Dreams and sand and stories.

What the stock? (episode 5: the need for speed & other frightening things)

kellsta — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 22:22:08 GMT

Geez, Louise. Has it really been almost 2 years since I've done one of these? Where does the time go? Oh yea. I have kids. My time is not my own, and I barely process it as it flies by.

I've had a slew of freelance projects since Episode 4, but none that added to my stash of questionable images. Well, there was the erotic book cover project... but those images are in a whole other category. For the most part, though they might bring a little color to your cheeks, you're not left wondering what the heck the photographer was thinking. Or how the heck anyone could ever use this image in context.

These however....

Well, here they are.

"High Speed Internet"

Really, I just thought the volume on her speakers was too high. I think people have lost the concept of fast internet. It's pretty much always "too slow".

"High Speed Internet, the Sequel"

Web surfing in zero gravity. He might need a different helmet.

Speaking of web surfing....

This guy is taking it literally. Hang ten, dude.

"Man driving at home"

But driving what? If you could zoom out, you would see he's sitting on a chair. Holding a useless steering wheel. Really? And I may get stones thrown at me for saying this, but couldn't they have picked a model without a lazy eye? I know, I'm a terrible person. But this is a terrible photo.

Things on Wheels that Shouldn't Be

I hope no turtles were harmed in the making of this photo. Poor little guy. He probably wondered what the heck was happening to him. But on closer examination, there is a lack of turtle underbelly in the reflection... so this is probably a Photoshop job.

"Fast Learning"

I'm quip-less. This is just weird.

"High Speed Computer Mouse"

High speed it may be, but certainly not ergonimically correct. I imagine that spoiler would aggravate my tendonitis. Ridiculousness aside, the image is well done, so kudos there.

SCARY THINGS

"Brick Eye"

OUCH. For reals.

"Businessmen at War"

Could someone get these gentlemen some real guns? Or at least slap those smiles off their faces? At war, my eye.

"The boss and his beautiful orange secret"

The title of this image is enough of a "WTF" that I was intrigued. It took me a minute or so to figure out what the big "secret" was. I was stuck on the weird orange glasses and the espresso. His secret is hidden in the shadows. Do you see it?

"Taking Money With Any Price"

Worst. Muggers. Ever.

.....and the winner is...

"The White Rabbit"

The White Rabbit from Hell! Seriously, this thing is frickin' scary. I can't look at it. Crazy Zombie Were Rabbit.

Desperate Passage

kellsta — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:42:48 GMT

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West by Ethan Rarick - ★★★★★

In late October 1846, the last wagon train of that year's westward migration stopped overnight before resuming its arduous climb over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, unaware that a fearsome storm was gathering force. After months of grueling travel, the 81 men, women and children would be trapped for a brutal winter with little food and only primitive shelter. The conclusion is known: by spring of the next year, the Donner Party was synonymous with the most harrowing extremes of human survival. But until now, the full story of what happened, what it tells us about human nature and about America's westward expansion, remained shrouded in myth.

Drawing on fresh archaeological evidence, recent research on topics ranging from survival rates to snowfall totals, and heartbreaking letters and diaries made public by descendants a century-and-a-half after the tragedy, Ethan Rarick offers an intimate portrait of the Donner party and their unimaginable ordeal: a mother who must divide her family, a little girl who shines with courage, a devoted wife who refuses to abandon her husband, a man who risks his life merely to keep his word. But Rarick resists both the gruesomely sensationalist accounts of the Donner party as well as later attempts to turn the survivors into archetypal pioneer heroes. "The Donner Party," Rarick writes, "is a story of hard decisions that were neither heroic nor villainous. Often, the emigrants displayed a more realistic and typically human mixture of generosity and selfishness, an alloy born of necessity."

A fast-paced, heart-wrenching, clear-eyed narrative history, A Desperate Hope casts new light on one of America's most horrific encounters between the dream of a better life and the harsh realities such dreams so often must confront.

* * * * *

OH. MY. GOODNESS. I don't typically read non-fiction, but I was intrigued by this one. I honestly knew nothing of the Donner Party except that they were pioneers, they got trapped, and they may or may not have eaten each other. So I thought I would read this and learn more about them. I have NEVER been so interested in history in my entire life. I found their story riveting. Sad, depressing, inspiring, appalling, and even humorous at times (though only in the beginning). If you don't know much about them, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. It reads easily, like fiction. (I normally have a hard time reading non-fiction because I find it boring and oftentimes awkwardly written.) Maybe it's because I'm a parent now, but the accounts of the children in the party were especially heartbreaking. I spent a lot of time being angry at what I believed were really stupid decisions that people made. There were so many opportunities for things to have turned out differently than they did. So the reader experiences a lot of dread because you know what's going to happen and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. It's not overly gruesome or graphic, so don't worry if you're squeamish. But there is a LOT of death, so just keep that in mind.

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson - ★★★☆☆

In a Ya-Ya Sisterhood for teens, Peaches combines three unforgettable heroines who have nothing in common but the troubles that have gotten them sentenced to a summer of peach picking at a Georgia orchard.

Leeda is a debutante dating wrong-side-of-the-tracks Rex.

Murphy, the wildest girl in Bridgewater, likes whichever side Rex is on.

Birdie is a dreamer whose passion for Girl Scout cookies is matched only by her love for a boy named Enrico.

When their worlds collide, The Breakfast Club meets The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in an entirely original and provocative story with a lush, captivating setting

* * * * *

I have no experience with the Ya-Ya Sisterhood books, which everyone seems quick to compare these to. And I would in no way call these girls "heroines". They're just girls. Funny at times, incredibly stupid at times, often selfish, teenage girls. They make dumb choices, they fall in love, they fight, they make up, they grow as individuals and learn things about themselves...

It's an interesting story and a good read. Apparently, it's the first of a trilogy. I'd be interested to read the next two.

Procrastination = Book Reviews

kellsta — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 20:39:32 GMT

Haven't done these in a looooong time. Don't intend to do them thoroughly now, either. Really, I'm just procrastinating working on a freelance project that I don't believe the person intends to pay me for. Can you understand my lack of motivation? ;)

Anyway, I LOVE Free Nook Book Fridays, and have it to thank for most of these titles--books I never would have picked up otherwise.

The Liberation of Alice Love by Abby McDonald - ★★★★★

Alice Love keeps her life (and job, and family) running in perfect order, so when her bank card is declined, she thinks it's just a mistake. Sadly, someone has emptied her bank account, spending her savings on glamorous trips, sexy lingerie, and a to-die-for wardrobe-and leaving Alice with lots of debt. As a dashing fraud investigator helps her unravel the intriguing paper trail, Alice discovers that the thief is closer to home than she ever imagined. What's more, it seems like her alter ego's reckless, extravagant lifestyle is the one Alice should have been leading all along. As the little white lies begin to stack up, how far will Alice go to find the truth? And whose life, exactly, is she fighting for?

* * * * *

I was quickly sucked into the world of this book. I found myself identifying closely with the main character (with the exception of her being financially stable, as we definitely are not)--she's dependable to a fault, and I was outraged when she discovered who it was that stole her identity and her money. The "dashing fraud investigator" is a nice, if predictable, addition, and he lives up to his description. I took his side more and more as the book went on and found myself annoyed at Alice and her methods/attitude. There are some side characters who seem to have more going on than they actually do, which kept things interesting, but I kept waiting for the shoe to drop, so to speak, and it never did. So, a bit of confusion there until I realized: these are not main characters; their drama would have taken away from the story.

There is a good amount of brand-name-dropping--which is cool for people who are into that kind of thing, not me--but there wasn't so much of it that I found it annoying or distracting.

All in all, a quick, fun read.

Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart - ★★☆☆☆

She came in the rain. Alone. On a bicycle.

Annie and Max Darling are completely unprepared when the arrival of a mysterious young woman shocks their sea island and stirs up more than just gossip.

It turns out that Iris, the beautiful stranger, is a former resident of Broward's Rock. Her arrival throws the normally happy town into a downward spiral that pits neighbor against neighbor.

Things take a turn for the worse when Annie befriends Iris and invites her to attend the Darlings' party at the pavilion where Death is the uninvited guest. Suddenly, Max and Annie find themselves in the middle of a fight they don't understand and at the mercy of an unknown assailant who's trying to kill them—and all they know is that it is one of their friends.

* * * * *

Once I had invested the time it took to get into this story, I found I didn't care much what happened, but I was determined to see it through. I guess I kept hoping it would get better. Instead it was only so-so. It's not that it was predictable. Truly, I wasn't sure who the killer was until the end, but it could only be one of like 5 people, and none of those people had many redeeming qualities, so it didn't really matter to me which one of them it was.

I got somewhat annoyed at the main character and her determination to investigate this case. Just because you own and operate a murder mystery bookstore does not make you a super sleuth. And the repeated references to other, more famous, murder mysteries annoyed me rather than making me want to read them, as I think was Ms. Hart's intent.

All in all, a somewhat-tedious, not-very-interesting read.

Pillow Talk by Freya North - ★★★★★

By day, Petra Flint is a talented jeweler working in a lively London studio. By night, she's a sleepwalker troubled by a past she can't put to bed and a present that leaves her clinging to an unsuitable boyfriend. Arlo Savidge was once a budding heartthrob musician. Then tragedy struck and he chose to forsake stardom and all future affairs of the heart for a quiet life in the countryside as a music teacher.

