Sporadic Posting

I haven't posted in a while because (as a middle school teacher) I am now back at work full time as the winter holidays are over.  Be assured I am still reading quite a bit (not as much as I'd like, of course) and will try to update as much as possible.  I am keep my goodreads current however.

The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure by Caroline Paul
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is split into ten chapters, each of which follow the author on one of her adventures. Some examples include her experience paragliding, kayaking through Croatia, and running into a burning building (as a firefighter). I enjoyed all of her stories, and I think young girls would have fun reading about her crazy adventures. On each page, there is some kind of quote or blurb about a "Gutsy Girl" who made history by doing something extraordinary. At the end of each chapter, there is a writing prompt that somehow relates to the moral of the chapter and space to journal. There are also practical survival tips scattered throughout the book, as well as cute maps/checklists/etc to inspire adventure.

I can definitely think of a few girls I know who I'd like to purchase this book for. I think it would be a fun way to get them reading, not to mention inspire them to push themselves a little further every day.

I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Hostage Taker by Stefanie Pintoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eve Rossi is a hostage negotiator for the FBI who is currently on hiatus after tragedy hits home. She is suddenly summoned back into action, and in order to be successful, she re-enlists the help of her team (called the Vidocq Unit). Mace, Garcia, Haddox, and Eli work with her to figure out who this Hostage Taker is and save innocent lives.

I loved the characters in this book. They are all ex-cons who have been recruited by the FBI to use their skills to catch other bad guys. There was plenty of action and twists, and I never could figure out who the Hostage Taker was until the very end. I can't wait for the next installment!

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All Roads Lead to Hades by K.S. Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jamie is living with a horrible past--his entire family was killed in front of his eyes when he was only five years old. The murderer was never found, and since then, he has been haunted by the man who continues to attack the people he loves. Then, a man named Kyle comes out of nowhere and offers Jamie a safe haven. The two grow closer, but Kyle maintains some secrets about his past...

I enjoyed this book and I couldn't put it down! There was a lot of suspense, and I could never figure Kyle out until it is revealed at the end. There was a lot of disturbing content, but I thought it was believable and I never thought it was weird. I would have liked to see a little more character development as we seemed to jump into the action almost right away. Kyle is kind of creepy, and yet Jamie apparently puts a lot of trust into him very quickly. Also, scenes like the Trick-Or-Treating was so cute I would have liked to read more. Overall, I really liked it and I'm looking forward to more from the author.

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In This Together: My Story by Ann Romney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ann Romney was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998. This is her story about her reaction to finding out she had the disease and what she is doing to deal with it.

I thought the story was interesting to read, if anything just to learn about someone's experiences with MS. Romney wrote in a very easy-to-read manner, but it was very repetitive. It almost seemed like she wrote each chapter in isolation because she would repeat so much.

Time to find more books about people with MS--I'm curious to find out how other people are combating their symptoms, especially those in a more debilitating stage of MS.

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The Mariposa Hotel by Julie Wright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a collection of three short stories following different characters all set within the same hotel.

The first story, The Ghost of 913, was my favorite. Mari is a young maid going to school for a bachelor's degree, with plans of going to law school. Grant is a U.S. Marshall on assignment protecting a key witness in an upcoming trial. He is staying at the hotel Mari works at. I loved these characters and the chemistry between them. Their interactions were really sweet, and honestly, I thought it was a nice change to see how nervous the guy got when interacting with a confident, beautiful woman (who is "only" a maid).

The second story, Butterfly Kisses, was my least favorite. Ridley is a famous photographer and Brooke is a plastic surgeon. I thought their interactions were awkward, especially all of the Tom Hiddleston stuff...

The last story, Dreams Come True, was pretty cute. Raegan is the events coordinator at the hotel and Kevin is a famous producer who is hosting a charity event at the hotel. I liked them together at the beginning of the story, but things get a little weird/complicated when Kevin's niece and his sister come in to the mix. It shifted the focus from the new couple.

Overall, I would recommend this book for the first story itself! I'm looking forward to catching up on the previous two books in the series.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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Grumpy Cat, Volume 1 by Ben McCool
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Grumpy Cat, but I'm assuming people who choose to read this graphic novel are fans as well so I'm not going to count that as biased. I loved this book--I thought all of the artwork was very cute and the dialogue seemed to fit Grumpy Cat's personality. I enjoyed the contrast between Grumpy and her sister Pokey. Pokey gets so excited about everything while Grumpy tries to shoot it down. I liked all of the stories, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be "Detective Cats." Grumpy and Pokey dress up like detectives with a film noir theme.

I recieved an ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Prince
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! I loved the artwork, but even more than that, I loved the story. I was able to relate to the author's experiences growing up and am excited to share this book with others. I thought it was a great way to share the important issue of gender non-conformity in a non-preachy way.

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DiSemblance by Shanae Branham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is action-packed! There is a serial killer on the loose and it is somehow connected to a new, SUPERSECRET invention developed by Jason Tanner's dad Lloyd. It is up to Jason to protect the invention as well as the lives of his dad and younger brother. Meanwhile, he accidentally involves his new friend Boston who lives across the street.

I honestly did not like any of the characters, except for maybe Detective Bruce Durante, and I thought most of the character interactions were awkward. I think that goes to show how fun the plot was though, because I usually go for a strong connection to the characters to be able to enjoy a book and want to read on through a series.

Finally, I liked the idea of the "holodeck" machine and I'm looking forward to how it will be manipulated in the next book.

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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Better: How I Let Go of Control, Held On to Hope, and Found Joy in My Darkest Hour by Amy Robach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly have never heard of Amy Robach and didn't know anything about her story. However, I love memoirs and was interested in finding out about this woman's journey to overcome breast cancer.

I was drawn in immediately--the story moved quickly and her writing style was easy to read. Some parts seemed repetitive, and some parts seemed cheesy, but I thought it was a worthy story to experience. It definitely gave me better insight into the lives of people battling cancer.

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Ink by Amanda Sun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Katie Greene grew up in New York with her mom, but ends up having to move to Japan to live with her aunt after her mom passes away. It is a difficult transition, but Katie meets a mysterious boy who seems to have powers over the drawings he creates.

My favorite part of the book was getting to experience the Japanese culture/words throughout the book. And the descriptions of all the food! The mythology of the Kami was also interesting, although I don't know how much and what parts of it were made up by the author.

I was provided a free ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe by Cindy Roland Anderson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, I really enjoyed 4 out of 6 of the stories.

Below are my individual reviews for each story:

Forgotten Kisses by Cindy Roland Anderson
Cute story about the romance between a costume designer and actor on a TV show. I ended up liking both of the characters, which is rare for me.

The Last Christmas by Annette Lyon
This one was okay, about an older couple with grown children going through a divorce. I found the main character to be annoying and it was difficult getting through this one. I was trying to be sympathetic, but she was so negative!

Truth or Dare by Julie Coulter Bellon
A soldier comes home from Afghanistan with a prosthetic foot and feels very self-conscious about it. He meets up with an old friend from high school. This one felt rushed and unnatural.

Holiday Bucket List by Sarah M. Eden
This one was cute! Two next-door-neighbor widows secretly like each other but are afraid to take it to the next level. The characters were so cute and cheesy working on an '80s-themed holiday bucket list.

Christmas Every Day by Heather B. Moore
This one is might be my favorite. An estranged son comes back home after many years and falls in love with the woman who is taking over his parents store. Both are going through rough, but hopeful times in their lives.

First (and Last) Christmas Date by Jennifer Griffith
I liked the characters of this one, but the events were so crazy! It was still cute though, and a little more spicy than the other stories.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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