Reading With Monie

Review: Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:17:00 +0000

The day before reporting back to Mythos Academy after the winter break, Gwen and quite a few of her classmates are visiting a coliseum filled with artifacts to complete a report Professor Mentis assigned them over the break. The next thing you know Reapers are invading the coliseum looking for the Helheim Dagger which will release the God of Chaos, Loki, from his imprisonment. In their search for the dagger the Reapers kill quite a few of Gwen’s classmates but the so-called Reaper Girl, Loki’s Champion, makes a mistake and drops a map that shows another possible location of the dagger, the library where Gwen works.

As Gwen begins searching for the dagger things with the Spartan Logan have taken a turn for the better but just when she feels that things might be getting back on track with Logan her psychometry magic drives a big wedge between them. Will things work themselves out before the Reapers make another appearance or will it be too late for Gwen and the other Mythos students?

I’ve been one Estep's biggest fans since her Big Time series. My favorite series in 2011 was her Elemental Assassin series. With that being said I had the hardest time getting through book one of this series,Touch of Frost. Maybe it was the fact that the series was YA and I wasn't having too much luck with my YA reads but there was just something about the book that I couldn't put my finger on. I was almost about to give up on the series when I read Halloween Frost in the Entangled Anthology. There was just enough intrigue to get me hooked on the series and eagerly awaiting the next installment Kiss of Frost.

Now in Dark Frost Estep once again has me hooked. This latest book pulled me in from the opening pages and I eagerly sped through the rest of the book. The characters come to life with such authenticity that I can't help but feel like they are my friends and I'm rooting for them every step of the way. The storyline itself took a totally unexpected turn in Dark Frost and I absolutely cannot wait for the next installment. I highly recommend this one for all YA and urban fantasy readers. And be sure to read the rest of Estep's books. She is an amazing writer and I can't wait until she reaches Nora Roberts or James Patterson's status where a new book is cranked out every few months that way I can get my fixes faster. LOL

Review: Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans by Gerry Barttlett

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:14:00 +0000

Product Description:

Someone is eating for two...

Full-figured vampire Glory St. Clair thinks things are finally going her way. She's no longer possessed by a demon, the legions of hell aren't on her tail, and her love life is heating up since she managed to reconnect with her maker-and longtime lover-Jeremy Blade.

When a pregnant demon shows up on her doorstep, Glory knows that everything is about to go to hell. Alesa is claiming that the baby she's carrying is Rafe's, conceived while she was inhabiting Glory's body. A clever trap? Or could it be true?

Booties and bibs are the last thing on Glory's mind when she discovers dark secrets from her own forgotten past. Who is she? What is she? And how will the men in her life deal with the fact that she may be more powerful than she knew? One thing is certain. Glory has way more to worry about than fitting into her favorite pair of jeans...

My Review:

When I read book seven in the series I was pretty disappointed (read my review) and swore that if book eight didn't wow me then I would give up on the series. Well now that I've read book eight I have to say that while the book didn't wow me it will keep me in the series at least until the next book.

There was more of Glory flip-flopping with the men in her life which I hate but the story lines in this one were pretty interesting. First Glory has to deal with the return of the demon Alesa then she learns that before she was turned she wasn't a human. Now in addition to figuring out what she is, she's learning to control all these awesome new powers that she now has and taking back control of her life.

Book nine in the series has Glory traveling to Scotland to save her relationship with Jeremy so I hope Real Vampires Know Hips Happen is as much fun as the first six books that I loved so much. I recommend this series for all paranormal romance lovers.

Unconquered Book Tour and Kindle Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:14:00 +0000

About Unconquered: The Saga of Cousins Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Swaggart, and Mickey Gilley

In 1935 and early 1936, three cousins were born into tight-knit families in Ferriday, Louisiana. Rare piano talent, strong parental relationships, the Pentecostal church, family struggle, and a variety of musical influences worked together to produce men who changed twentieth-century music and culture. The individual stories of these three cousins illustrate their varied paths from small-town America to a world stage. Woven together, the collective story becomes even more compelling and amazing.

UNCONQUERED is a story so unlikely that it would not be believable if written as fiction. It tells of rock ‘n’ roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, and country music star Mickey Gilley. These very different men, raised in the same time and place, with similar talents, were fated for entirely different destinies even as their lives would always be profoundly intertwined. Born into poverty, each man, in his own way, would become an iconic figure blessed with the ability to thrill and inspire.

