Janitors Deal on Amazon

In the next few weeks I will be reviewing all 3 (Yes! Even the new one!) of the

Janitors books by Tyler Whitesides. (My boys are so excited for the new one they can't stand it!)

So, in preparation for the excitement, I want to let you know about this great deal!

Through the month of August the first book Janitors is free on Kindle!!!

Grab it here:

Requiem (Book #3)

Requiem (Book #3) by Lauren Oliver

(Summary taken from amazon.com) "This exciting finale to Lauren Oliver's New York Times bestselling Delirium trilogy is a riveting blend of nonstop action and forbidden romance in a dystopian United States.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with the inner tumult she experiences after the reappearance of her first love, Alex, the boy she thought was dead. Sophisticated and wide-ranging, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to a thrilling conclusion."

What is the one word I would use to describe this book? INTENSE. Wow. It is everything in the first two books and more. If you read the first two....you've probably already read this one! Once again, the writing style is fast-paced and action-packed. There are a lot of the same characters as in book two, and a few more are introduced. I loved that it went back to Hana. I really liked her in the first book, and it was fun to get back to her and bring her back into the story. For the most part, I liked the direction the book took, and felt it was a good ending for the story. It didn't wrap everything up in a perfect little package, but it wrapped it up enough that I felt like it was realistic and it was a good ending. 

There was a lot of violence in this book. They are at war. People die, including a main character. There is fighting and everything that goes with a war. There is quite a bit of language, including a few "f" words. I also thought it was a little "Twilighty" (Yes, I just made up that word) with Lena and those two boys, but not quite as bad. It did make me a little crazy though. 

I enjoyed the book a lot and read it very quickly. I think I actually read the entire series in a matter of three or four days (Keep in mind, I was on vacation at the beach and read for the good part of the day as I sat lounging in the sun. Here....just in case you want to be jealous or go there too. It was fabulous.) Hopefully I described each individual book correctly because I read them so fast they kind of blended together in my mind. I definitely recommend this book and series, but not as a YA series. 

Rating: R (This doesn't follow the movie ratings exactly, it is just my way of saying that it is not appropriate for younger readers.) Profanity, including a few "f" words, violence, war-time atrocities, death.

Recommendation: 18 years-old and up

A Light To My Path

A Light To My Path by Lynn Austin

(Summary taken from amazon.com) "Kitty, a house slave, always figured it was easiest to do what she'd always done--obey Missy and follow orders. But when word arrives that the Yankees are coming, Kitty is faced with a decision: will she continue to follow the bidding of her owners, or will she embrace this chance for freedom? Never allowed to have ideas of her own, Kitty is overwhelmed by the magnitude of her decision. Yet it is her hope to find the "happy ever after" ending to her life--and to follow Grady, whom she loves--that is the driving force behind her choice. Where will it lead her?"

My book group chose to read this book this month, and I am so glad they did. I love Ms. Austin's writing! I loved it in A Woman's Place, and I loved it in this book. Her writing is so real in this book. The images she portrays with her words are so vivid and full of life. I got sucked in from the first page, and I only put it down when I had to feed my kids or sleep....you know, the important things. Of course, as you all probably know by now, I love American history, especially the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. So, any historical fiction around these times usually piques my interest. It took me a few chapters to figure out which characters belonged to which city and time, but once I did, it wasn't a problem. From there I just fell in love with some of the characters and absolutely detested others. There were definitely some very extreme emotions there. I hated white people (and I am one) throughout most of this book. Their actions made me physically ill and very angry. The extreme hatred and anger that Grady carried in this book transferred to me. Missy Claire, Missus Goodman, Coop.....nope, didn't like them at all. However, Anna, Delia, Joe (soldier), a bunch of military personnel, and even Massa Fuller, at times, I really liked. I had a very difficult time with Grady throughout a good portion of the book. His anger and hatred are contrary to my personality, and I felt bad for him, but I also didn't trust him. I didn't want Anna around him at all in the beginning. The character development in this book is very well done. Whether I liked them or not, I felt like I had known them all for a long time.  

