Monday, February 29, 2016

Discussion Time - What are your feelings about the Red Rising series?

I adore this series. It’s one of the best series I’ve read in quite a while. The characters, the world building, the beautiful space opera epic scope of it all.

Friday, February 26, 2016

My Favorite Quotes/Lines - Morning Star

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)


“Better to let the darkness have me and allow the vultures to squabble over my paralyzed body.”

“Towering demons with the faces of angels.”

“So let him do his worst. I am the Reaper. I know how to suffer. I know the darkness. This is not how it ends.”

“Man is no island. We need those who love us. We need those who hate us. We need others to tether us to life, to give us a reason to live, to feel.”

“If this is the end, I will rage toward it.”

“Now I remember hate.”

“What a world.”

“How could anyone be brave in a place so inhuman as this?”

“Ares sends his regards, motherfucker.”

“Yet I think it’s the moment my soul comes back to me. Not my mind. I still feel the cracks in it.”

“There’s always a choice.”

“Evil feeds on mercy.”

“My pity was lost in the darkness.”

“Live for yourself, die alone,” Trigg says quietly.”

“You know what we need?” Trigg asks.
I look up at him intensely. “Justice?” “A cold beer.”

“But wishing for the past doesn’t clean the blood from either of our hands.”

“My best friend in all the worlds has not forgotten me.”

“Mother is the spine in me. The iron.”

“We were a little storm that couldn’t last. But maybe Dio and Kieran will.”

“Tidings! It’s Uncle Sevro and the Moderately Friendly Giant.”

“They’re yours.” “My what?” “Your eyes!”

“It’s just I forgot how crazy you are.”

“Glad you’re not dead!”

“Dreaming’s easy. War isn’t.”

“You’re the bloodydamn messiah the Reds have been waiting for their entire lives.”

“If you really want to know, you should ask your mother.”

“Forget a man’s name and he’ll forgive you. Remember it, and he’ll defend you forever.”

“I’m their Reaper. It took Ragnar to remind me.”

“I’ve never been a man of joy or a man of war, or an island in a storm. Never an absolute like Lorn. That was what I pretended to be. I am and always have been a man who is made complete by those around him.”

“But I feel my soul trickling back into me as I realize I am finally home.”

“I’d applaud a mouse that managed to kill an eagle, wouldn’t you? Good for it.”

“Why would I care what you were? I care about what people do. I care about truth.”

“I truly do believe we choose who we want to be in this life. It isn’t preordained.”

Shit escalates.
—SEVRO AU BARCA”

“It has come to my attention that you are abnormally devious, savage, and generally malicious creatures gifted in the arts of murder, mayhem, and chaos.”

“All your sins, all your scars, all your enemies now belong to us. Our burden to share. Your loves, your family will become your second loves, your second family. We are your first. If you cannot abide this, if you cannot conscience this bond, say so now and you may leave.”

“Welcome, brother and sisters, to the Howlers.”

“It’s gonna be a hell of a day. A hell of a day.”

“Being disenfranchised is so damn tedious.”

“It’s not an idea. Not my wife’s dream. Not trust or alliances or Color. It’s me.”

“Have to trust others.”

“And whether I am the Reaper, or whether it’s just another mask, it’s one I must wear, not just for them, but for myself.”

“Though death might come for us. I am home in this weird screaming mass of humanity.”

“I am here, my friend. The Abyss will not claim us yet.”

“The Carver made the body. Matteo sculpted the man.”

“Because we’ve both forgotten we didn’t get here on our own. You and I should be able to say anything to each other. That’s how this works. It’s how we work. We don’t walk on eggshells. We talk to each other. Even if we say shit that’s hard to hear.”

“I think the shittiest part about getting old is now we’re smart enough to see the cracks in everything.”

“Right now I’d say anything to make him feel like he’s loved.”

“Howler One,” Sevro says, punching my shoulder. “Howler Two,” I say, patting his in turn.”

“Bye, Felicia.”
“But my friends have breathed love into me, breathed my faith back into my bones.”

