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The synopsis above pretty much says it all. Kicking Ass and Saving Souls is a memoir of sorts, following Stefan's crazy and slightly unbelievable life. The twist is, that it is written from his friend, David Matthew's point of view, as he is being told the story. I guess that would make it more of a biography? Not certain, but it was categorized under memoir when I researched it so that is what I labeled it! Semantics, eh?

I can't even begin to express my feelings properly for this book. Stefan's life is nothing like I've ever seen before. From the inner city of Baltimore, to a castle in France, to the wilds of Africa, and back to a tiny one bedroom apartment, Stefan is literally everywhere. His travels alone were mind boggling and fascinating. Ferried back and forth between two very different parents, from a very young age Stefan was a world traveler. He went wherever his life happened to take him. Reading about him being 8 years old and travelling through Norway was utterly engrossing to me. At the age of 13 he was in France and quite a playboy. Are you seeing what I mean? It's almost unbelievable how rich this man's life was with travel.

If that isn't enough to draw you in, take a look at the darker side of Stefan's life above. He was a boy growing up in Baltimore and learning to protect himself from the violence around him. A master at martial arts at a very young age. Deeply stoic before he understood what it meant to be stoic. Then he spiraled out into all sorts of different endeavors, including ones that were illegal. Watching Stefan float through his life from job to job, heist to heist, city to city, became a bit unnerving after a while. He never actually finished anything. Every time he got close to making something of himself he was drawn on to something more exciting, and often more sinister. David Matthew's shows us that this man was extremely multi-faceted.

I know I'm rambling. As I said it's hard for me to explain exactly how intense this book is. Stefan's life is colorful. It's vivid, and dark, and gritty. There is no room for fluff here because the way his story is told is no-nonsense, just like his personality. What is built for the reader is the lifetime of a strong person who lets himself be lead astray. By the time I reached the end of the book and saw Stefan slowly start to figure out a path to retribution, I was emotionally exhausted and yet still intrigued.

I'm not sure what else I can say! If you are a fan of memoirs, or biographies as the case may be, you need to give Kicking Ass and Saving Souls a read. It's most definitely not a light read, but it's utterly engrossing nonetheless.

Love Ya Like A Sister was one of the first books I've read in a while that really cut to the heart of realistic fiction. Reading about these characters is like watching a young soap opera unfold in front of you. Except of course that you know that everything mentioned can, and really does, happen. These characters are so true to life that it kind of tore my heart out.

We meet Randy, a teenager who has lost his mother and has a father that is always gone. Essentially raising himself, Randy is learning to navigate the trials of adulthood before he is really ready for it. Also in the story, we meet Gwen and Hope. Gwen's mother is drunk constantly, and it has become Gwen's job to mother her four-year old sister. Finally we meet Beth and Susie. These sisters are about as different as night and day. Susie of course being the lithe, graceful and flirtatious one, while Beth hovers in the background.

I think what really struck me about Tom Kepler's writing is how expertly he navigates all these very different teenage feelings. Each one of these characters could be someone you've met, or someone that you've known for years. There is a lot of grittiness to this story, hidden underneath the jokes and snide comments the characters make towards one another. There is a raw nerve that shows what happens when young people are left to fend for themselves. These characters become more a family to one another than their individual families ever were.

There are moments of hilarity in this book as well! The psuedo parents that these kids have are funny and colorful. Randy especially has quite the sense of humor when it comes to dealing with all the girls. I wouldn't want you going into this book thinking that you are in for a dark and somber read. Quite the opposite actually! Although these characters deal with a lot, their friendship with one another keeps them strong and as optimistic as they can be under the circumstances. I liked the balance between those two sides of the story.

Final thoughts? I believe that if you go into Love Ya Like A Sister with an open mind and an open heart, you'll find something to love. Randy is a character who knows how to sweet talk you one moment, and tear your heart out with his angst the next. The plot is solid and interesting, and the way these characters interact is as real as you can get. I really enjoyed this book, and I hope that you give it a chance as well.

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself in a boarding school? Now consider that said boarding school has very strict rules, and people who are....interesting. This is the situation that our main character Reeno finds herself in, and what ensues is a hilarious and intelligent romp of a story. Julie Smith has taken a few concepts that might seem a little, advanced we'll say, and woven them into a really fun story line. Complete with fantastically written characters and a nice dose of hilarity, Cursebusters was quite the read.

Reeno is one of those characters who steals the spotlight. To say she's impulsive is a bit of an understatement, but she makes up for it in motivation. See Reeno's sister is really ill, and Reeno knows that the one thing that can save her is way out of her family's price range. So she sets off for a heist and, through an interesting turn of events, ends up in boarding school. However what I loved about Reeno is that she didn't let this phase her, instead she took it as a challenge. In fact, she does that a lot throughout the book. Reeno isn't a girl who is going to take anything lightly. If she has the power to fix or change it, she will. Awesome right?

