Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Empress of the Seven Hills

Empress of the Seven Hills (Rome, #3)Empress of the Seven Hills by Kate Quinn


I couldn't get into it. Maybe I'm just not into the Roman empire or the sleaziness of that era? Maybe because I didn't read the two before this book in the series? Maybe I can't stand trying to pronounce those strange Roman names? Oh well.

View all my reviews

Delirium (Delirium #1)

Delirium (Delirium, #1)Delirium by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent! I'm loving all these dystopian young adult books coming out. This one may lead the pack out of all that I've read this year. There are similarities to other popular YA dystopian books out there, but the major plot stands out on it's own.

Way in the future the government decides that it can cure the disease, amor deliria nervosa, also known simply as...love. They figure a simple procedure now deemed safe for 18 year olds, can solve the problems of the world. If there is no love, then there can also be no hate and that is what the government decides is the problem with the world. One simple procedure will make the world a better place.

Lena Halloway is the main character in this book and is 95 days away from her procedure. She is excited to essentially have her feelings removed, to forget her family's past and move on to the mundane but secure life on being cured of the "disease".

There are hold outs, the sympathizers, the Invalids who live in the Wilds and oppose the procedure, those who fall ill to the "disease" before their procedure. Lena's best friend, Hana, decides she wants to live a little before her procedure and Lena is opposed. One night Lena goes to a party she knows Hana is at to warn her of the raids by the Regulators to catch sympathizers and rule breakers. Lena may be angry with her best friend, but she doesn't want to see her hurt or in trouble. Lena makes it to the party only to have it raided within minutes of her arrival.

From there her world is turned upside down after she escapes the raid with the help of Alex, a handsome boy whom she thinks is already cured and is safe. But is he? Is she falling victim to the disease? Is it possible that it's not really a disease? After all, how can something that's supposed to be so horrific...feel so good...

View all my reviews

The Good Father

The Good FatherThe Good Father by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished reading this a few days ago but am just now getting to the review. I've already finished a book since then but I'll try my best to explain why I liked it so much.

First, it seemed completely original to me. I haven't read a book like this in a long time so I enjoyed every moment of it. It was a parenthood/love/semi-crime/minor-political/twist-of-fate novel with a wonderful plot. I don't recall ever reading a book by Diane Chamberlain book before but I can tell you that it will not be the last.

Okay, not the best review but that's what I've got for today. :)

View all my reviews

Friday, May 25, 2012

The Dukes Perfect Wife

The Duke's Perfect Wife (Highland Pleasures, #4)The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would be giving this a five star rating but the "big secret" that Hart kept from Eleanor was dorky. All through the book Ian was encouraging Hart to tell her the truth, she deserves to know. Hart's conscience kept telling him he should but he didn't want Eleanor to be afraid. When all was revealed at the end it was a dorky. Really? That's all this big grand secret was? I had to read that section a few times to figure out what it actually was supposed to be. Wasn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Oh well.

Other than that one little snafu, it was an amazing read. I'm sorry I missed the two in the series before this one but chances are I'll still go back and read those. Each book can stand alone but there are little snippets of information I would have understood a little better if I had read the others. Really no big deal though.

View all my reviews

Monday, May 21, 2012

Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers #1)

Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1)Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A good, easy historical romance read. I will be reading the rest of the series but will give it a few books so I don't have a romance-novel overload. Really, really lovely story!

View all my reviews

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The Screwtape Letters: First Ever Full-Cast Dramatization of the Diabolical Classic [With DVD]

The Screwtape Letters: First Ever Full-Cast Dramatization of the Diabolical Classic [With DVD]The Screwtape Letters: First Ever Full-Cast Dramatization of the Diabolical Classic [With DVD] by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow wow wow! Whether or not you have read The Screwtape Letters, you have to listen to this audio production. It was fantastic! The music, the different voices for each character, the drama, all so, so good. The book itself is amazing too of course, with it's reverse teaching method.

Andy Serkis, who is the voice of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings movies, voices Screwtape, a demon mentor. His nephew, Wormwood, is trying to turn his "patient" away from the "enemy", which is God with the guidance of Screwtape.

