Cat Thursday!! May 31st

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! 

LOL!!  I could see my kitties doing this if we had fish.  

:-)  LOL!

LOL, this one cracked me up!  

How true, this is what my kitties would think for sure.  :-)

Book Review: Sweat Equity

Title:  Sweat Equity
Author:  Liz Crowe
Pages:  171
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  PDF via Kindle Fire (free for honest review)
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Erotic

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Jack Gordon thought he’d finally made it. He had a wildly successful career, money in the bank and had returned to his life as Dom, putting an end to a string of unfulfilling sexual encounters. Now that he’s made the ultimate commitment to Sara Thornton, he believes all is right in the world. But a series of misunderstandings and a dose of self-fulfilling prophesy bring his perfectly crafted house of cards tumbling down around him, forcing him to confront lingering misgivings about marriage and trust. Could those be the only two things he can never achieve?
Sara struggles with her intense need for Jack and her desire for less volatility in her busy life, which appear to be mutually exclusive goals. Although willing to put in the time and emotional effort to make their relationship work, she finds it futile and frustrating, littered with clashes thanks to near-identical personalities and temperaments. Given Sara’s history, easing back into the comfortable status quo becomes easier than fighting a war with the one person who should be her safe haven. But will the easier choice satisfy her the way only Jack can? Is her “war” one that comes from without or within?
Buffeted by circumstance, temptation and distraction, Jack and Sara’s tenuous relationship crumbles, sparking a continuous quest for the ever-elusive: trust, love and acceptance. By the time they rebuild a foundation for renewal, fate has other plans. Which leaves them both reeling, once again questioning their destiny."

My Review:
Sara and Jack are now engaged and planning a wedding.  However, Sara is still very untrusting of Jack and soon this is their demise.  The wedding is called off and Sara moves back to her own place and soon is being “comforted” by her hunky co-worker Craig.  Sara knows it is wrong to use Craig only as a fun distraction, but she can’t seem to stop herself when she sees his wonderful blond, surfer, body near her.  Top all that hunk off with an uncommon niceness and he is just the thing Sara needs.  Soon Craig is starting to fall in love with Sara, Sara is still in love with Jack, and Sara’s brother Blake is having his own relationship issues too.  This book is full of emotional turmoil, relationship woes, and mind blowing sex.  Will Sara and Jack be able to work out their differences again and get back together?  Or will Sara decide to give Craig a shot at her heart?  Can Sara and her brother Blake ever get over the fact that not all men are like their Father, who caused nothing but heartache for their Mother?

I enjoyed this book, but I think I liked the first book concerning Sara and Jack better.  I felt this one was a lot of back and forth and back and forth of emotions concerning Sara and Jack.  She loved him, she hated him…no she loved him…no she hated him.  I know this can be how real life can be or seem, but I think it pinballed back and forth a bit too much.  The characters became a bit more developed in this book though and more of their backgrounds came out, which I did like.  I also liked the concept of a confused woman not knowing whether to stay and fight for her love or just walk away.  Sara is a bit inclined to jump to conclusions though, but that adds to her personality.  The sex scenes in the book were just as hot or hotter than the first book!  WOW!  The author is so descriptive I almost felt like it was all happening in my own living room or on my own TV, I could see it so clearly.  This was a great book whether is was a continued read or a stand alone book if you didn’t read the first one.  It clearly continues form the first one though, so reading Floor Time before this one is a good idea to get the full concept.  I also can’t wait to read the next one to see where life takes Sara…and Jack.

5/5 Stars!

Counts toward following challenge:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Erotic Challenge.

Book Review: Dead As A Doornail

Title:  Dead As A Doornail
Author:  Charlaine Harris
Pages:  295
Publication Date:  2005
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery/Fantasy

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Small-town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse has had more than her share of experience with the supernatural—but now it’s really hitting close to home. When Sookie sees her brother Jason’s eyes start to change, she knows he’s about to turn into a were-panther for the first time—a transformation he embraces more readily than most shapeshifters she knows. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population, and Jason’s new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who’s behind the attacks—unless the killer decides to find her first…"

My Review:
Sookie Stackhouse never fails to amuse me, that’s for sure.  This girl gets into more trouble or predicaments than anyone possibly can.  Sookie gets mixed up in yet another supernatural mess when she goes with Alcide to the funeral of the Packmaster when he is killed.  Seems innocent enough to go to a funeral right?  Well, not for Sookie, she finds out that she is there for way more than paying her respects at the request of Alcide for the fallen Were.  There is to be a new Packmaster now and Alcide wants her to be at the “meeting” at which they prove which of the two candidates it should be, one of which is Alcide’s father.  In the mist of all this going on there is someone out there killing or trying to kill, shifters.  While trying to figure out who would do such a thing, the situation hits closer to home for Sookie when Sam is shot while in the parking lot of the bar with her and she is shot because she had the scent of a shifter on her.  Will they figure out who is hunting the shifters?  Also, Sookie is left to deal with the burning of her house.  Who would try to kill her by burning her in her own home?  Is this all connected or is it two separate mysteries?  Add to that the love triangle Sookie always seems to weave and there is a lot of things to contemplate in this book!

