Saturday, August 31, 2013

Bonded Book 2 Empath Trilogy Written by: HK Savage


Hello faithful fellow readers, my, here we are the end of the line.. August 2013 has finally come to a close... in all its muggy hot wet glory...ugh. So much is going on in the world so...escape to the fiction world once more. Okay, enough about the weather... I must admit this book Bonded, book two in the Empath Trilogy written by HK Savage was just...painful to read. Where I thought the first book showed some rather interesting concepts this recent one suffered from the classic book two syndrome. This has happened quite a bit as I've read trilogies, but this one was just all over the map. Bonded just flew by with all the action that should have happened being glossed over or barely mentioned... the last book left the big baddies licking their wounds and left Claire and James some time to be all lovey and happy around Christmas, but it seems Claire is suffering from super crazy bonded vampire  hormones as she's bitchy, angry, sad, and lusty all the time. I just read the first book so I thought Claire's and James relationship was pretty set in stone and prove to be a rare and precious gift, but it seems Claire is quite insecure with her relationship and hell bent on testing every part of the bond her and James share. I was absolutely frustrated and quite bored with how this story progressed between the I love you, I don't trust you, I don't want to lose you, I love you so much, Do you love me? Just disgusting how this relationship was the sheer focus throughout the tale and just kept going around and around and going back to square one constantly. Yes, frustrating! I was much more interested in the Andrews family and the plight Claire and Stephen find themselves in, but even these action packed horrific moments were over so fast it felt like they weren't really needed for the plot. I had a tough time liking anyone in this story this time readers...the characters just weren't flushed out at all and even Love wasn't enough to sway my romantic heart into falling into this book. That being said so much happened in this story we traveled across the ocean quite a few times and met some really new nasty baddies but it felt so forced. Clarie's human life barely came into focus, but everyone is quick to point out she's just a human... that got old. Overall if you're looking for a semi forgettable supernatural tale that will pass a few hours and look to gain nothing this was the book for you. I will give HK Savage another chance with her third book giving her the benefit of the doubt that this second book was just trying to spring board us into the third book of this Trilogy. 

On a personal note readers I would like to take this moment to remember someone who brought a lot of love into this world, my brother in law and sister in law's little Maggie May she was a wonderful little poodle who left this world all too soon, and so tonight we drink to her memory. She has left us with the close of this summer and I'll miss my little niece. 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Oryx and Crake Written by: Margaret Atwood


Wow, readers, just wow... talk about a mind bending complete crazy reading experience. Margaret Atwood you are quickly becoming an author who has my complete undivided attention and who not only fascinates, intrigues, and humbles me, but you also scare the hell out of me... Truthfully I absolutely loved this book, right until the last sentence then I was a tad angry because this book just well....ends... it ends in a way that leaves you puzzled and not sure what happened! I mean, we know after pages and pages we finally know what happened, but what happens? This book takes place in a future that is oh so terrifying, not because of how absurd it is, but because of how obtainable it truly could be. The corporations have finally one and taken over and they're doing "right" by the people... giving us genetic advancements only found in science fiction... they're "helping" us. Margaret Atwood is just a genius in how she blends the current world's future trajectory with her own. The sheer plausibility is what scares you readers. Who doesn't want to stop the aging process? To cure diseases? To live in a world where everything is obtainable and where you can re-write you very cells to your liking? Obviously you were meant to be born with Hazel eyes... BOOM! Brown eyes gone hello Hazel! A world where anyone can be beautiful with the right money, connections, and of course brain power. Of course, this utopia isn't for everyone no, that wouldn't be the human way this world...these worlds are only for those who have the money and brains without both you're basically a regular person a consumer a person who is shut out and left to fend for themselves. This world; sex, power, death, life, fast food, knowledge, murder... everything is for sale and everything is for the cameras. Nothing it seems is quite taboo. Snowman is removed from all of this as he lives in a world with the Crakers and is their caretaker or sorts... he doesn't exactly care of them, but he does what he can. These people are the Children of Crake a genius above all others with a dream... The beginning of this book will cause you to be quite confused, I know I sure was... the character we are following is Snowman, but then we're following Jimmy. Young, not quite cared for or loved Jimmy who is given everything a boy his age could want or need except affection from his mother who though he cares for is clearly coming undone by something. His father is a brilliant mind working on the best genetic manipulation and creating solutions to the multitude of problems the human race has created... only for every solution it seems like more problems just conveniently pop up to again need taking care of. Snowman is hungry but to him hunger are like Sand Castles in the wind... you know you're alive. This book was just a boggle pure and simple but clues were planted everywhere and the back and forth between young, teenage, man, Jimmy, and Snowman was quite fascinating. Then of course there are the Crakers... who exactly are they and how did they come to be? Why do they ask Snowman particularly about Onyx and her animals and Crake and his world? What happened to Onyx and Crake? Where are these to powerful figures and they haunt these pages readers they themselves are quite imposing and using our dear Jimmy in ways we don't quite grasp until time moves forward, and by then readers it's really clear just how terrible everything is. Crake has a theory readers a very scary theory and once you realize all the meanings, the double talk, the games, the world you realize how scary it all is because we're doing the same thing in this time... but once you start something can you really ever stop, and if you want to will the world let you? A tale of men and women literally playing God...and the devastation that it brings may make it all not worth saving.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Wallbanger a Kizzie Baldwin Erotic Thriller book 2 Written by: Sable Jordan





