Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: The Darkest Minds
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher:
Publish Date:
Hardcover, 488 pages

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BUY THIS BOOK!! SERIOUSLY THIS WAS A BOOK I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR MONTHS!

I have been waiting to sit down and be absorbed in a book from page 1 to the end and I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Oddly enough this book was never on my radar. I had no idea what it was about or that it even existed. I spent about 20 minutes after work, looking a t books trying to find ONE book to check out and take home to read. It was murder. But the moment I read this blurb, I knew! Okay, I didn't know, but I hoped.

The plot is incredible. This society figures out that puberty brings on special powers. There are five special powers you can attain - everything from telekinesis to mind take-over. To prevent these kids taking over the earth (I guess) they begin to bus children to reform camps. Only they aren't really reforming these kids. They are segregating them into special powers to control and watch them.

Ruby was taken from her home on her 10th birthday to a camp and without realizing it gets the scientist to mark her as green (telekinesis). Meanwhile the kids with the very cool, very dangerous powers are disappearing. After a test shows Ruby to be Orange (mind bender), she is taken to be "protected" only her protectors may not be what they profess.

She runs in to a group of kids, also special, they become her new family of sorts. Liam, Zu and Chubs are the ones who may be the ones to save Ruby, and she may save them.

I absolutely fell in love with the Black Betty kids who roam around trying to survive. Liam, Zu and Chubs are so uniquely wonderful. They truly become a basis for Ruby to learn, survive and have a relationship with, even though she is afraid to touch anyone. These kids were so much fun and to see their powers come out and protect them was incredible.

Summary -
When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

Review: Undeadly by Michele Vail

Title: Undeadly
The Reaper Diaries #1
Author: Michele Vail
Publisher:
Publish Date:

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I have to say this book started off really slow for me. It took me about a quarter of the way through to really start to get sucked in the plot. What threw me was the dead boyfriend. His character was a bit odd and seemed off, yet he was present often. I just kept thinking what are they doing with him and why is he still "alive".

Molly was a good character. Not necessarily a strong female lead. But I liked her. She wanted the good in people. She liked to not discount just based on past experiences. She wasn't just bent on following the orders of others, going with the big bad killer or any of that.

My favorite character was Rath, the already dead Reaper Molly stole Rick (her boyfriend) from killing. He was strong, sexy and very mysterious. I like that. He wanted to kiss her, but remained focused on his job. He didn't need to follow her around like a puppy or become jealous of her dead guy Rick.

The plot was different than anything I have ever read which was a breath of fresh air. I would have liked to see a bit stronger play on the weird in between characters that seemed to survive to have a purpose that to me was deflated. But by the end, I am really excited to read the next book in the series.

Summary -
 The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper—and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite boarding school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath.

Life at Nekyia has its plusses. Molly has her own personal ghoul, for one. Rick follows her there out of the blue, for another...except, there's something a little off about him. When students at the academy start to die and Rath disappears, Molly starts to wonder if anything is as it seems. Only one thing is certain—-Molly's got an undeadly knack for finding trouble....

TV sucks you in

I am not a big fan of tv. Only because I have had bad experience with all the stupid people who sell you a satellite or cable. They just keep increasing the costs.

OH you want to have Oxygen channel? Well then you also have to have these other 800 channels you will never watch, but that will cost you another $30 A MONTH.

So when I moved, I swore no new tv costs. I have lived over three years without any kind of tv except the channels I get with a normal antennae. It is quite comical as when the weather changes, so do my channels.

I am addicted to Channel 12 morning news Monday through Friday where I watch The Today's Show, Kelli and Michael and Hoda and Kathy Lee. I don't catch it all the time, but I do try to catch a bit of it. Other than that, there isn't much I watch. Being in retail, my schedule is so different every week there is no way to actually continuously watch a program all the way through. I even tried watching online, but since I rarely know what day it is, I forget to check if a new episode is available.

THEN I went to my parent's house for a couple of days and my dad got me hooked on a show called, Chicago Fire Department. As my mother says, "it really isn't about the fires." There is so much drama and controversy going on, it is amazing these guys can even function. But alas, I am completely sucked in to the drama and want more.  We literally watched like ten episodes. It is about a Chicago Fire Department that houses a paramedics unit as well. They go on all calls from fires (duh) to chemical spills to gun shots to car accidents. It is quite funny that every 10 minutes there is a call bc having been in a fire house for a few weeks, there are days without calls. But that would be boring, yeah? The people are great. My favorite character has to be Shea. She is a blond, slim, lesbian EMT. She rooms with a guy on the fire squad, a lieutenant, who sleeps with anything that has legs, including an ex-date of Shea's who shows up unannounced. (lol) Her partner is Gabriela, a Spanish-speaking beauty who has a problem separating herself from the chaos she is working in. She is constantly in trouble trying to bailout immigrants, trying to decide who she is interested in. One of those interests is the other Lieutenant, Matthew, who was engaged and then he helped birth a baby at an accident scene and his fiance said she never wanted to have kids. So now he is dealing with his mother who is in jail for murdering their abusive father.

