Countdown to Clockwork Prince

I'm a little behind schedule and I am just now reading Clockwork Angel...which I LOVE!!! I knew I wouldn't be able to resist this series considering I am such a huge fan of the Mortal Instruments series ( I mean how can you not love Jace..swoon).  So in anticipation of the release of Clockwork Prince next Tuesday December 9th I thought I would share the book trailer!! I also love that Ed Westwick does the voice narration ( I'm a not so secret Gossip Girl fan).

ENJOY!!!

Bianca

Latest Book I'm Lovin' On...

And we're back. Sorry we've been slacking but our reading hasn't stopped! Now on to what brought me out of our review/blogging stupor! Significance by Shelly Crane! Get it at Amazon.com or click on my awkward link below:

http://www.amazon.com/Significance-A-Novel-ebook/dp/B0055PJHPY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1320431679&sr=8-2

Ok, there is probably a much more suave way of linking to the book, but just click on it anyways.  I'm out of practice.

Now, about this much loved book.  It is a supernatural romance but doesn't have any of our beloved vampires/werewolves/fairies/etc.  This is a bit more of a soul mate and all the great things that can happen once you meet your soulmate kinda book. 

While I am going to depart from the usual route of going over the entire plot, I will give you a basic synopsis to get you on the bandwagon that I am clearly trying to recruit for, so here it is:  Maggie is a teenager who meets Caleb on the night of her highschool graduation and the moment they accidentally touch, they have a bond that can't be broken. So basically- it is this all consuming love they immediately have for each other and it freaks Maggie out.  Caleb is familiar with why it is happening and he is there to help Maggie understand what she has just stumbled into.

Shelly Crane is able to weave so much chemistry between Maggie and Caleb that you are eagerly reading as fast as you can to find out what is going on between the two of them. While there are some classic Young Adult scenarios throughout the book, i.e.- Maggie is a loner.  Shelly Crane does a great job of using some of those devices in a new way.  Maggie wasn't always a loner but her senior year of high school brought some major changes.  Thankfully Caleb is also introduced in a way that doesn't feel stale. No 'brooding new guy' to stare at Maggie from across the classroom.  This book feels like it hits all the classic themes of a young adult book without it feeling recycled. 

I know I usually gush about books I love on here but I implore you guys to read this book and the sequel, Accordance and tell me you don't love Maggie and Caleb.  So check out the books and get back to me!

~Amanda~

P.S. My kindle has passed away and I am heartbroken. Hopefully Santa brings me a new one this year, so until I get a new one, I can't buy anymore books that are strictly for Kindle.  I have found that some of those books are the best reading and for the best prices!

Music Monday (On Tuesday)

When Amanda and I first started this blog back in December I wasn’t exactly sure what direction we were going to take it in but I was eager to start posting to the world. So for two Mondays I started a little segment called Music Monday where I posted a video of a song I just couldn’t take off of repeat. Well I wanted to try to start that back up again with a video from a song that I just couldn’t get out of my head while reading Matched by Ally Condie. The song is Skip the Charades by Cold War Kids. Their new cd is amazing and if you like this song you should pick up their cd that just came out this summer.

ENJOY!!!!

Bianca

M.I.A.

We know we have been a little absent as of late, so today Bianca and I were trying to figure out what exactly we wanted to achieve with this blog. It is pretty simple; we love books and want to share our love with others. So seeing as how we have been learning the art of reviewing, we have decided that while we continue to review books we are also going to give you little insights into just how obsessed we are with books.

These little snippets will just be fun/interesting things that somehow tie into the books we love or even didn't love so much. A little example of this is how some authors have 'playlists' that is sort of a soundtrack to their books. Kind of a musical log of how a book progresses for them. Maybe we won't do a playlist, per se, but a song will remind us of a book or character from time to time and it's fun to share.

