KindleObsessedJust another random rambling!!

I stumbled upon “I Heart You, You Haunt Me” while doing one of my research quests at a local bookstore (aka spending hours in the stacks taking pictures of book bindings) and thought… ok this sounds interesting, but for some reason it just lacked that “Oomph” that made me buckle down and read it.

The synopsis was intriguing, girl and guy in love, guy dies, girl cries, guy comes back to haunt her, but even with the promise of a haunting I still couldn’t make myself “want” to read it.  Maybe it was that I was on psychological thriller high and didn’t want to break it with a potential cry fest, or maybe it was the fact that the entire book was written in verse form, (as in “Well howdy Mr. Shakespeare! How’s it going) but never the less… the point came where I sucked up my lack of motivation and started the journey.

My first impression was less than spectacular…the writing style made the story feel so disjointed that it was hard to focus on the plot and what was actually happening to the main character, the writing was beautiful, yes, but having it so torn apart made it feel less important to me.  Now, keeping all of that negativity in mind, about 30% of the way through, the patterns finally found their rhythm, and the story came to life.

Ava just lost her boyfriend, and it was entirely her fault….or so she thinks.  Ava and Jackson had that storybook kind of love…the destined meeting, the happy kisses and a zest for life…with each other, but when Jackson decides to take Ava up on a dare and go cliff diving, happily ever after is suddenly shattered into a million pieces.  Ava is a zombie…caught in her own world of self pity and guilt she finds it hard to do even the smallest of things…until one day she hears music. Stuck in the in-between Jackson faces struggles of his own…trying to free himself while trying to free Ava at the same time.

“Lisa Schroeder’s” decision to write her novel in the form of a poem was not only inconceivable for YA, but in some cases could be considered a literary death warrant. Think of the targeted audience for a moment; teenagers as a whole are subjected to a vast array of “Old English” poetry from the time that they enter high school, and by the time their love for reading is fully developed, having to decode more “underlying” meanings is the last thing they want to do.  Thankfully, however, “Schroeder” skipped the subtext and went straight for the jugular.  The plot was easily determined, the base line of the story flowed beautifully and in the end, instead of feeling like you just read 240 pages of Emerson or Wilde you felt as though you read…just another book.

I will warn you that the books pace is unimaginably fast.  I read it from cover to cover in less than 3 hours, and that included potty and email breaks.  I will also tell you that this book is NOT for the Kindle… yes… you can buy it for the Kindle and if you are desperate enough to read it that way then more power to you, but the formatting is a little shweck and the poems run together. (It took me a while to not be annoyed by this.)  My advice? If you want to read it… head to your local bookstore or library and pick up a printed copy.

All in all the book was beautiful and the meaning was more than worth the apprehension I first had for it.

Get it, Live it, Love it, Pass it on.

Happy Reading my fellow Ghost and remember: sometimes you just have to let it go.

For a complete book description click image

(3.5/5)

Guest Reviewer-Nicole

After reading “Perfect Chemistry” and thinking that “Elkeles” didn’t have other books out. I was over-joyed when I read reviews on several book sites, but I still couldn’t quite believe that any other book could reach my love of what turned out to be her most recent novel- Perfect Chemistry.

“Elkeles” may not always have the best writing, but her vivid plots, and dazzlingly raw emotions simple sparkle, daring the reader to dig in.

After 2 relatively disappointing paranormal books in a row, I was starting to wonder if I had lost my knack for picking them…then…the tide finally turned.

I have wanted to read “Need” for a few months now, but much to my disappointment there was no Kindle release for it.  Now, I’m not sure what made the publishers change their minds…maybe they finally came to their senses and realized that ebooks had a prominent place in society now and that they were missing the boat, or maybe it was because they just couldn’t wait to hear my always captivating take on things, regardless of the reasons, the end result (of course) was that I finally got to read it…and I was more than pleased with what I found.

“Need” is the story of Zara, an everyday high school girl who feels “hollow” after the loss of her step-dad. Her mother, seeing the funk that she has uncharacteristically slipped into decides that she needs a change of scenery and ships her off to the very unpleasant arctic woods of Maine to live with her grandma.  After a bit of a rough start (being cut off while trying to get to school and finding it hard to maneuver on ice) she meets a group of kids that soon become her best friends in the world. Zara, thinking that everything will be OK if she can just stick in out and suck it up decides to make the best of her new situation, its just to bad the town isn’t quite as sleepy and slow as she had originally thought. 2 boys go missing while another 2 start to fight over her, and in the end the world in not exactly what she thought it was.  She quickly learns that some people are “literally” more than they seem and her love for animals is going to be tested in a whole new way.

