Review ~ The Paper Magician By Charlie N Holmberg

Title: The Paper Magician

Author: Charlie N Holmberg
Copyright: 2014
Type: fantasy/romance
Pages: 224
Series: Yes (The Paper Magician Trilogy)

Reason for Reading:
Come on magicians who use paper what else could be more exciting. Like how do they do it? What's it going to be about?

Summary:
Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic… forever.

Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined — animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.

An Excisioner — a practitioner of dark, flesh magic — invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man. 

Thoughts:
This one started out so well only to fall apart half way through for me. In fact the moment the excisioner came in I was like deuces I don't buy it. This girl can only make paper birds and frogs but by God she is going to save Thane who she feels strongly for because he paid for her schooling and who else is going to teacher her to make snowflakes out of paper. After she had been a whiny and complete ass about the whole bonding with paper thing. Then you put her in the actual heart... what the actual fracking hell while chasing her through it to give her time to defeat you and save the day. NO I don't buy it. I still don't buy it and it irritated the crap out of me. So I stopped and didn't read the parts that made my eyes roll so hard I might cause myself to have a seizure and instead skipped around here and there through the rest of the book to find parts that make sense. I didn't find many and I still have no idea who a person who controls paper beat someone who can rip out hearts so that's all

Grade: 1 star out of 5

Would I recommend: No 

Review ~ The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey

Title: The Isle of Blood

Author: Rick Yancey
Copyright: 2011

Type:  young adult
Pages: 538
Series: yes (The Monstrumologist Series)

1. The Monstrumologist

2. The Curse of the Wendigo

3. The Isle of Blood

4. The Final Descent

Reason for Reading:

I absolutely loved the first one, the second one took some time to grow on me but I love the main character Will Henry and I wanted to know what was going on in his life. 

Summary:

When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced.

Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test.

Thoughts 

I love Will Henry and the promising thing about this series is that he has grown. The sad part is that he keeps relapsing on his need for Dr. Warthrop yet you understand why he relapses on needing him. This is Will Henry's coming to an Ahh Ha moment in his relationship with Dr. Warthrop as well as himself. Will Henry has really grown as a young man and I love that when we start and end the book it feels as if we are reading his journal the whole time. It's a nice twist on it so you are left wondering is this real or not did this man Will Henry really exist or not. I have to say the series has waned for me over time. Then again I am not the targeted audience as it is a young adult novel. Most of the reason for the series waning for me is the constant dependence of Will Henry on Dr. Warthop yet at other times he is almost so mature you would think he is an adult. I get it I work with trauma consumers and since I do it is hard sometimes to not go Oh Lord I deal with this daily do I really want to read about it. The only reason that I read it is the monster twist and the whole study of monsters and is there a society out there that studied them and what really happened to Dr. Warthorp and Will Henry. So yes I will be reading the final book just to know how their stories wrap up . 

Grade 4 out of 5 stars (I have no idea why I must have really liked it back in 2016) If I were to grade it now I would probably say 3 stars

Would you Recommend: If you've read the other 2 books then for sure. I would suggest this series to a young adult reader who enjoys monster stories. 

Review The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

Title: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
Author: Leanna Renee Hieber
Copyright: 2009
Type: paranormal romance
Pages: 324
Series: yes and this was book 1

Reason for Reading: 
It has been sitting on my TBR pile FOR...EV...ER

Summary:
What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent -- and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death...

Thoughts: 
I'm not even sure where to begin on this one other then it wasn't my favorite and I am trying to not be harsh. I think I went into this thinking it was going to be something other then it was and it turned into something completely different then I anticipated and so that threw my world off a little and I just haven't recovered from it. I still to this day can't remember Percy and that isn't a good thing. I still don't know why she is important. The Goddess part threw in a wrench in the story and I didn't know why or how that was important and why no one believed Rychman when he said the "trap" girl wasn't the right fit when he after all would know who he should be in love with so that was weird to me and I didn't get why he was so anti hanging out with everyone because he wanted to fall in love but when he did GAWD forbid it could be Percy b/c he was waiting on a goddess. I hate hate hate hate hate the BIG MISUNDERSTANDINGS that happen in every frigging romance book but when they drag on until one character nearly dies it drives me batty especially when it has to do with magic JUST EXPLAIN IT especially when more then one person in the group feels uneasy too. UGH
So maybe that was my hangup. Anyway I guess that was it for me. I just don't do well with things like that I understand that a group might not get along but communication goes a long way and I feel like a group like this that hunts together this often and relies on each other with one of them seeing the future could have and should have communicated better about a lot of things so it didn't make sense that their bond was that much off without explaining to me why they didn't trust each other since they had been together since kids. 