Good evening fellow readers, my what a weekend of relaxation and reading..granted both video game and books have my heart racing, but still in a very relaxing way. I decided to go to another book 2 and decided with how beautiful it was out to revisit the erotic writings of Sable Jordan. In this book 2 we have Kizzie Baldwin once more she has been shaken and stirred readers and now she is once again thrust into a world she really knows little about. Her objective is the same as before to secure Intel on formula 3-19. However, like last time there is a catch and not nearly as delightful as the last time. Kizzie has to give in to the guy across the line Dom, Xander Duquesne... Kizzie scratches his back and well...he whips hers. Will she be able to call him Sir and even Master without kicking the guy in the throat? There is also a bit of a twist as this time there is something in this tale that shouldn't be, a cold war relic that was thought gone or non-existent, but with the death of an old man comes the reign of a crazy new man and he looks to make Xander and Kizzie suffer. This second book was a bit harsher than the first which showed BDSM in a more erotic perhaps even romantic light, this book however showed us how wrong a Dom and Sub's relationship can be if the Master isn't good and skilled and the Sub there unwillingly. There were points in this book where I could fall into the erotic writing and other times I was cringing and trying to not scream as the assholes who would call themselves Tops. Thankfully we have Kizzie to use her snark and ass butt kicking skills to deal out some much deserved punishment... but when Xander is looking like one of the good guys just what the hell is going on? This was more of a novel compared to the first one there was a lot of plot, sub plot, and a whole lot of of backstabbing going on. I felt like this was definitely a set up book for the next one and made me anxious to see what was going to happen and just what other fun Xander and Kizzie might endure together. Warning readers there are some very dark moments in this book that may make you sick to your stomachs with how some people think BDSM should be, but if you're looking for a kick butt adventure with erotic tones and don't mind a sassy bad ass American spy then this is so the series for you. I really liked the book and don't think I can wait another year to read book three.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Empath (Book 1 in the Empath Trilogy) Written by: HK Savage




