"The Time Chamber"

If you are looking for a fun book for kids, or coloring book lovers, or both, then I found it for you. Your welcome. "The Time Chamber," by Daria Song, is a children's book and coloring book combined. It tells the story of a fairy living in a cuckoo clock, who decides to leave her clock to explore the little girl's room that she lives in. It is full of beautiful pictures that are left blank for the reader to fill in with whatever colors they choose. There are also hidden objects in some of the pictures that add a little extra fun to the book.

"The Time Chamber" is more about the pictures then it is the literature. The story is cute, but it's not one that you will want to read over and over again. The coloring pages on the other hand are magnificent and are very detailed. This is not a coloring book for little kids. It is for older children or even adults who would be willing to spend the time coloring in all of the little spaces. I actually got excited when I opened the book. It would be so much fun to spend the time and make this book yours. The pages are thick and high-quality, so it will last a long time. If you have an art-lover (like my 10-year old little sister) then this is a great gift idea for them.

I received my copy of "The Time Chamber" from Blogging for Books for this review. You can get your copy here and learn more about the author here. Let me know what you think!

"Chameleon Soul Mate"

I discovered this book on the website "BookBub", check it out if you don't know what that is. I downloaded a copy of "Chameleon Soul Mate", by Evelyn Lederman, and basically from the first page could tell why it was being offered for free. The story is about an alternate universe that is a lot like ours except the people there have telepathic abilities. The main girl accidentally crosses to this universe from earth and finds out that he parents are from the first person she runs in to is her soul mate.

This book is definitely not one that I would recommend. The text is very repetitive, the details are weak, and the storyline is confusing. There is quite a bit of sex involved and the author puts the words 'soul mate' in almost every single sentence. It's ridiculous. I didn't get very far into "Chameleon Soul Mate" before I actually laughed out loud at how ludicrous it was, and I didn't read any further. Definitely 1 out of 5 stars. I only put this book on here to give you a heads up incase you are a fellow BookBub user and you've downloaded this book. If you have, I would promptly delete it. :)

"Things I've Said to My Children"

If you are a parent, or have spent time around kids, then you know that sometimes you say something that you never ever thought you would say. "Don't play with dog poop", or "stop putting rocks in her diaper" are just a couple of examples. Nathan Ripperger took the crazy things that he has had to say to his 5 boys and added pictures to go along with it. He titled this creation, "Things I've Said to My Children".

This book is literally a compilation of things that the author has said to his children, with drawings to go along with them. You can flip through the whole book in less than 10 minutes. While there are some fairly funny sayings, there isn't any sort of story to explain why that was something he had to say. It's comparable to a book full of posters. Fun to look at, but you don't really take anything away from it. I wish there was a text box added to some of the pages with just a little blurb about what was going on when that particular saying came up. It would engage the reader more and make this more of a book than simply pictures with captions.

Despite all of that, it is a fun book and might be a good gift idea for someone about to become a parent. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received my copy of "Things I've Said to My Children" from Blogging for Books for this review. You can get your copy here. Or learn more about the author here. Let me know what you think!

"The First Ones"

I received a copy of "The First Ones" from the author, Ageless. I love stories about vampires, especially love stories, so I was excited to read this one. This story is set in a world where humans actually know about vampires and take precautions to protect themselves. The vampires were sent to earth to be a punishment to mankind, and they won't be taken away until humans can prove themselves. 'The First Ones' are the first vampires that were created and they have special abilities and are more powerful than the other vampires. The main character, Thereticus, meets a human who instantly mesmerizes him and ultimately steals his heart. She is special and could change the future for both humans and vampires.

I definitely give the author points for imagination on this one. The story itself is very creative, but the way it is written takes away from the story line. There is a lot of repetitiveness throughout the book, and some discrepancies with the story. Some of the details don't match up from one page to the next and there are some spelling and grammatical errors. Which is distracting for the reader, and like I said, takes away from the story line. I definitely think that this author has a lot of potential, but I wouldn't recommend reading this one. I would wait for some of her future works when she has had a chance to work out some of the kinks. 2 out of 5 stars. If you do feel like reading this one, you can get a copy here. Or read more about the author here. Let me know what you think!

"J"

The title is what initially caught my attention for this book. "J". Such a simple unassuming letter. I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I picked up "J", by Howard Jacobson. I don't even know where to begin to tell you about it. Imagine living in a world where history doesn't really exist. You don't know who your ancestors are, you don't know much about the past, most people don't even know their real last names. There are a bunch of 'unwritten laws' that everyone follows - don't ask too many questions, don't read the wrong kind of books, don't keep any heirlooms, etc. You are expected to live every day as if everything is normal, and you have to say sorry to everyone.

This is what life is like for Kevern and Ailinn. They both try to live their lives unnoticed, without realizing that they have actually been watched for quiet a while. Forces seemingly beyond their own thrust them together and they find peace and comfort in each others quirks and superstitions. Towards the end they receive some information that turns their world upside down and forces them to make some tough decisions.

