BOOK REVIEW: Chasing Rainbows - Kathleen Long

GENRE: Adult – Fiction
FORM: eBook

Book 2 of the 2012 eBook Challenge

SYNOPSIS: “Hard times” is minor in comparison to what Bernadette is going through. Her husband has left her for another woman; another life. Her father just died unexpectedly. And if that isn’t bad enough, her dog got kicked out of obedience school….again. The death of her father and her husband leaving has also brought on an onslaught of memories from five years prior, when her one and only child, Emma, died of a heart defect at 5 days old. Despite wanting to wallow in a pool of chocolate and self pity, Bernie knows she has to press forward and move on with her life the best she can.

REVIEW: Outside of having a hard time not thinking “am I going to have to change my name to Bernice Matice,” (line from Hope Floats movie) every time I read the main character’s name, even though it was Bernadette and NOT Bernice…, I found Chasing Rainbows to be a beautiful and uplifting book about life and getting through it’s hard times. Now that I think about it, Hope Floats was very similar to this book in many ways, and now I’m wondering about the inspiration for the book itself…anyhow.

Bernadette is having her fair share of hard times, more than most of us could handle at one time. Often while reading when I felt like I might cry because of Bernie’s pain and emotional suffering, and there were times when I was laughing at her antics. She truly was a women on the edge of rational thinking. Her life seemed to be crumbling down around her, but she had a wall of support build up around her in form of her best friend, Denise, her mother and two of her neighbors, all of whom had words of help and wisdom but also demonstrated to Bernice that she was not the only one with hard times and pain in their life. At times even her soon-to-be ex-husband brought words of wisdom that ultimately played into Bernice’s healing process.

I will say, there were moments I thought the Bernie was a bit over the top – especially when she jumped the counter at a cosmetic station in the mall, but it was this over-the-topness that brought most of the entertainment of the book. For an ebook that I got free at Amazon.com, I was very impressed with this read. It was heartfelt, funny, sad and contained just enough courage and hope to make you believe in second chances at life.

(In addition to “Bernice Matice,” I found myself continually singing, “don’t go chasing waterfalls…” while reading, which is also completely and utterly unrelated...but I guess "chasing rainbows" was close enough for my mind. And NOW I’ve probably sufficiently gotten it stuck in your head…you’re welcome! =) )

BOOK REVIEW: The Boyfriend Thief

GENRE: Young Adult Fiction, Romance

FORM: eBook

Book 1 of the 2012 eBook Challenge

SYNOPSIS: Avery James has a lot of ambition and drive. She is determined to raise enough money to be able to go to Costa Rica to volunteer with doctors and humanitarian workers; which would give her a notch on her college applications as well as possibly put her a step closer to her runaway mother. However, money is not coming in very easily, and she will be offered no help from her father. That is until her ex-best-friend-now-arch-nemesis, Heather, offers her a deal; the rest of the money for Costa Rica in exchange for stealing her boyfriend.

REVIEW: I have to admit, I almost didn’t finish reading The Boyfriend Thief. After the plot of the book was quickly known and the character’s personalities revealed, I wasn’t sure I could put up with Avery’s attitude for the duration of the book. Avery has been extremely bitter about relationships ever since her mother up and left her, her father, and brother, and soon after she lost her two best friends in a moment of stupidity. She is controlling, bitter, and at times mean and very judgmental.  When called out on her behavior she is hurt and offended. She is as selfish of a character as they come. So you can understand my hesitancy to read an entire book of, “my mom was a miserable creep, so watch me put up unrealistic walls, and attempt control everyone’s life.” Even in her chapter of redemption, I felt like it all came much too quickly and easily for her. While the character in the book showed remorse and understanding – the storyline didn’t really help me to believe it.

The person who made the book worth the read was Zac. He was sweet and innocent, quirky and smart too. I enjoyed the chemistry between him and Avery. I loved his words of wisdom, especially since was supposed to be a lazy goof up. He was cute and funny and had a way of making Avery open up and talk in a way that no one else could. He was the best part of the entire book.

The Boyfriend Thief was a quick easy read. I may have reviewed it harshly, but for a nice Young Adult read – it does the trick in a pinch. Especially for the ebook price!

BOOK REVIEW: Beauty and the Werewolf - Mercedes Lackey

Title: Beauty and the Werewolf

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Five Hundred Kingdoms #6

Form:  book

Review:  First off let me say I love Mercedes Lackey. I’ve read almost all of her Elemental Masters series. I believe the Fire Rose was my first Mercedes Lackey book. It’s also a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I have to say I like The Fire Rose better than Beauty and the Werewolf, but this isn’t a review about that book so let me get back on track and talk about Beauty and the Werewolf.