I absolutely loved this next installment in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  The action was there and the plot line was great, which can be hard to keep up after five books.  As always the characters just keep on developing too.  I still say I am “team Eric” though, as I think he would take better care of Sookie than Bill or Alcide.  I thought Sookie was a bit of a “player” in this book as far as who she was kissing…I mean she was smooching at least four or five different guys.  It is not a bad thing though, it just makes the readers continue to wonder who she really may end up with for the long term…if she does ever make up her mind.  I really hope she doesn’t go back to Bill though.  I can’t wait to see what develops in her relationships in the next book.  I thought I had the mystery of who was shooting the shifters all figured out, ya, was way off base.  Also, Harris had some curveballs in this book and plot that I didn’t see coming, but thought were great adds to the book.  I love reading about Sookie and her encounters and all her mysteries that seem to pop up.  I can’t wait to read the next book!  I think Harris is a great writer with an amazing sense of imagination.

4/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Mount TBR, Mystery and Suspense, Off the Shelf, Sookie Stackhouse Challenge, and TV Addict Challenge.

Versatile Book Review Post for Green as a Garden Hose

Title:  Green as a Garden Hose
Author:  Fran Stewart
Pages:  253
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery


Favorite Quote:  “I have many talents of which you are not aware.  One of them is that I do things the easy way.”  Said by Marmalade the cat.

Favorite Character:  Biscuit McKee = Down to Earth, Curious, and Determined.

Least Favorite Character:  Diane Marie Ames = Bossy, Rude, and Self-Centered.

Review:
Biscuit is very disturbed by the fact that, while climbing a cliff under the watchful eye of her son Scott, a woman’s body went flying past her from the top of the cliff down to the bottom…killing her.  The woman isn’t exactly who they all thought it was when they told police it was Diane Marie because of the lime green shirt she was wearing.  Oh it was Diane Marie alright, but not the one they thought it was.  Biscuit and her cat Marmalade take it upon themselves to try and find out if this Diane Marie really committed suicide like the note on top of the cliff suggests, or if it was a murder being covered up by staging a suicide.

B-Very Good Read!!!

Book Review: Green As A Garden Hose

Title:  Green as a Garden Hose
Author:  Fran Stewart
Pages:  253
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Was it suicide? Was it murder? Green As A Garden Hose is the third book of the Biscuit McKee Mystery Series. The engaging townspeople of Martinsville, Georgia, add extra dimension to this richly-woven tale of suspense, while the diary of the dead woman gives hints of her haunted life, hints that may not be read in time to save the lives of Biscuit and Marmalade."

My Review:
What a book!  Diane Marie whizzed past Biscuit’s view on the side of the cliff she was slowly climbing up with her son, Scott’s help.  You never quite forget the view of a someone’s body tumbling past you, nor can you forget very soon when your nose hurts so bad because the body pushed you against the rock and broke it.  Biscuit is convinced that it is the Diane Marie whom she knows and dislikes a lot, but she still is shaken up and feels badly about it.  What makes her think it is Diane Marie…well the bright lime green shirt she has on that you couldn’t miss of course, as Biscuit saw her in it earlier that day.  It comes to light later that there is not only more than one Diane Marie in town, but also that they all have a bright lime green shirt!  What are the odds?  So which Diane Marie is this that is dead?  Well, that’s what they soon find out.  Did Diane Marie commit suicide by jumping off the cliff?  Did someone “help” her off the cliff?  Will they ever truly find the real answers?  If Biscuit and her orange cat Marmalade have anything to say about it they certainly will find out the answers and more.  It helps that the town cop happens to be Biscuit’s new husband too, she is taken much more seriously in her views that way.

This book drew me in from the first chapter.  The action starts right away and then goes into the tangled web of, not one, but three, Diane Marie’s!  And what are the odds that they all have so much in common and could be so connected?  I just LOVED this aspect!!  The plot was wonderfully written, the characters amazingly lovable, and the concept of the whole book fantastic.  I love mysteries, especially murder mysteries, and one staring a curious woman with an orange cat makes it even better.  I loved how throughout the book the author added in the cat, Marmalade’s, views too.  It may sound like it would be confusing by the description, but it was very easy to follow because of how well it was written.  Made me think just how many coincidences there really can be in life with other people, including ones that you don’t know or don’t know very well.  Biscuit is a strong willed character that just draws you into the whole story.  She isn’t willing to believe what she doesn’t feel in her gut is right.  She also is willing to do what she can to prove that her feeling is not just a feeling, but truth.  Very good mystery!  I would recommend it to anyone wanting a good read and a mystery read too, with great details, plot, and wonderfully developed characters.

5/5 Stars!

This counts toward following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Color Coded Challenge, Mount TBR Challenge, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, Off the Shelf Challenge, Rainbow Reading Challenge, and Versatile Challenge

Book Review: Blood Runs Like a River...

Title:  The Blood Runs Like a River Through My Dreams
Author:  Nasdijj
Pages:  216
Publication Date:  2000
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Nonfiction/Memoir….Well was supposed to be, really it is fiction I am told

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
 "A searing book as powerful as the life experience that inspired it, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS transports readers to the majestic landscapes and hard Native American lives of the desert Southwest. Born to a storytelling Native mother and a roughneck, song-singing father, Nasdijj has always lived at the jagged-edged margins of society, yet hardship and isolation have only brought him greater clarity -- a gift for language and a voice of searching honesty. "In a prose style that could almost be chanted" (New York Magazine), Nasdijj writes of his adopted son, Tommy Nothing Fancy, and of his own chaotic childhood; of his struggles between two cultures and his pursuit of the writing life -- as a lifeline. A powerful, unforgettable memoir, THE BLOOD RUNS LIKE A RIVER THROUGH MY DREAMS will "wash over readers and often take them by surprise" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)."

