Review ~ Yesterday by Felicia Yap

Title: Yesterday

Author: Felicia Yap
Copyright: 2017
Type:  Dystopian/Mystery/Fiction
Pages: 352
Series: no

Reason for Reading: 

I heard on the Bookriot that it was an interesting read and I thought it was one I should check out. 

Summary:

How do you solve a murder when you only remember yesterday?

Imagine a world in which classes are divided not by wealth or religion but by how much each group can remember. Monos, the majority, have only one day’s worth of memory; elite Duos have two. In this stratified society, where Monos are excluded from holding high office and demanding jobs, Claire and Mark are a rare mixed marriage. Clare is a conscientious Mono housewife, Mark a novelist-turned-politician Duo on the rise. They are a shining example of a new vision of tolerance and equality—until…

...a beautiful woman is found dead, her body dumped in England’s River Cam. The woman is Mark’s mistress, and he is the prime suspect in her murder. The detective investigating the case has secrets of his own. So did the victim. And when both the investigator’s and the suspect’s memories are constantly erased—how can anyone learn the truth?

Told from four different perspectives, that of Mark, Claire, the detective on the case, and the victim—Felicia Yap’s staggeringly inventive debut leads us on a race against an ever-resetting clock to find the killer. With the science-fiction world-building of Philip K. Dick and the twisted ingenuity of Memento , Yesterday is a thriller you’ll never forget..

Thoughts:

I have to say the whole premise was very interesting. What would life be like if you could only remember 1 day back or 2 days back at most? It hit on issues of segregation and bias of Duos being better and smarter then Monos. The hate between the 2 was very realistic and interesting. I have to say the mystery was also interesting and seeing it from a Mono detective who is pretending to be a Duo in order to keep his job. There is also a couple that is Mono and Duo married and how is that affected and how does it work. Then we have Sophia who can actually remember everything from age 23 on. And how does she fit into all of this. I had to say that I preferred seeing how the people lived and their everyday life with having 2 days of memories and 1 day of memories then I was about the actual mystery that is taking place. The world building was done very well with limited telling and more showing which I enjoyed. This book had a twist at the end that I didn't see coming and I have to say while that was interesting I enjoyed learning more about the people in the book and the characters then anything else. 

Goodreads: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? I enjoyed the concept and found the storyline interesting like how do Mono and Duo work. 

Review ~ The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe

Title: The Girls from Corona del Mar

Author: Rufi Thorpe
Copyright: 2014
Type; fiction
Page: 256
Series: No

Reason for Reading: Was the book for my bookclub last month.

Summary:
A fiercely beautiful debut blazing with emotion: a major first novel about friendships made in youth and how these bonds, challenged by loss, illness, parenthood, and distance, either break or sustain. 
Mia and Lorrie Ann are lifelong friends: hard-hearted Mia and untouchably beautiful, kind Lorrie Ann. While Mia struggles with a mother who drinks, a pregnancy at fifteen, and younger brothers she loves but can't quite be good to, Lorrie Ann is luminous, surrounded by her close-knit family, immune to the mistakes that mar her best friend's life. Until a sudden loss catapults Lorrie Ann into tragedy: things fall apart, and then fall apart further-and there is nothing Mia can do to help. And as good, kind, brave Lorrie Ann stops being so good, Mia begins to question just who this woman is and what that question means about them both. A staggeringly arresting, honest novel of love, motherhood, loyalty, and the myth of the perfect friendship that moves us to ask ourselves just how well we know those we love, what we owe our children, and who we are without our friends.

Thoughts: 
Man where to go with this one... man such a hard story to read at times and yet at other times such an easy story to relate to. There were times I felt bad for Mia and then I felt bad for Lorrie Ann. There were times I wanted to smack Lorrie Ann and strangle Mia and reverse. I laughed and cried. I related to both of these girls at different times and at other times I just wanted to reach out and hold them. They both went through so much that all I could think to myself at one point was poor baby. There was a point I wondered if Lorrie Ann was right and there was a point I asked myself was Mia right. That's how I knew this was a good book because it didn't take a side it didn't you as the reader what to think. It made you ask yourself who in this story is right? Does making a choice for what seems like selfish reasons to the world yet done for love reasons to the person make it a good choice and who has the right to make the tough decisions? Who was actually right in this story all along and what could have ever made it a better story? Where in the world did our people go wrong? Was there actually a spot in the story where our character could have made a better decision and life gotten better? Or was this their fate forever? 
How does friendship survive, form, meld and rebuild and as a human how do we survive what we are dealt with when life throws us some if not a ton of curve balls?
That's what this story made me dig in deep to think about. At the surface it's all about friendships and growing up and apart as we get older and make values and moral decisions as an adult. However, this book is much much deeper and one that I feel like grew me on a different level. Did it answer any of those questions? No but it did make me think about how quickly I judge others who I have no idea what their life story or path has been and I find I am less likely to jump to a conclusion as fast. 