With that in mind, here is an awesome example of when that happens: in a complete coincidence, while we were talking about songs that relate to books we have read, the band Mumford and Sons came up. The song White Blank Page seems to be written from none other than Jacob's (Twilight) point of view. Both Bianca and I had expressed this thought to other people before ever telling other. So it must be true, no?

So tell us dear dear readers, do you ever hear a song and feel as though it goes perfectly with an unrelated book? Share!

Amanda

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

One hour to rewrite the past . . . 

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there; swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. 

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past. 

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened? 

http://www.myramcentire.blogspot.com/

I have to start by saying what a story!!!!!  From the first couple of pages you are so enthralled in Emerson's story  it is hard to put the book down.  I can't believe that this is Myra's first novel!!!

Emerson is a young girl who has been through some pretty horrific events within the last couple of years and has taken that pain and made herself a strong individual. You love her so much because Emerson doesn't seem to realize the strength she has gained through her pain becoming a little spitfire.  Thomas, Emerson's brother, has arranged for her to meet Michael, this tall, dark, and handsome guy, who believes every word Emerson says and doesn't think she's crazy.  Michael can also see people or "rips" from the past.
The two of them have real electric chemistry and it grows stronger with each physical connection.  But Michael continues to want to keep their relationship professional. I found myself flipping a few pages ahead to see if they finally kiss because I couldn't take the tension anymore.

When you think you what is about to happen the story takes a twist and you find yourself not believing what you are reading.  I can't wait to read the next book and see how Emerson and Michael's story continues.

Bianca

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

For Nick Pardee and Silla Kennicot, the cemetery is the center of everything.
Nick is a city boy angry at being forced to move back to the nowhere town of Yaleylah, Missouri where he grew up. He can’t help remembering his mom and the blood magic she practiced – memories he’s tried for five years to escape. Silla, though, doesn’t want to forget; her parents’ apparent murder-suicide left her numb and needing answers. When a book of magic spells in her dad’s handwriting appears on her doorstep, she sees her chance to unravel the mystery of their deaths.
Together they plunge into the world of dark magic, but when a hundred-year-old blood witch comes hunting for the bones of Silla’s parents and the spell book, Nick and Silla will have to let go of everything they believe about who they are, the nature of life and death, and the deadly secrets that hide in blood. (http://www.tesssagratton.com/)

Tessa Gratton has written an incredible novel that had me hooked after the first couple of pages.  I really loved Nick and Silla and the chemistry between the two of them.  Silla is a strong and brave character and you can see why Nick gravitated to her so quickly against the advice of so many around him.  I loved how as I was reading the story I could feel the energy and tension between Nick and Silla through Tessa's writing.

As I was reading I really thought I knew where the story was going and what the ending outcome was going to be, but was blown away by a couple of plot twists. I couldn't put the book down until I read what happened.  Everyone should definitely put Blood Magic on their must read list!!!

As a side note I can't wait to meet Tessa when she comes with Maggie Stiefvater to the Borders in Novi in July!!!

Bianca

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

R is a young man with an existential crisis–he is a zombie. He shuffles through an America destroyed by war, social collapse, and the mindless hunger of his undead comrades, but he craves something more than blood and brains. He can speak just a few grunted syllables, but his inner life is deep, full of wonder and longing. He has no memories, noidentity, and no pulse, but he has dreams.
After experiencing a teenage boy’s memories while consuming his brain, R makes an unexpected choice that begins a tense, awkward, and stragely sweet relationship with the victim’s human girlfriend. Julie is a blast of color in the otherwise dreary and gray landscape that surrounds R. His decision to protect her will transform not only R, but his fellow Dead, and perhaps their whole lifeless world. Isaac Marion website



