Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Title: Unlocked

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Where I got it: Library

Why I read it: She's one of my favorite authors, and this book is tied into another book of hers.

Rating: A


Unlocked is about a boy named Holden Harris who developed Autism after turning the age 3. His parents think that he developed this after a series of vaccinations he got when he turned 3 because of the high level of mercury. When Holden was 3 years old, his parents were best friends with Sharon Reynolds and her husband, who had a daughter the same age named Ella. Ella and Holden were best friends. With Holden being a non-communicative autistic, he's locked into his own world. After Ella (who is in the "popular" crowd) sees the jocks and others bullying Holden, she decides to become fast friends with him (after a long time of not having one) and tried to end the bullying at their school. Ella comes to discover that there is something that will Unlock Holden from his own world --- Music. So Ella sets out to get Holden to be allowed to participate in their schools rendition of Beauty and the Beast.

This book is full of miracles, heart felt thoughts, ideas, and it's heart warming and heart breaking all at the same time. It's an amazing story, based on a true event that happened in Karen's life!!! This book will make you see that miracles do happen every day, and if you believe in God as I do, God works miracles every day too!!! You will find yourself hoping and fighting for Holden, hoping that he'll become Unlocked and that his family will get that three year old boy back again after 15 years.

I believe this book is a must read!!! Karen also has a series out called the Above the line series, which is a series about Christian film makers trying to make a difference in the world. In the last book of this series, they do a movie called Unlocked! Which is this book I'm reviewing now. How cool is that?

I suggest you run out right NOW and get this book!!!

My rating:

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Title: Tangled

Author: Carolyn Mackler

Where I Got It: Library

Why I Read It: I read a review for it on a different blog, and added it to my TBR List.

Rating: C



So, it was actually hard for me to give it an actual grade rating. When I first started the book, I was thinking, "Definitely a D", then as the book went on, I was thinking, "Not a D, an F!" but then as I just closed the book, after reading the last page, I was like, "Okay, not a D or F, but definitely not an A." So, I went with the C.

Before I tell you why I went with a C, let me tell you what the book is about, from the inside flap of the book:

Not the state of being, but a resort in the Caribbean. Jena, Dakota, Skye and Owen are all there for different reasons, but as Paradise their lives become tangled together in ways none of them can predict. Paradise will change them all. It will change Jena, whose first brush with romance takes her that much closer to having a life, and not just reading about those infinitely cooler and more exciting. It will change Dakota, who needs the devastating truth about his past to make him realize that he doesn't have to be a jerk just because people think he's one. It will change Skye, a heartbreakingly beautiful actress, who must come to terms with the fact that for once she has to stop playing a role or face the concesquences. And it will change Owen, who has never risked anything before and who will take the leap from his online life to a real one all because of a girl he met at Paradise... From confused to confident and back again, one thing's certain: Four months after it all begins, none of them will ever be the same.

So, to me, even from reading the inside flap, I feel like there's something missing. A vital piece, or pieces, of information that needs to be told in order to completely understand the book. The book starts off as all of the named characters go to Paradise with their families to get away. All of the characters end up meeting one another in some sort of fashion, (I don't want to give too many spoilers away), and have a sort of connection. Then the book jumps back to the "real world" where their lives really are. The book goes into sections, each with the title of the character's name and their story. For example, "Skye's Story", and "Owen's Story", etc. Which in itself is pretty cool, however, I felt like in each story there was A LOT missing. I almost also felt like each character could have their own book written. Another thing I didn't like was that each character's story just came to an big road block ending. The book never explains exactly what happens to each character except for maybe Owen and Jena. Their stories have a pretty good, detailed and satisfying ending. But Skye and Dakota's stories/endings are kinda just still hanging out there and the author just leaves you wondering what happened.

