"47 Little Love Boosters For A Happy Marriage"

I am a romantic. I love gooey, lovey-dovey, sappy anything. I was excited to read this book because I was hoping to get some more ideas on cute, lovey things that I could do for my husband. (I have a whole Pinterest board named after him that is chock full of cheesiness). So I picked this book because I thought, “Hey, this should be a fun little light read.” Weeellll, it was light. I got the kindle version of the book and it came with a link to a webpage with the authors 47 “love boosters” listed (why they didn’t just put this directly in the book is beyond me). The link takes you to some chintzy website with a bunch of error codes and I never actually made it to the list of love boosters. Without this list, the rest of the book is pretty much a complete waste of space. You can read the whole thing in less than an hour and the author basically just states some facts that are already pretty universally known. He tries to put it into his own words, but it is really just a different way to say the same thing.

The author mentions another book that he is working on that will have his 5 love rituals explained in detail. THAT book sounds like it might actually be interesting. THIS book felt like it was something the author threw together really quickly to tide him over until his next book comes out. I don’t feel like I gained anything by reading this book and I would not recommend it to anyone else. If you are looking for some real relationship advice, look elsewhere. Pinterest has no shortage of cute things you can do for your significant other. Just saying.

1 out of 5 stars for this book from me.

I received a copy of this book from Reading Deals in exchange for my honest review.

"The Steel Queen"

“The Steel Queen”, by Karen Azinger, is the first book in a seven book series: The Silk and Steel Saga. I always get excited when I pick up the first book in a long series because if I like the story, then it doesn’t end for thousands of pages. However, you take the risk of only moderately liking the story. Then you are forced to decide between sticking with it to the end of those thousands of pages, or calling it quits after the first book and never having answers to the questions that drive every reader crazy; what happens to the characters, who does she end up with, do they end up discovering he is a back-stabbing traitor, how does it end??

I think I got myself into a little bit of a pickle with this series. The story piqued my interest enough that I know I will be bugged to just give up on it, but the writing drove me crazy and I don’t know if I can stand six more books. Here’s why:

This fantasy story really gripped me right from the start. I’ve heard it’s comparable to Game of Thrones, but I wouldn’t know since I’ve never seen that. The characters are three dimensional, and the plot is deep and thick right from the beginning. BUT the point of view switches between a handful of different characters and I found this to be a little too much. There is only a few pages, (really just like 2-3 pages), with limited information before it switches to a different person in a completely different part of the country. You feel like you are just barely getting to know the character, then it switches and you are left reeling. Once you catch on to who each character is and what is happening in their part of the story, then you see the bigger picture and understand how they all play out together. But this realization doesn’t hit for a few chapters, leaving the reader lost and more than a little confused at the beginning.

The story itself is rich and full of details that draw the reader in. However, the writing is repetitive and juvenile in some places.  You will read the phrase “good Castleguard steel” about 55 times. I think that there could have been more done with this book. A little more proofreading and attention to detail would have improved the quality by a mile. Also, one of the main characters, Katherine, is written as if life is so hard and she is so strong for overcoming her trials, but she really hasn’t had any trials. Every time an obstacle comes in her path, it works out perfectly in her favor in just a few paragraphs. This won’t stop me from reading the next book though. I’m hooked on the story and want to see how it ends.

WARNING: there are some sex scenes and analogies that I would not deem appropriate for younger readers, (or people who don’t like to read about rape).

Overall I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. I am planning on continuing the series and will report back to let you know if it’s worth it or not. If you have already read these books, let me know what you thought!

I was given a free copy of this book from Reading Deals in exchange for an honest review.

Refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to go!

Hey guys, I’m back! I took an undisclosed, unannounced break. To be honest, I really was just worn out. Mothering two young kids, working, and then trying to find time to not only read books, but then get online and write about them just got to be too much.  Even though writing this blog is something that I consider “me time”, it eventually became just another item on my to-do list and I wasn’t finding the joy in it that I used to.