Grade: 2 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend: Not really my thing but if I heard someone talking about wanting something a little different sure I would bring it up. Would be a hard sale though

Review: Insanity by Cameron Jace

Title: Insanity

Author: Cameron Jace
Copyright: 2013
Type: young adult
Page: 254
Series yes this is book 1


Reason for Reading:
loved his short stories and thought I would give the full book a try

Summary:
After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder is now a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. Only a hookah-smoking professor believes otherwise; that he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll's paintings, photographs, and find Wonderland's real whereabouts. Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the wonderland monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science. 

Thoughts: 
This book confused me because the world that Cameron Jace set up in the short stories were fantastic and I was so excited to read this novel. I absolutely loved them and then I got this one which was going to focus on Alice and I thought okay no problem he would still tie in all those novels somehow or at least the world would make sense or he would flesh out the world somehow... and then it all fell flat. Nothing made sense it was all jumbled. I couldn't tell if Alice was real or not real was she insane or not insane and who was fighting who were we in the real world or not and why did I the reader have to be confused all the time as confused as the reader. I didn't connect or care for any of the characters and I really found that it took so long to finish the actual book I was mad with the ending because I received no answers to anything. I was right back to where I began Alice is still just as confused is this real or not the stupid questions are there and I have no reason to continue because frankly I just don't care enough to invest. I don't get what was happening and I still don't understand how any of this tied into any of the short novels and why did we get those if this was the actual novel? 

Grade: 1 1/2 stars but since you have to give 1 or 2 stars on good reads I gave 2 stars

Would I recommend: No

Review ~ Weep No More My Lady By Mary Higgins Clark

Title: Weep No More My Lady  

Author: Mary Higgins Clark
Copyright: 2007
Type:  Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 336
Series: No

Reason for Reading:

I wanted something different to read and it was there

Summary:

Elizabeth Lange has arrived at Cypress Point Spa in Pebble Beach, California, weary of heart and soul. Still grieving for her beloved sister, a famous actress who plunged to her death from her Manhattan penthouse, Elizabeth is determined to unearth the truth about how Leila died. Dashing millionaire Ted Winters stands accused of her murder, but Elizabeth has doubts.

Along the windswept cliffs of the Monterey coast, in luxurious bungalows, between gourmet meals and beachfront walks, uneasiness stalks Elizabeth while she begins opening doors to the past. As glimpses of the dark truth about Leila's life and death -- and about Elizabeth herself -- start to crash against her mind, an ominous wave from an unexpected source threatens to engulf her entirely

Thoughts: 

This was my first Mary Higgins Clark and I have to say it wasn't bad at all. It was a quick fun little read. It wasn't gory or too hard to figure out the twist and turns. I had the mystery figured out which is saying something for me usually I'm all surprised when the killer is revealed so it was nice to be like, "yeah called that" but not so much that was I was bored. I liked learning about the characters and I felt that I connected to Elizabeth enough that I honestly didn't want anything bad to happen to her but at the same time wasn't so connected that I can be done with this and don't want a series. I am glad there was a hint of romance but Ms. Clark stuck to the roots of this book and kept to the mystery and suspense not making it a romance which I enjoyed. I did like that the background characters actually had depth to them and weren't cardboard cutouts that I felt a little invested and thought for a few minutes that each of them could have possibly done it at some point which was a fun game of clue. It over all was a quick and easy read that I enjoyed. 

Grade: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? Yeah it was a quick simple mystery that wasn't anything to write home about but wasn't horrible. 

Review ~ The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Title: The Last Lecture 

Author: Randy Pausch
Copyright: 2008
Type:  non-fiction
Pages: 206
Series:no

Reason for Reading
I wanted to find something to motivate me, something to inspire me.

Summary:

Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy. 

