Disclaimer

I want to be the first to say that I’m saddened at the fact that someone would do this. What is worse is that people think this is the only way they can actually get a reading order for an Author. No, you DO NOT HAVE TO PAY to get a reading order from ANY AUTHOR (at least none that I’m aware of).

Authors list all of their published books on their websites for FREE, they then have links to sites such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Good Reads for you to go and purchase them. These books that are listed are also shown in a “reading order” and broken down into the series they match with.

YOU DO NOT EVER HAVE TO PAY FOR A READING ORDER. Do not be fooled by these jerks on Amazon who are attempting to do this.

I am posting this because one of my favorite authors found something like this on Amazon today. She made a point to say over Twitter all of the things I have listed above. So please do not be fooled by these people.

I do find it hard to believe that you can’t at least report this person to Amazon somehow. But hey, maybe if enough talk gets around Amazon will go take a look themselves.

Do not be fooled by these people, and always check the Author’s website for not only the reading order list but also any new books that may be coming out.

Sometimes Family Is Too Blame – When the Rogue Returns – Book Review

It’s been a while since I’ve done a book review but I’ve decided to give a couple a go this time. First up is one by Sabrina Jeffries, who I am a huge fan of and I have joined her exclusive fan club too. I recommend you give her a read (romance novels) and yeah it’s probably geared more to the ladies but guys do read them too. So lets go!

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Review postings include reviews on TV shows, books, music and movies. Reviews are simply, that reviews. I include information from each section and thus this information may or may not contain spoilers. Please take the warning now, if you don’t wish to see or read any SPOILERS, do not continue reading. If you do continue to reading, disregarding this warning, please don’t blame me if something is ruined for you. I did warn you after all. Also, review postings are my opinion and I stand by them. We may not have the same opinion and thus lets not argue over it.

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When it come to a good romance novel, a little bit of a twist in the story makes it seem more interesting and keeps you wondering if the pair is going to figure it out and find their love is stronger. When it comes to a Sabrina Jeffries novel, I am never disappointed when it comes to her books. The love stories and the twists are worth the wait between novels and makes you want to keep reading through the series. I have actually set out to own every book published by her and I’m pretty close if not there in owning all of them (both paper and digital).

When the Rogue Returns is the next novel in the Duke’s Men series. And we take a look at the life of Victor, the newly found cousin and his long-lost wife Isa. It turns out you need a little history on the pair to know how they became separated. Turns out both Isa and Victor were played by Isa’s sister, Jacoba and her husband Gerhart in order to get very valuable jewels from a jewelry shop that both Victor and Isa worked at. The jewels went missing and Isa, Jacob and Gerhart took off to France. Victor unfortantely wasn’t given the chance to get away and was blamed for the crime. What Isa didn’t know was that Victor didn’t abandon her (who was pregnant at the time), he had no idea where she went and thought that she knew the plan the whole time. Isa believed that Victor had taken his share of the jewels and left her in his past.

A twist of fate however brings them together when Victor is hired by Lady Lochlaw to look into Mrs. Franke’s past and personality. Isa is now going by Mrs. Franke and when the two finally come face to face, they have to deal with the issue of what happened to their marriage. All the while Victor is unaware that he has a daughter who has been sent off to school. However, just as the pair is getting their love back, Jacoba and Gerhart return to cause trouble. They need money and they kidnap Isa’ daughter Katie in order to get what they need from Isa. In a true romance novel form however, Victor and his friends are able to trick and get the better hand of Jacoba and Gerhart.

In the end, Victor and Isa work out their problems and their daughter Katie finally gets to meet her Dad, who she believed was dead. Jacoba and Gerhart are arrested and forced to face the crimes they committed. I give this book 10 out 10 stars. It’s definitely a favorite of mine but so far this entire series has been a worthwhile read.

Up From the Grave – Jeaniene Frost – Book Review

It’s been a while since I’ve done a book review but I’ve decided to give a couple a go this time. First up is one the latest from Jeaniene Frost. And man I love this woman, she is one of my favorite authors. I haven’t read anything by her that I didn’t love. And this book didn’t break that either. So lets get this book review started….

