Wednesday, July 30, 2014

WWW Wednesday (108)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?




19325802     22064756     20986914

01. Currently Reading:
Prophet Wacko by Thomas Leo. A humorous novel about an alien race infiltrating Earth to harvest melotonin.

02. Recently Finished:
Shoveling Snow by Brett Sills. Touching book revolving around three incredibly different characters and how they have the chance to help each other.

03. Reading Next:
Impervious by Heather Letto. After a world war, cities are plagued by illness, referred to as The Beast. But one rebel might have discovered a cure.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Prophet Wacko

19325802Hilarious and flippant sci-fi, tempered by the solemn profundity of the human condition. It features extraterrestrials, bigfoots, and a handful of level-headed humans struggling to make sense of unprecedented circumstances on their home planet. An advanced species of aliens, Xenkonians, pretend to be God. Their purpose? To convince humanity to blissfully accept cranial tubing in order to harvest their melatonin, which just happens to have the same chemical properties as a powerful recreational narcotic, but with even better effect. It also enhances the telepathic ability of the few Xenkonians predisposed to telepathy, including an egomaniac military leader hell-bent on conquering the galaxy.

God is created by exploiting an ancient channeling species, the Hoo'qqai, who have a history of benevolently imitating God to influence and guide less-evolved species throughout the galaxy. The Xenkonians send an avatar in human form to earth, channeled by an elder and somewhat reluctant Hoo'qqai, whose initial mission is to unite humanity's religions, then create a new religious order controlled by the avatar.

But the mission gets sidetracked when the mind of an old Xenkonian mute monk, with a decidedly Zen disposition and a fondness for gambling, finds its way into the avatar's body. The avatar befriends a young atheistic hermit in the mountains of Oregon and the fun begins. Earth will never be the same.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Thomas Leo takes alien invasion to the next (humorous) level with his novel, Prophet Wacko. After aliens discover that the human supply of melatonin is a narcotic for various races, they intend to harvest it from humans by convincing the world that they are gods. 

Wacko is the main character, a human vehicle with two alien species sharing the controls. He's multilingual, very persuasive, honest, and certifiably insane. The story revolves around his mission to Earth so he can convince the world population to blissfully accept their harvesting. Readers won't exactly have an easy time connecting to Wacko, but they will enjoy his energetic attitude and friendly demeanor. 

Arabella, Elgin, and Jelpmittlebong are the three main supporting characters. Arabella is a student of folklore who meets Wacko and is told about the alien plans. She and Elgin team up to save the human population by telling the world what the aliens really want, but sadly not many people listen. Jelpmittlebong is a promising alien who takes the reins of the human controlling charter. He even throws a curve ball to let the humans have a chance at surviving. Readers will love Elgin's quirky banjo playing scientology, Arabella's pursuit of truth, and Jelpmittlebong's forced path. 

Prophet Wacko is a unique novel with bouts of humor. The hardest thing about it is the variety of names. It's difficult to keep the different alien species straight, along with the planets and galaxies. Once the plot picks up the pace, the focus becomes the main character list and in turn, the novel is much easier to understand. One other difficult thing to deal with is the language. It's quite colorful and incredibly blunt making this a novel for adults only. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (121)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

19325802

Prophet Wacko (Kindle (42%)
 - Thomas Leo

Zawt, who by now had taken the time to look over the basic charter objectives stored in the vehicle's memory banks, had the avatar vehicle say, "This vehicle's here to unite the Human race through religious manipulation."

Friday, July 25, 2014

Shoveling Snow

22064756
Ben and Caroline barely recognize each other any more. Their once solid relationship now broken and beaten by unfathomable events, leaving only a shell of past promise. When pressure cracks the last vestiges of their bond, Ben hastily leaves their Southern California home, pointing the car east to what he hopes is the edge of the Earth. After driving until he can no further, he settles in the small, coastal town of Swintonport, Maine to lose himself in quiet and anonymity, renting the quaint guesthouse of Maggie and her ten-year-old daughter, Smoof. But when tragedy strikes his landlord’s family, Ben is confronted with a sobering truth reminiscent of the one he left behind.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Brett Sills shares a story of searching for a better place in his novel, Shoveling Snow. After receiving life changing news, Ben escapes California and doesn't stop driving until he hits the coast, searching for a better place in life. Smoof is a ten-year-old girl who has lived in Maine for less than a year. She and her mother left Boston after tragedy struck. Now she is searching for a way to make her mother better. Rose is a new teacher, who settled down in Maine after traveling the globe. She's searching for a better place to build to a relationship with the son she left behind. Life and luck have brought these three strangers together but it's up to them to use this happenstance as a guide to move forward. 

