Sinner Takes All by Tera Patrick review **May contain spoilers

Sinner Takes All
Tera Patrick
336 pages

Rating:

Challenges:

100+ Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, Non-Fiction Five Challenge

Synopsis:

How does a girl go from being a shy, awkward bookworm to the biggest porn star in the world? In Sinner Takes All, Tera Patrick reveals all, including: her career as an international model; losing her virginity at fourteen to a thirtysomething photographer; learning oral sex techniques backstage at a Guns N' Roses concert; having an orgy with a team of firefighters; her unglamorous job in a nursing home; her first forays into the adult movie business; and how, with her husband's help, she launched her own multimillion-dollar empire.

Along the way, she dishes on the emotional side of being Tera Patrick, writing candidly about her battles with depression and anxiety. She also discusses finding true love and building a healthy marriage, achievements that many consider to be impossible in the world of porn. Featuring hundreds of photos, plus diary pages and scintillating sidebars, Sinner Takes All takes the tell-all to raunchy new heights.

Review:

As you can see by past reviews I have a pretty ecclectic taste in reading material. I came across this book several months ago and it caught my interest. Come on the cover alone is pretty eye catching. Honestly, the sex industry is a rather interesting subject matter to read about. NOTE: If you are going to read this book there are some photographs that are of a "adult" nature.

Tera Patrick is a pretty inspirational woman. You may or may not agree. But that is my opinion of Tera after reading her memoir. She had a very rough start in life. Her parents were pretty much absent a lot. Her father has spent most of his life an "herbal American" (both legal and illegal) and her mother is a Thai woman with a violent temper. Tera (who's real name is actually Linda) was abused by her mother. She even said in the book that writing it was a form of "therapy" for her on some issues.

Tera started off a model and ended up in Japan for a while. Where she became addicted to drugs and was first introduced to sex. But after her modeling career tanked she came back to the states and got all the drugs cleaned out of her system she lead a "normal" life for a while. But her sex life was pretty crazy and stayed "crazy" for a long time.

Tera says that the thing that really turned her on to the porn industry was that you didn't have to be a size 0 and 110 pounds. She took the porn world by storm. She's had her ups and downs, but she's still kicking. For that she thanks Evan (her now ex-husband), who also helped her lauch her own empire.

So after a rough start in life Tera is, in my opinion, an inspiration. She came from the lowest lows (drug addiction, abuse, etc.) to the highest highs (her own multi-million dollar empire) all with a little elbow grease. What I learned from this book is that if you put forth the effort there is no dream that is unattainable.

The Iron King review ~ May contain a few spoilers

The Iron King
Julie Kagawa

368 pages

Rating:

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Review:

OMG! I absolutely LOVED this book! Fan-freaking-tastic! I'm usually NOT a real big fan of faery books..Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of paranormal are more up my alley. But once I started reading it I had a VERY hard time putting it down.

Julie Kagwa is VERY vivid and thorough of her descriptions of not only the characters, but of Nevernever land and the overall landscapes of the various Fey Courts. I felt like I was right there with Meghan and crew while they were on their journey.

There is action and "weird" things happening almost from the very start of the book. So your

on a fast track to Nevernever land real quick. See Meghan's life is turned upside down when her little brother (technically he's her 1/2 brother but who's being technical?) is kidnapped and a super nasty changeling (who attacks both Meghan and her mom) is left in his place.

But this is where Meghan's best friend Robbie comes into play. See in actuality Robby is the prankster Puck from a Midsummer's Night Dream. And off they go through the "trod," which is the portal into Nevernever land (conviently found in the closet of Meghan's brother.) As beautiful as Nevernever is a VERY dangerous place and you never really know who your friend or your foe is.

Pretty much everything keeps going wrong, more so when Grimalkin, who is a cat sith gets involved. Meghan keeps finding herself in one pickle after another, which makes her goal of finding her little brother seem almost unattainable. She's fighting trolls, gremlins, other faeries, each other, and other mythical creatures. It seems that Meghan and crew just couldn't catch a break if their lives depended upon it.

There were a couple parts of this book that were predictable. Like...Meghan is the daughter of the Summer king, so naturally she's gonna go and fall for the son of the Winter Queen. In all honesty I think that that piece of predictability was key to the story. I would have been severly dissapointed if it wasn't written the way it was. But for the most part the story kept me on my toes and guessing what was going to happen next.

Unlike Meghan (who is there looking for her brother and wants to get back to her life ASAP), it seems that pretty much all the rest of the characters in the story have a hidden agenda or have something that is brewing right there under the surface.

