{Review} Legends of the Dragonrealm: Shade by Richard A. Knaak

ISBN #: 978-1451656077

Page Count: 321

Copyright: September 18, 2012

Publisher: Gallery Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from back cover)

Survivor of a once-mighty race of sorcerers, the spellcaster known to those of the Dragonrealm simply as Shade struggles to find an end to the curse he brought upon himself millennia ago in his hope to escape death ... and worse. Instead of immortality, he was condemned to an endless series of lives alternating between darkness and light, with "death" only resurrecting him over and over. His blurred features and unstable but terrible powers a threat to friend and foe alike, the hooded sorcerer must defy not only those who would manipulate him, but also his very self. Worse, he must do so always aware that even the land itself may have sinister designs upon him ...

Mandy's Review:

Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment to me. Before I begin what I didn't like, though, let me say what I did like.

First, the cover is absolutely gorgeous! When you see the book in person, instead of just a picture at the top of a blog post, the colors really pop and are exciting to look at. It was the main reason why I decided to give this book a chance. I mean, if the cover is this exciting then the story inside has to be also ... right?

I also enjoyed the cast of characters and the majority of the settings in this story. They were varied and interesting to read about. They blended well together and helped to form a cohesive landscape for Shade's journey.

Okay ... what I didn't like ...

Shade.

Rather, I didn't like how Shade was portrayed. He didn't feel real to me. I know he was a 'shadow' or a 'blur,' but he still had human emotions and feelings. My issue with Shade's story is it didn't feel very exciting. He sort of faded into the settings.

Another thing that annoyed me immensely is the repetition of the seemingly impossible turned probable. I sense an example is needed. Okay ... for example ... in the beginning Shade was in a shop looking for an object. He noticed some magic at work set in place by a very powerful wizard. Shade wasn't sure if he would be able to break the spell. He concentrated and then *gasp* what's this?! A teeny-tiny error in the spell that Shade just so happened to find and was miraculously able to use to break the spell. This type of scenario didn't just happen once. It happened over and over again. I mean, come on, I'm all for the shunned main character getting the best of someone who seems more powerful than him, but there HAS to be a limit to his good luck. It became redundant and greatly unimaginative, which turned me off from this book.

Sorry to all you fantasy-lovers out there who enjoyed this series, but this was certainly not my cup of tea.


*A paperback copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} Cooper Moon: The Temptation by Cheryl Shireman

ISBN #: 978-1625660084

Page Count: 358

Copyright: December 5, 2012

Publisher: Still Waters Publishing

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

Welcome back to the small town of Timber Lake, Michigan. The streets may be relatively quiet, but a lot is going on behind closed doors! Most of it revolves around the most attractive man in town, Cooper Moon. Once a womanizer and a liar, Cooper is trying to change his ways. Unfortunately, that's not so easy. One of his ex-girlfriends is determined to seduce him, he is about to receive a blackmail note from another ex-girlfriend, and his wife is tired of his cheating ways. Trouble is brewing, faith is wavering, and love is being tested.

Full of unexpected twists and turns, Cooper Moon: The Temptation is sure to keep you turning pages!

Charlene's Review:

Picking up where Cooper Moon: The Calling left off, The Temptation returns us to Timber Lake after the opening Sunday of Cooper's new church. Still trying to repair the damage of his past, Cooper faces continuing trials with his ex, Libby, who won't let go, a newly interested, Lucy, and his wife, Sally, who still struggles to believe in his new-found faith. In addition, Cooper is being blackmailed, and things just aren't what they appear.

Cooper, while definitely not in running for saint status, is a likable, well-meaning man bent on doing the right thing against tremendous odds. I love how Ms. Shireman takes Cooper's Sunday sermons and adds just a touch of religion without making the reading heavy, with Cooper making the statement that he remembers the passage from Matthew as having been read by Linus in Charlie Brown.

Opening to the first page was like dropping in on old friends. Ms. Shireman has a way of writing that brings life to the town and its people and I feel as if I've known them forever. From Jake, the local cop with secrets of his own, to the gang at Bass Turds, the local watering hole, Timber Lake is full of interesting and conspiring characters. I am addicted to this series. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in Timber Lake next!

5 out of 5 stars!


*A physical copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{BintoM Giveaway} The Host by Stephenie Meyer

How many of you are Twilight fans? Have you wondered what Stephanie Meyer's book The Host was like but didn't want to buy it? Fortunately for you, we are giving away a copy of her book here!

