The Crystal Perspective

Review: The Eleventh Hour Can’t Last Forever

2010-12-28T18:15:00.001-08:00

The Eleventh Hour Can’t Last Forever

By Alison Johnson

Published by Cumberland Press

ISBN: 0967561922

191 Pages

Received a review copy from Newman Communications, Inc.

Product Description (from the back of the book): Two tons of silver and gold coins, hundreds of thousands of nickels, dimes, quarters, and gold pieces. They were under our beds, in the kitchen cupboards, up in the attics, in the bottom of dresser drawers, in holes in the ground. My father was obsessed with gathering up these coins and hiding them away in any likely spot in the houses and garages and store buildings he owned in our tiny town on the mid-Western prairie. Nothing could shake his belief that the total collapse of the American economy and government was just around the corner, a collapse that would bring anarchy and rioting in the streets.

With this shadow of Armageddon always hanging over him, Dad believed that he could save his family from disaster only by collecting as much gold and silver as he could lay his hands on.

This fear of a future calamity that might leave his family penniless so dominated Dad’s thoughts that he failed to see how his blind absorption in amassing wealth created family problems that would lead to his oldest son’s hopeless alcoholism and his wife’s mental collapse. My sister grew up so insecure that she eventually turned to the stars for answers to the frustrations of her life, immersing herself in the study of astrology. In the fairy tale, King Midas’s daughter was miraculously restored to life after she had been turned to stone by her father’s desire for gold, but Dad’s destructive influence on his family could not be so easily reversed.

The General Review: The Eleventh Hour Can’t Last Forever is a brutally honest, first-hand account of how hoarding money can ruin a family. Written from the authors perspective, Alison Johnson tells a heart-breaking story of the long-lasting effects an addiction can have on loved ones.

Likes: I appreciated the author's honest and candid perspective of her fathers gold and silver addiction and how his hoarding had a huge and detrimental impact on each person in her family. While the story the author told is sad and unfortunate, I thought that Alison Johnson shared her account in a bold, straight-forward way that would appeal to most readers.

Dislikes: There was nothing about this book I disliked.

Closing Comments: I originally chose to receive this book to review because I thought the subject matter was unique. I recommend The Eleventh Hour Can’t Last Forever to anyone who is a fan of memoirs or has a fascination with hoarding.

11 Months Down, 1 More To Go…

2010-12-12T19:22:00.001-08:00

I am overly ecstatic today. My internet is finally fixed!!! Shortly after my last post, my roommate decided to change internet providers. According to my roommate, there was some problem with the router, then the replacement router crapped out too. Three routers later, we are online!

At the beginning of November, I won one the coolest concert tickets to date: Stone Temple Pilots!!! Here are a few pics:

My friend Chris and I saw Dave Matthews play an acoustic set to celebrate the opening of the first Microsoft retail store at a local mall. The place was packed and crazy, but well worth getting to see and hear Dave Matthews.

I said in my last post that I would post a book review, and I had every intent on keeping that promise. Now that my internet is working again, expect more book reviews! I’ve accepted a few books to review and I have a couple of reviews that way past over due that I need to post.

October: A Little Late….

2010-11-14T19:40:00.001-08:00

I finally have a little free time to write about the month of October… it’s only 2 weeks late :)

At the beginning of October my friend Chris and I checked out The Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle. It’s basically Paul Allen’s tribute to Jimi Hendrix and other music memorabilia. For as much hype as the EMP gets, I wasn’t that impressed. What did impress me, however, was the Science Fiction Museum, also located in the EMP. It’s a definite must for any SciFi fan.

I took a week off of work and ended up doing a lot of fun stuff.

On the first day of vacation I saw the silent black and white film “Underworld” at the Paramount theatre, complete with a live organist playing along with the movie.

On the second day of vacation I saw the play “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” at the ACT Theatre.

On the third thru sixth day of my vacation I went to a festival called the City Arts Fest, put on by City Arts Magazine, a local Seattle publication. They booked a handful of bands each night of the festival, which concert goers could either buy individual tickets to each show, or buy a wristband and get into any show they wanted to. My only complaint about the festival is that they scheduled many great concerts at the same time, and I had to choose which band I wanted to see the most. I ended up choosing:

1st Night – Gogol Bordelo and Forro in the Dark
2nd Night – Roky Erickson, the Maldives and Massy Fergusen
3rd Night – The Vaselines, Dum Dum Girls and Young Evils
4th Night – She & Him and Mike Coykendall & the Golden Shag

And on the 7th day of vacation I rested :)

To close up the month of October, I had the opportunity to go to a Seattle Sounders playoff game on Halloween. Unfortunately, the Sounders lost, but I had a lot of fun at the game anyways.

I’ve been asked a few times if I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year, and sadly the answer is no. I really wanted to, but I hardly update my blog. I definitely don’t have time to write a 50,000 word novel in a month.

Oh, and speaking of never updating my blog… I’ve been considering what to do with my blog. I’ve thought about shutting it down and just commenting on the blogs that I follow. I really enjoy writing book reviews, but I never have the time to write them. I keep turning down books to review, not because I’m not reading, but because I feel bad that I don’t have time to provide the author and/or publisher with a timely review.

But…… I’ve decided that I want to keep my book reviewing blog alive! I’ve recently accepted a book to review and hope in the next week or so to post the two book reviews I’ve been meaning to do since summer. With fall here and winter quickly approaching, I hope to be spending the cold nights curled up with a cup of tea, a great indie book and my laptop.

Ah, September! What a fun month!!

2010-10-05T21:14:00.001-07:00

September was crammed full of great events! I was so busy, I didn’t get a chance to write the book reviews I promised last month. Now that fall is here, I’m hoping to return to the regularly scheduled programming on this blog.

I started out the month by checking out the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) with my friend, Chris. SAM has free admission the first Thursday of every month. I really wanted to check out the Kurt Cobain exhibit before it ended. I was very disappointed. The exhibit was actually art inspired by Kurt Cobain instead of his own art and was mixed with the work of Andy Warhol. After walking thru the Cobain/Warhol exhibit, we checked out the rest of SAM.

Labor Day Weekend was awesome because I won my coolest radio concert to date…. BUMBERSHOOT!!! For those of you not from Seattle, Bumbershoot is a 3 day music and arts festival. On top of winning 2 passes for the whole weekend, I also won private mini concerts for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Crash Kings and Courtney Love. We saw 29 bands over the weekend! I didn’t take very many pictures because I wasn’t close enough to the stages, but here’s a few from the private concerts.

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

Crash Kings

Courtney Love

The Space Needle on a beautiful day

The weekend after Bumbershoot, I won another radio contest, this time to see The Smashing Pumpkins (or as I like to refer to them as Billy Corgan and friends). It was a great concert, but I really wished they played more songs from the 90’s. You can check out Chris’ review here.

Just a few days after seeing The Smashing Pumpkins, Chris got to review The Gaslight Anthem and had an extra pass, so I got to tag along. You can check out his review here.

The night after The Gaslight Anthem, I got to see Brandon Sanderson at University Bookstore!!! He read from his newest book, “The Way of Kings”, answered questions from the crowd, then ended with a book signing. Sadly, I did not have anything signed.

I got to tag along for another concert Chris was reviewing, this time for Massy Ferguson, Cody Beebe & The Crooks and Curtains For You. Chris writes way better concert reviews then I do, so check out what he had to say here.

Last month I mentioned that I won tickets to Vampire Weekend, but the show was cancelled. It was rescheduled for a different venue. They put on a good show, but I really enjoyed the opening band, The Head And The Heart.

I attended my first Oktoberfest, where I sampled 5 beers and had a great time people watching. I really wish I took some pictures, but at the time, I didn’t think about it.

Just when you think I’d be sick of concerts (NEVER!), Chris won 2 contests back to back! The first show was for Matt & Kim. I’m not a huge fan of their music, but they put on a very high energy show. We got to meet them for a few minutes before the show and they are very cool. I just checked to see if the pictures were posted for the Meet and Greet with Matt & Kim and they were not.

The next night Chris won tickets to see Arcade Fire, which I really wanted to buy tickets for, but could not afford it. Their concert was amazing, probably one of the top 5 concerts I’ve ever seen.

I was interviewed by my blog-mentor, Shelley, from Layers of Thought on my NaNoWriMo experience last year. Check out the interview on her blog here. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, Shelley does a great job explaining it. NaNoWriMo is a great way for any aspiring author to challenge themselves to write!

I think that about wraps it up for September. As you can see, I have very good excuses for not writing book reviews. I’ve considered writing concert reviews, but as I said earlier, I don’t think I’m very good at writing them. Now that Fall is here and the weather will be soon turning rainy, I anticipate my book review posts to increase.

What!? Summer is over already?

2010-09-07T21:45:00.001-07:00

Ah, Summer. Why did you forget Seattle? Did we do something wrong?

It’s already September! I can’t believe how fast the last few months have flown by. This post is a little late because the last week has been crazy busy with fun stuff, but I’ll save those events for another post.

Early in August, a friend and I checked out a great local band called Cody Beebe and The Crooks at a local bar. Here’s some video I found on YouTube that was taken that night.

I also went to the CD release party for Brad’s newest album called Best Friends? If you’re a hardcore Pearl Jam fan, you’ll know that the guitarist for Pearl Jam, Stone Gossard, plays in Brad, along with Shawn Smith (vocals, keys), Regan Hagar (drums), Keith Lowe (bass) and Mike Berg (keys). I couldn’t find any footage of the concert that night, but the venue was packed and the band’s performance was amazing. Below is a promo video for Best Friends?

I won yet another radio contest, this time to see Vampire Weekend. Before the actual concert, the radio station hosted a private performance of Vampire Weekend for the contest winners at the Gibson Showroom. The band played 3 songs acoustically, then signed autographs and posed for pictures afterwards. Unfortunately, the lead singer of Vampire Weekend had to cancel the concert later that evening because he had enflamed vocal cords. The concert has been rescheduled for mid-September. Below is footage the radio station filmed of Vampire Weekend performing a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m Going Down”.

