Book Review: Meg Series - Hell's Aquarium

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Book 4 - Hell Aquarium

        4 years after Primal Waters, Angel is back in the lagoon with 5 new pups. 3 runts and 2 sisters all from the same litter but with the aggression the sisters seem like they were a litter of their own. Unable to get the Institute expanded to hold the bigger Meg family, and with RAW(Release Animals to the Wild) group breathing down their backs Jonas sells 2 of the runts to a United Arab Emirates aquarium. What Jonas didn't know is that the crown prince wants more that just the Megs in his aquarium, he wants the prehistoric animals the late Dr. Maren claims to have found. Jonas unwilling to go on this suicide mission, David on summer break from college wants to go to Dubai to watch the megs and train recruits on the Manta Ray submersible. Again much like his dad, David puts his life in risk for love. Back at home the sisters kill the last runt making RAW come on even harder and even planning on breaking into the institute to releasing the sisters. During this time Jonas is secretly planning on releasing Angel back into the Mariana Trench. What Jonas is doing can save lives while Raw is putting much more in danger.  

David makes this book, he is strong yet bull headed and is willing to risk everything to protect the ones he loves. Jonas despite is advancing age is still throwing himself into danger to save others. He makes dives no one his age ever should, he get in the lagoon with Angel (ok she is in sleep mode but still) he is like He-Man, nothing can stop him. Dani has really grown up, though her and Terry are not in this book that much, which I am not complaining. Most of this one takes place in Dubai with David. He is being played like a violin and he has no clue, he went thinking he was never leaving land but just like the crown prince planned from the beginning David goes down to Maren's underwater lab to collect the information needed. The prince knew that only someone from the Taylor family had the ka-hones to go down not knowing what they would encounter. I was actually sad in some parts of this book, there was a bit of a love story in it, at first it was annoying then it grew on me. I was terrified at some points, and others I wanted to fricken strangle someone and I am 100% surprised Mac and Jonas were able to keep their cool. All in all it was a great book. A lot more technical than the previous books, which was a bit annoying I basically skimmed over those parts since it was just jibber jabber and had not meaning to me, tinsel strength, construction mumbo-jumbo, and lifting power, no need for it but hey if that is your thing you might just enjoy those parts. But the meat of the book to action, the hidden agendas, love story, the edge of your seat thrill parts, that is where I was and I enjoyed every bit of it.  Absolutely would recommend if you have read the previous books.

OK I am sorry this was so wordy but it is a book review so it happens. My pal Ashley McNiel has published 2 more books so those will be my next reviews I hope ya'll enjoy!

Book Reviews: Meg Series - Primal Waters

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Book 3 - Primal Waters

       18 years and 2 kids later we rejoin the Taylor family barely making ends meet, with Angel's departure from the lagoon and the cost of upkeep the Taylor/Tanaka family may have to sell the institute. Jonas is attempting to write a memoir but it keeps getting interrupted by his 17 year old daughter, Danielle's music and  phone solicitors so he takes a break.  The family goes to an annual Shark tooth festival in Venice Beach to talk about Angel and other Megs, this is when Jonas is offered a way out of the whole, but it might put him in a grave. A group of dare devil enthusiasts whom looks up to Jonas, for his heroic killing of Angel's mother and his dives in the trench, want him to be an announcer to their new reality TV show about daring stunts in the middle of the ocean. Jonas goes with his daughter to be the announcer DareDevils but what he doesn't know is that the person backing the show is the last person Jonas ever wants to be at sea with. 

My love for Terry was GONE in this book, she was a coward! I get that she has PTSD but she did a complete 180 in this one. She will not fly(she use to be a pilot!), she will no let her son scuba dive in the empty, is terrified of Jonas going to sea again(OK I will give her this one, she was right) but she drove me crazy. She did face some of her fears but she was just annoying. Her son, David, on the other hand is awesome. He was fearless, he would not take anything from anyone, he is his father's son. Mac was great in the other books and started off aggravating but grew as a person in this one, with help from his godson David. Dani (Danielle) was a typical teenager, thinks she knows everything, her parents are old and to cautious to do anything fun, and just a brat. She does grow near the end and learns to really respect her dad, granted she had to nearly die for that to happen. But, hey growth is growth, right? 