I think that Robbie/Puck takes the cake in this one, with his wicked sense of humor. Meghan is a very likeable character and seems to grow as the story goes along. Sometimes you think she's not real bright....Like bargaining with a faery. But just when you think she's going to go and do something dumb yet again, she throws you for a loop.

Which brings us to Ash, who is the prince of the Winter Court. He's written as a total hottie who is seriously cold in so many ways. He's attracted to Meghan but at the same time he wants to kill her. He even thinks about it several times but manages to stop himself. Ash is a superior swordsman with his sword of iciness and if his sword isn't cutting it....he likes to drop his predators by shooting icicles at them. Which I think is pretty cool.

I have to agree with Alyssa from Teens Read and Write. I just don't think that there was enough Ash in the story. We see him a little bit in the beginning but after that we don't really see him again until your well over a 100 pages into the book. Really that is my only complaint with the book....I wanted MORE Ash.

I can hardly wait until the second book comes out in the series. The Iron Daughter is being released in August. August seems so VERY far away!

Last Snow review and Giveaway!

Last Snow
Eric Van Lustbader
416 pages

Rating:

* I was sent this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

Jack McClure, Special Advisor and closest friend to the new President of the United States, interprets the world very differently from the rest of us. It’s his greatest liability, and his greatest asset.

An American senator, supposedly on a political trip to the Ukraine, turns up dead on the island of Capri. When the President asks him to find out how and why, Jack sets out from Moscow across Eastern Europe, following a perilous trail of diplomats, criminals, and corrupt politicians. Thrust into the midst of a global jigsaw puzzle, Jack’s unique dyslexic mind allows him to put together the pieces that others can’t even see.

Still unreconciled to the recent death of his daughter and the dissolution of his marriage, Jack takes on a personal mission along with his official one: keeping safe from harm his two unlikely, unexpected, and incompatible companions—Annika Dementieva, a rogue Russian FSB agent, and Alli Carson, the President’s daughter. As he struggles to keep both young women safe and unearth the answers he seeks, hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the Ukrainian police to his own NSA, Jack learns just how far up the American and Russian political ladders corruption and treachery has reached.

In the vein of Eric Van Lustbader’s latest bestselling Jason Bourne novels, Lustbader takes us on an international adventure in this powerful page-turner that will keep you reading through the night.

Review:

Last Snow is the follow up to First Daughter. Eric Van Lustbader is an author I hadn't heard of until I was approached to read and review this book on my blog. I'm glad that I was approached because I found another "new to me" author that I really like a lot. Usually, I have found sequels to have that "sophomore curse" that is so NOT the case with this book. I actually think that the sequel is BETTER than the first book. Because I think that the synopsis for this book does an excellent job of laying out the ground work for this book I am going to do what I did in my review of the First Daughter and tell you what I liked about the book. Why I think it doesn't suffer from the "sophomore curse."

1. Last Snow picks up right where First Daughter left off. I thought that there was an easy flow from one book to the other, so I was able to make a smooth transition between the two books. There are some series that I can not say that about but this is one that I most certainly can!

2. I'm not one for roller coasters usually, but this is one roller coaster that I most definitely glad I got on! All the twists and turns were great! I think (in my opinion anyway) that they were better than the first book. I was pretty much in a constant state of "who done it." I LOVE books where the "bad guy" isn't obvious.

3. I loved the "girl fights" between Annika and Alli....While Jack is trying to mediate AND keep them all alive. Sometimes it had to "suck" to be Jack. That's A LOT to put on one person!

4. Last Snow was VERY fast paced! I had a VERY hard time putting it down once I started reading it.

I guess my only "issue" with the book was the prologue. At first I wasn't sure who's perspective it was written from but once I was a couple pages into chapter 1 it became oh-so-clear to me who's perspective it was written from. Overall, I highly recommend reading both Last Snow AND First Daughter. Definite page turners....I hope that there will be more books in the Jack McClure series!

Giveaway rules!

1. Fill out the form.

2. Leave me a comment that you filled out the form.

3. Contest will go until March 25 @ 11:59 pm CST.

4. Winner will be drawn randomly.

Optional Entries

1. Tweet

2. Blog Post

3. Blog Follower

4. Sidebar post

First Daughter review and GIVEAWAY!

First Daughter
Eric Van Lustbader
400 pages

* I was sent this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating:

Synopsis:

Sometimes the weakness we fear most can become our greatest strength . . .

Jack McClure has had a troubled life. His dyslexia always made him feel like an outsider. He escaped from an abusive home as a teenager and lived by his wits on the streets of Washington D.C. It wasn’t until he realized that dyslexia gave him the ability to see the world in unique ways that he found success, using this newfound strength to become a top ATF agent.