The story may be quite depressing a lot of the time, (It reminded me a lot of The Kitchen House) but there is so much to gain from this book. The lessons that Grady and the other slaves learned through their experiences are lessons we all need to learn. Holding on to anger and hatred and revenge only ends up hurting us in the end. Learning to forgive is difficult, but through forgiveness we gain freedom from the burden of hatred. There is also a lesson of faith in something greater than yourself, and also faith in yourself. Surrounding yourself with good people, and the help that others can give you during difficult times are also wonderful lessons to learn. The power that music has to heal and bring out different emotions at different times in our lives has a big part in the book. There are some things in this book that are hard to read because of their harshness, and because of the emotions they provoke in the reader. This is a book about the reality of slavery in early American history, and it isn't a pretty, happy fairy tale. It's awful and painful to read about. However, I think it is important that we all remember what took place so that we can make sure it doesn't happen ever again. To anyone. It's important to look at the way we treat the people around us and be a little more patient, a little more kind, and a little more understanding. It's also important to stand up for what we believe in, and help those around us that have fallen on hard times. Even though it provoked a lot of negative emotions, I did like this book. The growth that takes place in the characters is amazing, and made it worth the read. 

Rating: R (This doesn't follow the movie ratings exactly, it is my way of saying that it is not appropriate for younger readers.) Rape, murder, mistreatment of slaves, war, and other atrocities. Minor profanity.

Recommendation: 18 and up

Happy Book Lovers' Day!!

Illustration by Ghergich & Co.



Happy Book Lovers' Day!!!

Everyone take a minute today to sit back and enjoy a good book! I think this may be my new favorite day!

~Monica

Pandemonium (Book #2)

Pandemonium (Book #2) by Lauren Oliver

(Summary taken from amazon.com)

"The old life is dead.

But the old Lena is dead too.

I buried her.

I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame.

In this electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller Delirium, Lauren Oliver sets Lena on a dangerous course that hurtles through the unregulated Wilds and into the heart of a growing resistance movement. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite."

Wow....wow. What else do I say? If you liked Delirium, you need to read Pandemonium! I was so mad at Lena throughout this whole book! I could NOT believe that she just left Alex at the fence at the end of Delirium. Ugh. Stupid girl. She didn't even look back. And throughout this whole book she just assumes he is dead. But he's not, right? I mean.....he's tough and smart....he got away, right??? AAhhhhhhh!! This book is full of twists, turns, and surprises. Lena joins the resistance and does ok. She meets a lot of new people, and gets captured. I didn't like the story line as much as I did the first book, but it was still a page turner and I read it in a day or so. Like I said, Lena drove me crazy in this book. I did like the growth she experienced, and I liked that she became stronger as a person. She learned to think for herself, which was really good. I didn't really know what to think of Julian. I never knew if I should trust him or not. And I kind of felt the same way about Raven. I think she was good, but there was a side of her that I didn't trust. I think part of it was that they didn't really trust each other. None of them did. They had to band together to survive, but it was as if they had to  prove themselves trustworthy every day.

There is a lot of violence in this book, and some of it is quite graphic. There is also profanity, including several "f" words. There is some kissing, but no real intimacy scenes. This is NOT a YA approved book. I did like it. I read it in a day or so. If you liked the first book, you really need to read this one!

Rating: R (This does not follow the movie ratings exactly, it is just my way of saying it is not appropriate for younger readers.) Profanity, including the "f" word, lots of violence, kissing.

Recommendation: 18 and up.