My Review:
My review for this book will be short.  Why you may ask?  Well to be frank it was not that great of a book in my opinion so I feel no need to rant and rave over it.  Also, after having finished, what I thought was an ok book…not great, but ok…I found out that it is said to be a work of fiction instead of a real memoir.  The author wrote it and sold it as a memoir, but after some readers did some deeper looking at it after reading it, they actually came to find it a work of falsehood.  I am counting this as a memoir read for me, as this is what I fully thought it to be…until after reading it.  Therefore the review I feel comfortable writing is on the writing itself and NOT the story, so a bit of a different angle for my review than usual.  The writing, I would classify as, ok.  Again, not the best, but not the worst I have read.  It was a bit hard to follow at times…a lot of the time for me.  It was shifted from present, past with his child, past with his family, and past as in his childhood.  Now this would have been ok, had it not all been shifted to all these parts in one chapter and sometimes even one page.  I felt like I was talking to a great aunt I had in my family when I was younger.  What do I mean by that?  Well, she would start a conversation talking about one thing and then, without even ending that sentence sometimes, would all the sudden start talking about something else entirely different.  That is how this book was for me.  Some of the chapters gave me mental whiplash!  Why did I continue reading?  The concept of the book and the author (who I thought was real at the time of reading) was intriguing to me and I thought it would get better.  I think that is all I have for you on this book front though.

2/5 Stars!

Counts toward challenges:  1,000,000 Pages Read and Cupcakes War Challenge.

Book Review: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

Title:  Mennonite in a Little Black Dress
Author:  Rhoda Janzen
Pages:  241
Publication Date:  2009
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Nonfiction/Memoir

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Not long after Rhoda Janzen turned forty, her world turned upside down. It was bad enough that her brilliant husband of fifteen years left her for Bob, a guy he met on Gay.com, but that same week a car accident left her with serious injuries. What was a gal to do? Rhoda packed her bags and went home. This wasn’t just any home, though. This was a Mennonite home. While Rhoda had long ventured out on her own spiritual path, the conservative community welcomed her back with open arms and offbeat advice. (Rhoda’s good-natured mother suggested she date her first cousin—he owned a tractor, see.) It is in this safe place that Rhoda can come to terms with her failed marriage; her desire, as a young woman, to leave her sheltered world behind; and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.Written with wry humor and huge personality—and tackling faith, love, family, and aging—Mennonite in a Little Black Dressis an immensely moving memoir of healing, certain to touch anyone who has ever had to look homeward in order to move ahead."

My Review:
I don’t think I have ever read a better memoir!  Rhoda Janzen is from a Mennonite family, but has never really truly agreed with things that they do or don’t do.  Not completely anyway.  So when she is old enough she leaves to pursue things that “normal” Mennonites wouldn’t, like a career in literature and teaching.  She also marries a non-Mennonite man.  Rhoda describes her life in such a way that she is not by any means disrespecting her Mennonite roots or other Mennonites, but she is not going along with everything they say either.  She writes this book in a, this is just how it is, kind of way.  It was a fantastic read which I couldn’t put down!  I found myself agreeing with her on things and it is one of the few books I have read that actually had me smiling on the outside and laughing out loud while reading.  She knows just how to put comedic twists on serious issues without sounding like she is making fun or them or disrespecting them.  I also have never read a book where so much happens in it, I mean I know memoirs are like that, but this one went above what I thought would be in it.  Rhoda’s Mother cracked me up too, being a woman who isn’t even trying to be funny, but is.  If we could all be more like Rhoda and her Mom and have a “tell it like it is” way there would never be any question as to what we are thinking or wanting.

I enjoyed the incite into the Mennonite ways too.  It was very enlightening and educational to read about Rhoda’s life as a child growing up as Mennonite.  I found myself thinking how uninformed I really was or how misinformed I was on the true meaning and beliefs of Mennonites.  I enjoyed this book for many reasons and I admire the author who had the courage and took the time to write about her life and its many ups and downs.  I took a lot away from this book and am very glad to have read it.  I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone that needs a good laugh, smile, and a down to earth good read.

5/5 Stars!!

This counts toward the challenges:  1,000,000 Pages Read, Cupcake Wars Challenge, Mount TBR, Off the Shelf Challenge, and Semi Charmed Challenge.