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Review postings include reviews on TV shows, books, music and movies. Reviews are simply, that reviews. I include information from each section and thus this information may or may not contain spoilers. Please take the warning now, if you don’t wish to see or read any SPOILERS, do not continue reading. If you do continue to reading, disregarding this warning, please don’t blame me if something is ruined for you. I did warn you after all. Also, review postings are my opinion and I stand by them. We may not have the same opinion and thus lets not argue over it.

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Oh Jeaniene Frost, I have been a fan of your books for a very long time. I have always loved a good paranormal novel but a twist on what is the “modern” version of a vampire, count me in for a read. “A Night Huntress” series has been a a journey through the eyes of Cat Crawfield, now Cat Russell since she married Bones a few books back. The love story between these two seems to be quite a pull but they are greatly attracted to each other and clearly in love. They just seem to test what their relationship is and how strong it is. Oh it’s a never ending struggle and it’s always tested, trust me.

We begin with Cat getting a blast from her past, this time the old paranormal unit she used to work with, only this time it’s being run by a not so great guy by the name of Madigan. He seemed to want to change the DNA of vampire, human and possible create a new species.  Needless to say the guy is pretty crazy and he is out for Cat, the only half human, half vampire known to the world/him. He also has Cat’s old team and is holding them to draw her to him. Meanwhile Bones has been working on developing is Master Vampire powers and he has gottan very good.

Bones has is powers tested when Cat gets inside of Madigan’s facility where is is holding her old team. They also learn there that Madigan did successfully create a new species, a girl that is human, vampire and ghoul. She has been trained since she was wrong to fight and has never known any other life except the need to protect and fight. She does attack a few people too and escapes before Cat and Bones can get to her, she is also Cat’s daughter (created from her DNA). Bones however has learned to dehydrate his body and make him look dead, something that even Cat believe happens. He did this to protect her and he also reveals, when he comes back to life, that his telepathic powers have increased greatly and that he was hiding this from Cat.

Meanwhile, the search for the little girl begins. We learn from Tate that her name is Katie. Cat wants to find her but if they do, the Law Guardians are going to kill her, they can’t risk her starting a war. Ghouls and Vampire relations have been tense and things can change at any moment and a war could break out. Cat and Bones even go to the Ghoul Queen, Marie, for help and to basically call a truce.

In the end with the help of all of their friends, Cat is able to save Katie but they have to disappear until she dies. Tate, Cat’s Mother, Bones, Katie and Cat all are going to take a long boat ride. They use the ploy of Bones being mad at Menchere’s to disappear. I don’t want to say why or how they saved Katie but I must say it takes quite a bit of teamwork and a little demon killing for it all to happen.

When it comes to a good book, I always want their to be a twist in the plot and old characters to return. They need to return especially if it’s a series. Jeaniene Frost has never been shy about taking a risk or causing a plot twist. However, the whole Katie idea just didn’t really work for me. I didn’t hate it or think it ruined the book, I just didn’t really enjoy it. Honestly all I think about now when I read something like this is the mess that Stephenie Meyer made with a possible vampire baby in the Twilight Series. And trust me, Jeaniene Frost is a way better author and storyteller than Stephenie Meyer. I give this book 9 out of 10 stars. Taking a point off for Katie, sorry folks. Hope you give it a read, and you should start with the beginning if you’ve never read.

Below is the reading order for A Night Huntress Series:

1. Halfway to the Grave

2. One Foot in the Grave

3. At Grave’s End

4. This Side of the Grave

5. One Grave at a Time

6. Destined For an Early Grave

7. Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Menchere’s book)

8. First Drop of Crimson (Spade’s book)

9. Once Burned (Vlad’s book 1)

10. Twice Tempted (Vlad’s book 2)

11. Up From the Grave

Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell – Review

If you are like me, you know that a book that makes you really laugh is one to keep a hold of. When I saw Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores by Jen Campbell, I was intrigued to see what was inside.

I picked a random section of the book and started reading. From the first line, I knew this was one I wanted to add to my bookshelf. And as I continued to read, it was something I couldn’t put down. Funny doesn’t begin to cover what is inside. If you have ever worked with the public (mostly retail) you know that customers can say some really stupid stuff. More importantly, the customer is always asking a stupid question.

