Happy Halloween!

Tags

Happy Halloween, Humor

Because I want you all to have a safe and fun Halloween, here are a few things to keep in mind:

And…

Also, if you happen to run into a serial killer, please don’t do this!

And if this happens:

You may want to have this handy.

And most importantly DON’T forget:

Seriously, all it takes is a few simple precautions to prevent this:

Remember:

Oh! And just one more thing…

The Ugly Teapot (Book One: Hannah) ~ By Fred Holmes – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adventure, Coping With Loss and Grief, Family Relationships, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to the author for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

251 Pages

Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Hannah Bradbury loved her father so much that she worried about constantly. After all, he was a photographer who traveled to the most dangerous places in the world. 

To allay her fears, each time he came home he brought her silly gifts, each one with supposed magical powers: the Seal of Solomon, the Ring of Gyges, even Aladdin’s Lamp. It was that lamp that Hannah found the most unbelievable, for it looked like an ugly teapot. Nevertheless, her father assured her it was real, and made her promise to save her three wishes for something very special.

Then…six months later…the unthinkable happened. Her father was killed while on assignment to Baghdad. And so, on the day of his funeral, Hannah did something she never thought she’d do.

She took out that teapot and gave it a rub…

I always have mixed feelings when I’m personally contacted by an author who would like me to read/review their book. Part of me is excited and humbled that they’ve reached out to me, but at the same time I’m afraid of the possibility that I won’t like what they’ve written. I hate the thought of hurting anyone’s feelings. After finishing The Ugly Teapot though, I am overjoyed to be able to say that I absolutely loved it. Hannah Bradbury is a character that middle-grade readers can relate to, particularly ones who have experienced the loss of a loved one. She has such a sweet personality, yet she’s also extremely courageous and willing to do anything for her father. Their relationship is the heart of the story and it reminded me of the one I had with my dad, who died when I was 16-years-old. The moments between them are quite touching and more than once I found myself tearing up. While much of the story focuses on Hannah and her father, her mother is not to be forgotten and at the end of the book, Hannah realizes what a close bond they share. While the story is obviously inspired by Aladdin, it expands upon the original tale by bring the lamp into the modern day world. It combines elements of fantasy, adventure, magical realism, and even a little bit of horror, into an exciting and fast-paced story that I finished in one sitting. There’s a plot twist near the end that caught me completely by surprise and added an even more emotional element to this multi-layered story. There were a couple of questions which arose that I didn’t think were fully addressed, but nothing that spoiled my overall enjoyment of the book. In the end, The Ugly Teapot is an exciting middle-grade novel that manages to balance a fun and action-packed story while at the same time, exploring weightier topics including coping with the loss of someone you love. It’s a perfect book for a book-discussion group or a family read. I am very interested in seeing where Fred Holmes takes this series next.

Happy National Cat Day!

Tags

Humorous Quotes, National Cat Day

Owners of dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you are God. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and affection, they draw the conclusion that they are God.

~ Christopher Hitchens ~

Faller ~ By Will McIntosh – 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Adventure, Apocalyptic Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

352 Pages

Synopsis: Day One

No one can remember anything–who they are, family and friends, or even how to read. Reality has fragmented and Earth consists of islands of rock floating in an endless sky. Food, water, electricity–gone, except for what people can find, and they can’t find much.

Faller’s pockets contain tantalizing clues: a photo of himself and a woman he can’t remember, a toy soldier with a parachute, and a mysterious map drawn in blood. With only these materials as a guide, he makes a leap of faith from the edge of the world to find the woman and set things right.

He encounters other floating islands, impossible replicas of himself and others, and learns that one man hates him enough to take revenge for actions that Faller can’t even remember.

Faller’s premise is definitely unique, which is why I was drawn to it to begin with, and for the most part the story lives up to it. The chapters alternate between the man who calls himself Faller, and a man named Peter Sandoval, a Nobel Prize winning physicist who’s developed a technology which could literally save the world. Peter’s chapters are set in a not so distant future from our own, where World War III has broken out over depleted energy sources. These are truly frightening because you can see this coming to pass. Faller’s chapters are set in the aftermath of the mysterious events that led to everyone’s memories wiped and the survivors living on all these different fractured “worlds”. These narratives seem unrelated at first, but they soon begin to converge much like a giant jigsaw puzzle, answering the most burning questions including who Faller really is. While I don’t read a lot of science fiction, Will McIntosh is one of my favorite authors in this genre because I know I can always count on something completely different from what’s already out there and Faller is a perfect example of why he’s such an appealing author. While the world-building here is incredibly detailed and takes center stage, the story itself is filled with characters who are relatable and believable. What kept this from being a perfect read for me were several questions that were never answered. For example: No matter what world Faller landed on, everyone spoke English. And, everyones autobiographical memories were wiped clean, but they do remember how to perform functions like opening cans and using weapons. They don’t know how to drive vehicles or read though. This made no sense to me. There’s a few other burning questions I have, but I can’t really list them here without including spoilers. While I was frustrated by the lack of logical explanations concerning these, the rest of the book is so well-written that this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of it. Faller is a real page-turner that looks at everything from quantum physics to cloning, singularities, bio-weaponry, the ethics of using this technology and of course, the apocalypse. Somehow, McIntosh manages to juggle all these topics without slowing down the story one iota. If you’re a fan of science fiction and you haven’t been introduced to the incredible mind of Will McIntosh, I urge you to try him. 

