A Small Break..

I have had to take some time off or reading and posting for a few days and this will continue for a few more. My grandmother has passed away, so I will be working through all of that.

Rest assured my 10 followers I will be back, I have books still piled up to read!

Thank you for your support and for stopping in!

Married With Zombies

This book was so much fun! A Funny, sarcastic (and sometimes absurd) take on a marriage that's in trouble and how the zombie Apocalypse helps it. Brava Jesse Petersen!

It's a quick little read, you won't be able to put down because you need the next laugh! I won't bore you with the lay out of the story - really the first sentence in this blog tells you all you really need to know, so instead I'm going to list off a few things that I personally loved.

* Taking self help tips, and making them work for a Zombie Apocalypse. They were the chapter names and wen't a little like this: "Ask. Don't make demands. 'Honey, can you please kill that zombie, I'm out of bullets'".

* High five for killing a zombie with a toilet seat. Seriously, that's genius.

* Loved the book got right into it. We don't follow the couple through what made their relationship bad. Page two we're swearing and killing already - my type of story!

* For simply combining Romantic Comedy with Zombies.

* For naming the books in the series after TV shows and Movies....Married With Zombies, Flip This Zombie, Eay Slay Love....brilliant!

Book gets a 4.5 Bird Rating from me, and get set for the rest of the series I plan to dig into those as soon as I can get my hands on them!!!

1/2

Jelico Road

The first prize winning book to make it to my blog, excited? You should be. Jelicoe Road by Melina Marchetta was highly recommended by my pal Amy - and she did not fail me.

I both loved and hated this book.

Let me explain before you followers of mine (all 10 of you, I check daily!) get pissy and start throwing the House of Night series at me. Let's face it, it's all they are good for. Ammo. I just felt a little ripped off at one point, that's all. Let's start at the beginning though before you need CLiff Notes to get through one of my blogs..

When the book started I found myself wondering if I would come out mentally unharmed from the onslaught of information being flung at me. It was good info, don't get me wrong, but a lot of heavy stuff I knew I needed to make it through this book.

So I'm reading the heavy stuff and at this point I'm a little worried, because this is a little fat bastard of a book, in the world of YA novels, anyway and I didn't want to reach a point where the info at the beginning comes into play and I stare blankly at the page wondering what the heck is going on. You know, like I do with cook books while making dinner.

Luckily, the information avalanche part only lasted a bit, things were repeated, but not in the obnoxious way I hate so much. In a, helpful and throughful way that made you stop and go "ahhhhh". Actually I loved when things were repeated in this book, you almost get a deja vu thing when it happens.

Here's where I start to feel ripped off - About 1/4 way through it started to become very transparent, there was no mystery any more. I knew what was going to to happen, who everyone was. I had the ending pegged. I don't know if this is something everyone has had while reading it, but I wasn't shocked at the ending. (If you've read it please let me know when you sorted the ending out.)

If I'm trudging through 300+ pages I want to be on the edge of my seat until at least 3/4 of the way through! I just feel the ending was a dead giveaway, too easy. This is where my only bit of hate comes in towards the book.

1/2 way through the book, I'm carrying it with me everywhere. I had to pee, it joined me. I didn't even stop to put the book down. Don't. Judge. Me. See, I may have known what was going to happen but that didn't mean I couldn't wait to actually read it. This book swallowed me whole.

3/4 of the way through, I was reading while cooking dinner. Relax...it's not like I was making stir-fry with flames flying everywhere. I would have read through dinner but we had company and while he might expect that from me, I wanted to set a good example for my kids.

Last page. Tears. Relief. Happiness. And a bit lonely. Sure I was only reading this book for a day (crap really did I read it that quickly?) But this book really digs it's claws into you. Fairly certain I have scars..

Not going to lie, I may cry when I return it to the library. Maybe when I do I'll leave the kids at home, no sense in children services being called over the nut job having an anxiety attack over returning a book.

Final review - though nothing could be better then the Printz Award - but this is close :0) 5 Birds. Read it!

Stolen, A Letter To My Captor

Stolen, A Letter to my Captor by Lucy Christopher left me with Stockholm Syndrome. No really, I'm being serious.

Stolen is a letter to her captor which Gemma writes. As such I have to admit, in a format that took me several pages to get used to. It's not like your normal book to say the least.

There's no chapters, no real characters so to speak of other then Gemma and Ty, and maybe a camel and some chickens. It was a bit like when I heard that Castaway was just going to be Tom Hanks and a volleyball for 2.5 hours....I went in with apprehension and at the end was amazed at how well it was all put together.

Why do I have Stockholm Syndrome you ask - well while the main (and only) people in this book are Gemma and her captor Ty, you get to know them, very well. Ty, the captor, is written in such a way that you know what he did was wrong by taking Gemma...but you're still feeling bad for him through out. You see this caring side of him. Don't. Judge. Me. Read this book and you will totally understand what I am talking about.

