Book Review : Street Lights in Wonderland

I think I accidentally turned this into a book/shark blog. Eh, oh well I like both of those things a lot so I guess it would make sense. I was going to wait to review this book until I had finished with Alten's Meg series but I could not wait I needed y'all to read this amazing book! 

  

Amazon

Street Lights in Wonderland by Ashley McNiel 

 Amazon Description

"Suicide is a word commonly spoken in hushed tones and darkened doorways whenever I was near. It held a stigma that people never seemed to truly understand. It usually preceded words such as: selfish, mental illness, hopeless, damned, and my least favorite, coward. 

The word suicide held one specific meaning for me: Eli Nicholas Hampshire. " 

Shainelyn Bradshaw led a normal, happy life, until one night, her boyfriend of two years, committed suicide. 

A year later, Shaine was still trying to figure out her new world without him. 

Grief had consumed every aspect of her life. A once outgoing, bubbly, piano prodigy, now did nothing more than survive. 

Until the day Langston Fletcher burst into her life, breaking down every wall Shaine had built, then standing triumphantly atop the rubble. Langston turned Shaine's new world upside down. 

Langston shows Shaine that there is more to life than merely surviving. He shows her that the entire world is her personal Wonderland, and the best times of her life are yet to come. He's going to make sure of it. 

But just when Shaine thinks there is a chance at a life, and maybe even love after Nicholas, life shows her once again, it has other plans. 

Sometimes the same ghosts that used to keep you company, come back to haunt you. 

A story of adventures, life, and love.

My Thoughts

After this book I was just done. I was and still am in a book hangover. It was incredible, she had my crying in the first 10 pages. Shaine is an inspiration as a female character, she grows so strong and aware of herself. I hope this book teaches girls that you can be strong and confident without or despite a guy. With that said I am 100% in love with Langston not Hughes. He is incredibly well written and wise beyond his years, mentally and spiritually. I really love a good spiritual, but not preachy character and that is Langston. I feel that if I go on I might spoil this book and I do not want to do that. I will say that at times I wanted to throw my tablet, I was so frustrated about what I thought would happen next. This was made worse by stopping to sleep and I was dreaming about different outcomes and I always go worse case scenario.  But in all honesty I love every heart-breaking, anger inducing, falling in love with fictional characters moments of it.

My Langston not Hughes - ya that is Brandon Boyd from Incubus (1) (2)

I devoured this book in less that a day(split by sleep) I could not put it down! Only reason I did was Da'Hubby cannot sleep by the glow of my tablet (OOPS)! If you want a good summer read you have got to get this book. Ashley is coming out with a novella and a book two to the wonderland world and I cannot wait. I might have to reread this book a few times before they come out just so I can get my Langston not Hughes fix. 

Also be sure to check out Ashley's book blog HERE. She is an amazing person and an incredible author!

Book Review : Meg Series - The Trench

Amazon - Audible - Goodreads

Da'Hubby HATED me reading this series, it is all I wanted to do. He wanted to watch a show with me and I was like "I am almost at a stopping point" 2 hours later  "are you done yet??" - Da'Hubby. I just got lost in this world where Megs are real and an ever present danger. 

Book 2 - The Trench 

       This book (obvious by the title) takes place in the Mariana Trench 4 years after Jonas' second trip into the trench. Jonas is remarried to Terry Tanaka (daughter of the friend he helped) from the previous book. The female meg (Angel), birthed by the Meg that left the trench and was killed my Jonas in the last book, is in the Tanaka Institute Lagoon with feeding shows for the public. Now with the success of the Angel of Death shows lawsuits are rolling in from the families of the victims of the Meg deaths, putting a strain of Jonas' marriage, his wallet, and even causing a miscarriage. To make ends meet the Tanaka-Taylor family have to make a deal with the devil. Not wanting to leave the lagoon because he fears Angel will escape Jonas stay while Terry goes (against his wishes) to the Mariana Trench, and she doesn't realize how much danger she is really in. 

I love Terry in this book, she was a bada**, much better that the last book. We also meet the devil's disciples Celeste Singer and Benedict. I thought I hated Jonas' ex-wife but after meeting Celeste I would not mind having the ex back. Both Celeste and Benedict have ulterior motives and are not afraid to kill to get it done. We found out that the Megs are not the only thing that go bump in the night in the Mariana's trench. I do not know who was more dangerous Celeste and Benedict  (and his goons) or the other aggressors in the depths of the trench. This was a great sequel and that is not easy to do. This was such a thriller because in took place 5 miles below the surface of the ocean. Everything was amplified to dangerous measures, and there is no escape except death. If you have not started this series this book alone is worth it. 