We will keep this giveaway open until Friday, March 15th. We are opening this up internationally, so spread the word! Also, any winners have the option of choosing an ebook or a physical copy. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Summary:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenge of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Movie Poster & Trailer:

Interested by what you see so far? Then enter below for your chance to win. Good luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Review} Her: A Memoir by Christa Parravani

ISBN #: 978-0805096538

Page Count: 320

Copyright: March 5, 2013

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Description:

(Taken from Amazon)

Christa Parravani and her identical twin, Cara, were linked by a bond that went beyond siblinghood, beyond sisterhood, beyond friendship. Raised up from poverty by a determined single mother, the gifted and beautiful twins were able to create a private haven of splendor and merriment between themselves and then earn their way to a prestigious college and to careers as artists (a photographer and a writer, respectively) and to young marriages. But, haunted by childhood experiences with father figures and further damaged by being raped as a young adult, Cara veered off the path to robust work and life and in to depression, drugs and a shocking early death.

A few years after Cara was gone, Christa read that when an identical twin dies, regardless of the cause, 50 percent of the time the surviving twin dies within two years; and this shocking statistic rang true to her. "Flip a coin," she thought, "those were my chances of survival." First, Christa fought to stop her sister's downward spiral; suddenly, she was struggling to keep herself alive.

Beautifully written, mesmerizingly rich and true, Christa Parravani's account of being left, one half of a whole, and of her desperate, ultimately triumphant struggle for survival is informative, heart-wrenching and unforgettably beautiful.

Charlene's Review:

Christa and Cara Parravani were born identical twins and shared life with a bond only twins could understand. When Cara is brutally raped, Christa must fight to keep her beloved twin alive as she spirals into a dark depression leading to drugs and self-abuse. Unable to save her sister, Christa finds herself sinking into despair as she struggles to live as a twin-less twin.

Having read my share of memoirs, none have left me feeling as if I glimpsed things I truly shouldn't have, as much as this one did. Written with a depth that only grief can allow, this is a dark, honest account of a survivor's anguish, and a search for identity when all you've known is stripped away. It was hard to read, as I could feel Christa's anguish and hopelessness. This is definitely not a light read, but sheds light on the twin "phenomenon" in a terrifyingly real way. Her is as deeply disturbing as it is hopeful.


*A physical copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{Back to the Classics} The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

ISBN #: 978-0743273565

Page Count: 180

Copyright: September 30, 2004 (Reissue Edition)

Publisher: Scribner

Description:

(Taken from Amazon)

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.

Kathy's Review:

(Reprinted with permission from Kathy's personal reading blog, Grown Up Book Reports)

Bear with me, because I finished this over a week ago and then went on vacation, so already this is growing hazy in my brain. This is my book club's selection for this month, with a future planned outing to go to the movie when it is released. This is also one of my entries for the Back to the Classics 2013 Challenge. Two birds. One stone!

I also read this in high school at some point, and honestly, the only thing that stuck with me was that somebody died in a swimming pool. I thought it was Daisy. And when I read that part, the most significant action in the novel, I didn't even realize that Gatsby had died until I got to the next chapter talking about his funeral. It's so subtle, the way Fitzgerald writes it, with the raft and a blood mark, or something like that. Again. It's been a week and my brain is still on West Coast time.

The things that struck me about this novel: Gatsby is kind of a psycho. I mean, he's a friendly guy but kind of passive aggressive, especially toward Daisy's spouse, Tom, just because he's married to his lady love. Also, how shallow this group of people is. They come to party at Gatsby's mansion because it's the cool thing to do, but the guy dies and no one can be bothered to show up. Cold.

I think every woman wishes they had someone like Gatsby who pined over them for years. I don't know, maybe that's just me. I think I would find it extremely flattering but maybe also just a tad creepalicious. I guess it depends on who it was. Certain ex-boyfriends and friends-with-benefits, not so much. Those are the ones I'd prefer to forget ever existed, period. If my eighth grade boyfriend ever resurfaced that would be a different story. I've seen pictures and he has aged well, let's just put it that way. And he's an attorney. What am I saying? Anyway ...

I am not sure that I loved this book. It was lacking something, a je n'ai sais quois (sp) that also eluded my jetlagged brain.

So I am going to link to a review that is much funnier and smarter than mine. Check out Bird Bryan's review on Goodreads! (You may have to scroll down - it's the Valentine's quiz)