Confessions of a Bookie Monster

I can definitely see why people have been raving about this book all over the blogosphere. I was expecting just another decent vampire story, but what I got was actually so much more. I was surprised at how deliciously chilling the story was. No sparkling vampires here!

 

One thing I really liked about this book was that it grabbed my attention from the very first page. When a book starts out with a vampire attack you know it’s going to be a good one! I mean holy crap! How can you not be sucked in by that?

 

I will admit, it took me quite a while to get through this book, but it was definitely not the book’s fault. It was due to my crazy, busy schedule. With my new classes starting up, it was hard finding any time to sleep, let alone spare time to read. Just wish I could’ve finished it sooner, because it was just that good! When I spend a good portion of my busy time thinking about how I am going to find time to finish a book, it’s a good sign! lol

 

The characters were very well developed, the plot was intense and easy to follow, and the writing was just beautiful. Holly Black sure knows how to make the words on the page just flow perfectly and makes it seem so effortless.

 

The thing that really made me happy was the ending. The author did a fantastic job of wrapping everything up and I was actually surprised with how satisfied I was with the conclusion. Most books end on a cliffhanger or have room for the reader to interpret the ending how they choose, but this one had a solid, beautiful ending. It was a horrible situation to be in, but the way the characters dealt with it in the end was really awesome.

 

With all that said, there was a few things that held me back from giving it the full 5 star rating. The one thing that stands out to me the most was Tana’s decision to go to Coldtown in the first place. If you know there’s a possibility that you are not going to turn into a vampire, why would you give up everything and go anyway? I understand she wanted to protect her family and whatnot, but if you don’t even know for sure if you are infected or not, why would you still risk all of that? I’d want to stay with my family if I could. Tana seemed to just give that up a bit too easily in my opinion. The other thing that bothered me was a technology observation. Coldtown was a run down and trashy place, right? It was portrayed as being “the slumps” where people people couldn’t even afford to buy food. Some were resorting to eating things such as rats. BUT – everyone had internet access. Yes you heard me right. Internet access. This doesn’t make much sense to me. Free WiFi for everyone? When the characters were blogging and uploading their videos in Coldtown, I couldn’t help but shake my head. Maybe I’m just overthinking it, but I don’t see how that’s possible. Then again, I’m from Middle of Nowhere, Ohio where it’s hard to find internet access.

 

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. Wish I could’ve finished it sooner, but better late than never, right? I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a darker vampire story. It is definitely not sunshine, rainbows, and glittery vampires by any means. It was a nice change of pace compared to all the vampire stories out there nowadays.

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I haven’t had a very good day. I think I might still be hung over and everyone’s dead and my root beer’s gone.”

 

“Tana. In all my long life, though there were many times I prayed for it, no one has ever saved me. No one but you.”

 

“That was the problem with monsters. Sometimes they looked just like everybody else.”

I’ll be honest here.  I almost ended up DNFing this one within the first 50 pages.  I originally had started this as a buddy read with Jessi from Novel Heartbeat, but that plan kind of fell through when she decided to throw in the towel after the first few chapters. (I don’t blame you, Jessi!  I was really close to doing it myself!)

 

After forcing myself to at least give it 100 pages before quitting, the story actually started picking up. The characters became more likable, the plot became more intriguing, and of course the swarms of zombies started showing up! I haven’t really read a lot of zombie books, but this one was actually pretty good once you get past the slow beginning! Reminded me of The Walking Dead (which is one of my absolute favorite shows!). The “zoms” were actually pretty scary.  That itself surprised me quite a bit.  My favorite character was Lilah (The Lost Girl) because she was such a badass zombie-killing wild woman!

 

Although I really liked this stuff, there were also something I really couldn’t get over.  First of all, I couldn’t stand how whiny Benny was.  In the very beginning he was in search of a job because once you turn 15 in the village, you must get a job or you lose half of your rations. Benny went through more than 5 different jobs because he simply didn’t like them.  Hello! You’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and you’re complaining about how you don’t want to carry a locksmith’s bag around for him because it’d be too boring?  I wish my job was that easy!  I also found little details a bit inaccurate, like when Benny says that his first memory was when he was 18 months old.  Umm… I didn’t think something like that was possible.  Must’ve had a good memory!  And here I can’t even remember what I did yesterday…

 

I was really on the fence about what rating I should give this book. I didn’t hate it, yet I didn’t love it either. It was a decent story that just aggravated me at times. So I just settled for a 3 star rating because it seemed appropriate.

