Review: Ordinary Wisdom by K. Blue

Ordinary Wisdom by K. Blue
98 pages, paperback (ARC)
Finished on 27/3/2012
Genres: Young Adult/Mature Teen
Synopsis via GoodReads:

This collection of short family stories is heartwarming and genuine. Each story is a lesson learned by experiencing everyday life. From childhood to adulthood there are lessons in all that we do and experience. The trick to growing as a person is to recognize their significance and continue to learn.You may find that you identify with the experiences of this wonderful family. You may even be reminded of times in your past and the lessons you have learned. Be prepared to smile, laugh and maybe even cry a little as you enjoy reading of ordinary wisdom.

Motivation to Read It: I am a part of a group of book reviewers that was emailed by a book tour planner asking if we wanted to host this book on our blog's during a tour. It sounded interesting, and I replied to the email.

*Disclaimer:
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid in any way.

Review: K. Blue has really shown some light with this novel. She uses personal experiences in her life and what she learned from them to try and help us with things that happen in out daily lives. K. had me laughing at some parts, shaking my head and thinking "Oh dear, that's not good" in others.

I was kind of sad to reach the end of the book. It was interesting to learn about the things that she went through. But overall, I loved it. She takes us through good lessons, and I think it would help all of us even in the smallest of ways to read Ordinary Wisdom.

I loved this book and think it's definitely worth reading!

Space by Emily Sue Harvey

Space

By Emily Sue Harvey

Publisher: The Story Plant, 2011

282 pages, paperback (ARC)

Date Finished: 23/10/2011

Genres: Mature Teen, Realistic Fiction

Emily Sue delivers us a deeply moving story of a family on the brink. Dan and Deede Stowe have worked for years, planning and saving for their idyllic retirement years. Just when they finally are about to realize their dream, their adult, recovering drug-addict daughter, Faith, moves back in with them and everything changes. Their “miracle child”, complete with druggie baggage, upsets the tranquil balance of the Stowe’s existence. Private romantic moments evaporate. Faith’s endless needs intrude hour by hour, devouring both their finances, their emotions, and most crucially, their space. In turn, Faith finds herself bereft of everything she cherished most, her health, her marriage, her child, her family, her reputation and, most of all, a space to call her own.

Amid chaotic challenges, all three battle to find peace with each other, a harmony that doggedly eludes them. For the sake of family solidarity, each is forced to sacrifice elemental components of self, until desperation turns them one against the other. Will love be enough to turn the tide? Is it strong enough to warm again hearts grown cold?
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: " ' Now, let's go through this area.' "
~Last Line: "Waiting."

Review: Once again, Emily Sue Harvey has proven herself to be a spectacular author. This, for the current period of time, is my favorite book of hers. It pulled me in automatically, the pages flying by.

The main characters are Deede, her husband Dan, and their daughter Faith. After countless times of trying and failing to conceive, Faith becomes their miracle child. While she's growing up, both parents can tell that Faith is on her way to greatness. However, everything doesn't play out exactly as they'd planned and hoped.

Space had an amazing plot. It jst seemed so real to me, the whole time. I know stuff like this happens all the time, but reading about it just put it in a 3-D perspective, so to speak. While Faith struggled to get her life back in order, her family's trust and hope for her just kind of disappeared. Of course, there were those handful of people that still believed in her no matter what, but, for the most part, no one trusted her in their houses or near their children. To them, she was just another bad influence.

The characters, wow, the charries. Absolutely amazing. I don't think I'll ever be able to pick a fave. It just wouldn'y seem fair to the rest of the Eagle cla. Dan was someone that I could, to a point, relate to. His daughter had dishonoured them, lied to them. Why should he keep housing her and paying expenses if she couldn't appreciate it? I could understand where he was coming from.

Deede, on the other hand, had hope and faith. She was fed up, yes, but at a certain point in the book, she can tell that Faith really is trying to turn her life around. She, like all other caring mothers, doesn't want to see her child out on the streets, in desperate need of help. I can understand, again only to a point, her perspective of their situation as well.

And finally, the infamous Faith Stowe. Once she had her mind set on something, she wasn't going to be deterred. She had such wonderful relationships with her cousin Jensen and her Aunt Priss. With people like them, she was truly herself. Her cocaine addiction was, in a way, both a wonderful and horrible that happened to her. Horrible for obvious reasons, but wonderful because in the end she discovered who she truly was and appreciated everyone and everything in her life.