This book was confusing from beginning to end. After reading the whole thing and looking at it in retrospect, it makes a lot more sense. While reading it, however, I felt lost most of the time. The characters blurred together throughout the story and I had to keep rereading to make sure that I was thinking of the right person. I wonder if the author meant to be vague, thinking that the confusion would add to the story in a way. I suppose it does, the characters lives are filled with so much confusion and uncertainty and the reader really gets pulled in to that. It's really genius in it's own way. Genius or not, I did not enjoy this book. I fell in love with the main characters, but I didn't like the setting that the author wrote them in. This book will make the gears in your head turn and you will probably get confused and lost while reading it, but you just might enjoy it regardless. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are in for some deep reading that will require your full attention. 3 out of 5 stars.

I received my copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. If you want to read "J" for yourself, you can get it here. Let me know what you think!

"Playing For Love"

Okay, holy cow. Almost a full month later and I am finally getting another book review on here. If you are, or have ever been, a teenage girl...then this book is for you. It is the perfect light-read to snuggle up with this winter. "Playing For Love", by Dana Burkey, is an adorable depiction of what it is like to be a teenage girl trying to get a guy's attention. The teenage girl is Fiona, and this is her story told in a series of journal entries.

Fiona is a fun and spunky girl who, just like the rest of us at that age, is trying to get the attention of a specific boy. Jordan has been friends with Fiona's older brother Ross for a long time and they have always been just friends. Last summer though, something changed. Jordan became hot. Fiona paid attention through the school year to the girls that Jordan dated and took notes on his 'type'. She has been away over the summer and now that the school year is starting again, Fiona knows that this year is her year. She is going to get Jordan's attention and make him her boyfriend. The story goes from August to October and describes the ups and downs of Fiona's attempts to win the heart of her long time crush. 

This book is so cute. Like I said at the top, the perfect light-read to snuggle up with this winter. Fiona is very easy to relate to and you will find yourself smiling while reading the things that she does and nodding your head because you totally did those same things too. This book will suck you back in to high school, make you feel like you are at a slumber party again, and give you a crush on the oh-so-charming Jordan. If you are in need of a fun, cute, romantic read then look no further. 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this to anyone jr high age and up.  Plus it would make a fun gift this Christmas. :) You can get it here. Let me know what you think!

"The Rising"

When I read the description for "The Rising", by Ryan D'Agostino, I thought that this would be a sad yet motivational book. I guess I can give the author points for at least getting the sad part right. This book is about Bill Petit and the tragedy that befell his family.

When I say 'tragedy' I mean it in the sincerest way. Two men broke in to the Petit's home, beat Bill to within less than an inch of his life, and set his house on fire with his wife and two daughters tied up inside. It does not get more tragic than that. This event only actually takes up a handful of pages out of the whole book though. The book can be broken down like this: the beginning introduces the reader to each of the family members. Letting the reader learn what each daughter was like and how amazing the mom was. Then the break-in happens. There are a few really good chapters after the break-in that go over the funeral and what life was like for Bill immediately after losing his family. The last half of the book is a waste of time.

I picked this book not because I wanted to read a sad story and learn about how awful things were, but because I wanted something that would ultimately uplift me and give me hope. I wanted to learn how Bill was able to come back to normal life after going through such an awful event. I wanted something that would inspire me to rise above my own trials and come out on top. "The Rising" provided none of those things.

I felt like the author left out a lot to the story and included details to things that were insignificant or completely pointless. I didn't want to read two whole pages on the defense lawyer. All-in-all this book was slow and very hard to get through. I kept putting it down and telling my husband how much I wished I was doing something else. 2 out of 5 stars. If you want to learn about Bill Petit, google him, don't waste your time with this book.

I received my copy of "The Rising" from Blogging for Books for this review. For more information, or a second opinion, click here.

"Four"

I don't know why it took me so long to read this book. I loved the Divergent Series, and should have known that this book was going to be amazing as well. "Four", by Veronica Roth, gives us some of the history and insight to the beloved character "Four/Tobias Eaton" from Divergent.

If you have read the Divergent Series then you should already know the story. "Four", however, gives us more to the story because it starts when Tobias was still living at home. It describes, from his perspective, what it was like to live with Marcus and what it took for him to be able to choose switching factions. It then describes what the training experience, and Dauntless initiation, was like for him. This book gives background and depth to the characters and relationships that we already know and love. The best is when Tris enters the story, and you get to reread their beginnings, only from Tobias' perspective this time. It is almost like reading someone's journal, because you get to live inside Tobias' mind in this book. See things the way he does and learn why he acts the way he does in certain situations. It's very revealing.

This book will make you feel like you really understand Tobias' character, and it explains why he is the way he is. You also get to learn about his friendships and add depth to some of the characters from "Divergent" that don't really stand out when reading that book. I enjoyed every minute of it and fell in love with Four all over again. He is just about the perfect male character. At least to me. :) This book will suck you back into the story that you know and love and will make you want to reread the Divergent Series all over again. 5 stars hands down. My only regret is that the book ended too soon. I almost wish that Roth had rewritten the entire Divergent Series, only this time do the whole thing from Tobias' perspective. That's just wishful thinking though. This book is for young adults and up, so enjoy! And, of course, let me know what you think!

"The Isle of the Lost"

My 10-year old sister and I like to swap books back and forth. She actually has really good taste in books, and I love almost everything she gives me to read. This time the book she loaned me was "The Isle of the Lost", by Melissa de La Cruz. She had been telling me for a few weeks to read this one and I kept putting it off thinking that I had more interesting things to read. Once I started it though, I couldn't put it down!