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a book review. I have two reviews that I will post very soon (after I write them, of course!). The first one is called “Annexed” by Sharon Dogar and the second book is called “The Eleventh Hour Can’t Last Forever” by Alison Johnson. I hope to have both reviews up in the next week or two.

Thank God July is Over!!

2010-08-04T23:25:00.001-07:00

I started this post a few days ago, but I keep getting sidetracked. It's about time I finish it! June was a very uneventful month. I can't say the same about July. I was very busy.

The month started out with car problems. My car kept dying on me, so I took it in to the mechanic. They informed me I was having some sort of electrical problems, which might me causing my car to die. So I got that fixed.

Since summer finally decided to show up in Seattle, I decided to spend a Saturday at the beach.

I used some vacation time and took a week off of work in the middle of the month. The Friday before my vacation started, I won Kings of Leon tickets from a local radio station. The concert was for the next day, so I started off my vacation driving 3 hours away to The Gorge, an amazing concert venue. The Features and Built to Spill were great opening acts for Kings of Leon.

The Bite of Seattle was also happening the same weekend as the concert, so I went to that Friday night and Sunday. We saw a few great local bands and ate yummy food from local restaurants.

While on vacation, I spent one day wandering around Pike Place Market (one of my favorite places) and the Seattle Waterfront with a friend. Later that night we checked out a local band playing at a bar, but before, we took a quick walk to check out a famous Seattle landmark, The Fremont Troll. For those of you not from Seattle, The Fremont Troll lives under a bridge just north of downtown Seattle. Yes, the troll is holding a real, full size VW Bug.

At the end of my vacation I drove to my hometown to spend the weekend with friends. We spent a lot of time at the river and my shoulders got really sunburned.

My first day back to work after my vacation, my car wouldn't start in the morning so I got a ride to work from a co-worker. After work I called roadside assistant to get a jump. They guy who showed up jumped my car and told me to drive around for a half hour to charge the battery. About 15 minutes into my drive, my car started to act up and wouldn't accelerate. I coasted into a parking lot. I called roadside assistant again, and he jumped my car, but it wouldn't shift into drive. I had to leave my car in the parking lot over night. The next day I had to have my car towed. My fuse panel was melted and the wires to the alternator were burned. The dealership had to order parts, so I was without my car for a few days.

With the exception of the car problems, July was a great month! Hopefully I'm done with car problems for a while!

Review: The Change Artist

2010-07-12T20:06:00.001-07:00

The Change Artist

By Carla Rieger

Published by Anand Publishing

ISBN: 9780968827284

456 Pages

Received a review copy from www.indiereader.com

Product Description (from the back of the book): The Change Artist is a compelling suspense novel that provided a subtle, yet pervasive message of acceptance, growth and hope. Written by creativity catalyst, Carla Rieger, The Change Artist takes you on a gripping and unpredictable adventure. Set to inherit millions, a young accountant named Fran discovers, upon her father’s death, that nothing in her life is what it seems - including her father’s true identity.

From Vancouver to Vienna of today and through the Sahara desert and carnival entertainers of the past, we take the emotional journey along with Fran as she discovers a sister that she never knew existed, uncovers her father’s two hidden lives, and frantically searches for the truth - and herself.

The Change Artist blends Rieger’s powerful recipe for mastering self-change with compelling storytelling, all the more potent because it is inspired by true events from the author’s life. If you have ever searched for more meaning in life, this book will seize your interest from the first chapter. Be prepared for a very personal and thought-provoking voyage into what it means to be a Change Artist.

The General Review: The Change Artist is an inspiring, intriguing story that will take you on an adventure around the world and back in time with the protagonist as she discovers her father’s hidden past by piecing together cryptic hints. Mysterious and captivating, this book will hold your attention until the last page is turned.

Likes: I’m a fan of World War II historical fiction and I thought Carla Rieger did an excellent job researching the life and times of the Romani culture before and during the Holocaust.

Dislikes: I thought that this book was well-researched and well-written. There is nothing I dislike about The Change Artist.

Closing Comments: I recommend The Change Artist to those who are a fan of World War II fiction. This book was so mesmerizing, I could not put it down!

If you’re interested in purchasing The Change Artist, here’s the link to buy it from indiereader.com (I don’t receive compensation from indiereader.com)

Below is the book trailer for The Change Artist

Half of 2010 is already gone!

2010-07-06T21:31:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had a month fly by, but looking back, you didn’t really do anything eventful? That’s how June felt to me.

I’ve been geocaching every weekend. This past weekend I tried to introduce my 10 year old niece to the wonderful world of geocaching, but we went 0 for 6. My niece wasn’t too discouraged, since I let her play at the parks we visited. Two of the caches were stolen, one we couldn’t figure out how to get on the trail without cutting though someone’s yard (later we learned that you have to go though the cemetery to get to the trailhead). Another trail had a group of teenage boys smoking and drinking at the trailhead. One needed an extraction tool (tweezers or needle nose pliers), which I did not have on hand. The last one was in a rock wall and we just couldn’t find it.

To date I have logged 18 finds! Here are a few pictures of the more fascinating geocaches I’ve found.

A toy rat hanging out in a shrub. I actually screamed when I spotted it because I am VERY afraid of rats.

A plastic rock underneath landscaping at a local clock shop. The owner of the store caught me poking around and kindly gave me a hint to the cache whereabouts.

The cache was actually hanging off the back leg of whatever this interesting creature is.

I’ve also been playing pool a lot lately. A few of my friends are on a pool league, so I’ve been hanging out with them, trying to learn a thing or two. I don’t plan on joining any pool leagues in the future, but I do enjoy playing and have even noticed improvement in my game.

That’s about it for my month of June. I’ll try to make July a little more exciting. Watch for book reviews sometime near the end of the week.

Review: The Mistborn Series

2010-06-23T21:04:00.001-07:00

The Mistborn Series

By Brandon Sanderson

Published by TOR Fantasy

Mistborn: The Final Empire ISBN: 0765350386, 644 Pages

The Well of Ascension ISBN:0765316889, 796 Pages

The Hero of Ages ISBN: 0765356147, 724 Pages

Purchased all three books from my local bookstore

Product Description (from the back of Mistborn: The Final Empire): Once, a hero arose to save the world. A young man with a mysterious heritage courageously challenged the darkness that strangled the land.

He failed.

For a thousand years since, the world has been a wasteland of ash and mist ruled by the immortal emperor known as the Lord Ruler. Every revolt has failed miserably.

Yet somehow, hope survives. Hope that dares to dream of ending the empire and even the Lord Ruler himself. A new kind of uprising is being planned, one built around the ultimate caper, one that depends on the cunning of a brilliant criminal mastermind and the determination of an unlikely heroine, a street urchin who must learn to master Allomancy, the power of a Mistborn.

General Review: The Mistborn Series is a fantastical, complex, dystopian story that has it all; love, betrayal, action, suspense and a sci-fi element. This series is fast-paced, addicting and will hold your attention until the very end.

Likes: I was extremely fascinated by the power of Allomancy. The author goes into great detail about the power of Allomancy. I also thought the author did an awesome job building the characters and their talents. And I liked the fact that the protagonist is a female.

Dislikes: There is absolutely nothing I disliked about this series. It’s that awesome!

Closing Comments: The Mistborn Series is a great fantasy series for hardcore fantasy fans and a great introduction to the genre if you’re new to fantasy. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good read.

Learning How to Find Geocaches

2010-06-12T19:50:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week, I shared that I started a new hobby called Geocaching (www.geocaching.com). I mentioned that a friend and I went out last Saturday to find our first cache. We didn’t find it, but I was hooked on the search.

On Monday, I used my Geocaching iPhone App and discovered that there are a few near my work. So, after work I went in search of one a block away on a walking trail. I found it very quickly!! Here’s the pics of that find:

Do you see it? I didn’t at first. But after I moved the bush aside, I found…

My first Geocache!!!

Inside was a log book to sign, and a bunch of other stuff. I didn’t get a good look at everything inside because there were muggles (geospeak for non-geocachers) walking on the trail. I had enough time to sign the log book and and rehide the cache without being seen by others.

Since then, I have found 6 more!

I found this one next to the library, hiding behind a park bench. It only held a tiny log book, a quarter and a ring. I signed the log book and didn’t take or leave anything.

I found this one in a rock wall. It was an Altoids can! Again, I just signed the log book.

This one was a little tricky, because it’s right in front of a walk-in clinic at a bus stop on a very busy road. I went during my lunch hour, but there were so many people around, I left and came back later in the evening. It was hidden under the ledge.

I almost overlooked this geocache. It was hidden in a rock formation in the corner of a gravel parking lot. At first I didn’t see the black film canister.

Today, a friend and I went back to find the first geocache we tried to find. The trail was still muddy, but I wore better shoes. In one spot my foot sank above my ankle. A lot of the trail was overgrown. I have lots of little sticker bush cuts on my legs. But we were determined to find it. At last, we finally located it!!!

Do you see it? My friend didn’t at first, but there was something that caught my eye…

YES!! Victory at last!!!

There was one other I found, but it was in a very public place. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself by taking pictures of it, so I just signed the log book very quickly and returned it to its spot.

I’ve tried to find a handful more, but wasn’t able to locate them because of muggles, time constraints (I’ve been going on my lunch breaks) or I just can’t find the darn thing. When I have more time, I’m going to go back and try to find the caches.

