Review ~ Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien

TITLE: Birthmarked

AUTHOR: Caragh M O'Brien
COPYRIGHT: 2010
TYPE: young adult, Dystopian
PAGES: 361
SERIES:  
yes

REASON FOR READ:

The premise sounded really interesting and I thought it would be a good book to dive into and find out more about.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother's footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying. 

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

I am going to just start off with I didn't like it. I tried to like it and there are parts that were interesting to me, but overall I just didn't like it. Nothing really jumped out at me like OH WOW this is awesome. The characters are flat, the plot has holes in it, there are too many questions, and the whole story doesn't make sense. All in all I found myself rolling my eyes through the majority of the story and skimming more pages then actually hooked on anything in general. The main character has a scar at times I would have told it was the most life alternating massive, huge half of her face has to be marred, her eyes have to sewn shut, life alternating scar for her to think she is as hideous as she is. Only to find out it has to only be a fine thin line or barely seen scar or a mark of some sort that shockingly her parents gave her so that she wouldn't be given up. And that's it the main character at one point is so native that she loves the government, and serves them loyal with no questions until one day when the lights come on then hates them with a burning passion. A  girl who can barely do anything for herself plots to bring down the wall. But first sneaks into the wall to rescue her parent but before she can do this the one thing in the world she wants she ruins it by saving a dead woman's baby by bringing it back to life when she has only be successfully delivering babies on her own for 4 months? or is it 6? Either way it doesn't make sense and don't' get me started on the love story or the code breaking to figure out whose related to who? Why wouldn't the government keep track of the parents that they take the babies from that doesn't make sense. You want healthy babies yet you don't keep birth records on who you pay money to when you take the babies from their parent? 

The inbreeding and the cause of the inbreeding is a bleeding disorder and that's it not a mental disorder or multiple toes but a bleeding disorder that you won't have your scientist fix instead you demand more adopted babies outside the way from the poor people who have better genes instead of fixing the problem like IDK finding the gene and treating it? Anyway this book just irritated me. The character is strong and weak and not in a the healthy way. She is annoying and childish yet wants to lead a revolution at the same time. Yet can't figure out how the government knows all and sees all. It is a mixed bag. I had a hard time wrapping my head around why people were risking their lives to help her when she lack inspiration. I mean the only thing she stood for was herself nothing she wanted to do would help anyone but her. Add to it the girl didn't do anything but ask a question and get an answer she didn't do any work at all to get anything.

There were parts I liked for example the tattoos her mother put on the babies to represent the lost child and what that meant and stood for. 

I am trying to think of something else I liked but other than that I am at a lost for a words there is not much else the premise was interesting then it fell very very flat. 

FINAL GRADE: 2 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this story? no

Is this a part of a reading challenge?

Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Currently Reading

TITLE: Wicked Game
AUTHOR: Jerri Smith-Ready
PAGES: 361
GENRE: Urban Fantasy

SUMMARY:
LATE NIGHT RADIO YOU CAN SINK YOUR TEETH INTO
Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, '60s psychedelia, '80s goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers just how the DJs maintain their cred: they're vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara's first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WVMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station — and the link it provides to their original Life Times — the vampires would "fade," becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover is a matter of life and undeath.

To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara rebrands the station as "WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll." In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs' vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. WVMP becomes the hottest thing around — next to Ciara's complicated affair with grunge vamp Shane McAllister. But the "gimmick" enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren't so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher — and the perils graver — than any con game Ciara's ever played...

CHALLENGES
Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Currently Reading

TITLE: Birthmarked

AUTHOR: Caragh O'Brien
PAGES: 361
GENRE: young adult

SUMMARY
In the future, in a world baked dry by the harsh sun, there are those who live inside the walled Enclave and those, like sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone, who live outside. Following in her mother's footsteps Gaia has become a midwife, delivering babies in the world outside the wall and handing a quota over to be "advanced" into the privileged society of the Enclave. Gaia has always believed this is her duty, until the night her mother and father are arrested by the very people they so loyally serve. Now Gaia is forced to question everything she has been taught, but her choice is simple: enter the world of the Enclave to rescue her parents, or die trying.

CHALLENGES
Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Review ~ Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

TITLE: Uglies

 

AUTHOR: Scott Westerfeld
COPYRIGHT: 2005
TYPE: young adult
PAGES: 425
SERIES:  yes

1. Uglies

2. Pretties

3. Specials

4. Extras

REASON FOR READ:

The premise sounded good wanted to see if it was as good as it sounded

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license - for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all.