This book puts a face to the stupid questions and the stupid things they say. It puts a blunt statement into a book for enjoyment. And if you work with the public, you know that this book is gold.

It gets 10 out of 10 stars for me. I take this rate very subjectively because it’s hard for a book to completely keep me in love with it. But the basic function and form of this book is enough for that rating alone. I honestly want to go through and make a book for the customers I deal with at my work now.

We could make another edition, except for the bookstore part. Below are some of the quotes from customers in the book.

Customer: I’ve been looking through your geography section – I can’t find any books on Atlantis.

Bookseller: You know, I think we managed to lose those.

Customer: Have you read every single book in here?

Bookseller: No, I can’t say I have.

Customer: Well you’re not very good at your job, are you?

Customer: Do you have any second-hand crosswords?

Bookseller: You mean crosswords that have already been filled in?

Customer: Yes. I love crosswords, but they’re ever so difficult.

Customer: I’ve got a lot of books that I want to look through, so I’ve ordered a pizza to eat while I do that. Should I have them deliver it straight to the second floor, or should I meet them at the front desk?

Customer: Are all your books for sale, or just some of them?

Customer: Will you be open so I can buy the new Harry Potter book?

Bookseller:  Yep, we are having a midnight opening.

Customer: Great. What time?

Fifty Shades of Casting

If you are like many of people, you have probably read or heard of the Fifty Shades of Grey series. To this, I hope you all at least read it once. These books really are a good read and since all three are out, you can read all three and be done with them (no wait, YAY).

I personally thought the books were a little weird for my taste, but I still enjoyed the read and have read them a couple of times since. While the whole S&M thing is just, (eyebrows raised), the love story is touching. Just give these books a shot if you haven’t read them already.

But anyway, a little thing started at my work. We started a book club, and our first assignment, read the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Only two of us have completed it out of a group of ten (not that surprising). So between the two of us, we have started a little game if you will, on who at work would think would fit the characters (all for a good laugh, promise).

First up, is Mrs. Lincoln(Mrs. Robinson) and we have picked someone who may be a little younger than her in the book, if you saw this lady, you would think dead ringer.

But as we’ve begun to cast people and laugh about it, we have also discussed the idea of who would fit the roles for when they decide to do the movie. After all, it seems to be what a lot of Hollywood is talking about and they like to make books into movies.

The ideas of who we have come up with range from Emma Watson (Harry Potter), Ashley Greene (The Twilight Saga), to Emma Roberts (It’s Kind of a Funny Story) and others for Anastasia. Mrs. Lincoln is a lot more fun, she is either Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man) or Claire Holt (The Vampire Diaries). A strong female lead is all we ask for.

Now the tough part, the place we are torn. Who to play Christian Grey? So many hot men to choose from, how do you narrow it down? Well for me I’d pick either Hunter Parrish (guy has experience with a whip, check season 8 of Weeds) or Alex Pettyfer (In Time, Beastly). Both of whom, I’d probably be drooling over. My friend has some different ideas. She says Jude Law or Paul Walker. I think Jude Law is too old for this. Paul Walker, okay I’ll give her that one.

But it is tough on our end, I can’t imagine doing it from Hollywood. And there’s probably a bunch of people wanting the roles too. I just hope they pick the right people and that the story isn’t destroyed.

My main concern for books that are made into movies is that they keep to the storyline the best that they can, when they create something new, I lose it. I like the story the book had, please keep too it. I get they have a time limit but I want it to be followed. I think a lot of people will agree with me too.

Time will tell though, in the mean time, we are having a lot of fun at work picking co-workers for parts. If only they knew!

“TEN” by Gretchen McNeil Review

Rating: Six out of Ten Stars

Let me start by saying this book was a random find, random purchase for me. A local book store was going out of business and I wanted to provide a little more business before they closed. So I grabbed a book that looked half way interesting and bought it.

Needless to say I have completed it, only 294 pages is an easy quick read for me. This also means that I am going to figure it out faster than anyone. I had barely started the second chapter and guessed who the killer was. Not much of a challenge really, pretty obvious from the get go.

Any who I should really go and explain how this plot goes.