Happy Friday fellow readers of all J Okay, forgive the cheese, but I am just absolutely excited for this day to be over and the weekend to begin. After a summer of conventions, visits, friends, family, parties, dancing, hiking, ocean trips, LARPS, etc… I’m finally getting a weekend of just…relaxation! Specifically playing the New Bio Shock game, how awesome is that? So, I managed to survive this full week of work (it’s been a while readers as usually I’ve taken a half day or a day off here and there lately…so first full week in a while) I was looking for another interesting book to read and stumbled upon this little gem Empath now, I’m actually very familiar with the term Empath, I studied the psychic phenomenon quite a bit as a young teenage girl whose hormones and keen observations as a pre-woman were driving me nuts… people just said “maybe you’re just a tad too empathetic” I just always thought…damn hormones… I blame them a lot for the follies and misdirection of my youth. Any who, I am oh so glad I did not have the problems that Claire Martin restident of Richfield Minnesota has had…she’s an empathy a very talented or cursed one as she cannot think straight, be near people, or even touch anyone without losing herself in their emotions. She’s lived her entire life as a prisoner inside her own little world constantly assaulted by the multitudes of emotions out there. Now, she is off to college and she is hoping that perhaps for once she will be able to blend in and live a somewhat normal life. Well, of course readers were that the case there wouldn't be much of a story now would there? Nope, there certainly wouldn't be readers instead within the first few weeks of being at school Claire meets Stephen Andrews he is a handsome, fragile, guy who is definitely going to change Claire’s life forever… Stephen has a secret of his own and one about his family and instantly realizes Claire is special. Though Stephen’s aid and his family’s Stephen introduces Claire to James a drop dead hehe, no pun intended… So, we meet James, he is a vampire with a talent of his own, and as soon as Claire and him meet and touch well things begin to happen in ways that no one has witnessed in well over three hundred years… and this bond may not be broken. The story itself readers was interesting and quite charming at times. I felt like the action scenes were at times glossed over for the more talking and human scenes…the author it seems drew from other works of fiction, not claiming they copied but that I saw a bit of my favorite series in this tale such as Sookie Stackhouse and the Anita Blake universes, even a little of the Twilight Universe, (For the record I don't consider Twilight as my favorite series or even top ten) but on a younger lighter and at times more serious scale. The bonds and supernatural abilities and the story itself weren't exactly original but with how the author blended them it created their own universe and I think Claire is quite the interesting 19 year old girl and is doing quite well after having lived such a hard early life. The fact that the vampires are much more main stream was a little predictable I find it interesting that so many old legends of the vampyre can still even be considered relevant with so many main stream shows, books, and pop culture in general, but then again there are a lot of series that hold somewhat true to the old stories. This book though a tad adolescent was cute and interesting I look forward to the next two books and seeing what will happen to our new Heroine Claire.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem! by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame

My, my, my readers….I’m on a roll, and quite happy in my reading these past few books. I am quite happy I read the prequel to this book though. I think had I read this first and then the other I couldn’t enjoy what this author did with this twisted take on such a classic tale.  Though, I must admit I found the writing a tad odd in the way it was executed at times. The classic Austen story was actually pretty spot on and I was very thankful for that, but at times I just had to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of The Bennet sisters being master Zombie slayers their only husband death. But, then I paused and remembered how Austen was known to mock society and its willing cast playing their given roles and found myself being drawn once again into the tale I am so well acquainted with.  We open with the mysterious plague of the unmentionables the spawn of Satan if you will devouring all of England and Mertyon is protected by the Bennet family. We once again follow our main star Elizabeth and she is as feisty and noble as ever. Though, I think Elizabeth was a tad obsessed with self punishment just a tad too much, but when honor demands it what is a proper English lady well versed in the dark arts of battle to do? This is indeed a horrific comedy filled with violent sparring, blood soaked battle fields, verbal spars, and the shambling dead. Of course all of this is done with the upmost civilized manners. There are our classic cast of characters Mr. Bennet with his library as his only means of escape from his silly daughters and their mother, Kitty and Lydiah as solider obsessed and showing themselves off in their deadly skills, Mary stern and obsessed with weights and training, Mrs. Bennet is as always the same as she always is, The Bingley Party, Tramp Wickham, and of course Mr. Darcy master of the Deadly Arts and lacking wholly in the art of socializing. There were so many similar moments from the classic tale to this one it was as if the author merely overlaid his own ideas and added a new word here or there to bring the classic tale into the horror genre and popular pop culture idea of the zombie. But, unlike the older novel there is quite a bit more chatter and substance giving us more of the classic characters making them more dare I say understandable? The scenes between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were very amusing but seem to also be a warning to young couples marrying only due to youth and infatuation rather than a good match of personalities. Elizabeth is also very changed as where in classic tales she is the dutiful daughter who though refuses the proposal from her cousin now has the skills, training, and temperament to go with her verbal wit and her warrior self is quite imposing indeed…but maybe she’s perhaps a too good warrior as mountains, rocks, and sparring are quite more enjoyable then the less fair sex… that being said will the romances of the old story occur? Can love exist in a world with zombies, warriors, ninjas, and social decorum ruling everything? A very amusing read indeed at times utterly ridiculous but amusing all the same… the classic pure reader might be tempted to shy away from this story, but what’s wrong with taking something classic and giving it a bit of a twist? In this case it was agreeable though I admit I think I prefer the classic story still. Quite a fun dark/light comedy.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Unbound The Havoc Chronicles Book 2 Written by: Brant Williams


