Review: Blue Water by J.A. Armitage

Blue Water by J.A. Armitage
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This came out September 12, 2018.  I'm glad I finally got caught up and read it.  I'm also able to use this for a challenge prompt for a book title with my favorite color in it.  Only 9 more books to go to finish the challenge, no onto the review...

This story picks up shortly after the first book. The sea witch is dead and Ari and Erica are attempting to figure out how their relationship is going to work. Erica is still heir to her kingdom and preparing to be Queen one day, however she is bonded to Ari and exploring her feelings for him. The unofficial couple continues to spend as much time together as they can until Erica's father falls sick of an unexplained illness. When the mermaids of Havfrue and Erica's mother all fall sick unexpectedly, Erica expects that while the sea witch is dead her magic still lingers. Erica embarks on a quest to save both kingdoms and the people she is supposed to serve and protect as Queen.

As with the first book I really liked the mythology and magical aspect of the story line. It adds a nice twist to the reverse fairytale/retelling aspect of the story. This reads as YA, so the characters feel a bit impulsive and immature at times, but you have to remember that they are in fact just that. Their actions are fitting, and they do grow and develop from their experiences which is what I look for. The plot moves along at a decent pace as well. This is a fun story and I am enjoying where it is headed. I'm looking forward to Erica and Ari's next adventure in book 3.

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Review: Warcross

Warcross by Marie Lu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this, it kept me engaged and entertained the whole book. Nancy Wu did an excellent job with the audio narration.  This fulfills my cyberpunk reading prompt challenge.  It hits most of the requirements for cyberpunk. 

This follows Emika Chen, a brillian hacker turned bounty hunter because she has to pay the bills. She's been banned from computers after pleading guilty to hacking to save a friends reputation. At her center Emika is a good person, but she knows that the world is an ugly place, so she tries to catch some of the bad guys and make some cash doing it. Emika typically hides in the shadows of the internet, but when one of her hacks goes wrong she finds herself glitched into the opening game of the Warcross tournament. Her anonymous identity isn't anonymous any longer and the developer of the world's favorite game offers her a job. Hideo developed Warcross, and now everyone in the world plays, but someone is hacking into the game and messing with Hideo's code. He asks Emika to go undercover as a Warcross wildcard player and use her hacking and bounty hunting skills to find the hacker that is trying to destroy Warcross. Emika finds herself entrenched in the dark side of the game and trying to uncover a mole within her Warcross teammates. She also finds an unexpected connection with the handsome, yet haunted billionaire. As she uncovers more about what is going on with the hacker, she also uncovers more about Hideo and finds so much more than she expected.

I could have done without the romance. It was a bit cheesy and predictable. I also figured out the plot twist pretty much right away, so the big reveal at the end was no surprise to me. The one thing I do like about Lu's writing is her somewhat villainous characters. You think they are the good guy, then they turn out the be kind of the bad guy but they still have redeeming qualities and you still want to like them. This book is much more character and plot driven. I would have liked a little more cyber and techno babble, but I know that isn't everyone's cup of tea. I really like that stuff because I'm a nerd. I think the Warcross games that the teams played were described very well as was the technology itself, I just wish there was more focus on that aspect of the book. I really enjoyed this and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

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Review: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really loved this. The mention of so many of my favorite movies, songs, and old games was so nostalgic for me. As a child of the 80's so many of the references were spot on and I loved it. Wil Wheaton did an awesome job as the narrator. One critique on the audio is that I could hear the turning of the pages on the edition I had, every so often I could hear the swishing of a page turning. It didn't take away from the experience or the book content.

This was such a fun story from beginning to end. I love dystopian story lines, and while at the heart of it this one isn't terribly unique and the plot is fairly convenient, I was sucked in from the beginning. Cline puts such a unique spin on it and I couldn't get enough. I loved all of the 80's pop culture references and all the techy, gamer lingo. At the heart of the story we have Wade, a struggling teen who doesn't really have much in the ugly real world of 2044. In Oasis though he can be whatever he wants to be, and like everyone else Wade is tirelessly trying to solve the mystery of keys that the Oasis game designer left behind. Wade has been at it for years in an attempt to win the prize, which will get Wade out of his pretty dire circumstances. When Wade finally solves the first of the puzzles his avatar becomes famous and he finds himself on an arduous journey through cyber-space. He makes some great friends and some even greater enemies as the best gamers continue to close in on the final puzzles and try to claim the final prize.

I highly recommend this if you are a fan of the 80's, you are a gamer, you like sci-fi, and you like nerdy techno jargon. Cline did an amazing job of blending pop cculture with science fiction and humor. I laughed so many times throughout this book. My 10 year old loved it as well, and while there is some content I would have liked to have kept him from a little longer it wasn't too mature or graphic. I'm thinking back to my Tandy 1000 days, when life was simple and Space Invaders and Oregon Trail were the best games out there.

I'm using this to fulfill one of my reading challenge prompts, A book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift.  I borrowed the audio from the library, and I actually did read a chapter of the physical book which was also borrowed.

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October TBR

Happy October!  Where did the rest of the year go?   It is hard to believe it is October already!  I love fall so I'm happy October is here, though I'm in disbelief that another year is coming to an end.

A new month means some updates to the blog.  I discovered a couple of new widgets on Goodreads and I like them better than what I had going on before.