Ben was happy and hopeful. He was excited to see where life would take him. As a painter, he paid the bills and exercised his creativity. But after beginning a not-so-bad life with Caroline, things take a turn for the worse.  Now Ben is cynical. He's also rude, introverted, and completely lost. Readers learn right away that something pushed Ben to escape California. Something horrible. And throughout the novel, readers learn what happened to the love he once shared with Caroline through flashbacks. The first connection with Ben is through curiosity and wonder. As the plot continues and his secrets are revealed, empathy and understanding complete the connection. 

Smoof's mother is sick. Maggie spends most of her time in bed, leaving young Smoof to pay the bills and fend for herself. She has an atrocious attitude, is incredibly blunt while using inappropriate language, and secretly she just wants to be a little girl again. The sadness and unfairness of the situation create the initial bond between Smoof and readers. Her behavior is easily looked over as her world crumbles and she reaches out for any help she can get. 

Rose was young when she had her son, George. That doesn't excuse her leaving him and the father to travel the world. Now he lives a few towns away and she has a stack of letters that she has never mailed. Letters that explain, excuse, admit, and blame. But with her student Smoof, maybe Rose can make a difference. She has to try. Readers will first connect with Rose through her desire to help Smoof, but eventually sympathy and understanding will solidify the connection, even if readers don't agree with Rose's past choices. 

The plot of Shoveling Snow follows Ben across the country, from California to Swintonport, Maine. He moves into the guest house of Smoof and her mother. When Smoof gets into trouble, the school calls and they reach Ben. Thus, he is introduced to Rose. As each character battles their own demons, they find solace and understanding in each other. The entire novel is a heart wrenching story of loss, love, and wrong choices. Though the plot moves slowly, taking its time to reveal each detail, the intrigue lies in the mystery that is the past and the hope that could be the future. I liked that each of the characters were real. They had their flaws and Sills wasn't afraid to flaunt them. Though liking the actual characters took time, for one in particular it took the entire novel, Shoveling Snow breathes hope into finding a better place. Even if that place is the life left behind. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Photo Friday

The way to my heart. Give me tea and a good book and I will love you forever.
Found on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/229120699767580542/

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

WWW Wednesday (107)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?




22064756     22360316     19325802

01. Currently Reading:
Shoveling Snow by Brett Sills. One man runs away from his life, ending up somewhere in Maine renting a guest house from a blunt little girl whose mother is very sick.

02. Recently Finished:
This Is Sarah by Ally Malinenko. A story of struggle and acceptance after a love one's disappearance.

03. Reading Next:
Prophet Wacko by Thomas Leo. Aliens try to convince humans that they are gods in order to harvest their brain's melatonin.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Teaser Tuesday (121)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

22064756

Shoveling Snow (Kindle Loc. 5%)
   - Brett Sills

In fact, you could say it was typical of a mother and daughter. But there was one aspect of their relationship that was a bit unique. A bit alarming. And though it was normal to Smoof, an outside eye would most certainly raise its brow in question.

Monday, July 21, 2014

This Is Sarah

22360316When Colin Leventhal leaned out his bedroom window on the night of May 12th and said goodbye to his girlfriend, he never expected it would be forever. But when Sarah Evans goes missing that night, Colin's world unravels as he transforms from the boyfriend next door to the main police suspect. Then one year later, at her memorial service, Colin makes a phone call that changes everything. Is it possible that Sarah is still alive? And if so how can he bring her back?