The choice Tally makes changes her world forever... 

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

 I was surprised by this book. At times I really, really enjoyed it and at other times I found I was absolutely done with it. I wished there were specific examples when I could show you I was done but I can't find them because it changed so fast. I was annoyed with Tally when she wanted to be pretty so bad she betrayed Shay but then she didn't betray her, but then she did but then she didn't. I was annoyed with no one finding it suspicious that Tally made it to the camp on her own. Yet I thought it was awesome that Tally came into her own at the camp. It annoyed me that Tally didn't think that destroying the locket would do more damage then again I probably wouldn't have thought that either. I liked that she escaped only to plan a rescued yet was annoyed that she just continued to lie and lie and lie and lie and then wonder why no one would want to rescue her. So I was torn throughout the reading of this book. The plot itself was interesting. The story idea was fascinating the characters however lacked interest for me. Tally was too immature, Shay was too over the top, David was too flat, Dr. Cable was too evil. IDK I will read on just to see if they rescue Tally and what that will look like but I think instead of buying that book I will just borrow from library. 

THINGS I LIKED

1. That Tally liked the Smoke and began to think of it as home

2. That Tally fought so hard not to be taken in 

3. That the romance wasn't so much an instant love kind of thing for Tally at least

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE

1. I didn't care for the traitor part to wait until so long to come out to David

2. I was really shocked that Shay was changed to Pretty not going to lie

3. I honestly didn't expect Tally to be changed

4. I was really surprised that Tally became a traitor

Favorite part or line from story: 

The hooverboards just b/c I have always had a thing for those

FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this story? yes I would to a teenager 

Is this a part of a reading challenge?

Out Do Yourself Challenge
Alphabet Title Challenge

New To Me Author

TBR pile Challenge

Review ~ Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

TITLE: Ender's Game 

AUTHOR: Orson Scott Card
COPYRIGHT: 1994
TYPE: young adult/ science fiction
PAGES: 324
SERIES:  yes

REASON FOR READ:

I sadly watched the movie first and thought it was an interesting idea so I wanted to go back and read the book.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister. 

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

This book took me forever to get through and I am not sure why. It was interesting and at the same time had a lot of technical stuff to wade through. The information about Valentine and Peter while interesting had nothing to do with the main plot in my mind and could have been left out. I actually found those parts easy to skip through and move on. Battle school was the most interesting parts for me and while Command School had some interesting aspects especially the ending (which if you have watched the movie then the twist ending isn't surprising, but alas I won't spoil it for you here) lacked the interesting aspects of Battle School. I think Battle School forced Ender to interact with other children and form attachments or lack of attachments while Command school had no attachments and he was alone for better or worse except for his mentor. 

The ending was a long drawn out affair and left me confused. I liked the twist and I get where the author is going but then he ended up on another planet due to Peter taking over Earth and Valentine going to rule another planet that was a bug planet that he lived on for a long time but yet somehow he is going to help do other things because this is a series (so in a way maybe this is a spoiler review yet not b/c I still don't get the ending). Anyhow be that what it may it wasn't a bad book it just wasn't what I was expecting. I was looking for more action more interaction and maybe a little more grown up things. I think by watching the movie first I came to think of the whole thing as something more condensed then it was which I admit in hindsight was my mistake. That being said was still a good read and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys space adventures and alien/bug story lines. 

FINAL GRADE: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this story? Yes while not my favorite I could see how others would enjoy it.

Is this a part of a reading challenge?

Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Massive Read-a-thon

So without meaning to I began a read-a-thon of the Psy-Changeling series from Nalini Singh (seriously if you haven't tried these books you are missing out). Since I want to finish or at least catch up to this series I thought to myself huh let's read as many as I can, hence the read-a-thon.


I started where any good reader with OCD would start at the beginning

Title: Slave to Sensation
Series #er: 1
Page #ers: 352
Published Date: 2006

Summary:
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation...

First Read: 2007
2nd Read: 2009
3rd Read: 2015

Thoughts:
This one is still one of my top 5 of the series. I love it because it is the book that hooks you into this world. We learn the differences between the Psy and Changeling races. It introduces us to the Dark River clan and what their structure and lives are like. We meet the "major" players that at some time or another will have their own story lines even thought it doesn't feel as a "Let me introduce this character b/c they are next to get their story in my series" introductions. We also get to see what an alpha male is like and why he is like that.
The world is believable and is created in such a way that you want to know more about these cats and freaking wolves that work together to protect their own. Add to the mix the mystery of the Psy race and the reasoning behind the Silence protocol. The mystery that deals with both races is interesting making the reader curious as to who is killing females and why? We know that he killer is not a changeling and that leaves the readers questioning the psy protocol and issues with their system. Learning about the net and what that is and also learning about the one psy who isn't fitting in was very curious to me.
I enjoyed this book enough to re-read it for the 3rd time and still enjoyed diving back into this world and series.

