As someone who reads prolifically and writes occasionally, I often find myself wishing there was a red pen to use to correct social media grammar! It's terrible in a book, and worse when every few Facebook updates include the misuse of words such as "Their" and "They're", "Your" and "You're"... you get my point.
But fear not, good writers, for I have found a great resource that can help! I
use Grammarly for proofreading online because proper commas can save lives. ;)
Seriously, though, you should go check out Grammarly. It's pretty amazeballs.
P.S. I find made up words such as "amazeballs" to be far less annoying than grammatical mistakes! ;)
Torn by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
While the first book in the series felt a little cliche and predictable, this book steps it up a notch and shows the writer's evolved style! I loved the little bits of surprises, and how deeply I was starting to feel toward the characters as they developed into fully-rounded fictional creations. The novel was mysterious and dangerous and so fast-paced that I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day! It ends with just the right amount of intrigue to keep you reading until the next book in the series.
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Switched by Amanda Hocking
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
At long last, I finally got my hands on some Amanda Hocking literature - and for the most part, it didn't disappoint! It was a nice introduction into the world of the Trylle, and a good bit of fantasy reading that FINALLY didn't focus on vampires or werewolves, which is starting to get a bit overdone. I did feel that this book was a bit too predictable, and that some of the characters felt a little flat, but it was still so interesting that I just didn't care. Overall a very solid book!
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27 (Twenty-Seven): Six Friends, One Year by R. J. Heald
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As someone who hit the age of 27 not that long ago, I really related to the characters in this book! It was a great blend of wit, reality, and drama with characters that were well-developed and situations that could happen in real life. The pace was between a leisurely stroll and a jog, and the language was easy to understand (regardless of the fact that I'm American and sometimes don't understand "British-isms"). The best way I can think to describe this book is to liken it to the television shows "Friends" and "How I Met Your Mother" - just a look at a group of friends living their lives!
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A Sealed Fate by Lisa Gordon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, this book was ok - some of the plot points were a little weak, and a few times the switch of the point of view was confusingly laid out. It was moderately paced, and the main character was fairly interesting, but there was nothing in particular that stood out or made the book memorable. I didn't regret reading it, but I wasn't in love with it, either.
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The Nine Lives of Chloe King by Liz Braswell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a fun read! I love that the ending of the series (of three books, all combined into one volume) left room for the reader's imagination and wasn't all "happily ever after." It was a little racy for something that has been made into an ABC Family Original Series, so I might have to check it out and see how they modified it for a younger audience. However, I enjoyed the characters and the plot, and hope that this author comes out with more books!
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Cinder by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I lusted after this book for ages, trying everything I could do to nab a free copy (because as a book reviewer I don't actually get paid money, just free books), but eventually I couldn't wait any longer and scraped together the money to buy this book - and I wasn't disappointed! This book has everything I love - great characters, an amazingly complex yet fun story line, and lots of action. I love the twist on the classic fairytale genre to make it into a modern steampunk. It made me go out and buy the second book right away, and I'm anxiously awaiting the third and fourth books! Great read!
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Today I stumbled upon a great gem while browsing Facebook, and I couldn't help but share it here! I'll just put the link, as I don't want to infringe upon any copyrights, etc by pasting the pictures, but you should definitely go check it out:
What Classic Kids' Books Are REALLY About
Enjoy!
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this novel - AND the movie, which rarely if ever happens! Yes, this novel still had some of the typical Stephanie Meyer - annoyingly young female falls for the "bad for her" older man, blah blah blah. But there were sooo many good qualities - the female protagonist was actually smart and worthwhile, not helpless like Bella Swan; the whole idea of a "friendly" alien takeover; the setting in the caves;... really, this is a great book!
Not only a great book, but a good movie (which surprised me) - highly recommended!
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The Drought by Steven Scaffardi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's been talked about for years how men and women view sex differently - and this book portrays that idea in a hilarious and often bumbling way! Join the adventure as a man thinks he is wasting away because he isn't having sex, and the often completely un-usable advice given to him by his friends and they strive to "get him some."
There were a couple of editing errors but overall this was a fun read - and I'm a woman, so don't think this is just a book for guys! ;)
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Eve of Darkness by Sylvia Day
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
There was a lot that I liked about this novel - including a strong heroine, mythology tying in with religious stories, and the fast pace.
Sadly, there was just as much that I didn't like. It was very raw and animalistic in its sexuality which isn't really something I enjoy, and I felt like I was missing a whole lot of back story somehow. It almost felt like this was the second book in a series, or perhaps a spin off from a previous series.
Overall, I felt only so-so about the book and don't think I'd probably continue reading this particular series.
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