I am a huge fan of anything zombie related and when Maggie Stiefvater suggested this book on her blog I knew that I was going to be a fan....and I was.  The story is from R's point of view and he is a zombie.  What makes this story different from other zombie stories out there is that even though R has difficulty communicating verbally he still has internal thoughts and in a weird way dreams of a "life" for himself.  R meets Julie one night when he goes out feeding with a group of fellow zombies.  He eats a portion of her boyfriend's brain and sees clips of his past with Julie and through these clips R feels instantly connected to Julie and keeps her safe from the other zombies.  R takes Julie to his home at the airport, hides her out in an abandoned plane and shows her his humanity as they talk and share stories from Julie's past and from what R can remember.  A lot of the time they bond of music, which I am always a sucker for. They have an unspoken hope for a better life for everyone. As the days go on Julie sees that R is different and begins to hope that their could be a change or cure when day to their current situation.

It was nice to see that even if one day the zombie apocalypse does happen we can still have a sense of humanity and a connection with other beings.  It was a strange love story between R and Julie but it was never not believable.  Isaac Marion really does a fantastic job of describing the details so that you feel what R feels. You see the destruction around him, but that you also see the beauty and hope that is surrounding him waiting to be found and nourished.

I also liked how this story really makes the reader think about their current lives and how we can be zombies ourselves.  Sitting back and watching our lives race before us or watching what happens to our world and never doing anything about it.  I was constantly putting the book down and reflecting on my own life.  I highly suggest this book to everyone.  You will not be disappointed!!!

Bianca

Gossamer by S.L. Naeole

Let me start this particular review off by stating that I know that my first few reviews were especially rough. I am a work in progress and I appreciate all of you sticking with me while I learn to write better reviews. Now let's begin...

Gossamer by S.L. Naeole is the first in the Faeble series that centers around a young girl named Sophia Blythe. Sophia is a foster child that has finally settled into a family but hasn't necessarily found any peace.  She is struggling to overcome her notorious past while trying to imagine a future. 

There is a supernatural element but the best thing about this book is that it doesn't really center around it.  Naeole really thrusts the reader right into Sophia's world and it is immediately apparent that Sophia's biggest obstacles aren't anything supernatural but heartbreakingly human.

There are some plot points that are familiar but all have a great spin on them so they don't feel recycled. There is a new school and new love interest to create some conflict for Sophia, but as I stated- Naeole does this with such creativity that you truly don't know what to expect and will love every minute involved in trying to figure it out. 

I know that I have given a glowing, gushing review but I just have to state that of all the books I've read(a veritable ton) I just can't get over how much I love Naeole's style of writing. I feel like she writes books that make people(me) want to be a writer. So, yes, I gush. I have an author-crush and I implore all of you who enjoy romance, mystery and good old fashioned story-telling to check out all of her books. You can get them at www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com. Or...if you don't think they are for you, I guarantee you have a friend who would love them. Ok, done gushing. :)

~Amanda~

Eternal Eden by Nicole Williams

How do you review a book that you are really torn on? Eternal Eden by Nicole Williams has me perplexed. The beginning of this young adult book is not unlike most others out there. Good looking, mysterious, seemingly perfect guy shows up and sweeps 'normal' girl off of her feet. The problem with this standard setup is that I just couldn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters, Bryn and William.  Bryn was yelling at him when she first met him and then all of a sudden willing to die to hear his voice again.  Hmmm... In addition to that, the main character Bryn seemed to have continually contradicting descriptions put on her by the author. First Bryn is described as normal and somewhat introverted. Next she is described as somewhat dark because of her past. She is also explained to be average in the looks department and yet she seems to capture the attention of all the great looking guys around her. Add to this that she doesn't have much of a personality in the beginning and it is easy to understand why I was ready to end this book before it even got into the real plot.

Nevertheless, I decided to stick with this book because it was only .99 for the Kindle on Amazon.com and figured it had to get better.  The supernatural element was revealed- immortality. Not all that interesting considering how much fun an author could have with that idea. I'd say that about half way through the book, the plot got a little better but by no means was the reader ever really surprised by what was happening.  The end seemed to be where Williams really shined and set up a sequel quite nicely.

