Page 8

Big News!

oie_transparent

Over the past few months, I’ve taken a break from doing all of the things to focus more on myself and my family. There have been ups and downs and lots of crazy thrown in, and when slowly adding things back in… I realized that my heart is no longer in blogging. I’ve been half-assing it for awhile now and to be honest, knowing that I needed to write a post for every book I read was making me not want to read at all. And that’s the opposite of what we wanted to do with this blog.

That being said, I’m stepping away. Lauren will take over LBR and keep it up and running – she loves it and will take care of it like only she could. I have full faith in her ability – and she will probably do way better on her own than with me stuck to her side.

Keep reading. And if you want to see what I’m reading and not blogging about, you can come find me on Goodreads.

xoxo.

And I Darken by Kiersten White

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point. – Goodreads

A teenage Game of Thrones set in the Ottoman Empire? A female Vlad the Impaler? Whaaat?! Sign me up.

On one hand, this read was very unique, dark and brutal for a YA novel. I liked that. It was complex and graphic, two features that aren’t always typical for YA.

On the other hand, I kept getting distracted because it was so slow in so many parts. The epic battles were awesome, but in between I found myself straying away to do household chores instead.

I enjoyed the characters, who were all multidimensional and unique in their own ways. There are three primary main characters, whom I felt were all constructed and detailed well.

Lada is the main heroine and is pretty much what I would imagine a daughter of Cersei Lannister and Vlad the Impaler would be like: fierce as hell. Though the men make fun of her for being ugly, she kicks their asses in swordfighting and combat.

Radu is Lada’s younger brother—he’s the sensitive, gentle one. He’s the cuddly Samwell Tarly of this book. Sometimes I liked him, and sometimes I wanted to smack him and tell him to get a grip. Unfortunately, many other characters did that for me. His kindness definitely made the surrounding brutal events seem more…brutal.

Mahmed is the sultan’s son — Lada and Radu’s father is kind a jerk, and he sent them to live with the enemy (aka the sultan). Mahmed becomes their friend and peer, as they have to study with him and hang out with him.

White is a great writer — the book was certainly written well. The descriptions were fantastic, I could clearly see the world (cue Aladdin music). That being said, this book was SO not my cup of tea. It was so over-the-top brutal and graphic, and though the characters were complex, the story seemed to only prey on their weaknesses and hardships. I guess I’m a softie.

I rated this a 3/5 because the writing was great and the characters were constructed well. I think that many other people will enjoy this read, but it simply wasn’t for me.

I received a copy of And I Darken from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Emotional Edge by Crystal Andrus Morissette

Ever Feel Like Your Inner Age Doesn’t Match Your Outer One?

The Emotional Edge empowers you to stop reacting in knee-jerk ways that hurt and instead start expanding your life to become the greatest expression of you possible. Once you know your Emotional Age, you can take any needed steps to become an authentic adult so you stop giving your power away. You’ll learn:
You’ll learn:
–Whether you’re a Parent, Child, or Adult ‘archetype’—take the Emotional Age Quiz and find out
–When you’re inadvertently sabotaging yourself and why
–How to channel fear and anger into courage and willingness
–How to change your communication scale and style from passive or aggressive to assertive, accepting, and ultimately peaceful
–Methods for fine-tuning into your unique needs mentally, emotionally, and physically
–Ways to live your best life without guilt, shame, or blame
–And lastly, how to rewrite and re-route your relationship, work, and bliss paths

Never feel like a victim of circumstance, genetics, or your past again. Instead of letting your emotions get the best of you, now it’s time to get the best of them! – Goodreads

As if I needed to read an entire book to tell me I act older than I am.

I decided to take a little break from cookbook reviews (mostly because I didn’t like my choices and this book seemed interesting) and read a self-help-esque book. It was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed it, actually.

The first part of the book addresses your emotional age and what the book will cover. Instead of taking the quiz in the book, I opted to take the quiz on their website. According to my results, I am Katharine Hepburn — Woman Energy/Adult Archetype.

There are three archetypes — Parent, Child and Adult.

Parent archetypes are those people who take care of others and neglect themselves. They also blame themselves and feel sorry for themselves (my words).

Child archetypes are needy, narcissistic, and feel that the world revolves around them. I know a few of these.

Adult archetypes is the most “transcended self” and features the best characteristics of Parents and Child archetypes. Basically a well-rounded, emotionally awesome individual.

I was actually expecting to get the Parent archetype before I took the quiz, so I was slightly surprised (and my straight-A self was very pleased).

My favorite part of the book were the questions/exercises in each section (IE, what is triggering you, what are you afraid of, what is your love language). I also liked the section on communication, mostly because I am a Comm nerd.

Overall, this is a great book if you’re interested in emotional intelligence, bettering yourself and learning to communicate well with those around you. I rated it a 4/5.

Thank you to Blogging for Books for a copy of The Emotional Edge in exchange for an honest review!

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.

Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.

Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she’s a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden – lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult’s true powers are hidden even from herself.

In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls’ heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch. – Goodreads

Just when I was starting to get gripey about the lack of wonderful suck-you-in-and-don’t-let-you-go-until-you’re-done fantasy YA — this sucker jumped out and got me.

I literally hermit-ed myself away in my room and didn’t talk to people just so I could read this. I even tried to draw it out over the course of several days to minimize my book hangover. It didn’t work.

The premise and description of this book sound kind of lame, but don’t let that sway you. It was awesome. In this world, some people are born with witch abilities. Some witches can manipulate fire, water, or wind. Some can see people’s lifethreads (the threads that signify how people are feeling and who they are). Other witches, like Safi, can sense when someone is telling the truth. The bad guy is a Bloodwitch, and he basically can track you once he smells your blood. Also, his eyes turn red. So naturally I pictured him as Darth Maul.

There’s a treaty, people are out to snatch up Safi (because knowing whether or not someone is telling the truth is pretty damn handy), there’s war, mystery, sexual tension, and all of that fun jazz.

I liked how the love angle was played in this. It wasn’t instalove, and there was certainly tension. It didn’t develop quickly, which was a nice change.

The worldbuilding was fantastic. I can still vividly picture Merik’s ship, the forest, the villages—the description was just right.

I honestly can’t stop gushing about this. I thought giving myself some time between reading the book and writing the review would make me calm down, but the hype is there for a reason. Pick this puppy up. Adding it to my favorites and giving it a 5/5.

The Sea Queen by Jovee Winters

Calypso, Queen of the Seas, is mad. Spitting mad. Ghosts of the dead are fouling her waters. She wants this problem fixed, and she wants it fixed now. Rushing off in search of Hades, Lord of the Underworld, to demand answers, she’s soon shocked to discover him bound and standing trial before a jury of his peers—for nothing less than murder.

Calypso normally despises the beastly gods, all of them, but there’s something about seeing Hades bound as he is that gives her an evilly clever idea. Tired of being a virgin queen, she wishes to shed that boring image once and for all, and no one seems quite as fit for the task as the gorgeous and brooding Hades. Of course, there is the minor problem of murder to deal with, but Calypso is bound and determined to have her way.

And when a dark queen gets an idea, nothing and no one can stand in her way… – Goodreads

Read on if you’re over 18. This review contains adult themes.

Continue reading “The Sea Queen by Jovee Winters”

The Conqueror’s Wife by Stephanie Thornton

330s, B.C.E., Greece: Alexander, a handsome young warrior of Macedon, begins his quest to conquer the ancient world. But he cannot ascend to power, and keep it, without the women who help to shape his destiny.

His spirited younger half-sister, Thessalonike, yearns to join her brother and see the world. Instead, it is Alexander’s boyhood companion who rides with him into war while Thessalonike remains behind. Far away, crafty princess Drypetis will not stand idly by as Alexander topples her father from Persia’s throne. And after Alexander conquers her tiny kingdom, Roxana, the beautiful and cunning daughter of a minor noble, wins Alexander’s heart…and will commit any crime to secure her place at his side.

Within a few short years, Alexander controls an empire more vast than the civilized world has ever known. But his victories are tarnished by losses on the battlefield and treachery among his inner circle. And long after Alexander is gone, the women who are his champions, wives, and enemies will fight to claim his legacy… – Goodreads

I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with this one. I loved that it pulled me out of a reading slump, but I hate how long it took me to read it. I think the length was twofold — one, it was a very slow read. The description was beautiful and she really gets into the characters. It’s also almost 500 pages. Two, life has been a little crazy and I got distracted.

I love Thornton’s work, but multiple characters can be exhausting at times, though she does a pretty amazing job at making all of their voices come together and paint a vivid picture. I loved the concept of portraying Alexander the Great through the eyes of the important people in his life — his sister, his lover, his captive, his best friend.

I also love Thornton’s writing style and dialogue. It’s engaging, witty, and so much fun to read and visualize.

I think if I had read this at a different time in my life, I would have enjoyed it more. Overall, I would definitely recommend this to those who love historical fiction. I rated it a 4/5.

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won’t open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival. – Goodreads

First off — I’ve disappeared off of the face of the Earth. I’m working on it. There are some things going on my personal life that have forced me to make the blog/reading take a backseat (especially when paired with a reading slump). I finished this book a while ago but am finally getting around to the review.

The book was shocking to say the least. After all, I’ve read Columbine, I’ve read the news stories — this was a first-hand fictional look. It was bloody and violent.

Though the entire book spans 54 minutes, it’s fast-paced in parts and slow in others. The writing was alright. I had a difficult time keeping track of the characters and understanding their relationships to one another. I did like that they all had very different backgrounds. That being said, I never felt attached to any of them.

The shooter made me angry — his character was very one-dimensional. I felt that there was a lot of that could have been done with him, but it was lazy and just…fell flat.