The main character is a teenage named Meg and you meet her crazy friend Minnie who she protects for various reasons. Then you find out that Minnie apparently has been keeping Meg from her crush T.J who she is in love with also (love triangle problem). They are heading off to an island for a party thrown my Jessica (who you never actually meet or talk too in the book). So the story goes on for introductions and who is in the house. Vivian, Lori, Nathan, Kenny, Ben, Minnie, Meg, T.J, Gunner and Kumiko are the ten people at this party.

Jessica never shows and they are stuck waiting for her the next day. A storm blows in and they lose cell service and phone lines go dead (set the horror movie mood). They cook a quick simple dinner and then Ben has an allergic reaction some almonds that are suddenly put in there (clue number two). See Ben is someone that they all don’t really seem to know but apparently he’s been hooking up with Jessica so no one questions it.

They decide to watch a movie but there is only one DVD case with a DVD in it (horror movie playon) and it’s a creepy home made video. Here is what it says:

*Cue creepy old school ten second count down*

“When you hurt someone…with intent….with cruelty…”

“To steal someone’s soul. To break someone’s heart. To lie, cheat, or steal. To destroy a reputation. Your actions are a crime.”

“Even if the law does not recognize it. Your betrayal, your backstabbing, your character assassination.”

“Steps must be taken to protect the innocent. Those steps begin right here, right now.”

“Vengeance is mine.”

And then the screen goes black. The so called count down is a count down of those watching dying. Lori is first killed (hung). We then move down the list to Ben, Vivian, Nate, Kenny, Kuminko, Gunner, T.J to Minni and Meg. See Meg is tricked into believing that T.J (the guy she has a crush on) is behind it. But wait for it, after shooting him you meet the real killer.

BEN! Of course it’s Ben. He’s the new kid no one really knows and why is he the first one picked to try and kill? This is the HUGE red flag if the unknown person isn’t the clue. Headless to say Minnie ends up dying and Meg saves the day. T.J is actually alive and the love they share is beautiful. The end.

 

I know that doesn’t sound like a great book but really it’s the basic outline. I try to keep it simple and to the point. As for Ben being the killer and how I figured it out (if you didn’t see it above) I have a list.

1. He’s the unknown new guy Jessica is supposedly dating.

2. He takes a direct liking to Minnie (who has her own psychological problems).

3. He doesn’t share anything about his allergy until it happens (Meg shoots in with the epi-pen).

4. He is then some how killed the same way (allergic reaction).

Those alone are the real clues to how this all went down. I immediately red flagged him for being a “new” kid in the group. Not to say that all new kids are the killer but just something to keep in mind. The next thing I flagged (as you see in list order) is his the allergic reaction. Random! And if he’s unknown, why would he be picked first and why before the video tape? Creepy start to the book and it keeps going from there.

I have it a six out of ten for several reasons. One, it’s predictable. Two, love story is never fully developed between T.J and Meg. Three Minnie is never given a good reason for as to why she is the way she is and Meg’s reason’s for protecting her are worthless. And finally, not long enough. A whole weekend of killings in less than 300 pages? Not what I expected.

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt BOOK REVIEW

Location: Epic Coffee House

Date/Time: July 2nd 2012/4pm

Now Playing: Weeds season 8 episode 1

 

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt is the four book in the Maiden Lane series. This is my favorite book out of the series so far. I give this book 10 out of 10.

Thief of Shadows gives you a lot of answers that you may have had for the past three books. You are given the answer of who the Ghost of St. Giles is and why he does what he does. Of course the book does take you on a merry chase around St. Giles and London with Isabel, our heroine for this book. She finds Winter aka Ghost of St. Giles after he has been hurt cutting Micky free. She takes him in and patches him up. The problem is that he suddenly vanishes.

Well it doesn’t take her long to put two and two together on who the Ghost is. There is a beautiful and sinful love story wrapped up in this book. Our Isabel has her own secret. For years she tried to have a baby was failed to conceive. Now she is raising her late-husband’s bastard son, since his Mom couldn’t really provide for him. Isabel is nervous and unsure around “Christopher” and pushes him away every time he tries to get close. That is until Winter shows her that she can be a good Mom.