Petra and Arlo haven't seen each other since they were teenagers-when their feelings ran deep but the timing wasn't right. Now, seventeen years later, they run into each other once more. Might first love get a second chance-or will what keeps them up at night keep them apart forever?

* * * * *

I have no idea why this book is called Pillow Talk. The subtitle, if you could call it that, "What keeps you up all night?" is much more appropriate but would make a horrible title. Oh well. I LOVED this. It's soooo British, with its language and expressions that I find hilarious. And I found myself very interested. Just what is the reason for Petra's sleepwalking? I was a bit taken aback by the explanation that finally, finally comes toward the end. I also wanted to know Arlo's secret, which is slightly less interesting but much more sad.

Quality literature it is not, but an interesting story and easy to get into. It definitely kept me up reading long after I should have been asleep.

Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann - ★★★☆☆

When a young woman stumbles out of the Hanalei Mountains on the island of Kauai with no memory of who she is or how she got there, Cameron Pierce reluctantly agrees to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding her arrival. As pieces begin to fall into place, he suspects her injuries were no accident, but he's far from convinced she's an innocent victim. And there's that nagging feeling he's seen her somewhere before....

Now known as Jade, the woman begins to recall fragments of what led her to this place, and she realizes the danger isn't over. Jade and the cynical Hawaiian investigator attempt to reconstruct the threads of her identity, but the stakes are far higher than either expected.

* * * * *

I liked this one, but I didn't love it. I was pretty disappointed when I found out----[SPOILER ALERT]----that it wasn't about the main character at all! What? All this drama and violence, and it all had to do with 3 side characters? The only thing the main character had going for her was a very resilient nature and a developing love interest. All the Hawaiian language was cool, but pretty distracting, and then annoying when I found out that after struggling through Google Translate there were translations at the back of the book. Would have been nice if the author had put a note or something toward the front letting people know that resource was available.

The Christian themes that pop out occasionally might bother some who prefer their fluff fiction to be religion-free. I didn't mind it, but I don't feel it added anything religiously significant either. Maybe if you're a patty-cake Christian. ;)

This was recommended by a friend. Normally his recommendations are quite good. This one was a bit miss. I'm thinking maybe he hadn't finished it yet before he recommended it to me. At least it was free. ;)

Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer - ★★★★☆

In the sleepy small town of Barracuda Bay, Maddy Swift leads the life of a fairly typical teenager, but while attending a party one night, Maddy is struck by lightning and awakens to realize she has been reanimated and turned into a zombie. While becoming acquainted with her new "lifestyle," Maddy stumbles upon two unexpected undead chaperones, fellow students Dane and Chloe, who begin to teach her the ways of zombie life, including defending the populace from Zerkers—the bad zombies. Together, on prom night, the three teens must ultimately defend Barracuda Bay High from an all-out zombie Armageddon.

* * * * *

This one is FUN-ny. At least to me. I think it's meant to be that way. It's definitely YA, and appeals to the high school aged audience. They would likely take the main character's concerns more seriously than I did. Being a parent has jaded me a bit. ;) I found myself wanting a few of the side characters to die horrible deaths. In that, I was disappointed. The climactic zombie Armageddon is over quickly and without as much vengeance as I would have liked. The main character's romantic choice was a bit disappointing as well. I chalked it up to her being a stupid teenager, though a zombie-fied one.

Not quality literature, but funny. And the ending is totally open for a sequel, though I think the other books in the series are about other unrelated supernatural/un-dead creatures.

Blood Ties by Lori G. Armstrong - ★★★☆☆

Julie Collins is stuck in a dead-end secretarial job with the Bear Butte County Sheriff’s office, and still grieving over the unsolved murder of her Lakota half-brother. Lack of public interest in finding his murderer, or the killer of several other transient Native American men, has left Julie with a bone-deep cynicism she counters with tequila, cigarettes, and dangerous men. The one bright spot in her mundane life is the time she spends working part-time as a PI with her childhood friend, Kevin Wells. When the body of a sixteen-year old white girl is discovered in nearby Rapid Creek, Julie believes this victim will receive the attention others were denied. Then she learns Kevin has been hired, mysteriously, to find out where the murdered girl spent her last few days. Julie finds herself drawn into the case against her better judgment, and discovers not only the ugly reality of the young girl’s tragic life and brutal death, but ties to her and Kevin’s past that she is increasingly reluctant to revisit. On the surface the situation is eerily familiar. But the parallels end when Julie realizes some family secrets are best kept buried deep. Especially those serious enough to kill for.

* * * * *

Uhhh... I remember liking this, but I honestly can't remember much about it. The main character kind of got on my nerves. I think it was because she's a cynic, a drunk, a chain-smoker, AND a sex addict. I just don't identify with that type of person. So, I'm not sure I'll be very interested in the remainder of this series, except for her relationship with childhood friend Kevin, which seems to be developing into something else. And he's a good guy. So maybe he can help her get over some of her major hangups. (Sorry if you drink, smoke, and/or are promiscuous. Yes, I consider those vices.)

The crime she is supposed to be solving seems to come in second to her personal issues, until over half-way through the book. Then the two seem to collide, and things got more interesting. It shouldn't have taken so long to snag me.

A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron - ★★★☆☆

War correspondent Jennie King thinks she’s just a temporary guest in her grandmother’s Amish community while she recuperates from the devastating injuries sustained in a car bomb attack that changed her world. But when she meets Matthew Bontrager, the man she had a crush on as a teenager, she wonders if God has a new plan for her. Jennie has emotional and physical scars and though she feels she has come home to this man and this place, she's not sure she can bridge the difference between their worlds.

* * * * *

Wow. This book could not have been more different than the last one. (I read this immediately after Blood Ties.) Let me sum this up for you in two words: Amish Romance. I was NOT prepared. It was cute and sweet, though, but jeepers, how much more bodily trauma can this girl take before it breaks her?? I don't know ~~much~~ anything about the Amish, but their reaction to everything that happens seems too easy. They're too nice. Too accepting. There's the one guy with an issue, but he's easily dealt with. Maybe they are very accepting of outsiders joining their community, but I would have thought not. They seem like very private people. Anyway, this is supposed to be the first of a series, and from the blurbs I've read, the following books seem even more unlikely. At least Jennie had some experience living the Amish life when she was younger. Characters introduced in following books have no experience and yet are apparently accepted just as easily as she was. Meh. Might read them if they're ever available for free.

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar [audiobook] - ★★★☆☆

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! is a behind-the-scenes look at the supersize family that fascinates millions of television viewers around the world. From Idaho to Istanbul, people want to know how Arkansas parents Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar efficiently and lovingly manage 19 happy, home-schooled children without going into debt—or losing their minds!

This is an entertaining and enlightening collection of stories, photos, recipes, tips, traditions, and practical ideas designed to answer the questions of the curious, such as: Why do you have so many children? How do you provide for your family financially? How do you handle mealtimes? Transportation? Laundry? Birthdays? How are your children so well behaved? Why do all your children have names that begin with J?

Since their first documentary broke viewership records on the Discovery Health Channel, the Duggars have appeared in American and international news media, sharing their rock-solid faith and their overriding belief that “children are a blessing from God”. In this audiobook, Jim Bob and Michelle share their story, beginning with their own childhoods. They reveal how their growing-up years shaped their philosophy of parenting. It continues with tales of their big, busy family, whose televised documentaries and frequent appearances in news shows and newspapers have created an international following.

The Duggars share, with humility and humor, the family routines and guidelines they’ve learned through biblical study and trial and error—ideas that can help make your home a place of peace, love, and support: Financial lessons for debt-free living, organizing systems for a clutter-free home, home-schooling methods and schedules, training tips for little ones, relationship builders for older children, and favorite Duggar family resources.

* * * * *

My favorite parts of this were the cute stories and the helpful tips on organizing and potty training. Other than that, I didn't care much about the history of the family. That sounds cold. It's just that Michelle talks a loooooong time about Jim Bob's and her own childhood, and I just wanted her to get to the helpful bits about how they manage such a large family. I haven't watched the show much, so I guess a lot of people would be interested in their beliefs and why they have so many kids. I wasn't. I kinda knew all that already just from the several large Pentecostal families I know. The jist of it is: who are we to tell God how many children we should have? If we as Christians want Him to be in control of our lives we have to give EVERYTHING over. I get that. I don't practice it as far as childbearing goes, but I understand it.

Michelle does all the narration, and, at times, I felt myself annoyed with her and how freakin' NICE she is. How can you have so many children and never get angry?? And she NEVER GETS ANGRY. She also doesn't pronounce all of her words properly. I don't mean she has an accent. She might have a slight southern accent, but it's not distracting. I mean that she was reading a section that maybe Jim Bob had written, and she wasn't familiar with the word, and she totally butchers it. It was kinda funny, and I wondered why they didn't fix it in editing.

I guess this would be a good one for you if you're into the Duggars, but if you're just interested in learning tips about family management there isn't much here.

Walk Off The Earth video

kellsta — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:27:40 GMT

So, Jason introduced me to this, and I am diggin it. Super creative with them all playing the same guitar and everything, but the song is really good too.

Hunter by Robert Bidinotto

kellsta — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:03:32 GMT

OMG, it's a book review. *gasp* I know! I DO still read for fun and not just for work. Well, my last book review was Mockingjay back in July. I have read several books since then, just haven't reviewed them. Meh.