 

I would recommend this to anyone who likes books about zombies, of course! You’re probably going to have to have a little bit of patience to get to the good parts, but it is totally worth it in my opinion!

I’m not really sure what to think of this one.  On one side the suspense and mystery were fairly intense, but on the other hand it was pretty boring to me.  That sounds contradictory of course, but allow me to explain.  Or at least try to.  :)

 

I would say the first 25% of this book dragged.  BIG TIME.  The author was basically going through and introducing all of these characters as they met in a house on an island in the middle of nowhere for some party.  I had a lot of problems connecting with the characters because they were just so flat.  All they did was argue about petty crap and provide a lot of teenage drama.  Needless to say, it took me awhile to actually get into the story.

 

Some of the characters even got on my nerves so much it distracted me from what was going on.  Why on Earth would you chose a best friend that doesn’t even consider you and treats you like complete crap?  Doesn’t make any sense to me.  Minnie was a terrible friend to the main character, Meg, but her excuse was basically that she was bipolar and couldn’t help it.  I’m definitely not an expert on the subject of being bipolar, but I know for a fact that just because you are bipolar does not mean you are incapable of caring and being considerate of others.  Minnie was just a bitch.

 

When the story started picking up and people began to die, I found myself enjoying it so much more. (Which I realize sounds totally demented, but whatevs!)  If it hadn’t taken half of the book for someone to die, I would’ve been a bit happier.  I picked this book up for a reason!  I wanted a scary horror book filled with murder and suspense!

 

I also found it convenient that all 10 of the people invited to this party were able to dedicate a whole weekend just to attend.  That seemed like a strange coincidence.

 

All in all, this was an “okay” book.  I liked how the author included the journal entries and how the murders played out.  It was creepy and always kept me guessing.  I was actually surprised when the killer was revealed, which was excellent because I didn’t see it coming.  I don’t like when murder mysteries are predictable.  It takes away from the enjoyment of the story.

 

If you’re looking for a decently suspenseful, horror book without over-the-top gore or scares, you should give this one a shot.

So I know this doesn’t exactly match the whole “Horror October” event I’m participating in this month, but I decided to go ahead and read this one because I’m planning on meeting Mindy while she is on the Dark Days tour.  She’s going to be in town this week and I really wanted to get this one read before I went.  Plus I had been dying to read it ever since I had first heard about it.

 

I had such high hopes for this book, and it definitely did not disappoint!  I loved every minute of it and even stayed up all night reading it without even realizing how much time had passed.  Getting no sleep was so worth it!

 

I was instantly sucked in when I first started Not a Drop to Drink.  I connected with the main character, Lynn, and her mother right off the bat.  They were so developed that I couldn’t help but feel how under pressure they were just to survive another day.  Their life was so much different than what we are all used to, but I felt like I was actually there in poor Lynn’s shoes trying to obey her mother and do her duty to help keep them both alive.  My heart hurt for Lynn the entire book, but I loved how strong of a character she was to go through so much pain and still be as brave as she was.  Sure, she started out as a hardass, but that was understandable because that was really all she knew.  I cannot express how much I love girls being portrayed as independent and tough!

 

The relationships between the numerous characters were created so well.  I ended up caring so much for each one that Lynn encountered.  Not to mention, I got my heart ripped out a couple times.  Oh the feels!

 

This was a very deep, dark, depressing story all in all.  It scared me a bit because the more I thought about it, the more I could see how possible it could be for this sort of thing to happen in real life.  I sure hope this doesn’t happen because I wouldn’t survive very long.  It really makes you appreciate the little things that we often take for granted.