The Perfume Collector

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "London, 1955: Grace Monroe is a fortunate young woman. Despite her sheltered upbringing in Oxford, her recent marriage has thrust her into the heart of London's most refined and ambitious social circles. However, playing the role of the sophisticated socialite her husband would like her to be doesn't come easily to her--and perhaps never will. Then one evening a letter arrives from France that will change everything. Grace has received an inheritance. There's only one problem: she has never heard of her benefactor, the mysterious Eva d'Orsey. So begins a journey that takes Grace to Paris in search of Eva. There, in a long-abandoned perfume shop on the Left Bank, she discovers the seductive world of perfumers and their muses, and a surprising, complex love story. Told by invoking the three distinctive perfumes she inspired, Eva d'Orsey's story weaves through the decades, from 1920's New York to Monte Carlo, Paris, and London. But these perfumes hold secrets. And as Eva's past and Grace's future intersect, Grace realizes she must choose between the life she thinks she should live and the person she is truly meant to be."

This book fascinated me. The characters were very well developed and complex. Grace seemed like your typical 1950's wife, but she actually had dreams for herself beyond being a socialite. It reminded me of some of the women in A Woman's Place. She didn't care about the parties or the big events, she wanted to go back to school and feel more important. Her husband seemed like the typical 1950's husband who wanted his wife to be in her place and didn't want her to be too smart or think for herself. I did not like him, and it made me very grateful for my husband, and that I live right now, not back then. I really felt for Grace. She was in a very difficult position. When she went to France and began learning about Eva, I got completely lost in the story. It is written very well. I loved Ms. Tessaro's writing style. I enjoyed reading about Eva's experiences as a child and the people she met. Some of the ladies at the hotel like Sis and Rita seemed like hard working, great women who took care their own. I liked them. I didn't like Vanessa or Mr. Lambert from the first time I saw them, and I wish Eva had made different choices with both of them. However, something about Madame Zed and Andre Valmont intrigued me from the start. Neither one of them were wholesome or perfect, but they were fun characters because they had a little bit of mystery and drama surrounding them. The story line had so many interesting twists and turns, and I couldn't stop thinking of the characters, even when I put the book down, which wasn't very often. I enjoyed learning about the art of making perfume, and thought it fascinating how the ingredients came together. It was just like Eva's life: so many different people and experiences shaping her into who she became. Just like the different perfumes that had layers and depth, so did her life. 

There is some language in this book, including one "f" word at the very end. There are a lot of innuendos in this book. "Intimacy" is laced throughout. There isn't necessarily a big scene or anything, but it is a theme that runs throughout. There is a scene where two men are in bed together, but you don't see anything happen. You also know that a girl was raped, but it isn't described. Relationships are described, and you know that "intimacy" is there, but it is more just hinted at and talked about, rather than described. I didn't love the choice that Grace made at the end. I understand where she was coming from and why she did it, but I didn't love the choice. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the glamour and glitz, the characters, and mystery of this book.

Rated: R (This doesn't follow the movie ratings exactly, it is my way of saying that it is inappropriate for younger readers.) Language, including one "f" word, and a definite theme of "intimacy" laced throughout. There is a rape and a scene with two men asleep in a bed.

Recommendation: 18 and up, at least. 

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I Am Wolf

I Am Wolf by Joann H. Buchanan

(Summary taken from an email from the publishing company) " “You can’t fight who you really are, Jonah . . .you are wolf.” When Jonah unknowingly creates an unnatural creature, he is thrust upon a path of unremitting shadows and unrelenting torment from the creature he becomes connected to in Joann Buchanan's novel I am Wolf: Children of Nox.

Seven teens, the youngling pack from the tribe of Tibolt, join forces with Jonah, their newest member. Together, they must stop the “unnatural,” who brings horror wherever he travels. As the murderous creature makes his way east to Tennessee, it becomes a race against time to save a small child of destiny known as the Dream Maker.

'I wanted to write a different kind of paranormal series that was not your typical werewolf novel," Joann Buchanan says. "I felt this was a story that needed to be told.'"