In the end this book gets a 4 bird from me, I was going to go with 3.5 but I felt that was a little unfair consider home much the ending of this book took me in. It was a great fast read (read it just today) and a refreshing break from my normal reads. Borrow it from a friend or the library, or pick it up second hand but don't rush out to buy it to read it.

The Body Finder

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. It brought me back to the kinds of books I used to read before I found urban fantasy - crime and suspense. And man, did I miss them!

With this book you're going to get a buffet of things, so be ready. Suspense, Mystery, Romance, Crime - you even get a second view point from the serial killer and the author did an amazing job bringing this into the book. It could be straight from TruTV! It is very obvious that she put a lot of time into researching how a serial killer thinks, moves and lives.

Here's a little break down of the plot - Violet has a morbid ability to locate dead bodies, those that have been murdered and dumped or hidden. A serial killer is on the lose in her hometown and now it's up to her, and the select few people who know about her talent to flush him out by using Violets talent. Sprinkle on top of that, a romance so much fun and so amazing that you will find yourself going "awwww" more often then not.

I'm giving this book 5 Birds because it kept me on the edge of my seat both for the suspense of the crimes and the suspense of the romance. I over cooked dinner one night because I was reading.....it's really that good.

The Dead Tossed Waves

Dead Tossed Waves is the sequel to Forrest of Hands and Teeth, by Carrie Ryan. I liked the first book, I loved the second.

Loving a book, giving it 5 birds always leaves me wondering what to say about it when I review. It's intimidating because I don't want to not do it justice, I don't wan t to give anything away because I want you to enjoy it as I did. Also, I'm cynical and funny most of the time, but when I enjoyed something this much I really can't be - with out coming across as a total bitch anyway.

If you're a frequent reader of 104 in 365, (and I hope you are) you will remember that not 2 days ago I mentioned that I really hated reading series' that changed character up through out the books. I read a series because I like the people that are in it, I've grown attached - don't throw me new main characters. It's mean. It's like being a kid and your parents moving to a new city every school year. Mean.

What does this have to do with The Dead Tossed Waves? You guessed it, new people. And this time I knew it because I read the blurb about the book months back when I read it's predicator and I was anxious to keep following the life of Mary. Why, when I hate books like this did I read it? Well because Tessa Gratton told me too by putting it on her top reads of 2010 list. And that's good enough for me. (seriously don't ask questions just look Tessa up)

Boy was I in a shocker when I realized that Mary from Forest of Hands and Teeth IS in this book. She's the mom of the main character Gabry. It's not in any of the blurbs I've read, it's not a spoiler, I can not figure out why they wouldn't tell you this?? It seriously makes a difference for a lot of people!

This is a post apocalyptic, zombie thriller with a love story tossed in for good measure. The ending leaves you going "Wha!?" you'll frantically flip the pages after it to see if you missed something. It will also send you out the day The Dark and Hallow Places comes out to buy it....(smart thinking Carrie Ryan) and before you sort it out yourself...book 3 is about other people as well, with I'm sure the ones we've already met in the back ground...sigh.

Still, I loved this book. I will be buying it for my own collection. It gets the highest honor of 5 Birds!

*waving white flag*

I don't admit defeat very often but I just couldn't keep reading Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr. I took it back to the library yesterday and picked up my 4 on hold books in it's place.

It wasn't bad, definitely not the worst thing I have ever read, but it wasn't grabbing me, at all. I felt like it kept repeating itself in fact and that's just a little irritating to me.

Ugh. Anyway, there will be no review of this book.

And now on to the next....

Losing Steam

Never fear my ever loyal readers (all 10 of you) I'm not quitting - I'm just losing steam.

I've read 15 books in 18 days and now, as I crack open book 16 I'm having a really hard time trying to sort out weather or not I am just not into the story, or if my brain has shut down from me trying to cram word after word in there.

I'm only on page 20 of the new books (which by the way is Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr) and that's not a sufficient way through to decide if it's unreadable, slap a bio-hazard sticker on it and return it to the library. SO I'm trudging through.

A seeking suspicion tells me it is a large part - the book. I think this because I won't let myself start anything else while reading this one in order to force myself through it. Normally I'm 4 books deep at a time. It's not even a bad book, the last one wasn't my favorite, but still....

Alright this blog has offered me a good distraction for a few minutes, but I should really get reading while I have time today.

Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

Let's start with the obvious - Ink Exchange is the second book in the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr.

I love series, I love hanging onto my character longer then one book and being able to live in their world. I am the first to admit I can suffer quite horribly from Post Book Trauma, or PBT. I can mope, cry, refuse to speak (husband likes this one), it can get bad....I am willing to suffer this for a great series, it's worth it.

What I don't dig, is picking up the second book in a series to find out it's not really about the people from the first book, but that they will be more of background players for this one, and you will now follow a new girl around.