Book Challenge Update #7

This is going to be a short and sweet update because I have written a review post for most of the books I read this month. All the books were great and they needed more than just a little blurb on the update post.  

Meg: Primal Waters by Steve Alten    Amazon -  Good Reads 

This book was awesome! I have written an individual post on this one and that will be posted later this week but, I was a big fan! I was a bit frustrated with some of the characters mainly Terry because she is completely different in this book. This installment takes place in the middle of the ocean and has Jonas' kids put in precarious situations, it is not only his life that could be lost. All in all 4 out of 5 hearts because his daughter is annoying and Terry just bugged me with her complete personality flip.  

♥♥♥♥ out of 5

Ace Your Teacher Interview by Anthony D. Fredericks, Ed.D.  Amazon - Goodreads 

I flew through this book preparing for an interview (which I ACED). It had some really great pointers and I will be keeping this book to review before each interview I have. Some of the pointers are no brainers but he listed some questions I never even thought they would ask! I was over-prepared for my interview (in a good way). I brought up things I never even thought were important until I read this, like what books I am currently reading. This is a must own book for anyone on the hunt for a teaching job (just not in my area please I need a teaching job BADDD!)

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5

Meg: Hell's Aquarium by Steve Alten   Amazon - Goodreads - Audible

Again this is a book I am going to write a post of it's own. Luckily Terry is not in this one too much which is nice. The book is focused more on Jonas' son David. With more Meg's in the lagoon Jonas sells 2 and David decides to tag along to get the Megs settled in their new aquarium. What David does not know is that the man who purchased the Megs wants more dangerous animals and he wants David to go retrieve them. David made this book and he makes up for his mom in the last book! I am giving this book a 4 out of 5 because there was technical mumbo-jumbo that was not need (at least for me). I understand Alten put it in for authenticity but I didn't need it.

♥♥♥♥ out of 5

Street Lights in Wonderland by Ashley McNiel     Amazon

After I finished with this book I swore I was not going to read another of her books because I love my sleep too much but guys I am addicted! I already have her other book sitting on my bedside table I am just waiting until I have time to devote to it so I do not stay up all night reading it (because I know I will). I was crying in the first 10 pages of this book, it is incredible!! But if you read my last post you already know this. Everyone need to read this book, like right now. It is only 2.99 on amazon so it will not break the bank...just your heart. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5

Faith of the Fallen Book 6 in Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind

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Sorry if this feels spoiler-y but I do not think I gave anything too important away. 

I am still really enjoying this series. I feel so bad for Kahlan and Richard they can never just be. Barely married and she is beaten half to death than she is finally getting better and boom Richard is taken away from her. I love how strong she is, she was not going to sit idly by knowing she cannot get Richard she goes to battle! She is seriously a BAMF. I wish we had more Zedd but I could always use more of him, he is hilarious. In this installment you finally get a taste of what The Order is really about and in theory it works but it the real world it never will. It was a struggle of capitalism vs. socialism. The order wants everyone to be equals, take out the magic first because not everyone is gifted. Next is to tackle the working man, if someone is unable to work and you are well you are blessed and should give him your wages, even is that means you have no money because at least you can work. But at the same time you cannot work harder than anyone because you are showing that you are better than them, you also have to share the work load even if that means you have a store room full of food you cannot sell that because you are hogging the sells and not letting anyone else make money. What Richard brings once he is thrown into this is equilibrium, he buys what others are not allowed to sell and sells it to the people who need it but have to wait for someone else to deliver, he fixes up his commune (for lack of better word), has the people start taking pride in what is there's (even though it is technically The Order's) by making things better. Fix wobbly stairs, start a garden, paint the walls make their home feel like a home and not a hut. Richard believes in the human spirit and he wants to show that to everyone and it is evident in the end of the book. Richard was so disappointed in the beginning that no one wanted his freedom because they have never been without it and did not know what they would be missing, but in the end I think everyone finally understood what Richard was talking about the whole time. There are many reviews hating on this book but to be honest I loved it. They are comparing Goodkind to other authors but that is not how it works unless the other author wrote the same book. I loved this book and I have already stared the next one, I cannot wait to find out what happens next.  