Pair her now with my favorite character, the wise-cracking and slightly stand-offish A.B. This darling cat, and don't let him catch you saying that or he'll swipe at you, just so happens to be the key to everything that is going on with Reeno. Unfortunately for her, and fortunately for us, that means they spend a lot of time together. Their banter is hilarious and it was by far my favorite part of the book!

Story wise, Cursebusters was a little confusing at times. I understood the overall plot, and you can definitely tell that Julie Smith did her research while writing. Her time travel and astral projection explanations are deep and extensive. When these concepts finally come into play in the book, there is no way that you won't understand how they tie in. However they are definitely a bit on the heavy side sometimes, and although I loved A.B. with all my heart, a lot of what came out of his character was explanation. I think I would've liked a little more action! Which is probably why I loved the end half of the book. Once everything is in place, things pick up and Reeno is out there kicking behind! Who doesn't love a girl with a strong personality and the ability to kick bad guy butt?

As a whole, I really enjoyed reading Cursebusters. I wouldn't say that it was exactly what I expected when I first went in, but honestly sometimes that is a good thing. The chemistry between Reeno and A.B. is fabulous, and if you are a fan of sweeping scenes and time travel you'll love this book! I'd definitely recommend you give Julie Smith's book a try! A butt kicking heroine and a snarky cat? How can you go wrong?

If you follow my reviews, you might have noticed that I already reviewed (and fell in love with) the first in this series. Made for Each Other is the second book in the “My Boyfriend is a Monster” series. As a fan of graphic novels, I'm always raring to pick up a new set! So I dove into the second one with as much fervor as the first.

I think it should be mentioned that I didn't realize until after I started reading that each novel in this series has a different story line, along with different characters. This particular installment follows Maria McBride as she delves into the mysteriousness that surrounds the new boy, Tom Stone. He's unlike any other boy in her high school class. Dark, brooding, and downright handsome. Maria makes it her goal to find out why he's being so distant.

First, as always, let's talk illustrations. One of my favorite parts about these is that they are in black and white. It's not that I don't love color illustrations, I do. There's just something about the black and white that speaks volumes to me. The ability to tell such a vivid story without color is astounding. That being said, the illustrations in Made for Each Other are rather simple, but lovely. They fit the story perfectly and each panel is filled with detail. Right down to the wrinkles on Maria's mother's face, they are beautifully done.

In terms of story, that's where this one lost a star for me. Again, each graphic novel in the series has different characters, and is also (I found out) written by a different author. Although I liked Maria and Tom, I just couldn't fall in love with them as much as I would have liked to. Without spoiling anything I can definitely tell you that this is a different kind of story. What Tom is, well, it definitely adds a story element that keeps things fresh. However, as I said, I just didn't fall in love with it as much as the last installment. Maybe I'm just predisposed to love zombies. Who knows.

I'll quit rambling here. I am honestly still in love with this series, and look forward to the next installment! I can't wait to see what “My Boyfriend is a Monster” has in store for us. If you are a lover of graphic novels, give these a shot. If you haven't yet taken the big plunge into graphic novels, these are a great way to start!

Debugging Tori Redding is the second book that I've read by Jason Ancona. When I was given the opportunity to review it, I was excited at the premise. A girl whose mind works like a computer? How amazing is that? I snuggled down into bed, picked up the book and started to read.

Let me tell you, I was so impressed at the depth behind Tori's character. She isn't just a high school student who takes issue with loose morals. She isn't even just a girl with a computer for a brain. No, Tori is so much more than that. Tori is the lost adolescent trying to find her place in the big scheme of things. She is the girl who has recently lost a parent and is struggling to live in a house fueled with testosterone. Coincidentally she is also that character who still isn't sure how she stands in the world of relationships. Simply put, she's all of us.

Story wise, although the book mainly revolves around Tori's home life and friendships there is a mystery hidden there. Girls have been going missing in her home town, and now it seems that her new found abilities can help solve the case. I admit that the mystery isn't the prominent focus of the story, but I do think that it added a nice variety to what the issues Tori has to face. It also happens to be part of the introspective process for her.

I've seen others write about their frustrations with Tori's attitude toward everything, because she can be so negative. It's true, she can be. However after reading carefully I began to realize that it is just Tori's defense mechanism. She comes from a family where the weak simply are not tolerated. Where testosterone rules and being a girl is difficult. Her father loves her for sure, but he doesn't know how to interact with the female side of her. What better way to get rid of that awkwardness than to hide the female side of you? I loved Tori for the simple fact that she is human like the rest of us.

Rich with family interactions, packed with snide humor, and filled with undertones on society and teenagers as a whole, Debugging Tori Redding is definitely a book that I enjoyed! I highly recommend you give it, and Tori, a chance. I daresay I look forward to seeing what else Jason Ancona has in store for us!

Narrator Review:
I find it's important to share how well the narrator of an audio book tells the story! After all, my enjoyment of the book I'm listening to lands heavily on their shoulders.

That being said, Kevin Pariseau is a superb narrator! He reads at a steady, but not too slow, pace and makes sure to pause for dramatic effect when it is called for. His voice while reading the overall story is very pleasant to listen to. Most of all I loved that he had a slight difference in his voice for each character in the story. It made following Vlad and his story much easier and more fun. After all, there are quite a few important characters in this story. If I had to choose a favorite voice, I'd definitely pick Mr. Otis. Kevin Pariseau's accent for him was fantastic!