Review: Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am

2010-06-07T20:42:00.001-07:00

Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am: How I Ditched The South, Forgot My Manners, and Managed To Survive My Twenties With (Most Of) My Dignity Still Intact

By: Anna Mitchael

ISBN: 9781580053167

256 Pages

Published by Seal Press

Received a review copy from Newman Communications

Product Description (from publication received from Newman Communications): Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am: How I Ditched the South, Forgot My Manners and Managed to Survive My Twenties with (Most of) My Dignity Still Intact is Mitchael’s hilariously truthful tale about one woman and the choices that add up to be her twenty-something life. Detailing impulsive moves to new cities, domestic disasters, and even the occasional nervous breakdown, this is a book for every woman who has ever woken up one day and wondered how she ended up smack dab in the middle of a life she doesn’t completely recognize.

The story of a Southern girl who sets out to find a new home – and instead finds herself – Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am is a disarmingly humorous (and candidly honest) account of growing up…and it’s a tale in which each and every reader will see some part of themselves.

The General Review: Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am is a witty, hilarious and honest biography of events that happened during her second decade. Mitchael candidly shares her biography with sarcasm, grace and Grandma’s wisdom.

Likes: I liked how easy it was to relate to the authors experiences. I also absolutely loved Mitchael’s writing style. She tells it exactly how she sees it and she doesn’t hold back.

Dislikes: There’s not much I disliked about this book. I would have like to have seen the events in her book depicted in chronological order.

Closing Comments: Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am is a great read for any woman in her 20’s (or any age!) trying to find herself in this crazy world. I’m looking forward to seeing where life takes the author in her 30’s. She had a great blog – www.annamitchael.com. Congratulations to Anna on the arrival of your baby boy last month!!!

I Blinked and May Disappeared....

2010-06-07T07:18:00.001-07:00

Wow! May flew by! I didn't do anything really exciting, but it seemed like I was busy all the time. Work is busy as always and I seem to find something to tie up my time after work. I haven't forgotten on book reviews. I plan on posting a book review very soon.

Here are 2 noteworthy activities I've done lately-

At the beginning of May I won tickets to see 2 Door Cinema Club. Here's a few pics:

Opening Band - Leadspeak

Opening Band - The Emergency

2 Door Cinema Club

I tried a new hobby this weekend. It's called Geocaching. Basically it's a treasure hunt, but you use GPS to locate the "cache". People hide the caches all over the world and post the GPS coordinates to the Geocaching website for other adventure seekers to find. If you have an iPhone, there's a spiffy app you can download that almost makes the hunting idiot-proof. I say almost because, well, you'll see.

This Saturday was finally sunny in the greater Seattle area. I called up a friend to invite him to go Geocaching with me. After explaining what it was, he was game. We picked a park and I used my fancy Geocaching app on my iPhone to locate caches in the area. While there were a few caches in the area, there weren't any parking spots. Apparently everyone was out enjoying the sun. So we decided to try a larger park. We found a parking spot and I located a geocache within 300 feet of the parking spot. After walking around for a while trying to find a trail into the woods, which is where the app is indicating the cache is, we find we're getting farther and farther away from the hidden cache. So we back-tracked and headed in a new direction. After walking for awhile we found another trail, but it looked overgrown. We ignored it and continued on our way. Still not any closer to the cache, we head back to the car to drive to a different part of the park. We got out of the car near a petting zoo and started walking toward the cache, hoping to find a trail. A petting zoo employee noticed us wandering around aimlessly looking at my phone and asked us if we were looking for a trail. She told us to go back to where we were originally, because there was no entrance to the trails from the petting zoo. We told her what we were looking for and she told us that the rangers may have removed the cache because tons of people were walking around with GPS devises and the hider of the cache didn't have permission to leave a cache at the park. Great, now we just wasted all afternoon looking for a cache that may or may not be hidden.

As we were leaving, we passed the trail we ignored earlier. I mentioned we should try it and see if the cache was removed or not. So we park again and explore the trail. We soon find out the the trail is muddy and is slighly washed out in one spot. We carefully make our way around the washed out spot and continue on our way. A short while later, the trail gets very steep and is very muddy. I can't go on because I'm just wearing flip flops (unless I want to slide down the trail on my butt), so I recommend turning around and attemping to find another cache somewhere else. He wants to continue on, so he heads up the trail with my phone, leaving me by myself in the middle of the woods. Without my phone. He's gone 15 minutes. And he didn't locate the cache.

The trip wasn't a total fail. It was fun to go hiking on a beautiful day and it was good to learn how to use the Geocaching app. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures because I was so focused on finding the cache. Now that I know what to expect, I'll take more pictures and share my experiences on my blog.

Where did April go?

2010-05-06T19:09:00.001-07:00

The month of April was a crazy month for me. I settled in to my new place. Work is busy as usual. I had a really bad eye infection. But I always try to have a little fun. I went to a couple of concerts:

Angels and Airwaves at the Showbox Sodo

Civil Twilight at the Highdive

I went to a Seattle Mariners Game

This is a pic of the roof closing because it started to rain.

In book blog related news, I posted my first giveaway, a book called The Life O’Reilly by Brian Cohen, which was won by Logan from Rememorandom. Mr. Cohen read my review and was kind enough to offer an autographed copy of his novel to give away.

I was also contacted by indiereader.com to do book reviews for them. If you get a chance and enjoy independently published novels, I encourage you to check out their awesome selection. (I don’t receive any compensation from indiereader.com, I just love to support independently published authors)

In my last post I mentioned that I had 3 ulcers on my left eye. They have totally healed, so I don’t need surgery!!! I’m a little behind in my book reading because the ulcers made me very sensitive to light. Also, my book review pile is becoming overwhelmingly high, so I plan to post reviews soon before it falls over. I’m just glad I can see again!

....And we have a winner!!!

2010-04-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I posted my first giveaway, an autographed copy of The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen. The winner is......................

Logan from Rememorandom!!

Logan, I hope you enjoy the book!

Also, I know at the beginning of the month I promised a book review on Mondays and Thursdays. About a week after I posted that promise, I got a really bad eye infection. Come to find out, I have 3 ulcers on my left eye. These ulcers and the eye drops to heal my eye have made me really sensitive to light. I have to stare at a computer monitor at work, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is work on my laptop. As soon as my eye is back to normal, I will post more frequently. I have a bunch of books piling up just waiting to be reviewed!!

Book Giveaway: The Life O’Reilly

2010-04-21T20:21:00.001-07:00

Yay! This is my first giveaway! I am giving away an autographed copy of The Life O’Reilly by Brian Cohen.

If you missed my review, check it out here or check out Brian Cohen’s website at http://briancohenbooks.com.

If you want to enter, just leave a comment saying so! This contest is also open to my Facebook friends. Just comment on this post saying you want to be entered into the contest.

Entries will be accepted until 12:00pm PST on Monday, April 26th 2010. A winner will be chosen at random and will be announced on my blog and notified by email.

Good Luck!!!

Review: The Life O’Reilly

2010-04-12T20:05:00.001-07:00

The Life O’Reilly

By Brian Cohen

Published by iUniverse

ISBN: 1440150257 (isbn13: 9781440150258)

276 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Received a review copy from Mr. Cohen’s Publicist, Kelley & Hall Book Publicity

Product Description (from the back cover): On the outside, Nick O’Reilly has it all: a high-flying legal career, as a partner of an elite Wall Street law firm, and financial security, with an apartment overlooking Central Park. Having grown up in a working-class family, as far back as Nick can remember this was his dream. But at the age of thirty-six, after several years of sacrificing this personal life for professional gain, Nick has started to ponder his future and consider the mark he wants to leave on society both professionally and personally – his legacy.

After being chastised in the press for turning a cold shoulder to the community, the firm calls upon Nick to help rehabilitate its image by handling its first pro bono case. Nick is asked to represent Dawn Nelson, a domestic violence victim who is fighting for custody of her young son, Jordan. A far cry from Nick’s specialty of defending the misdeeds of Corporate America, it is up to Nick to set Dawn and Jordan on a path to a better life. But Nick gets much more than he signed on for, as Dawn forces him to reassess his life choices and, ultimately, be true to himself. Only when Nick finally realizes what is truly important in life does he face his toughest – and possibly final – challenge: a battle for his own survival.

Exploring the flaws of being human and the importance of controlling one’s own destiny, The Life of O’Reilly reminds us how precious life is and how quickly and tragically it can change. Written with great empathy, The Life O’Reilly is an emotional and unforgettable tale that will challenge one’s expectations of the modern love story and introduces a poignant and sensitive new voice in fiction.

The General Review: The Life O’Reilly is more than a modern day love story. It’s about identifying what you really want out of life and going after it. This book will have you cheering and sympathizing with the protagonist as you turn page after page.

Likes: I really enjoyed the plot. Without giving too much away, there was a twist I did not see coming.

Dislikes: I thought that in the beginning of the novel, the author did an excellent job describing the protagonists feelings and surroundings. I felt the end of the book was not as detailed.

Closing Comments: Overall, I enjoyed The Life O’Reilly. If you’re looking for an inspiring romance novel to read, I suggest you pick this book up.

Review: Sanctuary

2010-04-08T19:22:00.001-07:00

Sanctuary

By N.E. Julian

Published by iUniverse

ISBN: 1440133093 (isbn13: 9781440133091)

332 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Received a review copy from the author

Product Description (from the back cover): Nineteen-year-old Lea Kostovic, a cynical and emotionally fragile former university student, has been abandoned by her family at the outset of a Balkan civil war during the late 1990’s.

Major Ed Russell is a gruff yet idealistic divorced American army officer stationed in the former Yugoslavia on a peacekeeping mission. While manning a border checkpoint, Russell learns that Lea intends to head south to find her family and must convey to the young woman that the borders will not reopen until spring. Lea realizes that as a person of Croatian descent, neither the Serbs nor the Muslims will take her in. The thought of roaming the countryside for months – freezing, starving, and alone – prods a wary Lea to accept Russell’s offer not only to work for him as an interpreter, but also to stay with him. There’s just one condition to their simple bargain – Lea must trade sex for protection and survival.