I found this book on Amazon during Christmas. They ran a deal on Kindle books and slashed a ton of new books to 99¢. I read through many of them to find the ones I thought I would really like, rather than just snatching a bunch of them because they were cheap. I'm really going for more quality this year, rather than the sleazy paranormal romances.

Hunter by Robert Bidinotto - ★★★★★

Two people, passionately in love.
But each hides a deadly secret.
He is a crusading vigilante, on a violent quest for justice.
She is tracking this unknown assassin, sworn to stop him.
Neither realizes the truth about the other.
And neither knows that a terrifying predator is hunting them both...

From its first gripping pages, HUNTER takes you on a nonstop thrill ride: from the top floor of the CIA, to the marbled corridors of Capitol Hill...from the posh hotels of downtown Washington, to the city's mean, violent streets. It introduces a colorful new hero for our time--and a dazzling heroine every bit his equal.

A spy mystery...a crime thriller...a passionate romance: HUNTER is a genre-bending novel unlike any you've read. Deviously plotted, filled with vivid characters, and propelled at a breakneck pace, it's a tale as memorable for its provocative ideas as for a rousing climax that has readers cheering.

-----

This is a relatively new release--and the author's first work of fiction, as far as I can tell. For the 170-something 5-star reviews it has, I was surprised to see about 25 1-star reviews. And there's not much in-between. You either love it or you hate it. And most people love it. I did. Despite the very cheesy "book description".

It's a vigilante thriller with bits of romance. No black costumes and fancy gadgets though, a la Batman. Just guns, clever disguises, and numerous aliases with appropriately-chosen names, e.g. Edmond Dantes. "Hunter" has been trained, but you don't find out how until Part 3, so the major mystery is: Where did this guy come from, and how the heck did he get so vengeful?

But despite the things he does, I LIKE HIM. A LOT. I want Annie to trust him. I don't want him to get caught, and I was up at 2 & 3 am this morning, hungrily turning pages to get to the end. And it does 'end', though I found out (after following the author on Twitter) that it will be a series. Hmmm... As much as I liked it, I think it had too much of an ending to be a successful series. I would definitely read the others, but I'm afraid I would go into them expecting to be somewhat let down. Hopefully Bidinotto will pleasantly surprise me.

If you're a fan of early-release or criminal rehabilitation programs, this probably won't be your favorite read. It may even make you angry. The author is very clear that he doesn't agree with those kinds of programs. He's made a career writing (non-fiction) investigative crime articles. It's very black and white for him. He believes such programs put hardened criminals back on the streets to kill again. Period. Prisons should not resemble resorts, and in the notes at the back of the book he explains some of his research into the prison system. Towards the beginning of the book there's a memo that our main character reads while he is visiting a prison that was apparently taken word-for-word from a real memo posted at a real prison. I must say, I felt some righteous indignation that my tax dollars might be used in such a frivolous way.

You might say this book is very political. Many 1-star reviewers used the word "preachy". I didn't find it to be so. But then, I agree with most of the ideas and opinions the author seems to hold, so naturally I didn't take issue with it.

Voice Post

kellsta — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:40:45 GMT

2011 Year in Review Meme

kellsta — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:19:10 GMT

Read past entries here.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Become a runner, lost a grandparent (two, in the end), lose my job and start my own business.

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
For 2011, I had planned to be down to my pre-preg weight by my birthday in March. I think it took me until April, but, hey, I did it!
I wanted to start and finish the Couch25k program--which I did.
I wanted to run the 5k Race for the Cure in October. That didn't exactly happen because we got to the race so late and were stuck behind thousands of walkers. We did run some though.
I wanted to run the 4-mile Turkey Trot in November. We didn't get to do that because we couldn't afford the race entry fees.
I wanted to be back to ONE-derland (below 200lbs) by December. That didn't happen.
I wanted to track all my food and walk at least an hour 3 times a week. That didn't happen.
I wanted to pay off 3 debt items. That didn't happen, but we did pay off ONE.
And finally, I wanted to read 35 books before the year was out. I got 24, and several of those were short stories. Yet another year I managed not to finish Neil Gaiman's American Gods. :(

For 2012, I want to run 6 HMs--that will be an enormous challenge if I succeed in getting pregnant again. I want to pay off ONE debt item. I don't think that's too much to ask. I want to get my office shelves in and everything organized so that I can work more productively. I want to put on a successful VBS for the kids this summer. I want to read 35 books!!! And, I want to get pregnant with baby #2. :)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My grandmother (Dad's side) was very near death last Christmas, but she lived until January 21st. My grandmother (Mom's side) died on September 12th. A good friend of my mom's (and my friend too) lost her teenage grandson in a terrible car accident. There are numerous other friends who also suffered loss this year.

5. What countries/states did you visit?
We were in Little Rock for New Years and then we went to Chicago for our anniversary.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More money and a second child. Those two things may be mutually exclusive. lol

7. What dates/events from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan 21 - the day my grandmother died
Jan 24 - her funeral
Mar 1 - the day I started running
Mar 23 - my last 20-something birthday
June 1 - Jeffrey's 1st birthday
June 10-12 - "official" release of War of the Seasons, Book One: The Human by Janine K. Spendlove -- my first editing and book layout gig. It was awesome. Love the book. Loved the experience of working on it.
July 15 - the day I registered for the St. Jude Half-Marathon; also the day I lost my job, and the day I started a new adventure... full-time Mommy AND full-time freelancer
Sept 12 - the day my grandmother died
Dec 3 - the St. Jude Half-Marathon

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a runner and finishing my first half-marathon. Also, not losing my mind. It's been QUITE an adjustment being home full-time, and I still haven't worked out all the kinks, but we're managing.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Any "failure" I can think of is only a perceived failure and not a true failure. Example: losing my job seems like a failure, but it's not. Having to give up our car for something with a smaller note feels like a failure, but it's not. The only thing I'm failing at right now is motivation. I haven't run in two and a half weeks!! :(

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had a lot of back issues this year. Trips the chiropractor fixed that. The only other thing I can think of was spraining my pinky finger while playing on the inflatable slides at Pump It Up. lol So, no major illnesses or injuries.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmmmm... Didn't buy much this year. Jason got an iPad for his birthday and that was the LAST major gift purchase. But I wouldn't say it was the best thing. Jason might, but it benefits me very little. lol Honestly, I think we can agree that one of the best things we bought this year were the 7-day CTA cards when we were in Chicago. It was just a metro-pass card, but we used those things like crazy all over that city. :) ***** I had to come back because I just remembered something. The refrigerator. That would be our best purchase. :)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Jeffrey's! My child continues to amaze me every day with how sweet and friendly he is. That doesn't mean we're not aware that he has a frightful temper at times... but generally, he is the best of all of us. Quick to forgive and easy to love.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mine. And Jason's at times.

14. Where did most of your money go?
debt, debt, always debt, never-ending debt. bleh. (I think this has been my answer for the past several years.)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Chicago. Jeffrey's first steps. Running. Janine's book release. Starting a Celebrating Home business. Finishing St. Jude.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
"Fantasy - Sicut Cervus" by Miriam Stockley because it is the "most played" song on my book editing playlist. Over 100 plays! Followed closely by Lisa Kelly's version of "May It Be".

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? MUCH happier. I was so depressed at the end of last year, and, you know, I don't even remember why!
b) thinner or fatter? THINNER! :D
c) richer or poorer? poorer. Much, much poorer. But only in the financial sense.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Blogging. There are so many memories I fear I have lost because I couldn't find the time to write them all down. Lately, I've been feeling I need to do more running. Egh. Falling behind in my Princess Half training. I do wish I had stayed more on track with my weight loss. I did really well for the first half of the year, then I guess my subconscious decided I had done well enough for the year.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
WORRYING!

20. How did you spend Christmas?
I spent it with the Neiers on Christmas Eve, Jason and Jeffrey (and Grams and PopPop) on Christmas morning, my mom's family in the afternoon. It was tough. Jeffrey had a stomach virus the entire time and would throw up without warning about once a day. The diarrhea was the worst. It was hard to enjoy Christmas when I knew he wasn't enjoying it. I had so looked forward to this year. :(

21. Which LJ people did you meet this year?
amaz0n_princess (in person, finally), and mellymell

22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I sure did. Fell in love with working from home. ;)

23. How many one-night stands?
Haha. I lost count. Though, this year it was me doing the early-morning leaving. ;)

24. What was your favourite TV program?
DOCTOR WHO!! Followed by Once Upon a Time, and The Walking Dead

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope. I pretty much stay hate-free. It's not good for me.

26. What was the best book you read?

War of the Seasons, Book One: The Human by Janine K. Spendlove, but I may be biased. ;)

Oh yea!

And the Hunger Games trilogy.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Keane, OneRepublic, and Mae

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted to become a runner, and I did. I wanted to be working for myself. I kinda got thrown into that, but okay!

29. What did you want and not get?
A CLEAN GARAGE. This has been my answer for THREE YEARS! I don't think it will ever happen. =/

30. What was your favourite film of this year?

Jason may be sad I didn't say Blues Brothers--which was good, but I have to judge my favorite by the number of times I watched it, and in that case, Burlesque wins.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
29, and my entry from that day is private. I didn't do jack that day, and I was pretty mad about it.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Getting rid of more debt. Losing more weight.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Sporty Mom. My wardrobe staples were my Hydrochic skorts, a t-shirt, flip-flops, and a hair stick.

