The President Is Missing by James Patterson and Bill Clinton

Available on Amazon

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘
Genre - Fiction, Political Fiction, International Mystery, Mystery
Format - Audio book
Length - 12 hours 55 minutes

*Amazon Blurb*

The White House is the home of the president of the United States, the most guarded, monitored, closely watched person in the world. So how could a US president vanish without a trace? And why would he choose to do so?
An unprecedented collaboration between President Bill Clinton and the world's best-selling novelist, James Patterson, The President Is Missing is a breathtaking story from the pinnacle of power. Full of what it truly feels like to be the person in the Oval Office - the mind-boggling pressure, the heartbreaking decisions, the exhilarating opportunities, the soul-wrenching power - this is the thriller of the decade, confronting the darkest threats that face the world today, with the highest stakes conceivable.

*My Review* 

 

Not trying to spoil the book, but I will say that it wasn't nearly as thrilling as I thought it was going to be. It definitely was not what I was expecting at all. The president doesn't just up and vanish without a trace....not really anyways. 

 

There were a ton of characters, which I never enjoy because it's too hard to keep them all straight. This one not only has multiple "good guys", but also multiple "bad guys". Just all too much for me. 

Why do you read?

 

Why do you read? I read to escape, to take my mind off of the real world. These days can easily become stressful with everything going on and the feeling of not being able to control anything. With reading I can control what I read which means I can travel to any place in the world. 

Some people read because they have too. Maybe it's part of your job. Editors and proofreaders have to read. So do teachers. Even kids have to read for school, though if you ask my almost 7 year old it's not fun. I am hoping she will come to enjoy reading as much as I do.

I wish I could read faster since there are so many books I want to be able to read before my time comes. I also know that no matter how fast I can read, I'll never be able to read all the books I want.

Frightfully Ever After by Nick DeWolf

 

Available on Amazon

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘📘
Genre - Format - E-book

*Amazon Blurb*

"Do you know what the difference is between a fairy godmother and a witch?"
"What?"
"Not a goddamn thing."
Fairies and dragons are real, and live alongside giants, goblins and trolls. Fairy godmothers exist. The woodsman, that one from the story books? Yeah, he’s real too. They’re all out there, living in the world, right under your nose.
But they’re not alone. There’s another side to the coin. Witches are real. Monsters are real. Things that slither through shadows and bite at your skin are real.
The big bad wolf is very real.
And poor Anastasia – she was born with magical royal blood. She should have been a princess, but grew up under the thumb of a vicious crime boss. She’s lived a life of pain, fear, and violence. In a desperate attempt to get away, she will find herself surrounded by all those things she thought never existed.
Good, bad, and evil.
FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER is a slow burn urban fantasy with guns, horror, sex, and monsters. People get hurt. People get killed. People get eaten. And only the toughest get to live Happily Ever After.

*My Review* 

 

Nick DeWolf is an author I never would have normally picked up to read as I tend to stay within my suspense genre. However, that's the good thing about being a blogger and having a Facebook group. You get to meet authors you normally wouldn't have. I previously read one of Nick's books, Villains Never Die and enjoyed it so I figured why not read another one by him. I'll admit this book took me foooorever to read. It was an ebook and they always take much longer to read that a physical book which is why I always ask for a psychical copy for requested reviews.

This book is like a typical fairy tale, if fairy tales weren't all princess, sparkles and happy endings. I'm not saying this one didn't have a happy ending, but I'm not saying it does either. As much as I enjoyed the book I did find the conversations between Gayle and Mary a bit annoying sometimes. They seemed to make a lot sounds that actual words in certain parts. I think Ana is probably my favorite "princess" ever. There's no crown, frilly dresses, castle or any of that other dreamy princess stuff you normally have in books. 

A 4 book rating is pretty good since, like I have said before, I don't normally read fantasy. If you do (or even if you don't), you should definitely check this out.

Reading a Book Vs. Writing a Review

 

Reading -

I love to read, when I get the chance. With Covid many of us have had to make changes in our normal daily lives. I was turned into a home-schooling teacher and let me tell you something, having one child at home with no other kids to play with is not all it's cracked up to be. Guess who gets to do morning routine, school, after school and all the other in-between stuff? Yup, I do. I love my child, don't get me wrong, but I really miss that little bit of time that I got while waiting for her after I got out of work to pick her up from school. Now the only me time I get is the few hours I work at the library. Yes, I consider my working hours my me time. It's the only chance I get to have conversations with adults and read while it's slow. I can't even read much after my daughter goes to bed since that is the only time I get to spend with my husband. So I try to squeeze in reading any chance I get. Between school, child care, household chores and my online businesses it doesn't leave much.