“Carrie Jones” did exactly what every YA author should, she set up the scene, she explained the characters and just when you thought you finally got it all straight, she proves you wrong and everything changes.  Flip!  The awkward moments were masterfully executed and the “moment of truth” was spun out into a beautiful web of emotional acceptance and the inability to give up on your beliefs.

There were moments of anger management issues resulting in a trashed house, an injured puppy, a hyper boy in a wheelchair, a smart mouthed grandma, 2 very cold moments in a ditch thanks to some irresponsible driving, hundred of pointy teeth, gold dust, and 1 very VERY pissed off daddy who is tired of waiting.

Get it, Live it, Love it and pass it on….this one is a good one kiddos.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: If it walks like and duck and talks like a duck…chances are his name is Daffy.

For a Complete Book Description Click Image

(4/5)

The paranormal world is one of ups and downs…For example, you can read 6 or 7 fantastic books in a row and then BLAH you run into a swamp. You would think that over the years my love of reading and my somewhat educated mind would learn that anticipation is a horrendous habit, yet there I was 12:30am Monday morning, hopped up on caffeine and waiting not so patiently for the Kindle faeries to bring me a prize.

“Light Beneath Ferns” was supposed to be a smash, I didn’t just decide this for myself, it has been splashed across the literary world for a few months now making several (including mine) lists of what to read in 2010. So as I sat on the edge of my bed, freezing my ass off cause my husband steals the covers, I opened the well worn cover on my Kindle and began to read.

The first chapter was brilliant. Spouting warnings like…”If death and the dead make you afraid, you better just stop reading and go take a nap.” and I loved the heroin of the book, she was brooding, witty, sarcastic and an overall pain in the ass (kinda like me) but as for the remainder of the book? Yes, thanks….I think I’ll go take that nap you suggested.

The concept of this book was captivating…very quiet girl who would rather spend time with bones than live people moves to town and meets mysterious disappearing boy. Great right? Just reading that sentence alone could spin a million different scenarios into your head, unfortunately…the book spent more time focusing on the emotional instability of Elizah and her screwed up family than it actually did with the “supposedly” scary scenarios.

Elizah likes to be alone, to her, talking is unnecessary and “fitting in” is the last thing on her list. After her father gambles all of the family’s money away and then jumps trial, Elizah and her equally as quirky mother hoof it out of town only to turn around and take up residence in a old house that borders a cemetery. Elizah, wanting nothing more than a little peace and quiet wanders the property eventually running across a human jaw bone. With bones on her mind and a mother on her back Elizah set out to find the truth, but instead finds Nathaniel, a boy that speaks like a fortune cookie and dresses like a pauper.

After the first chapter the plot becomes a tangled mess of witty but sloppy writing. All the questions are… in the end answered, (some very abstractly) but with the book being so short (it took me only a few hours to read it) there was hardly time for proper character developement leaving me with a somewhat distant or lost feeling. “Spollen’s” YA moments were lacking the push/pull that is necessary to keep an audience enthralled and the so called “scary” was almost completely non-existent. What was supposed to be a bright shining mark in this years literary catalog was nothing more than a mild jog through the woods with an overbearing guidance counselor and paragraphs of sloppy descriptives.

My suggestion? Save your money…if you require substance in your reads than this book is just to short to make any sort of lasting impression.

Happy reading my fellow Outcast and remember: if you find a random human bone in the ground just leave it there… picking it up and turning it into your pet is just plain weird.

For a complete book description click Image

(2/5)

So…the story goes: Girl goes to a new place, meets mysterious boy, meets not so mysterious boy, of course decides she really likes the one everyone disapproves of, thinks there is something “fishy” going on with him, freaks out, runs away, goes back to boy…the end.

Yes-ok-I-know…there has got to more to it than that. Well, sorry there really isn’t that much more but I’ll try to be a little more positive or at least descriptive.

