In A Vertigo Of Silence by Miriam Polli

In a Vertigo of Silence by Miriam Polli
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At first I was a little confused by the changing of characters and dates but as I got into the story it was easier to follow along. This books is about three generations of strong women that try to do the best for each other. The combination of lies, abuse, betrayal, and secrets keep this family together and in pieces. This is a wonderful book to read.
Emily, wow, I just loved this character. She is strong and determined. Everyone has lied to her and yet she has forgiven them all. Granted she makes some mistakes but ends up doing what is best for her child. I love how her story goes full circle.
Marishka, Emily’s grandmother, is a wonderful character. She is just trying to do the best she can. She lost the love of her life in a mining accident. Then she married her late husband’s friend, Boris, for security. She made many mistakes but for all the right reasons. Marishka has the saddest story. I don’t even want to talk about Boris. Her brother cannot come to America. She has lost so much. I am glad that her brother gets to meet Emily.
Paulina, Emily’s Aunt, falls in love with Anna’s husband and Emily’s father. She is completely out of the picture. Anna, Eva, and Marishka don’t talk about Paulina. Emily does not even know she has another Aunt until Marishka dies. I feel sorry for Paulina. Yes she made a mistake but that should not mean that she would never be around her family.
Anna, Emily’s mother, has some mental issues. I am sure Boris has a lot to do with that. I found myself angry at her for the way she treated Emily, Eva, Frank, and Marishka. Then, I realized that no one really admits that she has problems. Only after Marishka dies does she get real help. I think she has had a lot of bad things happen to her.
Eva, Emily’s Aunt, is another great character. She tries to help Anna, Emily, and Marishka but is sheltering her own family too. She does what she can to help but over steps her bounds because she is trying to protect everyone.
Frank is Emily’s father, Paulina’s lover, and married to Anna. I felt sorry for him because he got roped into marring Anna but then he started sleeping with Paulina. Frank and Paulina should not have been together. This is the secret that caused all the lies. Lies to Emily that her father was dead. Lies to Emily that she had another aunt (Paulina).


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Some Fine Day by Kat Ross

Some Fine Day by Kat Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I got this book free for an honest review. First, I want to say that I love books that completely take me where I have never gone before. I love when a book blows the box apart and rearranges the very concept of life. This book is a wonderful read.
Recap of the book. So in the future, the earth's surface is full of these storms called Hypercanes. So people are avoiding the earth's surface by living underground. It is believed by the people living underground that no one survived the Hypercanes and those that were not allowed to move underground are dead.
Janis is a 16 year old girl, who has been living at a military school since she was 8 years old. She has a boyfriend named Jake, who goes to the same military schools she does. Jan and Jake are about to graduate. Jan's parents decide to take Jan and Jake with them to go the earth's surface on vacation. While on vacation Jan finds herself being kidnapped by a group of survivors. She has to earn her way, shelter, and food. She knows her father, the General, will come looking for her and will not stop until she is found. As she gets to know and understand this group of survivors, she finds friendship and family like she has never had. Will, the group’s medic, really finds a way to get to her. After being with this group for several months, she is rescued. The problem is that Jan does not want to be rescued. Jake and her father kill everyone. The anger and hatred Jan feels is overwhelming. After returning to school Jan's life seems to have a new purpose. The rest of the story is a wonderful twist of half-truths and concepts completely out there.
I love every part of this story. I easily related to Jan, Jake and Will. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.


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Finale (Hush, Hush, #4)

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this series. I wanted to beat Nora every time she make a bad choice (which was the whole series. I liked the story. Patch and Nora were never going to be together. I am so disappointed in Hank. How could a father do the stuff he did and then make Nora promise to take over his warriors? I am still a little confused about that. Next, Nora's mom.... Really? She chooses a man over her daughter? No... No... No... Patch, Becca Fitzpatrick did make Patch a dreamy bad guy. What is not to love about this bad boy? He lies, he cheats, and he tried to kill Nora... I am sure that is why Nora loves him. Nora, she does not have her head on straight for this whole book. She chooses Patch over her own kind. She is addicted to devil craft. I guess young love is better than anything else.

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Silence (Hush, Hush #3)

Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like this series. This book was just okay for me. I felt like I was rereading the first two books because Nora lost her memory. I really do like the story but I found myself bored with this book.

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Beyond the Pale (A thin Veil Novella)

Beyond the Pale: A Thin Veil Novella by Jodi McIsaac
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love this story. Now that I know how it started, it makes it that much better. Wonderful twist and even more impossible. I love it! Now, I know why Cedar is the way she is.

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Among the unseen (A thin veil #3)

Among the Unseen by Jodi McIsaac
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a wonderful ending to a great story. I am sad so see Cedar, Finn, and Eden go but it was worth the ride. I love this story. It reaches beyond imagination into the world of impossible. It gives hope when all is lost. It is one of my favorite series.

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Into the Fire (The Thin Veil #2)

Into the Fire by Jodi McIsaac
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this story. I loved the first book. As a mother the story just caught me. This is the 2nd book in a series. I know that I will not like the 2nd book as much as the first but still I am a little disappointed. I really wanted more. It was still a good book just not a five star book. It is still good enough that I am going to read the next book. The story in this one just went a little too far with the impossible.