But, my biggest issue was the terms, words, etc. that was being used for different things. There was a lot of sex talk, and boner talk, and blow job talk, etc. in this book. I felt like the WAY it was written was written in a poorly, immature manner. I feel like the author could have written this in a less offensive way. Some of the things that were said is what made me say, "Rating is an F!" But overall, I think the book deserves a C, leaning very close to a D.

Maybe you'll enjoy this book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I was actually quite disappointed and found myself wanting to rush through it just to get it over with. I don't like to start a book and not finish it, no matter how completely awful it is.

My rating:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Title: Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Where I Got It: The library

Why I Read it: Because I read the first book, and have heard so much about this series, I had to check it out myself.

Rating: B

This book actually seemed to be a little bit better from the get-go then the first one did. I still don't think it's the BEST series, and don't really see the hype over it. But, with that said, I'm not totally disappointed and may recommend it to others.

In case you haven't heard of this book/series, he's a brief description on what it's about:

First of all, the first book, The Hunger Games, is about this game that the country of Panem puts on. 2 people from each of the 12 districts have to compete against each other in an arena, with limited food, shelter and water supply to become the Victor so their family has food, a nice place to stay, and plenty of other things the the districts lacks. Katniss and Peeta were the chosen from District 12. Well, in Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta are forced to compete in yet another hunger game called the Quarter Quell. It's where all of the current living Victors in each district compete to be the Victor again. Well, from the last Hunger Game, the Capital is angry. They're out to seek revenge, and some of the other districts have started an uprising. So, Peeta and Katniss fight until the end to become one of the living Victors, and to stop the revenge of the Capital. 

I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the fact that it had a lot of drama and shocking events happening through out the book in the right moments. I actually loved how the book ended. The ending is probably the best part of the book, and does make you want to run out right now to get the third, and final book, of the series. I'm just glad that I started reading this series now, so I didn't have to wait for the third book to come out like a lot of people did.

This book is shocking, sad, heartbreaking, scary, and interesting all rolled into one. I only found myself bored in maybe one or two spots, but it quickly picked up and changed. I do recommend this book/series. But you definitely need to read the first book in order to understand this book!

I give this book:

Jamie's 25th Birthday Bash Giveaway!!!!

Lovely Miss Jamie, over at The Perpetual Page Turner is giving away some AWESOME prizes for her 25th birthday! So, hop on over to her blog by clicking HERE and follow her instructions and hope to win!!!!! Good luck everyone!

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Safe Haven

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Why I read this book: Because Nicholas Sparks is one of my favorite authors, and it's his newest book so of course I read it!

Where I got the book: I won it in a book blog contest!

Rating: A

Inside flap description: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family. Be even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her... a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathetic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards... and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

This was actually a really great book. At first I didn't think I liked it, and it took me a minute to get into, but I would definitely recommend it to everyone. I feel like Nicholas Sparks wrote this book a lot differently than he did his other books. While yes, this is still a romantic love story, it's not quite as "gushy" as his others have been. But, that doesn't take away from his story, or the way he wrote this particular book. The way the book is written is kind of like in parts. In the beginning you're told about her moving to Southport and not being very outgoing, then you've got the part where she briefly speaks about her past, then another happier part, and so on. We don't find out about what exactly the kind of past she had until well into the book, closer to the end. I'm not sure if i like this or not. It felt like it was backwards to me. The 'good' was first, then the 'bad' was second. Usually books have what happened bad happen in the beginning of the book, then the middle to end of the book is how they over come the struggle(s). But Sparks did it the total opposite, which made for an interesting book.

Apparently this book has already been sold to become a movie. I kept this in my mind as I was reading it and I basically kept picturing it has a mysterious, love story with a side of horror mixed in. That's pretty much how the book goes down.

It's heartwarming, and has a few funny parts, it'll make you smile, and you'll actually find yourself scared during parts of it too, wondering if the characters will escape the madness that they're going through. I do believe, however, that this is the first book that Sparks has written that hasn't made me cry. But! Don't get that confused with it being a bad book, because it's not at all. He still did a fantastic job writing it, even without the heartbreaking, sobbing and crying stuff that his other books have. But then again, maybe it's just me and I wasn't in the "crying mood". You be the judge if it's a tear jerker!