The story's touchstones of music, perseverance, and faith could wield such force only in the American South. There, in the Louisiana lowlands’ Concordia Parish, their story began in the midst of the Great Depression.Purchase your copy on Amazon by clicking here.

J.D. Davis was raised in Quitman, Texas, a quiet community in the northeast part of the state. Having grown up in a small town in the rural South—similar in many ways to the cousins’ hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana—with many similar influences as the cousins, he has meaningful insight into these three men.

Davis attended the University of Texas on a full academic scholarship, received a B.A. with highest honors in economics, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He later received a master’s degree from SMU.

As a successful businessman, Davis achieved the highest credentials as an actuary and became a principal in a large firm while still in his twenties. He currently manages an employee benefits consulting practice that covers the southern region of the United States, with offices in four cities.

Davis remembers his father watching Jimmy Swaggart on television and being intrigued by the evangelist's magnificent piano talent. As a teenager, Davis became a huge fan of Jerry Lee Lewis. He first attended one of Lewis’s live performances as a college student and was awe-struck to see this man put on a breathtaking performance. Davis grew up listening to country music of the seventies and eighties, when Mickey Gilley was consistently producing number one country hits. He became fascinated by the ways these three very different cousins achieved and dealt with eventual success and has been a dedicated fan for years.

Davis has worked with a talented team of many. His editors included Elizabeth Kaye, an award winning journalist who has often written about southern music and southern preachers. As a contributing editor to Rolling Stone, she interviewed Sam Phillips and gathered firsthand experience of Jerry Lee Lewis when covering sessions at which he played with Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Roy Orbison. As a contributing editor to John Kennedy’s George magazine, Kaye wrote extensively about Billy Graham and his son Franklin, traveled on several missionary trips with Franklin, and worked with ABC’s 20/20 to produce and write a major Billy Graham profile.

You can visit his website at http://www.unconqueredthebook.com/.

Visit his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/UnconqueredTheBook

Visit his Twitter page at https://twitter.com/Unconqueredbook

If you would like to view his book trailer, you can view it at http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=0CrVQv2lJJ8

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Review: The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:53:00 +0000

Product Description:
Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Tom Sagan has written hard-hitting articles from hot spots around the world. But when a controversial report from a war-torn region is exposed as a fraud, his professional reputation crashes and burns. Now he lives in virtual exile—haunted by bad decisions and the shocking truth he can never prove: that his downfall was a deliberate act of sabotage by an unknown enemy. But before Sagan can end his torment with the squeeze of a trigger, fate intervenes in the form of an enigmatic stranger with a request that cannot be ignored.

Zachariah Simon has the look of a scholar, the soul of a scoundrel, and the zeal of a fanatic. He also has Tom Sagan’s estranged daughter at his mercy. Simon desperately wants something only Sagan can supply: the key to a 500-year-old mystery, a treasure with explosive political significance in the modern world. For both Simon and Sagan the stakes are high, the goal intensely personal, the consequences of opposing either man potentially catastrophic. On a perilous quest from Florida to Vienna to Prague and finally to the mountains of Jamaica, the two men square off in a dangerous game. Along the way, both of their lives will be altered—and everything we know about Christopher Columbus will change.

My Review:
I have read and loved every single one of Steve Berry's books but I have to say that I was very disappointed in The Columbus Affair. The action was working along two different story lines that eventually merged into one but everything felt disjointed. I didn't connect with any of the characters. Tom wasn't the typical hero, his daughter Alle was spoiled and delusional and I totally disliked her character. One of the two bad guys became the character I liked the most, Bene Rowe, but I still didn't think the flow was right on his part of the story line. I think Mr. Berry just needs to stick to his Cotton Malone series and not try to offer up stand alone novels with new characters.

One thing I do have to acknowledge about the book that was outstanding was the historical detail and research that went into the story. You can tell that Berry tried to keep the details as close to history as possible and that lent the whole book a feel of realism that I enjoyed. I recommend this one as a library read for die hard fans of Steve Berry otherwise I'd say try one of this other books before reading this one.

