Review: Gathering Darkness By: Morgan Rhodes

Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The wait was worth it!!!!!

The continuation of the Falling Kingdoms Series - Book 3 - one word - Exceptional!!

Okay, we left off with the wedding of Cleo and Magnus, with King Gaius taking over the lands and building a road that his Melenia was telling him to do - in blood, with Jonas being an outlaw, Lucia developing her power and Cleo knowing that her ring has something to do with calming her...

This one has more involvement of The Watchers - enter Alexius, in mortal form. Enter Felix, a mysterious stranger that helps Jonas, with an interesting twist. Enter a Kraeshia Princess Amara, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants which is power, and her brother Prince Ashur, who finds something better in the most unlikely of places. Magnus finds out the truth behind his mother's death, and there is something deeper that seems to be developing between him and Cleo. Nic also plays a deeper role in this book.

I must say, without giving too much away, Lucia begins to develop her power, the stones are hunted. This is a really exciting book, with each character racing to get ahead of the other. The ending if you know where the stones are and who has what - WOW! And the last chapter had me holding my breath and filled with theories. Can't wait for the next.

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Review: The Year I Met You By: Cecelia Ahern

The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jasmine has been fired and put on gardening leave for a year. A full year to wait to get another job, a full year to do nothing. Nothing that is except watch from her window the neighbor across from her and his downward spiral. Matt, the famous DJ. The one all those years ago she decided to hate. She watches he alcoholic spats, his wife and children leave, she watches until they meet.
It is during the seasons, throughout the year as Jasmine begins to find herself, even through her once detestful neighbor. This is not a 'normal' type of romance or chic lit. This is more the development of the main character, who has to go through stages, ups and downs, even judgements, understand and change the different dynamics she is in, and in some way Matt is the physical embodiment of her internal roller coaster. It is a love story of finding oneself, of growth.
At times I was surprised that Ms. Ahern was the author of something like this novel, normally her style is not like this, although you will find some of the humor and quirk in the pages, it is not the usual. It is good, worth the read, don't go in with preconceived notions.

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Review: Right For A Reason By: Miriam Weaver and Amy Jo Clark

Right for a Reason: Life, Liberty, and a Crapload of Common Sense by Miriam Weaver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*****This is a First Reads, Thank You Goodreads*****

Miriam Weaver and Amy Jo Clark have been doing a blog "Chicks on the Right" since 2009, they also have a radio show, and a newspaper column - and a fan - me. For years I have read, listened, commented with these amazing women. Do they make you think, discuss, hold a little debate with family, friends, even within yourself - at exactly what it is that you stand for and why - and what is it that you are willing to battle for. Sometimes there is a deeper battle that you need to look at, stop wasting your time with the secondary that has been placed as the fundamental. A house divided will fall. As conservatives, we have to stop playing into the hands of playing against each other, get with a program.
The book touches on some of the important basics that we all should find focus on and not allow the rights of the land only to hold for the few. The First Amendment for one, is for all - not just for the use of liberals. The Second Amendment being attacked looking at objects doing crimes, not the people - what is the root cause. There is a need for personal responsibility (the government is being promoted as a sugar daddy to live off of and is a generational issue), the hypersexualization of role models, rather then finding solutions the promoting of victimhood and race obsession has fractured society. As liberals claim to be feminists, exactly who are the ones calling who the ugly names on social media and in front of the cameras, and in the papers - who is truly empowering who here.
The subjects range, the personal stories are heartfelt, but throughout there is thought provoking commentary asking for just plain old common sense.

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Review: As You Wish Inconceivable Tales From The Making Of The Princess Bride By: Cary Elwes

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Princess Bride - the movie with that dashing hero Westley, played by Cary Elwes, who stole my heart that very moment all those years ago. It is in this beautiful memoir that Mr. Elwes has put together the magic of the behind the scenes tales from his perspective mainly but with added bonuses from his director, the writer, his fellow castmates.
I can't imagine anyone else playing Westley and I am sure looking back most people feel the same, but at the time Mr. Elwes didn't have a lot of confidence under his belt and with an very strange but quick meeting with him, Reiner, and Scheinman - the rest as they say, became history. A beautiful tale that had the most wonderful talents gathered together partaking, it was lightening in a bottle, and is still a favorite among favorites.
I love the tone of the book, the little inserts from the others from their point of view, the backstage viewpoint so to speak of such a classic film (it is in most people's viewing libraries). I laughed out loud at some of the stuff and found that I could not wait to view the movie after reading the book, I sat up til 1am looking at all the interesting things pointed out. This is the one to share with your family, your movie buff, your best friend, this is definitely the book meant to be read and shared and appreciated -- just like the film. And Mr. Elwes, anything at all, as you wish.

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Review: An Italian Wife By: Ann Hood

An Italian Wife by Ann Hood
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Oh, how I wanted to like this. Coming from a large Sicilian family second generation, I looked forward to such a story as the blurb on the book described - a multi generational tale about Josephine Rimaldi, who married at fourteen in the old country, came to America, had children, and her life - along with their lives, including her children's children. Sounded like the perfect book for someone like me, still ripe with tradition and memories of my great grandparents - unfortunately, it wasn't.
Maybe I had a better family and could not relate as I first wanted to. Instead the pages are filled with a family filled with anger and resentment, with more hate than happiness, more deviance than actual love - the pride of tradition gave away to the shame of their own family, their own matriarch. As I continued the book, I found myself wondering about the author and how could one write such a book, filled with such sadness and brokenness about a family unit. But I digress, this is one I forced myself to finish, I wanted to relate to - yet could not.

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Review: Alex By: Pierre Lemaitre

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful thriller - reminds me of the writing of Stieg Larsson.
Enter the world where the layers between a taken, caged girl may not be the victim, where people are being killed through a painful death of acid eating away their jaw and innards, where the lead detective has returned from a stay at the asylum due to the kidnapping and death of his wife. Time is ticking away in Paris and the dots are not connecting fast enough as the bodies are being found and the mystery deepens.
I could not put this book down. It is a translation, but there is nothing that does not flow easily through the story. I was on the edge of my seat a few times and stayed up wanting to reach the wonderful end. I highly recommend for personal enjoyment and book clubs - there is plenty to discuss here.

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Review: Seventh Grave and No Body By: Darynda Jones

Seventh Grave and No Body by Darynda Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charley, Charley, Charley - what to do... let's see - first things first, if you have not read or gotten with the Charley Davidson series -- What Are You Waiting For? Go to the bookstore and catch up - now! And Don't Read Further!

So, Charley's preggos -yay! The underworld is releasing the 12 - umm, boo! The book begins with Charley working some of the usual strange crimes, body dumpings - but then something strange comes along, information about a file that Thee Vatican has an actual file on her, that's right I said Thee. There are also some suicides of people that are strangely linked together and some spirits that are complaining about empty graves. That isn't part of the issues of going to decaf, having an Archangel upset because you are healing people away from death, there is a psycho chasing your man, your dad is missing, you are being attacked by demons, and you have to pee more often.
I love this series - I love Charley's attitude. This is an exciting supernatural adventure thriller that is like Buffy for adults (um, Reyes is hot and some scenes are super hot). Now I tried to get in touch with my inner Charley while writing this and I hope I did her justice. I can't wait for the next book in the series and want it to keep going.

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