I have mixed emotions about this book. On the one hand, I loved Jonah and his friends. I thought they were very likable and the budding teenage romances were cute. I also liked the adults in Jonah's life and thought the Native American aspect was very interesting. Ms. Buchanan's character development was really good with these characters. I especially liked Jonah, Bobby Joe, Big Sal, Daniel, Alaynee, Cara, and Jeanne. Although some of it was bordering on corny, I enjoyed it. They just seemed like normal teenagers, with a twist. I liked the way they interacted and had fun, but yet they could be serious when they needed to be. I liked that they put an emphasis on the importance of family and how loyal they were to each other. On the other hand, I detested Ralph. I know that Ms. Buchanan did that on purpose. This guy is creepy, a pervert, a drunk, a jerk, and has some very serious mental illnesses that need to be treated. I know you are meant to think of Ralph as despicable, and it worked. Definitely worked. It worked so well that I seriously hated reading his sections. I cringed and got angry, and it was awful. I think Ms. Buchanan went too far with him. I felt yucky when I read about him, and I could just feel evilness radiating from him. He is pure evil. I did not want to read anymore about him. It was such a contrast to the cuteness (and sometimes cheesiness) of the other characters, that it made him stand out even more as evil. Ugh. His character is what dropped my rating to a 3 star. I hated it. I think she could have portrayed him as evil without going that far. I (an adult) had nightmares about Ralph. I would wake up trembling because he would tear my friends' heads off in my dreams. It was awful.

This book had quite a bit of language in it. However, that was the least of my worries. Ralph rapes at least two girls, he kills many people in extremely violent ways (and enjoys doing it), he kidnaps a child, he plots to kill another child, he "pleasures" himself (yuck!), and it all just makes you feel gross and violated. It's too bad, because I really liked the other part of the book with Jonah and his friends. 

Rating: R (This does not follow movie ratings exactly, it is just my way of saying it is VERY inappropriate for younger readers.) Rape, murder, violence, "pleasuring himself," kidnapping, and pure evil.

Recommendation: At least 18 and up. I might even say older, but it depends on the reader. Definitely not anyone younger. 

Zenn Scarlett

Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon

(Summary taken from the back cover) "Zenn Scarlett is a bright and occasionally a-little-too-smart-for-her-own-good 17 year-old girl training hard to become an exoveterinarian. She specializes in the treatment of exotic alien life forms, mostly large and generally dangerous. Her novice year of training at the Ciscan Cloister Exovet Clinic on Mars was going well--until there were a series of inexplicable animal escapes from the school that Zenn finds herself blamed for. As if this isn't enough to be dealing with, her father vanishes under strange circumstances, and Zenn is worried that she has started hearing the thoughts of the creatures around her...With the help of Liam, a towner boy, and Hamish, an alien bug also training at the clinic, Zenn must try to find her father, rescue the animals and unravel the mystery of who is behind the attacks on the school. And all without failing her first year."

I liked this book. I liked its uniqueness. I think it is great that sci-fi is making a comeback. I liked Zenn, Otha, Hamish, and all the interesting animals in the book. Those characters were developed well, and were likable. The animals were very interesting. I mean, dimension-jumping Indras, sandhogs, rikkasets, and whale-hounds....what could be better than that? I felt bad for Zenn because she lost her mom, and then her dad just disappeared. She did make a few rash decisions that made me a little crazy, but that's what teenagers do, right? I never figured Liam out. Good? Bad? Both? I'm still not sure about him. The story line in the book is creative with some crazy twists. What kid hasn't thought about what it would be like to live on Mars? And Mr. Schoon actually shows what it could be like. Even though some people make it there, I think I will keep my feet on Earth. I like my mountains, trees, water, and air too much to leave. But I guess you never know!

There is some language in this book. There isn't any intimacy, but there is some violence. You watch as a character dies quite violently, and it's gruesome. It's really sad too. Overall, I liked the book. The ending is a cliffhanger, so.........where's book two??? 

Rating: PG-13+ (Language, violence, death of a character)

Recommendation: 14 years-old and up.