Win an iPad 3rd Generation from Dragon Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:15:00 +0000

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Review: Dead Running by Cami Checketts

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:01:00 +0000

When Cassidy Christensen’s sister-in-law convinced her to run in a 5K Cassidy just barely got through the finish line. Once the race was over the coordinators of the race had a few giveaways and lo and behold Cassidy won an entry in to an upcoming marathon. Committed to completing the marathon Cassidy dives into training but when it’s clear she’s being targeted Cassidy doesn’t know just who to trust. Will she make it to the finish line or will this be her last mile?

Dead Running is my first book by Cami Checketts and I absolutely loved it. Cassidy is funny, brave and quirky and I loved her philosophy on relationships. She’s attracted to two very different guys in the book. One seemingly likes her back and the other doesn’t want anything to do with her but can’t stop showing up just at the right moment when she’s in danger. Then you throw in a very snarky “Hot Red-Head” as competition and hilarity ensues.

The only reason I didn’t give this one 5 stars is that the storyline is a little too over the top and didn’t feel real but the characters redeem the book. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves light and fluffy suspense thrillers if that isn’t too much of a contradiction.

Dead Running Fitness Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:57:00 +0000

We’re celebrating the release of Cami Checketts’ novel Dead Running with a huge fitness giveaway.

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Experienced and beginner yoga packages from Hugger Mugger

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Six month adult membership: Smithfield Recreation Center

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Autographed copy of Dead Running by Cami Checketts

Win one of these amazing prizes simply by entering below. Please visit each of our sponsors’ websites to learn more about their products and decide which one you’d like to win. While you’re at their site, like their page or follow their blog to show our gratitude for their donation to this fun blogfest. You can enter on as many different blogs as you like, a list of the participating blogs is featured at the end of this post.

Follow this blog and leave a comment below to enter to win one of these great prizes. Please list the top three prizes you're interested in with your comment. An entry will be chosen from each of the participating blogs and then drawn through random.org. Prize winners will be posted be on Cami’s Blog.

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Cassidy Christensen is running.

Running from the mercenaries who killed her parents.

Running from a scheming redhead intent on making her life miserable.

Running from painful memories that sabotage her dreams of happiness.

With two very tempting men competing for her attention, she hopes she’ll finally have someone to run to, but can she trust either of them? When secrets from her past threaten her family, Cassidy decides to stop running and fight for her future.

Follow this blog and leave a comment below to enter to win one of these great prizes. Please list the top three prizes you're interested in with your comment. An entry will be chosen from each of the participating blogs and then drawn through random.org. Prize winners will be posted be on Cami’s Blog.

Contest closes: May 18, 2012

Open to residents of U.S. and Canada.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:52:00 +0000

Samantha Kingston is the high school girl that everyone loves to hate. She's pretty, she's popular and she has a good-looking boyfriend. Her life seems perfect but on a seemingly normal day all that comes to an end. Friday February 12th Samantha's life ends but immediately after the accident that takes her life, Sam wakes up and it's Friday February 12th again.

Sam doesn't understand what's happening as she re-lives that fateful day but she tries to change what happened. Once again she dies and wakes up reliving the day all over again. Each time it happens she realizes what other changes she needs to make and she relives that day five more times. Throughout each day she comes to the realization that she's not a good person and begins trying to make amends hoping to change the deadly outcome.

I absolutely hate it when authors fill YA books with sex, drugs and drinking. Sam and her friends act way to adult for my tastes. That being said I do have to say that the story line is amazing. I love that Sam got to re-live each day trying to change the things all while learning just how her actions made people feel. I can't share too much more about my likes and dislikes about the book because that will reveal spoilers but even though I gave this one just two stars I do recommend it for anyone who loves YA. It was a great read I just can't give it a higher rating because of the actions of Sam and her friends throughout the book. If the characters were college students I would rate the book 4 stars.

Review: The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls by John Lekich

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Henry Holloway's mother passed away when he was nine and Henry's uncle Andy became his guardian. For the past six years Andy and his buddies have been giving Henry a crash course in burglary and other nefarious deeds. When the law finally caught up with Andy, Henry was left living with Andy's girlfriend Cindy. But soon enough Cindy runs off to Vegas and Henry makes his home an abandoned tree house sneaking food and essentials from homes of his "customers".