Winter fights his desire and himself throughout most of the book. You are given and inside look into the man that would gladly give his life for someone in need. A deeper character than you may have ever through possible.

In the end however, you are blessed with Winter and Isabel getting together. Upon a kiss out on the street, you are given a fabulous plot twist to the series. It turns out, we have always had more than one Ghost of St. Giles. This of course explains how he was able to be in so many places so fast. And this leads you into the fifth book.

The fifth book of the series doesn’t come out until February 2013. In the mean time, start reading these four books and see if you can come up how many Ghost of St. Giles there actually are.

Bliss by Lauren Myracle – BOOK REVIEW

Location: Home, bedroom

Date/Time: October 25th 2011/5:30pm

Now Playing: Bass Down Low by Dev

will cause goose bumps!

 

Bliss by Lauren Myracle doesn’t fail to deliver. I give it a 9 out of 10 stars. There were a lot of little things that I disliked but nothing too major to take away too many points.

Bliss is a girl raised in the 1960s hippie life style. Her parents are hippies who ship her off to her grandmothers, after we can assume they want her to get a good education. She is throw into the “normal” world without so much as a hug goodbye.

Bliss has to learn to adapt to the normal social world and take what she learned as a traveler. She realizes really quickly that both worlds are different but similar.

Bliss makes friends and some enemies when she first starts up at a private school. She also comes to “hear” a voice of a girl who committed suicide on campus. Her new friend Sandy can also hear her and takes that voice too seriously and lets it control her. Bliss has to learn to adapt to a world where “cliques” exist and she has to explain why she talks to whom and who you likes.

The main view for the story of Bliss is to following (in a shorter time period) the trial of Charles Manson and The Tate-LaBianca slayings.  Bliss’ story happens while all of this is in the news.

I think the fact that her life ties into this trial is a creative idea. I think that Charles Manson is first and foremost a psycho and like Lauren Myracle says at the end of the story, A MAN TRULY WITHOUT A SOUL. I think the idea that someone’s life could have a small relation to a trial that big is possible. I believe we all can think of a trial that someone tied into their life. It can be anything, but somehow it related.

The little things that bugged me when I was reading this was that I couldn’t quite read the “Diary” entries. The writing/font used was a bit difficult. I also was a bit confused by all the Andy Griffin quotes too. I saw how a few of them fit but not all of them. Other than that, no complaints.

Lauren Myracle is a genius when it comes to delivering a good story. This is a MUST READ!

Fairy Bad Day – Book Review

Location: Home, bedroom

Date/Time: October 4th 2011/5pm

Now Playing: In the Dark by Dev

In a quick review or description of the book, a girl named Emma in in a school full of other students who can see “mystical elements” that us humans can’t. Emma’s  mother was known of as one of the Greatest Dragon-Slayers ever. Emma expects to given the title of dragon-slayer next but that doesn’t happen. Instead she is made into a Fairy-slayer and the title she thought she’d have goes to a boy named Curtis. While Emma is slaying Fairies, she discovers a creature called a darkhel, a dark brother to all Fairies. The darkhel is invisible to pretty much everyone but Curtis and Emma. Emma can sense when it’s around and learns from a group of Fairies at the mall (that she hasn’t slayed yet) that it’s a mere shadow of what it could be. It’s a creature that wants to free others like it, that are locked behind a thing called a Gate of Linaria.

All and all, I give this book a 9 out of 10. A few things were predictable which I kind of was hoping wouldn’t happen in this book, but then again I did have a few surprised.

Curtis and Emma end up together, not only in slaying, but in relationship sense. Emma’s two friends Tyler and Loni also help them solve and kill the darkhel, with help of her fairy friends from the mall.

One really cute thing I loved was that Fairies could be killed by Sour Skittles! Haha I was cracking up when I read that. Definitely a spoiler, I know but it was too good to pass up.

So please READ and ENJOY! And don’t miss out on Zombie Queen of Newbury High. That’s on my too read list!

Lost in Time – Blue Blood series review

Location: Home, bedroom

Date/Time: September 29th 2011/4:35pm

Now Playing: Weeds season 1

This book is part of the Blue Blood series by Melissa De La Cruz. It’s the 7th book of the series and as Melissa said at the end of it, there is one more book after this. It wont be coming out til January of 2013 if Melissa gets it in by her publishers due date. If she gets in it earlier, it’ll be out early like this one was.