It’s the sixth book in The Five Hundred Kingdoms series. I would say each book could be a stand-alone but I recommend reading them in order starting with The Fairy Godmother, just so that you can get a better understanding of The Tradition. Also the main character of that book makes an appearance in all the following books. (My favorite is One Good Knight). OK back to Beauty and the Werewolf. I liked it. It was a good retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

I really loved the invisible servants, they reminded me of all the household items that came to life in the Disney movie. I liked their relationship with Bella and their resolution and the end of the book.

Speaking of Bella, I liked her. I read some reviews that said she was manipulative and bossy, yes she was, BUT there is character growth. I liked her because she had a mind of her own. She wasn’t demure, she wasn’t too innocent. She knew what she wanted and went for it. She knew what she needed to do and did it. She was determined to make more of herself than other women of that time period.Traditionally, she played a big part in helping to break the curse on him, but it wasn’t through a traditional kiss.

The him that I speak of is Sebastian. I’m not sure how I feel about him. I don’t think his character was developed enough. I would have liked to see more growth in him and more about his relationship with Bella. He’s a good character but not a very deep one. 

Now Eric on the other hand. I didn’t like his character then I liked his character, then I didn’t like his character, then I liked.. well you get the idea. He kept things interesting. I think his relationship with Bella is a little bit more developed than hers with Sebastian, which is interesting considering the ending of the book.

I’ll admit, I’m getting sick of the love triangle that seems to have started with Twilight, but I wouldn’t say that is in this book. Sebastian is the Beast and Eric is a representation of Gaston, not a close one, but enough of one that I don’t think Bella, Eric, and Sebastian could be considered to be in a love triangle.

The ending of the book was not as big of a surprise as I would of liked, but it was a good one and it wasn’t too typical. Another review I read said the reader had figured out everything early on in the book. I personally was kept guessing. I thought I had it figured out, then I kept changing my mind. Lackey definitely kept me guessing throughout the book which kept me reading.

It’s not a heavy read. There’s not a lot of emotion and depth, but for a fun little retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I think Lackey did a good job.

2011 Year In Review

First book read in 2011: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Last book read in 2011: Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
Total books read in 2011: 115

Book of the Year:  Undecided
There were so many new books in 2011, a lot of dystopian series that are just getting started, which is one of my new favorite genres. A couple series coming to an end; The Wolves of Mercy Falls, and The Fever Series most specifically. It is really difficult for me to sit and say, ‘Yeah – THIS was my favorite book of the year.’ I’m really at a loss here. I loved Shadowfever! No matter what I had anticipated might happen in that series, I was always surprised. Then, I actually read Anna and the French Kiss so many times this year that you would think that would be it…but there is just something…not impacting enough about that book to be deemed the ultimate favorite of the year.  It’s just one of those gushy, feel good books that I love revisiting. I think Forever and The Clockwork Prince were the two books I most anticipated this year – but neither are really my favorites. Forever was a great end to a series, but it really contained nothing new that made it stand out, and The Clockwork Prince; I love the characters and the scenario, but it just doesn’t fit the bill. So, I think I’m just going to have to remain silent on this one. There were a large number of books I really, really loved this year, but none that stand out more than another.

Favorite End of a Series:  Shadowfever
The Fever Series was so fun, exciting, sexy, thrilling, just edge of your seat GOOD! If you like fantasy/romance, you WILL LOVE this series. Just trust me on that one!

Favorite Dystopian:  Divergent
So this is the year of the dystopian novel, and why not after the success of The Hunger Games, right?! There are were so many this year, and many of the novels fall into other genres as well, but some of the dystopian novels I read this year include Across The Universe, Matched (and Crossed), Delirium, Divergent, Solstice, Wither, Eve – Once again I’m finding it hard to pick a favorite. I love the cover of Wither, but I think my favorite is going to have to be Divergent. I think it’s mostly because of the action and strong female lead.

Favorite Romance:  Pride and Passion
I read an abundance of Romance novels, mostly thanks to review copies, and publisher and author requests. I’ve been really big into Historical Romance this year. This year my favorite was a book I got off of Netgalleys, Pride and Passion. I really just feel in love with the characters of this book, especially Adrian. I just really enjoyed how much in love with Lucy he was, the anguish he was in over her at times…I just remember finishing this book thinking about how I kind of wanted to start over from the beginning and do it all over again.