“I will not replace tyranny with chaos.”

“It’s for the quiet and gentle who know how the world should be, but can’t shout louder than the bastards.”

“I see a man trying his best in a world that doesn’t give a shit. It breaks my heart.”

“Now I realize that when we are wound together, we make something unbreakable.”

“But I am no longer alone in the dark.”

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Review - Morning Star

Morning Star by Pierce Brown

5 out of 5 gnomes

Wow, I’m actually a bit speechless after finishing this series. Now that, that is how you end a series. War, love, hate, intrigue, space opera-ey goodness, this book had all that and more. I loved this book especially when a character actually says,  “Bye, Felicia.” This goes to show you how great the humor can be to go along with all the mayhem.

A plethora of surprises and twists await. I can’t emphasize this enough, these are some truly surprising surprises.

I adore how these characters have grown/changed over the course of this series. Sevro’s my favorite he’s psychotic sure but at the same time he’s probably the most loyal/loving (in his own special way that is) character you’ll ever meet.

Action right up the the very end (so much so that I thought for a good while there that the book might end on a cliffhanger.) That ending was superb and did justice to all the character’s stories so well.

This is the kind of ending where you know the future can’t be perfect but yet with the world building shown here you can just imagine how this world could continue to go on.

Read this series ASAP. It’s for anyone who likes strong world building, characters you’ll really care for, and friendships that endure. Brown’s series drew me in hook line and sinker and I cannot wait to see what he writes next.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Review - Arrows

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk

3 gnomes and a gnome hat out of 5 gnomes

This book was cute but felt rushed. I liked the concept of it all with the cupids and trying to fix a mistake.

I really wanted to know more about the cupid society and what they did. You get bits and pieces but never the whole picture. You can tell that the old ways are probably not best but the new ways or what different cupids want to happen

It felt just a little too on the nose that the girl was named Karma. Let’s just say that because of an arrow she has a bunch of pretty darn bad karma.

Then there’s Aaryn a cupid taking a final that goes very wrong. That part’s actually entertaining. I think he could have been played as even more clueless though because before this he was a god and didn’t see things the human way.

The relationship is of course not exactly healthy. You will feel really bad for Karma and hate her boyfriend.

The final/ending was really interesting it just happened so fast though. I think overall I just wanted more explanation and depth to the story. The love story part of it all was extremely hard to believe.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Sentence Sneak Peek - Arrows

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk 

The first sentence from each chapter of Arrows, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)
“We landed at the edge of a high school parking lot, me with two arrows in my pack.”

One year later
I sped home from school with the window all the way down.”

“Phoebe smiled and slid closer to Chaz on the marble bench in the alcove, making room for me.”

“What did Jen want?”

Day 1
My eyes snapped open, then squinted at the bright sky.”

“Why is she giving him a ride?”

Day 2
The room Juliette had helped me rent was stuffy and dark.”

Day 9
Jen hoisted herself into the middle of the truck cab, and I followed.”

“I peeked out the front door with Nell balanced on my hip.”

Day 10
“Ready to catch some fish?”

“So…you and Danny talked about everything, then?”

Day 17
Karma was at the game a week later.”

“The studio seemed alive and smelled earthy from the diffusers Juliette had placed inside the entry.”

Day 17
I crossed my arms as Karma strolled to the center of the studio.”

“Aaryn’s gaze was gentle when we locked eyes, and there was a hint of a smile pulling his mouth, this nervous, kind of shocked smile.”

“What the hell happened to your face?”

Day 18
Karma sped the entire way to rehearsal, her music playing unusually loud.”

“Roses?”

Day 19
Idiot.”

“I couldn’t hide the storm from my face when I threw my dance bag into the cubby.”

“Two weeks later I loaded enough suitcases and baby gear into Juliette’s rented van to survive an apocalypse.”

Day 39
She was the best.”

“That night Peyton and I were up late.”

Day 40
“Hey, Aaryn.”

Day 58
The candles in the room flickered as I walked to the door.”