"The Isle of the Lost" is about the children of Disney's villains. Cruella De Vil, The Evil Queen, Jafar, Maleficent, and so much more. The villains have been banned to an island by King Beast (Beauty and the Beast) as punishment for all of their crimes in the various fairytale stories. On top of being banished, the island has a magical lid on it that blocks out all magic, so no one on the island has power any more. No one suffers as much as the children though, who have to deal with cranky evil parents that are power hungry yet powerless.

Maleficent is always telling her daughter, Mal, that she isn't good enough. The Evil Queen is always chiding her daughter, Evie, for not being the fairest of them all. Carlos, Cruella De Vil's son, has to live in a closet where he cleans all of her fur coats. These descendants of the evilest characters of the land want a way off the island so they don't have to suffer for their parent's crimes any longer. So they set off on a quest to find some magic to burst the bubble they live under, encountering more than they bargained for along the way.

This book is so much fun! Usually all that we think about from fairytale stories are the heroes. No one ever wonders about the bad guys and what happens to them. This book takes a totally different perspective on fairytale and shows what consequences come along with being the villain. It is a fun and easy read and would be perfect for anyone elementary age or up. I would highly suggest reading this with your child if you are able. It would be fun to take to your kid about the characters and how they develop and become friends by the end. Even if you are not a kid and don't have one, I still suggest this book. If you like fairytales and fantasy then make sure you check this one out. 4 out of 5 stars. Let me know what you think!

"Treasure Island"

This is a timeless tale that everyone should read at least once. Even if it is just to say that you have read it. "Treasure Island", by Robert Louis Stevenson, is a classic and if you haven't read it, then you need to put it on your "to-read" list.

Young Jim Hawkins works at the Admiral Benbow Inn, which his family owns and operates. His life is plain and simple until they receive a guest that goes by "The Captain". The Captain is a paranoid old fellow who pays Jim to keep an eye out for a one-legged seaman that he suspects is coming after him. Jim thinks that the old man is daft until one day a group of seamen kill the Captain and turn Jim Hawkins' life upside down.

In the event of the Captain's death Jim finds himself in possession of a treasure map that supposedly leads to great fortune. Jim shows the map to the local physician and the district squire. These men decide that the map is worth following and they put a crew together with Jim as the cabin boy. Once they set sail towards Treasure Island Jim discovers that part of the crew plan to take the treasure for themselves and abandon the others. Once he reveals this dangerous news everything starts to go downhill and they all have to fight for their lives while racing to the treasure.

This is a fun coming-of-age story that was originally written just for boys, but has turned into something that everyone of all ages can enjoy. Jim is a quick-witted boy that seems to always know what to do and comes out on top in nearly every situation. His character is relatable and easy to follow. This is a fun story that really describes what a real treasure hunt would be like, and now I know where the character "Long John Silver" comes from. This is a fun and fairly easy read. It's not something that will completely suck you in and get you lost, but it is still enjoyable and I rate it 4 out of 5. Check it out and let me know what you think!

"The Martian"

No, this book is not about a little green alien from Mars. I can't tell you how many times I got asked that when people asked what I was reading. "The Martian", by Andy Weir, is about an astronaut that gets stranded on Mars. Alone.

Mark Watney wakes up to his space suit beeping at him and realizes that he survived the sandstorm that swept through his camp and threatened to strand his whole team on Mars. Well, not his whole team apparently, just him. Despite the hole in his side, Watney unburies himself from the sand and makes it back to his shelter where he assesses the damage done by the storm. He has no way to communicate with anyone, and his shelter is only designed to last the 31 days required for the mission. This botanist/engineer is going to have to find a way to contact Earth as well as keep himself alive against all odds.

And it really is against all odds. Anything and everything that can go wrong, does. Towards the end of the book I kept thinking, "Give the guy a break! He has already gone through all this crap he doesn't need this to go wrong too!" Mark Watney, however, has the perfect personality type to be left all alone like this and his sense of humor turns out to be is greatest ally. This is one of the best books that I have read in a while. It is thrilling, witty, suspenseful, and unique. You will fall in love with Watney's character and will be rooting for him from start to finish. If you like a good book that will keep you on your toes, then "The Martian" is just for you. 5 star rating, hands down. The only disclaimer: there is quite a bit of swearing in this book. It is definitely written for adults, so be careful is buying it as a gift. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Let me know what you think!

I received my copy of "The Martian", by Andy Weir, from Blogging For Books for this review. You can get your own copy here!

"The Kill Order"

The prequel to the Maze Runner series, "The Kill Order", by James Dashner, reveals how it all started. I thought that this book would be about the beginning of the Maze and how all of the "subjects" were picked, but it is before all of that happens. It is the story of the Scorch and how the Flare started.

Mark has had a crush on Tina forever, he just can't seem to get her to think of him as more than a friend. He never thought that sun flares destroying the earth would be the thing to open her eyes and bring them together. They have to escape New York City to get away from the scorching heat and smell of death. Groups of survivors have fled to the mountains to try to rebuild their lives and are doing a pretty good job of it. Mark and Trina have joined up with Alec and Lana (both former military), as well as other survivors, to start their own little community. They all think that the worst is over, until one day a Berg shows up and starts raining their little community with small darts.