As Colin struggles with this possibility, across the street, Sarah’s little sister, Claire learns how to navigate the strange new landscape of life without her sister. While her parents fall apart, Claire remains determined to keep going even if it kills her.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Ally Malinenko explores what happens to those left behind when someone goes missing in her novel, This Is Sarah. On May 12th, Sarah Evans went to meet her friend for a party and was never seen again. Some of her things were found: shoes, torn shirt, car. And other things weren't: her phone, her body. She left behind a high school of friends, a sister, her parents, and a boyfriend. Now, without Sarah, the world moves on. 

Colin and Claire share the title of main character in this book. Colin is Sarah's boyfriend while Claire is Sarah's younger sister. Both of the characters are easy to connect to because of the situation they're living through. Readers have experienced grief, loss, and anger allowing them to understand the feelings of these two main characters. 

Colin is seventeen, loves to run, and is head over heels for Sarah. When she disappears, Colin begins to lose it. He doesn't understand why Sarah would runaway and he believes that she's trying to return. And because of that, he'll never give up hope. He acts a bit unhinged at times: calling Sarah's phone repeatedly, reading her blog over and over, and making lists about her. But everyone becomes unhinged during grief. Those things are ways that Colin help himself keep going. Readers will see the nitty-gritty disillusioned side of grief and guilt with Colin's perspective, and the honesty portrayed will solidify their connection to Colin. 

Claire is sixteen, just a year or so younger than her sister Sarah. Claire is a band geek, she works hard and enjoys playing the clarinet. Sarah was Claire's role model. She loved and admired her sister. When Sarah disappears, her family starts to crack under the pressure of finding Sarah. After search parties and hotlines, Claire's mother can only mentally survive with medicine and Claire's father is trying to accept things and move on. Readers will connect with Claire through her loss of a loved one. That bond will only grow stronger as Claire decides to live enough for both herself and her sister. She keeps her head up, she takes it one day at a time, and she succeeds. Even with all of the pain and sadness. 

The novel spans over a year, beginning the night of Sarah's disappearance, with a few flashbacks to before, and ending after Colin graduates from high school. The plot follows both Colin and Claire as they struggle to live their lives without Sarah. Though the police are searching for her, Colin thinks they're missing something. He thinks Sarah is still alive. Then after a year of nothing, Sarah's phone suddenly has a voice mail option and when Colin leaves a message for her, the message comes to life. Then there's the letter... But Colin's afraid to tell anyone, what if it isn't real and he has completely lost it? But what if it is and Sarah's trying to get back home? The reality of this novel will certainly enthrall and embrace readers. The writing style is open and honest. Malinenko does an incredible job at bringing readers into the realm of understanding what it's like to go on living after a disappearance. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Kept

19386017When the mistress of a powerful man decides she wants out of their arrangement, she finds herself and her unborn child in deadly danger after a confrontation with her lover’s wife. So Kate flees into the arms of Lamar, her ex-lover and an ex NFL linebacker with his own secrets and misgivings. Caught in a power struggle between two men, Kate must trust one while rejecting the other.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Tracey Lampley pens a thrilling novella about how far one would go to keep a secret in Kept. Kate is eight weeks pregnant and the father is a rich and powerful married man. When she asks Grant to leave his wife, he rejects Kate and she feels she must end their arrangement. But suddenly, Kate's being followed and she knows her life is at risk, especially after an attempted shooting. 

Kate is a character that readers could learn to like, but it would definitely depend on their personal views. On one hand, she's the mistress. On the other, she's a woman who wants what she wants. She is strong and stands up for herself and unborn child, but she's too quick to trust (which is what gets her in the life threatening situation) and allows herself to be victimized. Though she is tough, Kate is also naive. I think readers will connect with her based on her desire to raise the child and her wish for a better life, but I'm uncertain how strong that connection will be. 

It was hard for me to like Kate because she seems like the type of person who uses those around her for her own advantage. She uses Grant for pleasure and money and admits to not loving him. She uses Lamar, her ex, for a safe-haven and a future stand-in father. But her parents also seemed that way. Her father used her as a punching bag and her mother uses her as a bank. Her past will definitely create a connection to the reader, through sympathy and understanding. 

The plot of the novella is intriguing, but I wanted more from Lampley. It felt like she was holding back. I loved the entire premise of the novel. An evil and powerful member of the elite exacts revenge on the mistress-who-got-away carrying his unborn heir. Again, love it. But as soon as I wrapped my head around the current information, the plot shifted and I was swept away, struggling to keep up.  