Book Challenge Update #6

Da' Hubby is not a fan of me this month. He is so jealous that I want to read and not be next to him when we are at home. Over the weekend he took a nap on the couch so instead of waking him up by turning on the light I moved over to the chair next to the window to read. When he woke up he was sad because I "abandoned him"  I was literally on the other side of the coffee table. But ya gotta love him for wanting to spend so much time with me (even if he is passed out and I am wide awake). Anyway I am 4 books ahead of schedule on my challenge and I am pretty deep into 2 other books right now. 

Soul of The Fire (Book 5 in the Sword of Truth Series) by Terry Goodkind  - Amazon - GoodReads - Audible

The audio on this one was much better than the previous book. I got angry more than once in this book, I felt that Richard was being stupid in parts. I understand I am reading the book so I remember what happen months ago in the story was only a few chapters back but how can you forget getting married even if there was no ceremony. So much of this book could have been easier on the whole gang if he had remembered the woman he saved. I also missed Zedd in this book he was not in it very much which is sad I love Zedd. I also felt like he focused so much time on Anderith and the officals in it and not the main group of characters. It makes since to give some background and build the town because we know nothing about it but I think there was too much focus on it unless they turn into bigger characters later in the series. All in all it was a great continuation of the series. And can I just say OMG Kahlan at the end of the book ( I do not want to spoil it but seriously!!!)

♥♥♥.5 out of 5 (too much on Anderith and such a slow pace in the beginning)

Cloaked by Alex Flinn - Amazon - GoodReads - Audible

I love the mixing and combining of Fairy Tales that Alex does. I am a big fan of these remakes. I feel like some of the things that happened were a bit expected, like the love interest or the witch part and even the fox. Despite all of that it was a great book and I have been recommending it the people even before I finished it. Since the book is a big mixing pot of fairy tales I think that you are going to know what will happen if you have read the fairy tales. But I need to pick up another of Alex's books if they are anything like the 3 have I have just read. 

 ♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Book 1 Chronicles of Narnia) - Amazon - Goodreads - Audible 

I read this book when I was in school but I am not sure if I even finished the series of just read the book required. I have decided that I really enjoyed it this time around (when I am forced to read something I usually do not like it.) After rereading it I am going to read this with my sister, I think she will really enjoy it and it will help with her reading ability. This is a great children's book and I hope to share it with my future kids as well. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

great read as a child, sibling, or parent - good book to share

It's a Chick Thing : Celebrating the Wild Side of Women's Friendship - A collection of stories Edited by Ame Mahler Beanland - Amazon - Goodreads 

This light-hearted books is a bunch of stories about friendships. It talks about the bad times when your friends are always there for you, when they get you in trouble, or you get them in trouble, and the connection you have. I think this is a great easy read for a girls trip, while tanning at the beach read this book and start sharing stories with your gal pals. 

♥♥♥.5 out of 5 

Not something I would reread but it was cute

The Trench (Book 2 Meg Series) By Steve Alten - Amazon - Goodreads - Audible

Of course I enjoyed this book it is about Sharks!!! Angel was amazing and terrifying. Jonas was stubborn, stupid, and so determined. This book is not focused on the shark as much but the trench as the name states. I liked how you really see the motives of the characters in this sequel. We find out things about Jonas' past that even he didn't know/realize. We find that Terry is a bada** and her and Jonas' love is stronger than a prehistoric shark or sadistic billionaire. If it had not been for Da'Hubby wanting my light turned off last night I would have started book 3 as soon as I sat this one down. 

♥♥♥♥.5 out of 5 

I was a bit lost in the techno-babble but it was needed for the story 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - Amazon - Goodreads 

I picked this book up half on a whim and half because Phillip DeFranco (SourceFed & such) said it was one of his favorites like last year or something. Anyway I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I too love it! As I said on Goodreads it is heartbreakingly wonderful. Chbosky talks about a bunch of really deep stuff but from the perspective of someone who is not fully emotionally or psychologically able to handle it. This little wallflower grows in maturity throughout the book and watching him grow is amazing. I already have this on my netflix queue to be delivered so I can share this book/movie with Da' Hubby. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

absolutely will be re-reading  

Previous challenge update posts: January - February - March - April - May

Book Reviews: Adulting - Something Worth Fighting For - Speaker of The Dead -Ender's Game - Extras - Specials - Pretties - Uglies - The Fault in our Stars