♥♥♥♥ out of 5

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

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

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 

Book Challenge Update #5

Staying strong with 2 books ahead of schedule and just started 2 more that will be on next month's update. I may surpass my goal! I am running out of ideas of books to read after I finish my series. I still have the rest of the Sword of Truth series and Meg but after that I am at a loss. Plus since I am listening to SOT I like to have an actual book or even a kindle book to read when I am at home. If you have any books you would like to recommend I am all ears.

Temple of the Winds (Book 4 of Sword of Truth Series) by Terry Goodkind - Amazon- Goodreads - Audible

First and for most, I listened to the audio version from Audible and I have for all of the books and the voice actor on this one was different and butchered the pronunciations of the characters and locations. He said Kah-lynn instead of Kay-lynn and it is SOO annoying. Other than the narrator the book was amazing. I like the new characters introduced and hated that some of the older ones had to go. Zedd is seriously my favorite person in the whole series, he is hilarious. There were times in this book that I got really angry or sad but that was because the story is just that good that it brings you in and makes you feel so much. I am ready to get started on the 5th book in the series.

♥♥♥♥ out of 5 (because of the deaths)

Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten - Amazon - Goodreads 

I am amazed it has taken me this long to find this book. A friend read it and knowing how big of a shark fan-girl I am she gifted me this book and I am in love! And I just found out that it is a series. I already downloaded Meg: Origins (like a mini prequel) and am about to devour that...haha see what I did there? Devour like a shark. If you like cheesy Sy-Fy channel movies like Sharknado, Sharktopus, or Paranaconda than you will love this book. This is a short read perfect summer reading book and heck, I would dare to say a beach read. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5  (I do love my sharks)

Meg: Origins by Steven Alten - Amazon - Goodreads

I think I was the one who failed this book instead of it failing me. I read this book after reading Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror ( I didn't even know it was a series when I was given the book and started reading it). After finishing book 2 I found and read this. I like the book but was confused about some parts and was not a fan of how much it jumped around. I liked the back story it gave to Mac and Jonas but I feel that if I hadn't read book 2 first I never would have continued the series after this book. 

♥♥.5 out of 5 (purely because I enjoyed learning about the top secret dive and Mac's history)

Do you have books I should read? I could use some recommendations. 

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

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

Shark Book Series!!

Guys I cannot tell you how excited I am that I found a Shark novel that is actually good and on to of that it is apart of a series! Da'Hubby and I were at his best friend Tiny's house over the weekend for Comicpalooza and his wife Sloane  is also a shark lover. We were talking about our love of shows like Sharknado, Shark Week and Sharktopus and she remembers she has had the book Meg by Steve Alten for years. She gives it to me and I devoured the book. I went upstairs that night and read until I forced myself to sleep for the early day.

I swear that girl is the sweetest person ever!

I am in love with this book and I am so excited the read the 3 books that are in the series plus the prequel. I already downloaded the prequel since it is like a little mini book but I want the hard copy of the rest for my book shelf and for future reading.

Synopsis (Amazon)

On a top-secret dive into the Pacific Ocean's deepest canyon, Jonas Taylor found himself face-to-face with the largest and most ferocious predator in the history of the animal kingdom.  The sole survivor of the mission, Taylor is haunted by what he's sure he saw but still can't prove exists--Carcharodon megalodon, the massive mother of the great white shark.  The average prehistoric Meg weighs in at twenty tons and could tear apart a Tyrannosaurus rex in seconds.

Written off as a crackpot suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Taylor refuses to forget the depths that nearly cost him his life.  With a Ph.D. in paleontology under his belt, Taylor spends years theorizing, lecturing, and writing about the possibility that Meg still feeds at the deepest levels of the sea.  But it takes an old friend in need to get him to return to the water, and a hotshot female submarine pilot to dare him back into a high-tech miniature sub.