EXCELLENT READ!

Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend: Definitely a read I would recommend!
Keep or Give: I am giving this while it was an excellent read that made me think about things it is not something I would re-read over and over again. 

Review ~ The Round House by Louise Erdrich

Title: The Round House

Author: Louise Erdrich
Copyright: 2013
Pages: 321
Genre: Fiction
Series: No

Reason for Reading;
It was suggested due to past reading history by Amazon kindle. And it looked interesting.

Summary:
The Round House won the National Book Award for fiction.

One of the most revered novelists of our time—a brilliant chronicler of Native-American life—Louise Erdrich returns to the territory of her bestselling, Pulitzer Prize finalist The Plague of Doves with The Round House, transporting readers to the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota. It is an exquisitely told story of a boy on the cusp of manhood who seeks justice and understanding in the wake of a terrible crime that upends and forever transforms his family.

Riveting and suspenseful, arguably the most accessible novel to date from the creator of Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, and The Bingo Palace, Erdrich’s The Round House is a page-turning masterpiece of literary fiction—at once a powerful coming-of-age story, a mystery, and a tender, moving novel of family, history, and culture

Thoughts:
First let me say this was one of the hardest reads I have done in a while. It is not graphic to a point in the middle and in the end it described more of the rape and what happened to the mom. It build up to the incident but it didn't hit the reader with it until then. But when I say it was hard to read LAWD it was very, very hard to read. We are given this story from the son's perspective of what is happening in his family after his mother is assaulted and how they figure it out, how his mother survives it and how his family adjust to what has happened in their family. Because rape doesn't just happen to women it happens to a whole family. It shows what a woman really goes through in an accurate portrayal. It shows what a family has to deal with. And it shows the legal system at it's worst and semi-best. It also shows us what life is like on a reservation. All that together made this book one of the hardest reads I have had to read.
That being said it was also hands down one of the best reads I have read so far. It was handled with care, delicately and with honesty. I felt like I got to know the family, the victims, and the tribe. I felt like I was there when it was happening. I came to care for all those involved. I was angry about the injustice and I wanted to stand up and do more. I wanted more to happen and I wanted it to happen quicker. I felt the racial barrier and that if it had been a white woman this would have moved quicker.
The writer wrote beautifully I felt the dust, the heat, and I smelled the trees and lake. She did such a beautiful job with describing the scenes with out going into "Stephen King" overload that I felt like I was there that I understood what it was like being on that reservation. This is a writer that I will for sure pick up again and feel safe reading.

Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend: Yes I thought it was a hard read and will have some triggers for some, but a fantastic read.

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 ~ 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.

Review ~ The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

Title: The Zombie Survival Guide

Author: Max Brooks
Copyright: 2006
Type: fiction
Pages: audio
Series: no

Reason for Reading: It sounded fun and hey I like zombies anyway I can get them

Summary:

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, World War Z, TheZombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain.

Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack 

1. Organize before they rise! 
2. They feel no fear, why should you?
3. Use your head: cut off theirs.
4. Blades don’t need reloading.
5. Ideal protection = tight clothes, short hair.
6. Get up the staircase, then destroy it. 
7. Get out of the car, get onto the bike.
8. Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!
9. No place is safe, only safer. 
10. The zombie may be gone, but the threat lives on. 

Don’t be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset—life. This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is a book that can save your life.

Thoughts/Opinions

I have to say that while at first I wasn't too impressed it was a very good how to guide which equals boring for someone driving. I mean you are telling me what type of weapon and how to shoot it and then how to go to the second floor and save water. It felt like a guide book that was step by step which is exactly what it is. However, when one is driving in a car it means that a person is very bored listening to it and let's be honest I don't have the best attention span when it comes to reading how to guides.
The reader was good but there was no way to make this book interesting unless you were really trying to prepare for a zombie attack and then well by all means take notes b/c I am sure that this will save your life at some point. That being said it was not something that I want to listen to. There were some laugh out loud moments of course like taking a bicycle over other transportation (if I could do that I wouldn't have to get in shape  as the book constantly reminded me to do) but all in all it was just kind of boring to listen to. Definitely not a sit down and read for enjoyment kind of book which is why it got such a low score from me. If you truly want to learn how to survive an attack by all means check it out but it is a how to guide nothing more. 