I didn't get to a couple of these books in September and they are out in October.  I really fell behind with my reading the last few weeks.  I read a couple of longer books which didn't help, and I was really in a slump for most of September.  Everything I'm committed to read comes out at the beginning of October and it is all stuff I really want to read so that should help get me out of my slump.  Most of the books on my TBR are mystery, thriller, or have a paranormal element which is perfect for October.  I love Halloween and I'm excited to get to these.

• Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
• This is one of the mysteries on my October list.  It comes out on the 2nd.  The description reminds me of the RL Stine books I read in elementary school where there was a monster and the teens have to solve the mystery Scooby Doo style.  I'm really for that right now.  I need something light and not too complex but gripping at the same time.
• The Case of the Hidden Daemon by Lucy Banks
• I really loved the previous books in this series and I'm anxious to find out what happens in the next installment.  The group of ghost-hunters is pretty histerical and I really enjoy Banks' writing style and humor.  This comes out October 23rd.
• The Spellbook of Katrina VanTassel by Alyssa Palombo
• This is perfect to get into the Halloween spirit.  This is a retelling of Sleepy Hollow.  I used to love the Headless Horseman cartoon when I was a kid because it was scary and I really enjoyed the TV show for a while.  I'm looking forward to getting to this.  I comes out October 2nd, and early reviews have been nothing but glowing.  
• Fight or Flight by Samantha Young
• This is the newest offering from Samantha Young.  It comes out on October 9th, and I'm excited to get to it.  I need a good contemporary in my life right now.
• The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury
• One of the reading challenge prompts is to read a book about or set on Halloween.  This has been recommended several times.  I've got it on hold in e-book format and audio so we'll see which one comes up first.  It is pretty short so I'm excited to get to it.

Audio

As usual I've got a bunch of audiobook holds setup at the library.  I want to knock off a couple of challenge prompts for the Popsugar reading challenge and I've found audio has been the best way to get those knocked off my list.  These ones I should definitely get to this month.  I'm also listening to one with my son, but we only listen to that on Wednesday on our way to and from basketball practice.  Penguin Random House does free audio books periodically and I also have a copy of Frankenstien, also perfect for October and it has been on my TBR forever.  We'll see if I get to that.

• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• I've already got this checked out.  I'm going to read and listen to this one.  My son just read it, and he loved it.  Although he said there is alot of swearing.  To be fair he's 10.  His friend lent him a copy so in an effort to get through it a little more quickly I'm going to use the book and audio to get it back to the owner.  I've been wanting to read this for quite a while and it covers a book challenge prompt.
• The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
• I've already got this checked out and it's next up after Ready Player One.  I'm really enjoying this series, and I'm excited to see what happens to Gen as he embarks on his next adventure.
• Warcross by Marie Lu
• This should fulful my cyberpunk reading challenge prompt.  I've enjoyed Marie Lu's other works, and I'm looking forward to this one as well.  This will be a departure from what I normally read, but I like her writing style so I have high hopes.
• The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
• This has gotten a ton of hype and lots of great reviews.  The other bloggers/vloggers I trust have loved it so I figured why not.  I need a good fantasy in my life.  It sounds amazing and I'm looking forward to it.

Review: Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

Beard in Mind by Penny Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been anxiously awaiting Beau's story since I read Duane and Jessica's book a while back, and I've been wanting to get to know Shelly since reading Cletus' book. I was not disappointed.

You can always expect that Penny will tackle the subject matter within each of her books with care and a ton of research. Shelly suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, and while that term is thrown around without much thought by most people each day it is a very real disorder that many people deal with and has very real consequences. It is not just wanting your kitchen to be sparkling clean and your closet and pantry to be extremely organized. Shelly's character has a hard time functioning in basic daily tasks because of her disorder and her social skills suffer because of it. Penny goes on to mention in her author's notes at the end of the book that each person suffering with true OCD suffers from different symptoms and no two cases are alike. I really feel like Shelly was handled very well and she didn't let her disorder conquer her. She went to therapy, said she needed more time when she wasn't ready to move on to the next step, and called out for help when she needed it. Her character was so well developed and I loved that her character and her struggles were used to discuss Beau's character flaws and the things that he kept bottled up inside and never dealt with. Shelly offered to be his shoulder to lean on if he was hers. I loved that most about her and their relationship.

Beau is the charismatic Winston brother. He's always got a smile on his face and everyone likes him. He's said to be one of the biggest players in town, but his big secret is just wants that one special lady to love. He really isn't a player at all and he he's feeling a bit lost lately. Duane his twin has found his soulmate and is leaving to travel the world. The entire Winston clan seems be be finding love and settling down, but Beau hasn't found his someone yet. Enter Shelly, the latest addition to the auto shop Beau runs with his brothers. Shelly and Beau do not get along at first. Shelly is abrupt and appears very rude at first. She is a brilliant mechanic, but not good with the customers. Beau doesn't understand why Cletus would hire her, he does understand why Cletus likes her though. She's beautiful and odd, kind of like Cletus. As Beau gets to know her, he begins to understand her a bit better, and he can't deny that there may be a spark of attraction between them. As Cletus becomes distracted by his own lady love, Beau decides to give in to the attraction he's feeling. He also learns more about Shelly's OCD diagnosis and decides to help her with her therapy. This brings up lots of feelings that Beau has keep deep down inside after years of abuse from his father. Both of them have issues they need to work out, and they need to figure out a way to cope with and without each other.