Audio Book Rating: 5/5 - I'd definitely recommend listening to this audio book!

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Book Review:
Oh Vladimir. As if eighth grade wasn't already hard enough, what with navigating popularity, bullies and the like, Vladimir has it even tougher. See he's a vampire. After his parents died in a mysterious flash fire, Vlad was taken in by Nelly, his mother's best friend. Now he is trying to do his best just to blend in. Oh, and he's pretty sure he's the only vampire in the world. Pretty sure.

I really enjoyed every minute of Vlad's story! His character is witty and fantastically sarcastic. He is adorably awkward when it comes to girls, and such a guy when it comes to hanging with his friend Henry. In fact, Vlad's personality is just like any eighth grader out there. What really makes him interesting is his vampiric nature. I loved how Heather Brewer seamlessly wove together Vlad's difficult transition into the teenage years, with his even more difficult transition into understanding his vampiric roots. He's so sweet and awkward! I really fell in love with him.

Full of twists and turns, Eighth Grade Bites moves at a nice pace that will keep you reading. I'll admit that sometimes I was slightly thrown off by jumps in time, but keep in mind that this whole book is set in the course of a year. Would you really want to hear about Vlad taking a shower, putting his shoes on, and so on? I think not. Brewer does a great job of skipping over the more mundane parts of Vlad's existence to get things moving towards the exciting parts! I did really appreciate that there are pauses to appreciate the oddness of his life though. For instance there is a scene where he is sitting and eating a chocolate chip cookie that is dipped in “tea” or a mug of hot blood. Definitely different! Definitely interesting.

When Mr. Otis comes on the scene is when things really get moving, and that's where I'll end. I wouldn't want to give away any of the overall story line because that's half the fun of this book! Vlad's brand of humor sets him up nicely to become a protagonist that I'll be sure to follow. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next audio book, especially if it has the same narrator!

Whether you read this or listen to it, I absolutely recommend that you give it a shot! I think you'll find a lot to love in Vladimir and his story.

It has been so long since I had a chance to read a Choose Your Own Adventure book, but I devoured them when I was younger! My favorite part was about them was getting to be a part of the story. Ryan Jacobson has brought this series back in a really big way! I love that Sherlock Holmes gets to be one of the main characters that readers will follow. What a great way to bring a classic story back to life!

Let's be honest, I'm obviously not cut out to be a detective. This book proved to me that in Sherlock Holmes' shoes, I'd probably be meeting my doom. However, this was a blast to read! Sherlock Holmes is a great character to follow. Jacobson makes sure that the story stays true to the way that this classic detective thinks, but also allows the reader to follow along easily. The original 12 stories are cut down into 3 adventures that you get to follow along with. I had so much fun navigating the twists and turns. Even though I'll fully admit after 3 times reading through I still had to cheat to get to an ending where I didn't meet an evil fate....I won't lie.

Anyhow I see this being a fantastic book for younger readers, and especially those that are looking for something to immerse them in the story! Best of all, like I mentioned above, it brings a classic story back to life. I can't see a better way to introduce a new generation of readers to such an important character. Love solving mysteries? This is a book for you!

I'm honestly not one hundred percent sure how to explain my feelings about this book. Land of Corn Chips is the first fantasy based middle grade book that I've read, and it was definitely an experience. I kept having to remind myself that I was seeing this world through a much younger person's eyes. However once I was able to get into that mindset, I began to understand the world that Nate was immersed in. I must admit, it's a rather interesting place to be!

Young readers will be treated to a very believable protagonist. Nate has problems like any other young person. His dad is spending more time with his new family, rather than with him. His dad keeps missing his important football games. Worst of all, his dad doesn't tend to follow through with his promises. Sound familiar? To a lot of kids out there it definitely will. Lest you think that Nate is whiny about all of this, he's not! Instead he's quite an intelligent young boy. I liked how he thought everything through when he was faced with a problem.

Enter Cornelius Chip. Nate is whisked magically off to a place where he might have thought he wanted to be, but now realizes was a mistake! See Nate wishes he could grow up so he can take care of himself and not have to rely on his parents. Again, sound familiar? Let's just say his wish is granted. What ensues is a fascinating, sometimes slightly confusing but always fun, adventure. Yet again I must applaud Nate's character. This setting brings out even more of his resourcefulness and tenacity. This boy doesn't give up, and I adored him for that.

Land of Corn Chips is definitely a different kind of middle grade novel than I've ever read before. I applaud Angela Carlie for meshing a very realistic character and such a quirky and interesting world. I'll admit that it took me a little while to get into the book at first, but once I finally understood exactly what was to come, I did enjoy reading about Nate and his adventure. A truer hero I don't think you'll find. Nate doesn't give up, and he teaches his young readers not to give up either.