Hello fellow book lovers, and salutations. Well, I decided it was time to read another book two of a series I recently came across… the world that Williams created was quite memorable to me and I decided well, I wonder what happens to Madison, Rhys, Eric, Kara, Amy, Malika, etc… So, I picked up book 2 the Unbound. Which, readers, picks up exactly where the Threads that bind left off. Life, now that a very particular mission failed due to the consequences of love…must continue. After all Madison is only a 16 year old a girl…albeit a 16 year old girl who could possibly go toe to toe with the Hulk (for a little while at least) and sure it seems she’s even got some other odd abilities as well….okay hormones, hormones are what definitely keeps her a 16 year old girl and of course :sigh for emphasis: Love. Where was I?....oh right! So life must continue and how does one get on with their life when they’ve discovered they are the first Berserker female well ever, and deal with the fact that they’re also quite possibly able to use some certain other abilities  which to be able to use is wholly unheard of yet again? Poor Madison, all that drama and she still has to attend high school not to mention continue training to up her skills in combat….well then again she’s going to school with Rhys and training with Rhys so perhaps that is not a wholly bad deal either. The way Williams writes I really enjoy because I felt like I was definitely inside the mind and viewing the world from the point of view of a 16 year old girl, sure she’s a bit more mature but since she was a social reject for so many years Madison had to develop a personality… (not saying all pretty 16 year old girls don’t but most aren’t focused on nearly as much as Madison was as parties, dates, social climbing, etc… was on their calendars) There are some typical Clichés this book for sure, I am always amazed how every couple having relationship issues or couples that discover love act as if they’re the first to imagine such a wondrous thing, but that’s love for you. I also thought perhaps a certain love triangle, Shakespeare, age drama would also not be mentioned, but again this is a book about a sixteen year old girl set in a supernatural setting so….Shakespeare always does stay relevant. The story does progress and not just progress but hits you in the head with a two by four at times with all that is happening and causing everything to change. Another issue is someone close to the Berserkers wants Madison clearly dead, and to try and keep hold of her normal life Madison’s romantic choices may lead down a path with an outcome far worse than anyone could have predicted for the new and old Berserkers alike…the world is changing again, traditions have been broken, and there’s a world of pain ahead it seems, I was absolutely hooked to this book readers, I couldn’t put it down! I just had to know what the hell is going to happen! I definitely had to stop myself from throwing a pillow once or twice across the room…(I’ve tended to knock things over or scare my poor dog and husband having these reading outbursts) I’ll never look at a certain serving object ever quite the same way again either readers. So, in conclusion…really, really, enjoyed this book!


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Pride And Prejudice And Zombies Dawn of the Dreadfuls Written by: Steve Hockensmith

Why hello fellow book nerds. I do hope you are all doing quite well and enjoying a few last weeks of summer beach reading. I again have come back from a world so unlike the real one that I’m in a bit of culture shock again… Otakon what a trip! I barely had anytime at all to pick up this latest book, but thankfully was able to finish it once back into the normal world. Seriously, why can’t I see a pokemon or video game character walking around every day? Oh well… I must admit I’ve become quite spoiled with my E-reader that this recent book a friend lent me was almost annoying to read… why? Well the book is a paperback and the spine is so stiff and since they didn’t break or even bend the spine, well…I had to read it very carefully and whenever I didn’t hold the book open just right it would close! I sometimes forget why I usually tended to buy hardcover now I remember… okay so aside from that Dawn of the Dreadfuls is a prequel to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I’ve not actually had the pleasure of reading that novel. (Going to start reading today!) But, this was a rather fun novel if I do say so myself, which I do! The fact it takes place before Pride and Prejudice and Zombies makes me wonder just where that book will go seeing as the characters develop quite a bit in this novel. But, more on the book I just read… The lovely Bennet sisters from Jane Austen’s world are as usual enjoying a peaceful life as proper ladies of England do. However, aside from names, general behaviors, and the setting this book takes Austen’s world and just throws it into the belly of a rotting Zombie. The story really did progress well taking the Bennet sisters from their regular lives where their mother Mrs. Prudence Bennet in all her dramatic glory rules them to a wholly unconventional life where their Father Oscar Bennet now has say over all. Corpses are springing from the soft earth and a pact made long ago must be honored and that means the Bennet sisters are no longer to be English ladies but fierce warriors who must combat and kill the walking dead. Sadly though readers everyone is not happy that these gentile ladies would be forced to take up a sword or worse willingly chop the heads from the unmentionables… Of course our main heroine we follow is Elizabeth and her progression is quite interesting and only her verbal combat rivals the sting of her sword, but she also has to deal with emerging feelings for not one but two men a fierce warrior Master Hawksworth and a thoughtful Dr. Keckilpenny whom both would claim Elizabeth as her own. But, does love actually factor in here readers? After all there are hoards of Dreadfuls to be fought and slew otherwise all of England may soon fall. There are some comic moments in this writing readers and the humor though a bit gallows is quite fun to read alongside the terror of the walking dead. There are also some pretty cool illustrations in this novel that add just the right touch to the setting of the book. Overall Loved this book! I don’t know how Jane Austen would feel but I was definitely amused.

