So what happened to my reading/reviewing in 2014...

As I was driving home from picking up my son from school today, it hit me. MY reading has fallen by the wayside over the past year, as HIS reading and listening as flourished! And....I'm okay with that. But I had to get it all out in a post because, well, there is a bit of guilt for all the books that were sent to me having not produced reviews for most of them. Does this mean I didn't talk about them? Nope. Share them with others? Nope. It just means I didn't officially sit here at my blog and write a full page report. And....I have to be okay with that. I did what I could and all those books made their way to readers who ate them up.
So on to what I HAVE been doing. I have been watching and enjoying my son, now 7, become an amazing reader and lover of stories. We have been busy! We have always read every night but many times we read over breakfast AND we now listen to audiobooks!!!! In the car on the way to and from school or anytime we are in the car going anywhere. I'm so excited because he is at that stage of reading that I love! The early chapter book stage! Okay, who am I kidding? I love them all!

Here is what we have read over the past year together.
Ready, Freddy series by Abby Klein (all 28 of them!)
Andrew Lost series by JC Greenberg (6 of them!)
Charlotte's Web by EB White
The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever
Stink by Megan McDonald
Calendar Mysteries by Ron Roy (all of them)
A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy (A,B,C,D)
Capital Mysteries by Ron Roy (first one)
Captain Underpants series ( 1-6 and yes, we love them!)
Ricky Ricotta series (1-5)
Kitty Korner: Otis
Kung Fu Chicken series (book 1)
Eerie Elementary (books 1 and 2)

Listened to:
The Secrets of Droon series (books 1-8)
Magic Treehouse series (books 1-3)
Mercy Watson series (all of them)
Wayside School Collection by Louis Sachar (LOVED these)
Chet Gecko by Bruce Hale (books 104, read by Jon Cryer (Ducky from Pretty in Pink!!!))

I know I am forgetting some but man, it's been so much fun. So, alas dear readers, publishers, I AM reading and I will share your books you send me with the world but right now, at this wonderful age, I am enjoying reading with my son the most!

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

2015 A-Z Mystery Author Challenge

 
It is Februrary 6 already and look at me, posting for a new year challenge! Go me. Obviously blogging hasn't been my top priority but here I am!. For those of you who wish to take on this challenge, please share your results in the comments below. I am not going to do a link this year. I hope to be a bit more successful in my mystery reading efforts this year than last. Overall, I was pretty slow in the reading process. Every year brings new hope, right?
 Rules:
 
-A-Z applies to the LAST name of the author in the mystery, thriller, crime, cozy , suspense, noir, etc. genre.
-Read as many or as little as you want.
-Post your links in the comments below.
-Challenge runs February 6, 2015-Febraury 6, 2016
-Have fun!
 
 
Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping!

 

Book Review: All the Bright Things by Jennifer Niven

My review:

Oh dear Lord, how I loved this book! Definitely one of my favorites this year! I have nothing good things to say. Just look for it in January, read it and talk about it!  

Book Summary:
An exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death. Every day he thinks of ways he might die, but every day he also searches for—and manages to find—something to keep him here, and alive, and awake.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her small Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister's death.
When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school—six stories above the ground—it's unclear who saves whom. And when the unlikely pair teams up on a class project to discover the "natural wonders" of their state, they go, as Finch says, where the road takes them: the grand, the small, the bizarre, the beautiful, the ugly, the surprising—just like life.
Soon it's only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a bold, funny, live-out-loud guy, who's not such a freak after all. And it's only with Finch that Violet forgets to count away the days and starts living them. But as Violet's world grows, Finch's begins to shrink.
This is a heart-wrenching, unflinching story of love shared, life lived, and two teens who find one another while standing on the edge. (Author's website)


Author Website:
Jennifer Niven

Happy Reading and thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Audio Review: ROCKS by Joe Perry

 

I was pretty stoked when I saw this title on the list to review. I wouldn't say I'm a HUGE Aerosmith fan but I enjoy them enough to want to know the dirt. In general I am a huge Rock Doc and music memoir fan. I just love to read and/or listen to people talk about how they got to be where they are now. I like to hear about the lessons learned, the places they've seen, the people they've met, etc. It's exciting. Perry has this subtle Boston drawl which I love to listen to, reminds me of the days I lived there. 

He is extremely down to earth, even during the more famous times. He recounts his passion for music from an early age that drove him to search and search until he found it. Ultimately, even with the ups and downs he had with Aerosmith, he was still fortunate to find a band that has lasted this long.