There was so much potential here and it fell flat. This book talks about very real problems — rape, racism, abuse, school shootings, etc. — yet never manages to actual touch on the emotion.

I rated it a 2/5.

Top Ten Tuesday: 1/12

Tuesday

Top Seven 2015 Releases I Meant to Get But I Didn’t

Winter by Marissa Meyer | I read the other three at the beginning of the year, but I never picked up the fourth!
The Heart of Betrayal by Mary Pearson | Damn it! I loved the first book in this series but still haven’t picked up this little number!
The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black | Looks good!
The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows | I keep looking at this one and thinking about how awesome it looks — and then I don’t buy it.
A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab | I just love magic.
Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell | This has made multiple TTT lists for me in 2015—yet I still haven’t ponied up and bought it.
The Lake House by Kate Morton | Meant to read it, never did.

Brodo: A Bone Broth Cookbook by Marco Canora

No one has been more responsible for the recent explosion of interest in bone than New York City chef Marco Canora. After completely revitalizing his health by integrating bone broth into his diet, Marco began to make his nourishing broths available by the cupful to New Yorkers from a small window in his East Village restaurant, drawing sell-out crowds virtually from the beginning. No longer just a building block for soups and sauces, bone broths are now being embraced for their innumerable health benefits, from cultivating a healthier gut to greater resistance to colds and other illnesses. In Brodo, Marco shares the recipes for his flavorful, nutritious broths and shows how to serve them year round as well as incorporate them into recipes and as a daily health practice. Perfect for stirring into a broth bowl or a pot of risotto, as a more gentle, supportive alternative to the afternoon caffeine fix, and an immunity and health booster any time, the homey bone broths in Brodo should be a part of every well-stocked pantry. – Goodreads

I’ve been waiting to post this review because I wasn’t entirely sure how to go about it in a fair way—after all, the book itself is good, the problem lies with me.

See, I learned something while reading, reviewing and trying recipes from this book: I don’t like bone broth.

I desperately want to be on the bone broth bandwagon, you see. I have gut issues, and I know that bone broth is amazing for helping with leaky gut, digestive issues, etc. So when I saw this on Blogging for Books, I was stoked. I ran out to my closest health food store to find some bones, and I patiently waited for the book to come in the mail.

Marco is a bone broth badass. There are so many great recipes to choose from in this handy little book, complete with photos.

The recipes are easy — the most difficult part is finding the bones. Luckily Marco gives you all of the tools you need to find bones, tools, and techniques. It was easy to understand and follow.

I made beef broth (using grass-fed beef bones). I followed the basic recipe so I knew I couldn’t mess it up. It smelled great, but skimming the fat made me want to vomit. I ultimately couldn’t keep down more than a sip because I’m a total weenie when it comes to that. I did use the broth for a beef stew, though, and it was great. But as far as a sipping broth goes? Count me out.

In all, this is a handy little book to keep around if you’re interested in trying out the magical healing qualities of bone broth.

I rated this a 5/5 — the photos were gorgeous, the book was laid out great, it featured plenty of tips and techniques, and the directions were easy to follow for beginners.

I received a free copy of Brodo from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

{Belated} Top Ten Tuesday: 1/6

Tuesday

Top Ten Bookish Resolutions I Have for 2016

Request only what I want. I have a bad habit of going on ARC request binges and then having a hell of a time finishing them, or getting sad because I have other things I want to read.
Have more fun blogging. We started LBR to showcase our love of reading and have fun. It was a creative outlet. Yet I sometimes fall into the trap of creating content to create content, which isn’t as fun. I need to have more fun with it 🙂
Read stuff on my shelf. I have another bad habit of hoarding books and not reading them. I preordered Mindy Kaling’s book. Haven’t read it. Have about 9000 more on Kindle that I’ve bought when they’re on sale and haven’t read them.
Do more social. I’m a PR person. Why don’t I do more PR for us? Because it’s my day job, probably. But we work hard on our stuff and I’d like to showcase it more.
Actually partake in challenges. I did several challenges last year through a Goodreads group I’m in, but I’d like to do more — but more than that, I want to challenge myself in what I’m reading. I have a tendency to stick to what I know and I’d like to branch out.
Don’t buy books until I read what I have. See #3. I buy an assload of $1.99 and that ish adds up. I tell myself, “This is cheaper than a Starbucks coffee!” but it’s not when I get 40+ in a year. Also I just did the math on that and shuddered.
Get a library card. Alright, put the pitchfork down. I’ve HAD ONE BEFORE. I went to the library three times a week growing up. But I’ve moved cities and haven’t been to my local library, a fact I need to remedy.
Participate more on other blogs. I’m a bonafide blog creeper. I creep on everyone’s reviews, TTTs, etc. But I never talk. I need to talk more.
Read in coffee shops more. I used to go every Sunday to a little local coffeeshop and read over my latte. I miss this.
Read 150 books. I almost hit it in 2015, but life happened.