Diving deeper than he ever has before, Taylor will face terror like he's never imagined, and what he finds could turn the tides bloody red until the end of time.

My thoughts:

I am going to agree with many others who have reviewed this book, it is a book for shark nerds. You cannot go into this book expecting Moby Dick, it is a Sy-Fy original movie in book form. This book knows what is is and does not try to be more than that. Ya, I knew what was going to happen to many characters before it happened but that did not take away my joy of this book. It had actual facts about sharks, whale migrations, and Navel issues. I have read some books that are cheesy but they think that you are stupid Alten does not do this, he does not insult your intelligence. How serious can a book be when it is talking about a 60' shark going on a killing spree? As long as you go into this book expecting an entertaining fast read you will be very happy.

My Rating:

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

All in all this book gets 5 hearts from me because it is about sharks, I plan on reading it multiple times and I love the whole premise. 

What books are you reading now?

Book Challenge Update #4

Well this month I have been a bit of a slacker in the reading department. I just wasn't feeling it at all. I would sit and try to read a book and would get distracted. I haven't even watched much tv or movies, I have just been listening to music and playing games. But according to my Goodreads account I am still doing good I am two books ahead of schedule and I am SLOWLY working on two other books now.

I did finish one book though and it was pretty good.

I enjoyed this book and am stating to read Bewitched which is connected to Beastly. It is a modern type remake of Beauty and the Beast and all in all it is an easy read. I like books that modernize fairy tales, heck I like any fairy tale remake it doesn't even have to modernize it.  I feel like I cannot really spoil this book since it is Beauty and the Beast but it is different enough that I feel you would want to read it. 

I never saw the movie or show or what ever and I do not think I will based on how they made the beast look in the few pictures I have seen. 

♥♥♥ out of 5 

Good, might re-read 

So what have y'all been reading? I need something to get me back in the groove of things

Previous challenge update posts: January - February - March

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

Book Challenge Update #3

I am two books ahead of schedule so far and I have read some good books this past month.

Switched (Trylle #1) by Amanda Hocking  • GoodReads • Amazon •

I really enjoyed this book. I heard about it from a friend who said it was about trolls and I knew I had to read it, but it is not what you expect when you think trolls. The beauty in this book is not what I expected and the mini-series at the end made we ant to read a whole story from that P.O.V. I just need to get off my hiney and download book 2.

♥♥♥1/2 out of 5

The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking by Kate Payne   • GoodReads • Amazon •

I was hoping this could help with decorating, gardening and general homemaking, but it just seemed preachy to me. Now I will say some of the advice was good but it is mainly for people in bigger cities, living in apartments not people like me who are in a small town with lots of yard and space between neighbors living in a house. When I was in college living with my parents I had the cinder block book shelf but living 'on my own' with my husband I do not think that would work too well. I also understand the importance of going green but Kate is  shoving it down your throat in this book. I get that chemicals are bad, and that cooking things from scratch are healthier for you, but not everyone has the time or energy to do so. I work 45 minutes away from my house which I know is not the longest some people have to commute but with a husband who does not eat lunch (unwinnable battle trust me I have tried) by the time we get home at almost 6 he is starving and does not want to wait for me to make everything from scratch. I will on the weekends make homemade lasagna, or other meals that require lots of time to prepare and that is usually the most delicious meal but on weekdays we (HE) wants quick easy meals. The saving grace of this book was the last chapter, she talks about having get-togethers and how we should continue to learn and grow which is something I believe in. 

