Review | "Seriously...I'm Kidding" by Ellen DeGeneres

This week's review is over another audiobook by yet another extremely talented and funny woman, Ellen DeGeneres! I've been a fan of hers for years and finally got the chance to listen to her latest book (my first experience with her published work).
I don't have much to say in this review, so I'll just get right into it, but first, the book's Goodreads description:

I've experienced a whole lot the last few years and I have a lot to share. So I hope that you'll take a moment to sit back, relax and enjoy the words I've put together for you in this book. I think you'll find I've left no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken, no rug unvacuumed, no ivories untickled. What I'm saying is, let us begin, shall we?

I'd like to say I loved this book, and had I listened to it before "Bossypants" I might have, but since that wasn't the order in which I experienced the audiobooks, that's not the case. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, it was a quick listen that can easily be finished in around one sitting, but I didn't find myself adoring it and laughing out loud in response to what I was listening to. 
If you're looking for a memoir, this isn't it. It's a collection of anecdotes and a few personal feel good stories, but for the most part, it's kind of like a light hearted advice book. Sadly in formatting the book to be made up of stories, it felt scatterbrained at times and didn't really resonate with me too much. I find myself struggling to remember what was in the book rather than other monologues of hers from her shows (both her talk show and her past comedy specials) or hosting appearances. 
If you're a fan of Ellen, you'll like the book, but I recommend listening to it. I think if you read the physical book, it will lose some of its charm, Ellen's voice really brings the book alive and makes it feel like a podcast. 
If you're not a huge Ellen fan however, then you can pass on it, there isn't anything so spectacular in this book that it's a necessary read.

Review | "One Sweet Summer" by Cali MacKay

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's time for another review, this time over the first book of New York Times bestselling author Cali MacKay's "Mermaid Isle Romance" series. This is the first book by this author I've ever read, and sadly, I wasn't impressed. It was yet another free download from amazon, though, so if anyone is interested in checking it out, you don't have to worry about wasting money if you don't like it.
Anyway, before I jump into the review, here's the book's Goodreads description:

Riley Carter’s never found anyone who could live up to her first love, Thorsen Black. So imagine her surprise when, twelve years later, he shows up at the unique and quirky inn she manages on Mermaid Isle, off the coast of Maine. The sweet, gangly teen has matured into a sexy and handsome man, leaving her heart desperate to pick up where they left off.
It’s impossible for her to ignore the way her body instantly reacts to his touch and he's just the distraction she needs when she finds out the owners of the Siren Song Inn are selling it to Holt Enterprises. Holt only has eyes on the bottom line and Riley knows they’ll strip the inn of everything that makes it special, ruining not only the Siren, but devastating the island economy.
While fighting to save her beloved inn, Riley falls in love with Thorsen all over again. But when she’s faced with the real reason Thorsen’s on the island and his unbearable betrayal, will she be able to save the inn and her chance at true happiness?

This book is supposed to be a light romance, perfect for the summer or for a lazy day staying in, but in trying to get that point across, the story was redundant and almost sickly sweet. The plot was, in my opinion, terribly predictable, which isn't a huge surprise for chick-lit romance, but when it's too predictable on top of everything else, it can take some of the enjoyment out of reading.
The story did try to have tension though, it just wasn't necessary conflict, so it didn't add much depth to things and the drama just seemed melodramatic and overdone.
This was another book where the characters both are adamant about "taking things slow" that then flies right out the window just a chapter or two later. Speaking of slow, the relationship between the two lover interests gets very intense very quickly. I know they're supposed to be teenage sweethearts, but it's been years since they've seen each other, the old dynamic can't be the only reasoning they have to jump head first into things the way they do- making this a fine case of literary insta-love. Also, no one finds it at all strange that these two have only just begun to get to know each other and already taking huge steps in their relationship.
Thorsen is another male character who doesn't think things through completely before acting.
While trying to force the sweetness of their love, Thorsen gives Riley a nickname that doesn't quite fit, which would be fine if it weren't constantly repeated throughout the rest of the book as if repetition would convince the readers that it was a great idea.
Riley drove me insane with her inability to communicate with the other characters, which made me annoyed with her. Both her and Thorsen's flaws made me dislike them as characters because I didn't feel like, as a reader, I genuinely got to know them through the story. Sure exposition was given, as were descriptions, but it didn't read like an introduction, and they didn't develop much during the plot.
The ending wrapped up too cleanly considering the mess of a problem (that shouldn't have existed and could have been avoided but wasn't) that hung over the characters' heads.

In the end, I don't know if I would recommend this one. It's available for free, so like I said, there's nothing to lose by trying it out, but unless you have no other options, I would say you can definitely pass on it.