I know, it's my fault for not reading the blurb on the book or on Good Reads about it, then I wouldn't be surprised at all - but it's like eating ice cream and the first 16 bites tasting like chocolate, you would expect number 17 to taste like chocolate as well. Am I right, or am I right?

All that being said, it was a pretty good. I was being distracted every 2 paragraphs near the end of the book but I managed to work through it and absorb the details. It was a fair story, Leslie is a strong character who has some real buried issues. And I liked that, no no...I loved it. She wasn't dealing with her dad leaving town and the standard family issue related crap every girl in a book has - she's got some real issues that, at least I, don't recall any girls I've read about lately having. It defines her, it makes her who she is and that carries well throughout.

It was well written but again, I'm irritated that they through a story about a "random" (girls not even mentioned in the first book) in the middle of the series - and looking at the blurb for book 3, see I learn my lessons, I realize it goes back to being about our pals form books one. I really hope the rest of the series doesn't play out like this

Book is getting 3.5 Birds from me, story was strong but the random character knocked a half a birdie off the branch....

1/2

Ascend - Amanda Hocking

*Contains Spoilers*

Ascend is the final book in the Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking. I am sad to put this series to rest, I grew quite attached to the story line and characters.

And I'm struggling with the review for this because I feel like I want to say is harsher then it needs to be. So I'm just going to come out with it and see what it sounds like. I like the book, kinda hated the ending.

I kept watching my page numbers to see how much was left, and as the climax arrived I realized there wasn't' many pages left and I wondered how the author was going to wrap things up so quickly. And the answer land right in the question - quickly. The ending made me feel really rushed, at one point I even went back to look to see if I accidentally skipped something.

You arrive at the Vittra castle, and then are leaving after Wendy completes her task of killing the king in something like 4 pages? (and this is Nook pages, so really 2 actual book pages) You knew she would succeed, that wasn't a question going in, but I needed a little more to make me think otherwise for a minute or more.

Then a page or so after that the story is just over. Done. Kaput. All the "loose ends" (which, I don't have to be an author to know that tying all those up at the end of 1 book, let alone 3 has got to be a major pain in the ass) with an epilogue 13 pages long. Everything gets tied up with a pretty bow, happily ever after and all that.

Meh. Feeling a little let down, is all I'm saying. I'm giving the book 3 Birds, I feel it was a little less then I have come to expect from Amanda Hocking, though it won't stop me from reading anything she writes in the future.

My Horizontal Life

I'm really loving the Lend Me feature on my Nook. It's allowing me the ability to read things I otherwise wouldn't bother with. It's not that I don't like Chelsea Handler, I just don't generally do the biography thing.

I've read some, and I like them well enough for what they are - but really they are like the movie Titanic. You may not really know everything that happened at the beginning so watching it is rather interesting, but then you realize you already know the ending and suddenly mid way through your kinda like "what the hell am I doing wasting my time on this. In the case of the Titanic, the boat sinks of course...with biographies you know that the ending always is they wound up famous and happy and well enough to write a book. Shocker!

I gave this one a whirl because it was free and about her one night stands. Plus Chelsea Handler is a riot. And you know what it was really, eh.

I laughed, a lot. She's brutally honest, and swears like a sailor. She's snarky and quirky and I love HER. I just don't like reading biographies. It's unfair for me to rate this book because I think I'm judging it based on it's genre and forgetting how much it made me laugh.....but I feel that giving this anything more then 3 birds would just be a lie on my part.

Graceling - Kristen Cashore

I borrowed this book on "Mah Nookie" on a whim. To be honest the cover screamed "Middle Earth" to me and it's not that I'm not a Lord of the Rings fan, but it's not really my cup of tea. So I was really suprised I got into it as much as I did.

The book took several dozen pages to drag me in, filling me with information I couldn't possibly process as quickly as it was produced. However, once it did grab me, it totally took me over.

Several times I found myself thinking, "This is a 5 Bird Book" - and while it lingers on the 4.5 side of things and I greatly enjoyed it I just can not bestow upon it my greatest honer of said birds. A few reasons why:

-One of the characters Bitterblue, wasn't quite defined as well as I would have liked her to be. Some very important information pertaining to her seems to never be revealed and this irks me through the whole book as it's hinted towards it...but nothing more..

-The ending...yes it ended better then the million options my ADD brain was whipping out at me about midway through the book, but it was just one of the "UH!????" endings. I was happy, but felt I deserved more...you know?

-Sequels...are their more? I don't know! Kristen Cashore has other books with similar covers that do not have similar story lines, but COULD be about the same people but I'm not sure (thanks goodreads for being so helpful on that!)

In the end - 4 birds (really 4.5 but again I'm not hacking a poor bird in half...) Read it, you'll like it. Have I ever lied to you before?

FATE - My Blood Approves #2

Fate was a great second part to My Blood Approves.

The first thing I love about these books is they take place in my home state. I know this is trivial and has no real bearing on the book or the writer, but I have to say that a huge smile creeps across my face when places, streets and towns I know are broth up in the book. Makes me feel like it I go wandering around in the Cities I might run into Jack on his way to a club or Alice on her way to the laundromat.