A complex relationship ensues, and as Russell and fledgling artist Lea begin a new life in America, they attempt to build a marriage from a barter that originally had nothing to do with love and respect.

The General Review: Sanctuary is a refreshing and unique modern day love story between two very unlikely people. Historically well-researched and and very engaging, readers of Sanctuary will be thinking about the story-line long after the book is finished.

Likes: I enjoyed how simple this story was. There was no antagonist, no major climax or conflicts. Just a simple love story about overcoming emotional obstacles, circumstances and preconceived notions. The book was written in such a way that kept the reader interested and was in no way boring. I found myself fascinated with how the main characters interacted with each other, especially coming from very different backgrounds.

Dislikes: I was a little disappointed with the ending of the book. I felt like the book flowed beautifully then the author abruptly ended it with a nice bow.

Closing Comments: Sanctuary is a very well written independently published novel. A must read for anyone who is a fan of romance. I look forward to reading more from N.E. Julian in the future.

March is Done!!!

2010-04-05T19:35:00.001-07:00

Wow! I totally failed blogging in the month of March. It was a very crazy month for me. Lots of changes…

Like my 29th birthday. It came and went with very little fanfare. Even my own mother forgot! At least my facebook friends love me :)

The day after my birthday I won tickets from a local radio station to see Temper Trap at the Hard Rock Cafe in Seattle. It was a great show. Here are a few pictures I took:

Waiting in line outside before the show

Speaking of winning concert tickets, last week I won tickets to see Angels and Airwaves. The concert is this Wednesday night and I’m looking forward to that show as well. Who doesn’t love a free concert?

The last weekend in March I packed up all my belongings and moved to another town closer to work. Moving is always crazy, but I’m pretty much settled now. I like my shorter commute (4 miles compared to 20 miles), cheaper rent and I really like being in the city where everything you need is close by.

My books reviews are stacking up! This is a book review blog, after all! My goal for April is to post a book review every Monday and Thursday. Now lets see if I can meet that goal.

Bye, Bye February!

2010-03-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late posting my recap of February. But since this is my blog, it's ok :)

Let's start of with "I Never...And Now I Have!" for February. Let's see....

Week 1 - I went on my first blind date ever....and it was horrible! I will spare you the details mainly because I don't want to relive them. I will probably never go on another blind date again.

Week 2 - I drove a Toyota Prius Hybrid (and the gas pedal did not stick!). My beloved Jetta broke down....again. Luckily the problem was fixed by Volkswagen for free, but the part was out of stock and I had to be without my car for 5 days! My awesome Landlady let me borrow her Prius for a few of those days. It's a little different driving a hybrid. It took me a little while to get used to the fact that you pushed a button to start the car and pushed another button to park the car. And it's really, really quiet. Too quiet, but fun to drive once I got over the learning curve.

Week 3 - I went to a Karaoke Bar. I actually didn't sing. That would have taken way more alcohol than I was comfortable to consume. The average age of people in the crowd was 60. Let's just say it wasn't the funnest time I've ever had.

Week 4 - I finally saw Avatar in 3D. I liked it, but i'm not going to post a review because it's been out in the theatre for so long and I don't have anything unique to add to the millions of other reviews floating around in the blogosphere.

I'm hoping to try more fun and adventurous things I've never done before in March. I've been so busy with work that I haven't had a lot of spare time.

I finally finished the Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson. Great series! I plan on posting a review of all three books in the near future. I also checked out two of this other books, Elantris and Warbreaker from the library. I enjoyed Sanderson's writing style, so I have high expectations for his other books.

Speaking of book reviews, I have a bunch piling up that I need to post.

I'm loving the awesome spring-like weather we've been having in the Seattle area. I'm also excited that there's finally day light when I get home from work, so I can ride my bike on the trails near my house again. I ride the bikes at the gym, but it's just not the same as riding outdoors. I still plan on continuing my weight training at the gym, but most of my cardio will be done on my bike.

That's pretty much it for me. I'll try to make my March recap post more exciting.

How I Spent My Valentine’s Day

2010-02-15T22:48:00.001-08:00

I know, two blog posts in one day! I’m shocked too!

Valentines’ Day started out as any normal Sunday. I slept in then made breakfast. Then I read a little bit (I’m reading The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson. Great book, by the way!). Then I decided to treat myself to a little date of sorts, since I am without a Valentine this year. So I showered, got dressed and checked the movie times for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

I made my way to the mall and parked my car with about a half hour to spare for the 2pm showing. As I’m walking towards the extremely long line snaking in front of the movie theatre, a voice comes over the loud speaker saying that the 2pm showing of Percy Jackson is sold out. Crap. So I decide to use the Fandango App on my iPhone and buy my ticket for the next showing, which isn’t until 4:10pm. Then I made my way over to the Fandango kiosk and printed out my ticket. No standing in line.

Since I had almost 2 and a half hours to kill, I decided to wander around the mall. I walked thru Macy’s and Old Navy, but without a lot of extra money to spend, this was boring. And it only killed 20 minutes. I then bought a drink at Orange Julius (blackberry xtreme, yum!!) and made my way down to Borders. I slowly wandered around the store, stopping every so often to pick up a book of interest, reading the back and inside cover, trying desperately to kill as much time as possible. I started to get tired from standing and walking, so I decided to sit in the little cafe in Borders and check my email, which lead to checking my Facebook, which lead to playing Solitaire. After a few games of Solitaire, it occurred to me that my actions screamed “loner” and “this chick can’t find a date on Valentine’s day” so I put away my iPhone and journeyed back to the movie theatre.

By now, I have about 40 minutes until the movie starts so I get in line to get a soda and popcorn (which cost more than my movie ticket!!). The theatre is pretty much empty, so I got to choose whatever seat I want. Soon, though, other people fill the seats around me. Since Percy Jackson is technically a Young Adult book, I am surrounded by children and their parents. To my right was a 4ish year old girl, who during the whole movie kept asking her Grandmother “Where’s Harry Potter?”. To my left was a 10is year old boy, who during the whole movie explained the book to his 8ish year old sister. But the real treat was the group of middle school boys behind me that also talked thru the whole movie and kept kicking the back of my seat. Luckily I’m pretty good at toning out the chatter going on around me, so it didn’t ruin my movie experience…much.

But I made it thru the day! To see my thoughts on Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, click here. I hope your Valentine’s Day was better than mine!!

Movie Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians The Lightning Thief

2010-02-15T20:51:00.001-08:00

If you have not read The Lightning Thief or seen the movie and do not wish to read spoilers, do not read any further!!

If you’re not familiar with Rick Riordian’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, I highly recommend you check it out. I’ve only read books 1 and 2, but I’m hooked and can’t wait to see Percy’s tale unfold.

Quick Synopsis: Percy Jackson is an ordinary, everyday kid. But he soon finds out he is anything but ordinary. He’s the son of Poseidon, greek god of the sea. After a series of very strange events, Percy finds himself at a summer camp of sorts for other demigods-half human, half god like himself. Oh, and he’s also been accused of stealing the Lightning bolt of Zeus, brother of Poseidon and god of the sky and thunder. Percy decides that he must clear his name so he journeys to find the missing Lightning Bolt, along with friends Annabeth, daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war and Grover, a satyr (half man, half goat) and Percy’s protector.

My thoughts regarding the movie: I enjoyed the movie. I thought the special effects were great, especially Hades. I thought the acting was ok, not fantastic, but not horrible either. The action scenes were decent. Overall, I thought the movie was fun, amusing and entertaining. If you’re going to go, see a matinee.

My thoughts about the movie compared to the book: Like most books-turned-into-movies, there’s usually a lot of discrepancies. The Lightning Thief is no exception. There are parts of the book left out and things added to the movie that weren’t in the book. I was very disappointed to see that the Oracle didn’t make the movie. I think the Oracle plays an important role in the series. I also didn’t like that “they” changed the conflict between Percy and Luke at the end of the movie. I did like the fact that “they” gave Persephone a larger part. If my memory is correct, I think she is mentioned in passing in the book.

Final Thoughts: Like I said above, if you want to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, see a matinee. If you’ve read the book, don’t compare the movie to it. You will be disappointed.

One month down, 11 more to go...

2010-02-02T07:23:00.000-08:00

Where did January go? It was here, then I blinked and the next thing I know, it's February. I've been really busy at work, working long hours and weekends. But you know what they say about all work and no play.... I managed to sneek in a few fun activities.

I was inspired by one of Chelsea's blog posts over at Triumphs and Blunders of a Kooky Gal (her blog is great. If you don't follow her, you really should!). Basically she started a meme of sorts called "I Never....And Now I Have!" The point is to do one thing a week that you've never done. I have a mental list of stuff I've always wanted to do, but haven't gotten around to doing it yet. Now that I have inspiration, I'm giving my best attempt to do one thing a week I've never done before. Here's what I did in January:

Week 1 - I tried Sushi for the 1st time....and loved it!!!
Week 2 - Fail....
Week 3 - I tried Pho' for the 1st time....and loved it!!!
Week 4 - I went to a wine tasting at a local winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle....so much fun!!!

I'm looking forward to February and the new things I'm going to try!

In other news, a few months ago I joined the gym. I go almost every day, and I still enjoy going!! In December I set a few goals for myself and about a week ago I exceeded my first goal of losing 13 pounds!!! YAY!!!

When I first started going to the gym, I met with Personal Trainer Ayla Riggle from Thrive Fitness, who got me started on my fitness regime. She's amazing and if you live in the Lake Stevens area and need a great trainer, I highly recommend her. She also has 2 awesome blogs, Live the Healthy Life and Fit Feasts.

In book-related news, I'm finally getting around to reading the Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson. This series was highly recommended to me by Dave, Krista, Logan and Shellie. I finished Book 1-Mistborn last week and I'm part way through Book 2-Well of Ascension. I plan on posting a review of the whole series when I finish Book 3-Hero of Ages. So far I'm loving the series and I can't wait to see the rest of the story unfold.