I decided to read “Sea Change” not because it called to me, or because I heard wonderful things about it. I decided to read “Sea Change” because I was overwhelmed by the massive list of literature that was flashing on the screen in front of me, so I clicked on the first thing I saw. Guess that’s what I get for not taking my time.

The book wasn’t bad…per say…It was just a little disappointing. “Aimee Friedman” taunted her audience with the possibility of a fantastic book and then in the end just…dropped the ball, or pen…however you would like to see it.

The writing was actually decent, if you don’t take into account how fast she had the plot moving along (girls love a good tease with their story) but in a book that has no for seeable follow-up, I think it’s necessary to tie up loose ends. In that regard, this book was all over the place.

“Friedman” simply had too many plot lines going at once and only chose to resolve a few of them, and naturally not the one that was the most important. (It was implied.. but lets face it…implied just doesn’t sooth the mind.)

Miranda is a science geek, bred of 2 very intelligent parents it was bound to happen, but she never thought her scholarly mind would take a backseat to boys and mythical legends. After the sudden death of her estranged grandmother “Isadora” Miranda and her mother are shipped off to a Southern version of the Hamptons to deal with the logistics of selling the family mansion, but after riding over on a ferry, complete with a creepy captain and his even creepier stories of sea monsters, Miranda isn’t so sure of herself anymore…or her surroundings. Her mother suddenly morphs from prestigious New York City plastic surgeon to Southern Matriarch of the Eastern Seaboard, triggering Miranda to do what any other girl would do….she runs… in total panic and finds herself in the arms of a cute but very secretive local beach boy. After struggles with mom and a very tearful chat with hottie number 2 she decides that life is complicated…and she should just suck it up and deal with it. (No… I’m not kidding… that was the outcome.)

There were pretty teenage socialites, a narcissistic boy who loved his own reflection, a mysterious trunk in the back of a closet, very enlightening love letters, and 1 moment of underwater clarity/confusion.

Overall the book was ok. It was a quick read (1 day max) so if you do decided to read it it wont take to much effort or time. I’m not going to say with certainty that you will not like it, because I’m a little on the fence… I think the end just irked me more than I’m willing to admit. Here is my advice…when you have read everything else that you “just can’t wait” to read…then chomp into this one.

Happy reading my fellow Fishermen and remember: If you feel an overwhelming need to swim in the surf at night… be sure to wear your floaties.

Click Image For Complete Details

(3/5)

Hello my fellow Kindle-ites! Hope everyone is having a fantastic week.  Tomorrow I will post the review for “The Lovely Bones” but to quench your literary appetites until then… here is this weeks addition to “It’s A Tween Thing.”  Happy reading and remember: When THIS worlds got you down…pick up a new one!

Click Image For Complete Details

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, January 2010 They don’t call it middle school for nothing. Reggie McKnight (aka “Pukey”) is trying hard to stay under the radar after a really embarrassing start to the school year. But, he’s somehow been drawn into the middle of a big school election, a volunteer project at the local homeless shelter, and the role of “Big Buddy” for a kid in the neighborhood. How will he ever find time to finish his comic book, Night Man? Reggie might see himself as a wimpy kid, but he’s anything but as steps up to new challenges and confronts big questions about doing the right thing in a tough world. Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich’s debut novel is a smart and satisfying read for teens and ‘tweens. –Lauren Nemroff

Product Description

Ever since a deeply unfortunate incident earlier this year, Reggie’s been known as “Pukey” McKnight at his high-intensity Brooklyn middle school. He wants to turn his image around, but he has other things on his mind as well: his father, who’s out of a job; his best friends, Ruthie and Joe C.; his former best friend Donovan, who’s now become a jerk; and of course, the beautiful Mialonie. The elections for school president are coming up, but with his notorious nickname and “nothing” social status, Reggie wouldn’t stand a chance, if he even had the courage to run.

Then Reggie gets involved with a local homeless shelter, the Olive Branch. Haunted by two of the clients there–George, a once-proud man now living on the streets, and Charlie, a six-year-old kid who becomes his official “Little Buddy”–he begins to think about making a difference, both in the world and at school. Pukey for President? It can happen . . . if he starts believing.