This book, in general, left me crying tears of joy and so happy about the way it all turned out. I can say that the last few pages are definitely tear-jerkers. I just, wow. . . . I can totally see me rereading this sometime soon. An unquestionably marvelous read :D.

Plot Rating: 5
Character Rating: 5
Cover Rating: 4
GoodReads Rating: 5

Overall rating:
and three-fourths :)

The Darkness by Crystal Connor

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The Darkness

By Crystal Connor

Publisher: Bennett & Hastings, 2010

249 pages, paperback

Date Finished: 16/10/2011

Genres: Mature Teen, Coming of Age, Fantasy

Artemisia, a scientist who also practices alchemy, is wealthy beyond imagination. She is one of the founding members of the Skyward Group, a privately funded, secret, research facility conducting experiments that erase what tradition has established as the boundaries separating the realm of man from the realm of God. Artemisia has everything she wants - money, fame, knowledge and power - except for a child. Inanna is a powerful and dangerous witch, also wealthy beyond imagination. Her powers are greater and more deadly than any in the long tradition before her. Inanna has everything she wants - money, knowledge and God-like power - except for a child. The Child has nothing. At three months of age, he knows only what he has experienced through the bars of his locked cage. He has nothing. He doesn't have a mommy. He doesn't have a daddy. He doesn't have a name. The scientists who created him do not handle him, because they know The Child is dangerous. In The Darkness, Two women clash in a vicious battle that has been fought since the days of King Solomon - the fight over a child. One woman unleashes the nightmarish arsenal of modern science while the other dispatches the weaponries of witchcraft. And as The Child grows up, his love for one and resentment for the other will change the fate of both these women, forever.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "I am an alchemist."
~Last Line: "I told you that from the beginning."

Review: This book was absolutely amazing. At first the characters and events were confusing, but it all leveled out in the end. I'll go ahead and say that you should definitely read this book.

The main characters, Adam, is a wizard. At the age of four, he's mistreated in one organization, rescued and loved by another. Then he's kidnapped from that organization and found by a witch that comes to love him as if he were her own son.

Inanna, the witch that found Adam after he was kidnapped, is probably my favorite character. She was always just so loving with Adam. She never really got mad at him, either, which I thought was way too adorable.

At first, my favorite character was the founder of the group that rescued him, Artemisia; but by the last four pages, I was hoping she'd just fall into a coma. She was ruthless. I just don't understand how she could be so cold D: .

But anywya, the plot of The Darkness was really good. Like I said, the beginning was a little confusing, but as you keep reading you're able to keep up with the characters. There was just dsomething about the way the charries all acted and behaved around each other that pulled you into the story and made you read for hours at a time.

All in all, this book was just fabulously marvelous. I definitely recommend it to any reader who loves witches or paranormal in general. A great read indeed :).

Be on the look out for Crystal Connor's next novel, Artificial Light, in which Inanna comes back!

Plot Rating: 5
Character Rating: 5
Cover Rating: 4.5
GoodReads Rating: 4.5

Overall rating:
and three-fourths :)

Guest Review #7 - Leanne

This is a book series that has also been challenged to be banned. I started reading this, and got 12 pages in, but never got to finish... Hoping to get ahold of them soon! Here's Leanne's review:

First off, I acually understand why some schools would ban this series. It contains VERY descriptive sexual encounter scenes and some drug use and language. It also contains questionable morals, and other things that some 'young adults' should NOT be aware of. I acually enjoyed the series as a whole and the deep meaning of friendship. It was sort of hard to get into it, since there is not really a backstory and since the series is featured in only instant message conversations. The books can be confusing since it skips a whole year between them. I read them a couple of months ago so I am a tad forgetful about all the details, but some moments in the novels really made you 'LOL'; most things in them teenagers in today's society could agree and relate too. I think the novels are good for an adult trying to show teenagers lives, but she tried to put WAY too much in each book. She easily could have made a longer, more enjoyable series instead of 3 books only. I would rate this 3 pins.

I enjoyed it and would recommend it to other teenagers of the same maturity level. It surprises me none that people would challenge this series.