 

So if you’re looking for a nice, fun, happy read – I would not pick this one up.  It may be dark and depressing, but it brings forth a good message and was so different from the usual books that I’ve been reading lately.  It has definitely earned a spot on my list of favorites!

*yawn*  Is it naptime yet?  I think I would’ve been better off sleeping, rather than spending my time reading this book.  That actually makes me sad, because this sounded like such a scary, creepy story.

 

I’ll be honest here, and say that I didn’t have very high hopes for this book before I started based on the reviews I had read.  With that considered, I decided to go against my better judgment and go ahead and give it a shot.  I should’ve went with my gut, but curiosity got the best of me this time.

 

This book really did have potential.  I did see how it could’ve been a great thriller, but unfortunately it fell short for me.  I found myself not caring about the characters and started getting bored towards the end.  That’s kind of not supposed to happen in a YA horror/thriller.  The characters turned out to be awkward and the relationships among them were just plain strange.  If they would have been a bit more developed, I could have probably connected with them a little better.

 

I will say this, the plot was actually alright.  It’s just how the author went about executing it that made the whole thing fall apart for me.  Sure, it had a few good creepy moments, but none of which were very memorable.

 

Not to mention, that ending was kind of lame.  I finished the last page and thought to myself  ”Seriously?  The author couldn’t have thought of a better way to end that?”  With all things considered, I was actually happy that it was finally over.

I’m always up for a good mystery book, and I’m definitely glad I picked up “The Rules for Disappearing.” It ended up being that and a whole lot more. Mystery, thriller, and a touch of romance really brought this book together for me.Although I wouldn’t say this was an intense, heart-pounding thriller, it did have a few parts that made my heart race a bit. Running from bad guys and trying not to get killed while you uncover secrets about your past would definitely do that to you.I enjoyed reading about the different characters, because they were very well developed. I instantly fell in love with Teeny and the main character, Meg. Meg was such a brave girl and I really liked having to figure her out throughout the duration of the story. She was definitely not a simple character at all because the situation she was in was so complex that she didn’t even know what was going on. I also loved Teeny, which was Meg’s younger sister. She was such a sweet little girl that just wanted a stable life like any other kid her age would.The romance in this story was actually a nice touch. I thought it was a cute, believable relationship between Meg and Ethan. It wasn’t really an insta-love, but more of an insta-attraction. That much I can handle. It’s the insta-love crap that makes me want to gag. You could see Meg’s walls breaking down little by little every time she was around Ethan. He was a genuinely good guy who seemed to really care about her. He dropped everything to drive her across the country just to keep her from having to relocate with her family again. Now that’s a boyfriend! (And here I can’t even get mine to do the dishes!)Another cool thing that really stuck out to me was that it actually mentioned my little hometown as one of the places Meg and her family had to move to. That’s crazy! No one ever talks about boring little Hillsboro, Ohio!“Tell me the worst place you lived.”I sip on my water and answer, “Definitely our first move. It was Hillsboro, Ohio.”Can’t blame her for hating it there…The only thing I really had a problem with when reading this book would have been the pacing. The first half of the book was pretty boring for me, to be honest. I know it was just setting up the story or whatnot, but I would’ve liked to see a little more attention-grabbing stuff towards the beginning. This is why I found myself putting it down a lot.All in all, the story was unique and something you wouldn’t normally see in the YA world. It was a well-written mystery that always had me guessing. I would recommend this to people who like piecing things together as they read a book.Most mistakes are made when you think no one is watching. And someone is always watching.See this review and more like it on my blog Confessions of a Bookie Monster

