The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

This review may contain what you might consider spoilers. It contains a confession from me.

I confess that I added this to my "to-read" list because A) I am a cover whore B) I am a title slut and C) I love Alice in Wonderland....

I finished this book a bit ago...it was good. Yeah, I wish that I could say more but honestly, it took me so long to actually get into the book that I read another book (or two) in between the chapters and did an asston of school work because I just could not get myself in the state of mind for this book. There is a turning point once Alyss returns to Wonderland but until then, the book is just a drag.

I really hate that I cannot give this book a better quality review. I will probably read the next in the series...I don't know if it is because I am A) OCD and the thought of not finishing the series makes me crazy or B) because the ending actually saved the book and I am interested to know what is happening. It might be a combination of both.

I don't feel it is fair to only give this book 2 stars because it is worth more. Maybe I was just having some focusing issues or something at the time I decided to read it....All of the effort and thought put behind not only the characters (Alyss rather than Alice etc) but also into the weapons, looking glasses, and imagination capabilities. Its an interesting story line and concept...just slowly executed.

and for that my dear book, you are rewarded:

I still hold some hope for the series.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

This review may contain what you might consider spoilers. It for sure contains me lusting after another vampire.Cat, Denise, and Kira....Teach me the seducing ways! (please)

I know I am suppose to be reading my reading roulette book but I am having the hardest time getting into it and my book exchange pal keeps taunting me with these books by Jeaniene Frost! I will keep this short and put my nose back to my reading roulette.

With First Drop of Crimson, I tried not compare Cat and Bones with Denise and Spade. I failed. With this book, I didn't have to try....Mencheres has always been fascinating to me so something with half his point of view was exciting. I was worried that Frost wouldn't be able to create a character strong enough to match his power. My worry was quickly put to rest. Kira is FIERCE!

Kira, not only did you manage to secure the love of a uber ancient (can you use those words together in a sentence?) vampire/pharaoh...but mine also. I actually wanted to slap Cat for you in this book! Such a strong woman and not the annoying "GIRL POWER--I DO WHAT I WANT!" type--the "embrace the changes/roll with the punches" kind. She went through so much shit and just kept on going.

The story line wasn't as exciting as most but there was enough mystery and strange lust to keep me turning the page. It is still a paranormal romance but the romance was balanced better in this book. Is there such a thing as inner (useless, but interesting) tempestuousness paranormal romance with a kick ass vampire couple? If so, this book belongs there. I love the bouncing point of views in these books. Something that can make reading a book exasperating, it works here! 

GO FROST! You are on my "authors to stalk for new books" list!

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

This review may contain what you consider to be spoilers. It doesn't actually contain any spoilers...as my reviews never do but I feel the strong need to start out each blog this way.


THIS IS NOT CAT AND BONES. I established that when I opened the first page. It was going to be difficult to accept because I love Cat and Bones dearly but I will say that Ms.Frost was able to create another awesome couple to love.

This book has a lot of typical romantic elements (he loves her but won't tell her, she is unaware of his feelings, thinks he hates her, she can't own up to her feelings blah blah blah) but it also has the edge of a mystery that keeps it from becoming a complete harlequin novel. It is a paranormal romance (the cover should have given that away), it is not just a paranormal book with romantic moments....there is a difference!Frost has a very smooth ability to make something dirty but not nasty. Thank the stars!

The demon story line and having Spade and Denise together is interesting. She is not "tough as nails" like Cat, but the chick can hold her own. Spade is not Bones (here I am comparing even though I THOUGHT I had established the fact with myself that these were not Cat and Bones) but damn it all if Frost doesn't make him just as appealing even if he is completely opposite.

I did enjoy the book but not quite as much as the Night Huntress series. Not because it was Cat and Bones but because the romantic element. I like an even balance and this book leaned just a slight bit on the romance side for my taste. I will be reading the next book of the series.

Frost does it again :)

Reading Roulette #3

With my goodreads "to-read" list ever growing and finishing an amazing series...its time for another roulette. This time, I am making it crazy and entertaining for me to choose. Each page of my "to-read" list has 20 books listed. So I went over to random.org and had it decide on a number

Headed back to goodreads.com and wrote down the 13th book on each page.

13th book on each page as follows (some titles shortened a bit for my sanity):

1. Abundance of Katherines
2. Queen of Babble
3. Paint It Black
4. Somewhere Carnal Over 40 Winks
5. Oh. My. Gods.
6. The Singular Exploits of Wonder Mom and Party Girl
7. A Little Wanting Song
8. Let the Right One In
9. I Love Everybody
10. P.S. Your Cat is Dead
11. Goodbye, Paper Doll
12. I Was Told There'd Be Cake
13. The Haunted Vagina
14. Answering 911: Life in the Hot Seat
15. The Looking Glass Wars
16. Shrinking Violet
17. Hippo Eats Dwarf
18. Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story

Then I head on over to ClassTools.net (I find this site very amusing and fun to play with!) Choose the random name generator and add all the titles.