Overall I loved this installment of the Winston saga. I did feel like there were some plot holes. Shelly is Quinn (from the Knitting in the City series) sister, and she was supposed to admit her OCD diagnosis to her family and I don't think we ever know if she did or not. She did admit some of her misdeeds to Quinn and Janie when the visited her, but I don't think she ever told her parents or ever told Quinn she had OCD. I just wanted a little more closure on that part of the plot. Maybe I missed it or there is a novella coming. That's pretty much my only complaint. Another excellent addition to the series.

This book also fulfilled my book about mental health for the Popsugar Reading Challenge.  While it wasn't non-fiction, I know Penny did a ton of research to do OCD justice.  She always makes sure to pay respect to the subject matter of her characters and plot lines.

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Review: Restore Me by Tehereh Mafi

Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
Narrated by Kate Simses (Narrator), James Fouhey (Narrator)
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm using this for my Popsugar Reading Challenge Prompt for a book published in 2018.  I've been waiting for this book for a while and I really liked it.  I loved the original books and their companions and I can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes.  The audio book was a great option.  I kept pushing off the e-book because of time commitments, the audio was a great option for me. I thought the narrators did a good job with Juliette and Warner and the rest of the characters.

This picks up just weeks after Ignite Me ends, Juliette is now the Supreme Commander of North America and in charge of Sector 45. She has Castle and Warner by her side to help her through the politics and day to day leadership that comes with the end of a war, but she is overwhelmed. She doesn’t quite know what she’s doing and the rest of the Reestablishment isn’t quite sure what to make of her. They send emissaries in the form of the children of the other Supreme Commanders to get to know her and attend a summit being hosted by North America. She learns new information about her past and Warners’s past. Juliette isn’t pleased by what she learns and her power surges out of control. The ending is a total cliffhanger, but we learn some pretty interesting information. I’m anxious to learn where we are headed next.

Mafi’s writing is exceptional. It is lyrical and poetic, and I love the way she tells stories. There are parts of this that are significantly more adult than the past series. There is more violence and intimacy, and the writing is beautiful. This book is significantly more character driven than plot driven. There is a plot twist at the end, so I suspect the next book will be more plot driven. There isn’t much world building; I suspect this is because the world doesn’t play much into the story quite yet. This almost feels a bit like an origin story.

The characters are so broken in this. It makes them feel different than what I remember from the first series. They grew in the first set of books and they were strong at the end of Ignite. Here they have let the trauma set in and they are broken and insecure again. It is like they are starting over and letting all of that self doubt back in. Juliette doubts all of her abilities, Warner is a mess, they have communication issues, and their relationship suffers. I do like how we get excerpts from Juliette’s journal to give some perspective on her inner monologue and Warner addresses his anxiety issues. Kenji is now the comic relief, which I appreciated, he was really funny and the story needed that. We don’t get much Adam in this, and when we do he is also broken. I do like some of the new side characters. As a fan of the original series, I really enjoyed this new installment and I’m looking forward to the remaining books. I suggest keeping an open mind when reading because it isn’t the same, but it is still good and fans will still enjoy it.

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Review: Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Narrarated by Jennifer Lim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn’t typically the type of book I go for, but I really enjoyed it. I picked this up to fill a book challenge prompt for A book from a celebrity book club. Reese Witherspoon's book club picked this and Reese herself has raved about it and her production company is making it into a movie. This would fit several categories for the Popsugar reading challenge.

The book is very character focused, and at the center of everything is Mia. Mia is an artist, she and her daughter Pearl are renting a house from the Richardsons. At the very beginning of the book the Richardson’s house burns down, the fire is set by their youngest daughter Izzy. Izzy has decided to take matters into her own hand and make her family start over, while burning their house down seems to be a bit over the top, as the book unfolds and you see things from her perspective and the way her family acts, it makes sense. I don’t condone burning houses down to get people to see your point or make a change, but the Richardsons were snobby, privileged, and never took Izzy seriously. She wasn’t supported and they didn’t listen to her. They did a lot of things that were wrong because they were the right kind of people, and they didn’t think anything of it. The book then goes back in time to when Mia and Pearl move in and how the entire story is inter-connected.

The story mainly focuses on Mrs. Richardson, Mia, and Pearl and their interactions with the Richardsons. I would have liked more of Izzy, but overall I really liked how each of the characters was developed. You got to know each of their personalities quite well. The world building was pretty good to, Shaker Heights, Ohio is a suburb of Cleveland. It is the right kind of place where the right kind of people live, the Richardsons are the right kind of people. They have money, they went to the right schools, they know the right people, they have nice things. Mia and Pearl are not the right kind of people, they are drifters, never staying in one place for too long. Mia is an artist, only staying in one place until her inspiration has been exhausted. She takes abstract photographs that make her decent money, but she also works odd jobs to make sure she and Pearl have the necessities. They don’t have much, and they thrift shop. They are completely opposite of the Richardsons. Mia rents a house from Mrs.Richardson, and Pearl goes to school with the Richardson children quickly becoming friends with them. She is often at their home spending time with them. On the other hand, the youngest Richardson finds a connection with Mia. Mrs. Richardson and Izzy have a very strained relationship, so for the first time Izzy finds compassion and caring in someone like Mia and they click. She finds inspiration in Mia’s words.

Surrounding the family dynamics of Mia, Pearl, and the Richardsons is and adoption case for a Chinese baby girl. Mia knows the mother from work and the Richardsons are good friends with the couple who has been fostering the girl for months. Bebe, the baby’s birth mother was suffering post partum depression and being por and from China was unaware of support she was able to receive. She doesn’t speak English very well and found it hard to care for her child, so she left the baby at a firestation. The McCulloughs desperately want a baby, after many unsuccessful attempts on their own to start a family, they are this close to adopting the little girl when Bebe shows up wanting her baby back. Mrs. Richardson is not pleased that Mia is involved and supporting Bebe, and starts digging into Mia’s past. Mia has kept plenty of secrets of her own, and she is reluctant for Pearl or anyone to find out about her past.