 

Two Muslims, a Christian, and Donald Trump: An interview on politics, Islamophobia, and how we as Christians can support our Muslim brothers and sisters, during the election and beyond.

This is an incredibly informative interview that Kat’s done with two Muslim friends of hers. If you can, please go check it out!

The Diabolic ~ By S.J. Kincaid – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Science Fiction, YA Fiction

 

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 1st, 2016

416 Pages

Synopsis: A Diabolic is ruthless. A Diabolic is powerful. A Diabolic has a single task: Kill in order to protect the person you’ve been created for.

Nemesis is a Diabolic, a humanoid teenager created to protect a galactic senator’s daughter, Sidonia. The two have grown up side by side, but are in no way sister. Nemesis is expected to give her life for Sidonia, and she would do so gladly. She would also take as many lives as necessary to keep Sidonia safe.

When the power-mad Emperor learns Sidonia’s father is participating in a rebellion, he summons Sidonia to the Galactic court. She is to serve as a hostage. Now there is only one way for Nemesis to protect Sidonia. She must become her. Nemesis travels to the court disguised as Sidonia–a killing machine masquerading in a world of corrupt politicians and two-faced senators’ children. It’s a nest of vipers with threats on every side, but Nemesis must keep her true abilities a secret or risk everything.

As the Empire begins to fracture and rebellion looms closer, Nemesis learns there is something more to her than just deadly force. She finds a humanity truer than what she encounters from most humans. Amidst all the danger, action, and intrigue, her humanity just might be the thing that saves her life–and the Empire.

The Diabolic has been receiving a lot of publicity and attention in YA book circles, and it’s being compared to The Hunger Games and Red Queen. After reading it I can understand why–because it’s fantastic! From the very first moment that Nemesis is introduced, I instantly connected with her. In the beginning she’s cold and detached to everyone except Sidonia, who she’s been bonded to. Because of the opening scene which is heartbreaking, you can’t help but feel empathy for her, even when she murders someone in order to protect Sidonia. None of this is her fault. She was created to do what ever it takes to safeguard Sidonia. But as the story unfolds, a transformation begins, and Nemesis slowly begins to develop deeper human emotions. These are completely foreign to her, so watching her try to understand and deal with them was one of the most interesting aspects of the book. Except for the first and latter parts of the novel, Sidonia actually isn’t in a lot of scenes, but that said, she still has a huge impact on metamorphosis of Nemesis. It’s Sidonia who keeps telling her that she’s not is worthy of love and for all of Nemesis’s physical strength and fierceness, Sidonia is equally protective and loyal to her. Tyrus who becomes Nemesis’s love interest is also an intriguing character who is more than an equal partner for Nemesis. Their relationship isn’t your typical sweet romance but that doesn’t make it any less compelling. The world-building is very creative and adds a lot of unique qualities that makes it stand out from the usual space operas. The story starts out a little slow, but the action really picks up once Nemesis arrives at the Court, and keeps going with many twists and turns that kept me guessing right up until the end. While I don’t think the conclusion perfectly wraps things up, overall, it satisfied me. The Diabolic is a standalone, which is actually a little disappointing because I wound up liking the characters so much. I’m kind of hoping with all the positive reviews it’s already receiving, that maybe the author will reconsider and write a sequel. I highly recommend this book for teens and adults even if you don’t usually read science fiction. This is storytelling at it’s very best. 

* In case you’re wondering why I used such a large image of the cover, it’s because not only is it gorgeous, but it’s also perfectly describes the development of Nemesis’s humanity.

Whimsical Wednesday ~ Halloween Edition

Tags

Humorous Quotes, Supernatural, Whimsical Wednesday

The other day I met this man. A nice guy, you know? And we had a really good chat, sort of like this. Then I slit his throat and ripped his heart out through his chest. Does that make me a bad person?

Meg to Pastor Jim ~ Supernatural 

Thank you Canada!