Here is where I am torn, how can I recommend a book that was only interesting for about 25% of the total book?  I can't. But I will give the sequel a chance and then let everyone know if trudging through the initial book is worth the trouble. I suppose part of me wants to give this new author a chance and see if the problems were just a part of being a first time author. Again, feel free to check it out but come back this summer for a review of her second book when it comes out and I'll let you know then if I can get behind this series. Thanks for reading! :)

~Amanda~

A Series That Could TRICK Anyone Into Learning!

I've thought a lot about books that I would have my daughter read when she is old enough and then when we started this blog, I realized we had some potential readers that are teachers. Due to this, I am taking a departure from the usual recommendation of a young adult book filled with romance and instead encouraging everyone to read the "Heroes of Olympus" series by Rick Riordan.  (This series isn't just for kids as I read this recently and clearly adore it but I am going to write this whole post with kids in mind) While I am definitely not a teacher, I have always thought that if I were to teach, English would have been my natural subject and I still think of books that would go with lessons. Weird? Maybe. But I think when you love to read, you think of all the different ways a book could be of use.  So here is me playing teacher for a few minutes and suggesting to all of you out there, homeschoolers or teachers in the 'classroom'-check out these awesome books.

You may have seen or heard about the movie Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief. This is the first book in the series that follows the hero Percy Jackson on various quests. Seems simple enough but the entire series is based on the premise that Percy (short for Perseus) is a demi-god, son of Poseidon.  He never knew this and is suddenly plunged into a world he only thought of in mythological terms. Everything you remember about Greek Mythology and tons of stuff you never knew is incorporated brilliantly into these books.  As an adult, remembering all the stuff you learned years ago and building upon that is, well, pretty cool.  I simply can't say enough good things about this series. It would be perfect to introduce the initial book as a reading assignment in conjunction with teaching Greek Mythology.

It is obvious Riordan does an amazing amount of research and the way he melds old Greek lore with the 21st century is nothing short of genius.  As an adult reading this, you'll have so much fun seeing how he does this, as well as getting caught up in the adventures that you're already dreading the end!  Learning was never so much fun and I would have to say that this series is appropriate from about grade 6 and up. It is almost guaranteed that most readers of the first book will read the second.  The book would work best after giving the kids a base of knowledge and then letting them loose with the books. Be warned, you'll want to read the books first because the kids will konw way more than you when you are done!

Of all the books I have reviewed, I sincerely hope some of you read this series and let me know what you think. I would be shocked if you didn't love it!

~Amanda~

Forever Trailer

Maggie Stiefvater has released the trailer for the third and last book in the Shiver series. I absolutely can't wait for the release of this book. If you haven't read the first two books I HIGHLY suggest you read them before July when Forever is released.




You can order the book here: http://www.fountainbookstore.com/autograph-maggie
I know I already order my copy...I can't wait!!!

Also if you like the song you can purchase it here: http://bit.ly/mPK6mP

ENJOY!!! Bianca

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon

Dead Beautiful by Yvonne Woon has to be one of the most wonderfully surprising books I have read in a long time. While much of the basic format is similar to the many young adult books out there, the idea is unique and a lot of fun.  I am afraid to use the word but you will all have to trust me on this-zombies. Ok, not exactly zombies but a spin-off on the idea.  Just trust me...

Again, the basic premise is that the main character Renee is sent to a boarding school after her parents mysteriously die. All is not well at this boarding school and students have died. Enter the smokin' hot, mysterious love interest, Dante.  I have to add that even if the name seems to be made for this genre, I LOVE this name and it suits the persona of this character perfectly. Ok, back to the story...

Renee feels a pull towards dead things. As in, she is actually compelled to whatever area this dead thing is, be it a dead animal or a dead human.  Clearly the driving force of this plot is Renee's need to discover why kids at her school have died, her kinship with dead things, and what this means for her relationship with Dante. 

