Review #171: Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Ok y'all, last post of the night. Hopefully won't take so long to post a review again lol. 

Taken by Storm is the third in the Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Goodreads says:

 Bryn knows first-hand that being the alpha of a werewolf pack means making hard decisions, and that being human makes things a thousand times worse. She's prepared to give up her humanity, but the wolf who promised to Change her is waiting - though for what, Bryn doesn't know. Still human, she must take her place in the werewolf Senate, the precarious democracy that rules the North American packs. Standing side by side with werewolves who were ancient long before she was ever born is enough of a challenge, but Bryn soon learns that the Senate has been called to deal with a problem: the kind of problem that involves human bodies, a Rabid werewolf, and memories that Bryn, Chase, and the rest of their pack would rather forget. With bodies stacking up and political pressure closing in from all sides, Bryn and her pack are going to have to turn to old enemies and even older friends for help - especially when it starts to look like this time, the monster might be one of their own.

For my review of the second book, Trial by Fire, click here.

Holy flipping shit, this book was AMAZING!!! Sorry, but it literally took me by surprise. I don't know why, Ms. Barnes is an amazing writer who has made me fall head over heels with this series. But oh my god, this book just made me feel every emotion, in the best sense possible. I mean what the hell Barnes? Why did you put my heart through all of that aching? I hate and love you for it Ms. Barnes! I love that I did not see any of the twists coming. I literally gasped out loud, while I was with my parents and my friend when some of those twists came at me like an out of control train. I nearly cried a few times. And that ending. Holy eff that ending! I mean it, that ending was shocking and awesome and everything I was hoping for. I just don't know though, is this the final book? Or is there another one coming? I hope it's not the last book, because that ending spelled cliffhanger all over it. Although to be fair, I wouldn't mind that much if it was the final book, because Ms. Barnes wrapped up mostly everything nicely. But oh my god this story was sooo freaking good. I loved the journey Bryn went on, the new people she met, I loved her conflict with Shay, and the story itself was just, I can't even describe it, it was that good.

Bryn had excellent development! I loved how she matured even more in this one. I loved how she dealt with everything, and my heart went out to her so much. I enjoyed the hell out of her practicing with her Resilience, that was just greatness. I loved Chase as well. He was still my heartthrob in here, and he damn near broke my heart (I will not spoil that for y'all, but I nearly freaking cried). I love love love his and Bryn's relationship. Their love makes my top list of favorite fictional couples. There's no frills with them, and you can feel the love they have for each other pour out from the pages. Devon wasn't in this book too much, but he was still my Devon. His journey also was fabulous to read, and I love how he ended up at the end of the book. His and Bryn's relationship is another one I love. Their friendship is just so damn sweet, I want to be Bryn for a day just so I can be best friends with Devon. Now Lake got some unexpected development, but I loved it completely. I loved what Barnes did with her character, and how she and her past was in a way integral to the story. That was an unexpected boon. I still love her sarcasm and pure kickassery. Her dynamic with the other characters always makes me smile. The other characters, like Callum and Jed were excellent as always. The addition of Jed and Caroline added a dynamic that added a layer to the story. I loved reading the exchanges between Bryn and Caroline, and Caroline and Devon. Excellent

Damn Barnes, why did you rip my heart out like that? I mean it, she is SUCH a great writer guys. Ms. Barnes built her world up even more, expanding it and adding even more new and exciting information. She kept me guessing every second, never once making me falter in the attention I was paying to this book. She deserves every single solitary bit of success she has gotten.

I'll next be reviewing Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

Until next time, viva la literature! 

Currently Reading #18

Well everyone, the time has come for a new Currently Reading list to rise from the ashes of the previous one. Let us get started!

The theme for this list will be Hype Catch-Up. This is probably the longest list I have every attempted, but hopefully it'll be a good one. This list is a lot of the most hyped up books of this year that I have not yet gotten to. So without further ado, here are the stars of the list!:

1. Taken by Storm (Raised by Wolves 3) - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
2. Insurgent (Divergent #2) - Veronica Roth
3. Pandemonium (Delirium #2) - Lauren Oliver
4. Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) - Lauren DeStephano
5. Partials (Partials #1) - Dan Wells
6. Immortal City (Immortal City #1) - Scott Speer
7. Struck (Struck #1) - Jennifer Bosworth
8. Dark Eyes - William Richter
9. Portrait of a Starter (Starters #0.5) and Starters (Starters #1) - Lissa Price
10. Until I Die (Revenants #2) - Amy Plum
11. Unraveling - Elizabeth Norris
12. I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1) - Barry Lyga
13. The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) - Julie Kagawa
14. Slide (Slide #1) - Jill Hathaway
15. Bewitching (Kendra Chronicles #2) - Alex Flinn
16. Croak (Croak #1) - Gina Damico
17. The Selection (The Selection #1) - Kiera Cass
18. Illuminate (Gilded Wings #1) - Aimee Agresti

Damn, that is a LOT of books! Hope they are all good and worth every bit of hype they got.