This book talks about so many issues that face today’s society: parenting, childbirth, adoption, privilege (specifically white privilege), miscarriage, surrogacy, immigration, post partum depression, abortion, and probably other things that I’m forgetting to mention. I really enjoyed the way these topics were discussed especially because some of them hit close to home.


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Review: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was fantastic! This is one of the most fantastic books I’ve ever read. I think Trevor Noah is hilarious. His brand of comedy is funny to me, and I wish I had been able to get a hold of the audio version of this because the delivery of his one liners in this are so funny and perfectly placed. I can only imagine how funny it is to hear him narrate the story of his life. He covers some very heavy issues, but he diffuses each situation with comedy so you can pause, catch your breath, and move on. This was a hard read, but it is also important.  He has some great insights to race and how children see the world.  If only some of those things were actually true the world might be a better place.

This is one of those books, where you think “hey that guy is on TV, he has it all”, and then you read about the hardships and terrors he’s faced in his life. Trevor Noah did not have it all, in fact he had very little, and it’s a testament to his survival skills that he made it through his childhood in South Africa during apartheid. You read about some of the things he and this mother survived and it is amazing they both lived through it all. His very birth was a crime and the deck was stacked against him and his family for much of his life. Reading this was hard, but he laces his life story with his brand of comedy such that he takes something awful and he puts a joke in lighten tough situations. I got quite the education on the settling of South Africa, apartheid, and how gender and race are seen in another country.

This is a story about a defiant little boy who tested his mother’s patience as often as possible, a mother who loved him and did her best, a country that had very interesting laws about people of color, and survival. I highly recommend this book.


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Review: Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich

Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History by Ben Mezrich
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I picked this up for a reading challenge for a book involving a heist, though it could also fill the true crime heist. This is a non-fiction book, thought it is as the title suggests so audacious that it reads like fiction. It is hard to tell how much of the story is true and how much is poetic license. It has the feel that it is inspired by true events, but it definitely feels more like fiction than truth.

Thad Roberts, the main character, has a very conservative Mormon background. However, he has big dreams and those dreams lead to NASA. Thad rebels against his upbringing, and finds himself cast out of his family home, married at a young age, but with big dreams he won’t be stopped. He is determined to make it to NASA and hopefully someday to space. He is a persistent person, and portrayed with child-like tendencies as if he had no real understanding of consequences. Even after he was arrested for stealing the safe containing millions of dollars of moon rocks he never expected to be punished. His actions throughout the book were all selfish and self-serving. He was always angling to get to the top of the food-chain and make a name for himself. His motivations are success and love. It is hard to tell if the real Thad is truly like this or if the story just makes him out to be this way. He is doing everything for his lady love Rebecca (not her real name), whom he apparently wrote letters to during his time in jail. The letters are sprinkled throughout the book. They met, had a whirlwind relationship, and claimed he stole the rocks for her. He also took all the blame for her and his other accomplice. If you read the book, you will know that he had already put the plan in motion before he met her. The whole heist is ridiculous, but you just kind of have to keep reading/listening to know what happens in the end.

I listened to the audio book, which is fairly short and read by Casey Affleck. The narration is good and it has the feeling of listening to a movie. This book isn’t great, but it isn’t terrible either. It just just OK as my rating suggests. The characters are pretty unlikable, and the whole plot/true story if you can call it that just feels so unrealistic even if it is based in fact.


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Review: Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a surprise favorite for me. I had heard good things, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I did.  I borrowed the audio from the library on a whim and absolutely loved it.  I'll be purchasing a copy soon so I can reread this.  The story itself was a beautiful fantasy and Steve West as usual did an amazing job bringing the audio book to life. I couldn't stop listening to it and I am patiently waiting for the next installment. This is what books are supposed to be like, this book transports you to the world and you feel like you are there with Lazlo and Sarai (you have to read the book to find out who she is). I hesitate to tell you too much because you just have to experience it for yourself. Just know that this book is well written, the world building is excellent, and the characters are well developed. I don't have one negative thing to say about it, I want to read it again as I write this.

The story follows Lazlo Strange, an orphan who by chance or by accident finds himself lost in the library one day and ends up staying. He has a thirst for knowledge and a talent for dreaming, which is how he has earned his name Strange the Dreamer. Lazlo is a bit obsessed with the lost city called "Weep". Lazlo is sure he once knew Weep's true name, and he clearly remembers the moment he forgot the city's name, but he can't remember it. He's devoted his life to studying the strange city, and he longs to go there one day and actually see the magical place in his books.

Lazlo finds himself on a great adventure surrounding the mysteries of Weep as he has become the foremost expert of the place. There is saction, adventure, mythology, and there's a good romance. The romance is so well written that you are actually invested in what happens to the characters. I care about these characters, I even care about the side characters because they are so well done.

I highly recommend this book, though I do recommend it for more mature YA readers as there is more mature content mentioned. Then again anytime there is mythology involving gods and their involvement with humans you'll have that type of content, if you get my drift. It isn't terribly graphic so most YA readers will be fine in my opinion. 


