Jul 31, 2012

I've been thinking...
  • I want to change the name of my blog
  • I don't want to accept any more books for review
  • the book blogging drama is ridiculous
  • I'm so glad that I am not a part of it.
  • I have way too many books to read 
  • seeing stacks and stacks of books needing to be read is giving me anxiety
  • book blogging is no longer fun
  • should I shut down my blog 
  • or do I change it up and blog about whatever I want
  • including books
  • I can't believe I never experienced BEA while I was a book blogger
  • It's time to move on
  • but will I miss it eventually and come back with my tail between my legs
  • since I got rid of hundreds of my books, I feel less anxiety.  
  • Could I possibly be over my favorite past time (reading)
  • How come all the books I pick up aren't doing it for me.  (lol)
  • How come I can't write anything (I've resorted to bullets cause I can't write coherent sentences right now)
  • I've DNF'd more books than read this summer
  • I keep looking for that one special book that is going to get me out of my funk
  • This funk seems more serious than other funks. 
  • What is all this talk about copyrighted images.
  • Just another thing I don't need to be worrying about
  • I will always have the New York Times. :)
Am I closing down?  I don't know, but there won't be new posts up until I found out what I want to do.

Any advice would be awesome.  

Jul 24, 2012

Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

Red Heart TattooRed Heart Tattoo
Author:  Lurlene McDaniel
Publisher:  Random House Children's Books
Publication Date:  July 24th 2012

From Goodreads:  

At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High.  Nine people die instantly.  Fifteen are critically injured.  Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries.  And one is blinded.  Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction.  All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.


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I'm not really quite sure of what I thought about Red Heart Tattoo. In one side, I think it's a realistic book that will remind you of Colombine.  On the other hand, I felt there wasn't any real depth to it.  

It's hard to review a book that you like for it's message and deep content but also feels like it's unfinished or only touches the surface.  A lot of the characters are stereotypical personalities that you will find in every school.  Everyone is represented, the queen bee, cheerleader, jock, rebel, and the ignored unpopular.  My problem is I wanted to know more about them then what is on the surface.  We all know the queen bee is an overachiever, and is dating the jock.  We know the jock is always willing/wanting to kick some lower status guy for looking at his chick, or whatever lame reason.  I wanted something knew to add life to these characters, especially with the trauma they went through.  I also feel when the culprits were caught it isn't a huge factor in Red Heart Tattoo, nor were the characters.  I especially wanted to know what Lurlene McDaniel would do with these characters.  And she did...really nothing.  *Sigh* This could have been so much better.

Though I really didn't love Red Heart Tattoo, I do want to say the subject matter is important and I commend Lurlene McDaniel for taking on a very relevant and hard subject.  She did a great job of showing the different ways it affects peoples lives.  

Though Red Heart Tattoo left me wanting, I still thought it was an okay read.  

Goodreads Rating: 3 stars

Jul 2, 2012

the Best of June


Whew, I really needed that break!  I read 9 books in June. Some awesome, some not so. Why waste my time on the duds, instead i'm going to do a shout out to my June favorites.  

Adult Fiction:

Into the Darkest Corner

I was going to go with the Goodreads summary, but I think it gives away too much info.  So here is my not so great attempt of a book description.

Catherine finds the perfect man, Lee, who is everything she and most women want in a man.  He's hot, fun and just freaking all around awesome.  Slowly Catherine begins to see a different side of Lee.  One that is frightening and controlling.  

Cue to four years later, Catherine is now suffering from OCD and numerous other things because of the traumatic experience she suffered from Lee, and Lee is in prison.  But Lee is about to be released.  Also, there is a cute nice new neighbor.  


A Quick Little Something:

Into the Darkest Corner reminded me of the movie Sleeping with the Enemy starring Julia Roberts.  This book had me wrapped around it's fingers.  I seriously was not going to put this down until I finished it.  

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YA Fiction:

Something Like Normal

From Goodreads:

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother's stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he's haunted by nightmares of his best friend's death.  It's not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he's had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up.  And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again.  Travis's dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.


A Quick Little Something:

A really great contemporary YA with a male point of view.  The writing is very straight forward, but what grabbed me the most was Travis.  Such a solid written character that is going through so much.

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Adult Fiction:

Mistress of Rome (Rome, #1)

Goodreads:

Thea is a slave girl from Judea, passionate, musical, and guarded.  Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea become her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator.  His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life-that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the life of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats.  Unwittingly, she attracts another admirer in the charismatic Emperor of Rome.  But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting both soul and sanity.  Many have tried to destroy the Emperor;  a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin.  But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman:  Emperor's mistress.


Quick Little Something:

First you have gladiator's, Emperor's, slaves, and a really spiteful bitch.  Then you have love, betrayal, vengeance, jealousy and so much more.  Mistress of Rome is a crazy freaking ride of a book.

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All of these I wholeheartedly recommend.  I'm pretty sure no one will be disappointed.