When I was in the 3rd grade I discovered my love for reading. I was forced (as in pushed down the hall by my teacher) to go to the library and pick out a book. I thought (at that time) that it was the cruelest kind of punishment for a child that routinely finished her class work early, but what I learned in the end was infinitely better than what any additional worksheets, or gossiping with my friends could have taught me. What I learned was that inside a book was a whole new world. A world where dragons and princesses actually existed, where bullies got due justice and frogs could talk. What I learned was that the imagination is a beautiful and splendid thing.

I can still remember the book I picked out that day, I can remember the characters names, and every detail of their plot for childhood survival. That book will always be the best book ever. That book is what helped me form into the person I am today, and after reading “The Lightning Thief” I realized that this is that same book only 20 years later. A book that will capture the attention of adults due to its interesting plot, but will transform a child with its ability to make them feel alive.

Percy Jackson is the son of a Greek God, only he doesn’t know it. What he knows is that he has been shuffled from school to school for the past 6 years only to be asked at the end of each year.. “Not to return.” After discovering his fate he enters a summer camp for Demi-gods… what better way to discover your powers than to surround yourself with other Greek God offspring right? But things aren’t quite that simple for Percy…he has an entirely different destiny to fulfil, he has to find Zeus’s missing lightning bolt before he goes all WWE on Poseidon for snatching it. With the help of his only 2 friends (The daughter of Athena, and a Satyr) he treks across the US to confront Hades and bring Mount Olympus back to working order.

The book, although obviously written for a younger audience, was refreshing, and I am happy that I read it.

There were creepy teachers that sprouted wings and turned into bats, a best friend that just happened to be half goat and loved to each Diet Coke cans, a 7 foot tall car chucking bull, dogs the size of rhinos, very picky water-beds, a game of capture the flag…weapons welcome, and 1 shocking moment of treachery involving flying shoes.

This book is what every great novel should be…it was an adventure, and one I am sure to repeat in its follow up books.

Spend the money, buy the book, and then spend some quality time reading it to your kid. Let THEM discover a whole new world.

Happy reading my fellow Half-Bloods and remember…if you run across a garden gnome that looks like your Uncle Frank, cover your eyes and run like you have a fire in your pants.

For a complete book description click image

(4/5)

P.S. In case you are interested they are making a movie out of this book… here is the trailer to help entice you to read the book first.

I love books that are filled with action!! A little romance stuck in the middle is great (Duh, I’m a girl) But the epic fighting scene are what keep me reading. Give me grade A crises situations, give me kung-fu and flying daggers, give me a 15 year old girl with an attitude and a fondness for shiny swords, and I am 1 very happy girl.

I have read an ungodly amount of literature focused on demons and the undead, but I had never (until now of course) read anything that focused on the Knights Templar, which is exactly what “Devil’s Kiss” was about.

I am happy to say that I LOVED IT.

It is, without a doubt the best “action” book I have read since the “Mortal Instruments” series, and I could not put it down (trust me…I tried… It just wasn’t happening)

Meet Billi, our heroine, at the age of 10 she was thrown head first into a life of unimaginable evil. Her father, (who is a completely psychotic work-a-holic,) is the leader of the sword wielding, demon catching, prophecy smashing Knights Templar, who for a lack of an easier explanation, is an all boys club formed under the church to destroy the evil us mere humans are unable to see right in front of us. (demons, vampires, ghouls… you get the point) Billi, being the only girl is not only compared to the men, but expected to be better than them. The only problem, or course, comes when Billi would rather live her life as a normal girl than the bad ass with a sword her elders expect her to be. So… she does what every other teenager does…she doesn’t listen. She fights with Kay (her boy … friend) who just happens to be an Oracle. She ditches her responsibilities to meet a cute boy for tea, and in the end…has to suck it up and save the world.

“Chadda’s” writing was superb, there was not a single moment when I was subconsciously rambling to “Get to the point.” His plot was well thought out, his facts were accurate, and his ability to take one piece of Templar history and form an entire story around it was…to say the least… impressive.

There were overgrown boys who always seemed to be eating, ghouls who looked like supermodels, lessons in subway safety, lots of flying silverware, a fight scene that will leave you appreciating the fact that you are on solid ground, and 1 very chilling moment of truth including 1 of the aforementioned boys and a sword handcrafted by the devil himself.