He dishes about Steven Tyler, his flames, the musicians he admires and throughout it you get a sense that he has really lived and learned. He doesn't come across as "better" than anyone. He admits to being a douche bag sometimes. That's life.

Overall, it was a really fun listen. I enjoyed it so much in audio, having him to listen to was key. If there were another narrator it may have been different.

Lovers of music would love this memoir. Highly recommended.

Happy Reading and thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni Feature and Giveaway

TLC Book Tours is hosting My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni. Stop on by their website to check out some fellow blogger's reviews. If interested, enter our giveaway to win a copy for yourself!

Robert Dugoni’s bestselling legal thrillers have earned him comparisons to John Grisham, Scott Turow, and Nelson DeMille, among others. In MY SISTER’S GRAVE (Thomas & Mercer; October 14, 2014), Dugoni returns with the powerful and poignant story of a homicide detective determined to avenge the murder of her beloved younger sister – regardless of the cost.

Seattle cop Tracy Crosswhite was a high school chemistry teacher when her teenaged sister Sarah disappeared one night on her way home to their small town of Cedar Grove. A young ex-con, Edmund House, was quickly tried and convicted of her murder. Twenty years and a career change later, Tracy has dedicated her life to questioning whether the right man went to jail. When Sarah’s remains are uncovered from a newly-exposed lake bed, new evidence seems to support Tracy’s theory that the original prosecution was deeply flawed.

Working with a childhood friend, now an attorney, to exonerate House and find Sarah’s true killer, Tracy begins to uncover long-held secrets that point to a shocking – and potentially catastrophic – truth about what happened to her sister on that long-ago night. Somewhere in Cedar Grove, a killer is waiting, and Tracy must summon the strength to confront the past in order to save her future. (TLC Book Tours)

If you are a fan of thrillers, you should sign up to win a copy in our giveaway.

Please leave an email address.

Winner will be picked on November 23.

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

A Whole lotta' fun

Pocket Books has sent me some delicious books as of late and I had to share them with you. Usually I don't go for this genre of book but I can be persuaded around the fall/Halloween time. 

First up, the new series Moonbound Clan vampires by Larissa Ione. 

Bound for Night #1

A WOMAN OUT FOR BLOOD
Nicole Martin was only eight years old when the vampire slaves rose up in rebellion and killed her family. Now she devotes her life to finding a vaccine against vampirism, hoping to wipe out her memories—along with every bloodsucker on the planet. But there’s one thing she cannot destroy: her searing, undeniable attraction for the one man she should hate and fear the most . . .

A VAMPIRE OUT FOR REVENGE
A member of the renegade vampire MoonBound Clan, Riker is haunted by demons of his own. When he recognizes Nicole and remembers how her family enslaved his loved ones, his heart burns for vengeance. But when he kidnaps Nicole and holds her in a secret lair, his mortal enemy becomes his soul obsession, his greatest temptation, and, perhaps, his only salvation—a hot-blooded lover who could heal him with her touch . . . or bury him forever. (Author blog)

Chained by Night Book #2

THE FUTURE OF HIS TRIBE
Leader of the vampire clan MoonBound, Hunter will do what he must to save his people from extinction—or worse, a torturous eternity as vampire slaves and subjects of human experimentation. To keep his enemies at bay, he has agreed to mate a rival clan leader’s daughter in return for peace between the clans and an ally in the looming war with the humans.

THE LOVER OF HIS SOUL
But survival comes at a price. First, Hunter must break an ancient curse by successfully negotiating three deadly tests. Then he must resist the searing passions of the gorgeous vampire warrior he despises but is bound to mate. Will Hunter stay true to his word? Or will he risk everything for the woman he really loves: the vampire seductress’s identical twin sister? (Author blog)

And then, my love for all things VC Andrews..

Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth

Jealousy, tragedy, survival, and revenge;the discovery of Christopher;s diary in the ruins of Foxworth Hall brings new secrets of the Dollanganger family to light and obsesses a new generation. With Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind both now major Lifetime TV events, this first new addition to the Dollanganger story in nearly thirty years is a timely look at the events in the attic;from teenage Christopher's point of view. (Goodreads)

Seriously? How could you resist?

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

Audio Review: A Sudden Light by Garth Stein

 

I am probably one of the very few people out there who did NOT read The Art of Racing in the Rain. I remember the many readers and customers from Borders raving about it but I just didn't get to it. I am, however, very happy that I got to his latest novel, A Sudden Light. 