Book Review: Floor Time

Title:  Floor Time
Author:  Liz Crowe
Pages:  170
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  PDF Via Kindle  (free for honest review)
Genre:  Adult Erotic Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Jack Gordon is Ann Arbor's most delectable bachelor. At age thirty-five, he's made millions as a top-selling Ann Arbor real estate broker and has the right connections to close a deal by any means necessary. With his rugged good looks and compelling personality, he has a virtual black book most men would kill for and he uses it often, never settling for one woman for very long. 
While his D/s past remains buried, exactly where he wants it, an undercurrent of boredom and dissatisfaction runs through his life now. A disastrous experience years earlier made him swear off the whole scene, but the more Jack suppresses his natural Dom, the more his frustration grows. 
Sara Thornton, a rookie in the real estate game, has fast-tracked herself to the top of the Ann Arbor market. Her life reflects a disciplined and focused routine, exactly the way she wants it. However, as her career takes off, the fulfillment she seeks remains inexplicably out of reach. The one thing she knows for sure, she will not join the Jack Gordon groupies in her company, no matter how tempting that might seem.
A chance encounter, then a difficult transaction, throw Jack and Sara together and the sparks fly high and hot and often. Forced to confront the compulsions that gain momentum with each sizzling encounter, their relationship seems to spiral out of control until Jack finally admits what he needs, and shows Sara what she's been missing."
My Review:
When you are a successful, female, realtor you meet and work with a lot of men.  Sara Thornton is this woman, the woman who has a great career, a nice place to call her own, friends, and a great attitude.  So what is she missing?  Well a man of course, a man to have a relationship with and maybe even try to love.  Problem is, Sara is not very good at picking out this man.  The one she thought was worthy of her love and attention turned out to be engaged and buying a place to start his new life…with is fiancé.  Then there is Jack Gordon, perfect example of a man you do NOT want to be with for anything more than a good time.  A man whose only interest is in unattached sex with women…many women.  Jack and Sara’s worlds collide one day and they find it hard to separate them again.  Can two people who couldn’t seem more different really have something in common and enough in common to try for a relationship?  Can a man who’s theory is to have sex and leave them change his ways for a woman who seems to not even want him?  Can Sara look past the “sex Jack” and see a good man?

This book was absolutely amazing!  Please note though, that this IS an erotic romance…so there are some quite detailed sex scenes.  The whole concept of Sara, Jack, and the lives they lead is perfect.  The characters in this book are great, they are easy to identify with.  Some erotic books I have read are just that, erotic pages in a book, but this book is more than just an erotic story all about just sex.  It is about two people who are afraid of commitment and relationships that are beyond “just sex” because of past relationships that they were hurt in.  It’s about two people who are feeling things they haven’t felt for a long time, but aren’t so sure they want to open themselves up enough to see if it those feelings are mutual and may go somewhere.  Along the way of figuring all those feelings out, it also is about two adults “meeting their sexual needs” in ways that make a reader blush.  I enjoyed all aspects of this book and would encourage others to read it as well.  It was a book that could seem sweet, yet could turn up the heat, all at the same time.  There are more books that continue this story and I fully intend to read them and can’t wait to see where they take Jack and Sara in their lives and in their relationship.  Well written book with great characters you will just love, sex scenes that will make you hot and/or blush, and moments that make you just say “aaawww”.

5/5 Stars!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Erotic Challenge.

Book Review: I'm Yours (Bold As Love)

Title:  I’m Yours (Bold As Love)
Author:  Lindsay Paige
Pages:  157
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction/Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"After the incident with Claire, Emily encounters more problems. Conrad is back with explanations and hope. Emily wants to give him a chance to explain himself. She can't help but wonder why he left. However, Jake isn't comfortable with Emily going out to eat with an old lover. 
Will things be too much for Emily to handle? Will Emily do the one thing she knows best and withdraw? Will Emily and Jake's love for one another keep them from shattering?"

My Review:
This is an absolutely wonderful continuation of Emily and Jake’s newfound relationship.  No relationship is all rainbows and unicorns though, and theirs is no different.  Just when they are starting to acknowledge that they may just love one another, a very unexpected thing happens…Emily’s ex boyfriend finds her and tells her why he left her and how he still loves her.  Who will Emily pick?  Can her new found love for Jake outweigh the love she had that was so strong for Conrad?  Jake isn’t sure how Emily feels for him, but he does know what he feels for her and it’s love.  He can’t stand to think that he may lose her to an ex that suddenly seeks her out after years.  Jake and Emily not only have this to overcome, but there are other things that come along too that require many decisions to me made.  What does the future hold for Jake and Emily as a couple if anything?

There is a lot that happens in this second book of the series and it lived up to the expectation I had for it after my love of the first book for sure.  I loved how it seemed to just continue on, so I knew exactly where they had come from without having an awkward time lapse that seems to happen in many other series.  This book had me loving the characters even more and relating to them in a much deeper fashion.  Some of the things in this book that happened really hit home for me and made me think of my own past.  I like how Jake is such a great big brother in both of these books, taking care of his little brother Drake because his Dad has become and alcoholic since Jake’s Mom died of cancer.  Once again the author amazed me and kept me absolutely enthralled in this book from start to end.  This is such a well written book, again with such great characters.  I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I must keep my thoughts shorter than I would like to.  I just can’t say enough how great of a writer Lindsay is and what a great book this is and the series is.  The romance is just so sweet and tender and I felt like I could feel the love between Jake and Emily as I read the book.  This is a MUST read for anyone who love a good and tender romance, whether you are young or old.

5/5 Stars!!

This counts for following challenges:  100 Books Read and 1,000,000 Pages Read

Book Review: Sweetness (Bold As Love)

Title:  Sweetness (Bold As Love)
Author:  Lindsay Paige
Pages:  111
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Young Adult Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Emily wished she was invisible. But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world.
Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love. 
Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together."

My Review:
What good can possibly come out of a quiet, shy, girl with a very bad past being paired up with one of the head hockey players for a school project?  Emily doesn’t even talk to people, much less want to work with the school hockey player, Jake, on a project.  She figures she will be doing all the work anyway so just starts working on the project.  Jake comes over and surprises her by wanting to help and wanting to get to know her better.  How can such a broken girl have anything in common with a high school hockey player though?  Emily can’t help but find herself wondering what he wants from her or what he is trying to do.  Jake is just as shocked as Emily, but only because he starts to care about her and want to get to know her.  He doesn’t know what happened to her to make her so secluded, but he wants to find out and wants to help her in any way he can.  The only person Emily is interested in talking to though is Drake, Jake’s little brother.  Can Jake make Emily see that he really does care about her?  Will she open up to him about what happened to her to make her as withdrawn as she is with other people?  Can Emily really trust him?