The darts seem harmless enough, only killing if they hit someone fatally. The people that were just knicked by the darts, however, become sick and pass away within a couple of days. Mark and Alec realize that there is a disease spreading that started with the darts and it is mutating so that each person that gets it will manifest differently and will show symptoms at different times. Now no one knows if they are really sick or not and the only hope is to get to the nearby headquarters of their attackers and find a cure.

They encounter other people on their journey and start to see exactly what this disease is doing to people. They are full blown crazy and are saying nonsense and hurting eachother. They find a light in all the darkness though when they meet a 5-year-old girl who was hit by a dart but didn't become sick. Deedee is special because she is immune, and Mark makes it his lifes mission to get her to people who can use her to help others. They have to fight for their lives through a city full of Cranks to save Deedee and get her to safety.

This book will blow your mind. It is one of those books where it seems like there just isn't a way for the characters to win. The whole world is against them and they have to fight for their lives against Cranks and against themselves. This is the prequel to the Maze Runner series and I think you would be just fine reading it before the other books, or at the end like I did. If you do choose to read this before the other three, you will probably come back and read this one again becuase the author drops hints about the characters in the Maze Runner that you might not pick up on until you have read the series. There is a lot of sadness and death and crazy people in this book. I would not suggest it to anyone younger than high school. James Dasner's imagination continues to amaze me and I am sure that you will be amazed at what he comes up with when you read this book. 5 stars! Check it out and let me know what you think!

"The Death Cure"

Just like the first two books in the series, "The Death Cure", by James Dashner, ties seamlessly to the book before it - "The Scorch Trials." Thomas and his friends are saved from The Scorch and are being taken back to WICKED headquarters. They are told that all of the trials are over, but are they really? They know that anything said to them by WICKED could just be another way for them to collect data on how the 'subjects' react. So they know to take everything they are being told with a distrusting ear. Everyone is given the chance to get their memories back and all but Thomas, Newt, and Minho agree to do it. Even though they were told they had the choice to do it, and they chose not to, the Rat Man decides to force them to do the procedure anyways. In an act of defiance the three boys (with the help of Brenda) fight off the guards and make their escape. In the process of leaving they look for the other gladers but can't find them anywhere, so they have to leave alone.

With their successful escape they find that the outside world is in turmoil and the small group has to find a safe place to hide. Denver is the city they pick and it is nothing like they expected. People are trying to live a normal life but are in constant fear of getting the Flare. No one touches each other, most people where masks, and everyone is afraid of everyone else. Despite all of the government's testing, people with the Flare are still in the city and it is spreading. When Thomas and his friends get kidnapped by bounty hunters for being immune, they are reunited with Theresa and the other gladers who were also kidnapped.That is when they find out that WICKED is collecting more immunes to run another set of trials on and the group that kidnapped them, the Right Arm, are formulating a plan to take WICKED down. This plan starts by Thomas voluntarily going back to WICKED to finish part 3 of the trials. He is the final candidate. He can easily infiltrate WICKED to plant a device to help the Right Arm take over the building.

What no one anticipated, however, was that part 3 of the trials meant performing a brain surgery on Thomas that would ultimately claim his life. Now they are on a race against time to take down WICKED while saving all of the immunes inside. Their journey takes them on battles through the headquarters, back to the maze to fight the grievers one last time, and through a flat trans that will hopefully lead to safety. Everyone has to fight for their life, and not all of them win, in this epic ending to the Maze Runner series.

Gah! There is so much more that I want to tell you about this book, but I don't want to give anything away! You will enjoy it so much more when you really don't know what's coming or what to expect. I kept writing things and then going back and deleting them because it was a key part to the story. If you want a more detailed summary then click here. This really is the perfect ending to this series. The characters are finally taking their lives into their own hands while finding a way to payback WICKED for all of the "kindness" that they received. This book is a nail-bitter and will keep you up at night worrying about what will happen next. I actually cried at one point. Just like the other two, I would suggest this book to high school age or older. This one is a 5 out of 5 on my scale. Believe me, you want to read this book. Especially after reading "The Maze Runner" and "The Scorch Trials". Then you can pick up "The Kill Order", which is the prequel to this series and will be posted on here soon. And of course, let me know what you think!

Can't get enough of James Dashner? Then check out his books "The Eye of Minds" and "The Rule of Thoughts".

"The Scorch Trials"

The second book in "The Maze Runner" series - "The Scorch Trials", by James Dashner - picks up right where the first one left off. I actually started reading the second book within minutes of finishing the first one and they tie together so seamlessly that I had to go back and check to see where the first one actually ended and the second began.

Thomas and the other gladers have finally reached safety. They have been put in a safe bunkhouse and have been told that answers will be theirs in the morning. Morning comes, but instead of bringing answers it only brings more questions. Crazy people are trying to break into their room, all of the guards that rescued them are dead, and Theresa has been replaced by a boy who claims to have gone through the same maze experience as them. The safety they thought they had reached is jerked out from under them and replaced by another set of trials. More tests to go through and more people to get hurt or killed. The boys have no choice but to go on another race for their lives through a place called "The Scorch" and hope to make it to the other side alive.