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Review: Haunted Pittsburgh

Haunted Pittsburgh by Timothy Murray
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this. It is really interesting to read about places I've been that are supposedly haunted. I've visited many of the locations mentioned in this book as a Pittsburgh native, and if I haven't been to them in person I know where they are. I can say that some of these places are actually kind of creepy, either because they are old and dark or maybe there is something more super natural at work, who knows. It was a fun read. I appreciated the humerous stories about famous Pittsburghers and famous people who've visited my home city and their paranormal experiences.

This reads more like a history book. The authors just lay out whatever facts and stories they could find. If the nature of the story was comical the story ends up being funny, otherwise most of the stories about the places and people are fairly short and dry. There are plenty of pictures both of the current day locations and of the buildings when their said spooky inhabitants were alive. Each story is short so you can get through it quickly. If you are looking for a fun history lesson about Pittsburgh, from local authors (which is actually why I picked it up), I recommend it. I also understand they run the Haunted Pittsburgh tours in the fall and I hear they are great as well.

I picked this up for the 2018 reading challenge for the read something by a local author.  This was written by a couple of local attorneys turned haunted historians.  If you are looking for a history lesson about Pittsburgh and ghosts and such are of interest to you I'd check this out.  It isn't very long and was something different to read.

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Review: The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Narrated by Michael Page 
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me quite a while to get into this mainly because I had no idea what was going on. I think had I actually read the book vs listening to the audio I would have had and easier time. Let me explain, the timeline jumps from present day and to the past and there are so many characters to keep track of. Once I figured out who everyone was and what was going on with the timeline I was fine, it just took me while. Honestly, I almost gave up on this because I was so confused and lost.  I was going to return the audio in exchange for the ebook at the library, but I'm so glad I didn't.  The narrator was excellent, he had a voice for every character, and there were many.  It was so entertaining, he gave life to each and every character.

On to the story, this is about a group of orphans who through one way or another end up in the care of a priest named Chains. Chains creates the Gentlemen Bastards, a band of misfits with Locke Lamora at the lead. Locke is a con man with a flair for theatrics as he has proven to be a great actor and and a better thief. The story jumps back and forth from Locke's time as an orphan from the day he came to live with Chains and his training with the rest of the Bastards to the present day with Locke as an adult and their current scheme. Their current dealings with the politics of the criminal underworld and the actual nobility they are trying to con take them on quite the adventure. There is double crossing, magic, politics, alchemy, and violent fight scenes.

There is some hilarious dialogue in the book, I laughed out loud so many times throughout listening to this. Once I figured out who was who, and which characters were Locke's other personalities for the purpose of his con's and thieving, I was totally invested in the characters. There were some pretty violent scenes and descriptions. The world building is great and I liked Lynch's writing. I'm anxious to see what happens next and what mischief Jean and Locke get into next.

This takes care of my book challenge prompt with alliteration in the title, but you could also use it for a book with a heist, and possibly and anti-hero as Locke is not a good guy.

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Review: Ryan's Bed by Tijan

Ryan's Bed by Tijan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this in a day. It was that gripping. This is my first Tijan book, but if they are all like this it won't be my last. It was recommended by several authors I love, but I have to say I was originally drawn in by that amazing cover. While this deals with a very sensitive subject, it is done in a respectful way.

This follows Mackenzie in the aftermath of her twin sister, Willow's suicide. Mackenzie's family has just moved to Oregon from Arizona, and on their 18th birthday Willow takes her life. Mackenzie finds herself spending the night with family friends while her parents try to make arrangements. Because she's in a strange house, she gets lost on her way back to bed in the middle of the night and finds herself in Ryan's bed. She finds some comfort there that she hasn't been able to find since the shock of Willow's death, and sleeps. She wakes up to a very confused Ryan, but she continues to sleep. After finally waking up with the determination to be strong for her younger brother Robbie, Mackenzie finds a friend in Ryan. He somewhat understands what she is going through, and while everyone else is grieving Willow's loss Ryan is the only one checking on Mackenzie to see if she is OK.

Mackenzie struggles with the loss of her twin, She goes through all of the stages of grief, and some post traumatic stress. She never knew Willow was at the point of suicide. Willow was the outgoing twin, popular, beautiful, she seemed to have everything. Mackenzie knew she had a dark side and about some of her struggles, but she didn't know they went so deeply. Willow never confided in her twin. While she struggles to come to grips with Willow's loss, she also has to deal with the way her family chooses to grieve, especially since Mackenzie is a constant reminder of her twin. It is hard for the whole family and none of them make good decisions.

When Mackenzie begins school, she is not only the new girl, but she has caught the eye of the most popular boy at school. She isn't part of the social pecking order yet, and she doesn't really care. She just wants Ryan because he understands her and he is her safe haven. Ryan doesn't seem to care much for the whole social scene, he genuinely was just a good guy trying to take care of his friends. This is not short on high school drama, there are some serious mean girls and Mackenzie faces off with them more than once before she put all of the pieces of herself back together. The high school drama gets a bit over the top, but kids are mean and this is fiction.

Hang on to your hats because the ending will throw you for a loop. I didn't see it coming until the last page, but after I read it, it wasn't all that surprising if you were paying attention. It was overall an amazing read. It is the kind of book you want to read again.

The only thing I didn't really like about this was towards the very end, it takes a turn towards new adult. This was pretty much young adult through out, and I prefer my YA to stay YA and my adult books to be adult. I'm a grown up so I read what I want and that stuff doesn't offend me, but my preference is if you are going to keep that stuff low level steamy or all the way steamy, keep it consistent throughout. This just got a bit too steamy at the end and felt out of place to me.