Things are tough when you're a burglar who feels guilty about stealing from the houses you break into and Henry makes up for some of his bad deeds by cleaning up the mess he makes and then some. After almost being caught by someone being home unexpectedly, Henry makes a narrow escape and breaks into yet another house to clean and patch himself up. But this time he dozes off and is actually caught. Now he's been sent to live with the Wingates in Snowflake Falls and he just might be worse off, not rehabilitated.

The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls was more of a children's book than a YA read but it was a super cute story that had Henry redeeming himself in the end. I enjoyed his antics in the beginning of the story and thought the relationship with his uncle Andy was truly well done. I recommend this one for kids 11-15.

Guest Post: Q&A with Laura Griffin

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:31:00 +0000

I'm super excited to welcome back Laura Griffin, bestselling author of the Tracers series.

New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. She is the author of ten novels and has won numerous awards, including a RITA Award for Whisper of Warning. Laura lives in Austin, where she is working on the next book in her popular Tracers series.

Laura welcome to Reading with Monie. It’s great to have you back.

1. Please tell us a little more about your latest book Twisted (read my review).

It’s great to be back, Monie!

TWISTED is about rookie detective Allison Doyle, who is working her first big murder case when she meets FBI profiler Mark Wolfe. Although Allison’s police department thinks they’ve got their murder case figured out, Mark convinces Allison that they’re looking at the wrong guy. Mark believes the real murderer is a serial killer he’s been hunting for years.

2. Do you have more books in the Tracer series planned?

I’ve been so thrilled with the response to the series, and my publisher has asked me to do at least three more books. After TWISTED, next up is SCORCHED, which comes out in the fall.

3. How much research do you normally do for your novels?

I love the research because I get to meet interesting people in the fields of law enforcement and forensic science. For TWISTED, I interviewed police officers and did a ride-along so I could get a sense of the day-to-day nature of the job. Touring the FBI Academy and talking to special agents helped me better understand the character of Mark Wolfe.

4. How did you come to be involved in the anthologies you’re featured in and is writing for an anthology very different from writing a full novel?

Writing short is so different from writing a full-length book. You really have to get straight to the point and start the action without delay. My publisher recently released the Tracers novella UNSTOPPABLE as an ebook, and that’s been fun. Also, my short story “Nightfall” was in the GUNS AND ROSES anthology. This summer I have a short story starring a Navy SEAL that will be featured in the LOVE IS MURDER anthology, put together by the authors of International Thriller Writers.

I like short stories and novellas because they give me a chance to reach readers who may be looking to sample a new author.

5. Do you have any plans to add books to your Glass Sister or Borderline series?

A lot of readers have asked about Kate Kepler from ONE WRONG STEP. I would love to write her story sometime down the road, but right now I have my hands full with the Tracers series. The Glass Sisters series sort of segued into the Tracers series because my first Tracers book, UNTRACEABLE, features a character from WHISPER OF WARNING. My stories have a tendency to overlap!

6. Do you have a favorite read from 2011?

Hmm… that’s a tough one. I really enjoyed RED MIST by Patricia Cornwell. And my daughter got me to read THE HUNGER GAMES, which was very entertaining. We saw the movie together, and it was fun to see it translated to the big screen.

7. Where can readers find you online?

I love to talk to readers! Find me here:

Twittter: @Laura_Griff

www.Facebook.com/LauraGriffinAuthor

http://www.lauragriffin.com/

Review: Twisted by Laura Griffin

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:07:00 +0000

The latest murder in the small Texas town of San Marcos is has thinking that they got the killer locked up tight. But when one of the few female detectives on the force, rookie Allison Doyle starts to question their prime suspect no one wants to hear it. Late one night Allison walks into a convenience store robbery and because she has so much on her mind the robber gets the jump on her and she’s almost taken out. Luckily FBI profiler Mark Wolfe just happens to be inside the store also and jumps to her rescue.

Mark has arrived in town because he suspects that the latest murder is part of a series of murders that he’s been tracking down for years. Together Allison and Mark turn to the Delphi Center’s experts for help convincing the powers that be that they’ve got the wrong man and to pick up the trail of the real killer.

Man I just love reading Laura’s books. They are like reading a CSI episode with but more action and believability when it comes to the investigation. I’m always amazed by Laura’s attention to detail in the crime investigation. If I didn’t know better I would say that she’s probably a forensic investigator herself. The romance part of the book is also realistic. It’s not just a convenient plot line that throws the main characters into a relationship. It comes naturally which makes it all the more believable. There’s also a serious creep factor in this one that kept me guessing until the very end. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves romantic suspense.