I really would like to get stranded on a deserted island for about 1 week with nothing but a stack of book and yummy treats.

Reviews -

I finished a book, yay!! Now what? Well normally I'd like to jump right in to writing a review while everything is fresh in my mind. Unfortunately, I am usually finishing while at work, in bed before or sometimes while I am simply not home. Basically it's not convenient for me to start my review at that time. However, I usually have another book within reach and just start that one. Then I kind of forget that I have a review to write. I tell myself that I will take a little bit of my reading time to get it done, but then I don't have much reading time to take away from. 

Also, writing a review is much harder than just telling someone about the book in person. Going back to my post about blogs, I don't visit book review blogs very often because I don't have time to read long reviews. I keep my reviews short....sometimes a lot shorter than I probably should, but I don't want to give too much away. Did I like the book or didn't I. Why or why not. I feel like if I start explaining everything that the book looses it's mystery. I don't want to say anything that might give away the "who done it" so I don't say much at all. Since I don't have much time to read to begin with, I also don't want to spend what little time I do have reading a review about a book that I might or might not read. If I am going to read it, then I don't need to have read a review about it telling me everything that is going to happen.

Summary -

What are your thoughts on book reviews? Do you read them? Do you prefer them short and to the point or a bit more in depth? I'd love to know.

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

 

 

Available on Amazon

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘📘📘📘
Genre - Fiction,
Format - Audio book
Length - 10 hours 41 minutes

*Amazon Blurb*

“Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.” 

After her mother's suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother's mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran…fast and far away. 

Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing. Did she run too? Or something worse? Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind. Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer. But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again. 

As it weaves between Lane’s first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.

*My Review* 

 

If you like crazy, messed up families with huge secrets, then this books is perfect for you. I did get annoyed a times with the characters, but isn't that part of what makes a good book good? Lane  is the center of most of my frustration. Pull yourself together and act your age.

I can't really say much of what happened (the Amazon blub does a good job at that), but I remember the ending of the book made me sit there and ask...."seriously" what did I just listen to.

Blog Posts

 

 

Are you a blogger? Do you follow blogs?

 

When it comes to blogs, do you actually read them? I follow a few, but I'll admit I don't visit them often. Honestly, I tend to forget about them...unless I see a post on Facebook (or sometimes from an email). So who else can be honest? Do you visit the blogs you follow? Do you read or interact with blog posts?

 

I try to stop by the blogs I follow when I do remember. I know that simply looking at an email I receive doesn't count as a view on their traffic report. Today there are soooo many different blogs that the little guys & girls (like myself) are lost easily, or never found at all.

I wonder if this post will even be seen or responded to. Here's an idea -

 If you are seeing this post, comment something to let me know you are there. If you have a blog of your own, share it in the comments. 

Then give other blogs that have commented a follow. Let's try to help each other get seen.

The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel

 

Available on Amazon

Rating (1-5) - 📘📘
Genre - Young Adult, Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction

*Amazon Blurb* (from the 1st book)

After a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school―but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head―wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is―or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

*My Review* 

 

I normally wouldn't review a whole series at once, but I feel that it's the only proper way to do this series. I will also start off with a major SPOILER ALERT disclaimer because reviewing more than one book obviously will give away things in earlier books.

SPOILER ALERT

 (continue at your own risk)

Ok, so I had the first 3 in this series sitting around for a while and decided I wanted to some easy reading and generally young adult is perfect for that. Book 1 Evermore: The Immortals did not disappoint. It was an extremely fast read and I found myself diving into book 2 (Blue Moon) as soon as I was finished. My book 3 (Shadowland), however I was getting over the whole story-line already. I mean the girl names were a bit of a struggle to get over to begin with....Ever, Haven, Honor.... just weird for me. Then of course there's Damen the other main character of the story. He who is thousands of years old, but can't wait until Ever has finished high school to "turn" her. And no this isn't a vampire book. I will actually leave that one for your to find out on your own. Regardless, you now have one of these Twilight types of situations where the characters will forever be a teenager. I would never want to live forever as a teenager, no thank you.

 

Back to the story.... many things do happen during books 4-6 (Dark Flame, Night Star and Everlasting), but it all really boils down to just one thing.....sex! Yup, that's all it's about. Right from the beginning Ever and Damon are kept from "hooking up" due to a spell that is put upon them. Um hello, she's just 16 (in this life) and they have eternity to live, but all that Ever is worried about is them being together. Seriously? I really thought there would be more going on in the other books, besides that one main situation, but there really wasn't. 

 

I don't think I'd have read past book 2 if my OCD to finish any series I start hadn't been so overwhelming. I simply read as fast and as often I could to finish them. Maybe I'd have enjoyed them better if I were a young adult, but I'm not and so we'll never know.