I'm not big on giving much of the plot away but I just love the way Woon works a potentially creepy idea into something romantic.  The plot moves along naturally and I never once wished it would speed up or slow down.  I also really appreciated how Woon spent enough time describing things but you never get bogged down in two pages of describing a minute detail.  Her writing showcases her talent and doesn't need unnecessary fluff to prove she can write. (Note to writers-try not to show off, most of us just want to skip those parts anyways) 

As the plot moves towards the end, the only fault I find is the ending seems to be a bit contradictory to what we learned earlier in the book. I have read that there will be a sequel and I only have to hope and assume that the ending will be addressed right away.  This book is completely age appropriate if a true 'young adult' is reading this. I would say that anywhere ages 13 and up could appreciate the storyline and older readers will appreciate the subtle ideas brought up.

If I were to grade this book, I would give a an A-/B+  I can't give a mark like this out lightly, so it is true testament to how much I enjoyed this book and hope you all do as well.  Please let me know if you end up reading this and give me some feedback, I'd love to know if you agree/disagree with me!

Amanda

P.S. I hadn't read the book Need by Carrie Jones and I have to say, Bianca picked out a fabulous book and I read all three in the series and fell in love. You've got to check them out! :)

Need by Carrie Jones

Amanda has been on my case to finally post my book review. After speaking to my friend Chris on the phone who is my for a lack of a better term "spiritual guru" I need to be proactive and finally write this post!!! This might be a little rough but here we go…..

Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true; she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.

She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.

In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you'd have to fear (Need #1)**this was taken from www.goodreads.com I'm still learning how to add the html links**

I absolutely loved this book. I started this book when I was on the plane on the way to Ireland and I couldn't put it down. As you are reading the book I found myself really like Zara and I could feel the pain of losing her stepfather, of learning to adapt to her new surroundings. I liked the concept that Zara starts to list phobias and their meanings to calm herself down when she finds herself in a stressful situation. My only problem is that the author never gives the reader a good description of what Zara looks like so you sort of have to use your imagination and make sure you really pick up on subtle clues within the text. Other then that minor detail, Carrie Jones really gives the reader a good insight into who Zara is and what she stands for.

Of course like most YA books you love Nick, the handsome, tall, and so thoughtful boy she meets at her new school. I love that there was NEVER any boys that looked or acted like this at my high school...but I digress. You know there is something different about Nick and also Ian the other attractive boy she meets upon arrival at her new school. Like most other YA novels the story line doesn't veer to far off the path of a predictable storyline but I liked these characters because they were relatable and I hadn't read to many stories with pixies in it. I don't want to give to many details away!!!

I have read the other two books in the series but I am going to wait to post my reviews on them in the off chance that someone will read this post and decide to read this series. This series has really jumped to the top of my favorites list (The Shiver series is still holding strong at #1). I really recommend reading this book I can't imagine you not enjoying it!!


www.carriejonesbooks.com

The Unavoidable Comparison

It couldn't go on any longer without being addressed, I have to talk/write about Twilight. You can't seem to read a young adult novel now without getting the inevitable question "Is is like Twilight?" That has to be the absolute worst question to answer about a book I am discussing. If I tell people that it is similar, someone won't want to read it because they think they'd be bored. If I say it isn't like Twilight, then someone doesn't want to read it because they want a book that leaves them feeling the way Twilight did. I hate to be the one to break it to some people but Stephenie Meyer did not start the genre of Young Adult Paranormal Romance and she didn't even write the best books in that genre. She just happened to write some great books that got the whole genre a lot more attention. I love that it got so much attention because it got people, young and old, reading and then talking about books but let's move on people...

That being said, I did like Twilight. In fact, I think I still compare most of the guys in the books I read to Edward because I loved him so much. I have a complete crush on Robert Pattinson and we all know it is only because he plays Edward. But this really is off topic... What really bothers me about all of this Twilight fame is that so many great authors and books are getting the Twilight Comparison and if they don't make the cut, so many people won't read these great stories out there. For that reason alone, I am not going to compare the books I review to Twilight. It just isn't the proper way to review a stand alone work and I feel it somehow diminishes the writing being discussed.