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:44:00 +0000

In seventeen year old Cassia’s world there are not very many choices to make. This like music, art and poems are limited to the top 100 that Society chose for them, the Society decides who you’re going to be matched with and what job you will have. This system of matching usually works well for everyone and when one of her best friends, Xander, is selected as her match, Cassie is ecstatic. But the next morning Cassia checks her microcard to see Xander’s picture again and something very unexpected happens. It’s not Xander she sees. It’s Ky Markham, a neighbor with a mysterious past. Pretty soon after that Cassia receives a visit from an official that explains the mistake. She states that Ky is an Aberration and will never have a match. But the seed is planted and now Cassia begins to have doubts about Xander and some of the Society’s other rules.

I’m a little late jumping on the Matched bandwagon since I just found out about this trilogy a couple of weeks ago but apparently it’s a very popular series that has been compared to The Hunger Games. The one thing I always ponder in dystopian books is how life as we know it today allows changes like the Society to happen but then I think a) it’s fiction and b) I bet that people in our past might wonder how we allowed ourselves to get to where we are today but with Matched Condie threw in Aberrations and Anomalies who are people who don’t conform to society and that made this one a little more realistic for me.

I really enjoyed the awakening experience that Cassia goes through in the book. It was well done, subtle and not too over the top. I also liked Cassia’s Dad. You can see where Cassia gets her fight from and I hope that he has plays a part in the next book Crossed which is already out and Reached which will be out later this year. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves dystopian YA.

Review: The Future of Us by Jay Ahser and Carolyn Mackler

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Sophomore Josh and junior Emma have been neighbors and best friends their whole lives. That is until last November when things got a little awkward between them. Now they don’t really hang out much other than at school with other friends. When Emma receives a computer from her father as a guilt gift (he divorced her mom, moved away and started a new family) Josh’s mom sends Josh over to Emma’s with a free AOL CD that she received in the mail. After installing the CD Emma logs in and is taken to her Facebook page. There’s just one problem. It’s 1996 and Facebook hasn’t even been invented yet. Is someone playing a cruel joke or can Josh and Emma really see what their lives are like fifteen years in the future each time they log on?

After reading a couple of reviews about The Future of Us I promptly put this book on my wish list. The idea seemed like a lot of fun and the book totally lived up to my expectations. It was funny to read about all the old technology like dial up modems and those darn AOL CD that were always being sent out.

After seeing what their futures were like Emma tried her hardest to change hers and Josh tried his hardest to make his future start happening now. It was a unique story that I thoroughly enjoyed. The only reason why I didn’t give this one five stars was the fact that the glitch that allowed them to see their future selves on Facebook was never explained. I would have like to see something about that to give a little closure to the story. I recommend this one for anyone who loves quick YA reads.

The White Lilac by Christina J. Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:41:00 +0000

Life on Beta Earth in 2734 is certainly very different than life on Earth now but one issue looms large. There is a deadly sickness that affects the population and special genetically altered humans are trained from birth to harvest the cure from the deadly waters of Beta Earth. After a competition against others raised to harvest the cure, fifteen year old Caryn Tobin becomes the next one chosen to save Beta Earth.

Sheltered in The Compound where she was trained Caryn has never visited the city of Highton City. But since gathering the cure is fatal, the mayor of Highton has given Caryn three days to visit her city and experience life as a normal girl for the first time ever. The Compound reluctantly agrees as long as Caryn is escorted while in the city. Caryn chooses Kai Garrett, an orphaned boy that’s been living on the streets narrowly escaping a life of crime by seeking shelter in the water whenever he’s threatened.

Together Caryn and Kai experience life’s little pleasures while they accidentally uncover the truth behind the sickness, the cure and The Compound.

The White Lilac immediately drew me into the world of Beta Earth and Caryn just like if I was there. It was a fast paced read that kept me glued to the pages. The story is told in first person form from Caryn’s point of view and third person form from Kai’s point of view. It was a unique way to relate the story but I think it shed a little more light on the story than it would have any other way. I enjoyed the political and scientific aspects in the story but found the ending just a little too predictable. Overall it was a great read that I highly recommend to all sci-fi readers.