“With a teensy bit of nagging, we’d set a date for his going-away party: Saturday night, two weeks after our dinner, complete with a bonfire and strands of twinkly lights.”

Day 74
The pen left a tiny blue dot on each date as I counted.”

“The studio had this amazing vibe when we walked in, like I’d really pulled off a night to remember with all the balloons and music and just the right amount of red.”

Day 74
“What are you going to do?”

“I’m not at home, Danny.”

Day 74
The doorknob to my bedroom turned, and Karma came out, eyes puffier than when she went in, hair disheveled, like a girl who’d been beaten.”

“How could you leave the party with him?”

“Endlessness.”

“I shivered as I stood outside Aaryn’s apartment, knocking loudly.”

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Discussion Time - Yay or Nay?

Have you read this book or any of the series so far? What are your thoughts about everything?

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

My Favorite Quotes/Lines - The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée

The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée by Kristen Painter

“Just because I’m a librarian, possibly with a cat, doesn’t mean I’m a cliché.”


“I’m a librarian. The opportunities to wield a sword are few and far between.”


“But I want to be a librarian. It’s what I went to school for. It’s what I’m good at. It’s where my heart is.” She loved books. In a book you could escape and be anything you wanted, no risk involved. No chance of hurting anyone else.”


“You think because my sister looks like a librarian and is a librarian that she’s too timid and quiet for anyone to buy that she’d be your fiancée. Well, I’ll have you know that she might look harmless but she’s a valkyrie, same as I am, and one of the fiercest women I know.”


“If he was going down in flames, it was going to be the largest bonfire Nocturne Falls had ever witnessed.”


“Holy Loki, you actually have a body. And boobs!””


“I look less whore-y than I thought I would.”


“You’re a vampire, not a robot. Who doesn’t eat sweets?”


“The thought that she was being underappreciated by those around her bothered him.”


“I am a librarian. We certainly don’t dislike brains.”


“Except ever since that kiss, it hadn’t seemed like pretend at all.”


“Or he could crawl in bed next to her and give her something else to do besides read.”


“It smelled of him, dark and spicy and sort of woodsy. Like the pages of a much-loved, leather-bound book.”


“He’d never been so glad to have someone on his side. Nor had he ever underestimated anyone quite so much.”


“Sebastian Ellingham, you are the dumbest, smartest man I have ever known.”


“If something was worth doing, it was worth doing well.”


“Don’t. You. Dare.”

“I still want to know how the librarian knocked out a vampire.”

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Review - The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée

The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée by Kristen Painter

5 out of 5 gnomes


This series is just so freaking fun. The halloween-tastic setting of the town means you never know what kind of creature or mythology might be featured next. Whatever is though is always entertaining and this book was no exception.

Loved learning more about Sebastian Ellingham. That whole family is intriguing. Seeing more of what made him all standoffish and how he grows as a character is great.

Then there's Tessa who I adore. Seeing as I am a Library Assistant, I never get tired of reading about kick-butt librarians. Her and Sebastian are definitely an interesting match.

I liked the conflict in this book and how everything worked out. It was full of surprises and the chemistry between Sebastian and Tessa was strong.

This setting and plethora of different types of characters continues to be an awesome combination. Seeing how the whole town works is just pretty fascinating too.

Check out this series if you love paranormal romances that have humor and heart.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Sentence Sneak Peek - The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée

The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée by Kristen Painter

The first sentence from each chapter of The Vampire’s Fake Fiancée, it's a mini summary of what you can expect to read.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)


“A hundred thousand dollars to upgrade the video system to high-definition?”


“Sebastian would be lying to himself if he tried to deny the slightly righteous pleasure that he’d taken from keeping Evangeline waiting.”


“Sebastian stared into his backyard, seeing nothing of the gardens or the purple sky brought on by twilight.”


“Sebastian stared after Tessa, mouth open, head full of disbelief, the ring still warm in his hand.”


“Sebastian nodded, slightly distracted by the flush of color in Tessa’s cheeks.”