I'm becoming more and more a fan of a good mystery, and The Big Show Stopper definitely satisfied that itch for me. I'll be honest that I wasn't quite sure what to expect with characters named Pinky and Bear involved, but I hoped that it would be related to snarky humor and innuendos. Oh, how right I was! Thank you so much Ken Dalton for fulfilling that for me.

As a a mystery, The Big Show Stopper is one that definitely doesn't disappoint. The plot is fast moving, and Dalton knows how to throw just enough twists into the mix to keep you guessing. I liked how this mystery really follows the “recipe” if you will for a good story. Take one famous person, murder him, then have several possible suspects for your characters to investigate. Pinky, Bear and Flo definitely had their hands full with this one. I thought I had the mystery solved, and then I'd suddenly realize that I was completely off. Ah, mystery. How I love you as a genre.

Pinky, Bear and Flo are fantastic characters. In fact, they are really what makes the book so great! Yes, the mystery is good, but without the interaction between these characters I don't think I would have been half as invested in reading on as I was. Their sarcasm and actions towards one another is extremely realistic, and they play off one another beautifully. We have Pinky, the greedy lawyer, Bear, the smooth talking PI, and then Flo, who is Bear's girlfriend and also a heck of a sleuth. I thought the three of them together were the perfect blend of sarcasm, humor, and realism.

My one gripe, and this a small thing in the grand scheme of things, was Flo. She wasn't exactly the nicest person to Bear most times, and she jumped on him about the tiniest things. I can't really remember how many times she threatened to leave him in the book. As I've always said, I know I won't love every character, so I kind of wrote it off to enjoy the overall book. Like I mentioned above, Flo is pretty evened out by the other two characters anyway. I guess I just really liked Bear and wanted him to be treated better. Yup, it's just little old me talking here.

Anyway enough rambling. Suffice it to say that The Big Show Stopper is well worth your time, whether you are a long time mystery lover or brand new to the genre! I didn't mention it before but this actually is the second book in a series. It doesn't matter much, as you can completely read this as a standalone. Just be warned that you'll end up wanting the first book.

With a mixture of humor and downright good mystery, this book will be sure to have you reading long into the night.

MUCH better than the second one, and I devoured this. This is a graphic novel that is gorgeously illustrated (and I mean drop dead gorgeous) and knows how to make fun of itself. Try it!

Full review coming soon.

Adam & Eve is unlike anything else I've ever read. Part thriller, part exploration of biblical themes, this is a story that I at first thought would be very close to some other books I have already read. (Dan Brown perhaps?) However when I dove into the story, I was instantly blown away by the beautiful writing style and the metaphors on each and every page. Sena Jeter Naslaund doesn't just write the story for the reader, she shows it.

Let me go back a bit and explain. The first half (to about 2/3) of the book is dedicated to Lucy and Adam's stories. Lucy's husband was a world renowned astrophysicist who met an untimely death. It's not certain whether this was pure accident, but all Lucy knows is that she is now the sole keeper of files that have the ability to overthrow thinking as we know it. Intriguing, am I right? Then we meet Adam. A soldier who has been dumped in the middle of the desert, Adam believes that he is the Adam from biblical times. Out there alone, in his tiny Eden oasis, he believes he is the beginning of the world. The first man to ever have been made. In fact, he's a poor man who has been beaten half to death, but it's a fascinating parallel.

As these two characters meet and interact, I was smitten with the way the story progressed. There are lovely allusions to the story of Adam & Eve, along with topics that make you think beyond that. Basically the entire book is a battle between the idea of creationism, and scientific study. It definitely gets a little heavy handed at times, but I was able to loose myself in the overall story. That is, until the end. Once the first half of the book is over and these characters are ripped from their Eden, things were tough to follow. The already slightly overbearing topics of religion and science were even more apparent, and I didn't feel like following anymore. To be honest, I almost didn't even finish the book.

If I'm being honest, I'm not at all certain how I feel about Adam & Eve. The first half of the book held my attention beautifully, while the second half just descended into confusion for me. Therein lies the problem. I wasn't sure how to rate a book that I loved for half of it. So, I chose this rating. I hope this review accurately explains my views, even though I'm not 100% sure of them myself! If you pick this up to give it a try yourself, let me know what you think!

The Atomic Weight of Secrets tells the story of five young children who are absolutely brilliant inventors. Torn away from their homes without warning, they are deposited far from home. Mysterious men in black are constantly monitoring them. All they know is that they have one another, and their parents are missing. Sounds like quite a secretive mystery doesn't it?

Let me begin at the beginning, with the characters. Lucy, Jasper, Wallace, Faye and Noah are a motley crew of kids at first. All from different backgrounds, it takes them a while to understand one another. Eden Unger Bowditch allows each of her characters to have such unique and wonderful personalities. From the quiet and shy one, to the fiery and slightly spiteful one, they are so much fun to follow. As a reader, I fell in love with them more and more as I learned about their pasts.

However it was the story that really held problems for me. So much time is spent giving background to the children, and allowing them to grow, that there isn't much actual story line at all. It's slow. The elements of mystery that are present are great. The men in black are a constant reminder of something much bigger than the children themselves. Still, to be honest, nothing really happens. This isn't a spoiler, it's just true. I know this is a first book in a series and so I suppose that more will be coming later. I just felt a little cheated by how incomplete this book really felt.