The second thing I'm loving about his series - the characters. They are real. They react to things exactly like I would, or people I know would. I like this because I can really connect with them on a deeper level, and understand the decisions they make. I'm one of those people that really truly gets lost in a book. For the time I'm reading it, that world and those people are as real to me as my family and friends. To me, if a book can't pull me in on this level, it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

This second part to My Blood Approves will not disappoint you. In fact it's got more tension, more excitement, more lovin', and more thrills then the first one. Alice starts the book off almost immediately looking tragedy straight in the face. The decision she has to make because of it will change the future that Jack and her had planned, and then some.

Amanda Hocking does it again for me, I'm loving this Indie writer and and can't wait to get through my next 3 books so I can get going on the 3rd installment of Alice and Jack.

This books gets a 4.5 Birdies....but I don't have a 4.5 birdie photo...and that might be kinda gross and morbid so we'll call it a 4 for the sake of not mutilating a cute cartoon birdie.

Somethings not right here....

This is not the options I expected to pop up when I searched Baby Sitters Club in good reads. Thank you amazon.com for this....

Can you decide which book above doesn't belong....sigh....just another reason why my daughter doesn't use the internet, and when she does the computer will be so loaded down with parental controls it will be harder to break into then the Pentagon.

TWEET TWEET - ISN'T IT SWEET?

A new rating system has arrived....alight it didn't "arrive", I made it.

Calling out "stars" was boring and I wanted a visual so I chose birdies! You can find this in it's permanent location on the right, scroll a bit....there you go :0)

A Break down for you of what each one means to me:

5 Birds = More Than Loved It...
I would buy it in hardcover and wait in line for hours for the author to autograph it. I would also buy and/or make my own merchandise pertaining to this book and annoy my husband for days about how awesome it was.

4 Birds = Great Story

I really liked it, I will recommended it to my friends - more then once.

3 Birds - Good Story...

It was neither good nor bad. It is like an anomaly I can not explain.

2 Birds - It was OK...

Meh, it was ok. I wouldn't recommended it unless your have nothing left to read and can get it from the library..and that you're possibly drinking while reading....yea - then I would say read it.

1 Bird - Didn't Like It At All...

I'd rather dig my eyes out with dull knives than comment further on this book.

WICKED LOVELY

Book one in the Wicked Lovely series didn't disappoint me at all! I really didn't know what it was about when I picked it up, and I was really surprised to find out it was about Fairies.

Here's the low down:

All teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see? A debut fantasy romance for the ages; superlative summer read

The story flows along really well, no dragging moments where you're waiting for something to happen. The characters are solid and well "built", for lack of a better term. I really like Seth in particular, he's that kind of reformed playboy that every girl kinda wishes they could have - even if it's just in their minds. (hehe)

The only thing that literally drove me out of my mind during this story was the main girls name - Aislinn. It is Irish, and very appropriately to the story line, means vision or dream.

Seth calls her Ash for short, sorting out that the name in fact is pronounced Ash-Lynn - however I couldn't say it like that. When I read it all I saw was Aslan - like the big furry lion in Narnia. And (my GOD) they used her name so often (more then I think was really needed, to be honest, or maybe I just think that because reading it made me crazy) I couldn't just skip it, or say "Ash" when I did. It was like a little trap that my brain couldn't wrap it's head around...I just wanted to say it phonically....aaahhh! glitch, smoke......brain has stopped working...

Sigh, the odd things that bother me...lol. I managed to to get over it, a little and will continue with the series. I won't let a little thing like annoyingly spelled names stop me from a good story. Plus, I miss me some Seth!

I give this book a 4 Star rating.

AMAZING BOOKCASES

Since the bookcase post was such a hit, I plan to do one each week. There are so many awesome ones out there! So check these out

This is one Christmas Tree I would LOVE to have!

Do you think this is what book cases in a Fairy's house looks like?

Functional and Simple but still way cool!!
(this one I might actually have a shot at having someday!)

WHY NOT?

So I'm adding more reading challenges to my plate. You know reading 104 books in one year isn't challenge enough for me....okay, okay.....most of this will be a cross over - meaning I can count the read books towards all the challenges.

Today at my library I mentioned I'd already read 10 books this year and the librarian informed me I can actually EARN stuff for reading....Whaaaa? Okay, so it's not money & stuff, but coffee mugs and fun book marks, dude I'm in!

Plus this challenge isn't even a "challenge"...I have to read 4 books before Feb 28th. Yeah. I can do that in my sleep. Might as well just give me that mug full of goodies now....:0)

And the other challenge is just cool, plus I have to read most of whats on the list with my daughter anywho....so why not toss it all in -

Click the awesome little cassette tape above for the rules and links to lists of books! I'm so looking forward to this! RL Stine, Christopher Pike, Baby Sitters Club - all things my 6 year old is reading now...well Baby Sitters Club anyway. It's amazing how far YA has come!