I'm using this for my reading challenge prompt that deals with death or grief, but it also deals with twins if you need a recommendations for that as well.  I highly recommend you checking this one out.

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Review: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Narration by Bahni Turpin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was excellent. Starr reminds me so much of some of my friends from middle and high school. They not only struggled with the normal teenage angst of trying to figure out who they are and where they fit, but they also had to deal with keeping up two personalities like Starr did when she was with her friends from school and her friends and family at home. I know that happened with some of my friends because I saw it first hand, they were taunted because of the music they like or who they dated. It wasn't the accepted cultural norm. Unfortunately, the way they spoke and acted changed depending on who was around, much like Starr mentioned in the book. She spoke one way around her family and neighborhood friends and another way around her schoolmates. She never just got to be Starr, who was really a mix of the smart, beautiful girl who was from the not so great neighborhood but also went to the fancy school. I loved the pop culture references to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Harry Potter. I also loved that Starr was able to share those things with her friends on both sides of her life to bring the things she loved together.

While this isn't a true story it felt like it was. I felt like I got to know Starr and the Carter family. I felt empathy for what she was going through after her friend Khalil was shot. The story focuses on how the shooting affects Starr and her community after the fact. The shooting should have never happened, and Starr has to decide if she is going to testify against the police officer, if she wants to speak out as an activist and use her voice in the wake of the shooting, she also has to consider the safety of her family and how her friends will treat her if she does or doesn't say anything. She also has to deal with the guilt of not being there for her friend when he was struggling and grief of losing a friend. Fortunately she has an amazing family who has a wide range of experiences to help her through it. On top of that Starr is just a teenager, and she has to deal with normal friend and boyfriend stuff. I love the way Angie Thomas dealt with the "you just don't understand" conversations between Starr and her boyfriend Chris, who happens to be white. He may not understand but he always comes to Starr with love and a desire to understand. He wants to see her perspective, and doesn't come at her with argument or excuses. He just wants to be there for her and see her point of view as a person of color. There is also her friend Hailey who doesn't approach racial tension with that kind of desire to have an open discussion. I think those two viewpoints are very powerful. I think there are more Hailey's in this world and not enough Chris', regardless of what the topic of conversation (race, religion, gender, etc).

I didn't particularly care for the way that Chris was spoken to by Starr's friends and family. I can understand that he wasn't immediately beloved, as no boy usually is when he starts dating someone's daughter. It was more about their biracial relationship, and the slang that was used to refer to Chris. It would be racist and unacceptable if Chris had used those words in reverse when speaking to Starr and her family. Those double standards need to go in my opinion. We have a long way to go to break the racism barriers, and better communication, compassion, empathy, and understanding of differences are things we all need to do to break those walls. Overall this was a minor dislike compared to the book as a whole.

Bahni Turpin was an amazing narrator. I highly recommend the audio, she really brought life to the characters in such and authentic way. The characters, regardless of race are very well developed and the narration just adds so much to them as if you were really there and part of their story. The main thread of the story is how Starr uses her voice to give power to the injustice that occurred. Bahni Turpin's voice was very powerful here.

I'm trying to figure out which prompt to use this for the 2018 reading challenge.  It fits a few different ones.  I've got it penciled in as a book about a problem facing society today right now, but it also fits a Goodreads Choice award winner, a book I meant to read last year, and a few others.

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Review: Grin and Beard by Penny Reid

Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been slacking with my reviews.  But I've been tearing through audiobooks like there is no tomorrow.  Hopefully I can get caught up this weekend, but in the meantime let me say I how much I love the Winston Brother's series.  It is funny and easy to read, and I know that Penny's books will always make me smile.  When I feel a slump coming on I know I can turn to her books to pull me out, there aren't many authors I can say that about.

First off can I say that I loved Sienna and I wish she was a real person so she could be my best friend. I think she and I would get along because she is a real person, tells it like it is, has a sarcastic sense of humor, she cares about other people, and while she is a movie star she really doesn't care about fame and fortune. Sienna Diaz is a comedian, actress, and screenwriter, and she is famous. She is breaking the Hollywood mold for what beautiful is because she is what Hollywood would consider fat, but what the rest of us would consider a regular sized person. She is hilarious, strong willed, and she is amazing. She gets lost on her way to Hank's house where she will be staying while shooting her latest movie. Jethro Winson, local wildlife park ranger and reformed biker gang member and car thief, comes to Sienna's rescue and takes her to Hank's house. Hank is the local owner of the gentlemen's club and friends with several of the Winston brothers, he also happens to and old friend of Sienna's from college. Instant sparks fly between Sienna and Jethro, but Jethro is a gentleman and ensure's that she gets to where she is going safely. They meet again the following day when Sienna's missing sense of direction and lack of cell service finds her lost yet again. Her security detail is laying low and giving her space, but she's late and Jethro knows his way around. Jethro has no idea who Sienna is and she loves that her fame is actually lost on someone because she desperately needs a break and a vacation from all of the Hollywood drama and attention. Jethro just sees a pretty, funny girl that he's attracted to. Cletus, Jethro's brother, on the other hand know's who Sienna is right away and insists that she reveal her identity so no one gets hurt. Jethro is a bit thrown by her fame when she is mobbed by the townsfolk on their first date, but he comes to accept that it comes with the territory. They both continue to frustrate each other as life continues to throw obstacles in their path. In true Penny Reid fashion though, everything works out as it was meant to in the end, but she takes you on an adventure before you get there.