Monday, August 5, 2013

The Winter Harvest Handbook Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses Written by: Eliot Coleman

Hello fellow readers, my my, my, here we are Again August, and it’s been quite beautiful here thus far. So, as you can tell by the title of this book I am now looking into Year Round Vegetable Production…I have never gardened in my life readers, I have grown quite a few potted plants over the years, and I even have one that’s still living my very first plant from Girl Scouts…almost 20 years ago. But, growing a potted plant and keeping it alive seems like it’s not that big a deal compared to growing vegetables and having them be edible. I also grow spider plants, vine plants, Aloe (So much Aloe!) Cactuses, etc… Still, I’ve never grown veggies, so my hubby this past Christmas bought me this book, and I finally decided okay…it’s time. Of course I barely have a yard and the soil is probably not safe to grow anything in, so…what can I do? Well, Indoor gardening…I have a Sunroom in my home as it has windows on three sides and is heated so it never drops below 60 in this room, and there’s a lot of light. It’s really an excellent room for reading, knitting, naps, and now Gardening. I will admit this book was a little hard to process as the author is a Small Family farm owner, and small is a drastic understatement as what him and his team do is just amazing. Eliot Coleman is an Organic farmer to the max, what he does is very impressive, and if you are looking to start a small family farm or even just a vegetable garden this is really a good spring board to better understand Winter gardening. There’s historical information and inspiration that goes throughout the world, and shows us Organic Gardening isn’t something new, but something quite old that the world is beginning to embrace again. The getting started chapter was a bit scary to me because I only have two 36inch long 7 inch deep planters I’m going to begin with…but I kept telling myself anything on a large scale can be transferred to small scale eventually. I do hope to do box gardening in my yard in the future so there were a lot of good tips on how to do this, but I will have to do more research to see if the soil that may be somewhat toxic in my yard could be made safe again, or I’ll do a bottom on my box garden and start there. This book goes over several different types of green houses, Winter and Summer crops, Soil Preparation, Sowing, Weed Control, Harvesting, Pests, Insects and Diseases, even tools to use while farming. For a person with a good acre of land this would be perfect to follow and learn from. I did buy the seeds the author mentions, and look into soil building, and the time charts and zones he provided are helping me get ready for the late August and September planting season..nuts huh? But, I think I can actually do this. The book read very well it wasn’t confusing as a lot of the terminology was explained and the drawings, pictures, and photographs were really easy to put thought to picture to understanding. I would love to be an organic grower, but to compost again lack of space might be a bit difficult for me, but I’ve bought organic dirt, fertilizer, and I’m beginning my box prep I’ll test my soil and then if need be purchase the proper natural substances to enrich the soil for the seeds I will be planting. So readers, this is a book that educated, inspired, and intimidated me a bit. I was a little put off by the fact that Organic farming is just that you must be 100% organic and though I’d like to be it’s just not feasible for me, but then I think well the author doesn’t know that! So, I’ll do my part and as good a job as I can and hopefully come spring I can plant an outdoor normal Vegetable Garden outside. Needless to say this book is going to be my “How To” book and hopefully since I’m growing an indoor Garden I won’t have to be too concerned about Pests, the elements, and see what happens. A very good book that I cannot wait to put what I’ve learned to paper, I’ll definitely have to read this book over and over again. So wish me Luck readers! Highly recommend this book if you want to grow an Organic Veggie Garden.