Monday, April 14, 2014

And the winner is....

Congratulations to Lisa, who won a FREE copy of Lexicon!! Thank you to everyone who entered - please check back for more giveaways in the future!!
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Jess

Friday, April 11, 2014

Sorta Recommended Read - Goddess Cottage by Sherri Dub

Goddess CottageGoddess Cottage by Sherri A. Dub
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the action and fantastical events of this novel! Some of the editing and grammar could have been better, and I would have liked it to be less cliche overall, but it was still a good addition to it's fantasy genre. If I could change anything, it would be the romance as it was too glib and predictable, and perhaps develop the character of Mitch a little more. I would also stop the jumping around from each character's point of view, as it would be a more consistent and enjoyable story to have it told from just one point of view. Still, this was a decent story and I didn't mind reading it.

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Flop - Miss Anne in Harlem by Carla Kaplan

Miss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black RenaissanceMiss Anne in Harlem: The White Women of the Black Renaissance by Carla Kaplan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Since this author previously wrote about Zora Neale Hurston who I love, I figured I'd try out this book. However, it came across as dry and rather uninteresting - I had a very hard time getting into it. I think this is a fantastic topic that lends itself to be written about in a much more colorful and interesting way, and wish that I could have enjoyed this more. As it is, I can only say that I love the topic but didn't really like the book.

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Recommended Read - Wander Home by Karen A Wyle

Wander HomeWander Home by Karen A. Wyle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

While I love this author, I find this book to be a bit too confusing at times keeping the characters straight (in terms of who is mom, grandma, etc). But otherwise this was a brilliantly crafted novel about life after death. Quite a beautiful imagining of the hereafter and a place I'd be happy to end up someday!

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Friday, April 4, 2014

Recommended Read and GIVEAWAY - Lexicon by Max Barry

I recently got the opportunity to read and review a GREAT book - and now they are offering me the chance to give away a free copy to one of you! :) First, here's my thoughts on the book:



LexiconLexicon by Max Barry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Words are all around us, in various shapes and forms and languages - but what if they could be used as weapons of mass destruction?
This dystopian book set in a familiar current time explores that possibility and introduces us to a hidden world of Poets and word power.
The pace of this book is fast - I didn't want to put it down - and there was at least one surprise twist that caught me off guard! I liked how the pieces of the puzzle started falling into place and it kept my mind racing with possibilities.
The only thing that prevented this from being a 5 star was just one misplaced flashback at the end that was a little jumbled and confusing.
Overall, this is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to all of my book-loving friends!

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Sound intriguing? Good! :) Check out the Rafflecopter below to enter to win a free copy shipped straight to you! U.S. Residents only, sorry to my international fans.


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Flop - The English Girl by Daniel Silva

The English Girl (Gabriel Allon, #13)The English Girl by Daniel Silva
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I just couldn't get into this story - guess it's just not my style. Seemed a bit too drab and uninteresting - I was hoping for a much faster pace and more intrigue. I didn't really connect with any of the characters, although now that I see that this is a later book in a series that is perhaps because I needed to start with the first book to appreciate this.

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Flop - Acid Alkaline Diet for Dummies by Julie Wilkinson

Acid Alkaline Diet for DummiesAcid Alkaline Diet for Dummies by Julie Wilkinson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I figured a book for dummies might be a good place to start to learn more about this diet, but sadly I still found some of it to be too confusing to truly understand. I didn't like how the author basically stated over and over again that she was the right, trusted source and that the reader shouldn't do any other research on their own outside of her book. The recipes relied heavily on tofu and stevia, two foods that I avoid because they make me feel ill, and it felt like the author also preached vegetarianism and that meat is evil, which is contrary to other sources on acid-alkaline diets. Overall, I didn't walk away feeling excited or even interested in this diet and felt more confused about what is healthy overall.

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