Favorite Hero: Cricket Bell
I want to do Will Herondale again…but he was 2010’s hero, and I feel it necessary to no repeat myself. SOOoo I’m going to have to go with Cricket Bell of Lola and the Boy Next Door. It was a close run with Etinne St Clair though (let’s face it, Stephany Perkins knows how to write those awesome male leads) but Etinne loses simply because he stayed with a girl he didn’t love for fear of rejection! Cricket is (unsurprisingly, because it’s me) dark haired and blue eyed. His hair is wild, he’s got an awesome if not slightly eccentric sense of style, and he’s a nerd. He loves Lola so much – he doesn’t sway, he is dead set on her no if, ands, or buts. Reading about him made me want to start writing on my hand in sharpie and wearing rubber bracelets. And that kiss at the end of the book – wow!

Movie of the Year: The Three Musketeers
I love going to the movies. I think watching movies is my second favorite pastime, after reading of course. We didn’t go as much this year as we normally go, and I probably didn’t see any of the real big movies this year that weren’t a part of a franchise. I loved Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and Breaking Dawn Part 1. Of course there was Beastly and Little Red Riding Hood. I think, though, that I preferred The Three Musketeers to all of those. Silly, I know, but I love the old fashioned “super heros” (Robin Hood, Musketeers, Zorro, etc.) The movie had its flaws and “yeah right” moments, but I still just really enjoyed it.

What's in store for 2012:
There are obviously a TON of really good books coming out in 2012, parts of series I've already started, etc.  And YES, I will be reading them this year for sure.  I think I'm going to scale back on the number of publisher requests I take on this year - that's not saying I still won't accept any, but my TBR pile is large and getting larger by the day.  It's out of control.  So this year, I want to focus on:
1.  Reading most of the unread books I own
2.  I signed up for the  2012 ebook reading challenge, and have agreed to 25 ebooks, which I have no doubt I can fulfill - perhaps surpass.
3.  I want to read 2 Non-Fiction books
4.  I want to read at least 1 classic book
5.  My total goal:  100 books in 2012.

BOOK REVIEW: Why We Broke Up - Daniel Handler

GENRE: Young Adult – Fiction, Romance
FORM: Audiobook
NARRATOR: Khristine Hvam

SYNOPSIS: A letter written by Min to Ed explaining all of the things that she kept from their relationship that are included in a box she is leaving on his door step, and what they meant to her.

REVIEW: Why We Broke Up is a five and a half hour (via audiobook) monologue of…well exactly that. Sounds boring? Well, it really isn’t. What you get in that monologue, which is actually a letter written to Min’s ex-boyfriend, of their entire relationship from start to finish. She points out areas where she should have seen the break up coming, where she knew things were going wrong but had remained blind.

The relationship between Min and Ed was actually very sweet most of the time, like when it was just the two of them together. Outside of that scenario, Ed was kind of a jerk. I did feel like his feelings were very true and exactly how Min described it, “fragile.” Something so new and big to him that in a way I think he couldn’t handle it’s magnitude. Or perhaps I still just want to think the best of him and he not only acted like super-mega jerk, he actually IS super-mega jerk! Anyway, I enjoyed the book – but on the other hand, the entire thing was very predictable. I loved Min and Ed’s adventure, and the way they came together so sweetly. That was a fun experience, but we all knew what was coming in the end. (Well, DUH, title..)

Al, on the other hand, was a dope. He sat around on his feelings way too long, and Min was equally stupid for not catching on anyway. I am glad that there wasn’t some grand stateMint at the end – a proclamation of undying love that was going to last forever – but that never would have happened. What I enjoyed most about this book was how realistic it was, and in this story Min has put herself out there and proclaimed a love that was shattered, and she isn’t one of those girls who has that kind of reaction on a weekly basis. (Sorry about the spoiler, but as I said, this book was very predictable, if you didn’t figure this out within the first couple of chapters…well, I’m sorry, but you should have!)

Daniel Handler’s writing style was very descriptive and detail oriented. He created a picture where you could see what the characters where seeing, actually hear the slam of the lockers, etc. The book brought me back to High School, and it was so accurate – from the description of going to a sporting event, to a school dance, all the way to standing in the hallway with your peers; it was almost as if Daniel was in high school himself. (Maybe he is or recently was? I haven’t really done any author research or anything.) It was kind of a nice flashback, at least in that way that is nostalgic but not something you actually want to do sort of way. I was completely under impressed with the names of his characters, however. And really, a name IS important in a book – they help shape personalities in my opinion. In the case of this book, I would have though (without reading) that this book was full of very dull characters with barely any personalities at all. Not people I would be jumping at the chance to get to know…

My only regret is, having listened to this on audiobook, I did not get to see the illustrations of the book. I might have to flip through the book in a bookstore or library just so I can find out what I was missing out on.