“Chadda’s” next book (the follow-up to “Devil’s Kiss) isn’t scheduled to be released until sometime in 2010, but it is pretty safe to assume, I will snatch it up the second I see it.

Happy reading my fellow Templar’s and remember, prophesies and perceptions are in the eye of the beholder, maybe you should look at your problems from all angles, not just the right one.

For a full book description click image

(5/5)

Everybody’s definition of “rock bottom” is different, but is there ever a point, where the instability of your mind and life should lead to you opening your bedroom window for a vampire that has been stalking you for 3 months? Probably not right?

Unfortunately for Jordan… that’s exactly what it meant.

Jordan is in high school..not that she attends all that much, she would rather spend her time drowning her social anxiety in booze and coke, but being high and drunk is like second nature to her more than attending class is anyways…a way of dropping off the planet or making her “pitiful” existence seem a little more worthy.

What she doesn’t realize (until the end of the book of course) is that no matter how many bottles of her mother’s Peach Schnapps she drinks, her problems are still gonna be there after she’s finishing chacking in the bathroom.

Her life is a back hole…a downward spiral, but to add insult to injury, Jordan can’t leave the house after dark…not since an angry Vampire took up residence outside her bedroom window.

The plot is intriguing, depressing, and hopeful all at the same time.  This is “Amanda Marrone’s” 1st YA novel, and she takes her audience (successfully) on an not so joyfull ride of teenage substance abuse, the ability to recognize failure, and the need to cope with mortality, all the while throwing in a kick ass subplot of “angry un-dead boyfriend.”

I enjoyed “Uninvited”.  It was well written, and in the end had a moral that every teenager should heed to.

There was purple hair, friends returning from rehab, emotional breakdowns, a very uncomfortable basement scene, and one very life altering moment involving a cliff and several screams for HELP!

If you are the parent of a teenager, I advise YOU more than anyone else to read this book…to understand that this could be your child, and to recognize then signs if it is.

If you are a teenager…read it, like it…and then file it away into the “I will NEVER be like this” part of your brain.

And if you are the person looking for an uplifting read…you too should read it, because, while the first 80% will make you very uncomfortable and probably thinking I’ve lost my marbles, the ending will make you smile.

Enjoy and happy reading my fellow narcissist and remember… Not everyone is your enemy…sometimes they are your salvation.

For a full book description click image.

(4/5)

After finishing what I thought was the longest book on the planet yesterday, today I was MORE than pleased with this quick, YA read.

“Bloom” was cute, not brilliant, not life altering, but cute.  As a matter of fact it kind of reminded me of an exaggerated short story.  The plot was not overly complex,  the character development was just detailed enough to keep you reading, and in the end, you are rewarded with an honest to goodness, “and they lived happily ever after” ending.

While I will go on record saying that “Elizabeth Scott” should have spent a little more time with her angst (the kiss and “I like you” was too fast) and her overall plot, ( a best friend that is constantly taking care of her twin brothers…but no explanation as to why) I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy it.

Lauren has a wonderful life…on the outside.  Perfect boyfriend, doting best friend, and an easy life due to a father that builds multi-million dollar homes, but in the inside she is a train wreck. Her mother skipped out when she was a child, leaving her questioning her ability to not only believe that people are capable of loving her, but also leaves her with an underlying anxiety for making smart choices. Play it safe…stable is good..stable leads to a happy home…stable will lead to… LOVE?

As a result she settles for Dave…the nice guy, because he’s safe, even when EVERY fiber of her being is screaming at her to be with Evan, her childhood friend.

She lies to her friends and herself about her feelings, and in the end, finds herself on an abandoned street corner crying uncontrollably and screaming at herself for turning into not only one but both of her neglectful parents.

The story is a simple one, boy #1 loves girl…girl tolerates boy #1 but loves boy #2. Overall? Just your everyday garden variety YA book.

If you like sweet stories.

If you want a read that takes virtually no thought at all., that you can read quickly.

Then by all means..knock your lights out.

But if you are a person that dwells and thrives off of complicated story lines this book is NOT for you.

Happy reading my fellow Kindle-ites, and remember… if you play a musical instrument that requires a reed, your mouth WILL stink after an hour of playing it…do the human population a favor and invest in a breath-mint.

For a full book description click image.

(3/5)