Wow was this book a creative one! I’ve never read anything quite like this. It was all the things that I loved all wrapped up in one – dark and twisted, sweet and innocent, love and lust. There’s just so much to this complex story.As I was reading this book, I found myself turning the pages faster and faster in order to figure out more and more pieces of the plot. I also felt like I was just as unstable as the girls because I had a little trouble keeping up with the multiple viewpoints. It was a bit confusing trying to figure out what character I was following at the time. After I finally got used to the jumping from character to character, I really did enjoy this story.Another thing that I really liked was how the author incorporated Annaliese’s poems. I’m usually not much into poetry, but these poems really told a lot about what was going on and what to expect next. It was definitely a nice touch.Dex was probably my favorite character, because he was such a good guy. He took the time in getting to know Anna and was there for her many times throughout the book. He was a great support system and even though he was seen as an outcast/creep, he was a genuinely nice guy.All in all, I definitely enjoyed reading this twisted story of self-discovery. The author weaves such a dark and tangled web of emotions, that I ended up taking only a day to read this entire book. I couldn’t help it! I just got lost in it!I would tell anyone who is up for a good horror/paranormal read to pick this book up. I wouldn’t recommend this to someone who isn’t into horror or is a bit squeamish when it comes to gore or touchy subjects. It wasn’t completely terrifying, but it is pretty gruesome in some parts. It also contains some subjects such as rape, so I would probably avoid reading this if that sort of stuff makes you uncomfortable.“Be careful what you wish for, make sure it’s what you truly want.”See this review and more like it on my blog Confessions of a Bookie Monster

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.First of all, I gotta say this book definitely left me torn. (see what I did there?)I think the problem I had with this book was in the characters themselves. I never really connected with any of them and I found myself getting angry at every little decision they made. To be honest, I had to force myself to finish this book (which is why it took me over a week). The story just seemed too scattered and messy. There also seemed to be a lack of plot. Besides the girl falling instantly in love with the bad boy, and then going back and forth from sleeping with him to sleeping with her best friend, there was absolutely nothing going on. I was hoping for more depth, but maybe I just had my expectations set too high.Let me start with our main character, Chloe. She seems like the normal, damaged girl that has had a rough past but is starting to overcome it and become a strong woman. That’s what I thought in the beginning at least. The more the story progressed, the more I hated Chloe. From the gag-worthy insta-love with Drake to her constant crying pity parties, I just couldn’t connect with her character. I like my female characters to be strong, independent, and smart. Chloe didn’t have any of these characteristics. She always let the male characters (Drake and Logan) dominate her and allowed them to control her life. She didn’t seem like she could do anything on her own, because she was always crying to one of them about something. Grow a backbone, woman! You shouldn’t let your best friend tell you who you can talk to or allow your crush to completely walk all over you. Seriously.Which brings me to Drake. Sure he seemed like the bad boy everyone should swoon over, but to me he was an a**hole. Why would you tell the girl you love so much that she needs to see someone else, then run after her like a lost puppy basically telling her that you really didn’t mean what you said? Doesn’t make much sense to me. Chloe was obviously not the only one messed up in the head. The only redeeming qualities he had showed up in the last quarter of the book.And don’t even get me started on Logan. It is completely acceptable to have a guy friend, but when he becomes possessive and controlling, that is not okay. He would always butt in and try to tell Chloe what to do. I understand he just cared about her, but this is still not okay in any case. To make things worse, Chloe seemed to just brush it off like it was no big deal. I hate when women are portrayed as being weak and timid creatures!Aside from being angry at the characters, I did find some of the story to be nice. Both of the boys did do some cute things for Chloe, like protecting her from danger and caring for her when she found herself in some bad situations.Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book, it might work for someone else. I wanted to like it, but it just left me disappointed in the end. This book just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.But in all honesty, I am kind of curious as to what Chloe’s mother wants. Maybe down the road I might pick the sequel up and see if it gets any better. Wouldn’t count on it though.See this review and more like it on my blog Confessions of a Bookie Monster