When a terrible accident takes the life of his only daughter, Emma, and his marriage falls apart, Jack blames himself, numbing the pain by submerging himself in work. Then he receives a call from his old friend Edward Carson. Carson is just weeks from taking the reins as President of the United States when his daughter, Alli, is kidnapped. Because Emma McClure was once Alli’s best friend, Carson turns to Jack, the one man he can trust to go to any lengths to find his daughter and bring her home safely.

The search for Alli leads Jack on a road toward reconciliation . . . and into the path of a dangerous and calculating man. Someone whose actions are as cold as they are brilliant. Whose power and reach are seemingly infinite.

Faith, redemption, and political intrigue play off one another as McClure uses his unique abilities to journey into the twisted mind of a stone cold genius who is constantly one step ahead of him. Jack will soon discover that this man has affected his life and his country in more ways than he could ever imagine.

Review:

I had never heard of this author until I recieved this book as well as the sequel, review coming soon, in the mail from the publisher. I've only read a couple of thrillers so far and this is one that I really enjoyed a lot. The synopsis of the book says a LOT about the story so I'm going to tell you what I liked about the book and hopefully not giveaway too much.

Number 1 I liked the characters....All the characters in my opinion were pretty great. Even the "bad guy." My personal favorite was Jack himself....He's a "broken" man who is trying to reconcile all the wrongs and hurts of his past.

Number 2, I loved how much of a fast paced read it was. Being that I have such ecclectic tastes in books, if a book doesn't grab me and suck me in right away I get bored with it and have a tendency to move on to something else. That soooo did NOT happen with this story....I got sucked in right away and I had a very hard time putting this book down!

Number 3, all the twists and turns....Liked them a lot. Though there were a few times some of the twists and turns ended up confusing me, I was able to right myself again pretty quickly. The author kept you guessing "who done it?" all the time.....I literally figured it out at the same time that Jack did.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading First Daughter. My only "problem" with the book was some of the twists and turns. But as I said above even in those few instances I was able to right myself again pretty quickly. I defiantely recommend reading this book....Even if you aren't into thrillers....It may be classified as a "thriller" but it is also a redemption story.

GIVEAWAY!

I am giving away courtesy of the publisher 1 copy of First Daughter. Here are the rules to this contest:

1. You MUST fill out the form.

2. You MUST leave me a comment letting me know you filled out the form.

3. Winner will be drawn at random.

4. Contest runs until 11:59 pm CST on March 25.

**Optional Entries**

Tweeting

Blog Post

Sidebar

Follower

A Match Made in High School review

A Match Made In High School
Kristin Walker
278 pages


Ratings:






Synopsis:

When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can't get any worse. That's until she marries her "husband": jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona's long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very dorky, very big Johnny Mercer.


Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Review:


There is a reason this book got 5 boots out of 5 boots....It's FREAKING AMAZING! Not only is the plot one that I've never read before....a MANDATORY marriage education program....the humor is pretty dang AWESOME too! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! I'm actually writing this review on 4 hours of sleep...and once I post this I'm gonna go get some more that's for sure! I picked this book up because all the ARC reviews I had read on it said pretty much the same thing....."Read this book! Awesome and totally hilarious!" Again, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and saying READ THIS BOOK! IT'S AWESOME AND TOTALLY HILARIOUS!


Here's a small passage, just to showcase a little bit of the humor:


"I could tell Maggie Klein realized the problem at the last second, because she made this squeaky inhalation. But it was too late. Zoe fell backward into the trembling arms of Izzy McCully, and continued falling with him beneath her. They thudded to the floor, and all that could be seen of Izzy were his spindly arms and legs flailing from Zoe's sides, making her look like a Hindu goddess on her back."


When we first meet Fiona she is in love with Gabe. But Gabe doesn't even know she's alive. Marcie is Fiona's best friend who has been helping her with her "Gabe craze" for a VERY LONG time. On the first day of senior year, the boom is dropped....They find out that the entire senior class must participate in a mandatory marriage education program for the whole year and will be randomly paired up with a partner. Of course Fiona has been having some pretty crappy luck and ends up being paired with uber-jock Todd Harding....One of the few people that Fiona can't stand! Marcie get's Johnny Mercer who is a bigger guy, quiet with a secret crush on one of the characters. And Gabe? Well Gabe get's paired up with Amanda (uber-jerk...I mean jock Todd's girlfriend).


From the first time Todd and Fiona converse in the book you can tell that they pretty much hate each other. The pranks and name calling start and the surprises start happening. Some of the surprises you expect, which I think actually helped the story in my opinion. Some were not so expected....Which made it all that much more fun and funny, for me anyway. So for real....If you haven't read this book yet....DO! NOW! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!