♥♥ out of 5

  

Stone of Tears By Terry Goodkind   • GoodReads • Amazon •

I am so glad I picked this series up. The new characters introduced in this book were incredible. I felt Richard's hate for some of them. Grach is one of my favorite parts of the whole book, and Scarlet too. I love how he shows his compassion by the way he treats animals and is a protector for them. I thought for sure i was going to be angry at the end of the book but it turned around into a happy ending that makes me want more. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5

Blood of the Fold by Terry Goodkind   • GoodReads • Amazon •

Oh my goodness so many feels! I was on the edge of my seat, I was fearful for the characters, I literally laughed out loud, and just so many feels. The mord-sith and Grach are becoming my favorites. Zed still cracks my up though. Kahlan is such a beast, she is amazing in her talents. I wish I could read the prophesies they talk about, but that may ruin the books for me. I am so ready to jump into the next book. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

Work Hard. Be Nice. by Jay Mathews    • Good Reads • Amazon •

This book is about the KIPP schools and the two teachers that made it happen. It was an okay book, to me it seemed to jump around a bit. It would talk about what was happening in 2004 and in the next chapter discussing the weeks the guys were signing up for Teach for America in 1992. I was impressed by what the guys were able to accomplish and how well the schools are doing but the book could not hold my interest, I forced myself to finish it. I think I was able to get a few good tips for when I become a teacher but all in all just an EH kind of book about a really impressive set of guys and what they built. 

♥♥ out of 5 

What are you guys reading right now?

Previous challenge update posts: January - February

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

Book Challenge Update #2

According to Goodreads I am 1 book ahead of schedule for my goal which is super awesome! But here are my reads and reviews for February.

Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown. I have a whole post dedicated to this book I enjoyed it so much (you can read it here.) 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5

(Picture totally stolen from Ashley's blog - So now you have to check her out!)

*I am going to pimp out my friends new book again.* Silence by Ashley McNeil This one was a re-edit of a book from a while back and my first time to read it. This book  was amazing I knocked it out in 2 days and it would have been sooner if I did not have things to do. The characters were fantastic the love story had so many feels. Layna is such a strong character and I hope to be as strong as she is, I just don't want to suffer through the pain she had to endure to get there. This is one of those books you hope they turn into a movie but then again you don't because they may ruin it. Layna is deaf in the book and I think that makes her that more impressive to me. 

And seriously if you have not checked out Ashley yet hop over to her blog, she is incredible. Right now she is posting a miniseries from her other book Something Worth Fighting For, based on Adam And Darcy's story. 

♥♥♥♥♥ out of 5 

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs Since I enjoyed the first book I had to read this one too. It took me a bit to get into this one but I loved it! In this one they did more traveling and we met more "Peculiars" and the pictures were incredible. This book wants me to get into photography just so I can learn how they were able to make the images like the one on the cover. I do not want to spoil the first book by giving details but Jacob comes into his peculiar abilities more and relates to his grandfather more. The First book was better but I will defiantly want to re-read this series. 

♥♥♥1/2 out of 5

The Death Cure by James Dashner I have finished the Maze Runner Series, well all except the prequel but after Star Wars I am always a bit leery of prequels written/made after the fact (which is what prequel means...genius). I really hated Teresa and WICKED during this book. Okay I have hated WICKED from the beginning of the series but this book made me hate Teresa, she flip-flops so much and I cannot tell her true feelings. I think that WICKED started off good but had bad leadership and some stubborn employees and it turned the group evil. But who am I to rationalize what they did. I really liked the ending it is unusual for a dystopian novel to have a happy ending like this one but I am a fan of the series and cannot wait to watch the movies. 

♥♥♥♥ out of 5 (all because of Teresa)

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind If you have been with me for a while than you know that I LOVED the TV series Legend of The Seeker that this series is based off of (post here). I started to read it right after I watched the series because I was having some story hangover from it, but I stopped in the middle of the book. I am so glad I picked it back up. There are many differences from the book and the show (which always happens I do not know why I am surprised). There are more Wizards in the book than in the tv series which threw me off a bit (probably because I had to make up the person in my head instead of recalling the character from the show). I am actually kind of sad about some deaths that were in the book and not the show because in the show the character grows on you but in the book you almost start to like her and then she dies (that is all the spoilers I am giving no names). Anyway before I give too much away I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to start the next one.

♥♥♥♥1/2 out of 5

Check out last month's reviews  -   50 Books By The End of The Year