Goodreads Grade: 3 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? Yes if you want to prepare for the future of zombies running around. 

Challenges: 

Audio Book Challenge

Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author

Review ~ Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer by Seth Grahame-Smith

TITLE: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer
AUTHOR: Seth Grahame-Smith
COPYRIGHT: 2010
TYPE: Fiction
PAGES: Audio - 11 hrs
SERIES:  No

REASON FOR READ:

I mean come on Abraham Lincoln as a vampire slayer... there were two outcomes it could either be a really good book or a horribly horribly bad book...

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation. 

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

I have to admit this book surprised me and that is saying something now and days. It is a rare day when a book especially an audio book can suck me in so much that I don't want to leave my car because I want to know what is going to happen next but this book did just that. The author did such a great job at weaving in the "journals" of Abraham and the history of this fascinating man's stories that I was shocked that I found myself going sure that could work. And weeks later I am still talking about it to people and telling them you have got to read this book. That is not something that I do very often. The way the journal, history and telling of the story are put together I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with this writer that I went out and picked up his 3 other books. 

THINGS I LIKED

I have no idea where to start. I loved how the writer weaved seamlessly the telling of Abraham's life into him actually hunting vampires to the point where I was like well... that could have happened. I enjoyed it immensely. 

I liked the concept its not something I would have put together and it was a pleasant surprise. As I put in the reason for reading this had 2 outcomes it could have been really good or bad. Lucky for me this turned out really well and I enjoyed it. 

The characters were very interesting including the completely made up one Henry and I enjoyed him enough I went out and got his own book just because I enjoyed how much of a role he played in Abraham's story. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

My main complaint throughout the story is the constant counting as an audio book I have no idea what the counting was for or what it was about. But they were constantly counting from 5 or 2 or 3 and it wasn't chapters b/c they still made sure to read me the damn chapters as well. 

Also reading me the footnotes at the precise moment of the footnotes is very jarring and took away from the freaking telling of the story and I didn't like it (just a pet peeve of mine) it could've waited until the end or wasn't actually needed nor necessary for a fiction novel. 

Favorite part or line from story:

I have to say that Henry was the interesting part of the story not to mention the diaries kept me on the edge of my seat. The way the author weaved history and the vampire story line so seamlessly into one another blew my mind. I was blown away by it. 

FINAL GRADE: 4 out of 5 stars but thinking of changing this to 5 out of 5 the more I think on it

Would you recommend this story?Yes and I do to a lot of people

Is this a part of a reading challenge?

 Audio Book Challenge

Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author

Alphabet Title Challenge 

Review ~ Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

TITLE: Gone Girl 

AUTHOR: Gillian Flynn
COPYRIGHT: 2012
TYPE: General Fiction
PAGES: 395
SERIES:  
no

REASON FOR READ:

B/c of all the hype regarding the movie. Thought I have to read this before I see the movie

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? 

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

First off this was one of those books that I read so quickly I couldn't even advertise that I read it. I picked it up on a Thursday night from the library and by Friday I had finished it. Between meetings, sleep and on eating breaks I continued to push through this book. Why all the stopping? B/c at times I absolutely felt dirty for reading it and liking it so much. The characters are so deranged and morbid that I felt nasty that I was devouring this book at a speed that shocked even me. I had to know more, I wanted to know more and yet I felt like a voyeur peaking in on a family that needs not only counseling, therapy and shock treatment but also a family that really should've have just walked away from each other. The book has been reviewed numerous places so I won't go further with yet another recap. I will however say I still can't tell if I love this book or hate it. I can't tell if I enjoyed it b/c my gosh I feel better about my life or if I enjoyed it because dang yo she was super smart.

Did I connect with any characters? nope. Did I want to be either of the characters? HELL NO. Did I find that I couldn't put the book down? Oddly yes. Would I recommend it? yeah which I can't decide if that makes me as messed up as the author who wrote the damn thing.

Needless to say I enjoyed it enough I will check out other books by this author. 