I wanted more detail and more time to dwell. In suspense and thriller novels, guessing what will happen is half of the fun and I didn't have time to form a hypothesis before the novella was over. I wanted to meet and greet Kate's friends: Wendy and C.C. Besides how did Kate end up dating the Carrington Grant? Can we also dig deeper on Lamar and Kate's past? Lastly, I wanted a lot more on the police investigation side of things. It was truly a thrilling plot line and I was enjoying it immensely. And then it was over. I wasn't ready for the end and I felt let down as a reader. I'd definitely be on board for a full length novel from this aspiring suspense author.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Way Walkers: Tangled Paths

18649551Twelve Ways create a thousand tangled paths.

Hatched from an egg but unable to shift into dragon form, Jathen is a Moot among the Tazu. His rightful throne is forbidden him because of his transformative handicap, and neither his culture nor his religion offer acceptance of his perceived flaws.

Driven by wounded anger, Jathen strikes out across the vast world beyond Tazu borders, desperate to find a place where he feels accepted and whole. Though he travels with the most trusted of companions, sabotage and conspiracy soon strike his quest. Jathen and his allies must struggle against man and magic alike, at the mercy of forces beyond their ken.

As Jathen presses on, his questions of belonging are surrounded by more of identity, loyalty, and betrayal. Where will the path of his destiny lead, and will he follow or fall?

*May Contain Spoilers*

J. Leigh creates a new world with her novel, Way Walkers: Tangled Paths. A world with Clan Vampires, Tazu dragons, and Charm Masters. A world where before birth, a life contract is signed that describes what path life will take. 

Jathen, the main character, is the heir of the Tazu Nation. When he's born a moot, with no ability to change into his true Tazu form, he is shunned. With a new baby brother, Jathen is given the chance to travel the world and decide if he'll fight for his rightful place as King or pass it to the younger prince. 

Jathen is a constantly evolving character. The entire novel covers the time span of about a year. In the beginning of the book, he is angry, unsure of himself, and overall miserable. The other members of the Kingdom treat him badly and because of that he is cynical and unable to cultivate his intelligence or ability. Readers will form a connection with him based on his under-dog situation. When Jathen decides to travel with a charm master, Hatori Chann, a world of possibilities open up to him. He forms friendships for the first time and is given the chance to be happy. Though traveling is strenuous and lonely, Jathen sees the world has more to offer than his home kingdom ever did.  

Throughout the course of the trip, Jathen is confronted with both happy and dire situations which allow him to grow. Readers watch as he gains confidence and encounters love, betrayal, and death of loved ones for the first time. Jathen reacts as a ruler should, revealing his natural ability to survive. As the world stacks up against Jathen, the bond between him and the reader will steadily strengthen. 

Leigh's plot of this novel is incredibly intricate and complicated. At times, it can become confusing for the reader with so much detail and description. Jathen's journey began as one of self-discovery, but slowly it shifts to one of secrets, war, and destiny. When Jathen uncovers a devious plot to find a Great Artifact, lost for hundreds of years, he contemplates what it would mean to the world if it would fall into the wrong hands: chaos, destruction, death. Thus he is thrust onto a path fate has planned for him, promising more adventure and adversity. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Friday, July 18, 2014

Photo Friday

"A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Cicero
Found on Pinterest. Originally from: https://www.etsy.com/listing/84399740/inspirational-art-quote-books-library-a

Every room in my house is a-okay. Yours? 

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

WWW Wednesday (106)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?




18649551     21524962     19386017

01. Currently Reading:
Waywalkers: Tangled Paths by J. Leigh. Jathan, the Tazu prince, takes a journey to decide if he wants to fight for his kingdom or let it pass to his little brother.

02. Recently Finished:
Solitude of a Birdcage by Brielle Skye. After a break-in, Isaac doesn't remember the last year and a half of his life. His girlfriend and her roommate attempt to help him remember but there's more to the story than what they're sharing.