Review | "The Pirate's Wish" by Cassandra Rose Clarke

This week's review is over the sequel to "The Assassin's Curse" (Review here) so obviously there will be spoilers for the first book if you haven't already read it (though the book's synopsis kind of spoils itself). If you're read my review over the first book, you'll know that I was a little let down. I had bought both the books because the publishing company closed recently, making them more difficult to find- usually I only buy the first book in a series to see if I like it before purchasing the others, but because there won't be any reprints, I decided to purchase both the duology together. However, I didn't really enjoy the characters or the storyline, so I wasn't too excited going into the second book.
I wish I could say it was a pleasant surprise and that I loved "The Pirate's wish", but I didn't. I didn't dislike it, but I wouldn't have missed out on much had I not purchased it to begin with,
Before I go any further into my thoughts, here's the book's Goodreads description:

 After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.

The first thing I noticed that stuck out to me enough for me to take note of it was the phoned in love triangle/amorous drama. When characters aren't in a relationship and haven't discussed their feelings (which is a plot tool I don't buy with this storyline when the two main characters can read each other's thoughts and Ananna is a loud mouth in every other aspect of her life) I can't get behind throwing in a love triangle unless it pushes the story. It didn't add the intended tension, it just felt thrown in.

The pirates are far too judgmental of physical disfigurations. I mean, they're pirates! I'm sure plenty of them have some physical attributes that aren't exactly considered the norm. 

Much like in the first book, most of the drama and conflict is resolved too quickly for it to add anything to the plot making it all unnecessary and tedious to consider reading about. I kept wanting the conflict to go on longer so it would bring another dynamic to the story, so it would make me feel something, but it never did. 

The ending , while not getting into spoilers, seemed like it was written under a deadline and thus wasn't elaborated enough for it to make sense and not seem rushed and thrown together.

In the end, if you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one, but if you didn't care for it, then this isn't a necessary read by any means.

Review | "Witch Hunt" by S.M. Reine

This week is a two review sort of week due to not being in town to post next Wednesday.
Anyway, this week's second review is over another book that I was able to download for free from amazon. It's the first book in the "Preternatural Affairs"  urban thriller/paranormal series by fairly well known author S.M. Reine. As a big fan of Kelley Armstrong's "Otherworld" series, I was excited to read another story with a similar format. Before I get into my thoughts, though, here is the book's Goodreads description:

A brutal murder.

There are scratches on Cèsar Hawke’s arms, a discharged Glock on his coffee table, and a dead woman in his bathtub. Yeah, maybe he brought the waitress home for some fun — he was too drunk to remember it — but he knows for a fact that he didn’t kill her. He’s an agent with the Office of Preternatural Affairs. He doesn’t hurt people. He saves them.

The cops disagree. Now Cèsar is running.

The search for a shaman.

Isobel Stonecrow speaks with the dead…for the right price. She brings closure to the bereaved and heals broken hearts. But when she resurrects someone for the wrong client, she ends up on the OPA’s most wanted list.

One risky solution.

Tracking down Isobel is the last case assigned to Cèsar before he bolts. If he finds her, he can prove that he didn’t kill that waitress. He can clear his name, get his job back, and bring justice to the victim.

She’s just one witch. Cèsar has bagged a dozen witches before.

How hard can one more be? 

Right away, I can say that I liked this book well enough. I finished in around two days and didn't really find that I had to force myself to continue the story. That being said, I don't think I enjoyed it enough to add the other books of the series to the top of my to-read list.  
Cèsar came across as a the stereotypical macho cop, kind of pushing the routine to the point that I was rolling my eyes. Also, the story starts out in a way that makes it seem like I should already know the characters- which, as far as I know, readers don't. I'm not sure if there's overlap with any of the author's other series as far as the characters are concerned, but being the first book to this story arc, it's safe to bet not all the readers will be familiar with the author's other works. 
I noticed quite a few contradictions.
There was a point of the story seemed to blame victims of abuse for being in their situations by saying the murder victim wasn't "that kind of woman" meaning she wasn't the kind of woman who would get herself into that sort of a situation. I understood the meaning the author was trying to get across, but I can also see people finding it insensitive. 
There was some dialogue that didn't seem natural. 
For being a fugitive, Cèsar really doesn't know how to lie low. 
Towards the middle of the book, the plot began to get rushed and chaotic. The characters no longer communicated with each other and there was quite a bit of awkwardly timed exposition. 

Again, this book is available for free, so that already makes it worth a try, it wasn't horrible, after all. It's far from perfect, and I personally would recommend Kelley Armstrong's books over this series. However, it's a quick, fun read, so I don't see much harm in checking it out.

Review | "Innocent in Las Vegas" by A.R. Winters

Today's review is over another ebook that is available for free from Amazon. As with many free downloads, "Innocent in Las Vegas" is the first book in a series of chick-lit mysteries following an amateur P.I. Tiffany Black. Before I give away too many details of what I thought, here's the book's Goodreads description:

Cupcake-loving croupier Tiffany Black is determined to leave her job at the casino for good. She's one small step away from acquiring her Private Investigator license, and has her eye on the prize.