What we're really thinking:


Jamie - I LOVED this book! I haven't laughed that hard or that often in a pretty long time!

Gus - I'm glad you enjoyed , but you kept waking me up! The upside....LOTS of cuddle time!

Laci - I'm with Gus on this one!

Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace review and giveaway

Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace
Dianne Sweeney

Ratings:





Synopsis:

In today's age of virtual hook-ups and online encounters, it is no surprise that there are thousands of web sites devoted to Internet dating. Told in a series of vignettes, Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace, Dianne Sweeney's revealing account of dating in the 21st century takes you on a hilarious, often poignant journey of online dates, dumps, and disasters. As she discovers the world of Internet dating is blessed by those seeking true love and plagued by those just seeking. Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace uncovers the reality of online dating--its pleasures, its horrors, and all the quirky stuff in between.



Review:



I first read about this book on The Book Vixen's blog. Because I have VERY ecclectic reading tastes I needed to get my hands on a copy of this book. I love the cover of this book! How can you pass up a book with a FROG on the cover?! I loved how the author didn't hold anything back when it cames to the good, the bad (a fair amount) and the ugly (a LOT of this) of internet dating. I mean the disclaimer alone let's you know your in for one heck of a ride: "This book is based on true events. Names and places have been changed to protect the innocent, the guilty and the ones being fitted for a straitjacket." (I borrowed this from The Book Vixen) Ms. Sweeny shares e-mails and accounts with some of her online suitors that are very interesting to downright hilarious. Seriously, READ THIS BOOK!

GIVE AWAY!

I will be giving away 2 copies of Kissing Frogs in Cyberspace!

rules:

1. must be a US citizen.

2. leave a comment with your e-mail address in it.

3. This giveaway ends on March 15 @ 11:59 pm...Winners will be selected randomly

Broken review

Broken
Shiloh Walker
336 pages
Ratings:

Source: The Book Vixen
Avaliable: March 2, 2010

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 144 books in 2010, Romance Reading Challenge, Contemporary Romance Challenge, 2010 Romance Challenge

Synopsis:

Shattered

Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter and bail bondsman in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He’s tempted by her beauty—but he knows from experience that anyone desperate enough to live in his building is damaged goods. Besides, he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else.

Desperate

Sarah McElya is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She’s not an abused wife, and she’s not a criminal. But she does have a plan for her future. And as much as she finds herself attracted to her gruff, tough neighbor, she can’t risk telling him the secrets she’s hiding. There’s just too much at stake.

Driven to desire…

But Quinn must get closer to Sarah when she turns out to be the target of his new missing persons case, and he discovers that there is something more complex and dangerous to her than he thought. Now, both Quinn and Sara will have to expose their true feelings—as well as their fragile hearts—if they hope their love will survive…

Review:

Quinn is a bounty hunter for a private agency. He's very good at his job because he doesn't get to close to anyone much less trust anyone either. See Quinn comes from a troubled past....broken home, abusive parent (with certain addictions), the whole nine yards. So when his mother dies of a drug overdose Quinn is put into the care of the father he never knew he had. Oh, and he has a twin brother named Luke that he never knew about either!

Sara has been on the run for a long time. She's got her reasons, but they aren't the ones that you'd typically expect. Because of those reasons she doesn't stay in one place all that long. Once she moves into this quaint little apartment and meets her new neighbor, the Mighty Quinn, she's instantly attracted to him but decides that she should stay away to protect herself from the unknown.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE SHILOH WALKER?! This is the first book by Walker that I have read and I will DEFINATELY be reading more! I read the book description on Goodreads not long after The Book Vixen "gave away" the opportunity to become involved in the ARC tour for this book and decided that it was defiantely a book that I was interested in learning more about.

I was a little confused about Elena, who is a character from Quinn's past. But I'm hoping that reading books prior to Broken will answer the questions that I have about her and Quinn's "relationship."

In the beginning I was slightly confused about the little tidbits from Sara's text messages and the little glimpses into her past but the further I got into the book the more this information made sense to me.

Oh and lets talk about the SIZZLING sex scenes! The last couple books haven't had ANY love scenes in them at all...Completely Asexual! I got to my first "scene" I was beyond pleasantly surprised....Defiantely a change in pace from the last couple of books that's for sure! ;)

Overall, I found yet another author to add to my favorite author list! I really enjoyed the way that the story was written, the characters the whole works. This was a very fast paced read....I'm SUPER short on sleep because I had to know what happened next. I defiantely recommend getting a copy of this book once it becomes available on MARCH 2!

