel:

Another Shakespeare retelling, I am convinced this is my favorite book trend. I feel lucky to be alive at this day and age. Forwarning I loved this book, and I am slightly obsessed with it. This book is a retelling of King Lear, which is one of my ultimate favorite Shakespeare plays. I have read it for school, both in high school and college, as well as by choice. I can never get enough of this dark and gruesome story. This storyline is a traumatic and full of immense tragedy.

Dunbar had quite a lot to live up to, and it absolutely delivered. This is a contemporary version of this great little tale. The story is complete with an examination into money, status, power, and its affect on the human spirt. It also investigates the value of compassion and forgiveness. While it isn't completely matched to King Lear, it is a solid five-star novel.

This novel follows a Canadian media Mogul and crazy businessman Henry Dunbar. He is the modern version of King Lear, while not royalty he shares many character traits just the same. He has been confined to the care home in the Lake District by his wretched daughters Megan and Abby. They have developed a plot to take over his business, and are desperate to get him out of the way. Similar to the play it was inspired by his younger daughter Florance is the only one who really truly loves him. She is such a genuine cares for him. The story has so many twists and turns that are wrapped up in a knock out ending that will leave you guessing.

Overall this book really exceeded my expectations and is a wonderful addition to Hogarth Shakespeare modern edition series.

Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest and completely unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

Book Review: The Father Effect

Book info

Based on the feature film, THE FATHER EFFECT is a must read for the millions of men and women who have lost their fathers through divorce, death, or disinterest.

John Finch always struggled after his father's suicide when he was eleven, but it wasn't until he was raising his own three daughters when he truly understood their futures relied on him coming to terms with his past. To move forward, he needed to forgive both his father for choosing to leave, and himself for not being the best father he could be.

This journey led to THE FATHER EFFECT, a book containing practical help for any person, man or woman, with a deep father-wound from losing a dad through divorce, death, or disinterest. It will lead you through positive lessons on forgiveness and how to change your legacy as a parent, partner, and person.

Check out the Website here : http://thefathereffect.com

My Thoughts About This Book:

This was a book I really needed to read. As a woman who never really had a father, so I never got to experience that. I have had to grieve that loss of relationship from a very young age. This book was powerful medicine for my injured heart. This book is so beautiful, so moving, and ultimately life-changing. The transparency that John Finch shows is incredible. He puts his heart out there in hopes of helping others heal. These wounds can affect everyone, in every aspect of their life.

This book while Christian is more about psychology, as a psych student I had a lot of interest going into this book. I felt that it was really interesting how vulnerable writers of this book are. The author shares his personal and painful experience of losing his dad to suicide. An issue that is getting worse and worse. He reveals what life was like experiencing such an intense loss at such a fragile age. The writers really put their heart and soul into this book, and it shows. I found it interesting that they use the suffering to help uncover your deep feelings that you may suppress about the loss of your father in your life, they take it one more step further, they talk about how to move past that hurt by actually practicing forgiveness. Of course, forgiveness doesn't just happen, and it is a journey that you must go on. The author doesn't present forgiveness as a cure-all, he presents it in a way that is balanced.

With the model of Christianity, John Fich points out that we can use Heavenly Father as a replacement or a way to fill in that hole in our hearts. The book is reassuring the reader of the love of Jesus Christ, and his powerful way of healing all broken hearts. He shares ways to use this knowledge to break rumination, feelings of alienation, feelings of abandonment, and feelings of rejection.

This book takes on the issue of depression. He does this in a pretty great way, in my opinion, he doesn't ask readers to "will" themselves out of that ever black hole. He validates peoples true feelings, and reassures the reader there is a light at the end of the tunnel, the pain you are experiencing will get better. He describes depression in one of the most powerful ways I have ever seen.

"Trying to free yourself from depression is like building a ladder out of toothpicks when you're stuck at the bottom of a hundred-mile-deep hole. No matter what you do, the hopelessness of your situation only worsens."

At times when reading, The Father Effect, I felt as if the book was written just for me. This book will allow readers to have a greater understanding, and perhaps empathy for people who are missing a father in their lives. I believe this is a must read for those dealing with this issue, and others who support or council people. I believe there are so many things to take away from this book, anyone can get something out of this wonderful book.

Disclaimer: I received this book from FaithWorks, in exchange for my honest and completely unbiased review. All thoughts are my own and are not affected by that.

I am a young 20 something fun southern girl turned city girl. This is a story about a girl who fell in love with books. I am an extremely avid reader and have been my whole life. Pretty sure reading is in my blood.

I was a young child when my love for reading started. As a young girl recovering from a childhood that was anything but perfect, I looked for books as an outlet.

I am like a real life Matilda, minus the magic unfortunately.

Here is my little place to talk about what I really love. Books.

Read on.

Pages

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Friday, October 27, 2017

The book follows a little girl named Francie, who in my opinion was pretty immature for the character she is supposed to be. I feel this could be a really good modern mystery series similar to the Boxcar Children Series.

I wouldn't say for older kids or teens this would be scary but for the intended audience, it might be scared by some parts of this book. This is a clean book, that you can enjoy with your children or have them read independently without fear.

Disclaimer: This ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Tuesday, October 24, 2017