Part historical fiction, part mystery The Atomic Weight of Secrets really did have a lot of potential to be fabulous. The children drew me in, but the story killed it for me. There were even times where things were so slow that I almost decided to put the book down, and that hardly ever happens for me. What I hope is that the next book in the series has more action! As I said, the characters are wonderful. I look forward to seeing them use their talents even more, hopefully this time in an effort to do something daring.

I've had Estevan Vega's book Arson on my wishlist forever. I'm still anxiously waiting for my library to buy a copy, but when he offered me the opportunity to review his new set of short stories I jumped at the chance! I've heard nothing but good things about his writing and I went into this with high expectations.

Wow, is all I have to say. Truly. These three short stories are not only well-written, but each one is filled with such emotion and so poignant. It's like being teased with a little bit of your favorite candy. You want so much more after you're done! My favorite by far was Baby Blue. This short story had so many emotions packed into one story. It made me sob. Every now and then I come across a story that makes me take stock of my life and what is around me. This was one of those stories. In their own ways Vanilla Red and The Man In The Colored Room were both fantastic as well. Definitely different, which made them a delight to read.

Let me say this. Estevan's writing is superb. It is dark and has almost a smoky quality to it. His characters pop off the page in even his short stories. If this is what he has in store for me, I am now waiting even more impatiently to get my hands on a copy of Arson. Well done Estevan. Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic writing with us!

Going into this book I knew that Kestrel (a.k.a Susan) would be one of those characters that tends to see the negative side of things, and therefore ends up sounding whiny. The synopsis showed me this before I even had a chance to open the book. Let it be known that this generally puts me off a book. I know it's awful, but I often can't find the power to see from that person's point of view. In this case, however, I decided to go ahead and give Kestrel a chance. I reminded myself that often when a book starts out this way there tends to be an ending where the character grows and learns.

Lo and behold, I was right! Although I won't spoil the ending for anyone who has this book on their TBR list, I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with it. Once I was able to get past Kestrel's rather bleak outlook on things the book really picked up. Kestrel learns quickly that her negativity won't solve anything in her life. The reader also gets to see more into her past and why she feels the way she does now. Within the pages are lessons about life, about optimism, and about the simple adage that you “reap what you sow”.

The characters in this book didn't necessarily fall flat for me, but they didn't really allow me to become invested in them either. I did enjoy reading from Kestrel's point of view after a while, especially once I saw what a wit she actually had. However the other characters were just in existence to revolve around Kestrel. I thought of it as a painting, where everyone else was flattened into the background and Kestrel was the only item in the foreground. Even though they were a central part of her life in Jurupa, there wasn't really too much revealed about Laura, Jose and Blake. I'm sure the length of the story probably contributed to this fact, but it made the reading difficult for me. I am the type of reader that needs to be invested in my characters.

In the end, I did enjoy Majix: Notes from a Serious Teen Witch enough to finish it and actually ended up teary eyed at the ending. The biggest struggle was definitely learning to look at things from Kestrel's point of view. It is a quick read, and I would definitely recommend it as a library book!

I feel like I should premise this review with a quite note. I'm extremely intrigued by the notion of body image and how it affects people. After working around and directly with children for the last 14 years, I've seen the age at which children are struck by negative body image slide lower and lower. Due to this fact, I tend to devour any article that I find on the matter. Not until TLC Book Tours offered me a chance to review Ugly As Sin did I find a book that compiles it all so neatly and beautifully.

Toni Raiten-D'Antonio is both a psychotherapist and professor, and it shows in her work. The chapters are thoughtfully separated into sections that discuss the origins of “ugliphobia”, how it relates to culture, what effects it creates, and how to overcome it. Her book is beautifully written, which I honestly find rare among non-fiction works. The accounts that she shares, the meaningful quotes that she puts in, it all comes together to create an extremely meaningful and fascinating account of how the concept of ugliness has evolved.

What I enjoyed most about reading Ugly As Sin was how much of herself Raiten-D'Antonio puts into her book. There are multiple accounts of her own personal experience with the body image battle, and she even goes so far as to share candid stories from her childhood. A book like this is sometimes hard to read because it tackles the truth so well. I found myself nodding at times, teary-eyed at others, and fuming over the whole issue at others. It is hard to face the fact that we built this world for ourselves, and trapped ourselves in our own individual prisons.

Ugly As Sin is, without a doubt, a book that I recommend to all women of all ages. Like I mentioned above, the age at which body image affects us as a society is slowly sliding lower and lower. I feel that if more women read this book, felt the empowerment, and took the steps to make themselves feel comfortable in their own skin, society as a whole would benefit from it! (Yes, that is my soapbox and I'm sticking to it.) I leave you with a quote from the book itself that I think will resonate with you, and I hope will encourage you to read this book.