I was sent a copy to review from Simon and Schuster Audio who have graciously filled my audio lovin' heart with amazing stories as of late.

This book was magical. The narrator was so talented in his abilities to bounce from one character to another, up to seven different voices.

Here's a quick description of this wonderful story:

In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant, whole trees, and is set on a huge estate overlooking Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch Grandpa Samuel—who is flickering in and out of dementia—to a graduated living facility, sell off the house and property for development into “tract housing for millionaires,” divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.

But Trevor soon discovers there’s someone else living in Riddell House: a ghost with an agenda of his own. For while the land holds tremendous value, it is also burdened by the final wishes of the family patriarch, Elijah, who mandated it be allowed to return to untamed forestland as a penance for the millions of trees harvested over the decades by the Riddell Timber company. The ghost will not rest until Elijah’s wish is fulfilled, and Trevor’s willingness to face the past holds the key to his family’s future. (Barnes and Noble)

This book is perfect for this time of year with all of the ingredients to spook you. You have the old haunted house, a family with secrets, and plenty of ghosts. I felt so strongly for all the characters, never really hating the ones you were supposed to or loving the ones who seemed to have the most to lose. They were all flawed and real and I was sad to leave them them in the end.

Listening to this story brought on such a power of empathy. Once again, the narrator nailed it. You really felt you were listening to multiple people telling this story. It made it even more real.

I highly recommend to audio book to lovers of solid literary fiction with a twist of suspense. Perfect for the Halloween season!

Author website:

Garth Stein

Publisher Ordering Info:

Simon and Schuster Audio

 

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child

The bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain presents a long-awaited new novel in which a boy trying to save his parents’ marriage uncovers a vast legacy of family secrets.

In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle’s Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.

But as Trevor explores the house’s secret stairways and hidden rooms, he discovers a spirit lingering in Riddell House whose agenda is at odds with the family plan. Only Trevor’s willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family’s future.

Spellbinding and atmospheric, A Sudden Light is rich with unconventional characters, scenes of transcendent natural beauty, and unforgettable moments of emotional truth that reflect Garth Stein’s outsized capacity for empathy and keen understanding of human motivation—a triumphant work of a master storyteller at the height of his power - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sudden-Light/Garth-Stein/9781439187036#sthash.8ZGYoy3Q.dpuf

The bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain presents a long-awaited new novel in which a boy trying to save his parents’ marriage uncovers a vast legacy of family secrets.

In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle’s Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.

But as Trevor explores the house’s secret stairways and hidden rooms, he discovers a spirit lingering in Riddell House whose agenda is at odds with the family plan. Only Trevor’s willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family’s future.

Spellbinding and atmospheric, A Sudden Light is rich with unconventional characters, scenes of transcendent natural beauty, and unforgettable moments of emotional truth that reflect Garth Stein’s outsized capacity for empathy and keen understanding of human motivation—a triumphant work of a master storyteller at the height of his power - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sudden-Light/Garth-Stein/9781439187036#sthash.8ZGYoy3Q.dpuf

The bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain presents a long-awaited new novel in which a boy trying to save his parents’ marriage uncovers a vast legacy of family secrets.

In the summer of 1990, fourteen-year-old Trevor Riddell gets his first glimpse of Riddell House. Built from the spoils of a massive timber fortune, the legendary family mansion is constructed of giant whole trees and is set on a huge estate overlooking Seattle’s Puget Sound. Trevor’s bankrupt parents have begun a trial separation, and his father, Jones Riddell, has brought Trevor to Riddell House with a goal: to join forces with his sister, Serena, dispatch the ailing and elderly Grandpa Samuel to a nursing home, sell off the house and property for development, divide up the profits, and live happily ever after.

But as Trevor explores the house’s secret stairways and hidden rooms, he discovers a spirit lingering in Riddell House whose agenda is at odds with the family plan. Only Trevor’s willingness to face the dark past of his forefathers will reveal the key to his family’s future.

Spellbinding and atmospheric, A Sudden Light is rich with unconventional characters, scenes of transcendent natural beauty, and unforgettable moments of emotional truth that reflect Garth Stein’s outsized capacity for empathy and keen understanding of human motivation—a triumphant work of a master storyteller at the height of his power - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Sudden-Light/Garth-Stein/9781439187036#sthash.8ZGYoy3Q.dpuf