The Night My Life Changed Forever by Sara Lisowski

The Night My Life Changed Forever

By Sara Lisowski

Publisher: via Smashwords, 2010

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Date Finished: 23/4/2011

Genres: Mature Teen, Romance, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Serious Issues

Mary is a 16 year old girl, that goes to a party to hopefully get with the boy she thought she loved. After some events at the party, she realises that he isn't the boy for her. A new boy walks into the party and changes Mary's life forever, is this the real thing? Is this what Mary has been striving to have?
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "A life of danger, boys, trying to gain respect, 'fun' and never-ending turmoil . . ."
~Last Line: "This has been the most romantic moment of my life, dancing and experiencing this with my love, my heart, my life, my Zackary."

Review: This novel was a great short story to read in between book tours and Buddy Reads. The love scenes could have been minimized, or even taken out completely, but the general plot line was awesome.

The two main characters, Zack and Mary, never knew each other until one night at a party they both happened to be attending. Over the next few days they fall deeper and deeper in love with each other. It was definitely true love, and their parents, especially Mary's, were happy to see their children happy.

Zack cared for Mary, like, a LOT. There was no mistaking his love for her. He would do anything to keep her safe, anything to make her happy. Mary cared equally for Zack -- well, maybe a little less that Zack's extreme. She was so much happier after she met Zack. Her previous events in life had been haunting her for years.

Zack and Mary sort of remind me of Clary and Jace from the Mortal Instruments series, as far as loving each other goes, anyway. It was all they could do just to stop thinking about each other for even five minutes.

There's actually only one love scene in this book, and it was a little graphic, but not an extreme caution. This novel was pretty good. I hate that it was so short, though, because the plot was one that would've been great in a 200 - 350 page book :).

This Bird Flew Away by Lynda M. Martin AND Interview!

This book counts toward the following challenges:


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This Bird Flew Away (Bria Connelly, #1)
By Lynda M. Martin
Publisher: Black Rose Writing, 2010
312 pages, Google Docs & Kindle Edition
Date Finished: 9/4/2011
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Some Action, Mature Teen, Some Romance, Serious Issues

What is real love? The whole world wants to know. They should ask Bria Jean, because she has it all figured out. Opinionated, stubborn and full of woe, Bria would tell you real love is having one person you can always count on through thick and thin. For her, that's Jack. And it doesn't matter to her that she's nine and he's twenty-three-not one bit. When, at the age of twelve, Bria disappears, he and his Aunt Mary search for her, and when she surfaces, injured, abused and traumatized, Jack fights to become her guardian with no idea of the trials ahead of him. By then, Bria is thirteen going on thirty, full of her own ideas on how her life should run and with some very fixed notions about who is in charge.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "According to Auntie Peg, if you couldn't hear my voice then I must have my nose in a book."
~Last Line: " 'Uhm. . .how are you?' "

Review: First off, let me say that I really want a physical copy of this novel. It was intriguingly appealing.

Our main character was the intersting Bria Jean Connelly. At first it took me a few chapters to really get unto thinking in her point of view, but the farther along I got the better the book was. Then something terrible happens (well, a lot of bad things happened, but what I found worst was...).

Bria Jean runs away from her aunt and uncle's house after having to defend herself from being abused. She tries to reach her other aunt's house on her own, and when she is somewhat close, she runs into an old acquaintance. Then he gets durnk, she gets sold, and poor Bria Jean gets raped.

That was the hardest part of the book for me. It broke my heart right in two to know that things like that happen everyday all over the world. But to have it happening and seem so close to home (it's written in first person), it made my cry.

However, this novel is not just terrible happenings. Bria has a love for rodeos. I find that aspect of Bria's personality truly amazing. I've always wanted to ride a horse, so I'm glad that Martin is letting me live my dream through one of her well-thought out characters.

Bria Jean honestly did have a hard life. I mean, sometimes I could sort of relate, but other times I couldn't, but still wasn't completely lost. She helped me figure out some things not to do, though. I wish I could tell you; you probably wouldn't even believe me, but ... OMG. It's just so big. It hit me hard smackdab in the forehead because I could possibly be in her position one day... Not gonna give it away, though :).

This book is definitely superb, and y'all should take the time out to read it if you have the chance!

 and a half :)
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INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR LYNDA M. MARTIN:

1. What gave you the inspiration for This Bird Flew Away?

The inspiration for the novel came from two sources, my case files and my distress of how survivors of childhood abuse were portrayed in the popular media. I refer to such programming as Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, which gives such a distorted view, it is downright creepy – damaged, neurotic, psychotic, suicidal, ruined people. The truth is most survivors do put the trauma behind them and go on to live fruitful, productive lives. Not that they don’t carry scars; they do. I wanted to show reality as I know it: the conditions that leave children vulnerable, the road to healing, the power of family (no matter how unorthodox) and love that keep us together, a portrait of optimism, full of tenderness and humor. Dark subject matter does not always make for a dark story.