Let me say, this book was a blast to read! A little bit teen life, a little bit monster killing, really who could ask for more? Add in a fantastic protagonist and her butt kicking friends, and you have a story that is sure to keep you reading! You might even giggle a bit.

Going in to Hickey of the Beast I wasn't really sure what to expect. This is a serial novel, which means that it is meant to be released in parts. However I got to read the whole thing straight through. Truth be told? I loved it so much but I really kind of wish I would've had the serial novel experience! See Isabel Kunkle has written a hilarious and character driven story, that comes straight from Connie's mind. I would've loved the cliff hangers as I waited anxiously for the next installment!

That being said, and I've already mentioned it, I really liked this book! Connie is fiery and bold, and her friends all compliment her perfectly. Being inside her head and hearing her chat up a storm is a little daunting at first, but after a while you get to love the way that Connie is so open! If you were looking for a realistic take on how teenagers talk to one another, look no further. Connie's stream of consciousness is unrelentingly candid, and at times it's so hilarious! I remember having conversations just like these when I was younger. Ah, the good old days. If only I had some monsters to slay as well.

Long story short, this is one fantastic story! As I said I think the serial novel aspect of it is really great and I highly recommend you try it out. Connie is great, her sidekicks are amazing, and the storyline is the perfect mix of teen drama, monster butt kicking, and total snark. In other words, pure perfection. Give Hickey of the Beast a try! I guarantee you'll find something to love.

Narrator Review:
Without a doubt, Katherine Kellgren is my favorite new narrator. This book came to life because of her narration! She has fantastic voices for each character, the best of which in my opinion is Miss Penelope Lumley herself. Even her male voices are pretty spot on! She reads at a very pleasant pace, and makes sure to emphasize things that are “proper” in the book. If I had read this rather than listened to it, I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much. That's not to say the story isn't amazing, but hearing Kellgren howl, giggle and act proper was truly my favorite part of this book. If you can get your hands on the Audio CD, do it!

Audio Book Rating: 5/5 - I highly recommend listening to this audio book!

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Book Review:
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is by far the most fun middle grade series that I've started so far! Yes, I made sure it was indeed a series. I'm so smitten that if it wasn't I might have thrown a tantrum. The Mysterious Howling is the first book in the series, and it sets up quite a delightful set of characters and situations. More than anything I loved how original this story was. I digress though, let's get back to sharing with you why you need to read this book.

First of all the premise of the story is fantastic. Three orphans from the woods, apparently raised by wolves, are brought to Ashton Place. The only problem? They need looking after of course! Enter Miss Penelope Lumley, one of the sweetest characters I've met in a long time with a heart that is so huge it might literally explode. She finds a fondness for the children, despite their wolfish ways, and vows to treat them as any other charges she might have had. What ensues is a funny and rollicking story, complete with quite a few twists and turns along the way!

Those of you out there who find it necessary to love your characters will find it hard to ignore Miss Penelope Lumley and her adorable charges. Ever the professional lady, Penelope spends the book musing on the wise words of her mentor, Miss Agatha Swanburne. As for the young ones, Cassiopeia, Alexander and Beowulf are massive balls of sweet energy! From the moment they enter the scene, there is fun to be had. Then there is Lady Constance, who I must say I rather disliked but I think we are meant to, and Sir Ashton who I wanted to kick. Hard. Yes, that about rounds it out! All of them are different, each one has their own fantastic personality, and I found it hard not to feel a fondness for each of them in turn.

By far, my favorite part of this story was the third person view, that mostly focused on Penelope's thoughts. Watching her ponder over what to do next, scheme at how to help the children, and even let her thoughts wander, was so fantastic. If there was ever a character that I would blindly follow into many books beyond the first, it would be her. As I mentioned above, if you can get your hands on the audio book do it! Katherine Kellgren creates a voice for Penelope that made me smile again and again.

Long story short, this is one that you need to try! If you enjoy Victorian era mysteries, or even just crave a good middle grade novel, this one is for you. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling has snuggled its way into my heart, and I for one can not wait to dive into the next installment.

Okay let's get this out in the open first. I LOVE zombies. I mean it. Those undead, rotting corpses just so happen to be one of my favorite fodders for a good story. Sure, they may not have a pulse. That doesn't mean that they can't be totally fascinating! So of course when A.M. Harte approached me to review Hungry For You, I instantly accepted. Anytime I see zombies and sexy (see the trailer) in the same paragraph, I have to wonder what is inside the pages. I dived right in like a zombie eating a brain!

Rather than review each story separately or choose my favorites, which would be hard because they are all great, I'll just give you my overall opinion. I can even give it to you in four simple words. This book is awesome. Seriously! Each story is so different, but so well-written. Picking a favorite is like trying to choose an ice cream flavor on a hot day. It's just too hard. What I liked best was that even if a story was a little slow, or weird, the next one will pick you right up again. Thus is the beauty of anthologies.

Anyhow Hungry For You is a testament to why zombies are so much fun to read. At their core they are still people, and they still have a humanity to them despite their decaying state. Each story in this anthology shows a little bit into the mind of these shambling past humans. Some are about love that grows stronger, others are about love that just won't die, and still others border on that obsessive lust that we sometimes see as love. Make no mistake, these aren't your typical zombie stories! There is a message in each short story, and that is what I loved so much about reading.