I must say that this is the sweetest, most romantic love story I have read in a long time.  I was sucked into the story from the moment I started reading it.  The characters were easy to fall in love with and connect with and the plot of the story was just about as sweet and amazing as they can come.  Not that the lives of Jake and Emily are easy or should be made light of, but the concept of the whole plot was a great thing to read.  This book is filled with a tenderness that you don’t find in most romance books, or any other books for that matter.  I found myself actually in aw of the two teenagers finding love in each other and both trying to come out of their shells with each other.  The relationship of Emily and her Dad, Mike, is also very touching.  I must say that I was swept up in this book and would highly recommend it to anyone, young adult or adult, that is looking for a tender and sweet romance with great characters and concepts.  I think this author did an amazing job with this book and I can’t wait to start the second book of this series that she wrote.  I am hoping that the next book continues with Jake and Emily and builds on the relationship they are trying to make.  I also am excited to see Emily develop more and come out of her shell more.  I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book with some of the events that took place in this book towards the end too.  Very excited about reading the next book!

5/5 Stars!!

This counts for following challenges:  100 Books Read and 1,000,000 Pages Read.

Off Topic Totally...

So, normally I don't post personal stuff or rants on my blog for reading/reviews only (except for my Theme Thursdays, Cat Thursdays, and Friday Fun)....BUT I feel the need to put this out there, as I have been thinking about this a LOT lately.  So here I go, my first blog rant....ride this out with me....


Ever wish or dream about going back in time to high school?  Events this month have led me to thinking this.  It was SO much easier back then...no child (now...I love my son and wouldn't trade him for anything, but it's a fact, I didn't have him then), no REAL bills (sure I had a car payment/ins and cell phone, but that was it), no worries about if I spend money on this today will it come around to bite me in the you-know-what later (I didn't have many bills, so had money to spare for things like going to movies or on trips or to see things), no one to worry about or even think about really except for myself as far as if I went somewhere or wanted to go somewhere/do something, and wonderful friends to join me in all this.  As I think back and look at this list even, I see only one thing that is the same...great friends.  I think I would be crazy by now had I not had them and continued to have them.  I look back and think...I really liked high school, I didn't mind school or homework really, and I never minded going for the most part.  I look back and some things make me smile or laugh just by thinking about them....for instance...I had a teacher that was my favorite, Mr. Johnson, he taught Anthropology.  He was a card and then some, but made sure to still teach, just in a very fun and memorable way.  :-)  He had a few lines that were classic Mr. Johnson lines to say...like "What...What the...What the hell IS that?".  He would say this all the time when he didn't think we were listening...which would cause us all to look at him and want to know what he was talking about or looking at.  OR his line that cracks me up to this day when I see Grandma's Cookies.  There is a company that makes cookies around here called Grandma's Cookies, they come in two packs of big cookies.  Well, our school would have kids sell them for fundraising for band and such for trips.  In Mr. Johnson's class one day he saw these familiar staples in our school for fundraising and stopped dead in his teaching tracks/lecture.  He then walked over, picked them up, and looked at them with a puzzled, yet horrified look on his face.  He then says, "Grandma's Cookies....Made with REAL Grandmas", puts it back in the box and continues teaching.  We all lost it and broke into uncontrollable laughing.  Now, when I am in a store and I see them I smile and chuckle thinking of him.  He is retired now from teaching, but will never be forgotten by those of us who had him.  Wonderful teacher!!


Why do I bring all this up?  I have been having a REALLY bad and upside down month of May and I saw these cookies in the store today and just busted up laughing and they made me think of the past.  Made me think of how different my life is now, not that I would change it, but I see how much easier it was then.  I seemed to get strength today from seeing those cookies, thinking how much fun Mr. Johnson seemed to have in our class with us and in his life outside of work.  I see him sometimes still, and think...how can he have it so right and pulled together?  Maybe he doesn't all the time, but he sure seems it.  Then again, people think I look that way...or used to.  May has taken a tole on me, emotionally and physically, so I have lost some of this ability to seem fine to the outside world and leave trouble elsewhere.  My inspiration to keep plugging along after my upside down May?  Mr. Johnson's goofy's that make me smile to this day, my family, and my WONDERFUL friends!!!!


Ever have a month like that?  One that just throws you for a loop?  How come it seems so easy to be broken, but so hard to be fixed?  Ever get tired of being the "strong one" that people have come to know?  All of this also, I feel, explains more about why I have been so scarce this month on my blog...and no I'm not saying I have spent all month reminiscing my high school days...I'm saying it was just "one of those months" for me that made me look at it and go..."What the hell IS this?".  


I am truly hoping that June is better for me.  I plan to take some time off the first part of June for some family time and regrouping time.  Then I hope to be able to come back with the blogging gusto I have had since December of 2011 when I started my reading/reviewing blog.  :-)  I LOVE all of you who have stuck with me through my rough May.  I appreciate your understanding and patience.  It's so nice to hear that you are all willing to stick by me through these rocky weeks.  I DO have some reviews coming up next week!  I have at least 4 of them to post for you and hopefully another 2 later in the week next week.  I WILL return and I WILL be "back in the saddle again"!!  :-)


That's all of my rant/memory, sorry to have been totally off topic from my reviewing...just wanted/needed to share this.  