This book is definitely just as heart-pounding as the first one - "The Maze Runner". James Dashner has an incredible imagination and he brings that imagination to life through his writing. You will be right there fighting for your life and getting chased by cranks along with the characters. Without the actual danger of course, which is why books are so magical. I would suggest reading the first book before picking this one up, but you should probably have this one on hand because you will want to start it right away. I would say high school age and older, it might scare younger kids. I rate this book as a 5 out of 5. Definitely worth your time and is coming out as a movie this fall! Let me know what you think!

"The Maze Runner"

I cannot believe that it took me so long to read these books. It only took me a week and a half to read through the entire series because I could not put it down. I will put them on here one at a time starting with the first one: "The Maze Runner", by James Dashner.  

"The Maze Runner" is about, well, a kid (Thomas) that runs through a maze. But first he wakes up in a box in the middle of the maze without any memory. There are a bunch of other kids in the maze, all boys, and none of them know why they are there or who put them there. Thomas, the last boy to arrive, is special because even though he doesn't remember anything he gets feelings about what seems right or familiar, and that helps guide him. The day after Thomas arrives the most unusual thing happens - a girl shows up in the maze.  Her arrival changes everything and is the beginning of the end for the boys in the maze. The grievers (horrible man-made monsters that live in the maze) start acting differently, the sun disappears, and then the doors stop closing at night which gives the grievers full access to attack the kids. After two years of unsuccessfully trying to get out of the maze, the rules have changed and one boy will die every night until they find a way to escape.

This book got my heart racing and it didn't slow down until the last page. My heart didn't get much of a break though because I started the second book, "The Scorch Trials", right away. This is the type of series that will leave you feeling empty when your done. It took me a couple of days before I could start another book because I was still living in this story. This is a whole other level of "dystopian". The world has crumbled and the "good" guys are only making things worse. This book is definitely a 4 out of 5. It's an amazing book, but there are some pieces of the story that don't have enough detail for the reader to really visualize. Which leaves some holes in the story. I'd say age appropriate for high school and older. Let me know what you think!

"Luther and Katharina"

"Luther and Katharina", by Jody Hedlund, was an unexpected delight. I love when I pick up a book, not really knowing what it is about, and get swept off my feet by a wonderful story. This story is about Martin Luther and Katharina von Bora and the unlikely love between them. Katharina is a nun of noble birth who risks everything to escape the Abbey with a group of other nuns. Her life is turned upside in a changing world and, with the help of Martin, she finds herself serving in a home that is a lower social class than herself.

Her pride prevents her from accepting these changes and she is continually looking to marry and raise herself back to the noble class she was born into. She wants a life of riches, not necessarily love. Luther, on the other hand, would only be convinced to marry by the deepest kind of love and he has absolutly no riches. He lives on what others are willing to donate and his life is in constant danger. Throughout the book the attraction and chemistry between the two is obvious, they are both just too stubborn to acknowledge it. They go through some life threatening challenges and are finally worn down enough to let go and act on the budding love between them.

As I said at the beginning of this post, this book was an unexpected delight. I was in the mood for a little romance, so I picked this book out and got way more than I expected. The fact that the characters are real just makes the story that much more rich. I was sucked into the book and found myself smiling when Katharina and Luther were inadvertently flirting and then groaning when they would pull away from each other and act like nothing was going on. I couldn't put the book down. You'll find yourself being ripped back in time and feeling like you're washing clothes in the river right there next to the characters. It's a good easy read, plus it's completely clean. I can't think of a single reason for you to not read this book. It is coming out on October 6th. I recieved this book from "Blogging for Books" for this review. You can pre-order your copy here. Or click here to check out the author. And of course, don't forget to let me know what you think!

"Half the Sky"

This book completely blew me away. My mom lent it to me a long time ago and I kept putting off reading it because it just didn't sound that good. Well I was in the mood for something different, so I decided to give "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide", by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, a try. Simply based off of the title I assumed that this book would be a 'call to arms' to try to get readers to join a certain group. Boy was I wrong.

"Half the Sky" is comprised of a lot of true stories from around the world that share what life is like for a particular girl or community. It shows pictures and tells you (usually from the girl's point of view) what her life is like. Most of the stories are hard to get through because of how gruesome they are, and some made me cry. I knew that women were treated differently in other countries, I just didn't know how differently. This book opened my eyes and has truly humbled me. You need to read this book. I'm not saying read this book so that you can feel bad and donate money to some charity group. No, I'm saying read this book so that you can realize how good you really have it.

This isn't the type of book that you will pick up and read in one sitting. You might read it for a few days and then not read it again for a couple of weeks, but then pick it up and read it for a few days again. It's hard to get through because you don't really want to know about this stuff. The phrase "ignorance is bliss" applies here. Why read about a girl that was kidnapped and forced to become a prostitute? That will just make me sad. No. I think we need more books like this so that people can see what life is like in the world's poorer countries. I think that it is important for everyone to be educated on this matter. Even if all that comes of it is that we are more grateful for what we have. This is a perfect book for a reading group because I promise that you will want someone to talk with about what you are reading. Go pick up a copy and then share it. :)

"Warm Bodies"

If you have seen the movie "Warm Bodies", then you don't really need to read the book. I was surprised by how close the two are. "Warm Bodies", by Isaac Marion, is a most unusual love story. Zombies are usually the monsters in books, not the leading male role. However, Marion takes a normally gross and terrifying character and personalizes him. Now all of a sudden the reader is relating to this zombie and wondering what it would really be like to be in his shoes.

