Vampire Knight Volume 15 Art and Story Written by: Matsuri Hino

Salutations readers! Alright, so I’m all set for this series now roar! Bring it! I went back over the weekend and managed to read all 13 previous volumes as well as volume 14 again of this Manga, phew, talk about memory lane. I noticed something very important too concerning the way Matsuri Hino writes… she’s amazing at leaving very little very subtle clues that will indeed come into play, and now equipped with the hindsight and knowledge of previous volumes I knew what to look for. But, I still have no idea what is going to happen! Volume 15 it seems Yuki must really begin to grow up her sandbox time has long since passed and being a baby vampire in the world she’s been thrust into won’t cut it either, and it doesn’t help that Kaname is missing. And that a certain Pureblood is turning human girls into vampires…quite a few in fact. So now Yuki must step into the role as acting head of the Kuran clan in order to hopefully maintain the fragile peace between the human and vampire societies. Yuki is also suffering from a hunger and still her heart is torn and it doesn’t help that both men whom at one point were so dear to her and held her tenderly are both gone in multiple ways and distant from her. Still, Yuki has to do something right? Yuki is trying her best to regain the trust of the vampire aristocrats especially Aido, but can she? Thankfully Yuki still manages to be a dear girl whom has close and dear friends to her. The art in this book was as usual beautiful and made me quite sad at times things are changing again at Cross Academy and so many things stay the same, but can this new structure endure? Just what the hell does Kaname want? I’m still hooked to this series and after 15 volumes I’m ready for more so bring it Matsuri Hino we the readers can take it! …. Actually…. I don’t think I could bear it if Yuki, Zero, Kaname, Cross, and Aido suffered more…nope, but I’ll just be sure to have a box of tissues handy and my cute dog nearby for when I break down. So yes, Volume 15 is definitely a set up volume and is giving us more information readers, but to what end?

Hounded The Iron Druid Chronicles Book 1 Written by: Kevin Hearne

Allo fellow book readers, well have I just been in absolute heaven reading this latest book my father in law told me I should look into. (Guy really does have good taste) It's a series, and it has been years I mean years since I've found a series that made me want to read every book and re-read them. Sure, I read quite a few series, but many of those are from the late 90's or early 2000's when I began them, but this one is still new and oh so awesome! I actually listened to this on audible, but it was so enjoyable I listened to it again! The first book in this series known as the Iron Druid Chronicles is titled Hounded, and we are introduced to Atticus O'Sullivan (whom it would seem is also quite easy on the eyes, and since he's about twenty-one hundred years old, yup I just typed that....and only looks to be 21 I don't feel like I'm robbing the cradle.) last of the Druids living well enough in Arizona running an occult book/tea shop while also in his spare time shape-shifting and hunting with his Irish wolfhound Oberon. I loved both of these characters Atticus is the perfect blend of old school magic practitioner and modern American civilian whom manages their own business. He's witty, wise cracking, and crafty, with a whole lot of old school hospitality. To everyone around him however he appears to be a  handsome Irish 21 year old with tattoos. The clash and melding of old world references meeting current world slang and references was absolutely brilliant and oh so amusing. But, like all good stories this ancient forever young Druid has a conflict arise. Atticus is in possession of a magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer, and unfortunately a very angry Celtic God wants that sword, and he's finally after centuries of hounding Atticus ready to collect. Atticus can kick some series butt readers, after all he's had quite a bit of time to hone his skills, and he's equipped himself with most of the modern ways while holding onto the old ones too, but he may need some help  from a few gorgeous, deadly, and sexy Goddesses, a vampire, a werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender whom might not be quite human, an accepting neighbor, and a bit of luck to hopefully survive this conflict with a certain Love God and his lackeys. Readers, there's a lot of death and a lot of characters in this story just one event after the other will cause you not exhaustion but rather elate you, and cause you to want to see what happens next! The audible book I listened to was narrated by Luke Daniels whom I thought was the perfect reader his accents though a bit over the top at times were so musical and fun to listen to and I appreciated his ability to give the female characters a voice without sounding like they were coming from a guy doing a terrible job imitating a woman. His voice for Oberon will have you laughing your arse off too. The world Hearne has introduced me to brings a lot of what I've read about ancient cultures and religion into play and it's absolutely brilliant in how again this huge cast of characters interact and manage to not become too jumbled, but instead balance quite perfectly. You may become a bit flabbergasted by how crazy things become, but it is oh so cool! I mean c'mon a 21 hundred year old Druid whom wields both Earth Magic and Iron consorts with Gods on a regular basis it seems.... loves his dog, and can appreciate South Park and Monty Python as well as be a shameless flirt? Yup, my kinda main character and my kinda story.