FINAL GRADE: I really struggled giving this a grade and kept hopping between 3 or 4 stars

Would you recommend this story? Oddly yes

Is this a part of a reading challenge?
Out Do Yourself Challenge
New To Me Author

Alphabet Title Challenge

Review ~ 11/22/63 by Stephen King

TITLE: 11/22/63 

AUTHOR: Stephen King
COPYRIGHT: 11/8/2011
TYPE: Fiction
PAGES: No pages this was audio
SERIES:  no

REASON FOR LISTEN:

I am a case manager that is on the road way too much and need to calm down before and during travel times. I thought it sounded interesting and decided to give it a try.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads):

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in a Maine town. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away . . . but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke. . . . Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten . . . and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful.(

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

First and foremost I do not under any circumstances read Stephen King due to horror and to be honest I just don't do horror. When I found out he did a time travel novel and it involved JFK I immediately yelled SOLD! Also this was my first audio book sort of... I listened to a nonfiction book as a beginner so in a way this was my first attempt at fiction in audio format. I enjoyed the man who did the audio and his attempts at accents as well as pitches. This led to giving each character their own thoughts. It also separated them in my head to help with any confusion that might have occurred. Needless to say that part was very enjoyable. 

I admit that I did and yet didn't realize how long of a time commitment this was going to take on my end. 30 CD's seriously look at that again 30 and each one was at least 45 minutes to an hour long. A HOUR LONG I just gave 30 hours of my life. While the book was good, it wasn't 30 hours of my life good. There were parts where I seriously rolled my eyes, wondering did you just take a hour to describe a 5 minute fight and than turned around and took 5 minutes to describe something I would've been good with having a hour long conversation about?!? That's a Stephen King novel. They are long and very, very, very detailed. Some like that I do not. So I fast forwarded a lot toward the end, which should've been the exciting part and had the first part of the novel moved quicker I'm sure I would not have felt the need to fast forward the latter half. 

The story in general was good. There were a few moments of stunned graphic detail that made me either want to stop or continue but felt dirty afterwords. There were moments where I sat back and thought about it and he did make you think about the cause and effects of time travel. I do like how it all tied in and well needless to say had a lesson to think about that made me go... that actually makes total sense. There were parts where I questioned if he was serious and he had parts in his story that made me want to go and research more of the JFK saga. 

There was a lot of cussing (so be warned if that turns you off) and there was violence (that was described graphically as well). Also there was sex scenes and I can't say it would have matter if a man or a woman wrote it there was a lot of sex involved which of course not shockingly enough was with a *gasp* virgin that makes me mad (why did she have to be a Mary Sue with sex she was divorced seriously?!) anyway that would be a side rant. 

Clearly there were things I enjoyed Mr. King is an excellent writer with a lot of details. The story does make you think and has stuck with me. Those are 2 qualities I look for in a book. 

FINAL GRADE: I would give it a B- (cussing, sex, and violence plus a quick peek at IT another novel involving a killer clown was thrown in for fun).

Would you recommend this story? If you don't mind the above warnings then sure.

Is this a part of a reading challenge? new author and yearly reading challenge.

Holy Crappers I need to post a review

Well here are 2 mini reviews and hopefully more full reviews are to come!

~ The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I have to admit the only reason I even read this book was due to the movie. So the entire time I was reading this book I was picturing what the actors and actresses were doing... not a fair judge but not bad either.

The book pretty much fits in with the movie, lines are the same the plot didn't change. The only major differences I saw was the little girl May Mobby she is abused physically and well just over all ignored a lot more than the movie let on to. Otherwise in general the movie did a REALLY good job of showing the book. I did like this book and it is was I will more than likely re-read. I also highly enjoyed the movie both are worth the money and the time spent watching and enjoying.

~ Stargate Atlantis: The Chosen by Sonny Whitelaw WOW so if I were to suggest a book out of this series so far it would be this one. Yes I know I told you that book 2 was done by an author I adore and it was okay I promise. But, this book, this book KICKED BUTT on action, inner dialogue, getting to know the characters better, and OMG I got so much Sheppard and McKay I'm a happy girl. LOVED THIS ONE. Now keep in mind this author had about half of season 1 to learn all the different thought and actions of the team but, wow. Good job Sonny Whitelaw you have restored my faith in this series and I am for sure buying any and all of them. Plus I am going to have to check out other books you have written because you blew it out of the water for me and this series. New fangirl has been found. Man I wish they would make this book into a show that would've TOTALLY rocked!!!!