34. What kept you sane?
RUNNING!

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Colin Firth. Always and forever.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Honestly, I did not spend one second of my time thinking about political issues.

37. Who did you miss?
My grandmothers.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Not sure I can answer this. I met lots of new people this year, and they're all wonderful in their own way.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
Sometimes there are things you want that you don't believe will ever happen, but then they do... suddenly, and maybe not always on your terms. Maybe it's difficult to see them as blessings even though you wanted them. Not every aspect of every situation is going to be perfect. Just believe that everything will turn out okay when the dust settles.

Also..

There are things you think are important, and then there are the things that are actually important. Try to figure out the difference.

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Series #3)

kellsta — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:02:28 GMT

Mockingjay

by Suzanne Collins
★★★★☆

The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

Who do they think should pay for the unrest?

Katniss Everdeen.

-----

This is more of a reaction than a review, really.

In total, Hunger Games is probably the best series of books I've ever read. It was original and riveting. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, I was shocked, and countless other emotions.

With that said, I have to admit that (in no way slighting the series as a whole) this book was the weakest of the three. In most series, the second book is the weakest while the third comes back and blows everyone away all over again. That wasn't the case here. Don't get me wrong, I LIKED MOCKINGJAY, but there were parts that seemed to d..r..a..g.. while others flew by so fast that I felt confused.

There's some resolution, but then there are still big holes. I fill in the holes using my own imagination, but some readers might want something more explicit.

**SPOILER ALERT**

**Jason, you need to stop reading NOW because I want you to read the series without any prior knowledge of what's to come.**

Since we only ever have Katniss's perspective to go on, it's incredibly difficult to follow the story when she's unconscious or locked in a room. I found this incredibly frustrating. While I appreciate that seeing events through her often pharmaceutically altered state forces the reader to pay attention and search for clues, after a while, I found it exhausting. Though it does say something about the ability of a writer who can accomplish this. It may have just been too much of a good thing.

I would have liked to know how Paylor came to be in office. I wanted to read the testimonies given during Katniss's trial.

To the reviewers I've read who complain about the romantic resolution that was forfeited in favor of long winded commentary about the impact of war on a society.... Did you READ the book? There was resolution. Yes, it was confined to the last chapter and epilogue... Yes, it was somewhat vague and had little explanation... But it was there. Maybe what you meant was it didn't end the way you'd hoped. Maybe you wanted Gale instead of Peeta. But for me, I got what I wanted--though I would have loved more detail.

In the last chapter of this book, Katniss pretty much sums up the feelings I had from the very start of the Book 1 Games: "...what I needed to survive is not Gale's fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that."

It does seem as though Gale and even Katniss's mom are written off completely. I get that Katniss's mom can't handle grief and that pouring herself into her work in District 4 could save her from reliving the numbing depression she experienced after the death of her husband, but I would have thought she would be more involved with Katniss until she recovered. And Gale, though he is busy with his fancy, super important job, made me decide he must be just a little spiteful to move away and never look back. I found it odd that so many of the remaining characters wouldn't have any further contact under the new, and seemingly much improved, regime/republic/whatever.

Oh, that reminds me. Coin's assassination? TOTALLY SAW THAT COMING!! But the fact that I expected it didn't lessen the awesomeness one iota. From the very first meeting between Katniss and the President of District 13, I knew this lady had her own agenda, and that, in practice, Panem probably wouldn't be much different than it was with President Snow. Her suggestion of continuing the Games confirmed that... not that there was much doubt.

I can't wait to read the series over again! And maybe I can grasp the details I inevitably ignored in my fervor to find out what was going to happen next.

I'm pretty sure I missed whatever happened right after Finnick's death because I burst into tears. And then was strangely numb to Prim's death and terribly confused about Katniss floating in water and watching her dead loved ones as birds flying overhead. WTH?? I was in such a tizzy to keep going that I brushed off whatever metaphor was there.

Now that I'm safe in knowing I got what I wanted at the end, I can go back and soak up the rest. Maybe that shows some irresponsibility as a reader, but it is what it is. This series is one I could re-read many times and still love. And if you haven't read it yet.... WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

Midnight Breed #7, 8, & 9 by Lara Adrian

kellsta — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:48:18 GMT

Uhhh... so... I'm like 2 years behind reviewing the first two of these books. I didn't realize I hadn't reviewed #7 & #8 until I was looking back for the link to connect them to this new one.

Oops.

Here was my rather vague review of the first six books of the series.

And I'll tell you why I'm two years late continuing with these reviews. It's because they weren't that good. I wouldn't say they sucked, (haha vampire book... sucked... Get it?.... Sorry. I'll stop.) But there has been a definite decline in quality since about the first four books of the series.

Granted, they're all heavy on sex and make no apologies for it--just look at the covers!--but at least in the beginning there was a plot interesting enough (to me) to make it a decent book rather than just a trashy romance.

As book 5, 6, 7 & 8 came along, they centered on characters who were fairly new to the story and I just could not make myself care about. That was especially the case with 7 & 8 reviewed below.

Shades of Midnight

★★☆☆☆

In a frozen wilderness steeped in darkness, the lines between good and evil, lover and enemy, are never black or white but drawn in Shades of Midnight.

Something inhuman is stalking the frigid Alaskan wilds, leaving unspeakable carnage in its wake. For bush pilot Alexandra Maguire, the killings stir memories of a horrific event she witnessed as a child and evoke in her the inexplicable sense of otherness she has long felt within herself but never fully understood... until a darkly seductive stranger with secrets of his own enters her world.

Sent from Boston on a mission to investigate the savage attacks and stop the slaughter, vampire warrior Kade has his own reasons for returning to the frigid, forbidding place of his birth. Haunted by a secret shame, Kade soon realizes the stunning truth of the threat he faces–a threat that will jeopardize the fragile bond he has formed with the courageous, determined young woman who arouses his deepest passions and most primal hungers. But in bringing Alex into his world of blood and darkness, Kade must confront both his own personal demons and the even greater evil that could destroy all he holds dear.

-----

Kade is a newer character. I wasn't sure why I was supposed to give a darn about his "secret shame". I don't even remember now what it was. And Alex annoyed me, always charging off into danger like some friggin' wilderness vigilante. I just didn't get why these two characters were drawn to each other. It was vague and meaningless. The only interesting part of the book was the Ancient who got loose. And Adrian totally did not take advantage of that storyline.

Taken by Midnight

★★☆☆☆

In the frozen Alaskan wilderness, former state trooper Jenna Darrow survives an unspeakable breach of body and soul. But with her narrow escape comes an even greater challenge. For strange changes are taking place within her, as she struggles to understand—and control—a new hunger. To do so, she will seek shelter in the Boston compound of the Order, an ancient race of vampire warriors whose very existence is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the most mysterious of them all is Brock, a brooding, dark-eyed alpha male whose hands hold the power to comfort, heal... and arouse.

As she recovers under Brock’s care, Jenna finds herself drawn to the Order’s mission: to stop a ruthless enemy and its army of assassins from subjecting Earth to a reign of terror. Yet in spite of their resolve, a purely physical relationship without strings soon binds Brock and Jenna together with a desire fiercer than life and stronger than death itself—until a secret from Brock’s past and Jenna’s own mortality challenges their forbidden love to the ultimate trial by fire.

-----

Geez. Can everyone not have "secret pasts"?? Getting old. Again, two characters I'm not sure why I'm supposed to care about. Two whiny characters at that... And meaningless sex. Great. Oh wait, but then it's not meaningless. Who cares? Anyway, the only cool thing about this book was the fact that Jenna is NOT a Breedmate (a first). In fact, she may very well turn out to be the first and only female Breed.

It could have been so much cooler than it was. But then, maybe Adrian's not done with Jenna yet. Let's hope.

Deeper than Midnight

★★★★★

At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well—the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos’s most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he’s hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he’ll go to end Dragos’s reign of evil—even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne’s tender heart.

-----

At first, I thought "WHY, AUTHOR, ARE YOU CONTINUALLY MAKING MAJOR CHARACTERS OUT OF INCONSEQUENTIAL ONES!!"

But then, I realized... Okay, we might actually be getting somewhere!! This latest installment was just as good as the first few in the series. Adrian actually takes time to develop the characters before throwing them into a relationship. It built.... slowly.... and aren't those always the best ones? *wink wink, nudge nudge*

Maybe I identify more with the characters since I'm a mom now, but truly, there was more heart in this one than has been in the past several ones. Some really important stuff happens in regards to the overall series plot, and the ending leaves numerous cliffhangers. I'm not sure how many books are left in the series, but it's obvious that Adrian is building up the tension. Thankfully, in this book, it doesn't feel like hype. It feels actually important.

And it helped that the romantic relationship didn't follow the normal pattern of lust -> betrayal -> acceptance -> happily ever after. The sexy bits didn't feel cheap. They felt genuine.

Also, it was nice to revisit so many of the important characters from the past and see events from their point of view again. Lucan... Dante... two of my past favorites. It was a nice change. More like this, please!

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

kellsta — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:04:41 GMT

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

by Seth Grahame-Smith
★★★★☆

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

-----

I liked this even better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Because it wasn't a mash-up. It's an alternative history, my first.