Vampire Knight Volume 14 Story and Art by: Matsuri Hino

Well then, right...Volume 14 of Vampire Knight, my my my, how things have finally come to a head for certain characters in this series. Matsuri Hino again impresses me with her amazing detail to art and not only her characters expressions and detail but the overall scenes she creates are just sheer works of art. That being said, I was a little lost during this most recent volume, in this series I feel like a lot is left unsaid and often times I'm wondering if perhaps I'm interpreting these lack of vocal or body symbols as more than they are, but this book I felt just plain dizzy. The vampire Hunter society and the Vampire society plus what's going on at Cross academy is all so skewed and it feels like they're all a bit disjointed where once they fit together in odd moments of interlacing. So, Aido is imprisoned and he's being interrogated by the Hunter Society to learn more about Kaname's connection to Sara Shirabuki.....while this is occurring Yuki wants a fresh start with Kaname, but of course like it's been in the beginning and seems like it shall forever be certain circumstances may make that quite impossible for this to occur. This has always been quite the emotional series readers, but Matsuri has been able to bring in beautiful art and meld them with certain characters whom always remain innocent and at times quite comical, but it seems that for one of those characters the time of innocence and  blind loyalty must end. I have to admit I was so puzzled as what has led us to this particular path so much so that I'm going to go back to the beginning and read all 13 volumes to see how on Earth these cast of characters have come to be where they are. I feel like more and more questions keep arising and I don't know how much more I can take of these unspoken events that for every answer I receive concerning a particular pure blood he appears to go off script and create what seems to be more problems not solutions. Who am I kidding I'm going to keep reading this series to the very end may it be happy, sad, or covered in bodies drained of blood.

Striptease Written by: Carl Hiaasen

Wowie, just wow…I feel like I need to shower after having read this book readers, this year I’m beginning with quite a few amusing, thought provoking, and just overall crazy dramatic books. Only in America my fellow book readers could a bachelor party gone awry create such a snowball of unfortunate events..so we have a strip-joint, the noted bachelor party, a hapless and drunken groom, an honorable exotic dancer, a U.S. congressman, a bouncer, an interestingly cool cop plopped in, and quite the other arrangement of random cast of characters create a wild and quite out there case of extortion, murder, and of course sex that could very well bring down some big and small players in politics and sugar cane. Sounds interesting no? So, where does this all go down? Well America yes, but Florida, what is with me reading books about Florida lately, and how crazy it is there? Granted, I’ve read books all over the united States, but this is now three in the last few months that occur in Sunny Florida. So the honorable exotic dancer formerly FBI clerk Erin Grant dances nightly to deal with legal fees brought forth by her slime ball ex husband, readers her ex really is an uber slime ball in fact most of the men in this book will cause you to shiver in disgust. Have you ever readers had too much sugar or something very spicy and then felt a slight film all over your teeth, and then felt the compulsion that you just HAD to brush your teeth to get rid of the grime? Well, every time I stopped listening to this book I had that feeling like I needed to not only brush my teeth but to also shower, the book was amusing even hilarious in how unbelievable these characters are, but their sheer gal! Just ew. None of the characters disgusted me quite the same way as David Dilbeck he’s an imbecile and quite the kinky old man, but he blames his faults and shortcomings on his weakness for naked women…this guy just made me cringe readers after hearing the narrator George Wilson give David Dilbeck like I’m amazed I can even look at a naked man again yet alone have sex with one because this guy was just ew! Vaseline readers, I’m refraining from loathing Vaseline now too. HA! So, the plot continues Dilbeck is recognized by a regular at the Eager Beaver Strip club who is also infatuated with Erin, this fan of Erin initiates a blackmail plan meant to help Erin with her custody battle against  her ex and to help her against a sleazy judge (Oh my God is he an ass!). There’s a lot against this hard working Mom. The results reader is just pure mayhem that will cause a snowball of even more crazy and did I mention it’s an election year? The body count is going to rise and Erin is going to need friends whom are quite colorful if not downright scary at times. The dialogue in this book is genius the settings will make you wish again to shower and if you’re a woman maybe just maybe make you look at men in power in a whole new light, ew! I hope readers that this isn’t how it is when it comes to politics and big corporations, but c’mon to not believe some of this is possible would just be naïve, still I had to listen to this story twice because I wanted to make sure I completely understood what the hell I just listened to! Loved to hate this book and love how the author Hiaasen wraps it all up towards quite the climactic ending. Definitely a book to pick up and read. Oh how ironic the radio just turned on to James Brown’s this is a man’s world? Kinda sums up some things indeed. Again, a fabulous read indeed.  