'R' is all that the (the zombie) can remember of his name, so that's what he goes by. He is living in an abandoned airport with a bunch of other zombies, but R is different from the rest because he is not content with being a zombie. On a run into the city to get some food, R sees Julie and he has the sudden urge to protect her instead of eat her. He sneaks her back to his home and tries to keep her like a pet. Being around a human starts to bring out some human qualities in himself that have been suppressed for a long time. Julie is slowly making him human again. The rest of the zombies can see the change and it sparks something in them too. Julie and R break the bounds set by society (what's left of it anyways) and start an uprising while almost getting themselves killed in the process.

Like I said, this book is almost exactly like the movie. The two biggest differences are that the book definitely gives the reader a closer look at R and what is really going through his head, and the book has way more swear words than the movie. If I had to choose, this is one of the rare instances where I would pick the movie over the book. I didn't feel like the language really added anything to the story, so the movie gives you everything that you really need. I LOVE this story though because it is one of the most unusual love stories that I have come across. I love unlikely love stories. If you want to read this love story though, I would suggest renting the movie. :)

"The Kiss of a Stranger"

My cute neighbor girl was babysitting for me the other day and noticed that I was reading "Hope Springs", by Sarah M. Eden. Apparently this is one of her favorite authors. So we have started swapping books and "The Kiss of a Stranger", by Sarah M. Eden, is the first one that she gave me to read. The more of her works that I read, the more that I like her. She is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors too.

One of the reason I like her so much is that she writes "proper romances", but with a twist. The stories are unique and so much fun. "The Kiss of a Stranger" is about a young girl in England who has been raised by her mean and abusive uncle. She is taking a walk in the garden one day when a complete stranger grabs her and gives her the best kiss that she has ever had. Unfortunately, her uncle witnessed it. He claimes that this kiss has completely ruined her and the handsome stranger that kissed her must marry her that very night. Within just a few hours of the fated kiss, Catherine finds her life completely turned upside down.

She is on her way to the London home of her new husband, Lord Cripsin Cavratt, and is thrown into his life of riches and society. Catherine has no experience with such things and has to learn fast how to appear to be the lady that society expects of Lord Cavratt's new bride. Despite their unusual beginning, Catherine and Crispin find that they are suprisingly compatible and are actually enjoying their time together. They both secretly hope that their marriage lasts, but modesty and bad circumstances come between them. Will their unexpected love be able to overcome the forces trying to rip them apart?

This book is so much fun! It takes a girl who has no hopes for her future, and plops her in this amazing life. All of a sudden she has nice dresses, good food, and a caring and adoring husband. It's basically every 'normal' girl's dream. This book is a twist on a traditional 'proper romance' because the main characters have all of the relationship rules that come with the time period, but they are forced to live under the same roof. If this same story were to be told in our era, the characters would act a lot differently because we don't have the same morals and modesty that they did back then. It is a cute love story and has a plot twist that I never saw coming, ending in a fight for their lives. This book is a fun and easy read and I highly recommend it. Definitely 5 stars. Check it out!

"Hearth Fires"

One of my favorite things to do is to walk up and down the aisles at the library and randomly pull books off the shelves. I'll look at the title, read the back cover, and sometimes flip through the pages. If it feels right, then I'll take that book home with me. I've come to discover a lot of really good books this way, and "Hearth Fires" by Dorothy Keddington, is one of them.

The leading lady, Mackenzie Graham, gets the work assignment of her dreams. The opportunity to write an article on California's storybook homes. When she arrives at the first home her head spins with thoughts of princesses and Rumplestiltskin. Oddly, no one is home, so she decides to do a quick photo shoot of the exterior and the yard. While looking through her camera lens she doesn't notice the four men in the yard with her until after she has already captured a few photos of their clandestine meeting. She doesn't realize that the photos she has are incredibly dangerous until after her car and her hotel room are broken into, and an attempt is made on her life.

An attractive local detective and his handsome attorney brother come to Mackenzie's rescue. It is at their secluded ranch in southern Utah where Mackenzie realizes exactly how much danger she is in - danger of losing her life, as well as losing her heart.

This book is like a big pot of romance, suspense, danger, hope, and love all mixed together. I found myself squeezing in pages every chance that I got because I just had to know what happened next. I actually took this book with me to a girls night with my family because I knew that if I didn't at least finish that chapter then I would be thinking about it all night. My family just laughed because they totally understood. Some books just consume your life. I give this one a 4 out of 5 though. Even though I couldn't put it down, there were some parts of the story line that just didn't add up for me. Overall though, it was a very enjoyable book. Plus it's completely clean. So if your in to mood for a romance with a little danger mixed in, then go pick this book up right now and prepare yourself for some sleepless nights. Let me know what you think!

"Longing for Home"

I borrowed this book from my mom, who borrowed it from her niece, who borrowed it from her coworker. It is getting passed around because it is THAT good! Sarah M. Eden is the author of "Longing for Home", and it's sequel, "Longing for Home: Hope Springs". I am going to write about both books in this post.