I'm certainly no Lincoln aficionado, but having been to all of the important sites relevant to his life: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and even the fatal Ford Theatre, I felt like I was in on some secret. I was able to imagine this version of history actually taking place in those locations.

I found several reviews by people who railed on the author for belittling the impact that slavery had on our country by making it "a mere contrivance of vampires". Uhhh... no. I don't think that's it at all. Grahame-Smith doesn't poo-poo slavery and its effect on our nation. He deals with it from Lincoln's perspective. Lincoln didn't own slaves. He was taught by his father to abhor the idea. I don't know about his real history, but in this book, when he encounters slaves and vampires, it's not treated lightly. The description of events is horrific and grotesque--and not in an ironic or humorous way but in a very serious way.

And lest everyone forget, the Civil War wasn't entirely about slavery. It was about secession from the Union that came about because of the polarizing debate on the morality of slavery.

But you have to remember, THIS IS FICTION! Though it is written in an autobiographical style, and contains numerous real (though altered) photographs and diary entries, it is still fiction. You can't get mad at the author for not documenting historical events with 100% accuracy. And so what if his primary source of information was Wikipedia? Was he supposed to do a complete study on Lincoln before writing this in order to make sure that every fact lined up, with the exception of the addition of vampires to events. Please. If you're treating this as your history book, then you're in trouble. Fiction, people.

That said, I thought the ending seemed rather out of character.

**SPOILER ALERT**

I mean, I think the ending didn't match up with Lincoln's character as he had been written throughout the book. With each death of a family member, Henry asks Abe if he'd like for him to do what was necessary to bring the deceased back to life. And each time, Lincoln declines vehemently. He spent his life fighting against vampires, or at least the bad ones. And even the "good ones" he found repulsive because of the way he knew they must feed. So WHY ON EARTH would he become one? Henry took it upon himself to resurrect Lincoln so that he could, what, fight against Hitler and try to save Martin Luther King Jr.? I thought that Lincoln would rather take his own life than become one of the creatures he had fought so hard against. It just didn't make sense to me. I felt like the book had "jumped the shark" at that point. Thankfully, only a scant few pages remained.

Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2)

kellsta — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:10:57 GMT

Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins
★★★★★

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

-----

Generally, the second book of three book series tends to be the weakest, or there's a bit of a lag getting the story going again. I didn't find that to be the case at all with Catching Fire. I was still riveted from finishing Hunger Games and it took no time at all for me to get into this one.

Throughout the book, I was continually caught off-guard by plot developments, and eventually I gave up trying to figure out where I thought it was going and just let myself be thrown around on the roller coaster ride.

I'm glad Katniss doesn't make a bigger deal of the Peeta vs. Gale issue. I think some readers might get upset by the lack of resolution, but really, that part of the story is secondary to SURVIVAL. Besides, circumstances seem to change so quickly, she can't be expected to have her mind made up at this point. That said, she's still young and shouldn't have to make such a decision right now. True, she is older than her years, and it's obvious, due to the absence of external explanations that were present in the first book, she's wiser. This book seems a lot more internal. You can read her thought processes and reasoning, at least until the end when she seems to close off to everything and everyone. That was particularly frustrating, but I understand why.

I'm very, very anxious to see the end of this story. Not that I want it to end, mind you, but since it has, I want to hurry and find out what happens. I have two more target-hitting days of food tracking to get there. So, SATURDAY!

Lost at the Con

kellsta — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:06:54 GMT

Lost at the Con

by Bryan Young
★★★★☆

Lost at the Con tells the tale of a drunken political journalist and his dangerous assignment to a sci-fi/fantasy convention. It’s a blend of fictional Gonzo journalism and geek culture in a way that is sure to please audiences inside and outside the geek community.

-----

Cobb is a political journalist forced into covering Griffin*Con, a sci-fi/fantasy convention held in Atlanta, and he is probably the biggest DOUCHEBAG main character I have ever read! Seriously. Rarely does a word cross the man's lips that isn't dripping with sarcasm or spite. He is a very difficult, nay IMPOSSIBLE, character to like. That said, it takes a special talent to write a main character you must know your readers will hate, and Young does that very well.

I have never been to a convention such as Lost at the Con describes, but I know folks who have. I'm told this book is a very accurate depiction of the goings-on of Comic Con, Dragon Con, and others. Whether I ever want to attend such an event is still up for question, but after a short discussion, mr_j and I have decided that it's probably not for us in general.

But this book is not so much about the convention as it is about the attendees. People go to these kinds of events to be in the presence of others who enjoy similar hobbies and interests. Whether you share any of these interests matters little. You can easily find a way to identify with the themes Young is illustrating here.

Cobb's deep, dark secret is that he simply doesn't like himself. He's sacrificed his dreams and maybe even his soul to a employer who he now despises. He's lost sight of what matters in life. He spends nearly every waking hour three sheets to the wind or in the pursuit of that state. His one redeeming moment is spent defending the virtue of a scantily clad superheroine against drunken frat boys. Because geeks and normals alike can always unite against Frat Boys. This shining moment is short lived, and he continues ridiculing convention-goers until the bitter end. But, somehow, through the haze of his near constant state of drunkenness, he does learn something from "the geeks", and by the time he turns in his last convention story, he is ready to take action.

I just wish I had been there to see it.

Hissy Fit

kellsta — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:24:57 GMT

Hissy Fit

by Mary Kay Andrews
★★★☆☆

Welcome to the world of Mary Kay Andrews, where manners are polished, reputations are tarnished...and revenge is sweet.

Keeley Murdock's wedding to A. J. Jernigan should have been the social event of the season. But when she catches her fiance doing the deed with her maid of honor at the country club rehearsal dinner, all bets are off. And so is the wedding. Keeley pitches the hissy fit of the century, earning herself instant notoriety in the small town of Madison, Georgia.

Even worse is the financial pressure A.J.'s banking family brings to bear on Keeley's interior design business. But riding to the rescue — in a vintage yellow Cadillac — is the redheaded stranger who's purchased a failing local bra plant. Will Mahoney hires Keeley to redo the derelict antebellum mansion he's bought. Her assignment: decorate it for the woman of his dreams — a woman he's never met.

Only a designing woman like Keeley Murdock can find a way to clear her name and give her cheating varmint of an ex-fiance the comeuppance he so richly deserves.

-----

I picked this up as a sample when I first purchased my Nook. I had some downtime one day and I had just finished Red Pyramid, so I opened it back up and after liking the sample well enough, decided to spring for the full book. I cringed at paying 10.99 for an ebook. I keep hearing about all these $0.99 books, but I never see any. Not that I think a 99 cent book would be very high quality--you get what you pay for and all--but 10.99? Perhaps I was reluctant because I had never read anything by this author before. In the case of this book, I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but a little meh...

It started off great. Keeley catches her slick-as-an-eel fiance cheating on her and she throws one heckuva hissy fit. And rightfully so. So why is everyone trying to calm her down and poo-poo the whole thing as "not a big deal"? I mean, I know this is set in the Deep South and being from the South myself I know that girls are supposed to be sweet as pie. Let me tell you, folks, this is just not reality!! Southern girls are some of the most catty, back-biting, manipulative, hissy-fit-throwing girls in the entire world!

Case in point:

Scarlett O'Hara

Queen of the Golden Flounce Award

I myself have been known to throw an object or two in anger. Of course, throwing things isn't limited to Southern girls, but the author makes it seem unusual and scandalous when, in reality, it's quite common.

Several other reviewers complained about the excessive attention placed on brand names and technical terms relating to interior design, and there is a lot, but it didn't bother me. It didn't interest me, but it didn't bother me. I realize there are plenty of people who would appreciate such details. What did bother me was I felt I had a better understanding of Will's house than Will himself, and the same goes for other characters. So, yes, I could have done without furniture and fabric descriptions if it meant I was given more details in regards to the characters of the book.

The story itself was good enough and kept me interested, though the telling of it left me, at times, screaming for them to "get on with it already!" The author attempts to create some mystery around events that I felt didn't matter, like she was deliberately trying to send you on a wild goose chase. But there is a rather serious plot line that pops up halfway through, and I was a little taken aback since, to that point, the book was mainly just funny. So, it suddenly had heart. Not that that's a bad thing, just unexpected.

Overall, there is a good bit of humor, and some serious bits too. There's isn't much in the way of romance, though what there is was fairly predictable.

I'd recommend it if you're into interior decorating and antiques, or if you want some lengthy but enjoyable fluff.

Red Pyramid

kellsta — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:17:42 GMT

Red Pyramid

by Rick Riordan
★★★☆☆

Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

-----

I keep having to resist the urge to call this "a cute book", and all the while I was reading I had to keep reminding myself the main characters are 12. Truly, a 5th or 6th grader would probably LOVE this book. I guess I'm just used to reading books in which the characters act years beyond their age. In that regard, Riordan does a great job of writing the emotions and mentality of a 12-year-old. I'm just glad I'm not 12 anymore.

The plot is a bit inconsistent, with excessive detail given to events which turn out to be irrelevant and not nearly enough attention paid to some events which turn out to be pivotal. And though the frequent change in narrator was confusing at times, it was clearly marked and was an interesting way to tell the story. It's written as though the author of the book has discovered an audio recording made by the main characters and has transcribed it to the best of his ability. Riordan uses the "found recording" to create a sense of intrigue and to include the reader as someone who, now having heard the message, must be on their guard.