Thoughts: This is exactly what it says. It is someone's last lecture a man dying from cancer and now he wants to leave behind a legacy for his children and those who come behind him. That in itself made it hard to take at times and really realize that man this guy right here as a) more grace and thought in his life then I ever did and do and b) he really had a great grasp on what was to come. After you get pass that and really think about why he was writing this or giving this lecture it hits how important it might be to listen to what he was saying. He had some advice that I was like man I really want to apply that and I did highlight quotes to remember for later. A lot of it was a personal glimpse into his life and what worked for him and how he managed to get to where he was. Including to his beautiful wife and 3 lovely children. At times I almost felt guilty for reading it like a voyeur who shouldn't be allowed in to see what he was going through and I wondered is this guy really this well adjusted? At other times I found myself laughing so hard I was crying and wondering man I would have really loved to have gotten to know him. Overall it was a bittersweet read and I enjoyed gleaning pieces of information that I can apply to my own life like how to look at life should it ever throw me a huge curve ball. 

Goodreads Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? I think it was a fantastic last lecture and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to see what grace under fire and pressure looks like. 

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller

Title: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Author: Gary Keller Copyright: 2013
Type:  Self-help, Business
Pages: 240
Series: no

Reason for Reading
Had to read for a presentation at work

Summary:

The One Thing explains the success habit to overcome the six lies that block our success, beat the seven thieves that steal time, and leverage the laws of purpose, priority, and productivity.

The Problems:

1.      It felt like it repeated itself numerous times over so that it was almost overkill and could have been cut down a few times.

2.      After a while it sounded easy but didn’t feel as if in my profession (social worker and counseling which is who I was teaching to) it might not fit in a crisis field situation.

3.      This book could work but was long and repeated over and over the same idea in a different way and so I tended to skim over the information.

The Wins:

1.      Had some good nuggets of information that I could glean from and share with those that came to the lunch and learn

2.      I learned some tricks and tips that I wasn’t used to and able to apply them to other areas in my life as well as work area which is how I presented this to co-workers.

3.      After having it to chew on for a while I have noticed that I am thinking about it more and more each a bit a day

4.      I think it has a good idea behind it but the cliff notes version works just as well.

Goodreads Grade: 2 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? It is okay in certain business situations but not others and may not work in other crisis situations.

Review ~ Evelyn, After by Victoria Helen Stone

Title: Evelyn, After 

Author: Victoria Helen Stone
Copyright: 2016
Type:  fiction
Pages: 247
Series:
no

Reason for Reading

It was a book that was free on amazon that looked pretty good

Summary:

Evelyn Tester is sleepwalking through her suburban life—until a late-night phone call startles her awake. Her husband, a prestigious psychiatrist, has been in an accident. And he isn’t alone.

Suddenly Evelyn’s world isn’t as tidy as she thought. And in the midst of it all is Juliette, not only her husband’s secret lover but also his patient. If news of the affair were to get out, it would ruin more than just Evelyn’s marriage. Although it’s a bitter pill for Evelyn to swallow, protecting her family means staying silent—even if, as she begins to discover, the night of the accident has consequences far more dangerous than the unmasking of an affair.

But the more Evelyn learns about Juliette’s picture-perfect life—complete with a handsome, unsuspecting husband—the more she yearns for revenge…and satisfaction. Her growing obsession fuels her rage, burning away her complacency. What will be left of her after it flames out?

The Problems:

1.      From just personal life experience I didn’t like how Evelyn at first handled her life situation with Juliette’s unsuspecting husband however, I did think the author handled well.

2.      At one time I thought that the book almost dragged it out too long

3.      It can be triggering for those who might have past experiences with it.

The Wins:

1.      The author went through the ringer with the main character and man oh man did she ever put Evelyn through it. She did however handle those delicate moments well.

2.      I think that the growth of the character was fantastic and I enjoyed watching her go through the pain and the heartache to see what she would become at the end and it was satisfying.

3.      The pain was almost too much yet it was just enough to make you hurt with the character yet then love the character and root for the character and celebrate when she had a success of any kind.

Goodreads Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? I was pleasantly surprised by this book. There were times I wanted to shake Evelyn and I didn’t like her decisions but I did enjoy how the author handled it.