MY BLOOD APPROVES

If I haven't sung enough praise for indie author Amanda Hocking, I'll make up for it here!

I really, really, really enjoyed My Blood Approves. Okay, I loved it actually! Yes it's got vampires in it, but it's got it's own twist to things, one that had me hooked after page one. Something I'm finding reading more and more vampire type stories - none are ever the same! Everyone thinks that all vampire tales nowadays has Edward Cullen in them....

I'll be the first to admit there were a few "Twilight-esque" things that popped up, but they were easily forgotten when the plot picked me back up and sucked me in.

Here's the low down on My Blood Approves:

Teenager Alice Bonham's life feels crazy after she meets Jack. With his fondness for pink Chuck Taylors and New Wave, he's unlike anyone she knows. Then she meets his brother, Peter. Even though he can't stand the sight of her, she's drawn to him. Falling for two guys isn't even the worst of her problems. Jack and Peter are vampires, and Alice finds herself caught between love and her own blood

These are quick reads, under 200 pages on my Nook and true to Ms Hocking's form she doesn't waste a lot of time with back story after back story - you get into the good stuff from the get go and get filled in on the things that you need to know along the way.

I'm giving this book a 5 Star rating and I can't wait to read the rest of the series!

LOVER AWAKENED

This is the 3rd book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward, and I have to admit I showed some resistance when it was suggested to me I read them. Once I started however, I was instantly hooked.

The series is about a band of bad-ass Vampire warriors keeping the world safe from "lessers", the soulless monsters that prowl the night. Doesn't sound too interesting? No, I can see how that would be. Oh! Did I mention there's tons of sex in them? Yea, that's why the big girls read them! (can't believe I didn't mention that...silly me *wink*)

Each book is about a different brother, this one in particular about Zsadist. No. that's not a typo, each of the bothers has a bad-ass name, spelled a little differently. I thought it was annoying at first now I can't imagine it any other way. There's a great plot (admittedly when they break to go to the "lessers" I tend to skip that stuff....most of it anyway it's boring and in the first 2 book seems to have nothing to do with anything.) the banter between the brothers is both real and humorous.

The only little hiccup in this is that I'm a 31 year old mom who has a hard time admitting that she reads almost all YA fiction. So to take the leap directly into the Romance Novel/Erotica department was more of a plummet for me, and If I couldn't admit to the YA how could I own up to THIS!?

When I went to buy books 3 and 4 I acted like I was 13 year old boy trying to buy a Playboy at the gas station. Sneaking up on the book case, first trying to look at other items around it and seem disinterested in everything. Grabbing the books real fast and tucking them up under my arm so you couldn't see what I was holding. Then, while I waited in the incredibly long line (did I have to come buy these 2 days after Christmas!) and prayed to the God of skinny punks that I got a girl cashier or at least a totally clueless male. (oh thank God I got a girl and she doesn't seem to notice what I bought)

I thought I was in the clear, until she smiled sweetly and said "Have you read this series before?" (no stupid I'm buying books three and four because I like jumping in, in the middle!) She chatted about how she loved them and the 3rd in particular was her favorite, and in the end I was glad I got a BDB (Black dagger Brotherhood) fan as a cashier. Still I felt like I should repent for buying the books, and I'm not even Catholic!

In the end, this book gets 5 Stars from me - the 3rd turned out to be my favorite so far as well.

HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS

I really enjoyed this fast paced thrill ride that Robert Liparulo took me on in the first installment of his Dreamhouse Kings series. Though I have to admit that reading it with my husband out of town, at night was not the best idea I have ever had. Every time I heard any noise in the house I panicked. Eventually I did fall asleep. With the lights on.

Okay it's not so terrifying you shouldn't read it, and really it's more suspenseful then anything. I'm just a huge sissy.

Here's the blurb from Goodreads.com

"When the Kings move from L.A. to a secluded small town, fifteen-year-old Xander is beyond disappointed. He and his friends loved to create amateur films . . . but the tiny town of Pinedale is the last place a movie buff and future filmmaker wants to land.

But he, David, and Toria are captivated by the many rooms in the old Victorian fixer-upper they moved into–as well as the heavy woods surrounding the house.

They soon discover there’s something odd about the house. Sounds come from the wrong directions. Prints of giant, bare feet appear in the dust. And when David tries to hide in the linen closet, he winds up in locker 119 at his new school.

Then the really weird stuff kicks in: they find a hidden hallway with portals leading off to far-off places–in long-ago times. Xander is starting to wonder if this kind of travel is a teen’s dream come true . . . or his worst nightmare."

For being a free read on Mah Nookie, I was more then happy with it! You don't have time to get bored, you'll be on the edge of your seat most of the time. Think Jumangi mixed with a little dash of The Ammityville Horror - be warned, you may wantto have book two on hand before you finish book one! You're not going to want to leave the Kings house once you enter.