I highly recommend this book. I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It's a quick, sort of light, heartwarming, family loving, learning about your past and moving on book. I think you should go read it today!!

 

Win A Copy Of Hush Hush and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick!

Hey everyone! Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View is doing an AWESOME Halloween Giveaway with copies of Hush Hush and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick! All you have to do is comment on her entry found here and follow the rest of the directions listed!!!! What are you waiting for!? Jump on over to her blog!!!

Book Blogger Hop!

It's that time again!!! Book Blogger Hop!! Jennifer, over at Crazy-for-Books started this weekly feature/meme. It was created so others can find each others book blogs!! All you have to do is visit her blog, read what this weeks question is, post an entry on YOUR blog, link back to her, and fill out the linky widget so others can find you!! So, start hopping!!

This weeks question: How do you spread the word about your blog?

Well, my book blog is VERY new. I just recently started it a few months ago, and didn't (and sometimes still don't) have any idea what I was doing! However, I came across this awesome feature, and decided to try it out, which is why I first started promoting my blog! I'd do this, and  visit other blogs in hopes of getting the favor returned! I also post things on my Facebook about entries I've posted, and ask people to visit. I will also tell my friends about it, and give them the URL address and ask them to visit as well!!

How do YOU spread the word? Leave me a comment and let me know!!!

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Title: Wicked Appetite 


Author: Janet Evanovich


Where I Got It: Public Library


Why I Read It: She's one of my favorite authors, and it's a new book so of course I wanted to read it!


Rating: A!!! 




I can describe this book in two words: Freaking Hilarious!!!!!! 


I don't think I stopped laughing through out the entire book -- and this book is 313 pages long!! Through a few chapters my stomach was literally hurting from laughing so hard and so much. I should have abs of steel by now!!!


Wicked Appetite is about this guy named Diesel, his cousin Gerwulf Grimore (Wulf for short), and Lizzy Tucker. Diesel is a mysterious, tall, dark and handsome "Unmentionable" who appears in Lizzy's life out of nowhere, Wulf is also a mysterious, not-so-handsome "Unmentionable" and Lizzy is a pastry chef at the bakery Dazzles, where she too finds out she's an "Unmentionable." Each of these characters possess crazy talents that a normal person wouldn't. Wulf can disappear, leaving fire and smoke in his wake, Diesel can unlock doors and read minds, and Lizzy makes outstanding cupcakes. Diesel and Wulf come into Lizzy's life because they're both looking for something-- the stones that possess the seven deadly sins-- pride, greed, lust, envy wrath, sloth and gluttony. It's believed that Lizzy can use her powers to find these stones, and Wulf wants her apart of his team, but Diesel beats him to the punch and Diesel comes into Lizzy's life to protect her. And so, they all set out in an adventure trying to find these stones, while a crazy monkey, and ninja cat appear in Lizzy's life. 


This book is full of crazy mishaps, funny and down right hilarious situations and circumstances that could only happy to the unluckiest person, and it's full of drama. It doesn't have too much drama that makes a book seem too unreal, it's just enough to keep you wanting to turn the page to see what happens next! 


I don't want to give too much away.. but some of the funny these that will make you laugh is when someone in the book starts talking gibberish. I mean, you can just picture this person in your head and having them talk crazy to you and you bust out laughing instantly. Then there's the crazy monkey who will flip you off if you don't do something he likes. Hopefully I haven't given too much away.


I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERYONE!!! You will NOT be disappointed! And, for those of you who have read some of Janet's Stephanie Plum novels, Diesel is a character from one of these (along with the monkey) and Janet is/has started a separate series with just Diesel! 


This book, undoubtedly deserves an A!