Seriously, DRAMA!!

But I truly enjoy the chaos and the characters are just fun and entertaining.

Here's a clip -

Best Superbowl Commercial

So I am totally biased bc I just love her, but Amy Pohler is the bomb!




This is my life. On a daily basis.

Odd people.
Strange questions.
More than uncomfortable requests.

However, she makes it look good!

She is awesome!!!

Killing the brick and mortar

I was in a local knitting store today paroosing the books with patterns looking for a specific pattern for a sweater I'd like to make. A couple came in and was asking questions about different yarns then asked for the yarn to be rolled and then promptly told the owner that she couldn't possibly purchase another item because she could buy it on Amazon for less. REALLY?!?!?! I was in shock and being a previous owner of a business, I know the anger and pain that is felt when a comment like this is made.

I have no idea if the customer understands the gravity of her comment. She walked in to the store (which you cannot do at Amazon), asked questions live (which you cannot do at Amazon), had the owner roll the yarns (which you cannot do at Amazon), felt the yarns and looked at the real, live yarns - NONE OF WHICH YOU CAN DO AT AMAZON!

I was literally screaming inside knowing this is the problem with our society. They have no idea the impact the purchases from Amazon have on our stores.

Have a problem? Go in to the store
Have a return? Go in the store
Have a question, can't find the answer? Go in the store
Want to enjoy a hot cup of coffee? Go in the store
Looking to get out and be around people? Go in the store
Want suggestions? Go to the store

NONE OF THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE AT AMAZON

Yet people are constantly KILLING all brick and mortar stores. Do they have low prices? YES but this is BECAUSE they cannot offer any of these things. There is no overhead they have to pay, like the payroll of the people who smile, offer services, do returns, answer questions and take problems FACE TO FACE.

I implore you to consider when you are WALKING IN A STORE how much money are you spending, how much time are you using, making a return and NOT a purchase, what type of resources are you consuming COMPARED TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CLICK IN AMAZON.

Review: Want to Go Private?

Titile: Want to Go Private?
Author: Sarah Darer Littman
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publish Date: Aug 1, 2011

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I am truly horrified by what happens in this book. I know, it is real life. I know, it happens all the time, but man, I was horrified. I literally put the book down and went to sleep. Or tried to. I had terrifying dreams. However, I am really, really glad I picked it up and decided to finish it. It has a cleansing soul to it. I felt better at the end. Not quite whole, but definitely better.

The author did such an incredible job making me feel like I was that character, Abby. I identified with her need to reach out and have someone love her, even if the person on the other end was not who they said they were. And I really loved the family's and friend's perspective on this situation. It was simply amazing.

Abby is a girl who is starting high school with her best friend. Sadly as real life shows, we get split up from our friends and are forced to start new relationships. Abby has a hard time doing this, but her best friend doesn't. Which in turn makes her feel more lonely. She turns to her computer where herself and her friends chat on a teen website. Unfortunately, anyone is open to chatting there. Being a nieve 14 year old, things take off faster than Abby can imagine and she is knee deep in a very disturbing situation she is sadly unaware of - until it is too late.

This book covers so many topics - new schools, new friends, bullying, love, lust, peer alienation, family controversy, rivalry and so much more. I really thought it was well developed and well written. However, it was very tough to read the "adult" parts through Abby's eyes. I felt hatred for the man who tells Abby lies.

I really thought this book was the epitome of thought provoking. 

Summary -
Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.

Abby is starting high school--it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke--he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

Bloggers Blog Tour

Kudos to Frankie who made the banner & Tamara who put together this FABU blog tour!! (Visit their websites by clicking on their names.)

I am honored to be able to introduce you to 

Beth's blog entitled, Curling Up With a Good Book.

To start the name itself is wonderful because who doesn't love to curl up with a good book?!?! It only goes uphill from there. I love how soft the blog itself looks. The colors are nice on the eyes, her header is brilliantly developed. Her content is all choreographed beautifully and she has good visuals on her sidebars to pull readers into other areas of her blog.

She reviews books, features posts on covers and other subjects all revolving around books. She did a really fun post on villains and even though I always root for the good guy (woman), this was a fun perspective. And I completely agree on two of the choices of her top books of 2012 being Immortal Rules and Under the Never Sky!

If you hurry, you can get in on her giveaway for reaching 100 followers! And hey, while you are there, sign up to follow her awesome book blog.