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 64

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       After a long day, I like to sit back and relax with my son by watching a movie with some yummy popcorn.

2.       Baby wipes are/is my favorite cleaning product Now, hear me out...lol...I think this because these are the ONLY things that get black soot out of my carpet.  (we have a fuel oil furnace that you light and when I open the door to light it sometimes soot comes out and I could never find anything that would get it up out of the carpet...but baby wipes do!)  :-)

3.       I can’t stand to watch ANY sad movie.  

4.       I want to dance with my husband when I hear our wedding song, Cross my heart by George Strait.

Theme Thursday! May 24th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

FRIEND , Buddy, confidant, comrade etc

My Snippet:  "My new-old friend Eva, whom I had known in college but whom I was just now really appreciating, has one of those souls that run deep, a clear cool well whose depth keeps on surprising, like Lake Louise."  ~Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

Cat Thursday! May 24th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! 

Indeed, and this is SO my cat when I'm on the computer.  LOL!

Can you say...AAAWWWWWW!!!???!!

LOL!  Looks a bit snug.  

;-)  How true!

Away From My Blog

Hello All!
I know I have seemed scarce lately, but a LOT has been going on in my personal life that has called my attention elsewhere.  I will return later this week with some posts and next week with review posts.  Today and tomorrow I will be out of town, so unable to post.  Don't worry, I assure you I have indeed been reading.  :-)


So sorry to have seemed out of the loop this month, believe me, I would have much rather been reading/reviewing/blogging over what I have been doing and dealing with.  Also, I will have a post with my summer schedule changes for my blog next week or later this week.  My reading/reviewing/blogging will be changing a bit for summer as my son will be out of school and we have more family events planned.


Thanks so much for understanding and bearing with me this month and in the summer months to come.  I LOVE all my followers and feel bad about this month's absence of mine, but I will be back I promise you.  :-)

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 63

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       I like to avoid NEGATIVE PEOPLE if possible.  Hard to do this though, but I try my best.  ;-)

2.       Patience is a virtue I do not have.....At least not all the time.  I have it sometimes, but would love to have it more.  Lol.

3.       Sometimes the hugs from those I love (virtual or real) are the things that make me feel better when I am feeling blue.  

4.       I think that friends and family are the best people in the WHOLE WORLD!! :-)

Theme Thursday!!! May 17th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

MOM , Grandmother, aunt, teacher (an elder women who deserves respect)

My little snippet for this week:  "Yet in the days before Jonas Salk, when my mother was a girl, polio crippled her younger brother Abe and also withered the arm of her closest sister Gertrude."  from Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

Ok, not the happiest of snippets, I must say, but the first one I saw.  Lol.

Cat Thursday!! May 17th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy! 

This was almost the truth in our house last year.  Our boy Romeo tried to play "catch" or "tag" with Scrat our hamster we had then.  I had to open his jaws to get poor Scrat out.  So, I can totally relate to this look.  

Yup, this has happened in our house!  Hence why the toilet paper stays in the drawer by the toilet now.  LOL.

LOL, my Mom's cat gets this look when we try to play with her and she doesn't want us to.  She LOVES Mom, but as far as the rest of us that come and go in the house, she wants nothing to do with us.  

LOL!!!  Love this!  :-)

Book Review: The Sun Zebra

Title:  The Sun Zebra
Author:  R. Garcia
Pages:  66
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version  (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Fiction, Short Stories

My Review:
This is a book filled with short stories that will touch anyone who reads them!  I am not normally a fan of books with short stories in them, I really don’t know why, I just like a book with longer plots I guess.  This book however…I LOVED IT!!!  This book is great for adults, kids, and adults that are still kids at heart.  The stories in it were absolutely wonderful!  I found myself smiling or chuckling through most of them and thinking how Nell, the little girl, is so much like my own son.  Nell is very inquisitive and likes to ponder things for far longer than most children and really takes things to heart.  I think the other thing that made me dive right in was the fact that all the short stories involved the same people, they just were different times in their lives.

By far my favorite stories were The Sun Zebra and The Meaningless Christmas Tree.  If I had to pick a single favorite one, The Sun Zebra wins hands down.  This short story is one that took on a lot of meaning to me.  It was one that I could see my son having done.  This story reminded me and will all readers I think, that it is all about how you look at things and your perspective on things that makes you who you are and life what it is.  This book is a MUST MUST READ for anyone and everyone!  It was extremely well written and contained amazing stories.  I can’t give this book enough praise, you really must experience it for yourself.  So, go out there and read The Sun Zebra, you won’t be sorry.

10/5 Stars!!!  It was such a great book, it belongs off my star chart.

This book counts for the following challenges:   100 Books Read and 1,000,000 Pages Read.

Book Review: The Faustian Host

Title:  The Faustian Host
Author:  Dave Becker
Pages:  221
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Young Adult Mystery/Dystopian

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who's to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.
After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world."