“Tessa ate her steak in small bites, very aware that Sebastian’s mood had taken a dark turn.”


“Sebastian had been holding back, thinking he could get away with the barest of effort.”


“Nerves were not something to which Sebastian was accustomed.”


“Tension colored the rest of the morning and afternoon, until at last they separated to prepare for the evening ahead.”


“Sebastian couldn’t believe the words coming out of his own mouth, but Evangeline’s presence at dinner had put a very hard line under the truth of who she was. ”


“Sebastian freed himself from Evangeline as soon as possible.”


“Sebastian opened the day’s paper, a third cup of coffee on the table beside him.”


“With Greaves and Tessa gone again, Sebastian finally headed to his office.”


“Sebastian’s meeting with Julian went well.”


“I don’t know about this.”


“Tessa had only entered Sebastian’s bedroom when she realized she was no longer alone.”


“Tessa’s mouth hung open.”


“Ever After was a gorgeous store dedicated to the icon of womanliness that was the wedding dress.”


“Sebastian had yet to receive the documents from his solicitor, even though the man had promised they’d be in his inbox in plenty of time.”


“There was no way, no way, Sebastian should be able to see the sword on her back.”


“In a moment of brilliant clarity, Tessa understood that her vow to never again draw her sword had been made with the impetuousness of youth.”


“The next few hours passed in a whirlwind for Tessa.”

“Back on the street level, Tessa and Sebastian said goodbye to Julian.”

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Friday, February 12, 2016

My Favorite Quotes/Lines - The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

* Received from NetGalley for review.

* Spoilers are highlighted like so :)

“Sara had never believed that you had to meet someone in person to be friends—many of her most rewarding relationships had been with people who didn’t even exist—but suddenly it all felt so false, disrespectful even, to cling to the idea that she and Amy had, in some way, meant something to each other.”

“Amy is…” Sara stopped. “She’s nice.”
She was. It was just that she was also dead.”

“She had perfectly styled dark hair that seemed almost to be an entity in itself and the slightly manic smile of someone who spends too much time with small children.”

“She ran a blog about the town too. Caroline had never cared to find out what, exactly, a blog was. No good could come from such a thing, of that much she was sure.”

“It was like trying to change an unhappy ending in a book. However much you tried to convince yourself that things could end differently if only you could get rid of the sadistic bungler of an author, it was all still there in the back of your mind.”

“It was all fine and well looking like a grandmother if you actually had grandchildren, but it was hardly the right look if you still wanted to go about getting some.”

“A gas stove. How, exactly, do you turn on a gas stove? And what happens if you do it wrong?”

“They could be completely uninterested in you, but the moment you picked up a book, you were the one being rude.”

“The real crime of these lists isn’t that they leave deserving books off them, but that they make people see fantastic literacy adventures as obligations.”

“Books that had already been read were the best.”

“Cigarette packets came with warnings, so why not tragic books? There was wording on bottles of beer warning against drinking and driving, but not a single word about the consequences of reading books without tissues to hand.”

“There was nothing worse than bad chick lit.”

“Or, and this was almost worse, one might have written a brilliant book but then turn out to be dead.”

“It was boring to think of books as something you should read just because others had, and besides, she was much too easily distracted. There were far too many books out there to stick to any kind of theme.”

“I’ve always thought it’s wrong to judge books, or people, blindly.”

“Amy,” she said, “do you think our dreams are subject to inflation?”

It probably did, Sara thought. An incomplete series could be catastrophic, even for those around you.”

“Not that it made things any easier, because she had about as much knowledge of how to host a dinner between friends as she did of going on a date.”

“And if you love a book, you want to share it with others.”

“There’s always a person for every book. And a book for every person.”

“Insist on wanting to get married and have you, rather than just hanging out with a little moonshine and some semiautomatic weapons.”

“Let people laugh. It just means we’re living more interesting lives than they are.”

“The world was simply full of happy endings, Sara thought, turning back to William. It would have been a waste not to make use of them.”