This is a FOUR STAR book for sure!

AWAKENED - PC CAST

Le Sigh. It seems the joy I experianced reading the book before this one, was short lived. Awakened sends you right back into the utterly juvenile, barely readable drivel of the Cast Duo. Oh, you heard me...I said drivel.

For some reason the Cast Duo believes them self to be British in this book. When "speaking" as very American characters, they begin using words like "dodgy" and "fortnight". This only last through the first several chapters where they drop it entirely. Because that makes total sense. Some how I think that they believed having a Scottish character in the book allowed them the ability to toss the words HE would use, on regular ol' conversation. (and all you "uuber fans" I'm not speaking of the times when Stark is pretending to be Scottish, or when the Scottish guy is actually talking, so shove it.)

I have spent a lot of time wondering how these books are written. K tosses in her part PC tosses in here and instead of making sure they flow together they just go "Hey What the hell, we're on book 8 and they will by anything..."

Kristen Cast, the daughter, seems to want to be all "hip and totally awesome, something you and your BFF could get down to"- completely unaware she's the dorky kid everyone is laughing at because NO ONE OVER THE AGE OF 11 TALKS LIKE THIS! And PC, the experienced writer and mother, wants to bring in all the sex and love....

Take the language set of an 11 year old, throw in mature content and you get - the House of Night Series.

Before I go, a few items that truely are annoying in this particular book :

• Dude, I know she's your BFF. It is unnecessary and really efin annoying that you refer to her as such when ever she is referenced in the book. And I don't mean "I glanced at my best friend" which could be tolerable...I mean "I glanced at me BFF" oh yes...each and every time thats how it's written (Note: neither Stevie Rae or Zoey are listed here because they both do it.)
• The use of the word "niggling" on page 152. WHAT THE HELL?! Did one of them get word of the day toilet paper and think, "Hey that would go in my book great". You want teenagers to read this crap then you use a word that they don't know and won't look up and will most likely think is somewhat racist considering all the "down south, you-got-a-purdy-mouth" BS you toss out there. And it's not even used by Damien the "wordsmith" of the series, so we don't actually get a definition....HEY LADIES: PICK A TARGET AUDIENCE AND STICK WITH IT! For reference on the word Niggling

• means:

  nigglingpresent participle of nig·gle (Verb)

  1. Cause slight but persistent annoyance, discomfort, or anxiety: "a nasty leg wound which still niggled at him"; "a suspicion niggled at the back of her mind".

  2. Find fault with (someone) in a petty way
• Can someone please explain to me how you "Twitch" into a room. Forget the meaning of life, this is a phrase I have never heard before these books and can not for the life of me sort out what it means or how you do it. Though I imagine I can create some rather humours times with my friends and a bottle of wine trying to recreate what the book is trying to tell me it means....If any of you can video yourself twitching into a room, let me see it. I would love to see this confident walk played out before me once and for all.

I have officially decided that no matter how many more of these little death traps the Cast Duo writes, I will never suffer my eyes through another.

A Big ol' 2 Stars for this one....

BURNED - PC CAST

Color me shocked! The Cast duo finally (after 7 books!) wrote something that didn't make me want to dig my eye balls out with spoons and wash them in bleach.

There was moments of page turning anticipation, I was on the edge of my seat more then once, and one time....but just once I.....almost cried! And for once it wasn't from the terrible writing!

My fingers are burning even discussing this book series in such high regard. And what I say next may very well be the end of me and my credibility for ever.......I can't wait to read the next one! GASP!

My theory with these books has always been, that the good parts, that flow together, make sense and are actually good to read are written by PC, the mom. And the annoying "teen speak" jumpy bits are all Kristen. I've recently read some of Kristen's short stories and check out some of PC's other novels, and it adds up. This book, had to have been completely written by PC!

Anyway, back to the book here's a run down of my thoughts:

• Yay for Aphrodite! If not for her through out the majority of this series and her cynical, bitchiness I would have given up all hope but she really shines in this book. I want to bottle her and memorize her snappy comebacks and keep her with me always!
• Yo, Nerd Heard, you're not needed anymore. Please stop showing up in the books. I hate you twins and Jack....there is such a thing as being "too gay" just saying.
• STOP using the word "poo" as in "bull poopie" and such. Following with a stronger word only makes the person saying it (and the books as a whole) seem even more juvenile. Very cringeworthy.
• Kramisha's talk - can't you just say she speaks with a strong southern drawl? Really I felt like I needed medication and speech therapy after reading her parts...they hurt my head and I mean it. Same with the Scottish dude. Just saying.
• Plot - double yay! It made sense, it was good, it wasn't a repeat of the first books, it was different then them all in fact and I liked it, damn near loved it.

That's it, that's all I'm saying, as you can see I loved and hated aspects of it. But I have to hate part of it, Cynical is my middle name. . I am giving this book 4 stars - as much as it pains me because of how much I hated the rest of them. If you haven't read this series, I don't suggest starting. Trudging through the first 6 to get to something that's actually good. However if you are like me and clinging to hope that eventually the Cast Duo will write something worth reading, keep hanging on because they do.