Next up:

Title: Visions of Heat
Series #er: 2
Page #er: 332
Published Date: 2007

Summary:
Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous - aching need...exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.

Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take the form of either man or jaguar, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn.

First Read: 2008
2nd Read: 2009
3rd Read: 2015

Thoughts
I have no shame I have to say that I really, really, really enjoy Vaughn he is just too much and yet finds the right mate in Faith. And I have to admit I love Faith this is not usually the case. Now that I've said all that this one was also interesting. Not only do we have another psy that is breaking protocol we have one that is a powerful foreseer which introduced us to yet more levels in the psy community. The other interesting part of this book was the introduction to the Council of the psy and how they work behind the scenes. It was a great 2nd book which is not normally the case. Not only did we learn more about one of my favorite cats we also learned a great deal about the psy community and what they are attempting to accomplish. This was a good book b/c it didn't have a great mystery to solve or a complex sub-plot. In fact the whole point of the story was connecting Vaughn with Faith and what that would entail. I did like the ending with Faith's father and what that would look like and will in the future books on this world. Again clearly one of my favorites soly based on the fact I read it for the third time in this read-a-thon. 

Then I moved on to

Title: Caressed by Ice
Series #er: 3
Page #er: 352
Published Date: 2007

Summary:
As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now he is a defector, and his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins - cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna...

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted - and had her mind violated - by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives...

First Read: 2009
2nd Read: 2015

Thoughts
Okay so I thought I loved me some Vaughn and I do but boy howdy do I love me some Judd. What a great character. Sometimes an author starts off with a character that is tough, hard, mean, and a killer. Then warps them into a soft sensitive guy that is changed by their woman. Judd is not that man. He knows what he is and what he is capable of and doesn't really change much throughout the book. He goes from a hired gun of the psy council to a man who kills to protect and to change the world. But he is still a killer and still a man that has a hard time breaking silence. 
Brenna was introduced in the first book as the only female to survive the horrible killings of changeling women and as a survivor has been changed herself. She has to discover how to live with the memories of th attack and how to deal with the emotional fall out of it all. 
This book was just fantastic. Brenna was written like a true survivor one that isn't instantly healed and ready to jump in the hey with her man. She fights demons of her attack and fears mixed with worries about what the monster did to her. Judd is the man that she needs because he doesn't baby her or treat her as if she will break. He respects her and tries to help her anyway he can. It was great watching this man of ice melt with Brenna and start to want to feel and heal her. It was also great to watch the healing take place in Brenna due to her own strength as well as the strength and confidence she gained from Judd. 
This story wraps up all the loose ends from book 1 and shows us the psy network is planning something big and something very very scary. It let's us the readers know where the author is going to take this story and gives us an idea of where we are heading. I enjoyed this one b/c it was a male psy that broke silence and it introduces us to the arrow community a deadly assassination squad the council made. It shows us how brutal the council is and what they might be up to as well as the limits they are willing to go to make it happen. This book also let's us dive deeper into the wolf community of the Snow Dancers. We get to see Hawke (their alpha) and a look at his group of leaders and inner circle. I honestly can't wait til we meet his mate and I have a feeling I know who it is. It was nice to be out of the cats minds for awhile and enter into the wolf mind. Although similar they definitely approach things differently in living arrangements and culture which is refreshing. 

Just finished up: 

Title: Mine to Possess
Series #er: 4
Page #er: 328
Published Date: 2008

Summary:
Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered. 

First Read: 2009
2nd Read: 2015

Thoughts:
Clay was an interesting story line. I have to say of the 4 he was the least interesting one for me. Mainly I think b/c we always knew who his mate was (Talin) he talked about her little but Ms. Singh mentioned her names enough that it wasn't a real mystery. It was cool to see how a cat/changeling would survive in a world where he couldn't change and what would happen to someone who hurt his pack. The back story was good and interesting, but I have to admit Talin drove me insane with her trauma thing I get it but for Pete's sake you were being molested by a man who killed tons of children and when your good friend killed the man who hurt you, you became so scared of him that you faked your own death and let him rot in jail. Sorry I don't buy nor like it. The reconciling of the whole back story was sweet and the mystery around the kids being kidnapped was interesting enough to keep this story moving forward. It also helped prepare me for whose story will be next and I can't wait to dive in. 