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:11:00 +0000

When Clay Jensen gets home from school there is a package address to him waiting on his porch. When he opens the package he finds seven cassette tapes labeled with a number and A or B. When he finally tracks down a tape player he learns that the tapes were recorded by Hannah Baker who committed suicide just two weeks earlier.

As he listens on Hannah explains that on these tapes are 13 reasons why she committed suicide and that if you are listening to the tape you’re one of the reasons. Clay is devastated. He liked Hannah and never thought that he would be one of her reasons. As Clay listens to the tapes he gets pulled deeper into Hannah’s world but there is nothing he can do to change what happened.

I was immediately sucked into Thirteen Reasons Why. The thought that Hannah would leave this terrible legacy to the thirteen people on the tapes was just a little bothersome. If she chose to take her own life because of other people’s actions that was her choice. It made me a little upset to think that she left the tapes behind but nonetheless I had to know just what those reasons were. I’m sure a teen reading this book could relate a little better than I could but I still thought the book itself was very well done. The story is told in two voices, Clay’s and Hannah’s which made a huge difference in the reading. Even though the end result cannot be changed I liked the way Clay was able to get a lot out of the tapes themselves. This is a very compelling read that I recommend for anyone who loves YA books with a serious tilt.

Review: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:02:00 +0000

If you've ever wondered what helped shape popular blogger, Jenny Lawson, into the woman she is today, wonder no more. The genius behind The Bloggess (like Mother Teresa only better) shares some her most memorable and pretty terrifying adventures as a shy awkward girl growing up in rural West Texas all the way through fifteen years being married to her unbelievably patient husband Victor.

Prior to reading Let’s Pretend This Never Happened I wasn't a follower of Jenny's blog but the cover of this book just said something to me. A mouse dressed as Hamlet complete with a miniature skull? Who could resist that. Every now and then I reflect back on growing up and wonder just how I came to be the woman I am today and now that I have a little insight into Jenny's upbringing this book makes perfect sense.

Jenny had to endure a father who ran taxidermy business (think Chuck Testa) who always felt the need to share his love of dead animals with his small girls. But not just the dead ones. I'm totally jealous that Jenny had a pet raccoon named Rambo that she got to dress in Jams, the popular 80's clothes.

From West Texas, to Houston to the Texas Hill country Jenny struggles through one crazy adventure after another. She shares story after story that would be hard to believe without the proof in the pictures sprinkled throughout the book. Now before I hunt down my own 5 foot tall rusted metal rooster I'm going to highly recommend this book for anyone who thinks they grew up with strange parents or anyone who loves a memoir full of laughs that will have you giggling, "oh no she didn't!"

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:34:00 +0000

Hated by her poor turnip-farming father seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes an arranged marriage with an abusive man and is whisked away to the convent of St. Mortain. But this is not your ordinary convent. The nuns of St. Mortain have special skills... they are gifted in the art of death. They serve the Mortain, the god of death, as assassins against those who wish to harm Anne, the Duchess of Brittany.

Trained for three long years Ismae finally ready. She completes her first two assignments but on both she narrowly escapes capture by Gavriel Duval, half-brother of Anne. She returns to the convent only to find that her next assignment is to accompany Gavriel Duval into the court of Anne and find the traitor who is trying to sabotage the country of Brittany against the French but the convent has their suspicions about Gavriel so Isame has to be especially watchful.

As the political maneuverings swirl around her things turn confusing for Ismae quickly and she has to deal with the pressure of serving Mortain or her own heart before all is lost.

In 2010 I got on a huge historical fiction kick and read tons of historical books but they soon grew tiresome. Last year I didn't pick up too many but when I started seeing tons of glowing reviews and read the synopsis of Grave Mercy I snagged it up in a heartbeat. Who can resist assassin nuns? Not only did this book live up to the hype it wowed me. The plot is so well done, the characters became amazingly real and I didn't want the story to end. This is the first book in the His Fair Assassins Trilogy and I cannot wait for the next book in the series out next year. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves historical fiction and kick ass heroines.

Review: Trail of the Spellmans: Document #5 by Lisa Lutz

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Product Description:

FOR THE FIRST TIME in Spellman history, Isabel Spellman, PI, might be the most normal member of her family. Mom has taken on an outrageous assortment of extracurricular activities—with no apparent motive. Dad has a secret. Izzy’s brother and sister are at war—for no apparent reason. And her niece keeps saying “banana” even though she hates bananas.