What we're really thinking:

J, G & L - READ IT NOW!

Devil of the Highlands review

Devil of the Highlands

Lynsay Sands

384 pages

Ratings:

Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 2010 Romance Challenge, Romance Reading Challenge 2010

Synopsis:

They call him the Devil . . .
He is the most notorious laird of Scotland: fierce, cold, deadly . . . and maybe even worse. Yet Evelinde has just agreed to wed him. Anything, she thinks, is better than her cruel stepmother. Though Evelinde should be wary of the rumors, she can't help but be drawn to this warrior . . . for the Devil of the Highlands inspires a heat within her that is unlike anything she has ever known.
They may call him whatever they wish, but Cullen, Laird of Donnachaidh, cares only for the future of his clan. He must find a wife, a woman to bear him sons and heed his commands. He has no need for beauty or grace, but one taste of his lovely bride's sweet lips and the sultry feel of her skin arouse an untamed passion. Perhaps there's more to marriage than he thought . . .

Review: I picked this book up after reading Taming the Highland Bride because it made references to this book in certain parts of the story. I am very glad that I picked it up because I was most definately NOT disappointed! It totally had me guessing right up until the end!

Evelinde is promised to "The Devil of Donnachaidh" and all she has heard about him are EXTREMELY horrible things. Assuming that these stories are all true she assumes that she is headed for a life of abuse and a great big FAT ZERO on the love scale. A fluke accident has her meeting Cullen under very unusual circumstances which leads to an equally unusual explaination of who he really is.

After the wedding (which goes SOUTH FAST) Cullen does what he needs to get Evelinde out from under her evil step-mother's fingers fast. After Cullen and Evelinde reach Donnachaidh Evelinde realizes somethings about her husband....1. He doesn't talk much, but he does grunt and growl A LOT. 2. He's really not as bad as everyone has made him out to be. 3. He is a pretty great lover. and 4. That the deaths that have happened in the past at Donnachaidh may or may not have been accidents.

But the more time that Evelinde is at Donnachaidh things start going down hill....Random accidents keep happening to her. Some of which she barely escapes with her life from. But Evelinde keeps asking questions about the deaths that have taken place at the castle and Cullen keeps rescuing her when the next accident happens.

In the end, some very interesting things happen (which I'm not going to give away). Each of the main character's learn a little something important about the other and all the miscommunications that they had had in the not so distant past are easier to understand.

What we're really thinking:

Jamie - I really liked this book a LOT! It was rather difficult for me to put this one down. There was a lot of humor, drama, and UBER HOT (in my opinion anyway) love scenes to keep the story very fast paced. The only little quirk I had with the book was the language...again this isn't a genre that I usually read so that may factor in quite a bit.

GnL - Oodles and Oodles of "Team Cuddle" time! Only downside to the story was when it made Jamie giggle...It kept waking us up from our peacful slumbers!

My Life Outside The Ring review

My Life Outside The Ring
Hulk Hogan
320 pages
Rating: 4.75/5


Source: Purchased
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 144 Books in 2010



Synopsis:


Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, burst onto the professional wrestling scene in the late seventies and went on to become a world wrestling champion many times over. From humble beginnings, this giant of a man escaped a pre-ordained life of dock and construction work in Port Tampa, Florida, to become one of the most recognizable celebrities on the planet. He did it through sheer will, grit, determination, and a drive to always go over the top and do more than what others thought possible. From the outside, his story was one of a charmed life—he was at the top of his career, had a wonderful and loving family, and a lifelong fan base who worshipped him. Of course he had his up and downs—including hints of steroid abuse and his falling out with WWE and Vince McMahon—but it’s been the last two years that have tested Hogan more than any other in his lifetime. In 2007, while riding the massive success of his VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best, his son Nick was involved in a tragic car accident that left his best friend in critical condition. Then Linda, his wife, left him after 23 years of marriage, his beloved daughter Brooke blamed him for the breakup and his son went to jail. The tabloid media had a field day. When unflattering jailhouse conversations between him and his son were released to the press the tabloids were in a frenzy. The sudden turmoil and tragedy surrounding Hogan took its toll. He fell into a deep depression, seeing no way out, until one fate ful phone call. In My Life Outside the Ring, Hogan will unabash edly recount these events, revealing how his new found clarity steadied him during the most difficult match of his life—and how he emerged from the battle feeling stronger than ever before.