That's about it for me. If you get around to it, check out Rememorandom's Writing Wednesday tomorrow. Logan is in the middle of writing an epic poem called "The Absurdly Epic Tragedy of Oscambria". I find the poem very entertaining and hope you enjoy it as well.

Guest Blogger: Sally B. Watkins

2010-01-17T18:40:00.001-08:00

CHANGE YOUR MINDSET NOT YOUR MAN

Learn to Love What’s Right Instead of Trying to Fix What’s Wrong(Adams Media 2009)

Many women are disappointed, frustrated, and despairing about their relationships with men. Growing up with Sleeping Beauty, Barbies and romance novels, we don’t realize how the happily-ever-after myth contributes to our relationship misery and failures. My book is the message I needed as a young woman-- that there is no substitute for growing a self and creating a full passionate life, that a man can’t possibly be your fulfillment. It’s hard on the guys when we women want what they have not been socialized to provide. They’re prepared to do the heavy lifting and make money but when we ask them to be sensitive and attuned to our many emotional needs it naturally makes them defensive and angry and they often conclude that there isn’t any way to please us. The conflict comes from trying to get happiness, validation and love from your partner when the only one you can change is yourself!

My book spells out exactly what it takes to find contentment with your normally flawed and imperfect guy the way he is. Complaining and even couples counseling can be disastrous if fixing him is the goal. Your thoughts and stories may be helping or hurting you. I show you what it takes to lead by example when you are the one with more relationship skills and needs and have been socialized for relating. Everything from the best therapies, what I’ve gained from my own life, and what my courageous and beautiful clients have taught me is here. Finding your authentic self and the power to accept the things you can’t change will make you a more confident person and a truly loving partner.

TIPS

FIND CONTENTMENT WITH YOUR NORMALLY FLAWED MAN AS HE IS

1. He doesn’t have to change for you to be happy.
Expectations of romantic love since girlhood have fueled our disappointment with men. We have been socialized to believe in and want a deep connection with a soul mate. Many men were taught to be tough, ignore their feelings, and channel energy into work, so it’s not their fault that they aren’t as attuned to us and as affectionate as we want. It’s natural for the rush of excitement and chemical attraction to wear off after the honeymoon. All relationships take work. It’s not like the movies where finding the right one is the only requirement. Believing that your happiness depends on him and his behavior makes you a victim instead of an empowered woman.

2. All attempts to fix him can make it worse.
I suggest a reminder note “let him be as he is” to help you stop the tugging and pouting that we all do to get more attention since it’s likely to make things worse. Men are highly sensitive to criticism and often tune out when they feel attacked. Couples counseling works if both partners commit to change but too often it’s the woman enlisting the help of the therapist to make him be the way she wants. If a man succumbs to his partner’s demands and lets her control him, she may lose respect for him, so it’s a good thing if he is able to maintain his sense of himself.

3. What you believe and say is powerful.
It’s not a secret that how you think about your relationship and what stories you tell about your partner will affect your attitude and your feelings and emphasize those qualities you focus on. We know that our beliefs influence our feelings and in turn our behavior. Learning to recognize your thought patterns will help you have more choices rather than function automatically. Testing your partner’s is something all of us have done. For example, tell him it’s okay to go fishing with his buddies and leave us to handle the garage sale and then make him wrong for not choosing us. We think these test measure his love for us but they really don’t.

4. Star in your own happy life.
Men are more attracted to women when they are happy and fulfilled and seem to tune out when they are a rain cloud of negativity. This explains why when women are blue and need something from their guy he may decide to work late or spend time in the garage. When women star in their own life and make their needs more important often men get a charge from the energy she is radiating. When you value yourself he may see you the same way and be more interested in pleasing you. You will be less like a mother complaining and pointing out his problems and more like an exciting woman who gets what she wants.

5. Learn to rely on your own self support.
Men may become worn down by too much emotionally laden information coming at them on a regular basis. Some men view problems as complaints about them or your life with them and tune out. As mature women we must grow an internal resilient self to weather some of life’s stressors and not depend on our guy for everything. Learning how to support and soothe yourself makes you less needy. Not being super sensitive and taking things personally is a great way to head off hurts. Journaling, music, or exercise helps work through issues and feelings. Being in nature or with pets or treating yourself to physical comforts are other ways to sustain yourself through troubling situations.

6. Help him be more relational.
Accept that his being attuned to your feelings and needs does not come naturally to him. It’s a mistake to insist that he must figure these things out on his own for them to mean something. Prepare him for an emotional conversation by telling him what you need, e.g., I just want you to listen to me; I don’t need advice or a solution. Remind him with posted notes, coupons, and pictures hinting for what you want in the way of gifts or special events. Ask directly for things like a foot or neck rub, taking over for dinner or the kids’ homework when you need help. Avoid pouting and other drama as a way to get his attention.

BIOGRAPHY

Sally B. Watkins M.S.W., LCSW

I grew up in a Pennsylvania household with violence and deprivation. The happily-ever-after story was one I clung to in the unheated attic of my childhood room where sleep came fitfully to the sounds of my parent’s battles. I was a writer even then and imagined in poetry my prince just like the one in Cinderella. Like many women I went through much of my early adulthood searching for that perfect someone to love and care for me.

Self help books, therapy, and groups helped me find that person that I am today. I graduated from the University of Maryland at Baltimore with a master’s degree in social work and before that with a bachelor’s degree in education from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to my twenty year psychotherapy practice I continued to be a writer-- grant writing, personal journals, short stories, essays and writing classes. My published work includes magazine articles and a regular column for a local newspaper. This is my first book, CHANGE YOUR MINDSET NOT YOUR MAN.

I now live in El Dorado Hills, California with my husband Warren. My two sons are grown. I enjoy cooking healthy food, working out, hiking, playing tennis, reading, and sailing in the Pacific Northwest.

Review: Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man

2010-01-13T20:51:00.001-08:00

Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man

By: Sally B. Watkins

Published by: Adams Media

ISBN: 1605501425 (isbn13: 9781605501420)

256 Pages

Genre: Non-Fiction/Self-Help/Relationships

Product Description (from the back cover): It’s time to acknowledge the obvious: You can’t change your man - but you can change your relationship for the better. In this groundbreaking new guide, author and psychotherapist Sally B. Watkins shows you how to regain control of your relationship, not by nagging, overanalyzing, and fighting, but by altering the way you view your partner. With specific strategies to help you accept and embrace his as he is, Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man will help you:

Explore how past relationships affect your current thinking
Decipher why your man’s behaviors bother you so much
Decide the best course of action for dealing with your partner
Reposition your thoughts in a positive way
Understand the reason he hasn’t changed despite your best efforts

Full of thought-provoking exercises and myriad case studies drawn from successes in her own private practice, Ms. Watkins helps you see your relationship in a brand new light. By putting her lessons into practice, you can finally arrive at a happy place in your relationship!

The General Review: Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man is a practical guide on how to stop picking at the flaws in your partner, trying to get him to change and how to focus on the good in the man you fell in love with. Filled with simple, effective wisdom and advise, Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man will not only change your mindset about relationships, but will also change the expectations you have for yourself.

Likes: Throughout every chapter, the author challenges the reader to examine their thought process and beliefs. Watkins gives practical applications on how to truly change deep rooted mindsets. She gives lists of questions to ask yourself and how to analyze your thoughts and motives.

Dislikes: There is honestly nothing about this book I didn’t like.

Closing Comments: I HIGHLY recommend this book for all women, even if you don’t think you nag or are trying to change your partner. The man in your life will truly appreciate it. Actually, I know a few men that could benefit from reading this book. Change Your Mindset, Not Your Man is an excellent resource, even if you’re not in a relationship right now.

Sally B. Watkins will be my first guest blogger!!! Look for her post in the next few days.

Author Feedback

2010-01-11T19:03:00.001-08:00

I like to read and review independently published novels. I’ve gotten into many debates with people who think I’m wasting my time reading “substandard” material. To a point, I agree that some indie novels aren’t worth the paper the words are printed on, but in most cases I’ve found that indie novels are just as good, if not better than the polished, over-edited novels released by large publishers.

I will rarely turn down a request to review an indie novel. These authors are pursuing what they love, rarely without any monetary gain. I find this very admirable. In most cases, they don’t have the backing of a publisher, an agent or even a marketing strategy. I like to support their grassroots efforts and introduce their work to new people.

In my opinion as a book review blogger, there is no higher compliment than to have the author read and comment on a review you wrote about their book. Recently, I’ve received feedback on a few of the reviews I’ve posted on my blog directly from the author of an independent novel. To me, this is very exciting and a great honor.

I haven’t received any feedback or comments from any of the well-known authors I’ve reviewed that have book deals with large publishers. Maybe 2010 will be the year……

A New Year of Blogging!!!

2010-01-04T20:34:00.001-08:00

I hope these first few days of 2010 are treating you well. I’ve made a few New Year’s Resolutions for my blog. After being called out on Rememorandom for not posting enough, I started to think about what I want my blog to look like. Here are my blog resolutions (in no particular order):

I will update my blog more often.
I’m considering having “guest bloggers”. A few authors and other bloggers have offered to post on my blog.
I’m going to review other books besides fiction. I’ve had a lot of requests lately to review non-fiction books. Though my genre of choice is still YA/Paranormal Romance, I want to enlighten myself and the readers of my blog with an array of literature.
I want to post more random stuff and different point of views and perspectives. This is, after all, The Crystal Perspective.

Now, of course, like most New Year’s Resolutions, these could be broken at any time.

In other news, I was playing around my Goodreads account and noticed I read over 170 books in 2009! And I started keeping track in February, so the number could be higher. I really should get out more often! I didn’t realize I read that much. I’m not sure if I’ll read that many books in 2010 because I’m going to be so busy updating my blog. My To-Read list currently has 265 books. I’m sure I will add to the list more than I will remove from the list.