Until next time, viva la literature!                    

Bad Book Round-Up

Hey everyone, have a BBR-U for y'all.

The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich:

I tried reading this once before and wasn't that interested. I tried again and still wasn't interested. I don't know what it is really. I guess I can chalk it up to writing style. I just did not connect with it and therefore, the story. If you want this story, watch The Social Network. A great adaptation of this book.

Tough Shit by Kevin Smith:
This book started out ok at first, but went downhill for me. Again, it was the writing style. I just could not connect to it at all. 

Well, that's the end of this Currently Reading list. I shall post the next one soon.

Until next time, viva la literature!

Review #170: License to Pawn by Rick Harrison

License to Pawn is by Pawn Stars star Rick Harrison. Goodreads says:

In Las Vegas, there's a family-owned business called the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, run by three generations of the Harrison family: Rick; his son, Big Hoss; and Rick's dad, the Old Man. Now "License to Pawn "takes readers behind the scenes of the hit History show "Pawn Stars" and shares the fascinating life story of its star, Rick Harrison, and the equally intriguing story behind the shop, the customers, and the items for sale.Rick hasn't had it easy. He was a math whiz at an early age, but developed a similarly uncanny ability to find ever-deepening trouble that nearly ruined his life. With the birth of his son, he sobered up, reconnected with his dad, and they started their booming business together. "License to Pawn "also offers an entertaining walk through the pawn shop's history. It's a captivating look into how the Gold & Silver works, with incredible stories about the crazy customers and the one-of-a-kind items that the shop sells. Rick isn't only a businessman; he's also a historian and keen observer of human nature. For instance, did you know that pimps wear lots of jewelry for a reason. It's because if they're arrested, jewelry doesn't get confiscated like cash does, and ready money will be available for bail. Or that WWII bomber jackets and Zippo lighters can sell for a freakishly high price in Japan. Have you ever heard that the makers of Ormolu clocks, which Rick sells for as much as $15,000 apiece, frequently died before forty thanks to the mercury in the paint. Rick also reveals the items he loves so much he'll never sell. The shop has three Olympic bronze medals, a Patriots Super Bowl ring, a Samurai sword from 1490, and an original Iwo Jima battle plan. Each object has an incredible story behind it, of course. Rick shares them all, and so much more--there's an irresistible treasure trove of history behind both the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop and the life of Rick Harrison.

This book was flipping fantastic! It was a short, quick and fabulous read and I enjoyed every single minute of it. So much so I stayed up until about 5 in the morning to finish it, it was that good. I loved learning more about the Harrisons, the shop, and the items and people who have frequented it over the years. I learned so much and was engaged the entire time. Rick is a great writer, and made me laugh and learn. It felt like a friend and I had gotten together, and started telling each other stories from our lives. I was shocked to see chapters written by Old Man, Corey and Chumlee. They also had great writing styles that were true to their voices. I loved learning about their lives as well, especially Chumlee. I loved seeing that he really isn't as dumb as he's made out to be on the show. I also liked learning the history behind the show Pawn Stars. I never would have known on my own that Rick had been wanting a reality show for years before this show happened.

This is such a great book, if you love Pawn Stars and the Harrisons/Chumlee, you'll love this book. If you want a quick and good read, you'll love this book.

My next post will be coming up soon.

Until next time, viva la literature!

Review #169: Guts by Kristen Johnston

Hello my wonderful and amazing friends! It has been almost a month since my last post, and I've missed you all so very much <3 To be honest, I was in a reading slump and very uninterested in the books I was reading. But now I'm back and better than ever! There's a lot to be posted today, so let's start with this review :)

Guts is the memoir by Kristen Johnston. Goodreads says:

 The two-time Emmy Award-winning actress has written her first book, a surprisingly raw and triumphant memoir that is outrageous, moving, sweet, tragic, and heartbreakingly honest. GUTS is a true triumph—a memoir that manages to be as frank and revealing as Augusten Burroughs, yet as hilarious and witty as David Sedaris. With GUTS, Johnston takes us on a journey so truthful and relatable, so remarkably fresh, it promises to stay with the reader for a long, long time.

 I wanted to like this book so much. It seemed like a great memoir and great insight into the head of an actress I like. Unfortunately the writing style Ms. Johnson used just completely put me off. I'm all for sarcasm and wit, but honestly the way she wrote made me feel like she thought here readers were idiots and was talking down to us. It just felt so off-putting, I literally could no longer read it. I tried, but the writing just felt so, I don't know.

I'll next be reviewing License to Pawn by Rick Harrison. 

Until next time, viva la literature!