Hit the fruit machine button at the bottom and wait to see which wins the jackpot!

And the winner is:

Here goes nothing!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

This review might contain what you might consider spoilers. It is short and not really review of the happenings, just my opinions on the book/series.

Where to go? What to say? I am amazed by the series. While there was a pretty little ribbon tied over the whole messy package at the end (which I normally loathe) I was happy there was an ending to this story. It didn't leave you wondering what happened to everyone after the story ended. 

I love that the deaths in this series do not stop the story but do wound the reader. (Is this normal to like this?!) You become attached and you feel the loss of the some of the characters. You feel the depth. 

I don't know what else to say about these books other than "READ THEM". I only re-read books I love dearly and I am already to dive back into them.

Finished perfectly.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

This review may contain what you might consider spoilers. There was a HOLY SHIT moment for me. It will also be short because I am ready to dive into the final book.

Why, seriously, WHY did I wait so long to read this series? I was hooked with the first book, and now, obsessed the second.  I know that only the third remains. 

The book wasn't slow but the until the middle of the book, I was just interest, not obsessively carrying it every where. That all changed as soon as they announced the twist to the Quarter Quell. I was sitting outside, enjoying my book, smoking a ciggy with the dudes and suddenly yelled "HOLY SHIT!" and started pounding through the pages. Back to the arena?! 

The arena prep and portion may not have been as deeply detailed as the first, but it was just as interesting. Expecting things to be repeated in the arena is not advised, you will be wrong, just as I was. I really thought the layout of it would be similar or be twisted just a tiny bit so that Katniss and Peeta would be okay but Collins imagination must be limitless because she was able to amaze me with the design of the arena and how it tick-tocked (WINK WINK!) and the alliances.

The Gale/Peeta debate, I don't know how to feel about it. I can't decide if I am annoyed or if I understand. I understand inner turmoil of having to work out feelings that you don't really understand but  maybe it there wasn't enough probing...hmmm.

The final twist of the book had me scrambling to purchase the final book as quickly as possible. 

Another 5 for the series.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

This review may contain what you might consider spoilers. It does contain me being confused on how to explain this book--delicious choppy review from the Sugarhead, as usual.

I have been suggested this book by many people. I kept beating around it not know if I would actually read it. The sampler was difficult to get into (I probably only read a page of it...) and left me mostly confused. I finally broke down and bought it since my dear friend was reading a series that I had already read so I could no longer ninja books from her. 

I'll be honest, in the beginning I thought the book was told from a male point of view, which left my brain boggled for a few minutes until I figured out Katniss was a girl...things made more sense then! I still thought I was going to dislike this book, until the reaping happened. The reaping is when I started to devour the pages as if I had been hungry in the arena for weeks and sent to the biggest feast I had ever seen. 

As I tore through the book, I realized it had a Lord of the Flies feel to it (to me anyways--its been years since I've read it so I could be off on this) I loved Lord of the Flies and all the ways that it could be interpreted. (religion, war etc)--This book was pretty straight forward without the under lying themes though (maybe with brilliant twist of literature someone could find some themes but I read it cover to cover for what it was worth.) DO NOT avoid this book if you didn't like Lord of the Flies because it isn't just like it. It just had that sort of feel to me. It is original in concept and plot. I am sure it is not the ONLY book like this, BUT it is nothing like any books I have read in recent history. I have not heard any comparisons that like it to another book so much that it could have been written by the same author. I am sure it has some similar elements as other book (that I have not read) but it stands out in the sea of otherworldly (vampires, werewolves, faeries etc) books that are in the YA world now. The emotional complexity of the story out shines so many other books that I have read that aimed to draw emotions from characters and readers.

Even if every pages is not action packed, it still paints the clearest picture of what is going on. Collins has a very amazing ability to paint vivid pictures with words and it is something that I appreciate in authors. No matter if the picture is plain, gruesome, lovely, or disgusting....I got the visual. My imagination was a fly on the wall in the arena--Collins put my brain in the action.

My attachment to characters varies from page to page. Rue was the only character I remain(ed) attached to through out the whole book. I wanted to hug, slap, and then comfort Katniss every other chapter. She is so smart, yet so naive. It was hard to love the characters when you knew that not all of them would survive. It was hard not to become attached though (to a few). The games only allow one to win, one to live....

The love triangle isn't over powering. Its a nice break from all of the romance involved in YA novels. It does contain a little inner turmoil because of feelings of love but it does not over take the story completely. 

While this book is part of a series, I believe that each book may require a separate review because they will be so differently done. 

If I don't stop now, I will probably ramble on forever.

First 5 star review....GO BOOK YOURSELF with The Hunger Games.