I was right there leaning on the side of the car with my hands when I finally saw Nick—my only son—folded up like an accordion with his head down by the gas pedal. “Nick!” I yelled. I could see he was alive. He turned his head, he stuck his hand out, and gave me a thumbs-up. For a second I was relieved. Then the chaos set in. The noise of engines. Sirens. A saw. Para - medics pulling John from the passenger seat. So much blood. I can’t even describe to you how panicked I was. The police and firefighters surrounding us seemed panicked, too. The firefighters started cutting the side of the car open to try to get Nick out, and I’m still standing right there when I hear my boy screaming, “No, no, no, stop! Stop! You’re gonna cut my legs off. Dad! Just unbuckle the seatbelt. I can get out!” So I reach in and I push the button on his seat belt, and Nick just crawls right out. His wrist was broken. His ribs were cracked. None of that mattered. He was gonna be okay. But not John. John wasn’t moving. —from MY LIFE OUTSIDE THE RING



Review:

I have a confession to make....I'm a wrestling fan....There I said it. Honestly, when I picked this book up I didn't really know what to expect from it. I'm glad I picked it up though...I really liked it A LOT! It's written from Hulk's perspective not just as a wrestler but as a man, husband, and father...In short it's very real and very honest, from the highest high to the lowest low. There were times where I was going "why did he put up with it for so long?" and times when I was saying "WOW." I learned a lot of things that I didn't know about the Hulkster too....Like he plays guitar and was a bowler when he was younger. I really liked how the book opens....you just know that you are going to be going on one heck of a roller coaster ride. Even if your not a wrestling fan I recommend this book....I'd say a good chunk of the book really isn't even about wrestling.....it's about life.

What I was really thinking:

The Beginning: AWESOME beginning!

The Middle: What a roller coaster ride!

The End: HOLY CRAP HULKSTER!

Devil May Cry (Dark Hunter series) review

Devil May Cry

Sherrilyn Kenyon

384 pages

Rating: 4/5

Source: purchased with my own money
Challenges: 100+ Challenge, 144 books in 2010, 2010 Romance Challenge, Romance Reading Challenge

Synopsis: (from Barnes and Noble)

Sin, a Sumerian fertility god turned Vegas casino owner, and Kat, the zealous servant of bossy Greek goddess Artemis, knock boots and kick butt in Kenyon's juicy 11th Dark-Hunter paranormal love-fest (after 2006's Dark Side of the Moon). Sin's been on the warpath for thousands of years, since Artemis stole his godhood. Sin's also upset about the disappearance of his twin brother, Zakar, and the imminent invasion of the vampiric Sumerian gallu, who plan to liberate the Dimme superdemons and destroy all humanity. Kat agrees to kill Sin before he kills Artemis, but instead the two fall in madcap love while trying to prevent Armageddon. It's just another day's work for the immortals, who act a lot like ordinary quarrelsome people with way cool superpowers. Though readers may need a scorecard to keep up with the cast, this series puts a contemporary spin on classical mythology that an increasing number of fans have found irresistible.

Review: This is the second book I've read in Kenyon's Dark Hunter series and I think I have a Dark Hunter addiction! Sin's a real bad ass who's been doing things pretty much on his own since Artemis took his godhood from him, trusting almost no one and looking to extract revenge on Artemis. Then Artemis catches him doing "something bad" and calls upon Katra to go and kill Sin only to find out that the "something bad" Artemis saw him doing was actually something good. See the Sumerian gallu are days away from escaping there prision and when they do escape they plan to liberate the Dimme and that pretty much means the end of humanity unless Sin and a small army can stop them.

Oh and then there's Artemis' BIG secret that she kept from Acheron! Not going to give that one away though. Gonna have to read the book to find out what that is.

I really like how Kenyon wrote this story. Big ole bad ass Sin getting verbally slapped around by little ole Kat....Good times. The fight scenes were GREAT in my opinion too. All the characters, even the not SO good ones, were written in a way that made them all at least a little bit likeable. Oh and then there is the sex....those scenes were written really great too! Just saying.

What I was really thinking:

The Beginning: Sin's a bad bad guy! Get him Kat!

The Middle: Ya gotta save HUMANITY Sin! OMG THAT is one big ole secret to keep from Acheron! NOT smart Artie!

The End: Poor Artie! Sin and Kat are going to drive you CRAZY!

Never Cry Werewolf review **Tiny Spoiler**

Never Cry Werewolf
Heather Davis
224 pages
Rating: 4/5

Source: Public Library
Challenges:

Synopsis:

Moonlight can totally change your life.
And it all starts so simply.
You. Him.
The moon.
You're toast.
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.
Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.