The characters in general weren't well described in the beginning, and that bugged me a little. I tend to rely heavily on the author's description of characters to form a picture of them in my mind. With this book, I didn't really have that option. I had to give the characters a look based on my own assumptions. Then I found out, almost halfway through the book, that Carter and Sadie's dad was black and their mom was white. Then it was mentioned that Carter's skin is darker like their dad's while Sadie's is lighter like their mom's, to the point that they don't even look like siblings. So, there I was... halfway through the book and feeling all awkward because I had to change my "picture" of the characters. It was distracting.

But what was more distracting was having a bit of the action take place in my home city of Memphis. The inaccuracies of his description of my home for 29 years had me slamming down the cover of my Nook and exhaling loudly to mr_j "Can you believe thus and such...??" The fact that the characters came here didn't bother me, but it appears that the author has NEVER been here. What do you do if you haven't been somewhere but need to write about it? Either make it up, or traffic in stereotypes. He chose the latter.

The characters came to Memphis looking for an Egyptian god to help them on their quest. They land in our airport (in winter) and rent a car. A BMW convertible to be exact. In winter. I get that we're in the south, but it does get cold here... But that was trifling. They leave the ~~airport~~ car rental place and drive past plantation-style homes with rolling lawns and cypress trees. Where the heck are these houses?? You know what you see when you leave our lovely international airport? THE HOOD. Miles and miles and miles of HOOD. Shacks and run-down apartment complexes and warehouses and houses with bars over the windows. The characters do eventually pass some "shacks" with "young African American men sitting on the porch playing guitars and singing". LOL. A little more stereotypical, please. Riordan answers my request by next describing the "chicken and waffles" restaurant the children pass on their tour of our fair city. Both mr_j and I have searched for such a restaurant without success.

And where is this Egyptian god supposed to be? A library or center of learning. Carter remarks something along the lines of "Not many of those in Tennessee." SHUT YO' MOUF, LIL' BOY! SHO NUFF WE AIN' GOT NO LIBERRIES HERA CUZ WE ALL LIVE INNA HOOD!

I hate hate hate the stereotype that people in the south we are somehow unlearned, ignorant hoodlums or rednecks. Chicken and waffle-eatin' black musicians. Of course, there ARE those people, but they certainly aren't in the majority. They just happen to be the ones who make it on the nightly news, thus giving the nation at large the idea that we're all that way. ARGH.

So the kids are driving through town with their cat goddess chaperone, looking for a library. They "turn left onto Poplar", which you would not do if you were coming from the airport, but whatever. They see signs for the University of Memphis. Okay, cool! Then they call it a "small college". *WCF SMACKDOWN!!* 20,000 students on over 7 city blocks is not a "small college"! And Carter is supposedly such an avid basketball fan and he hasn't heard of the Tigers? We freakin' make it to the NCAA regularly! OH, but they do find some baboons on campus who play basketball.

RAGE!!

They find what they are looking for in a non-existant "science buildling" on campus and are then teleported to... guess where? You'll never guess, so I'll tell you. Graceland. The description of which is strangely VERY accurate, compared to the rest of Memphis. Did you know that Elvis was a magician? Neither did I, but apparently those hips don't lie!

Okay, after the rhinestone jumpsuits attack, the kids are teleported downtown to the Pyramid. Riordan describes them as standing with their backs to the river, looking up at the metal and glass pyramid AND a 20-ft statue of Rameses. Rameses is on the opposite side of the pyramid from the river, NOT THAT ANYONE CARES EXCEPT ME. The way it is IN REALITY paints a more scenic picture because Rameses would be in front, the Pyramid behind, and then the river beyond. Why change it??

Are you ready for me to get over it now?? lol I won't (I'm pissed!), but I'll wrap up my review, for your sake.

Despite the immaturity and the inaccuracies, I did enjoy the story and am looking forward to the sequel--as long as they don't come back to Memphis. It was well written--though maybe not well-researched in places. It is different from what is currently saturating the market (vampires and werewolves) and is refreshing because of that. I've always been drawn to Egyptian architecture and history, and I did enjoy those descriptions (whether or not they were accurate). Maybe I shouldn't care so much about accuracy because this is fiction, but why can't fiction be accurate also? It's the element of truth that often makes fiction more interesting, right?

I would recommend this if you are at all interested in Egyptian mythology. And if you don't live in Memphis. ;)

And now something that you've all been waiting for...

kellsta — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:23:12 GMT

Eirnin’s silver eyes, now showing hints of bright yellow, widened in astonishment as he stared, transfixed, at the red blood dripping from the wound on Story’s foot.
“What are you?”