The whole family is back in this book, and we get to know a bit more about each of the brothers and Ashley their sister. Cletus is hilarious in this. You just never know what he's going to say or do. I loved that he was always scheming with Sienna's people. I liked that we got to see more of Billy and got some resolution to the rift between Billy and Jethro. If you've read the other 2 Winston Brother's books you'll know what I'm talking about. I can't wait to read Billy's story. I can tell its going to be a good one.

This can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Beauty and the Mustache and Truth or Beard first because they are good too.  While you are at it read the Knitting in the City series because they are just as funny. 

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Review: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this. I do wish it was a bit longer, then again it was based off of a TED talk, and I guess that is the point. I wanted more, so it should lead me to go and seek more which I see myself doing after reading this short little work. I have to admit that I really didn't know what to expect going into this, I know what feminism is supposed to mean by definition, and I know that like Adichie says in this book all of the negative connotations it has. I also know that like in everything there are always people who take things way too far to the extreme whether in support of their cause or in going against said cause.

Adichie says nothing that really isn't common sense here, everyone should be a feminist because it really is about just being a decent human. That being said decent also comes with gender equality. It means a dad could stay home with the kids while his wife works and there is no shame involved, a woman makes just as much money as her male counterparts at the same job without being told she is cold and ruthless, or a mom can stay at home with her kids because that's her choice and isn't made to feel bad about it. In today's modern culture where we are accepting of so much, we are still so set in our ways, and from this little book so many countries have very specific ideas of what men and women should do. Feminism is a dirty word. Adichie presents feminism in this book in a very consumable way, it isn't confusing or overwhelming, it just makes sense. I think this is a great conversation starter about feminism, and while I wanted more I think it was great place to start.

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Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I learned so much from this book. While medical ethics have improved since the days when Henrietta Lack's cells were taken without her knowledge, I don't think most people know what their rights are with regards to their cells and tissue. I certainly didn't until Skloot laid them out. I also had no idea what Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells have done for medicine.

While this is a compilation of the science behind the cells and what they've done for modern medicine, Skloot also tells the story of Henrietta and her family. She presents Henrietta to us as a person, which is how it should be. The doctors who used HeLa cells didn't see her as a person, they just saw cells and cultures, they forgot that she was an actual person with a family. Unfortunately, given the time that Henrietta lived in the color of her skin meant that she didn't get adequate medical care and when she did go to the hospital doctors took advantage of the opportunity to study her cells. My heart broke so many times for the wrongs done to Henrietta and her cells. Learning the hardships her children faced after her death was so sad. The Lacks children weren't the only people impacted by medical ethics injustices, and I was angered to learn how some of our modern "cures" have come about.

I wish the Lacks family could have gotten some sort of reparations for all of their suffering, but I understand how the legality of their situation doesn't allow for that. I guess I'm thankful for what HeLa has done for medicine, but I sure do wish the Henrietta and her family had received better treatment both personally and medically. This was a great telling of the Lacks family history, the evolution of HeLa, and medicine in general. I really enjoyed this.

On a side note, Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin did an amazing job with the narration of the audio book.

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Review: Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In true Penny Reid fashion, this is awesome. The Winston Brothers are hilarious and I loved getting to know Duane in this one. I also loved that we got more of the rest of the Winston clan, we get to know Beau, Duane's identical twin, Cletus, their older brother and business partner, Billy is around but not involved too much, and Jethro is around at the end. If you've read Beauty and the Mustache, this takes place after Ashley goes back to Chicago while Jethro and Drew are away in the Appalachians doing their game warden thing. The two stories reunite towards the end.

I was in a foul mood when I started reading this the other day, which is why I picked a Penny book. I knew reading one of her books would cheer me up, and the Winston's did just that. Shortly after starting the book, I was feeling better and laughing at Duane's antics with Jess. Jess has always thought she was "in love" with Beau Winston, he's the nice twin, the safe twin. Duane has always played pranks on Jess growing up, he has dangerous hobbies like dirt track racing, and driving fast. Growing up with the Winston boys, Jess knows both brothers and has pulled plenty of pranks on Duane to get back on him for his antics towards her. Now everyone is all grown up, and Jess runs into Duane on Halloween, but she isn't quite sure which twin he is but she thinks he's Beau. Duane is happy to take advantage of the situation playing along until things get a little heavy, then he tells her his identity and Jess is rightfully angry. The pair continue to bicker and fight, but they eventually can't deny that they are as Duane would say suited for each other.

Jess is the local high school calculus teacher, but she has big plans to travel after her student loans are paid off and she's saved up some money. She wants to travel the world and see where life takes her. Her family thinks that is a terrible idea. Duane's whole family minus his sister, lives in the family house. He and his brothers own an auto repair shop and he's happy where he's at, though he does like to spice by racing on the local dirt track. When Duane and Jess decide to make a go of things, she tells him that she plans to leave eventually. They decide to try to make things work for a year and only a year.

Enter the monkey wrench...Jess' Aunt passes away and her family has to deal with the aftermath of her death. This means major changes for Jess and puts major strain on Jess and Duane's relationship. Meanwhile, Duane is approached by the local biker gang with an attempt to blackmail the Winston family. You see their father was a member of the Iron Wraiths the local biker gang, and the eldest of the brothers Jethro was not always and upstanding citizen. Jethro has turned things around and he's working as a park ranger or a game warden (can't remember which, sorry). The Iron Wraiths keep trying to pull the Winston's into their shady business dealings and use the people they care about to get them to do their dirty work. I like how the drama gets resolved, its pretty witty and not a convenient rushed ending. The ending feels complete with most of the strings tied up nicely. I felt happy and content when I was done with this book, which was exactly what I needed and exactly what I knew I'd get from Penny Reid and the Winston's.