So let me know what you think. Does Twilight deserve to be the standard by which we compare all Young Adult Novels or can/should we move past the Twlight phenomenon?

~Amanda~

REVIEW FOR "BREATHLESS" by HEATHER HUDAK

Hi All,
I know that I was supposed to post this review a while back but unfortunately life got in the way! While we are getting into the groove of running this blog more efficiently please bear with us and check us out often! So let me get to this long overdue review (drumroll please)....

'Breathless' by Heather Hudak is a great buy for so many reasons. First of all, you can't beat the price of 99 cents and that alone should make everyone go download it at Amazon. 'Breathless' is the first book in the "Cordelia Chronicles" series and it definitely leaves you wanting the second book. The plot is centered around Cordelia but she mostly goes by Lia. The setup may be standard...new, mysterious, smokin' hot guy shows up at school and Lia is instantly smitten if not a little obsessed. The plot and storyline is where Heather Hudak shines. The twists and turns that come out in the second half of the book show what a talent the author has. While this is a paranormal romance, Hudak does a great job of capturing the all-encompassing feeling of a first love that all readers can relate to.

Sure there are some points that aren't exactly my favorite that I am compelled to point out, so here goes: the smokin' hot guy is given a rather disappointing name-Chaysen. It bugged me for a while but I am left to question myself on this matter. Does the name only bug me because I am not a teenager and therefore meeting a guy my age named Chaysen just seems cheesy? Not sure but really, the name isn't pivotal to the plot(that I know of) so I'll move on. Secondly, while I love that Lia is not immediately swooning the minute she finds out some of the mystery behind Chaysen, I think her acceptance and moving past it so quickly pretty much cancels out her initial fear. I appreciate the common sense the author used in Lia's reaction and wished it would have lasted just a bit longer. The last negative I feel that is worthy of pointing out is the role of Lia's grandma. I absolutely loved that Lia's grandma was not clueless to what was going on and did her best persuade and even sneakily remove Lia from Chaysen. The problem with Grandma is that by the end of the book, she lost her spunk and her strong opinons about Chaysen. That being said, Grandma better appear in the sequel.

Speaking of the sequel, "Wanderlust" is currently being finished and should be available on Amazon pretty darn soon, so if you enjoy reading a fresh take on an old idea with lots of romance, go buy "Breathless" and get reading!!! As always, let me know what you guys think and we can discuss.

Next up: "Dead Beautiful" by Yvonne Woon. Can't wait to review this for you guys and hear what you think!

~ Amanda ~

Next Review ...

Hello! Just a quick heads up that the next review will be posted on Sunday on the book 'BREATHLESS' by Heather C. Hudak. It is a super cheap read for your kindle/ereader on amazon.com for only .99 If you would like to check it out before you read my review, all the better! I'd love to hear whether or not you agree with my assessment or if you read it/didn't read it due to my review! Just a note, this is another young adult fiction with a paranormal aspect (vampires). Happy reading!

Love, Amanda

The Grace Series-Review

The Grace Series by S.L. Naeole
(Falling From Grace, Birdsong, Black Halo, Grace of Day)

***Before you get to read my first review, I want to give you a little preview on how I plan to approach some of my reviews, such as this one. I’m not into giving a bunch of spoilers about a book because basically, there is no point in reading the book then. Part of the magic is seeing how it all unfolds. That being said, you can’t exactly review a book without some references to actual events or situations in the book. Lastly, because this is our blog, I am going to be giving you a lot of points that are exactly what a review should be, my opinion! Granted, I think my opinion is worth something when it comes to books especially when it comes to Young Adult Fiction. So here goes…


Falling From Grace is the first of a four book series by author S.L. Naeole and believe me when I say, you are immediately hooked. Naeole paints such vivid imagery with her words that you are instantly living Grace Shelley’s life. This may seem like an obvious statement, that all authors should write with such panache or there would be no point in writing. If you have read much at all you’ll know that this isn’t always the case.