Katie Macauley has just traveled to Hope Springs, Wyoming Territory, and before even getting off the wagon she loses the job that she traveled all the way out here for. She is alone in the world, having been abandoned by her parents in Ireland 18 years ago, she has been on her own since then. She came to America two years ago to try to earn enough money to buy her parents land, and hopefully their love, back. However, she isn't going to accomplish that without a job. So determination drives her to get off the wagon and follow her would-be-employer to convince him to give her the job he promised.

Joseph Archer is impressed with Katie's tenacity and decides to give her the job, even though he knows he will regret it. Hope Springs is filled with a nasty feud between 'the Irish' and 'the Reds' as the rest of the town calls themselves. By hiring Katie (an Irishwoman) he knows what kind of troubles that this will bring up. Katie, on the other hand, has no idea what she is getting herself into by staying in Hope Springs. The Irish welcome her with open arms, but everyone else is incredibly mean. Through her confusion and troubles two men come to her rescue and her heart is torn in a tug-a-war between them. Joseph, who is a calm and steady rock for her to lean on. Or Tavish, who always knows how to make her smile and laugh away her worries. She  feels ill-prepared to make a decision between the two, especially while the town is in such an up-roar. People are stealing, fighting, and burning each other's buildings. Is Katie strong enough to bring peace to the town as well as her own heart?

These two books are a fun twist on a traditional 'proper romance'. Katie's life is in total upheaval and it makes the reader feel for her and wonder how she keeps it all together. She is a strong character and you fall in love with her from the very first pages. She reminds me of Elizabeth from "Pride and Prejudice". They have a lot of the same strengths and personality traits. I also love a good love triangle. The love between Katie and Tavish, and then Katie and Joseph, are the same in all the good ways, but different in ways that really count. Does she want someone that pushes her to be strong or someone that tries to take her trials away so that she doesn't have to be strong?

These books are full of sacrifice, love, trials, and friendship. The characters are detailed and full of life. The storyline holds your interest the entire way through. I found myself smiling, laughing, holding my breath, and even crying while reading this story. I couldn't put it down. Plus, it's entirely clean. I can't think of a reason for you to not go pick these books up right now. Let me know what you think!


  

"Inferno"

The last book in the 'Robert Langdon' series! Dan Brown uses his book, "Inferno", to perfectly bring Robert Langdon's story to a close. Langdon wakes up in a hospital room, having no memory of why or how he got there, and he is being told that he was shot. The doctors, in trying to figure out where he came from, let it slip that he is in a hospital in Italy. Italy! The last thing Langdon remembers is being on the Harvard campus. Not only can he not remember the last two days of his life, but someone is trying to kill him and he has no idea why. All of the clues he has tie into one of history's most mysterious pieces, Dante's "Inferno". In a race against time, Langdon feels the weight of the world as he tries to piece the clues together. The stakes are higher than ever before and he HAS to solve these riddles. The entire population of the earth is at risk if Langdon fails.

Oh my goodness, this book will get your heart pounding. It is probably Dan Brown's most thrilling book yet. If Langdon slows down too much, someone will catch him and he will die. If he moves too fast and makes a mistake, he will die. If he doesn't figure this out, everyone else will die. Who can he trust though? Waking up in a different country with absolutely no memories is confusing enough, but now he has this huge task to undertake and doesn't know who is friend and who is foe.

Pick up this book and read it. I would suggest reading "Angels and Demons", "The Davinci Code", and "The Lost Symbol" before reading this one. Simply because it gives you the background and history that you need to truly appreciate Robert Langdon's character. However, if you are just looking for a good book to read and don't want to start a series then I would still highly suggest reading this one. The stories don't actually tie together, so you can read them in any order. This book will make you question things that you have probably never even thought of before. It is entertaining and very thought-provoking and well worth your time. Check it out and let me know what you think!

"The Lost Symbol"

So I go through these phases where I read a TON, and then I will stop reading and get into a TV series or something for a little while, and then I will pick up a book and start reading a TON again. Well, I just finished my non-reading phase, which is why it took me forever to get this book on here. My apologies for the delay. 

I love these books, (Angels and Demons; The Davinci Code; The Lost Symbol; Inferno), because they have the same main character, Robert Langdon, but each story is different. You don't necessarily need to read them in order because the stories are all so different, but I would recommend reading them in order because of the background that they give for Langdon. The third book in the series by Dan Brown is "The Lost Symbol". This one is especially unique out of the four, because the story is set in our very own Washington D.C. The other books are in other countries that have histories that go way farther back than the U.S. I think that I learned more about the founding of our country from this book than from any of my history classes. More that I will remember at least.

Robert Langdon thinks that he is coming to Washington D.C. as a speaker for a conference, but when he arrives at the location of the conference he is met by an unexpected and terrifying surprise. This surprise is just the start to a night filled with many horrific and terrifying discoveries. With the help of Katherine, a brilliant scientist and old friend, Langdon has to go on a frantic search through Washington to find an ancient Masonic secret in order to save the life of one of his closest friends.

