vysed

"I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then." ~ Alice in Wonderland

 

*Star rating system*

1- some sort of flouncing; 2 - ranty with moments of ok-ness; 3 = liked it; 4-some love somewhere; 5 - I have all the luffs for everyone.

Dorothy had it right.

I am home from 2 weeks vacation. 

 

Thank you sweet baby jebus. I'm never leaving my own backyard again...

 

Well, until next time I go on vacation.

 

*snorts

Appropriate title is appropriate

On the Fence - Kasie West

- I was totally "on the fence" about reading this book. I've not had much luck in the last few weeks with books and I've found a weird trend that pretty covers let me down.

 

*jumps off fence and dusts self off*

 

I really liked this book. YA and I have been on a break and I was trying to stay away from it, but I'm glad I gave this book a fair chance. It was super cute. And I read it in just a few hours. I was worried that the MC would drive me nuts (as 95% of the female MC's do) but she was only annoying like once. And just a little. So, it was good. Read it. Enjoy.

SPOILER ALERT!

Panic.

Panic - Lauren Oliver

The summary is very intriguing. It's a totally unbelievable idea made into a completely believable story. I had a hard time with the part of the story that has them with $67,000 for the pot plus additional money to pay the two judges. The author states that every school day of their senior year each student paid a dollar a day. She states there were about 150 students. At 5.00 a week for 40 weeks that is 200.00 x 150 students is only $30G. (AND OH MY GOD I JUST RUINED THE WHOLE STORY. I mean how did no one do the math on this yet?) This town was supposedly bankrupt and everyone was supposedly super poor. Yet, they all had cell phones and could come up with the money for this? I'm sorry. I've been super poor. I've had to go days in school without lunch. Coming up with 5.00 in a month, let a lone a week was hard enough. (ugh. I'll stop with my personal hang up on this bit. I get so damn touchy on the subject. I know, I know, not your problem. Shut up, Denise!)

 

Still, it was a really good story. The only other thing that really put me off was that the story is told in alternating points of view. Heather's and Dodge's. So, when the story implied that they "liked" other people I did not let myself invest in them with that other person because I assumed H&D would get together. That did not happen. I should have allowed myself to like them with the other characters instead of each other. Oh well. Live and learn.  

 

So, all that aside. My little grievances were just that - little. It was a good read and the only reason I would not rec it to an actual YA person is because I wouldn't want to give them ideas. This actually could happen in a po dunk town. (well not for $70 large but maybe like 5 grand.) Ok, now I'm rambling. Carry on.

Win a Custom Booklikes Design from Parajunkee Design

Reblogged from Parajunkee:

 

It is that time again! Time for a chance to PIMP your booklikes blog. You know you want it!!!

 

Win a Custom Booklikes Blog Desgin

 

 

ust enter the giveaway using the hand-dandy rafflecopter widget. Check below for all the deets.

 

Extra bit of awesome. If this giveaway reaches 1900K entries - (there were 1899 entries on last giveaway) another winner will be added. That means two people will have their booklikes blog pimped. Here is hoping, right? If I only get 100 entries, I will form a support group for rejected designers. Anyone can join...

 

The rafflecopter widget does not show in Booklikes dashboard so click the button below or the title of this post:

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Need more info?

Check out the three other winners:

Winner 1

Winner 2

Winner 3

 

Design Giveaway Deets:

 

  • $150 Value
  • Contest ends 07/07/2014 12am CST
  • Can not be exchange for another design
  • Design will be completed with specs provided by winner
  • Design will be installed by me, but I will need access to your booklikes account
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  • If entries pass 1900k another booklikes design will be added.

I feel like I should get a cookie, or something.

The Fiery Cross - Diana Gabaldon

 I mean dang. I finally finished this book. I quit reading book 3 a few months ago, but I got so excited after more Outlander TV Show stuff came up that I decided to give the series another go. We know I loved book one. It's on my faves shelf. But book three was hard and I had to flounce and then go crawling back to it. Now, book 5 is done and I only have 3 more to go... oh, wait, there'll be a book 9.