Review: The Victor by Marlayne Giron

2009-12-21T20:40:00.001-08:00

The Victor

By: Marlayne Giron

Published by: Tate Publishing

ISBN: 9781607991847

276 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Christian/Fantasy

Product Description (from the back cover):

A benevolent King; …his sword of power; …a ruthless traitor bent on revenge; …and the faithful son who stands in his way with the woman destined to share his throne.

Who shall emerge as the victor in this epic struggle between good and evil to govern the lives of hapless men?

The General Review: The Victor is a fantastically written story about how good triumphs over evil. Filled with conflict, despair and heartache, this novel depicts that love conquers all and to not lose hope.

Likes: The medieval world that Giron creates is captivating, and after the first few chapters (see below) I was sucked in. Her descriptions are brilliant; I did not want to put the book down.

Dislikes: The Prologue and 1st chapter are long and a little slow. I almost lost interest. I think the author should have broken up the prologue into a few chapters.

Closing Comments: Though The Victor is an allegory of major Bible events, you do not have to be religious to appreciate the fantasy world that the author has created.

Review: The Bringer of War by Dylan Birtolo

2009-12-07T21:47:00.001-08:00

The Bringer of War is the sequel to The Shadow Chaser. You can see my review of The Shadow Chaser here.

The Bringer of War

By: Dylan Birtolo

Published by Lulu.com

ISBN: 1435729374 (isbn13: 9781435729377)

234 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Urban Fantasy

Product Description (from the back cover): The stand-alone sequel to The Shadow Chaser, an urban fantasy novel.

Three months have passed since Darien Yost learned that the world was not all he believed it to be – that underneath the surface of the world he knew, people exist with the ability to shift between human and animal form at will. These people, who have waged a secret war for centuries, now struggle for control over Darien’s destiny. Even among the shifters, he has a special power – one that they believe could tip the scales of balance.

Now, Darien and his friends are hunting the organization of shifters that tried to enslave him three months ago. Meanwhile, a renegade shifter with secrets tries to pull him away from his friends. She believes that together they could rule over all. Alone, their fates could be madness.

The General Review: Darien and friends are back again in The Bringer of War, a fast paced, suspenseful addition to The Shadow Chaser. The fantastical world of shape-shifting is explored deeper and friendships are tested while Darien learns what it really means to embrace his destiny.

Likes: Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view. I enjoyed the different perspectives, it gives the story more depth and brings out characters personalities.

Like its predecessor, The Shadow Chaser, I really liked the descriptions and the flow of the novel. This author is an excellent writer, his words easily creating vivid mental pictures.

Dislikes: There are a few holes in the story. For example, a few times in the book Richard wanders off on his own and comes back with information or items needed, but the author never shares any details of his errands. I would have liked to read about what Richard was doing while away from the main characters and who he was meeting with.

Closing Comments: Although The Bringer of War was written as a stand-alone sequel, I recommend reading The Shadow Chaser first to understand the journey the protagonist has experienced.

Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

2009-11-23T20:19:00.001-08:00

Hush, Hush

By Becca Fitzpatrick

Published by: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN: 1416989412 (isbn13: 9781416989417)

400 Pages

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Paranormal Romance

Product Description: For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

General Review: Hush, Hush is a sexy, mysterious, action-packed novel that will keep you turning the pages well into the night. Full of complex characters and twists and turns; Hush, Hush will keep you guessing who is the enemy (or enemies?) is until the reveal.

Likes: I really liked the “fallen angel” story line. I haven’t read anything about fallen angels. It seems like everything right now is about vampires, werewolves and faeries.

I also thought that Fitzpatrick did a great job describing the complexity of Nora’s emotions. One minute she’s captivated by Patch, the next she’s scared of him. Add in the attention of another teenage boy and you have some great teenage angst.

Dislikes: Nora’s BFF Vee drove me crazy!! At first I thought it was her immaturity that I didn’t like, but then I realized that every other teenager in the book acted way more mature then their age and she acted like a normal teenage girl. But still, I thought the author could have given Vee’s character a few more brain cells.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I was very fascinated by the cover art of this novel. I didn’t get the interpretation of it until I was well into the story.

Closing Comments: I’m usually skeptical when a book is overly hyped, but in my opinion, Hush, Hush lived up to all the talk. I was rather impressed that Hush, Hush is Becca Fitzpatrick’s first novel and there’s going to be a sequel, Crescendo. I can’t wait!!

Movie Review: New Moon

2009-11-20T10:43:00.001-08:00

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK, NEW MOON, AND YOU DO NOT WANT ANY SPOILERS, DO NOT READ THIS POST!!!

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I went to the 12:01am showing of New Moon this morning. My friend and I got to the movie theatre 2.5 hours early to get seats. To stay awake, because I worked all day at my job and didn’t get a nap before going to the theatre, I watched Twilight on my iPod.

I was a little leery going to the Midnight showing of New Moon because I was disappointed in the movie Twilight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad The Twilight Saga is being made into a movie, but I thought Twilight was done very poorly. But I went to the the Midnight showing anyways because my best friend was going and I thought the experience would be fun.

Here are some of my thoughts about New Moon:

The special effects were well done. Edward’s “sparkling” was way better than in Twilight. It doesn’t look like he’s sweating. The Quileute's shifting into wolves was flawless. It didn’t look choppy at all. The CGI wolves were a little on the unrealistic side, but it didn’t ruin the movie for me. The special effects in Twilight really disappointed me. I thought the running and climbing of trees looked extremely fake.

The quality of the film was much better. New Moon didn’t have the shaky, indie feel that Twilight did. It looked like a well done Hollywood blockbuster. I think having a much bigger budget and a different director definitely helped.

The dialogue was a lot lighter and funnier. I found myself laughing out loud a lot throughout the movie. The script for New Moon wasn’t as moody as Twilight. The secondary characters were very witty. I especially loved Charlie, Bella’s dad and the Quileute boys.

The story line for the movie stayed very close to the book. Obviously when Hollywood turns a book into a movie, they embellish it. I thought the parts where the movie strayed from the book were appropriate and added to the plot.

The action scenes were intense. From the wolf fights (Paul and Jake), to the Volturi throw down (not in the book, but I thought it was pretty cool), the action sequences were really well choreographed. Not very realistic, but keep in mind that the wolves and the vampires are supernatural creatures.

There was very little about the movie I didn’t like. I might even go see it again, because the teenage girls kept applauding and screaming at the beginning when Edward or Jacob came on scene. That was very annoying.

I recommend The Twilight Saga: New Moon to anyone who is a fan of the series and to those who are skeptical. In my opinion, New Moon was so well done, you don’t even need to be familiar with the books or watch Twilight first to know what’s going on.

An Update

2009-11-11T22:45:00.001-08:00

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my blog. Besides working crazy long hours at work, let’s see what I’ve been up to, shall we?

On Sunday I went to the Seahawks game!!! I got tickets from a co-worker. I’ve been to a ton of Mariner games, but I’ve never seen the Seahawks live. My friend and I had a lot of fun and the Seahawks even won!! Here are a few pictures taken from my iPhone from my seat:

I’ve recently joined the gym. Usually I walk or ride my bike on a trail near my house, but it’s dark when I wake up and dark when I get home from work. Yesterday, I met with a personal trainer, who went over a fitness plan for me and showed my how to use the machines without looking like an idiot. Now I’m sore, but it’s the good kind of pain that produces results.

Now here’s what I haven’t been up to:

I haven’t updated my blog lately with any book review, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading! I have a stack of books anxiously waiting to be reviewed. Here’s a little preview, listed in no particular review order:

Stealing Death by Janet Lee Carey

I went to the Launch Party for this book a few months ago, where I picked up an autographed copy of this book.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

This is the debut book by Becca Fitzpatrick. Will it live up to all the hype? Checked out from my local library.

The Bringer of War by Dylan Birtolo

How will this stand alone sequel compare to its predecessor, The Shadow Chaser? Purchased from the author.

The Victor by Marlayne Giron

The author contacted me from a comment I left on someone else’s review of this book! I never turn down a review copy.

Sanctuary by N.E. Julian

I received a review copy of this book from the author.

Dreamer by Philip L. Davidson

I received a review copy from the author.

I also have not started my novel for NaNoWriMo yet. Yes, I am officially freaking out. I have been thinking (ok, stressing!!) about this since before November 1. I have a 4-day weekend this weekend, so guess what I’m gonna start right after I post this?

In other news, I won a Radiohead CD from Shelley at Layers of Thought!! Yay!! I love free stuff and surprisingly I don’t already own this CD.

If you don’t already, I highly recommend you check out Logan’s Writing Wednesdays on his blog, Rememorandom. Each Wednesday, Logan posts a new segment of his various writing projects. He recently finished Part 1 of a serial story and has moved onto an epic poem that I found very impressive.

Review: Embellish by R.L. Sloan

2009-10-20T20:19:00.001-07:00

Embellish

By R.L. Sloan

Published by Outskirts Press, Inc.

ISBN: 1432740326 (ISBN13: 9781432740320)

244 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Paranormal Romance

Received review copy of Embellish from the author, R.L. Sloan

Book Description (from the back cover): Revenge has never tasted so sweet…

As a young girl, Solis Burkes is raped at the hands of ruthless school bullies – an incident that haunts her into young adulthood. Then she meets Nacio, a strikingly handsome man who seems to know everything about her – including the painful past Solis hasn’t told anyone about. But what Solis doesn’t know is that Nacio has been with her every step of the way, protecting her ever since that fateful episode.

It’s a destiny he’s been working up to for the last 257 years.

Now, as Solis enters a dark world of vampires, voodoo, and passion, she’ll need all the protection she can get. Unbeknownst to her, those responsible for Solis’s rape have returned. Connected to the evil voodoo Priestess Aldicia, they’ll stop at nothing in their plans to spew violence and mayhem throughout the city. And an old family feud dating back centuries puts Solis first on their list of targets. But not is Solis can unravel the clues fast enough, and inflict her own brand of revenge.