DOING THE GEEKY HAPPY DANCE

You'll learn very quickly I'm the type of person who is made happy by the little things in life. Amanda Hocking taking time out of her day to comment on my (very new) blog definitely lands on my list of cool, and made me really happy!

She clears up where to find her books and lets us know that #3 in the Trylle Trilogy will be out "soon". Thanks Amanda for stopping by! And thanks for all your awesome books!

CITY OF BONES - CASSANDRA CLARE

Books like these make me happy they were invented in the first place.

My paperback copy of City of Bones looks a lot like some hard core Christians bibles. It's highlighted, dog eared, post-it-noted (its a word!) Every time I read it I find more quotes I love, I realize I like my favorite characters even more then I did the time before and pray like a dorky fan girl that they don't screw the movie up!

Here's the blurb from Good Reads:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

I dare you to read this and not want to both smack and make out with Jace, many times simultaneously. (Ohhh, kinky?) I am so glad that the book club I'm apart of are doing this series for February! Read these, you'll be sorry if you wait for the movies I promise.

This is a 5 BIRD book!

HOLLOWLAND BY AMANDA HOCKING

One of the things I loved the most about this book, is that you don't start at the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse, you're mid way through it. This is a big deal because one thing I hate more then anything is a writer that wastes precious time explaining crap that they think is setting up the back story but really they are just babbling about things that aren't important in the end. (*cough couch* Steig Larson)

Let's face it, we all know how and why a Zombie take over happens. We've seen the movies and read the books. Unless you've been loving under a rock for the past 50 years you can pretty much put it together yourself. Thank you Miss Hocking for not boring us to tears with an explanation of it, again.

The important back info we need on Remy, our main character, is brought up as needed through out the story. And I never felt like it was "shot" at me, I really felt that it fit in and flowed with what was going on.

Downer to this, aside from the fact I think it's only available in E-Book form, is the ending is maddening. I was shocked to turn the page and find that I was done. I'm debating weather to e-mail the author and manically demand a sequel.

In the end, 4 stars and I do recommended you read it!

CLOCKWORK ANGEL BY CASSANDRA CLARE

*May contain minor details/spoilers - depending on how you look at it...lol

I have written this review 3 times now, and each one has basically been filled with all the reasons I was upset that Clockwork Angel wasn't The Mortal Instruments series. Which is a really shit reason not to like something fully, if you ask me. Even if she wrote both.

Cassie Clare is one of my favorite authors and The Mortal Instruments is my favorite book series (one of the two, anyway) so to read a prequel to my favorite series was in some ways really, really difficult as I kept hoping that my good 'ol favorites from the Mortal Instruments would pop up - and one or two do, but not the ones I was looking for.

Miss Clare didn't disappointed with the amazing world she created, and adventure; however, I found the main characters to be lacking in....well character. They all seemed to be the 1800's version of Isabelle, Alec, Clary and Jace (and that could be where Clare wanted to go with this, I have a feeling in a way it is but I don't know) They were seriously watered down versions of the main four from MI. I'm talking like the drinks on an all-inclusive cruise....more soda and ice then rum.....that kind of watered down.

(Warning, actual spoiler after this point!)

At points the story was predictable, very in fact. And the whole robot (aka clockwork) people was....far fetched. I know... so says the girl who reads about vampires and werewolves and believe whole heartedly in Faires. Hi Kettle, I'm Pot! Still, I kept seeing these jerky movement, squeaky robot people moving like those old security camera videos you see....I had to shove back a giggle from time to time at the sheer stupidity of it.

Yet I held on, and found that my dislike for the clockwork people was overshadowed at the end of the book by the ache it left in my heart for the next in the series. Regardless of watery characters or silly robots, the truth of the matter is I am in love with the world that Cassie Clare has made. Weather it's moder day or in the 1800's. I would read a VCR instruction manual if she wrote it.

This book still got 3 stars from me, and it's something I would suggest to others. Though I wonder if one should read this BEFORE the Mortal Instruments? Chronologically it makes sense, but what do you think? If you've read all the ones out - what do you think about reading ID before MI?

CHECK OUT AMANDA HOCKING!

I can't blog about a book on my challenge every day because I just can't get through them that fast. If I had nothing to do but read, a house keeper and a nanny I would then be able to.

But since my winning millions is not in the foreseeable future, I will just have to fill the days with other books I think you should read.

These two books I read just days before the new year. I stumbled across them on Mah Nookie and the combined fact they were under $3 each and about urban fantasy - I was totally down!

SADLY, I am finding that I can not find hard physical copies of these books, anywhere. They are readable on a computer, and on eBook devices but no actual books. The author is a fellow Minnesotan so I have contacted her about this, maybe I can find a place for you all you buy some up!!! You know us Minnesota folk are always BFFs.....ok not really, but we are nice so lets see what happens with the e-mail....