That’s not to say that Izzy isn’t without her own troubles. Her boyfriend, Henry Stone, keeps wanting “to talk,” a prospect Isabel evades by going out with her new drinking buddy, none other than Gertrude Stone, Henry’s mother.

Things aren’t any simpler on the business side of Spellman Investigations. First, Rae is hired to follow a girl, only to fake the surveillance reports. Then a math professor hires Izzy to watch his immaculate apartment while he unravels like a bad formula. And as the questions pile up, Izzy won’t stop hunting for the answers—even when they threaten to shatter both the business and the family.

My Thoughts:

I was so happy when I found out that The Spellmans Strike Again was not the last book in the Spellman series as I had originally thought. Lutz returns with more zany adventures for Izzy and her eccentric family. There is intrigue that weaves all the different characters into one hilarious escapade that actually made me laugh out loud at times. There is one sad note to the book but I don't want to give away any spoilers. I am anxiously awaiting the next "Document" and recommend this series for anyone who loves mysteries with plenty of humor.

DNF: Ninja Versus Pirate Featuring Zombies by James Marshall

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:10:00 +0000

Product Description:

In a world where Zombies control banks and governments, only one young man sees the way things are and emerges from the Chaos and destruction: Guy Boy Man. While he tries to end human suffering worldwide and in his high school, Guy Boy Man meets a cute Pink-Haired girl named Babydoll15 who has a Unicorn that follows her everywhere. An Epic Romance begins, but forces Beyond Their Control are intent on keeping the young couple apart. One of those Forces may - or may not be! - Guy Boy Man's closest friend, a handsome African-American Ninja named Sweetie Honey; another could be four Exotically Beautiful, genetically engineered and behaviorally modified Eastern European Girls; yet another, the principal of their High School ...not to mention an impending standardized test known as the Zombie Acceptance Test! Will Guy Boy Man find a way to be with Baby Doll15 in a World Where Everyone Is Doomed to become either zombies or zombie food?

My Thoughts:

I am currently infatuated with the recent zombie trend. My favorite TV show is The Walking Dead and I even gave Pride and Prejudice and Zombies five stars. Really I'm a sucker for all things paranormal so when I saw this book I thought it would be right down my alley but sadly that wasn't the case. I knew from the description that it would over the top but the book was just too hard to follow. It is written in a weird format almost as if Guy Boy Man is just rambling from thought to thought without forming full sentences. That alone wasn't enough to throw me off so I kept reading but then the story was just way too far over the top. I didn't expect any realism but this was just downright weird. I got about halfway through the book and I just never got engaged in the story so I called it a day and gave up on this one. The target audience might be a mature young adult and I'm sure it's going to be a huge hit but I had to pass on finishing this one up.

List of 2012 DNF books.

PrintRunner Sticker Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:41:00 +0000

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Review: Invisible by Jeanne Bannon

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:07:00 +0000

Being the big girl in her family is hard enough but for 5' 9" Lola Savullo it's even worse because she's overweight and forced to wear a bathing suit during her summer job as a camp counselor. Not anticipating having to wear it she didn't even shave her legs and sadly her towel doesn't cover up much. Humiliated beyond belief Lola is in for a shock when she realizes that she's become invisible.

Now eight months later she's about to graduate from high school and since it never happened again she's thinking her invisibility was her imagination. But when the school bully sets his sights on making Lola miserable, she learns that it was real and sets about learning to control her awesome power.

It's really sad to think that bullying like this happens everyday but there is no magic power to help real victims. I like the fact that Lola didn't use her power as a crutch. She actually became a better person because of it along with her best friend Charlie, another social outcast, and her friend Jon. Invisible is a great story with a positive ending that I recommend for anyone who loves a quick story with a paranormal twist.

Review: A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:59:00 +0000

Seventeen year old Farrah "Digit" Higgins has a secret. She's a super math genius but when she moved, she decided that she was going to make a fresh start at her new high school and hide her gift to become one of the popular girls. While hanging with her friends watching a mind-numbing teen show, Farrah noticed something. For the past 3 weeks she's watched a number sequence pop up during the show's opening credits and when she gets to thinking about it she realizes that the show is being used as a method of communication for environmental terrorists who have just killed 8 people. Now all she has to do is convince the FBI to take her seriously.