 

So, all that said, I didn't really like this book that much. It was pretty much just eleventy billion pages of life on the mountain. How she made things. What they did to make things. Like a "IF you're ever caught in the past, here's how to..." book. I'm pretty sure I could survive in the 1700s now thanks to this tutorial.

 

It took me like 2 weeks to read this book. Normally I read a book in 1 or 2 days. Bah. I can't stop though. I am going to see this through.

Hey, BDSM authors - you're doing it wrong.

Purely Professional - Elia Winters

Hey, Elia WInters - you nailed it... 

 

Finally.

It took me suffering through a huge number of mediocre books in this genre - but I have found a BDSM book that I can recommend to all as a "Starter book" if you want to dip your toe in to these waters.

 

This is NOT a fifty ways of fucked up book. It is not a PTSD leads to BDSM book. It is a: Hello, we're pretty much well adjusted adults here and enjoy to play a little in our sexual adventures. We're not beating each other or fucking with our heads in psychotic stalker ways. Just sayin'.

 

There was, of course, the obligatory woman screaming (which I'm sure happens in real life but until I actually scream during sex, I refuse to believe in this unicorn) and also the come-on-command scenario (but this one had some build up and was a wee bit more believable); but other than that, I did like the way the subject matter was presented and tackled.

 

The female lead was a little annoying at work. But I wrote it off as complacency in a position after being with a company for a while.

 

The male lead was hot to me because the author did not go in to crazy details comparing him to gods and master works of art. She mentioned things like - him slipping on his glasses (which was hot to me!!) and how she noticed a curl of his hair over his ear (when his hair was a little damp)... things like that to let the reader develop her own mental picture.

 

I give it a whopping 3.5 stars. Only not a 4 because, believable or not, unicorns still annoy me. Go. Enjoy. Learn a little.

bowm chicka bowm bowm duddunt duddunt

Dane - Liliana Hart

Ooookay then.

Soooo... I read this series and rather than review every book, I'll just review the first and say "ditto" to the remaining MacKenzie bros.

 

These were novellas (about 50-60 pages) and they were basically quick porno shots that I assume were written to give a gal a quickie to visualize before rubbing one out.

Man and women see each other. The earth stops. The stars align. He's the greatest man on this planet (well, his bros too) and she is the most wonderful thing ever. They have this instant connection and can see in to each other's souls. He gives her some over the top, screaming and creaming orgasms because it's only about her. And they promise to live happily ever after. Oh, and somewhere one brother argues with the other three and they rough house for 1/2 a page.

Walking a fine line.

Lick - Kylie Scott

That's how I felt after reading this book. The story was fun and reminded me of the days when I used to read fanfic like it was going out of style. But there were some definite things I did not like. Editing was poor. The use of "mum", "lift", and other British colloquialisms ticked me off. The first chapter was a little annoying and I almost gave up. 

 

But then... then it took this turn. Like the writing improved. The characters became people I was invested in. I cared what happened to the girl in this story. (And if you have read my other reviews, that seldom happens.) The first chapter had me marking this off as another chic I could give two fucks about, but then I was on her side. 

 

Even though I knew the event in question did not happen and that it was a misunderstanding - I still was team Evelyn. I'm almost never team female lead. 

 

So, overall. 3 stars. I took one away for the crappy start and one away for the bad editing issues. It was a good way to kill a Sunday and definitely a good quick read read for a plane or beach time. 

I used to think I was a pessimist...

Mentor - Mallorie Griffin

I think I still am, but I obviously have optimist tendencies because I keep reading books like this with the hope of finding a good one.

 

this was not it.

The Viper - Monica McCarty

I don't want to quit this series. I love the idea of it, I really do. But the (for lack of a better word) heroines of these stories are some of the dumbest women ever. My neck actually hurts from shaking my head in annoyance and disgust. Can I sue for whiplash? No? Ahhh well. I keep shouting random words like, "Stupid!" and, "ohmigodsofookingwrong!" My cat has left his spot where he was curled at my feet as he is no longer amused.