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.After taking a little time to recover from all the emotions caused by reading Ten Tiny Breaths, I can officially say this has earned a place on my favorites list. I can’t remember the last time I felt so connected to a main character. It was the perfect combination of passion, healing, and self discovery that really pulled at my heartstrings.I felt for Kacey the book. Who wouldn’t feel for a girl who not only lost her parents, but her best friend and boyfriend in a car accident? I would be messed up like her too. Not to mention, I have a problem with holding grudges myself. That would just be so hard and devastating.At first, I did not like the fact that Kacey was so cold-hearted and mean to everyone. But, as the story progressed I began to understand more and more about how bad she had her guard up. People cope with things in different ways, and this was just her way. She had a right to be acting that way because she was emotionally destroyed. I would also detach myself from the world if I had been through this traumatic experience.Some of the things that I loved about this book, was the raw emotion and the relationships she had with the other characters. The characters were all so very well developed that I found myself connecting with each of them in a way. Kacey was always protecting her sister, Livie, which showed she still had a heart. She was still a sweet, caring person deep down inside. I loved how the other characters came into play and helped bring those enormous walls down little by little. I even loved Trent. He seemed like the perfect guy for Kacey and their relationship made my heart sing (as well as break). Her journey to forgiveness was so powerful. I always enjoy seeing a character find their true selves.This book was such an emotional roller coaster I found myself not wanting to get off of. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a touching story about healing and forgiveness.“Take ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them.”See this review and others like it on my blog Confessions of a Bookie Monster

“Hope? Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic.”I know what you’re thinking. “Why would Amanda wait so long to pick up this book?” Honestly, I found myself asking that same question as I was making my way through “Daughter of Smoke and Bone.” It was nothing short of amazing, and I’m so glad I finally got to it.After finishing the last page, I had to sit there for 15 minutes or so just to let everything soak in. The way that Laini Taylor weaves her story is so vivid and beautiful, I couldn’t help but be completely lost in Karou’s world while I was reading.And the characters! Oh the characters! They were so well developed that I instantly felt like I knew them. I felt what they felt. At times, I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster. Not to mention that love story was so intricate and kept me wanting to read on to find out more. Very well put together!One thing that usually concerns me in stories like this is the shift in time. You know the whole past – present – past – present scheme. Usually I get thrown off by that if it is not done right. I’m so happy that this was not the case. This was done perfectly. It allowed the story to develop more and more before it all finally came together in the end.I just can’t find anymore words to describe how wonderful this book was for me. I could not recommend it enough!Now I must find the time to read the sequel!See this review and others like it on my blog Confessions of a Bookie Monster

“I have loved you all my life, Mal,”I whispered through my tears. ”There is no end to our story”I don’t even know where to begin on this one. *takes a deep breath*I must first say, Leigh Bardugo is one talented writer and has earned a place in my list of favorite authors. The way she writes is just so beautiful and vivid, I found myself getting lost in Alina’s world. The world building was fantastic and made the book so easy to read.After reading the first book in the series, Shadow and Bone, I knew I had to continue onto the sequel as soon as i could get my hands on a copy. It sure didnt take me long at all. Boy was that a glorious day.In my opinion, this was even better than the first one. I felt a lot more connected to the characters in this one. Im not saying I was unhappy with Shadow and Bone, but it seemed to have been lacking something for me. I love Alina’s character so much more now. She is fierce and powerful, but still has an emotional side that anyone can relate to. If i had to choose one though, Id have to say Stormhond was my favorite character because he brought a bit of humor to the story. His one liners and sarcasm made him so relatable. I found myself giggling every now and then, which resulted in weird looks from the people around me. I didn’t mind at all. The only thing that I am impartial to would be Mal’s character. I’m not sure what to think of him anymore. I want to love him, but the decisions he makes and the way he acts makes me kind of frustrated as well. Why would you give up on the girl you love just because things start to get a little complicated in her life? That’s when she needs you the most jerk!I’d also like to point out that I don’t usually cry when reading books, but the ending made my eyes water a bit. Darn you feelings!With all of that being said, I would highly recommend this book to people who like a little bit of everything in their books (adventure, action, romance, girl power). I seriously cannot wait until the next book in this series! I want it right now!

Even better than the first one! :)

Made it to page 152 before I decided I had had enough. I really don't see what the big fuss is about with this series.

I'll admit it - I'm pretty disappointed with the length of this story. But it was well written nonetheless.

I got about 65% done and lost interest. It's a long book, and I think it just drug on way too long. Might give it another shot someday when I have more time to dedicate to it.

4.5 starsParanormal murder mystery love story all wrapped in one. I didn't think I would like Anna at the beginning, but she turned out to be a great character. Can't wait for the next book!