Review:

I picked this one up at the library after waiting for what seemed like an eternity for my number to come up. Is it just me or does the girl on the cover look at least a little bit like Kate Hudson only brunette?! I really liked this book....I am really happy with it! Shelby has some issues...She's got a stepmom from hell, her dad would rather just believe her stepmom than try and communicate with Shelby, her mom passed away and on top of that Shelby doesn't trust anyone...herself included! After this last "miscommunication" Shelby finds herself shipped off to "brat camp" where she hopes she doesn't screw up (because if she does she get's sent to an even eviler "brat camp") and meets some interesting people....some good, some not so good and then there's Austin.

See Austin has his own set of troubles to deal with. See his family is "blessed" genetically....they turn into werewolves. And because his medication to keep his "condition" was confiscated from him he is endanger of turning into a werewolf while he's at camp! That and he has a super HUGE crush on Shelby and the feeling is mutual.

I guess in the end it all works out for the best. I was a little disappointed though...it wasn't anything terrible. It was a little disappointing that I had to wait until the LAST PAGE for Shelby and Austin to kiss!

What I was really thinking:

The Beginning: UH OH!

The Middle: I like Austin a lot! I could be friends with him.

The End: FINALLY! (A good finally...not a bad one.)

Fat Cat review

Fat Cat
Robin Brande
336 pages
Rating: 3/5
Source: Purchased with my own money
Challenges:
Synopsis: (from Barnes and Noble)
You are what you eat. . . .Cat smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits. As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.
Review: I just got done reading this one a couple days ago. I was very surprised at how accurate the author was....writing from a teens perspective and all. Cat is an overweight teen, who until she is assigned to do a crazy science project that takes up 7 MONTHS of her life, doesn't feel the need to change. During the course of her science project Cat takes to living like our very earliest human ancestors....That means NO chips, TV, junk food (if the Hominids didn't have it neither did Cat, with a few safety exceptions though) and walking pretty much everywhere. As Cat gives up pretty much all of the unhealthy habits of today's teens the pounds start dropping and the guys start to pile up. The only downside is that Cat is to busy hating her former best friend Matt McKinney.
I enjoyed the book a lot but I thought that Cat's "hatred" for Matt kind of got old as the story went on. Sure he did something that hate-worthy but at the same time Cat spent 4 YEARS dwelling on it. I did like how the author took something as mundane as a science project and turned it into something that actually makes you think twice about that Twinkie. I thought that certain aspects of the ending were a little bit predictable but it was still a good ending. I do like a story with a happy ending!
What I really was thinking:
The Beginning: I have no idea how she's going to pull off this science experiment. I wonder why she hates Matt so much?
The Middle: Really re-thinking those Hershey Kisses. Now that I know why she's mad at Matt I wish she would just get over it!
The End: I could totally see parts of this ending coming. The rest of it totally out of left field!

The Secret Year review

The Secret Year
Jennifer R. Hubbard
208 pages
Rating: 4.75/5
Source: Purchased at Barnes and Noble
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, Debut Author Challenge, 144 books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, Once Upon a Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and Noble
Take Romeo and Juliet. Add The Outsiders. Mix thoroughly.
Colt and Julia were secretly together for an entire year, and no one—not even Julia’s boyfriend— knew. They had nothing in common, with Julia in her country club world on Black Mountain and Colt from down on the flats, but it never mattered. Until Julia dies in a car accident, and Colt learns the price of secrecy. He can’t mourn Julia openly, and he’s tormented that he might have played a part in her death. When Julia’s journal ends up in his hands, Colt relives their year together at the same time that he’s desperately trying to forget her. But how do you get over someone who was never yours in the first place?
Review: I had read all sorts of great reviews all over the book blogging community about this book enough so that I HAD TO HAVE a copy of it for myself. I’m really glad that I decided to spend the money on it because IT TOTALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE! This is another one of those stories that has a “Romeo and Juliet” feel to it…not so much a re-telling but it most definately has that feel to it. See Colt and Julia were seeing each other secretly for a year and then Julia is killed in a car accident. Shortly after the school year begins Julia’s brother gives Colt a notebook that Julia had written letters to him in and Colt goes through the process of reliving their year together while also trying to get over Julia and move on. Which isn’t so easy for him.
Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel. I really liked the author’s writing style and even went above and beyond to make even the worst character(s) in the book sort of likeable. I guess the only reason this book doesn’t get a 5/5 is because I was a little luke warm on the ending….It wasn’t a terrible ending but it also wasn’t the best ending I’ve ever read either.