 

neither am I, kitty. Neither am I.

 

ETA: I do love the heroes of the stories though. I just am very angry at their poor taste in women. I refuse to believe Bella MacDuff risked it all to crown Robert the Bruce and ended up, quite literally, hanging in a cage for 2 years, to then be the stupid woman in this story. Sigh. I'm going on to the next book.

Why so phunky dashboard?

I have been trying to like posts by those I follow for the last 5 days and only some of the likes are actually processing! Booklikes and iPad Air do NOT get along!! I like and I like and I like but they don't turn green. my likes aren't registering... I DON'T MATTER.!?!?? I've truly reached new levels of invisibility.

They can't all be home runs -

How to Marry a Marquis - Julia Quinn

There was nothing wrong with this book or the writing. I adore JQ, but the female leads in both of the books for this series were annoying and definitely not the type of women I want to read about. The MC in book one pissed me off so much I couldn't even write my review. This one is not much better. I've said it before, I'm not a fan of three stooges humor - and this chic is possibly a descendent of Curly... Or Mo... Or Shep. Whatever. The clumsy ridiculousness of this girl is so frustrating that I'm flouncing. I just don't need the aggravating headache on my day off. 

I drank the Kool Aid

Lothaire (Immortals After Dark, #12) - Kresley Cole

This was my favorite of the series. (Didn't I say that a book or two ago? Well, I mean it this time.) From the beginning of this series when Lothaire appears for a quick second during the attack on Val Hall, with a suggestive finger shush and wink he's made me want more of him. Admittedly, there were themes to this book that I would have PSA'd the hell out of normally, but I don't even care right now. I liked this book that much. 

Vampire Demon - Vemon.

Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark Series, Book 8) - Kresley Cole

 Not gonna lie. I went in to this thinking it would be exactly like the others - and I was ok with that - but this was so much better. My favorite in the series, I think. Malkom is extremely well-written and while I didn't like Carrow (I mean, really, do I ever like the females?) I did love just about everything else. And little Ruby? KILLZ ME DED! So cute. I will admit I almost cried in this book. Just before they leave Oblivion. Yeah. I was totally misty-eyed. But I swear to gods I will deny that outside of this post!

9 down. Literally.

Pleasure of a Dark Prince - Kresley Cole

I still oddly enjoy this series. It is pushing my buttons on stuff though. I mean some of these creatures are millennia old and act like sophomoric idiots. Ack. It pisses me off. But what pisses me off more? I still effing like this series. I wish I could get a glimpse at some of them having babies and the papas being cuhrazy. Who typed that? I DONT EVEN RECOGNIZE MYSELF ANYMORE!!! Bread crumbs, Denise. Leave bread crumbs behind as you read this series so hopefully you can find your way back. You're on the dark side now and before you know it, you'll be telling yourself you can stop anytime you want. Next you'll try to read from the new adult genre again. It's fucking mayhem up in here!

It just doesn't make sense

Kiss of a Demon King - Kresley Cole

... this was my least favorite book of the series so far. I did like the ending a lot but all the rest. Ugh. The female lead was supposed to be one of the most hated females in all of the Lore and the author definitely made that happen. I couldn't stand the annoying little biatch.

 

BUT as with all of the other books, there was still something that kept me reading. Keeps me enjoying this series as a whole. Maybe it's because I'm picturing it so vividly in my head and like all of the minor characters in each book. Like, I didn't really like Cade much in his own book, but I loved him in Bowen's and this book.

 

Whatever the reason, I keep going back to this world for another dose. I'm off to start the next book. *crosses fingers*

Denise's favorites book montage

Matched
The Hunger Games
Kushiel's Dart
Memoirs of a Geisha
Fight Club
Vampire Academy
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Shadowfever
Girlfriend in a Coma
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture
The Queen's Lady
Nine Stories
The Color Purple
The Handmaid's Tale
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Bar Sinister: Pride and Prejudice Continues...
The Red Tent
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil


Denise's favorite books »