Review ~ The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Ann Noble

Title: The Mermaid’s Sister Author: Carrie Ann Noble
Copyright: 2015
Type:  Fiction, young adult
Pages: 237
Series:

no

Reason for Reading
mermaid people it had mermaid in the title and I had to read it

Summary:

There is no cure for being who you truly are...

In a cottage high atop Llanfair Mountain, sixteen-year-old Clara lives with her sister, Maren, and guardian Auntie. By day, they gather herbs for Auntie’s healing potions. By night, Auntie spins tales of faraway lands and wicked fairies. Clara’s favorite story tells of three orphan infants—Clara, who was brought to Auntie by a stork; Maren, who arrived in a seashell; and their best friend, O’Neill, who was found beneath an apple tree.

One day, Clara discovers shimmering scales just beneath her sister’s skin. She realizes that Maren is becoming a mermaid—and knows that no mermaid can survive on land. Desperate to save her, Clara and O’Neill place the mermaid-girl in their gypsy wagon and set out for the sea. But no road is straight, and the trio encounters trouble around every bend. Ensnared by an evil troupe of traveling performers, Clara and O’Neill must find a way to save themselves and the ever-weakening mermaid.

And always, in the back of her mind, Clara wonders, if my sister is a mermaid, then what am I? 

The Problems:

1.      The circus I mean it was good until then where it went wrong for me was the side story of the circus which I basically skipped over

2.      The drawn-out love story of the boi and the sister. He loves my sister so I can’t love him but I love him but I can tell that my sister loves him so I won’t love him but I love him yet I know he must love my sister so this is wrong so I won’t tell him how I feel so I will sit over her and pine over him was a bit too much for me. Thankfully much of this occurred during said circus side story

3.      The whole I’m going to be a bird and when is this going to happen (spoiler rant coming up)

IT NEVER HAPPENED and was never going to happen b/c humans don’t turn into birds but they made her worry about it b/c her sister was a mermaid her adopted parents were fey and boyfriend was born and orphan in an apple tree (WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL) so the whole time she refused to love or fall in love b/c she might turn into a bird so she could feel special was a lie. Why would you even tell her that lie? Just be like sorry kid no one wanted you like the kid with the apple tree but me so here you go?

The Wins:

1.      Lawd for all its faults in the beginning it was a GREAT story it had the all the tale of a good story the love of 2 sisters trying to deal with a difficult situation that one of them was a mermaid. See simple plot if it would have stayed with said simple plot it would have been one of my top 5 for 2016.

2.      The sister’s love for each other was AMAZING and the things that they were willing to do for each other not being blood but still loving each as sister was worth seeing and broke my heart

3.      The daughter of sea angle was awesome and I would love to see more of the story of what the sister in the sea was doing once she became a sister of the sea. How did that work how did they remain sisters did the visit? How would they could one go to the other in the sea?

4.      The love of the 2 fey that would visit every winter was enduring and heartbreaking and I loved their story and wanted more and to see what happened once the curse was broken.

Goodreads Grade: 1 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? No I really did not enjoy the book at all and would have DNF it but I wanted to know if the mermaid made it to the sea so I skipped a lot of the chapters and read the final chapter to see what happened.

Review ~ Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Title: Ready Player One 

Author: Ernest Cline
Copyright: 2011
Type:  fantasy
Pages: 386
Series: no

Reason for Reading
My bookclub picked this book for the month

Summary:

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. 
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape

The Problems:

1.      If you don’t know the 80s (like I don’t) then 3/4ths of the references in this book don’t mean anything to you

2.      It felt like for the first 3/4ths of the book was going to end in a series only to have the last 1/4^th of the book end up not being a series and ended up feeling uber rushed and not at all what I expected.

The Wins:

1.      It was an interesting read up to a point

2.      I liked that it had some twists and turns

3.      The H & H were not good looking at all which is nice and refreshing although in the movie they will be which is sad

4.      The female lead was intelligent, had her own business and wasn’t after a man.

5.      The main book was about gaming and winning a game.

6.      I loved that the main group of people worked together instead of hurting each other or trying to get ahead of each other.

Goodreads Grade: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? I’m not a fan but a lot of people are and if I heard that they liked 80s things I would suggest it to them.

