Book Review | "The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening" by L. J. Smith

So I postponed my review of this book by a week in favor of posting my short rant about my run in with Awesomebooks last week. So I won't ramble too much before getting into this review. As most of you are probably aware, the popular television show "The Vampire Diaries" was based on a book series by the same name that began in 1991 and continues today (along with five spin-off series). I went into this book having watched just the first episode of the show a few years ago and after hearing a lot of less than amazing things about the book.
Since I read the book in italian, here is the description (and the cover) from the original edition, courtesy of Goodreads:
A Love Triangle of Unspeakable Horror...

Elena
Searching for the ultimate thrill, she vowed to have Stefan.

Stefan
Haunted by his tragic past, he struggled to resist her passion.

Damon
Driven by revenge, he hunted the brother who betrayed him.

The terrifying story of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Okay, so by now everyone is polarized as far as the vampire genre goes. After the huge boom in books due to the "Twilight" sage, interest has begun to dwindle in favor of the next "big" thing- and if you're someone who is over vampires, then I don't have to tell you to stay away from this book. I would say that it isn't incredibly original as a plotline, but I have never read any other YA vampire stories from the 90s and earlier, so this very well could have been a first of its kind. I just couldn't fall in love with anyone. Elena was self-centered and spoiled and isn't the strong female heroine a lot of readers look for in a book. She never seemed independent, even before she got the guy, she wouldn't be complete without him. Stefan was a little more likable..In a way. I enjoyed the flashbacks on his part- and a lot of other people agree, which is why the "Stefan's Diaries" books are a little more popular. 
In the present however, his tortured soul does little to balance her egotistical character making them seem like a truly dysfunctional pair. 
Aside from that, there were a few specific moments that jumped out as not making sense or being written in a very simple manner.
In the end, if you are a fan of the show, I can see you perhaps enjoying this, but otherwise you won't be missing much by skipping it. I would suggest checking out the author's "Forbidden Game" and "Dark Visions" trilogies. They have the same quick, easy to read writing, but with more complex plots and likeable characters. 

Book Review! | "Keeping Her" By Cora Carmack

I actually typed out this whole review, but it didn't save..YAY! So I'm just going to get right into the review.
If you haven't read "Losing It", the main story that lead to this novella, you can watch my video review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnOLJblHaEA&feature=youtu.be .
Before I get into my thoughts over the novella, here is the description:

Garrick Taylor and Bliss Edwards managed to find their happily-ever-after despite a rather . . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?

But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.

As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.

Right off, if you are looking for a fun, light book that you'll love every bit as much as the original, this may not be the book for you.
There are quite a few things that annoyed me, seemed confusing, unnecessary..or just weren't consistent with "Losing It". 

The book makes it seem like, not only has Bliss had dating experience, but she's has multiple serious relationships, a fact that is denied specifically in the first book. She's much more needy and annoying in this storyline..her anxiety less endearing. Garrick is more controlling and childish. The entire situation surrounding his mother was elaborated in a strange way and the characters were unable to see the dozens of clear faults in some of their ideas. 
Spoiler: 
At one point, Garrick decides he should give up acting in pursuit of a well paying, stable job in London. The sentiment is great but A) he decides this without discussing it with Bliss, assuming she would go along with it and like the change because she is finally starting to get along with his mother B) he completely looks past all the reasons why this would NOT be a good idea: His friend, Graham, would have all the opportunities in the world to continue making plays at Bliss, his plethora of exes who would all love to have him back (Which- side rant...why is the idea that a literary male needs to have dozens of exes who can't seem to move on from him after the break-up a recurring theme? Because it's rather annoying and unrealistic.) and C) Bliss has grown up in the US! He can't honestly expect her to sign off on something like that on the short notice he would be giving her in the book, which is pretty much "Hey, I start Monday!" 

In the end, I didn't hate this book, despite how hard on it I'm being. However, it was in no way necessary. It didn't feel like a closing, no extra questions were answered, in fact..I was left with more questions than I went into the book with (and I went in with no questions at all.). I think the main issue was the novella's length- at only 110 pages of story, there was no time to expand on anything, so it all seemed thrown together as a way to milk as much from "Losing It" as possible.
 It was an inexpensive book, so if you really want to read more about Bliss and Garrick, then go ahead, but I don't consider it a must-read by any means.

Book Review | "Shakespeare and Company" by Sylvia Beach.

