My Lately Finished Books:
Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer
Start Date: April 30th
End Date: May 19th PUBLICATION: January 3rd, 2012 STARS: 4 GENRE: YA Paranormal, YA Romance, YA Urban Fantasy SYNOPSIS: In the final book of this gripping trilogy, Calla and her new team continue to find the rest of the pieces missing in the Elemental Cross needed to destroy the Keeper's Master, Bosque Mar. Having only Haldis's (Earth) hilt, Calla, Shay, Adne, Connor, Ethan, and the rest of her pack head in search of the 3 missing pieces, Eydis (water), Pyralis (fire), and Tordis (wind), and with the Keeper's protections in place, no one escapes each mission unscathed. But when Calla returns from Veil with her to-be Alpha, she's forced to choose who will be her alpha- Ren or Shay? However, being Calla she refuses to choose and its all she can do to keep the two apart before they rip off each others heads. But the time will come when she must choose- Ren, the man she's loved all the time in Veil, or Shay, the Scion who's new wolf inside isn't really new. Can Calla find the Elemental Cross pieces and end the war of the Nightshades vs. Banes without being killed? Can she save her pack before it's too late? Can she save her heart and make the right choice? REVIEW:WAAAAHHHH!!! Oh the ending!!! I can't believe it! I've liked the series since I've picked it up. Didn't really love Wolfsbane (#2) and Bloodrose doesn't take the top spot of the first one (Nightshade). As always with the books, the middle has very slow momentum, compared to the beginning and end. Very dialogue-y and less action-y. Nonetheless, the ideas are fabulous and I'm in love with Calla! I am not much of a romancer, so Calla's dilemma of Shay vs. Ren went over my head. I did notice the book got into a little more PG-13 to R stuff in the romance department. Got a little annoyed at how many times Calla slept with the Alphas. I was so excited when the book picked up and just barreled through the rest. The end had me sad though! Recommended to Nightshade fans, Urban Fantasy nuts, and Paranormal Romance geeks. Random note: I read the book faster listening to Skrillex's album Bangarang! Fit the theme for me. Shelter by Harlan Coben
Start Date: April 28th
End Date: May 6th PUBLICATION: September 6th, 2011 STARS: 4 GENRE: YA Mystery, YA Contemporary, YA Suspense SYNOPSIS: After spending all of his life traveling the world with his parents, gaining and leaving friends, changing schools frequently, and being anything but a normal teen, Mickey Bolitar finally gets to settle down in the US with his parents. As if. After a horrific car crash that the family was in, leaving Mickey's dad dead and, by finding love through a needle, Mickey's mom in rehab. And just as Mickey's Sophomore year is about to begin, he meets a cute, shy new girl named Ashley, and Mickey's life is looking a little better. At least for that day. Ashley goes up and missing without a trace, leaving Mickey suspicious. Can he and his odd group of friends find out what happened, or will Mickey's "dream life" beat him to it? REVIEW: It was interesting, to say the least. Mysteries are usually not my forte, I'm not too sure how I got this book anyway! It was on my holds list and I have no idea why or how it got there. Despite this, I was intrigued. A teen with his life shattered before his eyes is usually all I need to try a book. And I devoured it! The book was fast-paced, and not lingering on details that weren't key. Best part? The conclusion MADE SENSE!!! I have read or watched so many mysteries where the conclusion leaves you scratching your head! Not here! Where the story went to make the conclusion, that was a bit odd and stretched. I've read better books where a historical connection is more strongly made. Some shelter in another country links to a WWII heroine, links to a society that shelters people. Not really doing it for me! All in all, a surprisingly good story. Very suspenseful with a touch of abuse and trafficking, which sealed the deal for me! Great for Realistic Fiction and Mystery fans. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Start Date: March 26th
End Date: April 6th PUBLICATION: February 10th 2009 STARS: 4 GENRE: Adult Historical Fiction, Adult Contemporary, Adult Drama SYNOPSIS: It's 1962 and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is home from college. Instead of listening to her mother and trying to find Mr. Right, she's looking for a journalist position and trying to stand on her own, but when she learns of her childhood maid and friend, Constantine, has left for good and her mother's cancer growing worse, her world begins to crumble, until a shocking idea hits her that threatens to destroy the rest of her world. Aibileen has been an African-American maid since seventh-grade, currently raising her 17th white baby. The children she raises with her white families is all the family she has left since her son was crushed in a work accident and died before Aibileen's eyes. All she can do is try to make it in this cruel world, and support her white children to become strong adults who accept African-Americans as equals. Minny is a feisty, independent black maid, who's snappy tongue can get her into trouble by her employers. But if there's something to remember Minny by, it's her famous cooking. Now out of another job because of her sassy ways, her last chance resides in a woman who the local League can't stand. Only if the rumors about Minny being fired doesn't reach her ears. Together, these 3 women with such diverse backgrounds will come together and create a taboo project that could put them in harm's way. But they are tired of Mississippi's racial lines, and lines are meant to be crossed. REVIEW: WARNING! Don't read without a hankie!!! My initial thoughts in the beginning was that this was going to be thick, slow, yet cute. NOT ACCURATE. There were slow parts, sure, but the details are interesting and deep. I loved all the characters and the book was written in the best way; Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny had their own chapters in their own voice. Despite the book taking place in the 60s, the book didn't use much of that time period to set the lives of the characters. Since I had no chance of seeing what the 60s were like, the book wasn't a hit-and-a-miss, and it could've been, had it been written another way. A major plus that a book can be written so that someone like me, obsessed with our current time and technology, can read this and get it! A lot of people I've talked to about the book will agree that the movie was skimpy compared to the book, that the book was better than the movie. I partially agree. I had seen the movie first, then read the book and I found it worked best for me. Aibileen and Minny's parts are written in a Southern accent (eg. going to= gone), and normally, I CAN'T STAND THAT! It's why I don't really like Shiloh by Phyllis Renolds Naylor. BUT since I know what Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter look like and sound like, the book ran a lot smoother. Myself, I was a fan of listening to Minny and Aibileen's trials as maids, rather than Skeeter trying to work it out with Stuart Whitworth. To hear the intimate detail of the maid's lives was far more interesting than someone of my own race and constantly hearing of the dating drama. As a white person, it's hard to relate to other races, but now that I get to hear this side, its incredible. When I finished the story, I had to read what Stocket was thinking when she wrote this. Once I read the last chapter about her, I saw the hidden lines. Stocket, growing up, had a maid who she loved. she had the relationship that Skeeter had with Constantine, and Aibileen had with May Mobley, and the fire of Minny, and the heart of the other maids. She can claim its pure fictional, but I see a hint of a biography in there. Recommended for chick book livers, and someone in need of a good read! |
NEWS:
5/6/12: Don't worry, my visitors! I haven't forgotten you all. I just haven't finished a book in quite a while
3/11/12: Again, SCHOOL SUCKS UP ALL MY TIME! I have at least 1 review for you guys! 2/5/12: January and February 2012 reviews shall be combined and placed in the according place come March 12/25/11: Merry X-mas! As a present, you can now follow me on twitter! Find me @Tbookaholic! Note:
Be sure to check the archives and the Rejected Books page!! I have many more reviews, but too many for just one page! And check the blog too, for updates!
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