A simple question with a not-so-simple answer for seventeen-year-old Story, who finds herself, a lone human, thrust in the middle of a war between creatures she once thought only existed in faerie tales.

~~~~~

Now available for Pre-Sale, War of the Seasons: The Human.

These will be available for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, etc, in the next couple days. :)

Seriously. You should check it out.

I did the copyediting as well as the print and ebook layout. Yes. Lil' Ol' Me. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story!! And even though I've been working very closely with it for the past two months (I know, sneaky right? I haven't said a word.) I'm not tired of it yet!

Hopefully the author likes me and will keep me around for the sequels. :)

So, if you like getting books signed by the author, get one on pre-sale and Janine will sign it for you. Or if you prefer electronic, just give me a few days. I'm working as fast as the bugs will allow me. And I don't mean computer bugs. lol

But that is a whole 'nother post.

Book Giveaway

kellsta — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:23:50 GMT

I've been attempting to re-do my office (at home) for 3 years. Yes, ever since we moved in. And it hasn't happened. It's been started several times and actually made some significant progress when mr_j bought me a Mac for Christmas. But still.... there are piles. And truly, the stand-alone shelves need to go. There are lots of books that I've kept for no good reason. Actually, my reason for keeping them was "I had to read them in school and Jeffrey might have to as well, so I should keep them so we don't have to re-buy." That's dumb for a couple of reasons. #1. He probably won't have to read the same books I did. #2. If he does, he'll likely want the most recent edition. I remember feeling really poor when I pulled my shabby copy out for a class discussion and everyone else had newer editions. #3. By the time he's in high school, everyone will probably use e-readers or laptops or somesuch anyway.

Okay, to the point.

I'm purging my shelves.

Here's my list. If you see a book you would like, I will send it to you for the cost of shipping. We both win. Just know that these are all trade paperback unless otherwise noted. No first editions, etc.

If you're interested, let me know by June 5th, else they will be going a library or the Goodwill bookstore.

mr_j, these are from my shelves, but if any of them are actually yours and you don't wish to part with them, do your caveman thing.

Okay. The List. Alphabetical by Title.

A History of Women in America, Carol Hymowitz and Michaele Weissman
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
Antigone, Oedipus, and Electra, Sophocles
Black Like Me, John Howard Griffin
Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller
Everyday Life in Early America, David Freeman Hawke
Four Major Plays, Henrik Ibsen
Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
Medea and Other Plays, Euripides
Murder in the Cathedral, T.S. Eliot
Plays, Anton Chekhov
Selected Political Speeches, Cicero
Son of a Witch, Gregory Maguire
Tao Teh Ching, Lao Tzu
Tartuffe, Moliere
The Art of Love, Ovid
The Bhagavad Gita, uhh... who wrote that?
The Crucible, Arthur Miller
The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales, Edgar Allen Poe
The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
The Jugurthine War/The Conspiracy of Catiline, Sallust (oh ugh. Latin class.)
The Light in the Forest, Conrad Richter
The Oedipus Cycle, Sophocles
The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux
The Scarlett Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
Wicked, Gregory Maguire

If you want pictures, I'll be happy to post some.

Here is a pic, but I'm not giving any of these away. They are some of my favorites from when I was a kid. Can't even count how many times I've read them. I have about 12 of those yellow Nancy Drew books. I want ALL of them!!!

Prince Caspian

kellsta — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:08:06 GMT

Prince Caspian

by C.S. Lewis - ★★★★★
Amazon's Summary: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensey, the heroes and heroines from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, return in this fourth installment of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. The four children are transported from an English train station to an island in the world of Narnia. Though Narnia has been at peace since the children left, it is now under the control of Wicked King Mirax. The youngsters, along with Aslan the great lion, must help young Prince Caspian restore Narnia's glorious past. ~Shauna Yusko
-----
First of all, Shauna summary writer, it's MIRAZ.

Anyway...

I feel I must start with a confession. I read LWW several times as a youngster but never the other books. I have enjoyed the movies though. (I know many book fans have not, due to the changes made to various plots.) I'm probably the only (or one of few) who liked the Prince Caspian movie a lot. Having no prior experience with the story, can you see why? The only thing I remember finding odd was the sudden appearance of Susan-Caspian love interest that pops up at the very end. It seemed to come of out left field.

Now, confession #2. I had a hard time reading this book because of how much I liked the movie. Seriously, it took me almost two years to finish reading it. In contrast with the movie, the book seemed dull. There was no nighttime raid on Miraz's castle. The final battle was much shorter, as was the scene on the bridge over the river. And what was all that at the end about the different children in various locations throughout Narnia getting a much-needed comeuppance? I found myself saying, "Who cares??"

That said, I really had to focus on the fact that the movies should be treated completely separate from the books. There is also a generational difference in the way action scenes are written. We've come to expect much more these days. More excitement, more detail.

Truly, the books ARE good. You just can't say anything bad about C.S. Lewis and the way he writes. He's C.S. Lewis! And I particularly like this version of the book that I have. I can't find it anywhere on Amazon, and now I remember that I bought the entire series as a collector's box set when I was in Ireland. Clifden in County Galway to be exact. I remember that day. I even remember what I was wearing! But I digress...

This particular edition of the book has illustrations, which I love.

I've already seen Voyage of the Dawn Treader, so now I'm very reluctant to read it. I hear the movie strayed significantly from the book. And I really liked the movie. =/ I'm torn.

Hunger Games

kellsta — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:31:40 GMT

Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins - ★★★★★★★★★★
In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator.' Book one of a planned trilogy.
-----
HOLY CROW. I had only gotten through Part 1 of this book when I had to put it down for an extended period of time due to work and other obligations. I nearly died. When I was able to pick it back up to finish, I had difficulty putting it down even to go to the bathroom. So I didn't. lol (Hey, mr_j reads on the potty; so can I!) Anyway...

I. Loved. It! I will have a hard time finding a better read for this year, unless, of course, it's the next two books in this series which I am absolutely itching to buy. I can't though. Not yet. I promised myself that I would leave them on my weight loss rewards list. Talk about incentive! 4.5 pounds from now, I can buy Catching Fire. 24.5 pounds from now I can buy Mockingjay. Hurry up, hurry up! Get with the program, Lazy Butt!

And I've officially gotten off topic.

I have a thing for dystopian romances. But this isn't even close to what I would call a romantic book. Hardly. It doesn't follow your stereotypical boy/girl roles. The girl fights. The boy... not so much. But he is heroic and endearing in his own way. Peeta. I like him. I like Katniss too, which is unusual. Usually the female lead gets on my nerves, but she didn't. I identified with her way of thinking, and though at times I thought her quite dense for not picking up on Peeta's feelings for her, I understood. The ending didn't surprise me, but I was definitely thrown for a loop on the way to that ending. It didn't happen the way I was expecting, and three cheers for an author who can leave me saying, "Wait, WHAT??? OMG...."

The author did an excellent job of painting the picture for me. Just enough that every moment came alive in my head, but not so much that I couldn't use my own imagination to fill in the gaps.

I also thought it was very well written. It just flowed. I never had to go back and re-read a sentence because I lost the meaning. I found no distractions due to grammatical errors. (Or maybe I was just so engrossed that I missed them.)

This "review" seems rather vague for how much I loved this book, but I guess I'm just not sure how to explain what I liked without giving everything away. I want everyone to have the chance to read it first. So if you haven't yet, you should. And if you were planning to, DO IT NOW!

Confession time: I did something I shouldn't have done. I spoiled myself for the next book by reading the summary for the third. I couldn't help myself!! I want so badly to just download the next two on my Nook and start reading, but I'm forcing myself to wait for the reward in Hardback. :)

Dead Reckoning (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

kellsta — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:31:47 GMT

Review of Books 1-10 here.

Dead Reckoning

by Charlaine Harris - ★★☆☆☆
-----
Amazon synopsis: With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...
-----
I pre-ordered this when it first became available and I've been waiting anxiously for the chance to read it. Now that I have... I must say:

I paid freakin' $14.99 for an electronic version of this??

That's complaint #1: price gouging. The publisher TOTALLY took advantage of the fact that fans were ravenous for another book.

And then it wasn't even that good! Actually, this was my least favorite of the entire series. Club Dead, my previous least favorite, was much more interesting than this. Seriously. I was bored for the first 9 chapters. It got mildly interesting in Ch. 10 when Sookie finds Alcide in her bed. (I'm a TV Sookie and Alcide shipper, but I HATE him in the books.) Then Ch. 11 gets MUCH better when Sookie has to hide in Bill's sleeping spot naked because those guys are after her. Okay, yea. That was funny. Bill is a lot better in this book; he's not so whiny.

The book after Ch. 11 is better, but only because of the violence. And there's a lot of violence. I guess there had to be to make up for the Snooze Fest that was the first 9 chapters. Honestly, I read more pages of Sookie cleaning her house than about breaking her blood bond with Eric--which was totally anti-climactic. Oh, but can I get a HOO-RAY for the death of Sandra Pelt FINALLY!! That plot was getting OLD.

The first part of the book, though slow and not very interesting, does do a great deal of "important" explaining. Too much really. It's like CH's plan for this book was "Dump a bunch of answers in to satisfy annoying fans." Except she BUGGERED IT UP BIG TIME! You CANNOT rewrite the history of your characters so close to the end of the series!! The whole Eric & Niall thing was a complete mess. There's no way they could have been working together to look out for Sookie when this book says they did. THERE IS A TIMELINE OF EVENTS! YOU HAVE TO STICK TO IT! And not doing so shows a lack of concern for your story and its continuity. Considering the price gouging, maybe it's just all about the money now. I'm Charlaine Harris. People love my books. People love the tv show based on my books. I'm rich now, and I don't care anymore about the series that me famous as an author. I'm going to bang out a bunch of CRAP to hurry and get it over with, and to h3ll with the fans who have been there from the beginning.

Yes, I'm totally putting words in her mouth, but I am angry.

I am also sad.

I'm sad to say, after this book, I no longer like Eric. Secretly I guess I was holding on to a shred of hope that the nice, honest, caring Eric from Dead to the World would return. Nope. And now that he and Pam are fighting, he's just awful. Clearly, Eric is on his way out as a "Sookie Love Interest". And good riddance.

Enter Sam, apparently. Or that's what everyone is saying. There are 2 more books left in the series to find out. I will finish the series. I have hope that it will turn around and there will be a spectacular finale in Book 13.

What the Stock? (Episode 4: The Costume Ones)

kellsta — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:38:14 GMT

I really wish I had time to do these more regularly. There is just SO MUCH QUESTIONABLE STOCK ART out there, and I'm missing it!

If you're new to the f-list and "What the Stock?" check out previous "episodes" here.

The ones I have for you today are real winners. Mostly what I find is business related, but these are a refreshing (and terrifying!) break from my norm. Not all of them have captions this time; mostly, I just didn't know what to say. I hope they entertain you, especially my friends who are into costuming. But please don't let me catch you cosplaying any of these photos. I WILL de-friend you. lol Okay, I won't. But I will point and laugh.

Preview:

Nerd in love... with a dummy.

I did not get this one from Awkward Family Photos! Promise.