I can't wait to get to know more of the characters that we met in the story. I loved Claire, and I hope we see more of her going forward. Ashley's book is my favorite and I hope we see her moving forward as well. I can't wait to get to know the rest of the brother's and see where the series takes us.

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Review: How America Lost Its Secrets: Edward Snowden, the Man and the Theft

How America Lost Its Secrets: Edward Snowden, the Man and the Theft by Edward Jay Epstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me first say that True Crime is not something I normally read.  I do love to watch a good crime documentary on television though, so you'd think I'd like reading about them.  Unsolved Mysteries was my favorite show for the longest time.  I picked this because on this year's reading challenge there is a true crime book prompt.  I didn't want to read about death or murder, I just wasn't in the mood.  While looking at true crime books at the library, this popped up.  This is a case that I was aware of, kind of familiar with, but not totally aware of the details.  It was a perfect fit for the prompt.  I was in the Navy so I know about how clearances and secure information work.  I won't pretend to understand how the CIA and NSA work, I don't think anyone understands them.   I work in data analysis and I'm pretty comfortable with cyber security as it is part of my job today. 

This was an excellent compilation of facts and gives educated and informed options to fill in the unknowns. You can decide on your own what you think happened but you are presented with the information that is known and unknown. The technical information is presented in a consumable manner and is not overwhelming or confusing. I found this fascinating. While it isn't the end all be all for what happened, I really enjoyed it. This inspires me to read more about the Snowden case and get more information and investigate more opinions on what really happened.

Epstein starts off giving a background on Edward Snowden, his various jobs that gave him access to the sensitive and highly classified information that he should have never had access to. I know how security clearance investigations work, and to find out that pretty much none of Snowden's information was ever validated and he was still granted top secret clearance that granted him access to the people, spaces, and data to steal the data blows my mind. While I'm sure that Snowden would have ended up as a hacker in some capacity or another given his talents with software, the fact that not one of his employers checked on his education or credentials is ridiculous. It angers me on so many levels.

Epstein goes on to give the timeline of how Snowden built his plan and moved from job to job to gain access to the various files he took. How he released the files under the guise of a whistle-blower and gained notariety as a hero in some camps by exposing the government and the NSA for tapping phone calls and collecting data on unsuspecting people. He then goes on to paint the timeline displaying Snowden as a spy as Snowden flees the US for Hong Kong and then Russia. We'll never know Snowden's true intent because we will never know what he told the truth about and where his moral compass points. Epstein leans a bit toward Snowden being a spy and working with Russia, and I kind of have to agree so I don't really mind the bias there. Then again I'd be open to fact based discussion and other opinions.

I do think in addition to the Snowden information Epstein provides alot of great additional historical information in regards to national security, the evolution of cyber crimes, and the history ofnstant sleeper agents that the US and every other country in the world namely Russia had infiltrate each others securiy agencies since the beginning of time. I learned quite a bit from this book. The narrator was excellent as well.

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Review: Watership Down by Richard Adams

Watership Down by Richard Adams
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I don't exactly know how to rate this book.   I actually feel bad that I didn't immediately fall in love with it.  It was recommended so many times and it is well loved by so many.  I chose it to fulfill a book mentioned in another book challenge.  I recently finished up The Waste Lands by Stephen King, and one of the main characters mentions Watership Down.  They also mention Shardik, which Richard Adams also wrote.  As this was recommended many times for the 2017 reading challenge and it was available at the library I took a chance.  I had no idea what it was about, but I think I expected more of a fantasy and this really doesn't have any fantasy elements.  There is no magic or fantastical creatures, and Adams is very clear in the forward that he doesn't make the rabbits do anything that an actual rabbit can't do physically.  You can tell he went to great lengths to portray rabbits and their actions accurately in their natural habitat.

I didn't particularly enjoy Watership Down, but it was beautifully written. I think a younger version of myself would have really loved this book, but adult me just didn't connect with a story about rabbits and told from the perspective of rabbits. And that's is the basic plot line of this story, a group of rabbits takes off from their home or warren because one of the rabbits gets premonitions. This premonition leads them to face many hardships and find a new warren. This leads to new premonitions, and more hardships. All of the hardships that the rabbits face are typical things a rabbit in the wilderness would face weather, humans, predatory animals, hunger, the need for shelter, etc. Once they establish a new home, they come to realize there are no female rabbits in their group, so they figure out a way to explore the lands around them. This leads to a clan war with a nearby warren. The small group of rabbits face many challenges before their adventure is over. This is not a cute, fluffy bunny story. There is danger and violence, and can I just say I had no idea that bunnies could fight like that. I learned a great deal about rabbits from this book.

You can tell that Adams put a ton of work into his research, and you can tell alot of love went into the construction and telling of this story. I really loved the rabbit mythology he created and the stories the rabbits told each other. This definitely gets an A+ for quality of writing, character development, visual description, and plot development. The writing is excellent, and I can see why many love it and it is a favorite. I actually think my boys,would really enjoy this as it is an adventure story, and I think they are at the right age to fall in love with this story. While I didn't love it, I think I might enjoy sharing it and reading it with them.

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