Review ~ The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower book 1) by Stephen King

Title: The Gunslinger (DarkTower Book 1)

Author: Stephen King
Copyright: 2003
Type:  fantasy
Pages: 231
Series: yes

Reason for Reading
They are making a movie and I wanted to read the book before the movie came out.

Summary:

Book I
In The Gunslinger (originally published in 1982), King introduces his most enigmatic hero, Roland Deschain of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting, solitary figure at first, on a mysterious quest through a desolate world that eerily mirrors our own. Pursuing the man in black, an evil being who can bring the dead back to life, Roland is a good man who seems to leave nothing but death in his wake.

The Problems:

It took me a while to figure who and why the kid was important. It was jarring when he was introduced and then I can't tell when I became so attached to him.
King's writing still did a King thing where you could have cut out a lot of this book and still go the point of the novel and not felt like you were losing anything by not having that part there. I feel that sometimes King doesn't know when to stop describing a tree that is not important nor will ever be important.

The Wins:

I really liked the character Roland and watching him go through the whole struggle of his past, current and what was his choice going to be (no spoilers I promise). He was so fixated on the man in black that he almost forgot himself and I enjoyed learning about who he was before the man in black became the fixture of Roland and what he was after. I enjoyed seeing his character development from a young man to the man we see at the end of the book. It was a real treat and I can't wait until the end.

Goodreads Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? Yes I would and actually I have to a few people and can't wait for the movie/series to come to the screen. 

The Graveyard Queen Series Review by Amanda Stevens

Holy crap on a cracker it's been a minute since I've a)read and b)did a review so let's do some quick reviews.
1 thing to keep in mind is this will be a quick review because I've read the Graveyard Series before up to the 4th book so these would be re-read books so I won't do in depth reviews on them. But you need to know it is hands down a GREAT series and the sole reason I read them was to prep for the 5th book coming out in September so keep that mind.

Let's do it.

Book 1 - The Restorer

My name is Amelia Gray. I’m a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I’ve always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe. 

It started with the discovery of a young woman’s brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I’ve been hired to restore. The clues to the killer—and to his other victims— lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I’ve vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next

SUMMARY: 
Okay this book still gives me the willies if you will. I am still taken back by the beautiful writing, the description and the details. My goodness there were serious times I stopped reading because I was like crap I think I see ghost now. (PS I don't thank God) I also don't recommend reading this book alone. The suspense and the who did it and who is doing it was great. The ending was a great twist and exactly what I wanted to read when seeing the summary. I have to say this is by far my favorite book in the series. It has mystery, ghosts, a love story, ghost, murder, ghost and holy shit suspense that makes my heart race reading it two or three times (I maybe 4 times through) and I still forget who did it because I get so wrapped up in the story. For sure pick this one up 

BOOK 2 - The Kingdom

Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town.

My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.

Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town, this withering kingdom, and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.

SUMMARY
I have to say this one threw me again even with a re-read. While it was nice to find out more about Amelia and her connection to Asher Falls and what that means and how in the world it all ties in and what it might be like to have others like her besides her dad it was just an odd book. The story itself was interesting to a point. I was happy she was trying to move on from  John and I thought for a brief moment we might have a triangle which would have been nice to a point and I have to say that I liked the guy in this one more then John beside the fact he didn't have ghost he just seemed nicer. The whole story itself seemed weird and off. The witches, and demon aspect was different then ghost so now we have raised the stakes from just a ghost story to demons and I'm still not sure what any of this has to do with anything. That being said once again you can't help but fall in love with Amelia and her fighting and growing capabilities. She picks up a dog and fights her way through anything else that would have sent most of us running for home. In fact when reading this I found myself saying JUST GO HOME but alas our Amelia didn't and because she didn't she found out her heritage which was interesting but nothing shocking and or major. Still worth the read and one you have to read in order to understand the next one. Also it does have a good "story" to it and like I said it does help us to understand some thing about Amelia and her upbringing. 

BOOK 3 - The Prophet 

My name is Amelia Gray.

I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.

In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart. 