Screwtape tells Wormwood how to get ideas into the patients mind to turn him away from God by basically turning him into a cynic. Screwtape says that their jobs are to make spouses into a relationship of anger and sarcasm. To turn fear and anxiety to a hatred of God. To not let patients have too many lows in their life because that is how the "enemy" reaches His people. He, being God, wants people to be like Him through the bible and learn from Him. The devils want patients to rely on earthly goods and turn to sexual immorality and the like because it feels good, because it is selfish.

There was so much to this short book but the reverse learning was amazing. I found myself realizing that I fall into a lot of the traps that are set to turn away from God. It's just a complete eye opener!

View all my reviews

Monday, May 14, 2012

What I Did For Love

What I Did for Love (Wynette, Texas #5)What I Did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like everyone else, it did feel like a fan-fiction of real life events of the whole Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie debacle, but to me it didn't ruin the story. It went off on it's own from that familiar story line and I really did like it.

I haven't read a contemporary romance for a little while so perhaps it was a little refreshing to read something that wasn't that deep. It was a light read with interesting, somewhat shallow, fun characters.

I liked how Bram was so determined to make Georgie think he was the jerk he had always been. Perhaps he didn't go along with her scheme initially but once he started to think more of her than just an annoyance, he became a real cool guy. I enjoyed how their relationship grew into friendship with their easy banter and chemistry. I liked Georgie (and not just because of her name!), even though she thought of the crazy idea, but I wouldn't doubt the Hollywood elite come up with these harebrained ideas in real life!

I don't normally like when books go off and bring focus on supporting characters, but in this book it really worked. I loved Aaron's character and his total and utter opposite but hysterical relationship with Chaz. Aaron for some reason was my favorite supporting character.

Good story and several books down the line I'll read another one of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books.

View all my reviews

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ack! This is why I hate reading current series. What a cliffhanger! What an incredible ending that has me thirsting to read the next...oh man, how long will that be!?!?!?

GREAT BOOK!

View all my reviews

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

The Book Thief

The Book ThiefThe Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ay yi yi, I don't know what to give this book. There is no denying that narrating a book by Death was both creepy but ingenious! He narrated the book during WWII, in Molching, Germany about an orphan girl named Liesel Meminger who is sent to live with foster parents during the height of Hitlers reign. She was not Jewish nor were her foster parents, but they were sympathetic towards them. Her story starts and ends with Death but this book focuses mostly on her few years with her foster parents. From dealing with being an orphan, making friends, protecting a Jew, discovery of books, Hitler youth, bombs, she deals with a lot in her youth; a side of WWII that I had not yet read about.

I tried reading this book a year or two ago and was so confused at the beginning that I stopped reading it. It's so highly rated that when I saw an audio book version was available, I borrowed it from the library.

Once I got over the initial weirdness that started with Death's narration and what he meant by the colors of the sky upon people's deaths, then I started following it just fine. Well, I mostly understood it, but I still got lost a time or two because it jumped around so much in time and place and characters. I couldn't remember what the current topic was and would have to scan backwards to figure it out.

The narrator was fantastic. I really enjoyed his voice, the books emotions were clearly conveyed by him. But oh my stars, I was getting annoyed by all the "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" and "Crucify Christ" exclamations. It was almost a little offending. That's the book for you though, it had a lot of swearing. It fit for the theme of the book though.

I guess as far as how much I personally liked this book, I'd give it a three. For the creativity, I'd give it a five. So I guess averaging that out, I'll give it a four. Such a strange, strange book.

View all my reviews

Monday, May 7, 2012

Partials (Partials #1)

Partials (Partials, #1)Partials by Dan Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very scientific. Not much romance. I really liked it! Trying to find a cure to a virus that has wiped out 99.9% of the human race, not too hard to believe in the future and the author made it that more believable. I really enjoyed the detail of the virus and how the Partials were created and their purpose. Pretty neat concept.

I don't have much more to say, I started another book between now and when I finished it. I am really excited to read the next books in the series.

I'd say I liked this book more than Insurgent (which I'm now currently reading).

View all my reviews