For those of you who have been following my blog, you'll know that I was able to visit Paris at the end of March (something I had been wanting to do for easily ten years). While I was there, I of course- as well as, I'm sure many other book lovers- had to visit the Shakespeare & Co. bookshop. I bought a few books, which I never ended up doing a haul over due to other videos that needed posting, and then too much time passing. Anyway, I bought two historical books while I was there. One being a short historical booklet of the current shop and the late shop-owner, the other being a memoir written by Sylvia Beach about her bookshop. The original Shakespeare and Company.
While it was a pricey book (around 20 euros, I think) I had saved my money and convinced myself to get it.
 That's all a very long introduction to my review- but here it is!

Sylvia Beach was intimately acquainted with the expatriate and visiting writers of the Lost Generation, a label that she never accepted. Like moths of great promise, they were drawn to her well-lighted bookstore and warm hearth on the Left Bank. Shakespeare and Company evokes the zeitgeist of an era through its revealing glimpses of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson, Andre Gide, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, D. H. Lawrence, and others already famous or soon to be. In his introduction to this new edition, James Laughlin recalls his friendship with Sylvia Beach. Like her bookstore, his publishing house, New Directions, is considered a cultural touchstone.

There isn't too much to say about the book. It's a memoir that briefly recounts Beach's childhood and how she ended up opening an American bookshop in Paris- then continuing in much more detail her work with James Joyce and her relationships with countless other writers/publishers of the era. It was a relatively slow read, because of all the detail and the names- but I did enjoy it. Obviously, this isn't going to be a book for everyone. If you enjoy literary history, or literature from the 1920s, then I think you'll enjoy this more. Considering the price of my edition and the, what seems to be, less than frequent publishing of the book, I definitely say that if you have a chance to read it- go ahead, but it isn't necessarily worth spending a lot of money on if you aren't completely fascinated by the subject.

Novella Review! | "Beyond Solitude" by Kit Rocha

I (along with many other fans of the Kit Rocha "Beyond" series) was able to download an eArc of this book in March, in anticipation for the "Alphas After Dark" anthology release. This was a nice treat for those of use who aren't familiar with the other authors in the story bundle who wanted to read the newest installment in the dystopian romance series without having to worry about potentially not liking all the other stories. (For those of you who have read my "Marked" anthology review, you know that was my biggest problem with that book.)
Anyway...since the novella will be released on its own, both in print and digitally, I thought I should go ahead and get my review for it down before even more time passes since I finished it.

As always, here's the Goodreads description:
When a motorcycle accident leaves Derek Ford riding a desk at the O’Kane compound, the last thing he needs is a sexy new assistant upending his office and his life. But Mia isn’t scared of her domineering boss. The friction between them generates an undeniable heat—but Mia will not be kept, and Ford will do anything to protect what’s his

As always, the story follows the familiar formula for the Beyond world: two strong (in their own ways), stubborn, damaged characters who find their way into each others lives and proceed to weed their way into the center of their co-star's mind.
You'd think after reading four other stories, that would get boring...but it doesn't!
 Admittedly, some elements get tiring 
*Minor spoiler* 
Mia and Ford, just like Emma/Noah, Bren/Six, Lex/Dallas, Noelle/Jasper, have that moment towards the end of the story where he does something...trying to be the masculine protector for a damsel in distress he doesn't have, which causes a rift in the relationship for a while...in the novellas that while is shorter, but it's still there. I know why the writers continue to include it- having that sort of conflict allows the female leads to show how strong they are without their male counterparts. It gives the story a balance with the dominate male elements of the plots. That doesn't mean I don't wish something else would happen to trigger the main plot point of the story sometimes.
Really though, that's my only flaw. I think if you're a fan of the series, you'll enjoy the story, and it will definitely help to kill some time in the Beyond universe before the next book comes out. 

Book Review! | "Sincerely Dead" by Brendan P. Myers

This week's review is over a book I won in a Goodreads giveaway at the end of February. It being a more traditional zombie book, I was a little hesitant going into the story, but I was pleasantly surprised!
Here's the book's Goodreads description:

"So maybe bringing Velarde back into the city wasn’t the best idea I ever had."

When a mob hitman learns his boss is about to turn squealer, he takes it upon himself to use the zombified version of the man he was sent to kill to take out the boss, but soon discovers that taking even a single zombie into the Big Apple can lead to devastating consequences. And when the zombie apocalypse is inevitably unleashed, an epic adventure of survival unfolds, as a small band of the still living make a desperate bid to escape this now city of the dead.

I had a few small problems with this book, but I think if you're a die hard zombie fan, or a fan of what has become the "norm" for zombie films, you'll like this book, despite some technical things I noticed while reading.