My Review:
When you are a boy that has had nothing but bad luck, what else should people think you are, but cursed?  This is Tony’s life.  His mother killed herself when he was very young, no one really seems to know why…or at least they don’t want to tell him why.  Then his caretaker, his grandmother dies and Tony is left to figure out what will happen next.  Well, what happens next is he finds out guardianship of him was given to a couple that he doesn’t even know, or remember ever meeting and they live in another state none the less.  Tony doesn’t want to go, but really what choice does he have?  A stranger tells him that he can stay and not have to go with them, but Tony says he has no choice and he doesn’t trust the stranger.  The stranger says Tony will be cursed and shortly after a meteor hits his grandmother’s house and destroys it.  Coincidence or curse?  Tony moves in with the Browns and soon is settling in best he can.  He was always above the school level he was in, but never advanced above his level because he didn’t do well on homework and stuff like that.  The Browns ask him if he wants to go to a special school for the gifted instead of a regular public school.  They agree to go check it out and Tony is accepted, after a full day of testing him, at Kalos Academy.  He soon makes a few friends, but that new friendship is quickly put to the test when Tony touches an ancient scroll and it bursts into flames.  Tony is viewed by all the students and much of the staff as cursed.  The longer Tony is in school the worse it gets…they go on a field trip and Plymouth Rock starts to bleed, the small town soon is covered in flies that he now lives in, then a toxic ash starts falling, and those are just a few things that occur mysteriously only after Tony moves to town.  Is he really cursed?  If he is why?  Or is this all just one big end of the world coincidence?  This is what Tony and his friends, that he does still have, are going to go to great lengths to find out.  The friends go through much adventure, confusion, many emotions, and a lot of hard times to try to get to the bottom of things and what they find is nothing at all what they thought they would.

This was a good read, but I found myself drifting a lot while reading it.  I’m not saying it was a bad book by any means, just that parts of it lost me.  This is a well written young adult fantasy/mystery, but again sometimes I found myself not really understanding what was really going on.  I mean I got that they were trying to figure out why all the mysterious things were happening and if it really did relate to Tony, but I found myself a bit lost in how it really did relate to him.  I got the drift of why and how, but I didn’t feel super confident that I understood what was really going on.  Now, I will be the first to admit that it may have just been me and how I read it and perceived it all.  That being said, however, I want to say this too…the characters in this book were very easy to understand or relate to and had very good dynamics to them.  I loved the descriptive language the author used to describe things going on in the book and the characters also.  I never had any question of what to picture in my head while I was reading.  I could “see” it all, no problem.  The characters were so different from one another I couldn’t help but think of the saying “opposites attract” when their friendships blossomed.  I found myself really feeling for Tony too, having such a rough time growing up, my heart went out to him.  Especially when the Browns give him a birthday gift and he tells them that he never received one before.  So, even though the plot had me confused at times, it did eventually make sense and come together for me, the characters were amazing, and the writing was very descriptive.

4/5 Stars!

This counts for the following challenges:  100 Books Read and 1,000,000 Pages Read.

FREE EBOOK May 15/16!!

Just wanted to pass along a free ebook opportunity for all of you readers!

Night of the Purple Moon by Scott Cramer is FREE today and tomorrow on amazon.com!  I have this book from the author on my TBR list, so I thought I would pass along his promotion of his free ebook for these two days.  Go and check it out!

Here is a blurb from amazon.com:
"Space germs decimate the adult population. Who will survive?

"I found it to be a gripping book. Strong recommendation." Jim @ YA YEAH YEAH 

"Quite simply, one of the best books I've read all year, a fine example of post-apocalyptic fiction." Clever Spud, top Amazon reviewer

"I had goosebumps, just imagining this happening. Mr. Cramer made it THAT believable and real." Christy @ Captivating Reading

For months, astronomers have been predicting that Earth will pass through the tail of a comet. They say that people will see colorful sunsets and, best of all, a purple moon.

But nobody has predicted the lightning-fast epidemic that sweeps across the planet on the night of the purple moon. The comet brings space dust with it that contains germs that attack human hormones. Older teens and adults die within hours of exposure.

On a small island off the coast of Maine, a group of teens and children struggle to survive in this new world, but all the while they have inside them a ticking time bomb — adolescence."

Book Review: Shaman, Friend, Enemy

Title:  Shaman, Friend, Enemy
Author:  M. Terry Green
Pages:  334
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Patients with fractured souls, clients threatened by deadly ancestor spirits, and now the paparazzi–it’s all in a day’s work for techno-shaman Olivia Lawson. Livvy has rocketed to the top of the shaman world, bringing old friends with her but also attracting new enemies.
Even as her career soars, her personal life spirals downward. Broken bonds and lost love finally force her to confront the terrible secret of her beginning in shamanism. Despite being attacked by dark shamans and navigating a spiritual plane that seems out of control, Livvy’s single-minded quest steers her into dangerous territory and puts her on a collision course with those dearest to her.
No longer interested in walking a fine line, Livvy discovers that–when the one thing you need is the one thing you can’t have–you’ll risk everything."

My Review:
I couldn’t wait to see what Livvy, Min, and SK would do next in this book!  I enjoyed the first book and was very much looking forward to seeing them all develop more and move on with life in this book.  Livvy has become a well known shaman in this book and is very busy now with her job as a shaman.  Min is her assistant and SK is still her go to man that gets her all her clients.  I was absolutely ecstatic when Livvy admitted to SK that she was in love with him!!!  There is a catch though, a shaman can’t have, or isn’t supposed to have, a relationship of romantic nature with her in between guy.  What harm can really come of it though?  Shouldn’t two people who love one another be able to be together no matter what?  Well above all of the romantic drama is the very dangerous drama that Livvy has found.  There is another shaman who seems to somehow be able to find her even in the spirit world.  Even more pressing, while in the spirit world this enemy of Livvy’s seems to be able to hurt her, not only in the spirit world, but in the real world through the spirit world.  How is that possible?  How is this enemy even finding Livvy in the spirit world in the first place without being hooked into her goggles as a network?  What does she want from Livvy?  Livvy needs help from SK to understand more and try to figure it all out…however she can’t tell him the whole truth of when she first saw the enemy shaman.  Why?  Well Livvy has some deep dark secrets of her own that she wants to keep unknown to all around her.  Can she really do that though, when her life is in danger if she doesn’t spill the whole truth?