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Swept Up By The Sea

Swept Up By The Sea by Tracy and Laura Hickman

(Summary taken from the back book cover.) "Determined to seek his fortune, Percival Taylor leaves behind his sleepy hometown and sets out to become a legendary pirate. It's the only way to win the heart of the beautiful Tuppence Magrathia-Paddock, who has mistaken him for a rogue out of one of her romantic tales. Percival eventually finds himself captain of a broken-down ship, complete with a crew of reluctant pirates, a jilted fiancee, and an old professor with a secret that could kill them all. Set sail for treasure and romance!"

The quote I read on this book said, "A delightful read....It's Pirates of Penzance meets Princess Bride." by Heidi Taylor of Shadow Mountain Publishing. I love both of those so I was very excited to read it. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to those standards. I had to restart it 4 or 5 times because I couldn't get into it, and there are so many characters that I couldn't remember who anyone was. I didn't love the writing style. I thought it was difficult to read, and like I said, I kept having to go back and reread pages to figure out what was going on. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters, and didn't think the character development was very good. Unfortunately, I just didn't like this book. I had to force myself to finish it for my review today. Had I not had this review scheduled, I would not have finished this book. Sacrilege, I know. And it doesn't happen very often, but I just wasn't interested in this book at all. With about 100 pages left it finally got kind of exciting, but by then I was disinterested and really didn't care. It did wrap up all the loose ends nicely, and everything did come together in the end, but getting there was difficult.

It was clean, though. No profanity, intimacy, or violence.

Rating: PG+

Recommendation: 13 years-old and up. I don't really think a 13 year-old would be interested, but it's clean enough for her to read.

The Firebird

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

(Summary taken from the back cover) "Nicola Marter was born with a gift so rare and dangerous, she keeps it buried deep. When she encounters a desperate woman trying to sell a small wooden carving called "The Firebird," claiming it belonged to Russia's Empress Catherine, it's a problem. There's no proof. But Nicola's held the object. She knows the woman is telling the truth."

Let me just say: 526 pages definitely wasn't long enough! I loved this story! I was caught up in Nicola's world (and Anna's world...), and I did not want it to end. The two stories came together seamlessly, and I was honestly conflicted on which part I enjoyed more. In the end I couldn't decide, I enjoyed them both. Ms. Kearsley's character development is wonderful. Nicola, Rob, Anna, Captain Jamieson, Colonel Graeme, Vice Admiral Gordon, and Edmund, especially, intrigued and fascinated me. Rob seems like such sweetheart/hottie. I loved that he embraced his ability and wasn't afraid of what the world would think. Nicola grew so much in this book. It was interesting that it took learning about a woman in history to find herself. I had such admiration for Vice Admiral Gordon, helping Anna and taking her in as his own daughter.  I felt a connection with each of these characters, and felt as if I were right there. The descriptions in this book just pulled me in. Ms. Kearsley's writing style is fun, easy to read, and simple, yet at times very profound. While I was reading the book I didn't realize that it was based on actual people and events, and so it was fun at the end to learn that a lot of the characters were real people. There were some great lessons weaved throughout the book as well. One of the biggest lessons was to be yourself. Love yourself and be proud of who you are and what your talents are. And to use your talents for the benefit of others. I think Rob and Nicola were so involved in helping that they forgot they were helping, if that makes sense.

The only negative I would give this book is also one of it's positives. There are a lot of characters, and many of them have Russian names. At times I couldn't remember who some of them were, especially if it had been 100 pages since they were last mentioned. It would take me a minute and then I'd figure it out. There are only a few profane words, maybe 2 or 3, in the whole book, which I loved. The whole book I was so happy that it was clean. Then, at the very end there was a love-making scene. It's not extremely detailed and it's not very long.

I highly recommend this book! I really enjoyed it and will hopefully be able to read some of Ms. Kearsley's other work.

Rating: PG-13+ (Minor profanity, a love-making scene)

Recommendation: 18 and up (Yes, I know......but I'm not too fond of young adults reading about "physical intimacy"---even if it's a short scene.)

Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.