To give you a basic explanation of the series, Grace Shelley is a social outcast at her high-school and has even lost her best friend, Graham. Graham chooses to reject Grace in favor of the popular crowd. Grace is left broken and this is where Robert enters and the story truly begins. The attraction between Grace and Robert, whom we find out is an angel, is instant and compelling. Enough so that the reader is quickly convinced Robert and Grace must be together. Naeole creates such a great chemistry between these two that you don’t need a superfluous number of encounters between them to need them together. Naeole does this with such talent that it is enough to sustain the drive to read all four books in the series- not that Naeole doesn’t fuel that fire even more throughout the rest of the books.

As much as it pains me to point out any negatives that could make someone opt to not read these books, I have to be fair and point out some obvious criticism. First off, the numerous grammatical/spelling errors can be distracting to some readers. Although it didn’t bother me much, plenty of friends that have read this were definitely annoyed enough to comment to me about it. I don’t want to argue against every negative in this book but I must say this- the power and force of Naeole’s talent makes me question how there aren’t more mistakes as small as spelling. You read the book and the passion in which the author wrote the story line almost gives me the impression that she was so into her work that anything that took time away from telling the story sometimes got left behind. I can appreciate that. Clearly this is not a book put out by a big publishing firm with tons of editors and the means to get a book out in the most clean manner possible. To be honest, the little errors make me feel a little more connected to the author. That could sound weird but as someone who adores reading, any connection to the person behind the story makes me love it even more.

While I know that this review is turning into more of an essay, I have a few small points left to make. Some of the issues in the books are repeated a few too many times and can be frustrating when the redundancy takes focus away from the story. We get it, Graham and Grace have been best friends since birth, they love each other, he is sorry for hurting Grace. It doesn’t need to be said at almost every interaction between the two of them. Also, the wording of several key passages that explain pivotal plot points can be a bit confusing and need to be reread several times. It isn’t that the subject matter is that hard, it is the actual wording. In the end you get the point and is why I tended to overlook that problem.

So the general idea of my review should seem pretty obvious. The story itself takes care of any small and rather fixable flaws. S.L. Naeole is clearly an author that we will be hearing more about in the future and I eagerly await her future work. Go read this series and let me know what you think. Falling From Grace is available on most e-readers as well as at amazon.com in paperback.

STAGE FRIGHT BANISHED!!!

To all our avid readers, the wait is over! Tomorrow will be the premier of our first book review. Actually, it will be a review of The Grace Series by S.L. Naeole. Here is a link to her website for a quick idea of what I am going to be writing about. http://slnaeole.com/grace-series I loved this series and was really hesitant to write about it and somehow ruin it for myself. That may not make sense but I'll try to explain it- once I start to critique something, be it a book or an outfit, I will start to dwell on those flaws instead of accepting them and moving past them. Surely some of you can relate to that! So that being said, tomorrow, will start the first of many many reviews of beloved and not-so-beloved books.

Amanda

P.S. I know that as someone who is judging other people's work I should not have grammatical and spelling errors in my writing... but I will. :)

Music Monday

Over the course of the last month this blog has seemed to be put on the back burner and I have decided that it is time to put some serious effort into writing more posts. I have been harassing Mrs. Myers to finally post something but she seems to be having a little bit of stage fright. I want to start posting some playlists or videos of songs I just can't seem to get enough of or simply just some new artists I want to share this with whoever is reading this blog. So here it goes...

Thanks to my friend Ben I discovered this little band Two Door Cinema Club and I can't seem to stop listening to this song in particular!!!! ENJOY!!!
Two Door Cinema Club - Something Good Can Work