Book 1, Switched kinda started like most urban fantasy stories....a girl, some issues, a boy, and then WHAM - a curve ball. I really thought I knew where the book was going, and honestly was shocked when it ended up where it did.

I mean, ok - I'm no expert on YA Urban Fantasy but after reading a half million and seeing all the typical outcomes and plot lines you grow to expect certain things....not with this book. Miss Hocking really picked a world I had never been to before.

Book 2 Torn, picked up right where the first leaves off. Nothing gets lost between books. I liked the second even more then the first which is odd, because I'm normally a "first book, first love" kinda reader.

The third and final book, Ascend comes out sometime this year. I'm really excited to see how she wraps up this neat little world.

I gave both the books 4 stars, I really really enjoyed them!!! I hope you will too!!! And let me know what you think after you read them!!!

COMING TO A NOOK COLOR NEAR ME SOON

I love Mah Nookie, really I do. But I HATE.HATE.HATE. that the device is so new that I can't find a good case for it for a reasonable price in a color I want, or could even tolerate for a short time.

I picked up a way cute pink and orange one in B&N, and thought I misread the $125 price on it. Nope. You would think that thing was made by the hands of God himself from the hair of unicorns for what they wanted for it. Turns out Kate Spade "designed" it, so they jacked up the price. Ass holes. Does the word RECESSION mean anything to you money hungry ass hats?

In order to find anything, I have spent hours on Amazon and other sites looking for something to personalize Mah Nookie, to no avail. Sold out, over my budget, butt ass ugly - these are the things I ran into. Finally today, determined to protect Mah Nookie at all cost I bought a plain crappy zip case and the above photo of a skin that comes with a matching background so the image is fluid - KICK ASS!

Until I can make my own skin, preferably with it's name on it....this will do for now.

(find my skin and others like it here)

DEAD(ISH) BY NAOMI KRAMER

So I think I can't count this book because it was only 100 pages, but I am any way. Deal.

The first paragraph pulled me in:

"LOOK," he said, cutting across yet another plea, "You're dead. You need to accept that."

"But - "

"No. Stop pretending to be alive. It's stupid. It's creepy. Now. GO. THE. HELL. AWAY."

This book is about the ghost of a girlfriend stalking and torturing her boyfriend in hilarious ways (makeup, fingernail polish.....) trying to avenge her untimely death, which she believes he caused. The cover SCREAMS pre-teen story and I honestly was expecting that when I started it. I didn't bother with the blurb about it, it was free, it was a "cute cover...need to read that" so I jumped in with both feet.

Color me suprised when I realize it is in fact a gorwn up type book that is just total silliness. I whipped through it, with company over mind you, in about 40 minutes. Hey, I had to take time to talk. Eventually, Mah Nookie was taken away and I was forced to talk to humans (GASP!)

If you have a few minutes, please find and enjoy this book. It's free on the Nook like I mentioned before, and elsewhere I would assume. Chalk full of sarcasm, wit, and comes complete with a gay couple living next door, some jail time and gun shot wounds, you can't pack more into such a little book. Plus, the shit the ghost pulls is really just priceless - it's everything you wish you could do to jerky ex and then some!

I give the book 3 stars, I liked it - didn't love it but enjoyed the escape for the time I was reading it.

JUST EXCUSE....

If the lay out of the blog changes a few more times over the next week....I'm having a shit time trying to decide what I want.....I liked it like this, but now I'm getting this "baby nursery" feel to it...soooo anyway never mind my neurotic and completely unnecessary blog redecorating....just imagine that this is what it like in my head...all.the.time. Exhausting I tell ya!

FALLEN BY LAUREN KATE

I have to admit that I heard a lot of really bad things about this book, at one point I even took it off my to-read list. You know it';s serious when that happens...

But with the beauty of Lend-Me on "Mah Nookie" I got to read it for free, by borrowing it off a friend.

I'm sorry to all you Fallen haters out there, but this book was good. Not "holy-freaking-crap-rocked-my-world" type stuff, there was no choir of angles singing (terrible pun intended) when I finished....unless you count the screams of my 1 year old fed up with the Nook taking over mommy time. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to part two.

The characters were well written though the main girls name; Luce, drove me nuts. It's pronounced "loose" short for Lucinda......but it just drove me batty for some weird reason and actually started to pronounce it Lucy because it more palatable to me that way.

Bits in the end, realizing who people really were, that was a bit far stretched even for a YA Supernatural read about Angels. But that's just me. I recommend this book, and am proud to say that my first book of the year isn't vampire related -yay for me - :0)

Oh! And can I just say - isn't this the most beautiful cover ever!? I love that the cover ACTUALLY has something to do with specific details of the book. Some publishing companies get it so wrong when they choose cover art - but not this one....I want to go buy that dress for myself now!!! If anyone sees it on sale, let me know kay? Cool.

I give the book a solid 4