I found some new motivation recently that made me miss expressing myself through writing. It’s about time too. After nearly a year, my fingers are well rested and I am ready to get my head in the game again. My goal is to get posts on here weekly, (bi-weekly if life gets a little too crazy). Let me know if there are any good books you have read recently, or anything you would like me to read and review before you take the plunge. You can also follow me on instagram @spreading.bookishness

A huge thank you to all of those who stuck with me through this reprieve, and a big welcome to any new comers passing along this way.

Happy Reading,

Carli

"Everything, Everything"

As soon as I saw the preview for the movie "Everything, Everything" I knew that I needed to get my hands on this book ASAP. But, of course, every other person who saw the preview for the movie suddenly had to have the book too. So I waited and waited for a copy to become available at my city library....and huzzah! I finally got my hands on a copy and I devoured it in a few short hours. 

Madeline Whittier is a normal teenage girl, except for the fact that she can't leave her house because she is allergic to almost everything in the world. Madeline has contact with two, occasionally three, people in the entire human species. Her mom, her nurse, and on rare occasions her architect tutor. Despite these setbacks, Madeline thrives, meets new characters, and goes on adventures in the books she reads. She yearns for the thrills that her favorite characters get, but she has accepted her lot in life and is content. Her universe is routine and safe and predictable... until she hears the beeping of a moving truck backing up next door. That's when a fourth person is introduced that sets her small world spinning. Madeline quickly learns that to have everything you have to be willing to risk everything. 

Talk about a book with a plot twist! I almost got whiplash from how fast the plot changed and went in a different direction. From page one this book had me hooked and I literally did not put it down until I finished it a few hours later. The characters are quirky and adorable and they all have a depth to their emotions that is sometimes hard to convey as an author, but which was beautifully done here. The story is gripping and unpredictable. The text is engaging and the format of the book swaps between a normal book and the characters' Instant Messaging conversations as they would look on a computer, with some pictures or other random entries by Madeline thrown in. I personally didn't love how much the format rotated between all these things, I found it to be a little overwhelming at some points, but it did add some depth to Madeline's character and made it easier for the reader to understand her. 

There are a few swearwords littered throughout the text - something to keep in mind if you are getting this book for a younger reader. I would say anyone young adult and up could/should read this book. 5 out of 5 stars by my rating. It's not very often that I find a book that will elicit so many emotions from me in such a short amount of time. I laughed, cried, wanted to scream, and had steam coming out of my ears all in one evening. I'm sure that you will enjoy this story as much as I did. So pick up your copy and then let me know what you think!

The Infernal Devices Series

Shout out to my girl Kassidy for making me read these books. I had the misfortune of watching the TV Series and it disintegrated any desire I had to read Cassandra Clare's work. Kass told me to not judge a book by it's TV show (or movie for that matter) and I am eternally in her debt. She suggested I read the Infernal Devices Series before I read the Mortal Instruments series, so that is what I did.

The Infernal Devices Series, by Cassandra Clare, is a three book series set in the London's Downworld during the reign of Queen Victoria. The main character, Tessa Gray, has discovered that she is not human; but what she is, no one knows. She falls in with a group of Shadowhunters and learns that there is only one thing more dangerous than a demon - her own heart. She is torn between the calm and steady Jem Carstairs and the mysterious and un-readable Will Herondale. Each has is own unique attractiveness and both are hiding dark secrets. Tessa has to choose who has her heart while also overcoming one of the evilest and most powerful men of their time. 

I don't know that I have ever read a series that left me feeling so satisfied at the end. These books filled all of my literary needs. There was action, fighting, betrayal, loyalty, fantasy, friendship, and (most important of all) romance. There were a few times I thought the story was ruined but after I continued reading, the issue would be resolved beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I bit my nails, and I couldn't stop until the last page had been turned. If you enjoy fantasy books where the unimaginable becomes imaginable, then you have to put this series on your to-read list. The main characters are deep and all have strong back-stories that come to light one at a time. The supporting characters add to the richness of the story and each of their unique personalities helps create a more complex and intricate setting. I would suggest these to high-school age kids and older. There are a few swearwords dotted throughout the text and there is a hint of a bedroom scene in the third book but it is not detailed. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Check them out and let me know what you think!