I thought this was a great follow up book to the first one.  I loved the continued development of all the characters.  I also really liked getting to know Livvy more for the shaman and person she really is.  I found it interesting to find out more about how she became a lightening shaman and what she sacrificed to take on her calling to be the lightening shaman.  I feel this book connects Livvy to the reader more.  I also enjoyed the building of a relationship between Livvy and SK and the dynamics it is forced to take because of what they are to each other, boss type and shaman.  I would recommend this book to anyone who read the first book for sure!  It also would be a good stand alone book to though, as the author did a great job with filling in what had to be filled in if you didn’t read the first one, but not over doing it if you did.  I think that takes true talent as a writer to do that.  To not make the reader feel as though they are re-reading the first book, but telling what has to be told to make it a stand alone book if it is read that way.  If there comes a third book in the series, which I hope there does, I will definitely be putting it on my to be read list!  What a great mystery concept and great writer!

5/5 Stars!

This counts toward the challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Mystery and Suspense Challenge.

Book Review: Shaman, Healer, Heretic

Title:  Shaman, Healer, Heretic
Author:  M. Terry Green
Pages:  336
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Version (free from author for honest review)
Genre:  Fiction/Mystery/Thriller

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Even for a techno-shaman, a kachina in the bedroom isn#x2019;t exactly part of the drill. When Olivia Lawson wakes to find one towering over her, she panics. A Hopi god visiting the real world isn't just wrong; it's impossible or is it?  Soon Olivia learns that the kachina is the least of her worries. As she struggles to save her clients, clashes with other shamans, and fends off the attacks of real-world vigilantes, Olivia finds herself in the destructive path of a malevolent ancient force intent on leaving the spiritual realm to conquer this one.  Left with few options, Olivia is forced to defy centuries of shaman prohibitions. As she and her allies risk everything in their bid for survival, Olivia ultimately learns that the rules are there for a reason and that breaking them has a terrible cost."

My Review:
I absolutely LOVED this book!  It was such a different kind of mystery/thriller than I normally read.  I just loved the shaman angle of the book.  Livvy is a techno-shaman who relies on SK for clients, which isn’t quite as many as she would like or that her checkbook would like.  She doesn’t get rich for what she does, but she does enjoy it and she is good at it.  Livvy doesn’t have a perfect life, but it isn’t horrible either.  Her life takes a change when a kachina visits her in the real world, they only are known to be in the spirit world.  She tries to ignore him, but he keeps coming back to her.  Well one day he saves her life while she is in the spirit world.  A bad spirit is lose again in the spirit world and Livvy is trying to figure out how to banish her or kill her.  Through the book Livvy seeks help from Min (a fellow shaman) and SK.  Later she gets help from other shaman too.  Livvy is willing to risk her life to make the spirit world safe again for the shaman to keep doing their work and for the deceased spirits to be able to go through.  Can she find the answers soon enough?  Will she die trying?  Not only does Livvy have all these worries, but the “common” population where she lives is not so fond of the shaman kind anymore because of the weird things happening.  This isn’t just a simple case of hate either, some guys beat her up and try to kill her and then she goes home one night to a ransacked apartment and vandalized door/apartment.  Even if she survives the spirit world demons can she survive the human villains that have it in for her because of what she is?

I wasn’t too sure about this book when I started it to be honest, but I quickly fell in love with the character of Livvy (the shaman) and also the character of SK (the dwarf man who helps the shaman work).  It was a great mystery that wasn’t a “typical” mystery.  What do I mean?  Well I mean most mysteries there is a murder/shooting and they try to solve it.  This book had a mystery of another nature, a spirit world mystery that the characters tried to figure out and fix.  I really got into the book and the characters.  This was a very well written book too, there was no “down time” in it, the flow was just right.  I personally liked the shorter chapters too, some people may not, but I did.  I like knowing that if I only have a little time to read I can get through a whole chapter or two instead of having to stop in the middle of one.  Just my preference, but I liked it.  I can’t wait to read the next book, “Shaman, Friend, Enemy” that the author wrote.  I kind of hope Livvy and SK can build a romantic relationship, they are great together and I can tell SK really does care for Livvy by what all happens in this book.  I also hope that the other characters, the other shaman, make a comeback appearance in the next book.  They all had very clashing personalities, but seemed to really be able to make it work when they had to work together for the good of the spirit world. This is a must read book for any mystery lover who wants some new “tastes” on their palate.

5/5 Stars!!!!

This counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Mystery and Suspense Challenge.

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun! Week 62

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

 

1.       In the summer We are always SUPER busy!!!  Also we are outside....A LOT!

2.       I always yawn when I see or hear someone else yawn.  Every time!

3.       Reading any book makes me relaxed and happy and takes me into another world for a little while.

4.       4. I like to live in the country because I like feeling free and not so tight up against other houses/people.