Perfect Chemistry review

Perfect Chemistry

Simone Elkeles

368 pages

Rating: 4.75/5

Source: Purchased off of bookcloseouts.com
Challenges: 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge, 10 in ‘10 Chicklit Challenge, 2010 Once Upon A Time Challenge

Synopsis: from Barnes and NobleA fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers. When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she’s worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review: I had heard so many AWESOME things about this book all over the book blogging community that I felt that I needed to read this book in order to determine if it lived up to all the AWESOME things that I had read about it. Needless to say, I am pleased to report that it most definately did. While I was reading Perfect Chemistry I almost automatically thought of it as a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet only with a happier ending. I really loved the characters…You felt for them both. Both of their lives are basically one big lie to keep themselves from being too vulnerable, but the scary part for both of them is that they both see right through each other. The story itself was pretty great….once I got started reading the book I soooo did NOT want to put it down. I really liked that the story was told from each character’s point of view so you always knew what the characters were thinking. Overall, I most definately have found a new author to add to my list of favorite authors!

A Personal Stand review

A Personal Stand Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck
Trace Adkins
244 pages

Source: Public Library
Challenges: 2010 Support your Local Library, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge

Synopsis:
Country music superstar Trace Adkins isnt exactly known for holding back whats on his mind. And if the millions of albums hes sold are any indication, when Trace talks, people listen. Now, in A Personal Stand, Trace Adkins delivers his maverick manifesto on politics, personal responsibility, fame, parenting, being true to yourself, hard work, and the way things ought to be.

Review: I am a big Trace Adkins fan. I picked this book up at my local library. Normally I am not big into politics but after reading what Trace has to say about things I think that maybe I need to be a little more aware. Of course these are just Trace’s observations about the state of our country. From our war on Terror (“The war on terror is like herpes. People can live with it, but it’ll flare up from time to time,”) to 9/11 (Trace was the first country music star to visit Ground Zero and he even wrote a song 9/11 called Welcome to Hell…it’s written in the first person the Devil to one of the 9/11 hijackers). Overall, I liked the book. I didn’t love it but it was still a good read.

How To Tame A Modern Rogue review

How To Tame A Modern Rogue
Diana Holquist
320 pages

Source: Public Library
Challenges: Romance Reading Challenge 2010, Support Your Local Library Challenge, 2010 Romance Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 2010 Contemporary Romance Challenge, 100+ Challenge

Synopsis:
Commitment-phobic Sam Carson has only dated model-gorgeous women. But one stolen kiss from a plain-Jane schoolteacher and he’s hell-bent on stripping away her floral dresses and teaching her the art of being bad. If only her good-girl ways didn’t make him want to be a better man…
Ally Giordano is at the end of her rope. Her beloved grandmother actually believes that she’s living in her favorite romance novel in Regency England and Ally doesn’t have the heart to set her straight. But now Granny Donny’s last wish is for a retreat to the country and Ally can’t refuse her…until she demands that Sam accompany them. And though his smiles turn her knees into jelly, Ally knows better than to trust a playboy…and she definitely knows better than to try to change one. Or does she?

Review: Overall, I really liked this book. It’s a little smut in a pretty package. Loved Granny Donny…In all her Regency era mindset. Ally was kind of a hard ass though…But still likeable. I guess you get to be a bit of a hard ass when life dumps on you pretty bad. Sam has a heart of gold under all those bad boy tendencies too. I’ve never read this author before but I do like her writing style a lot. I’ll be reading more of her books for sure.

King of the Wind Review

King of the Wind
Marguerite Henry
176 pages

Source: Public Library
Challenges: Support Your Local Library Challenge, 2010 YA Challenge, 144 Books in 2010, 100+ Challenge

Synopsis:
He was named “Sham” for the sun, this golden-red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco’s stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed. But on his chest was the symbol of misfortune. Although he was swift as the desert winds, Sham’s pedigree would be scorned all his life by cruel masters and owners.
This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable boy Agba. their adventures take them from the sands of the Sahara. to the royal courts of France, and finally to the green pastures and stately homes of England. For Sham was the renowned Godolphin Arabian, whose blood flows through the veins of almost every superior thoroughbred. Sham’s speed — like his story — has become legendary.

Review: I’ve always been a big fan of animal stories. I am also a HUGE fan of horses…They’re just so beautiful to look at! Marguerite Henry has been one of my all time favorite YA authors since I was young…Well since I got my first library card anyway. I picked up this book while pursusing the MG shelves at my local library and I came home and devoured this book in one sitting. This book is fiction but it is based on ACTUAL events that took place. There are MANY famous racehorses that can trace their ancestory back to “Sham.” The characters are endearing, Sham the bay colt that nobody took a liking to for a VERY long time and Agba a mute boy who is put in charge of Sham. The story itself is a roller coaster for both Sham and Agba but in the end everything works out for the best. Overall, I will most definately be reading more of Ms. Henry’s books in the future!