Wrapped Up With Ribbons When Naughty Becomes So Nice book 2 Written by: Melissa F Hart

Okay, I know, I know Christmas is OVER and it’s time to move on, but I just couldn't wait until next Christmas to see what became of Andie Nichols whom we met in a previous book and how we left off was well… frankly… too much for me to wait and see what happens! So, Andy Nichols has her own personnel sex slave now Ryan Miller whom is introducing Andie to pleasures she never dreamed of and during these little games Andie is quickly learning whom she really is and who she wants to be. Unlike the first book where Andie was hesitant and a bit lost this second book in the series shows Andie is developing quite the appetite for Kink and perhaps weekends with Ryan isn’t enough anymore, and maybe just maybe…Ryan feels the same way? There’s sadly a dark side to this readers, Andie’s ex-boyfriend Evan wants Andie back, but not this confident and even defiant Andie he wants the Andie who would do anything he told her and never disobey him. Readers, it’s not the same as what Andie and Ryan have, what they have is a mutual relationship based on trust, what Evan wants it to be completely in control and constantly berates and insults Andie. Who the hell wants that? So, Evan is ready to give Andie that ring she always dreamed of with Evan, but does she want that now? It appears Andie could have either men wrapped up with ribbons underneath her Christmas tree this holiday, but what is it that she really wants? Andie has years of history with Evan, but Ryan has given her new life…so which is it readers? There’s definitely some romance going on in this book readers but there is also the top, bottom/ mistress, slave events as well. Still, it was a good short tale that takes this kind of lifestyle to a more romantic soft side of things, but there’s still the spanking and of course handcuffs and some punishment. Not a bad tale, but can it end happily?