I love this book because all of the places and organizations are completely real. I've even been to a few of the places mentioned. Although not to the secret tunnels and conveyer belts that Langdon gets to travel. This book is deep and thought-provoking, while still being easy to read and attention grabbing. Your subconscious is being totally satisfied because it's getting the education that it wants while your conscious is getting a heart-pounding suspense story. You definitely will not come away from this book feeling like you wasted your time. Some of the rituals and events described in this book are kind of eerie, and there are swear words laced throughout the content. I would rate it PG-13. It is a gripping story though, so make sure that your 'chores' are done before picking this one up. ;) I hope that you get as much fun out of this book as I did! Let me know what you think!

"The Da Vinci Code"

The second book in the Robert Langdon series, "The Da Vinci Code", by Dan Brown, is arguably better than the first. They are probably an exact tie in my book. This book takes you on another incredible adventure through Paris after the curator of the Louvre is murdered in his own museum. Although not before leaving a message for whoever found his body. Encoded in his message is a second message that only his granddaughter, Sophie, and Robert Langdon can decipher.

This particular curator just so happens to be the leader of a secret society that keeps the secret of the Holy Grail. He, along with three other men, are the only ones that know it's exact location. Right before he is shot, his killer reveals that the other three are already dead, which means that if he dies, the secret dies with him. So he leaves a code that leads to a trail of encrypted messages that take Langdon and Sophie across Paris and London.

This book is a very intelligent thriller, and the intensity goes from the very start and doesn't stop until the last page. Dan Brown adds so much detail to his books. It's obvious that he knows his stuff, which really makes you feel like you are living in the pages. While it's not exactly an 'easy read' because of the thickness of the book and the intelligence of the writing, I can think of no reason for you to not pick this book up right now. After you have read "Angels and Demons" of course. This is the type of book that you will want to pick up as soon as you get home from work, try to squeeze in a few pages before work, and maybe even pull it out at stop lights because you just have to find out what happens next. Let me know what you think!  

"Angels and Demons"

I had this book sitting on my desk at work and one of my coworkers saw it and said, "Geeze, that's an old book". I laughed and said, "Yea, but it's SO good!" With all of the new books coming out all the time, sometimes we forget that there are already a lot of really good books out there. So, even though "Angels and Demons", by Dan Brown, is 'old', I want to make sure you know about it because it's a good one.

This is actually the first book of a series that follows the character of Robert Langdon, who is a well known symbologist at Harvard. When it comes to symbolism, Langdon is one of the most knowledgeable people in the world. Which is why, when a man turns up dead with an ancient symbol branded into his chest, Langdon is the first person called to the scene. He gets whisked away on a private jet to a Swiss research facility where he discovers more than he could have ever dreamed of. Not only is the dead guy branded with an ancient symbol that is so secret that most people don't believe it exists, but he was also a scientist that had just made a discovery that would completely change the world.

This world-changing work was stolen from his lab however, so Langdon travels to Rome to track it down. He has the brilliant and beautiful Vittoria Vetra (the dead scientist's daughter) in tow. The two of them get thrown into a whirlwind of uncontrollable events as they try to locate the device while also catching the killer. To make matters worse, the killer has kidnapped 4 cardinals and has threatened to kill one of them every hour. Landon and Vittoria have to translate an old map written in code that will lead them to the next murder location. They break laws, visit forbidden libraries and crypts, and uncover one of the best kept secrets on earth: the Illuminati lair.

This book will keep you on your toes the entire time! Dan Brown has obviously done his research and the details he adds truly makes his books come to life. The coolest part is that while the story is fiction, all of the places and details are factual! This is a thriller at it's best, and you feel like you are right there running through the churches of Rome with the characters. It's a very educated book, so it might not hold the attention of young readers, plus the material is probably pg-13 so I would keep this one for older readers. It does describe some of the bodies, and there is a part where the killer visits a high-class whore house, but it doesn't give any details. Nothing that I would consider innappropriate, but you are the best judge of that. It is a thick one too, so don't plan on only giving this book a day or two. It will take a little longer than that to get through. It is time well spent in my opinion. Check it out!  Oh, and I will have the next books in the series on here soon!

"Switchback"

Wow, did it take me long enough to get this book on here or what? As soon as I finished reading "Switchback", by Clair M. Poulson, I started "Angels and Demons", by Dan Brown. I got so swept up in that book that I didn't make time to write about "Switchback". My apologies because "Switchback" is a really good book, and I should have told you about it sooner.

An expensive roping horse goes missing and private investigator Rocky Revada is asked to take the case. Having a special love for horses himself, and a soft spot for Shanice Gridley (the beautiful daughter of the horse's owner) Rocky accepts. When he starts his investigation he realizes that not one but two horses have been stolen from the ranch and have been replaced with cheap look-alikes. Now he has two expensive horses to find. Shortly after this discovery the case gets even more complicated when a man is found dead on the Gridley ranch. What started out as a theft is now a murder, and the closer Rocky gets to the killer, the more his life is in danger.  With every new lead Rocky gets, he realizes that he has to solve this case if he wants to save his life, as well as the life of the amazing woman that he is falling in love with.

This is another amazing book by Clair Poulson. He really knows how to whip up the perfect mixture of suspense, mystery, and romance. This book takes so many twists and turns, you will be on the edge of your seat until the very end. Just when you think you have everything figured out, something new pops up and your completely lost again. If you like books that are unpredictable, then you will love this one. It's about 275 pages, so it might take a few days to get through, but it's clean and very enjoyable. Time definitely well spent. Check it out!