Calm down, you'll tear your boa.

Watch where you point that thing.

This is just creepy. Seriously. I can't look at it. I think she's about to rip the doll's arm off in some voodoo incantation.

I feel like this some days.

This one's for mr_j.

I do like her dress though...

I bet this took forever to get off!

I do the same thing when I want my boobs to look bigger!

and finally....

Happy Easter, Everyone!

May a large bunny head leave you some yummy candy in your basket.

The Big Bad Wolf Series (gun in my mouth!)

kellsta — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:14:10 GMT

On second thought, suicide seems rather drastic. The books weren't that bad. I mean, I did read them.

Finished them.

But now that I look at their pages on Amazon, I realize something. All three were written within 5 months.

O.o

No wonder they don't appear to be edited AT ALL! At less than two months for each book, obviously there was no time for something as insignificant as editing! HEAVEN FORBID we space out our book releases in order to produce higher quality work!!

How's my snark level? Too high?

(Review of first book in the series here.)

The Strip

by Heather Killough-Walden - ★★★☆☆
Amazon's summary: The emerald-eyed Malcolm Cole is a cursed werewolf, an alpha in the most powerful sense who has given up hope for any kind of happiness or peace in his life.

Until he catches wind of Claire.

Claire St. James, who goes by Charlie among friends, is an amazing young woman with an incredibly special gift. Cole recognizes this at once and swears on the spot to claim Charlie as his mate.

Of course, he isn't the only one with such plans. Pretty, red-headed Charlie is too precious to let go of without a fight, and one of the most powerful alpha werewolves in the world has already staked a claim, whether Charlie - and Cole - like it or not.
------
This one had a lot more graphic violence (torture), but it was probably the best one--and my favorite--of the three. The main characters are just soooo much more interesting than the ones from the first book. Malcolm has more dimension than Caveman Daniel, and Claire is a lot tougher than Lily, though she still has a disturbing affinity for being tied up. As you might imagine, this gets her into trouble when the wrong guy decides not to take "no" for an answer.

With plenty of interesting new characters, the plot really seems to pick up in this volume. It's more complicated and less predictable. However, the grammar our distinguished author uses was just as deplorable as in her first offering.

SERIOUSLY. HIRE AN EDITOR!

The Spell

by Heather Killough-Walden - ★★★☆☆
Amazon's summary: Dannai, who is also known as the Healer, has begun dreaming of werewolves. She'd always been able to hide the fact that she was a dormant, using her magic to shield the sweet, promising scent from the alphas she's been forced to work around. But now that they've invaded her dreams, her world has really been turned upside down. For, though every dormant dreams of her intended mate - Dannai is dreaming of two wolves, not one. And neither one of them is good news. One is a notorious killer. The other is Lucas Caige.

Lucas Caige is a man with a haunting past. A warlock took his brother from him fifty years ago and he's spent his life outrunning that dark magic. But fate has a way of throwing sand in your gears - and just when Caige thought he could forever leave behind the magic that brought pain to his life, his path crosses that of the Healer. Dannai unwittingly casts her spell over him the moment he lays eyes on her. She's stunning, she's kind, and everything about her wreaks havoc on his senses.

She's also magic incarnate.

But if Dannai thinks that's going to stop him from doing everything in his power to make her his mate, the little witch has another thing coming.
-----
This third book was better than the first, but not as good as the second. There was some girl-on-girl action right at the get-go that I was not prepared for and turned me off right away. But that's just me.

It's not a new thing that Dormants dream of more than one wolf, but the author treats it like a Very. Big. Deal. It's not.

Some recurring characters and their habits (Phelan-and his penchant for torture) are getting tired. And, I swear, every single person in these books has "perfect, white teeth" and flashes them at other characters constantly. It's a wonder they ever speak at all. Thankfully, there is no more intended rape, or choking the female heroine out during sex. Perhaps the author finally realized that not all women have rape fantasies. Or perhaps it was just luck that she stopped writing about it. (Honestly don't think 5 months was enough time to receive much feedback from readers.)

Her grammar is still atrocious. And there were numerous cases of humorous spelling errors. For example: "Dust moats" Didn't you know your castle could have a dust moat? I sure didn't. IT'S DUST MOTES YOU NON-PROOFREADING QUACK! Okay, maybe that was harsh, but after three books of this crap, enough is enough. HIRE A FRIGGIN' EDITOR RIGHT NOW!!

Perhaps I should write to her and offer my services....

Nah.

EDIT: I just found her website and read that the love/hate relationship between Xena and Ares from the Xena tv show is what inspires a lot of her writing. No kidding. That explains a lot.

The Lamest, Most Sado-Masichistic Series of Books I Will Ever Read

kellsta — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 21:24:41 GMT

The Heat

by Heather Killough-Walden
Hated it! ☆☆☆☆☆
Amazon's summary: Lily St. Claire is a simple, [no kidding!] if beautiful Southern girl who has no idea what she is in for when she decides to move back to her home town in Louisiana after a decade of being away. But between the two very different alpha werewolves who instantly begin fighting to claim her as their mate and the serial killer who has her in his sites, she's about to find out.

My summary: Lily St. Claire is a moron. I mean, a complete imbecile. She bops into town after being gone for 10 years and is immediately smitten by Mr. Daniel wolf-man after one ride on his sooper shiney Harley. Right. The next day, he's throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her back to his house where he cuffs her, cuts her, and mixes their blood in some extremely unromantic mating ritual. But it's enough to get her all hot and bothered to the point where she passes out.

He gets called out on a case (he's Baton Rouge's Chief of Police) and leaves her alone. She escapes. SURPRISE! Steals his Harley, and takes off in a mad dash to rendezvous with Mr. Evil Sexy Book-writing wolf man, to whom she grants permission to remove the bonding mark she got only hours before. All the while, he's got her in a choke-hold, promising to make her bleed... This gets her all turned on again. Oh, but the bonding mark removal process hurts (duh!) and suddenly she's sorry and wants Mr. Harley back. Oh, and did I mention Mr. Evil Sexy Novelist is a Nazi?? You can't make this crap up. Oh wait, apparently you can.

So Mr. Harley Wolf shows up to rescue our damsel who likes being in distress, but Mr. Nazi Wolf escapes with her, hops on a private jet, and holds her hostage in his cabin in New Mexico. She was unconscious for the trip, but knows exactly where she is when she wakes up. Uhhh... yea. CUZ SHE'S SO SMRT!

Oh, then she burns his house down in an attempt to escape, except she didn't adequately plan a way OUT of said inferno. But at least there's a hot tub! So she drowns herself trying not to be burned alive.

PLEASE!! Could you write a more ridiculously stupid heroine??

Oh, but wait, then it turns out Mr. Sexy Evil Nazi is neither Evil nor a Nazi. He's spent the majority of his life cursed by a gypsy to witness and be blamed for the murder of every innocent. Poor tortured soul. He decides that since the heroine would rather die trying to escape than be with him, she should be with Daniel, Mr. Chief of Police wolf.

So Lily and Daniel hook up, re-complete the mating bond, and he turns her into a wolf too, despite her protests. HOURS LATER, she is (again) kidnapped. This time by a human, a Hunter--to be exact. He shoots her 30+ times and ties her to a bed in some church basement, intending to rape her. (Which is not so different from what the two wolves have already done, but this time she doesn't like it. Oh. Okay.)

Seriously, the amount of time this woman spends naked and tied up is ludicrous. But Mr. Hot Rod Harley comes to the rescue, frees her, and imprisons her kidnapper (who turns out to be one of his top guys on the police force--OOPS!). All is well now. Lily and Daniel settle down, exonerate Mr. Not An Evil Nazi After All, and have a puppy together.

The banter about breastfeeding the offspring was the final straw. It was totally sexualized, which is WRONG. She doesn't want to feed her kid, so she punches her new husband in the face and tells him to bring her some Starbucks.

THE END.

OMGWTFBBQ

as someone I know would say.

Stupid me, expecting decent literature for $1.

My ONLY consolation is that, at the time I purchased this series, proceeds were being donated to the Red Cross for Japan Relief Fund.

There are two more books in this series (both $1).... And they promise to be just as vapid as the first. Why would I continue to subject myself to such literary nonsense? Well, 1. I already paid for them, and 2. I want to write more scathing reviews like this one.

Truth be told, the other main characters were not that bad. My major problem was the "heroine". And she was SO BAD that she ruined the entire book. Mr. Not An Evil Nazi actually had a good story going for him, despite everyone else's shenanigans. I think he's featured in the next book, so maybe it has a whisper of a prayer of being worth my time.

Regardless, the author clearly has some Stockholm Syndrome/please hurt me I LIKE IT issues. And it's disturbing.

Quite Possibly the Most Awesome, Most Creative Music Video EVER!

kellsta — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:41:32 GMT

2010: Best & Worst Reads & Watches

kellsta — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:21:36 GMT

The Best of 2010

Keep in mind that these are not limited to 2010 releases. That means they are not new, just new to me.

Best Book - Beyond the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy
Review

I really need to read more books this year. If the best I can come up with is a cheesy vampire romance, you know there is some serious literary quality lacking. If you love me, spam me with GOOD books to read.

Best Movie - Overall
Sherlock Holmes

Best TV Show
Better Off Ted

The Worst of 2010

Book - The Joy of Pregnancy by Tori Kropp
This book prepared me for nothing. And there was no joy. I would say it's almost as "scary" as the What to Expect.. book.

Movie - The Fountain

WTH, Hugh Jackman! You disappoint me! This was one of those movies that intellectual (or pseudo-intellectual) people can go on and on about, but really it's just a giant, steaming PILE to normal people. Visually, this movie was gorgeous, but it made absolutely no sense.

Woot! Another Sookie Book

kellsta — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:47:12 GMT

Charlaine Harris put up the first chapter of Dead Reckoning HERE

I read it, liked it, and now I have to wait until friggin' MAY 2011??
And I have to wait even longer to see the next season of the show 'cause we don't have HBO.
*sad face*

"I need a fix cause I'm goin' dowwwwwwn...."

Dreams and sand and stories.

What the stock? (episode 5: the need for speed & other frightening things)

Things on Wheels that Shouldn't Be

SCARY THINGS

.....and the winner is...

"The White Rabbit"

Desperate Passage

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West by Ethan Rarick - ★★★★★

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson - ★★★☆☆

Procrastination = Book Reviews

The Liberation of Alice Love by Abby McDonald - ★★★★★

Dare to Die by Carolyn Hart - ★★☆☆☆

Pillow Talk by Freya North - ★★★★★

Freefall by Kristen Heitzmann - ★★★☆☆

Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer - ★★★★☆

Blood Ties by Lori G. Armstrong - ★★★☆☆

A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron - ★★★☆☆

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar [audiobook] - ★★★☆☆

Walk Off The Earth video

Hunter by Robert Bidinotto

Hunter by Robert Bidinotto - ★★★★★

Voice Post

2011 Year in Review Meme

Oh yea!

Mockingjay (Hunger Games Series #3)

Mockingjay

Midnight Breed #7, 8, & 9 by Lara Adrian

Shades of Midnight

Taken by Midnight

Deeper than Midnight

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Catching Fire (Hunger Games Series #2)

Catching Fire

Lost at the Con

Lost at the Con

Hissy Fit

Hissy Fit

Scarlett O'Hara

Red Pyramid

Red Pyramid

And now something that you've all been waiting for...

Seriously. You should check it out.

Book Giveaway

Okay, to the point.

If you're interested, let me know by June 5th, else they will be going a library or the Goodwill bookstore.

Prince Caspian

Prince Caspian

Hunger Games

Hunger Games

Dead Reckoning (*CONTAINS SPOILERS*)

Dead Reckoning

I paid freakin' $14.99 for an electronic version of this??

What the Stock? (Episode 4: The Costume Ones)

Happy Easter, Everyone!

The Big Bad Wolf Series (gun in my mouth!)

The Strip

The Spell

The Lamest, Most Sado-Masichistic Series of Books I Will Ever Read

The Heat

OMGWTFBBQ

Quite Possibly the Most Awesome, Most Creative Music Video EVER!

2010: Best & Worst Reads & Watches

The Best of 2010

The Worst of 2010

Woot! Another Sookie Book

Dead Reckoning (CONTAINS SPOILERS)