SUMMARY
The summary above is misleading. Yes she can decide to follow John or not but this one doesn't focus on love so much as it does on the fact that a ghost is actually haunting Amelia which has nothing to do with John other then he may or maynot have been the person who killed the cop who is haunting her. Turns out this is the ghost from the first book. So I liked the tie in. I also liked how we are back to a ghost story with a twist of voodoo and how that affects Amelia and her powers. Again we are back with John and his ghost and how that will affect Amelia and if she will allow the "LOVE OF HER LIFE AND THE ONLY ONE SHE CAN EVER IMAGE IN HER LIFE JUST BECAUSE OF THE STATIC BETWEEN THEM" nothing else mind you I mean in order to find out anything about him she has to ask his ghost or google it. So don't mind me if you are Devlin fans I am starting to wear thin with this relationship because of him and her. And I can't stand when a relationship goes this long with back and forth and no closure so if you are thinking there is some here think again. 
Back to the story this time we learn a little about Amelia's power and what she can do which is pretty awesome but we also learn about John's past and what that means for Amelia and her future with him. Again the writing is beautiful and something I recommend to anyone who loves just beautiful descriptive writing that makes you feel like you are apart of the story and apart of the action. I do like the pacing I never felt like the story was dragging and to be fair I did feel that the story did wrap up nicely. 

BOOK 4 - The Visitor 

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm the Graveyard Queen.

Restoring lost and abandoned cemeteries is my profession, but I'm starting to believe that my true calling is deciphering the riddles of the dead. Legend has it that Kroll Cemetery is a puzzle no one has ever been able to solve. For over half a century, the answer has remained hidden within the strange headstone inscriptions and intricate engravings. Because uncovering the mystery of that tiny, remote graveyard may come at a terrible price.

Years after their mass death, Ezra Kroll's disciples lie unquiet, their tormented souls trapped within the walls of Kroll Cemetery, waiting to be released by someone strong and clever enough to solve the puzzle. For whatever reason, I'm being summoned to that graveyard by both the living and the dead. Every lead I follow, every clue I unravel brings me closer to an unlikely killer and to a destiny that will threaten my sanity and a future with my love, John Devlin. 

SUMMARY
I have to say out of all the books I think this was the weakest. While I enjoyed immensely learning about Amelia's background and how she got her talent I felt that after book 2 there was no reason to really go there. I almost feel bad for her "grandmother/mother" she get's nothing from her and at this point it is almost like what's the point of her. This was the grandfather's mother's story and I have to say while again interesting it left it at a point that I hope the next book wraps up because as of now I have way more questions then answers and I am not impressed with those questions. And what the hell is up with Devlin?
Now on to the positive. I love that Amelia is growing stronger in herself and her powers. I hate that she is way too much I LOVE HIM SO MUCH HE IS MY SOUL MATE I CAN'T SURVIVE WITH OUT DEVLIN yet at the same time in this novel it was almost like she is accepting the fact that there maynot be a HEA for her and John and you know what at this point it wouldn't disappoint me and I like that she is growing. The thing that I appreciate about this author is the growth that she gives the characters. They do grow slowly but they grow I don't ever feel like Amelia is just stuck. 
I also enjoy the writing the author has she is a fantastic author she paints such beautiful scenes done in such a way I really feel as if I am in the cemetery with Amelia. I think there were times I could hear the sam thing Amelia could and could feel the tension the characters were going through. That is a true writing talent and one of the many reason I keep coming back to this author. 
The story isn't as intense as it was in the beginning and that's okay because now we know she can see them and they can see her and there are other things out there. I like how it is heading and can't wait to see what book 5 has in store for us in September. 

PS book 5 and 6 are already pre-ordered by this reader and you too can do the same by going here

  and the 6th book is    

Review ~ The Never List by Koethi Zan

Title: The Never List 

Author: Koethi Zan
Copyright: 2014
Type:  thriller
Pages: 384
Series: no

Reason for Reading
A friend recommended it to me and I thought I would give it a try

Summary:

NEVER GO OUT ALONE AFTER DARK

For years, Sarah and Jennifer kept the Never List: a list of things to be avoided at all costs.

NEVER GET IN THE CAR

But one night, they broke their own rules – with horrifying consequences.