Starting up on this one CURRENTLY READING

Title: Hostage to Pleasure
Series #er: 5
Page #er: 330
Published Date: 2008

Summary: 
Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy--cool, calm, emotionless...at least on the surface. Inside, she's fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper's embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard's rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian's agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules... 

CURRENTLY READING

There are many many more in this world for me to catch up on next on the list is and these are the ones I never read but continued to buy hoping that one day I would get to them. Very excited to see where this series is going. 
Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Kiss of Snow
Tangle of Need
Heart of Obsidian
Shield of Winter (need to purchase)
Shards of Hope (released 2015)

Have you read this series? Do you like it? How far along are you? And lastly have you ever re-read the series like I am? What are your thoughts on a read-a-thons?

Currently Reading

Title: Ender's Game
Author:  Orson Scott Card
Pages: 324
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction

Summary From Goodreads: 

In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut—young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.

Ender's skills make him a leader in school and respected in the Battle Room, where children play at mock battles in zero gravity. Yet growing up in an artificial community of young soldiers Ender suffers greatly from isolation, rivalry from his peers, pressure from the adult teachers, and an unsettling fear of the alien invaders. His psychological battles include loneliness, fear that he is becoming like the cruel brother he remembers, and fanning the flames of devotion to his beloved sister. 

Is Ender the general Earth needs? But Ender is not the only result of the genetic experiments. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long. Ender's two older siblings are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. Between the three of them lie the abilities to remake a world. If, that is, the world survives.

Challenges: 

Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Review ~ The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams

TITLE: The Shadow Reader

AUTHOR: Sandy Williams
COPYRIGHT: 2011
TYPE: Urban Fantasy
PAGES: 307
SERIES:  Yes Book 1

REASON FOR READ:

Been sitting on my TBR forever and thought I would give the series a shot

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

There can only be one allegiance.

It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

Do you ever have those little nice surprises? Well this for certain was one of those I actually found myself reaching a point that I didn't want to put it down to go to bed. It was well written, the characters were 3D and I wanted to know more about this world, the Fae world and what this war was all about. There were some twists and turns and deaths I didn't appreciate. Yet I did appreciate them b/c it kept things real. The villain was average and roll your eyes at times when we found out the "real" villain. There is a love triangle in a sorts and yet it was handled in a rare way where even I the true HATER of all LOVE TRIANGLE enjoyed it. I hate love triangles they are the curse of death to me which then translates into I will never read this author again b/c of this triangle kind of thing. And yet this author managed to surprise me in a few areas the triangle being the main surprise. Let's just say even though it has been on my TBR since 2011 it is one I happy I decided to finally read and I will be buying the others in this series. 

THINGS I LIKED

The Characters every single one them was a character I could stand behind and understand (minus the villains. 

McKenzie she was a fighter and not a sap. She had moments where she was weak like not willing to die (I can relate) hoping for someone to save her yet not sitting back and doing nothing. She was willing to risk life and limb for her man Koyle and for the King. She was loyal to a fault and yet strong til the end. I really, really enjoyed watching her grow. 

Strangely I liked the Love Triangle (I know there is a first for everything turns out). It was a nicely done triangle and I appreciated it and the way it was resolved.

The deaths due to war. Believable and yet need and yet a knife in the heart when they occurred which proves to me that I connected in every way to these characters.  

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

The bad guys didn't have any depth. The twist on the bad guys didn't really turn out to be all that much of a twist.

It felt at times like there was too much and then suddenly we were done almost a rush but not much of one to worry about. 

FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this story? Yes I really enjoyed it

Challenges:

Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Currently Reading

Title: The Shadow Reader
Author: Sandy Williams
Pages: 307
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Summary on Goodreads:
There can only be one allegiance.
It’s her time to choose.

Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.

A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn’t her only secret. For just as long, she’s been in love with Kyol, the king’s sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.

But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she’s captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.

Challenges:
Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

Currently Reading...

New Year New Book!

Title: Sandman Slim
Author: Richard Kadrey
Pages: 388
Genre: supernatural fantasy

Summary on Goodreads: 
Supernatural fantasy has a new antihero.