Embellish mixes sexy romance with high-stakes paranormal intrigue for a keeps-you-guessing, fast-paced and savvy thriller, right up until the shocking finale.

General Review: Bringing a fresh twist to the popular vampire love story, Embellish is a vivid paranormal romance. Filled with creative twists and turns, Embellish will leave readers anxiously awaiting the next installment to this saga.

Likes: I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Each character is very unique and memorable.

Dislikes: This book has a lot of grammar and punctuation imperfections and there are a few inconsistencies throughout the story.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I like the Mardi Gras mask. It’s simple and classy.

Closing Comments: If you can look past the inconsistencies and errors, Embellish is a great addition to the vampire trend. I’m looking forward to more from this author and the sequel to this book - Embellish 2: Justice Served.

My vacation so far, NaNoWriMo, and contests

2009-10-15T11:19:00.001-07:00

Sigh, only a few more days left in my vacation. Where does the time go? I feel like I haven’t done anything productive. I caught a nasty cold and have been sick for a few days now. I’ve been sleeping a lot and I haven’t read near as much as I was hoping to.

On Saturday I picked up my car from the mechanic (it runs AWESOME!!) and took my nieces Ali and Hailey to Penumbra – a fantasy faire. It’s an event put on by the Seattle Knights. There were pirates and knights jousting and faeries and more!! We had a lot of fun and Dave Matthews was even among the crowd!! If you ever have a chance to go to one of their events, I highly recommend you do. You will not be disappointed. I wish I had some pics to post to show you the awesomeness of their performances.

On Monday, I signed up to participate in National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short. For those of you who don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, it’s basically a personal challenge to write a 50,000 (or more!) word novel from scratch between November 1 thru the 30th. There are no promises of a book deal or any other contest winnings, just the satisfaction of completing the task. I heard about this challenge back in 2005, but this is the first year I’ve actually committed to it. I almost forgot about it but Dave mentioned it a few days ago on his blog.

It’s been a life-long dream to write a novel. I participated in my first writing contest at the age of 11, but I’ve put my writing passion on the back burner since high school ended and I pursued accounting for a career. It’s only been just recently that I started writing again and began this blog. My writing skills are a little rusty, but you can’t sharpen your skills without practice, right? So, during the month of November, my faithful readers will get the privilege of seeing me post updates on my status in NaNoWriMo and if you’re lucky, I MIGHT post my story here if I finish it. If you’re a writer looking for a fresh challenge or a spark to light the stories bouncing around inside your head, I recommend you sign up to participate in NaNoWriMo.

If you get a chance, don’t forget to check out Shellie’s blog tomorrow and participate in her book giveaway!!

That’s all the excitement I have to share. I think I’ll take a nap now…

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2009-10-13T11:31:00.001-07:00

Shiver

By Maggie Stiefvater

Published by Scholastic Press

ISBN: 0545123267 ISBN13: 9780545123266

392 Pages

Genre: YA Fiction/Paranormal Romance

Book Description (from the publisher): For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

The General Review: Shiver is a haunting and lovely paranormal romance between Sam, a shape shifting wolf and Grace, the human he loves. Up against personal tragedy and supernatural circumstances, the two protagonists tell their story in a poetic beauty that is enchanting.

Likes: I liked the alternating perspectives for each chapter. I think by reciprocating the viewpoint, the reader discovers more the the characters personalities. Also, the transition between the two perspectives are seamless.

Dislikes: There were a few shape shifting facts that were a little unbelievable or weren’t explained in detail. I don’t want to give examples because I don’t want to blow it for those of you that haven’t read the book yet.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I like the simplicity of this cover. Excellent design.

Closing Comments: This one of the better YA novels I’ve read in a while (besides Catching Fire by Susanne Collins, which is in its own category of awesomeness). I did expect the story to be more suspenseful, but I was not disappointed. I recommend Shiver to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance and shape shifting.

Blog Discussion: If you could shape shift into any animal, what would it be and why?

Where have I been?

2009-10-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, my faithful fans are missing my posts and reviews. I have been really busy with a couple of work projects. I've been putting in a lot of hours at the office. By the time I get home, I'm exhausted and do not want to spend any more time staring at a monitor. But, my vacation starts Friday!!! Yay!!!

If you get a free moment, check out Shellie's contest here. She's giving away a Radiohead CD. All you have to do is EMAIL her your top 5 favorite albums and explain why your top one is your favorite. This was a very hard choice for me. I own over 700 albums, so I consulted my faithful friend, iTunes. I sorted my library by play count and here are the top 5 albums I listen to:

1. Some Mad Hope by Matt Nathanson

2. All Sides by O.A.R.

3. The Fray by The Fray

4. Busted Stuff by Dave Matthews Band

5. The Glass Passenger by Jack's Mannequin

In other news, some of you know my beloved 2002 Volkswagon Jetta has been acting up. It's been running weird and the front end was shaking when I go above 35 mph. Then it started dying on me. So I finally took it to my mechanic. Basically, my problems were a combination of a cracked drive axel, my transmission going out and 3 out of the 4 ignition coils were really bad and the 4th one was only kinda bad. Luckily, I still have 2400 miles left on my warranty so they are footing the bill to repair everything!! Sadly, I have been without a car because of diagnotics and the warranty company taking their sweet time to inspect the damage so they can approve the claim so my mechanic can do the work. I have my car back for now, but my new transmission will be ready to be installed on Wednesday, so I will have to be without my car again for a few more day. But when I get it back, no more shaking and dying!!

As for book related news, I was recently given a Barnes & Noble giftcard. I have over 200 books on my to-read list, so choosing books to purchase at Barnes & Noble was very hard. I decided to buy a couple of books that I've been waiting for from the library for a while and a new release that I really wanted to read. The new release is Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I recently read Lament: A Faerie Queen's Deception by Stiefvater and really liked it. The other 2 books I got are Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris (the book HBO's True Blood is based off of) and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. Dave, Logan, Krista and Shellie (their blogs are all awesome! If you don't follow them, you really should!!) all have been talking about Mistborn and how awesome it is. I didn't want to feel left out, so I jumped on the Mistborn bandwagon. I'm excited to read them all.

Review: Lonestar Secrets

2009-10-05T06:00:00.001-07:00

This is the first book I’m reviewing for Thomas Nelson.

Lonestar Secrets

By Colleen Coble

Published by Thomas Nelson

320 Pages

ISBN: 1595544879 (isbn13: 9781595544872)

Genre: Fiction/Christian Romance

Book Description: Shannon Astor returns to southwest Texas to serve as the town's veterinarian, believing she's finally found the space to get her life back on track.

Then she catches a glimpse of Jack MacGowan, the man who ruined her life years before. But even more shocking is the sight of Jack's five-year-old daughter Faith, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Shannon's own daughter Kylie. Is it possible that their similarities could be more than just coincidence? Could Faith be the daughter that Shannon has believed to be dead for all these years?

As the truth emerges, everyone is forced to take sides--in a story with a heart as big as Texas.

A Quick Synopsis: Trying to put her life back together, Shannon returns to her hometown to become the town veterinary. But shortly after her arrival to the farmhouse her uncle bequeathed her in his will, the puzzle pieces to her life become even more mixed up.

Likes: The pace of the story is well done. The author didn’t spend too much time on any one conflict.

Dislikes: The plot is very unrealistic. The storyline read like a soap opera. There are way too many twists and coincidences. The interpersonal conflicts and mysteries that the author meant to be suspenseful are very predictable.

Closing Comments: I didn't really care for this book. If you like a quick, light, christian romance read, you will enjoy this book.

Review: Along for the Ride

2009-09-21T21:57:00.001-07:00

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors. Her work mainly appeals to teenage girls, but as a 28 year old, I find her work intelligent and timeless.

Along for the Ride

By Sarah Dessen

Published by Viking Juvenile

383 Pages

ISBN: 0670011940 (isbn13: 9780670011940)

Book Description: It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.
In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

A Quick Synopsis: Studious Auden goes to live with her father, his new wife and brand new baby sister for the summer before starting her first year of college. Breaking free from her academically demanding mother and the expectations of others, Auden learns to enjoy and live life to the fullest and learns how to be herself.

The General Review: A well written, coming of age story about a girl learning who she really is. Overcoming family, personal and social conflicts, the protagonist experiences a summer of new experiences with the most unlikely of friends. Sarah Dessen captivates her audience again with a story of self-discovery.

Likes: The author has a way with words that suck you in to the story. Her descriptions are very detailed. Sarah Dessen is an amazing story teller and has a talent for capturing teenage emotions.

Dislikes: My only dislike is that the storyline is very similar to other Sarah Dessen novels. But there is enough of a difference to keep the reader intrigued.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I’m not a big fan of the cover. I think its too cutesy to accurately portray the storyline.

The Cast: The characters are complex and believable. Even minor characters are memorable and well developed. If you’re familiar with Dessen’s other books, characters from other books usually make cameo’s. This book is no exception.

Closing Comments: Overall I enjoyed this book. I recommend Along for the Ride for anyone looking for a light, fun easy read.

Launch Party and other news

2009-09-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my niece Ali and I went to Janet Lee Carey's launch party for her newest release, Stealing Death. It was a lot of fun! There was a Marimba Band and the food was good. Met some cool people, including Janet. I heard afterwards that Deb Caletti was there. I wish I would have recognized her. She's one of my favorite authors and she lives in the Seattle area. It would have made my month to talk to her. My niece got to talk to Janet about publishing her own work and she asked a lot of good questions. Janet is super nice and if you get a chance, check out her books. I will be posting a review of Stealing Death in the near future. Here's a few pictures that I took. They're not the greatest, because they were taken with my iPhone.