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The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG ... after watching the tv series first, the twist at the end of this books is great! I just have so many questions now. why? That is the biggest question. I love this book. I cannot wait to read the next book.

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Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like most of the story but I cannot stand Nora. I find myself yelling "She cannot be that stupid!" but she is. Okay back to the parts I like. I like the story (mostly). I did find this book a little predictable. There is one twist that got me. Overall I really did like the book. I just wish that Nora was smarting but a female main character cannot go to where all the people are... no she has to find the darkest, most remote place to hide, really?

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This book is alright. I wanted to knock Nora out more than a few times. I think she might be a little slow. I knew the second time the situations changed from what she though had happened that is was you know who. I also knew that another guy was not at all what he seemed to be almost right away. Yet, she still was all into these two guys. I loved parts of this book but hated other parts. I can see why this book has gotten some mixed reviews.

Through the Door (The Thin Veil #1)

I loved this book. I was hooked by page 20 and crying by page 60. I do not cry over books. I have cried only a few (3) time because of books. Jodi McIsaac got me emotional involved in this book from the first page. I related to Cedar. She is this wonderful mother doing the best she can for her daughter. The rest of the story has wowed me. I was moved to tears of fear, sadness, and happiness almost right after another. Wonderful book to read! I am off to read The Thin Veil #2.

Iced by Karen Marie Moning

 

First, I love the fever series. I love the story of MacKayla and Barrons. This book drives me nuts. I love the Mac world but Dani is only fourteen! This story makes the reader forget that Dani is only fourteen and does not even know the first thing about love or sex. Ryodan, Christian and Dancer are so much older than Dani. She does not even understand that they are into her. This is actually three stories in one. It is Dani’s story as she is growing up, Christian turning an Unsellie prince, and Kat learning how to lead. I enjoyed the story I just wish that Dani was not the object of so much sexual tension.

Dorothy Must Die By Danielle Paige

 “Your Mission: Remove the Tin Woodman’s Heart. Steal the Scarecrow’s Brain. Take the Lion’s courage. And then Dorothy must die.” First, I really did like the story. It was a crazy twist on the Wizard of Oz but a good story. Second, the quote on the back of the book and the description was a little miss leading. Silly me, I thought that Dorothy would die  Amy Gumm is a teenager that is caught in a tornado that delivers her to the world of OZ. Poor Amy does not even know her mission in this book. The Wizard tells her how to kill Dorothy on the last two pages of the book. I am going to say that there was a twist that confused me. I hate that Amy has a rat. Really? A Rat? I cannot see any teenager kissing a rat. It really is a good and fun read. I did enjoy some parts of the book. Other parts make me question if there is an underlining meaning the book. Don’t even get me started on Amy’s mother.

Don’t make me Beautiful by Elle Casey

 

This book made me cry and laugh all at the same time. The saddest part of this book is the domestic violence. Nicole is so beaten by her boyfriend for so long that it destroys her face. Her face has so many broken bones that have healed without doctor’s care that it has disfigured her. Her world changes when a young boy hits his father’s baseball through her front window. She does not want to even tell her boyfriend because he will beat her and blame it all on her. The boy, Liam, and his father, Brian, try to do the right thing and go to Nicole’s house to offer to repair the window. Brian and Liam have a discussion with John, Nicole’s boyfriend. Something about the way that John talks about his wife (Nicole) bothers Brian. Brian goes the next day and finds Nicole beaten almost to death by John. Brian saves her and talks her into staying with him. Brian and Nicole fall in love. It is a great story with one big twist that will have you crying until the end. Some people might have a hard time understanding that Nicole does not want to be beautiful after everything that she has been through. I completely understand. Why go back to the way things were when there is a small chance that she will be abused again.

 

 

Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle

 

I really enjoyed reading this book. I am going to read the rest of the series. The idea of playing with Fate has always intrigued me. Nara Collins is a 16 year old girl that dreams about her whole day the night before it happens. She usually does not act on her dreams too much. She might avoid certain people or situation that would hurt her. The one time she acts without even thinking about it cause the balance of everything to be off. She called in a threat of a bomb at her school. The next day she meets a guy, Ethan Harris.  After touching Ethan, Nara does not dream the future anymore. Ethan somehow steals her dreams. I wonder if I would change the future if I knew what was going to happen. If I did change the future would I be willing pay the price for changing it? As a mother I would do anything for my children. So yes, I would change the future and fight fate for them. The question is would I do it for people I did not know. I don’t know. This book was a wonderful story that kept me reading until the end even if I read until early this morning.

The Wizard’s Mate by Michele Bardsley

I picked this book because I needed a short read. I don’t read books that are less than 100 pages. I don’t enjoy short books. I want more from a book. I want to know more details, more development of the plot, and more of the whole story. I love books about wizards and dragons. This is a very short story at 50 pages. Alissa is rescued by a Wizard, True Karn. Alissa is a young woman who works as an accountant for a brothel. In a total of three days Alissa falls in love with True. There is a lot of sex in this book for it only being 50 pages. This is a very adult book. I did enjoy this very short book. 