2. As a child, when asked what you wanted to be when you grew up, did you ever respond with "an author"?

Even as a child as young as seven or eight, I was writing stories and making my own little books, complete with illustrations. I’d sew them up on one side with yarn and pass them out to my friends. Perhaps, I should have become a publisher. But no, I would never have answered “an author,” because my father made it clear to me that writing was fine as a private vocation, but not as one on which to build a financial future. As I result of this advice, I studied finance and business administration. Was he right?

3. Can we expect more novels from you anytime soon?

Yes! The sequel to This Bird Flew Away, with a working title of Fly High; Fly Blind, is currently in edit and revision, and the third in the series, Finding Emily, is in draft and growing.

4. What are some of your favorite pastimes when you're not writing?

I read voraciously. I like to putter in my garden, cook, spend time with people and daydream (the source for most of my writing.) I work part time caring for seniors in their own homes and love that, spending time with these wonderful people who’ve lived for so long, hearing their stories, giving them companionship and helping them avoid life in a nursing home.

5. Can you name a few books that you would recommend to us?

You mean aside from my own? My favorite books would include To Kill a Mockingbird, The Color Purple, Moll Flanders (in fact any good historical fiction, particularly the work of Phillipa Gregory,) Circle of Friends; the list is endless. I recently enjoyed The Cotton Queen, Peace Like a River and The Harmony Silk Factory and am currently reading The Book Thief.

6. What do you always make sure you have when you get ready to write?

Inner peace, all my chores done, a pot of coffee and a full pack of cigarettes (yes, I know – BAD!)
 
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Thank you SO much to Ms. Martin for doing the interview! I really appreciate it :). Thank you also to Majanka for starting this whole Book Tour "organization," so to speak. I'm really glad you emailed me about it! :D Happy Reading to everyone!,
 
Zakiya LadyWings

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

This book counts toward the following challenges:


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Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, #1)
By Charlaine Harris
Publisher: the Penguin Group, 2001
312 pages, hardcover (Library)
Date Finished: 17/3/2011
Genres: Mature Teen, Romance, Fantasy, Action, Mystery

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life--and one of her coworkers checks out...Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "I'd been waiting for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar."
~Last Line: "Back to normal."

Review: I have been wanting to read this series for quite a while, and I finally got the opportunity. One of my friends had checked it out of the library, and, after she finished it, she kindly agreed to let me borrow it (and now I have to turn it in for her because we're on Spring Break and it's due Thurs D: ).

Dead Until Dark really was amazing. The main character, Sookie Stackhouse, has been wanting to meet a vampire for years, and now she has the chance. Insert Bill Compton, your new-to-town vampire -- the only vamp in Bon Temps, Louisiana. He comes at a pretty bad time, though, because soon after his arrival, murders are popular, something that's just notheard of in Bon Temps. Sookie's starting to fall for him, but can he be trusted?

This book had a little action, but they don't really wander, so I wouldn't consider it adventure-y. There was romance, obviously, and it was mysterious to me since the town was tryting to figure out who the murderer was.

The characters were realluy unique in this book. Sookie didn't think the same way everyone usually does, which was pretty darn likable. Bill wasn't necessarily your average vamp, but he wasn't a predictable Edward Cullen either, so his charrie wasn't too cliche. The restaurant that Sookie works at, Merlotte's, is owned by her good friend Sam. Sam's character was one that I liked; he cared about Sookie a lot, and even though he waited until Bill got there to make a move, I loved his protective air of Sookie. Overall, all the characters brought something new and/or wonderful to the table of modern-day literature :).

This novel was super-interesting. I hope that I have the chance to read the rest of the series sometime soon! You really should try the series out, especially if you watch the TV show True Blood!



Quotes from the Book:

"But rural northern Louisiana wasn't too tempting to vampires, apparently; on the other hand, New Orleans was a real center for them -- the whole Anne Rice thing, right?"

"For a second I felt ashamed at calling Bill to rescue me: I should have handled the situation myself. Then I thought, Why? When you know a practically invincible being who professes to adore you, someone so hard to kill it's next to impossible, someone preternaturally strong, that's who you're gonna call."

" 'So you could be a bird?'
'Yeah, but flying is hard. I'm always scared I'm going to get fried on a power line, or fly into a window.' "