03. Reading Next:
Kept by Tracey Lampley. Novella about a mistress who gets herself into a deadly situation.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Teaser Tuesday (120)


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

18649551

Waywalkers: Tangled Paths (p.192)
    - J. Leigh

"Now, come on," Hatori said when he returned. "We've got to get ourselves situated with these new guards you two conspired for me to hire."
Jathen smirked. "So they aren't vicious highwaymen out to abandon us and steal all our luggage?"

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Solitude of a Birdcage

21524962Maxie Shannen and Savannah Trimmel are more than best friends. They're sisters, bound by a tragic past and an unbreakable bond. When Isaac, Savannah's boyfriend, falls victim to an act of violence that leaves him with no recollection of the prior eighteen months, both women tend to his recovery. For Savannah, it's simply an attempt to care for the man she loves.

For Maxie, it's a chance at redemption.

She tells Isaac nothing of the passionate secrets they'd been keeping from Savannah, nor of the unyielding feelings that nearly consumed them both.

But as the fragile wall obstructing Isaac's memory begins to crack, hidden truths slip through the fissures, and Maxie will once again be faced with an impossible choice-- her loyalty, or her heart.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Brielle Skye shares the story of three young adults living in New York, struggling to discover who they are, when tragedy strikes, sending their lives into an uproar of chaos and confusion. Though Maxie is the main character, Isaac and Van (Savannah) play major roles in the plot. 

Maxie is very secretive but she's trustworthy to the reader. If the story were told from Van's point of view, she would be the antagonist. She's the "other woman" which is often times the disliked character. Skye writes a strong case for Maxie, allowing readers to like her even though she's the character committing the unmoral act. 

Isaac, however, is difficult to trust. He continues dating Van in order to be closer to Maxie, which doesn't make a lot of sense. At certain points, he even uses Van to hurt Maxie's feelings. On the opposite side of the spectrum, he opens up to Maxie, revealing intimate details of his life, while also protecting her. He's a character that readers can't quite figure out. He appears to be in love with Maxie and wishes to come clean to Van so they can begin their life together, but he and Van seem to have secrets of their own. 

Van is written as a character to be disliked. She's a working model who only talks about herself. She is selfish, dependent, and egotistical. Though, she does have her loyal, caring moments. Van openly discusses her feelings, worries, and dreams. In her version of this book, she would be the protagonist: the girl readers want to see end up happily-ever-after. 

When Isaac is first introduced to the two friends, he's interested in Maxie, but soon begins dating Van. With a broken heart, Maxie watches as the man she has fallen in love with spends his days with her best friend. When she learns he's also developing feelings for Maxie, they begin a secret affair. Then Isaac is the victim of a break-in, leaving him with a head injury and no memory of the past year and a half. At this point, the story really begins as readers watch Maxie struggle between the desire to have her Isaac back and the option of moving forward to become a better person and friend.

Both Maxie and Isaac have haunted pasts which immediately forms a bond with the readers through empathy and sympathy. Maxie's mother committed suicide and her dad left shortly after, leaving her abandoned and alone at age fifteen. Isaac's father was abusive and murdered his mother before shooting himself when she tried to leave him. These are horrendous situations to experience, and I couldn't even imagine it, but this background information combined with other tragedies that strike the two characters quickly become too overwhelming. Suicide, murder, burglary, violence, attempted rape, molestation, and drug use. That's a lot of horror for one character's plate.

As the first book in the Forget Me Not series, Solitude of a Birdcage creates a soap opera like situation for the three characters. With so much going on, the novel struggles to be believable. Though the high amount of drama reels the reader in. The entertainment and intrigue that this book generates will leave readers wanting more even though the characters have definitely been put through the ringer time and time again. 

Rating: 3.5 /5 Cups

WWW Wednesday (105)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?




18649551     21524962     19386017

01. Currently Reading:
Waywalkers: Tangled Paths by J. Leigh. Just began reading this novel about a character's journey to find acceptance after leaving his home.

02. Recently Finished:
Solitude of a Birdcage by Brielle Skye. When Maxie's apartment is broken into and her friend is shot, all of the secrets she had been keeping rise to the surface.

03. Reading Next:
Kept by Tracey Lampley. A novella about a woman who decides she doesn't want to be anyone's mistress and ends up putting herself in dangerous circumstances.