NEVER TAKE RISKS

Sarah has spent ten years trying to forget her terrifying ordeal. But it seems the killer has not forgotten her…

NEVER TRUST ANYONE

The Problems: I thought that they actually kept it very clean which I know is weird coming from me because I actually think most authors use rape and other forms or torture for plot uses. That being said this book was actually about just that and yet it was like the author didn't want to actually talk about the torture or rapes. In fact the author did everything humanly possible to not talk about the "rapes" that happen and did only talk about it with a human trafficking aspect later with a twist that sort of fit but felt like it didn't because it wasn't part of the story line that was going on. It felt like it should have been another story that the author just kind of tied into this story to make it sort of fit to make a shocking "AH HA" moment that really felt like a scratch my head moment instead. 

The Wins: It had a couple of twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I liked watching the main character grow and try to deal with everything that happened. She actually had issues that she had to deal with and she dealt with them in a realistic way not in a hurry up make it work for the plot kind of way. I also liked the end and even though I thought the ending had some rough moments and needed to be cleaned up a little bit I liked how the author ended it in a not completely healed way but still going to keep fighting in her own way and stronger for it. It was nice. 

Goodreads Grade: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? If the reader enjoys thriller type of books that aren't too detailed then this is the book for them. I never really felt on the edge of my seat and I wasn't overwhelmed with descriptions. 

Review ~ Doctor Who: Pest Control by Peter Anghelides (audio)

Title: Doctor Who: Pest Control 

Author: Peter Anghelides
Copyright: 2008
Type:  audio, science fiction
Pages: audio
Series: yes but not a series just a series by audio and doctor who

Reason for Reading
It’s David Tennant reading to me an adventure of him and Donna Noble my favorite company

Summary:

The TARDIS is lost in battle on a distant planet. When the Doctor sets off in pursuit, Donna is left behind, and finds herself accepting a commission in the Pioneer Corps. Something is transforming soldiers into monstrous beetles, and she could be the next victim. Meanwhile, the Doctor steals a motorbike and stages a jailbreak. Well, how hard can it be to find the TARDIS, rescue Donna, and negotiate a peace? But that’s before the arrival of a brutal and remorseless mechanical exterminator, bent on wiping out the insects. It may be that nothing can stop it, because this robot’s solution for the infestation is very simple: kill everything. Featuring the Doctor and Donna, as played by David Tennant and Catherine Tate in the hit series from BBC Television, this story has been written specially for audio, and is read by David Tennant.

The Problems:

1.      Donna has a little role and is always and forever getting into trouble (nothing new) but this time it seemed out of character for her

2.      The story didn’t have the same pace as a typical doctor who story usually does

3.      The villain didn’t measure up as a villain and didn’t really make sense.

The Wins:

1.      David Tennant as always kills it. He gets the emotions and does the influx of voices. I can tell the different characters.

2.      I love anything that David Tennant does. The story wraps around and does finish so it’s almost something I could see being made into a show not just a book

3.      Donna Noble was at least in this one and she did have a full story in it.

Goodreads Grade: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? It’s a Doctor Who novel with David Tennant’s 10^th Doctor so yes I would recommend it

Review ~ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Handmaid’s Tale Author: Margaret Atwood
Copyright: 1998
Type:  fiction
Pages: 311
Series: no

Reason for Reading
My friend Alyssa suggested it to me

Summary:

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now... 

The Problems:

1.      It happened too fast had did we allow it to go from society of today to Offred? I don’t think even with the way that life is going that it would fall apart that fast with no explanation other than it just happened b/c babies weren’t being born?

2.      I needed more explanation during this to let me know how we got to where we were and why we as a society allowed it to happen

3.      There is way too much hype surrounding this book for what it offered

The Wins:

1.      It was interesting being in Offred’s head and watching her go through what she was going through and how she made the decision she made and why

2.      Seeing the life and rules the caste system and how it was set up was interesting and the “secret” society and how why we brushed against it yet still had the same things we claimed destroyed society was interesting. I would have liked to see more depth in that and what the consequences of that would be.

3.      I liked seeing Offred struggle with the basic choices she made and how she would reflect on the what ifs I believe out of everything those were the real moments of the story.

Goodreads Grade: 2 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others?  I really didn’t care for it I felt that we started in the middle of the story and for that reason it didn’t make sense how we went from the one extreme of this life to that life with little to no explanation of how we got there.