Alright, onto the review part. In quick storyline, the first few books introduce you to Sky who is a half-red blood (human) and half blue-blood. Her Dad is Charles Force (Michael and her Mom is Allegra (Gabriella). She was born after her Mom broke her bond (marriage in there world) to Charles and married a human. Sky was sent to live with her grandmother and she attends a private school. She has a best friend named Oliver. She falls in love with Jack Force who is meant to bond with Mimi Force. To the humans they’re brother in sister but in reality they’re dark angels that joined the good side. Sky moves through each book, battling Silver-Bloods (decants from Lucifer) and finding out the new girl Bliss, is her half sister.

She ends up hooking up with Jack and then breaking it off. At one point she’s even living at the Force House because of her Grandmothers death. Quickly flash forward where she takes off with Oliver to find her Grandfather who has been in hiding for years. She finds him, learns that Silver-Bloods have been escaping for years and that Charles has been covering it up. In the end she has to kill the Silver-Blood part of Bliss and is not a fugitive with the Blue Bloods. Jack decides to blow off his bonding with Mimi and runs off with Sky. They spend time on the run from people Mimi sent after them and looking for Gates that lead to the “underworld”. Jack and Sky bond (marry) and end up learning that there’s one main Gate to the Underworld that has to be locked and they begin searching for it. Mimi falls for a former Silver-Blood named Kingsley and before she can confess how she feels, he gets trapped in the Underworld.

That leads us up to Lost in Time.

Lost in Time starts with Sky and Jack learning that the Gate is somewhere in Egypt. She also goes on through the book that they’re time is temporary because at some point, Jack is going to have to face Mimi. In the mean time, Mimi and Oliver are searching for ways to get Kingsley back. Mimi learns with help from Oliver that the gate is in Cairo, Egypt. Jack and Sky also end up in Cairo and are looking for a woman named Catherine. Sky ends up getting kid named for demon sex and Jack along with Catherine and her brother gets rescued. Jack and Sky also run into other Blue Bloods who want to help them find the Gate.

Mimi and Oliver find the Gate and head into the other world. Mimi makes a deal with a woman who guards all the different Underworlds that if she can get Kingsley to leave, they will leave. Minus of course, Oliver who is her sacrifice. Mimi and Oliver find Kingsley and even though Kingsley is cold at first, he soon realizes why Mimi came to get him. Kingsley, Mimi and Oliver begin to escape the Underworld.

Meanwhile, Sky and Jack are trying to rescue one of there Blue Blood friends who is also trapped in a dimension of the Underworld. They succeed, but Sky is beginning to feel sick. Sky believes she’s pregnant (which to me seems every true). Jack doesn’t tell her but fills us in that it’s the Wasting Disease, which happens when a Blue Blood breaks a bond. It usually affects the one who breaks it (which is why I think she’s actually prego, she’s not a typical Blue Blood!).

Anywho, Mimi saves Oliver by offering her soul up instead. She awake ready to battle Jack, who is waiting for her somewhere in the desert. They battle and in that time Mimi gets her soul back. Jack and Mimi know that the only way to officially break their bond is to have Lucifer do it, since he was the one that created it in the first place. They head to the underworld and pledge there alliance to Lucifer, leaving behind all of their loved ones.

Overall, this book was a very good read for me. I did enjoy the time Mimi and Oliver spent in the Underworld and all of the tricks it played. I wasn’t quite pleased with how Kingsley first acted towards Mimi when she came to get him, but the Underworld changes people. Sky being pregnant (possibly) is something I saw coming. She is after all, a new Blue Blood and she hasn’t been a typical one either. I personally believe she is a Blue Blood who can get pregnant. Her Mom is at some point, lost in a world between life and death. As for Sky, they decide they need to find the Gate that leads back to Heaven. Sky finds out she’s the Guardian (which I figured out a few books ago that a Gate like that existed).

I give this book a 10 out of 10. I loved this series, even if I can predict a few things. If you love this series or are looking for something new, READ IT!