If you love zombies, or even have a slight interest in them, you're likely to enjoy Hungry For You! There is so much zombie goodness, without too much of the zombie gore. Sure, you might be a bit confused at times. I'll admit I had to re-read one or two stories again to understand exactly what they were getting at, but overall it is so worth it. Again I state, it is the humanity that these stories bring to zombie kind that makes me happy. I loved it and I look forward to more!

Spartacus, or Ryan as he prefers to be called (since it's more “normal”), is quite the main character. I see a lot of MG readers falling in step with him instantly. See his life isn't easy. His mom has disappeared to the circus, he's pretty sure she was kidnapped, but no one else seems to care. Spartacus has no one on his side. Will, his older brother, is a mean and spiteful person. His dad doesn't seem to want to listen. What is a boy to do? Luckily, he has his best friend's technological skills to help, and so off he goes on a wild adventure.

I really enjoyed the humor in this book. It's a little more dark then I'm used to in books for this age group, but there isn't anything that's over the top. The zany adventures that Spartacus is privy to are hilarious, and most of the time really interesting. He's constantly trusting people that he probably shouldn't, and in way over his head. In fact, it is the other characters that pop in and out of this story that make it so fantastic. Molly E. Johnson has found the perfect balance between eccentric characters, and a moral story.

I also really loved Spartacus as a character, specifically. He was always a bit afraid of what was coming next, but willing to face it head on when it came to his mom. The character growth from the beginning to the end in this book is wonderful! It was the ending that really got me, and I won't spoil it one bit for you. Let's just say that things aren't always what them seem. To a young boy on an adventure though, everything is exciting! If you have a younger reader, and are looking for a funny and adventurous read, Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows is a great choice!

Let's get one thing straight, right off the bat. I am not a girlish person. I love bad-ass heroes and heroines who risk their necks to save the day. Blood and gore don't phase me in the slightest. In fact, if a vicious baddie happens to die in a particularly gruesome way, I might actually applaud! That is the type of reader I am. I appreciate it all, especially if it's telling me one hell of a story.

That being said, Blood and Bullets definitely sated my need for a good, old fashioned, violent romp through some baddies. Deacon Chalk is the type of character who kicks butt now, and asks questions later. Much later. James R. Tuck weaves a story that pits Deacon against vampires of all shapes and sizes. I absolutely loved the twist that he put on the final villain. Bullets fly, blood is spilled, redemption is had. This is a book that unabashedly grabs you by the shoulders, straps you into a chair, and keeps you there until the final page is read. It's fast. It's furious. It's pretty damn awesome.

However my gripe over everything else? Deacon himself. The story line was fantastic, and ran at a breakneck pace. It kept me reading. Still I would have liked it so much more if it wasn't for Deacon's character. I'd describe him as a man's man. Again I state I'm not against men like this normally, but Deacon is a bit over the top. He fights to the death, he cusses up a storm, he loves his guns like they were his children. On top of all of that he is extremely vain at times, and manages to be so repetitive in certain areas that it drove me mad. Overall? He broke the book for me.

As a reader who is very big on character development, I just felt like there wasn't any saving grace to Deacon's character. I saw that James R. Tuck tried to give him a family background and make me, as the reader, empathize with him. I appreciated that but it didn't help my relationship with him. It's probably just my opinion and I admit that! In fact, I gave this book to a male friend of mine who is devouring it as we speak and loving each and every minute of it. Hey, Deacon is a man's man! I don't doubt there are plenty of people out there who will love him.

At the end of the day, Blood and Bullets is an entertaining read with some fantastic twists and turns. I see that James R. Tuck is an amazing writer and I look forward to more books by him. I'm just not sure I'll be visiting Deacon's world again. Still, give this a shot! It's a great example of what good Urban Fantasy really is. Prepare yourself, you're in for a ride.

The Circle Cast follows Morgan, a young girl who a governor's daughter. Morgan is not a weak girl by any means, but what she witnesses at the beginning of the story is enough to make any person falter in their life. Morgan, however, spends her anger and disappointment on vowing vengeance. Although she may be sent away, she vows that she will return even stronger soon enough to take back what was taken from her in the first place. She's my kind of girl.

I've always been a fan of anything that falls in with Arthurian lore. Morgan Le Fay is a popular character in these stories, but up until now I had never been treated to one that revolved entirely around her. I was eager to see where Epstein would take me with this story, and I wasn't disappointed. Morgan's growth into the powerful wizard of tales is nothing short of utterly intriguing.

Morgan is an excellently written character. Extremely multi-faceted, the reader is allowed to see the vengeance and anger that drive her while still being allowed to see the scared, weaker girl that is on the surface. As she grows in her powers it is easy to believe the magical elements of the story that are woven in. There are times in the book when Morgan even exceeds her own expectations, and those are a treat to watch as a reader. Epstein does a lovely job of bringing the world around Morgan to life with lavish descriptions of Britain and Ireland, as well as the people within them.