My Despicable ex Written by: Sierra Rose

Why hello there, okay so… imagine one of the worst days of your life, and then picture one of the best days now, let’s try to combine the two. For Ashly Roberts and Jake Connors both are barely twenty when they decide to take that big step…yup Marriage. The night before the wedding was a fairy tale and Asly and Jake have been together since Highschool (granted being barely 20 that’s not really that far behind them is it?) Well, as Ashly is in bridal bliss and feels like she is living in the perfect fairytale Jake is obviously having his own ideas of how this tale will end, and folks it isn’t going to be pretty. Jake, through a phone call minutes before the big event says…”I can’t” and that’s all she gets folks, yup Ashly is dumped not even at the altar but before she even gets to walk down the aisle is just told by Jake no can do babe… ouch! I don’t know about you readers, but if that had happened to me I’d probably hunt the bastard down and try to inflict the amount of pain and embarrassment he inflicted on me with due interest of course. Because remember though Jake left her Ashly still had to face their home together, their mutual family and friends, and of course clean out the home they built together…there’s a whole lot of payback to be had. But, then we jump five years into the future. Ashly still thinks Jake is despicable and yet Jake wants her back with a vengeance.  Jake realizes that being a no-for his and Ashly’s nuptials was the worst mistake of his life. Now, a little older, and more mature, Jake is ready to try and win Ashly back…or so he thinks. Sure, he’s handsome more than handsome, and there’s a lot of good history their readers, but he dumped her on her wedding day! Also, he’s been gone for five years with no contact, right NO CONTACT whatsoever! Ashly is attracted to Jake still, but how can Ashly see beyond what happened between them five years ago? Something happens as it always does reader to bring these two people together, but ugh, did I have a tough time not wanting to slug the sexy Jake Connors in the face. I mean c’mon time doe not heal everything readers and what Jake did to Ashly not exactly a small little fight, he wasn’t even nice enough to give them a fight he just left. So, there’s attraction there’s some romantic settings, but it’s a whole lot of Ashly drooling over her ex and not wanting to admit it and Jake making comments about the past to give them a possible future…ick. I get what the author was going for here, but I dunno readers the plot and characters felt so forced and felt like unless someone had a whole lot of money this so wouldn’t have been possible. I’m more of a hell hath no fury kinda gal so…yeah I had trouble getting over Jake’s BIG betrayal even if he had called, written, showed up in five years I might have felt a bit for this character, but instead I kept thinking…SUFFER! So, this is a bubble gum sweet romance book, it’s cute, but I don’t know if I’ll read the second one seeing as it did feel so forced. But, if you believe in Love and forgiveness and moving on and trying to pick up the pieces and build something better kinda life, well then this is probably a good read for you. But PLEASE he dumped her on HER WEDDING DAY! Through a call! Le sigh.

Invisible Monsters Written by Chuck Palahniuk

Um, okay… where to begin with this chaotic book. First, a friend of my recommended I check this book out, and I am so not regretting finally checking it out! Though, I wonder about either my friends’ reading choices or my own for reading them and enjoying them. HA!  So, it’s a new year readers, and some of you may still covet other’s possessions, lives, beauty…sure a new year new resolutions, but what if you had it all? What if you were the proud owner of a sexy boyfriend, a career, a loyal best friend, and had  the looks that others took notice of and coveted. Sounds perfect right? But, in this tale Invisible Monsters written by Chuck Palahniuk was to put it bluntly… disturbing. So, the stories protagonist is gorgeous she finds herself one day driving along the freeway when a sudden “accident” leaves her with half her face, no ability to speak, and next to no self-esteem, but the girls got a sharp and disturbing mind that I found quite comical too.  She is hideous so ugly that no one will acknowledge she exists she is literally an Invisible Monster. Talk about a story? Sooo, if you’re thinking this will a tale about a poor victim who is now scarred and will be a lesson or even an inspirational tale to well inspire us all to be happy with what we’ve been given and earned? Then stop right here and go no further, because this is not that book. This readers is a book about the future, the past, the now, all in a skewed form with lessons from drugs, sex, photography, survival, to the basest forms of the human condition. This is a book that if one of the characters were murdered it’d be no different than “the moral equivalent of killing a car, a vacuum cleaner, a Barbie doll. Erasing a computer disk. Burning a book.” (Oh heaven’s forbid the book burning that one hurts) So, it seems there just might be some salvation for our main character in a place she’d never look as in enters Brandy Alexander, Queen Supreme; Brandy will teach her that reinventing yourself means erasing the past and making up something better. This novel is so unpredictable…you think it’s a salvation book or even a revenge book, but on who? Also, what would revenge get this character? So, the main gal decides revenge against your best friend Evie and fellow model sure, let’s start there, and while we’re at it, let’s kidnap her ex main squeeze Manus. So, this book goes on a little road trip leaving a trail of fire, pills, and clothing returns. This was pure chaos filled with designer labels and medical terms…this readers was a book that really makes you evaluate your complaints in life and find the humor in all the despicable thoughts you’d had. The beginning is the end and the journey is the future and past, the ending is the beginning I mean wholly moley….your brain cells will fizzle and expand and fizzle again. There just might be a few gem lessons in here, but you’d have to stop cringing and shaking your head to find it. There’s so many twists and revelations I simply cannot begin to express how many times I went No. No Way. NO WAAAAY! SERIOUSLY?! I love Chuck Palahniuk books even if they all make me cringe and go cross eyed with thought and disbelief. A fabulous read that you totally should share with friends or perhaps a book group?