The Marimba Band

Janet reading an excerpt from Stealing Death

In other news, I mentioned that I was going on vacation starting today. Plans have changed, and I'm now going on vacation next month. My vacation plans are still the same though; read books and write reviews. Ah, if only I made money reading.

Speaking of reading, if you live in the Seattle area, The Half Price Books Warehouse in Seattle is having a clearance sale this Saturday and Sunday. They are selling everything for $1 or less!!! Those of you who don't live near Seattle, if you want me to keep my eyes out for something in particular, send me an email or leave a comment and I will look for it and mail it to you.

I know that some of my faithful readers have been waiting for another word definition provided by my awesome Word of the Day desk calendar. Lately the words have been pretty ordinary. But I will share with you yesterdays word because it annoyed me.

Improvident - an adjective meaning:

not provident
not foreseeing and providing for the future

The word itself isn't what annoyed me, it was one of the definitions. What kind of definition is "not provident"? It drives me crazy when a word is defined by the word.

Finally, I want to wish my awesome niece, Ali a Happy 17th Birthday!!! You're going to love your present!! (hehehe)

Awards and Launch Parties

2009-09-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

I won my first award!!!! YAY!! Thanks to Jessica at A Book Lovers Diary for nominating me for:

Sweet! Somebody thinks my blog is cool!! I want to thank Shellie at Layers of Thought for all her help and advice for my blog. If you're not already following her, I highly recommend you do. Her blog is awesome.

If you're in the Seattle area on Saturday, there is a launch party for Janet Lee Carey's newest book, Stealing Death. Janet is one of the founders of ReaderGirlz. I love supporting local authors, so stop by if you can. I'll be there, picking up my own copy of Stealing Death and meeting Janet. Keep an eye out for my review of Stealing Death coming very soon.

Speaking of reviews, I haven't had a chance to read and write any reviews with my brother in town and a crazy work schedule. But don't fret! I'm on vacation starting September 16th. My husband and I normally go to the Florida Keys, but both of us had to take pay cuts this year, so the vacation budget got cut. But, this means more time to read the growing pile of books. So, stay tuned.......

Yep, I went to PAX this weekend

2009-09-08T21:29:00.001-07:00

Those who know me are probably surprised that I would go to an event like PAX. It’s a video game convention and I don’t even own a video game console (Please don’t hold that against me!!). But those who know me well are not surprised by my attendance to PAX. I love doing things that seem “out of character” for me and I like to experience new things. That, and my brother travels to Seattle every year to attend the 3 day event. For the last 3 years, he has invited me to go with him. PAX is always Labor Day weekend, and the Dave Matthews Band always plays at the Gorge Labor Day weekend as well. However, this year I could not afford the yearly pilgrimage to the DMB Mecca to see my favorite band perform, so I thought I would spend some time with my brother in his element. I had a lot of fun. I watched my brother play a bunch of games and I saw some interesting things:

Dragon Age Booth Guy

Yes, it appears that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have a short bus…

I can’t remember which game this was for, but I thought it was pretty cool to watch some dude ride an evil looking horse.

This is about the only thing I recognized :)

Where else can you go dressed like this and not be considered strange?

(Pics courtesy of my rockin’ brother, Cliff)

In other news this weekend, I read Catching Fire, book 2 in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Here’s my official review:

IT IS AWESOME!!!

If you’ve read The Hunger Games, Catching Fire is as good if not better. It definitely lives up to all the hype. I HIGHLY recommend reading both books. You will not be disappointed. I’m not going to post a review on my blog, because it seems like everyone else is reviewing it and I don’t have anything else to add that hasn’t already been covered.

Also, today I received my first email from an author who wants me to review his book!!! Yay!!! I’m very excited and can’t wait to get it in the mail.

Review: Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott

2009-09-03T20:30:00.001-07:00

Love You Hate You Miss You

By Elizabeth Scott

Published by Harperteen

ISBN: 0061122831

288 pages

A Quick Synopsis: Love You Hate You Miss You is a story about Amy and how she deals with her friend, Julia’s tragic and untimely death by writing letters to her as a form of therapy.

The General Review: Love You Hate You Miss You is a very real view of a sardonic teenager dealing with the confusing feelings of a best friend dying and feeling like you had a hand in the death. Raw emotions are captured and communicated to the reader thru simple yet profound statements and conversations. The revealing of the storyline is varied between the present and recalling events from the past, up to and including the accident that killed Julia.

Likes: This book is very raw and honest. The author holds nothing back. I think the reactions and conversations are realistic. Also, all of Amy’s problems weren’t resolved by the end of the book.

I also like how most chapters begin with Amy writing a letter to Julia. Although the book is written from Amy’s perspective, I like it when an author mixes it up and changes the flow of the storyline.

Dislikes: There isn’t a whole lot I didn’t like about this book. Although I thought Amy’s parent were realistic, they kinda got on my nerves.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I had this book sitting on my desk at work and my co-worker made this comment:

“She looks really sad, like someone died our something and she doesn’t know how to deal with it”-M.A.

Hmmm… good interpretation, M, and I hadn’t even told her about the book yet!

Closing Comments: It didn’t take me very long to read this book, but it’s not an easy read emotionally (although it’s not as disturbing as Living Dead Girl, also by Elizabeth Scott). I recommend this book for anyone who has ever lost someone tragically or who is a fan of Young Adult Fiction in general.

Random thoughts for today

2009-09-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

My niece tells me I'm the queen of random. Whatever that means. But I do find I stumble upon really weird, random things quite often. The ones I find amusing I will share here on my blog.

For example:

I just walked out of my department at work into the foyer, where I saw a guy from the landscaping crew watering the plants. You may think this is not strange, and I agree; plants need to be watered. But the weird thing was he was watering the plants with a gas can!!! Yes, a gas can. I must of had a shocked look on my face as I walked by because he said "There's water in there, I swear!!" I quickly rearranged the look on my face and said, "Hey, you would know better than me what a plant needs to grow", and continued on my way.

I think this is the same guy who, last fall, was using a leaf blower to clean up the leaves in the parking lot. This also is not an unusual task in itself, but he was actually standing below a tree aiming the leaf blower so that it blew the leafs off of the branches. Appartantly he was in a race with Mother Nature and really wanted to win. My co-workers and I were taking bets to see if he was going to climb the tree and start plucking the leafs off.

And while I'm on the topic of random things, I am a huge fan of word definitions, especially obsolete or "out of style" words. I have a Word Of The Day desk calendar on my desk at work and every once in a while an interesting word presents itself.

For example:

September 1, 2009 - nomenclator - a noun meaning;

a book containing collections or lists of words

one who gives names to or invents names for things

I found this word fascinating for a few reasons. One, I have a book obsession, so anything book related is of interest to me. Secondly, the same niece who dubed me the queen of random also accuses me of making up words and inventing names for things. I wonder if I can use nomenclator on a resume? Hmmmm......

The Shadow Chaser by Dylan Birtolo

2009-08-30T20:56:00.001-07:00

The Shadow Chaser

By Dylan Birtolo

Published by Inkwater Press

ISBN: 1592990746

278 pages

A Quick Synopsis: Darien Yost is a normal guy, just learning after a series of strange black outs that he has the gift of shapeshifting. While coming to terms with his new power, he finds himself the focus of interest to a number of different people who want to use his talent for various reasons.

The General Review: The Shadow Chaser is a great urban fantasy suspense story. From the first chapter, the author draws you in to the life of Darien Yost and keeps you captivated until the last sentence. Each chapter ends with a sentence that made you want to keep reading because you have to know what’s going to happen next. The natural, supernatural and dream worlds are blended together to create a fantasy realm that is intriguing.

Likes: The word imagery is vivid and detailed, while pulling the reader into the story with descriptions that are realistic and captivating. I had a really hard time putting the book down.

I also really liked the shapeshifting concept. It was interesting to see how those who shift into animals had the characteristics of the animal they become.

Dislikes: Since this book is independently published, there are imperfections such as spelling and grammatical errors. I thought some areas of the story could have been a little more polished with some of sentences rewritten to better convey what the author wanted to express. I also thought that the last few chapters were rushed and not as fully developed as the rest of the book.

Judging a Book by its Cover: I really like the cover art for this book. I think that this cover is a really good snapshot of the personal journey the protagonist goes through in the pages of the story.

In The Beginning-Chapter 1: I think the author did a great job describing the setting and portraying the confusion Darien experiences after recovering from one of his blackouts. It definitely kept my interest.

The Cast: There are a lot of characters in this book and with only one exception, I thought their development was well done. The timing of the entry for each character is written in such a way that the reader doesn’t get confused. For the most part, each character is unique and easy to tell which team they play for.

The only thing that bothered me was I felt that the development of Ellen’s character was lacking. It is assumed that she is Darien’s girlfriend, she made a few appearances in the book, but very little is revealed about her purpose in the story.

Closing Comments: Overall, I enjoyed reading The Shadow Chaser and as mentioned above, I had a hard time putting it down. I recommend The Shadow Chaser for anyone looking to read something different and unique.

Yay! My first blog!!!

2009-08-26T19:16:00.001-07:00

Welcome to The Crystal Perspective!! I’m Crystal and here’s my perspective……

The main point to this blog is to write reviews for the many books I read. I’m not a big fan of the “rating system” that is popular with so many other book reviewers. If you’re looking for a quick opinion of something I've read, you’re going to be disappointed. I view reading a book kind of like enjoying a multiple course dinner. Each course is unique and completely different from each other and meant to be digested. If I used the rating system to give a grade to the dinner, you miss out on the likes, dislikes and details of each course. My goal here is to digest the book and describe the different aspects of the books. These aspects will change based on the uniqueness of the book. I hope you find my views entertaining and informative.

I also will share with my readers other random observations, ponderings and epiphanies. I have a been told I have a unique perspective and I want to share it with others. I also like to meet new people and hear their views on various topics, so your comments are greatly appreciated.