I think it's kind of creepy that Farrah and the FBI agent, John Bennett, hook up in this book since she's only seventeen (about to be 18) and he's twenty-one so I had a hard time accepting the relationship but other than that I loved the story and thought it was well done. I'm sure many teenagers can relate to hiding in plain site and I'm glad that Farrah was able to get past her insecurities about her talent and learn how to manage it in the real world while embracing the "Digit" side of herself. The storyline was fast-paced and realistic (yes, teens do drink at parties) and I recommend this one for both young adult and adult readers as a fun quick read.

Review: Born To Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:15:00 +0000

The philanthropic organization Obermeyer Institute is doing incredible research working with Greater-Thans, people who can use more of their brain than normal people. In fact these elite individuals can use anywhere from 30% to 70% of their brain and have special talents like telekinesis, the ability to heal their own bodies, super seduction and empathic powers. Part of what the OI does is seek out Potentials who have an elevated brain function and show potential for more with their specialized training.

Dr. Joseph Bach heads up OI with 70%, Dr. “Mac” Mackenzie and Dr. Stephen Diaz are second in command with 50%. Enter dishonorably discharged and blacklisted former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin and suddenly there are mysterious spikes in their numbers. While looking into this further, another potential that was on OI’s radar, Nika, is kidnapped by The Organization, an evil group that is draining the life out of young potentials to create a drug called Destiny which gives the user Greater Than powers and is instantly addicting. Can the team save Nika and figure out how to manage these spikes in their Greater Than powers without losing anyone?

Phew! That was a longer than usual description but there is so much going on in this book and I wanted to touch on a little bit of it all. Basically Born to Darkness is a love story between three main couples but there is so much more going on throughout the whole book. I love the characters and their quirks. They are written so well that I wanted to reach into the pages and take one or two of them by the shoulders and shake some sense into them. When a book has you that hooked you know it’s a winner. This is book one in the Fighting Destiny series and I will definitely be reading the next installment as soon as it hits the shelves. I highly recommend this one for all paranormal romance lovers.

Review: The Hunt For Atlantis by Andy McDermott

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:47:00 +0000

Archaeologist Nina Wilde is 100% sure that she’s located the lost city of Atlantis but unfortunately her none of her superiors at her university believe her and they aren’t willing to fund her expedition to prove her theory is correct. Enter billionaire Kristian Frost. Frost not only funds the expedition but sends his daughter Kari and bodyguard Eddie Chase to keep Nina safe. But even before their journey begins danger is lurking around every corner.

I knew going into the book that The Hunt for Atlantis was going to be pure cheese. So knowing that I enjoyed the fast-paced action and following the group from one remote location to another. What I didn’t like very much was the villain in the story. He was way too over the top with his scheming. It just didn’t mix well with the rest of the story for me.

I also had no clue that this was book one of the Nina Wilde/Eddie Chase series of which there are 8 books written so far so the ending was a big surprise. I’m pretty sure I’ll read the next installment, The Tomb of Hercules, but maybe after I let this one settle for a while. Recommended as a library read for anyone who loves suspense thrillers.

Review: Arctic Fire by Paul Byers

noreply@blogger.com (Monie Garcia) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:52:00 +0000

Imagine the chaos that we would face if there was a worldwide water shortage. Scary right? Well billionaire Nigel Cain has a solution. He’s figured out a way to transport giant icebergs to the US and then use the same transportation equipment as a water treatment system to bring fresh clean water to everyone. All he needs is the final approval that the system is safe and he can dock in New York Harbor and get down to business.

Gabriel Pike is the engineer tasked with that last inspection but as a harsh winter storm wreaks havoc on the iceberg and the hotel/casino on top of it (did I mention Cain was an eccentric billionaire?) Gabriel has serious doubts as to the safety of allowing the iceberg in. When Gabriel voices his concerns he learns that Cain will stop at nothing to ensure the iceberg arrives as planned.

When I was first asked to review Arctic Fire I laughed out loud. I’ve always wondered why someone didn’t just do this exact same thing to help the countries that go through droughts so I was really looking forward to reading this one and I wasn’t disappointed. Arctic Fire is a fast paced read that I finished in just one day. I feel in love with Gabriel Pike from the first chapter and was dying to know just what sinister plot Cain had in mind. I highly recommend this one for anyone who loves suspense thrillers.