  The first thing I noticed when I began reading, was the narration's broken English. This can be bothersome in the beginning...but it suits the nameless main character and his upbringing/background- however, that same broken English isn't as consistent as it should be throughout the course of the story which made the story stumble a little every time it showed up again.
Some things were repeated, or written in ways that didn't exactly make sense, and like most zombie stories, some events are very clearly just a means to an end. A way to move along the plot and get to a twist the writer was really after. (For example, the chapter where our rag tag team of survivors finds its way to a Burger King...the real point of that plot point only begins to become clear near the end of the story.)
Some of the chapters were written in a way that could be considered confusing, and while the story tried to make you care about all the characters, you don't have enough time to get to know anyone enough to really feel for them. 
That's probably the main problem I had with the book. It was under 200 pages, so everything felt rushed, there was no time to really elaborate anything too much. Granted, I don't know how much longer the story could have been without feeling too long. It would have needed to have an almost entirely different plot evolution or a lot more back story in the book itself for those who haven't read the short ebook prequel. 

In the end, the book is pretty inexpensive, and if you like zombies- I think you'll appreciate the story for what it is.

Book Review! | "Animals Make Us Human" by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson

After a month passing from the time I actually finished the book to now, I'm finally doing my review over the non-fiction book "Animals Make Us Human".
This book was recommended to me a few years ago by a close friend, and I got around to purchasing it earlier this year/late last year. As always, here's the Goodreads description:

The best-selling animal advocate Temple Grandin offers the most exciting exploration of how animals feel since The Hidden Life of Dogs.

In her groundbreaking and best-selling book Animals in Translation, Temple Grandin drew on her own experience with autism as well as her distinguished career as an animal scientist to deliver extraordinary insights into how animals think, act, and feel. Now she builds on those insights to show us how to give our animals the best and happiest life—on their terms, not ours.

It’s usually easy to pinpoint the cause of physical pain in animals, but to know what is causing them emotional distress is much harder. rawing on the latest research and her own work,Grandin identifies the core emotional needs of animals. Then she explains how to fulfill them for dogs and cats, horses, farm animals, and zoo animals.Whether it’s how to make the healthiest environment for the dog you must leave alone most of the day, how to keep pigs from being bored, or how to know if the lion pacing in the zoo is miserable or just exercising, Grandin teaches us to challenge our assumptions about animal contentment and honor our bond with our fellow creatures.

Animals Make Us Human is the culmination of almost thirty years of research, experimentation, and experience.

This is essential reading for anyone who’s ever owned, cared for, or simply cared about an animal.

Honestly, after being away from the blog for a few weeks, this is the perfect review to help me ease back into the routine, because there isn't too much to say. As the description reads, the book focuses on how to make sure animals have the best welfare possible- using Grandin's expertise and childhood anecdotes to make the story read less like a scientific-psychological study, and more like a guide of sorts. 
The book is divided by animals grouping: dogs, cats, horses, poultry etc. So no matter what animals you encounter or are curious about, there will be information in the book for you.
The main problems I had with the book were these:

1. The price: even the paperback of this book is around $15 cover price (though I think it goes for a little less on amazon), and even the ebook is $10. Granted, it's probably possible to find this book on sale or in the library, but if not, that's a lot of money to spend on one book depending on who you are. The price may also seem a little too much considering the other "flaws" I found with the book.
2. The writing and content: the very reason you'll pick this book up could be a reason it's not amazing for you. It's non fiction and it's not a memoir or a compilation of stories- so there are plenty of times when the book becomes a little slow. Especially when you are no longer reading about animals you come into contact with on a regular basis (i.e. if you don't live on a farm, the chapters about cows, pigs, chickens...they may drag on for you). All the information is insightful and eye-opening, which will keep you interested, but it will still become a little dry if you aren't extremely interested in some of the animals discussed in the book. 

All in all, I liked the book. Despite the slower parts, I'm glad I read it, but I would definitely recommend you be a general animal lover if you want to read it- if you only like dogs, or cats..then most of the book will be uninteresting to you and there are plenty of books written about singular animal species.
 

This Week's Reads!

I'm back!
For those of you who saw my last post, you know I was on a trip to Paris at the end of March- I haven't posted anything since because less than a week after I got back I had to leave for another trip. Finally though, the blog is back! I will be posting a review this Wednesday and a new video Friday on my Youtube channel!
In the next few months, a few things might be changing around- between school and work. Nothing is set, but there are a lot of very exciting prospective projects I might be working on in the future that could have an effect on my posting.

Anyway this week, I am reading "Shakespeare and Company" by Syliva Beach which I picked up at the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris. It's interesting, but a little slow- it's a memoir after all.
I am considering doing a few travel posts about my trips- primarily the Paris trip, and this week on my channel you'll find either my much anticipated "Grave Mercy" review or a March book haul, featuring mostly the book I picked up at Shakespeare & Co.

It's good to be back and I hope everyone has a happy week of reading!