If I had to hedge a guess, I'd say that other lovers of Arthurian lore will find as much to love here as I did. My one let down was that it was so short. I could have read about Morgan and her quest for many more pages, and done so happily. Gorgeous world building and rich attention to the lore that builds this character mixes together into a really amazing read. I'd say you should give it a shot!

I feel I need to begin this review by mentioning the fact that Wherever You Go is not a light read. Not in the least. I was mistakenly under the impression that this relatively short read would be something light and introspective. While the book definitely raises some amazing discussion points and questions, it is by no means an easy read. It took me a lot longer to read this than anything else I've read this month. Mainly because I'd find something I wanted to mull over and have to stop reading. That being said, I also need to state that my review is entirely based on my current state of mind. This book was something that I enjoyed reading, but I didn't fall completely in love with it. Mainly because my mindset right now is just not ready to deal with such deep reading.

Yona, Mark and Aaron are all at a point in their lives where they are looking for something more. After floating, trying to figure out where they belong, they end up back at their roots looking for answers. These three lives are different, but similar enough to tie together beautifully. The questions of faith and commitment are deeply ingrained in this book, along with both personal and external reflections. Although this book revolves around Jewish faith, there is a lot here that expands beyond that other religions. It is definitely a reflective read that will cause you to mull over the bigger picture.

What really hampered my enjoyment of this book though was the pivotal event that ties all of these people together. I won't spoil it, but it really felt rather convenient and forced to me. After that I felt like the characters were just rushed into the ending. All the growing, learning and introspection that they had accomplished just seemed to fade, as the ending loomed. It's not that I didn't understand why the book had this turn, I did. I just felt like the first half of the book was so much more fascinating and deep than the second half.

Unlike anything else I've read lately, this story was laden with insights about Israeli and American culture, as well as humanity as a whole. These characters are deep and well portrayed, but their lives seemed to never come to a nice closure for me. Overall I enjoyed Wherever You Go enough to finish it and keep thinking about it even after. I quite honestly would have loved it even more if the climax hadn't been so rushed.

Most readers of my blog probably know that I'm a huge fan of the fantasy genre. It's my bread and butter, so therefore I never pass up an opportunity to review a book that falls in this category. Thus when I was offered the chance to review Andrea Buginsky's novel, The Chosen, I readily agreed.

Now let me start out with this. The Chosen is a short book. At only 113 pages, it is a quick read. Therefore there isn't much time for Andrea to acquaint us with her characters. Those of you out there who are lovers of fantasy like I am, will probably be able to overlook their more vague personalities, in favor of the overall story. However I do see a lot of people who are more character driven readers being a little disappointed. Halli, the main character, is definitely the most well developed one. She's sweet, shy, and cares a lot about the other members in her party. I enjoyed her, so it really assisted in my enjoyment of the book.

Story wise, this book reads a lot like a fantasy themed video game. Those who can proudly claim that they have a WOW (World of Warcraft) character, like I do, will probably find this story more entertaining. From drinking potions to heal their life and mana, down to doing side quests on the way to defeating the big boss, The Chosen is like a scene out of a fantasy game. Halli is a Paladin, and she has the task of healing her party members to make sure they are fit to fight. The nerdy side of me took pleasure in all the descriptions of the raid style battle that was taking place at the end. The bookish side of me was wanting more in the area of descriptive writing. I really wanted to be able to see what was going on.

Overall, The Chosen was a quick and rather fun read. I can't say that I was as smitten with it as a lot of other fantasy books I've read, but I see a ton of potential for Halli and her compatriots. I am hoping that Andrea Buginsky might bring them back for another round, hopefully this time a little longer and more descriptive. If I can get to know the characters more in depth, I'm sure I'll fall in love with them much more. If you are a fan of fantasy books, and looking for a shorter read, this is one that you should give a try.

This is a book I'm going to file away to come back to later after revisions. The lack of editing was so distracting that I couldn't make it past the first chapter. I'll try again later because this seems like a story I'll like, but for now my rating reflects my opinion.

Today I am pleased to be able to present a review of the new Thoreau compilation book, Thumbing Through Thoreau. Creator Kenny Luck has brought together all of Thoreau's most profound quotes and separated them into a stunning and easy to reference volume.

Accompanied by gorgeous illustrations, each page boasts a formatted Thoreau quote that literally jumps off the page. One of the things that I personally love most about Thoreau's work is that it is very easy to discern his meaning. With the formatting that is present in this book, it's easier than ever and visually beautiful.

For those who are Thoreau buffs, this book will definitely be a treat. Split into three sections, “Spirituality and Nature”, “Society and Government” and “Love”, this book is an all encompassing volume on the work of Thoreau. For those who are new to Thoreau, I think this is a fabulous way to introduce them to his work.

Without a doubt, I would recommend Thumbing Through Thoreau to absolutely everyone out there! His writing is intriguing enough alone, but having it presented in such a well thought out and visually stunning fashion takes it to a new level. I am please I was able to review this, and look forward to purchasing a bound copy of my very own.