Life sucks, and then you die. Or, if you're James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles. 

Now Stark's back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you'd expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future. 

Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse. 

Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is the breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.

Challenges:
Alphabet Title Challenge
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author
TBR pile Challenge

TBR Challenge

Hosted by Roof Beam Reader you can find additional information HERE

My 2015 TBR pile list is:
1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
3. Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry
4. Matters of the blood by Maria Lima
5. Stormwalker by Allyson James
6. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
7. Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready
8. A Covent Garden Mystery by Ashley Gardner
9. The Shadow Reader by Sandy Williams 
10. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
11. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
12. Birth Marked by Caragh M O'Brien

Alternatives are:
1. Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton
2. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Reading Challenges...

Oh to do or not to do...

Yep it's that time again... time to sign up for some Reading Challenges... In 2014 I took a small break and only participated in my New Author's Challenge I aimed for 15 and thus far I have managed 17 (once I finish the review of Snow Like Ashes). I also did a personal reading challenge on Good reads. and I am almost done with that one.. only 4 more

2014 Reading Challenge

Sarai has read 48 books toward her goal of 52 books.

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48 of 52 (92%)

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So now I have to decide since school is over what I would like to do for 2015... do I continue to work on New Author's Challenge or do I do a TBR shelf that seriously needs some help on cleaning out some of the books that I no longer need in there...

So I think I am going to do the basic Reading Challenge of reading 52 books in 2015 (1 book a week I can surely do this next year with no school)  with a twist I might add in an Out Do Yourself Challenge

This one is hosted by The Book Vixen and you can find additional info HERE...
I am going to do getting my heart rate up: 1-5 more books than last year

I am also signing back up for the New Author's Challenge

2015 which is hosted by Literary Escapism and you can find out more HERE. The basic goal is to read new authors and not necessarily modern authors but just authors that are new to you. I am going to shoot for 15 again...

And I for sure need to do a TBR pile challenge so I am signing up for

Hosted by Roof Beam Reader you can find additional information HERE

My 2015 TBR pile list is:
1. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
2. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
3. Happy Hour of the Damned by Mark Henry
4. Matters of the blood by Maria Lima
5. Stormwalker by Allyson James
6. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
7. Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready
8. A Covent Garden Mystery by Ashley Gardner
9. Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey
10. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
11. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
12. Birth Marked by Caragh M O'Brien

Alternatives are:
1. Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton
2. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

I also think it would be fun to do the Alphabet Challenge for Titles

It is hosted by: Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book you can find out information HERE but it is pretty easy to figure out
A. Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet (TBR)
B. Birth Marked by Caragh M. O'Brien (TBR)
C. A Covent Garden Mystery by Ashley Gardner (TBR)
D. Dhampir by Barb & JC Hendee (TBR)
E. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (TBR)
F. Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher (TBR)
G. Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair (TBR)
H. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K.Jemisin (TBR)
I. Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (TBR)
J. John's Story by Tim LaHaye, Jerry B Jenkins (TBR)
K. King's Property by Morgan Howell (TBR)
L. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer (TBR)
M. Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (TBR)
N. Norse Code by Greg Van Eekhout (TBR)
O. Out of Body by Stella Cameron (TBR)
P. Plain Kate by Erin Bow (TBR)
Q. Queen's Bastard by C.E. Murphy (TBR) 
R. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan MCGuire (TBR)
S. Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey (TBR)
T. Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas (TBR)
U. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (TBR)
V. Veil of Midnight by Lara Adrian (TBR)
W. Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready (TBR)
X.
Y. Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase (TBR)
Z. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (TBR)

Having some issues with X but fear not I am sure there is an ebook out there somewhere that I have bought that starts with an X...

And lastly b/c they all tie into each other I want to do Finishing The Series Challenge 

This is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews and you can find out more info HERE

I am going to shoot for Level 3 Experienced which means I complete 3 series...

1. Jim Butcher's Dresden Series (1 left)
2. The Grey Wolves Series by Quinn Loftis
3. Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniel's Series

Last one is Let Me Count the Ways Audio Challenge 

This one is hosted by Avanti Ciera and more info can be found HERE.
I am going to shoot for Audio (b/c I have gotten into it this year) I am aiming for Silver which is 76-150 hours... 2 Stephen King books should do that ;)

WHEW that is a lot how about you? Doing any challenges this year? If so which ones? Also do you pick your books before you do the challenges or do you put them down as you?

If you are doing a challenge this next year good luck!! Keep me updated I love to see how everyone is doing!