The Beautiful Ashes by Jeaniene Frost

 

I love love love this book. A broken Destiny is going to the top of my series must reads. Jeaniene Frost has been a favorite author of mine since reading her Night Huntress series. I was worried that this series would be like the Night Huntress series, which I love. I am just not in the mood to read about another vampire right now. I wanted something else and Jeaniene Frost delivered. This book is about demons, angels, a Davidian, and a Judian.

Ivy’s sister goes missing and her parents die looking for her sister all within ten days. Okay, Ivy is not the brightest because she goes right along after her parents and looks for her sister. Ivy is kidnapped by a hot guy. My favorite part of this books is the different appearances that Ivy is forced to become in order to search the demon realms for David’s slingshot. Zach, an angel, has to change Ivy’s looks to protect her. The funny part is that Zach does not always tell Ivy what he makes her look like. Of course no one tells her what she looks like before she does something crazy like walk into a women’s bathroom with lipstick on even though she looks like an old grandpa. This book is filled with craziness that makes you laugh and cry from the start to the end.

New Orleans Gangster

I usually read fantasy and science fiction. Today I met David "Blackie" Steece. He totally hooked me on his three books about his life. Going from gangster to hero, David's life has me wanting to read all his books. I only bought the first one today "Paradox" but I am sure I will want to read and know more. I cannot wait to read this book and share my thoughts with you all.


**** Update*****
**** Review****

I don’t know how to review this book. I loved the story or stories behind the book. Blackie the gangster, cop, and family man all rolled into one person with a whole lot of messed up. I met David Steece at a book signing. We had a wonderful conversation about his life and children. He was a very nice man to talk to. The book paints a very different picture of a man struggling to raise five daughters, using women as needed, and not sure what side of the law he wants to be on. I had a hard time following what was going on in the main story with all of the flashbacks. It took me longer than expected to read this book because I found myself getting lost. I would have to go back several pages just to figure out what the main story was. With all that said, I really did like all the flashbacks. My favorite flashback was about his daughter and vacuuming the water out of the bathtub. This book was funny, entertaining, and a good book. I as a mother and a woman had issues with the treatment of women in this book but what did I expect from a gangster?

Teardrop by Lauren Kate

I enjoyed this book. I love the idea that a young woman can cry an entire continent into the sea. The tears of Eureka Boudreaux can do so much damage that seedbearers demand her death before fate can play out what could happen. The story starts from Ander’s point of view as he has to watch his aunt and uncles kill Eureka. Ander has watched her from the day she was born and has fallen in love with her.  Ander’s family try to kill Eureka but Ander saves her. Sadly, Ander cannot save her mother. She is killed by the wave that hits the bridge. After her mother’s death, Eureka is forced to stay with her father and step mother. Eureka has a difficult time dealing with her mother’s death and tried to commit suicide. Eureka’s mother leaves her a secret message through the items that she has left for Eureka. Eureka does not even cry at her mother’s funeral. She has been told from a very young age that she must never cry. The only other time that she has cried was when her parents were fighting. Her tears caused a hurricane. This book is full of twists and turns that leads to the death of a friend or three. Brooks, Eureka’s best friend, is being controlled by the Atlantenas. One young girl’s broken heart makes Atlantis disappear into the sea and another girl’s tears bring Atlantis back. Eureka does cry and brings Atlantis back. The questions that goes through my head while reading this book is “Would you kill someone for something that they might do?” If Eureka can bring about the end of the world then do the seedbearers have a right to kill her? She does not even know she can bring Atlantis back. What would you do to protect your family? I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

 

As a mother this book torn at my heart. I loved and hated this book all at the same time. The story is about Hazel Lancaster. Hazel a 16 year old with thyroid cancer with mets in her lungs. Her mother believes her daughter is depressed and needs to go to local support group for children that have cancer. The idea that these children are described and identified by the type and location of their cancer really bothered me. It is explained in the book that depending on the stage and the likelihood of survival of the cancer some parents remove their children from school. The easiest way according the Hazel to determine how sick someone is based on if they go to school and how long they have been out of school. In Hazel’s case she has been out of school for three years. So at Support Group you meet Isaac and Augustus Waters. Isaac is going to have surgery which will leave me blind. Augustus has   osteosarcoma which as claimed part of his leg. Here is the love/hate part of the book. I really am happy that Hazel and Augustus fall in love on their trip to see Peter Van Houten in Amsterdam. So my issues. One, I hate to say it but Hazel is so selfish in almost expecting Augustus to give up his wish so she can go to Amsterdam. Then Peter Van Houten is a jerk to them but they fall in love with each other anyway. Second, how can you be happy for them? You know the ending. Someone is going to dying leaving the other heartbroken. Then on the other hand you want your child to find love before they die. Anyways, so twist here is that Augustus dies. Finally, the kicker for me is that the book leaves you hanging about Hazel just like the book in the book.

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