Tags

#TELLAMERICAITSGREAT, Canada

It’s not exactly a secret that 2016 has been a particularly ugly one for Americans because of an election that has left many of us stunned, embarrassed, scared, stressed, depressed and ashamed. I’ve wondered so many times in the past few months about how the rest of the world must be viewing us. And then last week, Canada, our wonderful neighbors to the north made an incredible video and took to Twitter to remind us what’s still great about our country. Dreamed up by Garden North America, a Toronto based creative agency, the campaign is called “Let’s Tell America It’s Great.” In the incredibly upbeat and optimistic video, Canadians praise everything, from our music, and food, to our diversity and even our national parks. This in turn has sparked a frenzy on Twitter with throngs of people from around the world who have added their own voices in #TELLAMERICAITSGREAT.

So, as one American who is still hopeful for the future of our country, I want to just say thank you to everyone who’s participated in this. Particularly Canada, who we are so lucky to have as a neighbor, because no matter what happens we know they’ll never give up on us.

Dead Girl’s Society ~ By Michelle Krys – 4.5 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Mystery, Suspense, Teenage Relationships, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest honest review.

Release Date: November 8th, 2016

304 Pages

You are cordially invited to to participate in a game of thrills and dares. Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.

Synopsis: Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college. And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb.

When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she might win some real money.

But the Society isn’t all it seems…and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice–it’s a requirement.

I was really intrigued by the premise of Dead Girls Society and, okay. The cover grabbed my attention too. But seriously, a story based on a secret and sinister Society that issues invitations to a few girls with no apparent connection besides the fact that they all go to the same high school? “Hmm.” I thought. “This sounds a little off the beaten track.” And despite the unveiling of the antagonist not coming as a surprise, this wound up being an enjoyable read. Hope is a character readers will instantly connect to. She’s battling an illness that she knows will eventually kill her, yet she longs for a normal life. She loves her mother dearly, but chafes at the restrictions placed upon her. That’s why, despite her being an intelligent girl, it’s not difficult to believe that she’d accept the invitation. Especially since her family is hurting for money in part because of her medical bills, and the Society is offering $100,000 to the winner. The other girls participating at first come across fairly stereotypical: the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, the spoiled rich girl, the mean girl, etc. But, surprisingly they all have quite a bit of depth, and some pretty interesting back stories. The romance is sweet but really takes a backseat to these girls and the mystery surrounding the mysterious Society. In addition to the already diverse concept of having a main character in this type of book, dealing with a serious illness, there’s also an LGBT relationship which is threaded in believably and emotionally. You know, I read so many YA books and sometimes I feel as though the authors don’t always remember what it was like to be a teenager. But with Hope and her friends, I think Michelle Krys has done an outstanding job at capturing all the nuances of teens and their complex personalities and relationships. The idea of having the setting be in New Orleans was brilliant, especially as one dare takes place in a swamp complete with gators! There were plenty of thrills and chills which kept the book moving along briskly and I polished it off in one sitting. As I said in the beginning, the unmasking of the villain(s?) wasn’t a huge surprise, but the motivations behind the Society’s creation were a huge shock for me. There were a couple of loose ends that were never tied up, but overall the ending was perfectly satisfying. Dead Girls Society is the first book I’ve read by Michelle Krys, but it definitely won’t be my last. This is an immensely fun read, especially for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Veronica Mars. 

Rapture ~ By Thomas Tessier – 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Endeavor Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

250 Pages

Synopsis: When Jeff Lisker’s father passes away, he finds himself returning to his hometown.

A successful Californian businessman, Jeff falls into the past, remembering his old friend Georgians Slaton. 

Unearthing old memories, he decides to seek her out, where she now lives in the suburbs with her husband and daughter. He visits the family, using the guise of his work to spend some time in Danbury. There he finds Georgianne happily married, much to his dismay.

Rekindling their friendship, Jeff soon finds himself obsessed with Georgianne, and is convinced she is meant to be with him.

Now he realizes that he must possess her…

At whatever cost.

Rapture is one of those books that I think had great potential, but somehow didn’t quite hit the mark. One criticism I have is that it’s told in the third person from Jeff’s POV which is okay, but I think first person would have been a much better choice because it would have allowed the reader to really get into his head. I was also disappointed that the story wasn’t scarier. Oh sure, it’s mildly disturbing watching Jeff’s descent into madness, but to be honest, I found the plot fairly predictable and there were never any shocking surprises. Georgianne, the oblivious subject of Jeff’s increasing fixation, is likable, but also bland. Given Jeff’s increasingly stalker-like behavior toward her, her continuing cluelessness just isn’t believable. And I’m speaking as someone who can be extremely naive about people! The ending was also disappointing because for me it was a bit anticlimactic and there were a few things that were never resolved. I know this probably sounds like I hated the book, but I didn’t, which is why I gave 3 stars. It’s a quick, fun read, especially if you’re on vacation or you’re in need of a book, yet are too busy to get completely wrapped up in a complicated storyline.