Accepting her first real case - investigating the murder of casino-mogul Ethan Becker - should be exciting. Instead, things spiral out of control and Tiffany finds herself in over her head, as she confronts secretive suspects, corrupt casino henchmen and her mysterious, ex-Special Forces bodyguard.

Tiffany's poker-hustling Nanna and pushy parents want her to find a nice man and settle down, but Tiffany just wants to track down the real murderer before he finds her first...  

My quick thoughts are: it was cute. I read the book in around a day and, while it's definitely not the next Sherlock Holmes or Poirot, and though I admit there are many better mysteries out there, this one is available for free. There were a lot of thing I think critical readers would pick up on, but I've read a few free mysteries from amazon by now and this one is probably my favorite. Now, keeping all that in mind, I have a rather lengthy list of notes, so I'll just get right into them.

Pretty quickly Tiffany says she wants a calm life, yet she wants to be a P.I. Now, I don't have much experience in that field, but something tells me "calm" isn't necessarily in the job description. Even if you aren't investigating murders, when you're snooping around, people might have a tendency to show their bad sides. The same goes for when she mentions that she doesn't want to risk her life, danger seems like it would be part of the job description. I also felt like some of the Private Investigator details weren't exactly accurate, or they at least seemed off. 

Tiffany herself was rather immature in her reasoning and acted very unprofessional (both in how she acted with others and with how she investigated on her own) despite the many times it was repeated that being professional was important to her. Which would be fine, I suppose, if she were supposed to be a 20 year old girl, but she isn't. Many times Tiffany would do things that served only to move along the story, but otherwise didn't make sense.

None of the characters seemed to use much common sense, coupled with the fact that there was some unrealistic dialogue and character traits that didn't coincide(for example Sophie claims she has nothing to do with the business she's connected to, yet she knows almost everything about it) it made it even more evident that all the characters had the same voice. We didn't get to know them individually much, either so any little nuances that made each person stand out were muddled and lost.

There were some technical things as well, I noticed some word and title redundance and definite word count cushioning. I also noted that the writing became less polished as the story moved along and the last half lacked a little in proof reading, which makes me think that the author was under some sort of time constraint and didn't manage the time she had well enough to really have the whole thing ready. 

So, in the end, there were a lot of things that, as a reviewer, I noticed could have been done better, but if you're just looking for a cute, quick read, then the fact that it's free definitely makes this a good option.

Review | "Beyond Possession" (Beyond #5.5) by Kit Rocha

That's right, it's yet another "Beyond" Novella. While the review is going up now, I read an e-ARC of this book back in 2014, bringing my Kit Rocha grand total for the year to 5!
Anyway, like I said, this is a novella, meaning it isn't a necessary read to continue with the series and explores side characters. That being said, if you haven't read the first 5 official books of the series, and you want to, click out of this review because there will be spoilers. Also, this an adult series with mature content, so be aware of that before you get into the books.
Here's the book's Goodreads description:

Tatiana Stone has worked hard to establish herself as one of Sector Four's most skilled crafters. All she wants is peace--but the sins of her father haunt her. He ruled the sector as a petty tyrant before the O'Kane takeover, and plenty of people harbor bitter memories of his cruelty. Especially now that Tatiana's beloved baby sister has fallen in with a man who wants to start a revolution. 

Zan failed his boss once, and it won't happen again. So when Dallas O'Kane asks him to defuse the rebellion brewing in the sector, he'll do whatever it takes to get the job done--including seduce Tatiana. It's the perfect opportunity to get closer to the pretty crafter and complete his mission. But what he discovers is a fiery, passionate woman--and an affair that could destroy them both.

So, by now it's obvious I like this series, and this novella was no different, but I do have a few notes.
The Tatiana-Gia past was never fully explained and because of that, it felt out of place and I didn't understand the need for it to be in the book other than to keep Gia relevant in the series (is her own novella coming up?).
Like the other books, all the characters are gritty and tough, and that makes it difficult at times to separate their voices so they all seem the same. If it weren't for their names/pronouns it might be almost impossible to figure out who says what in the story.
In describing Tatiana's personality, the authors seem to go back and forth between her being selfish and selfless, demanding and independent or weak and lonely. That's not to say a character can't have all those traits, but she's described in a way that makes you think she has to be either one or the other. That even goes back to the Gia history I already mentioned, what is elaborated seems to contradict itself at times.
Also the plot itself was a little convoluted and choppy at times, making me have reread passages so I could understand what was happening. Coming from someone who can't stand when that sort of chaotic shaky cam technique is used in films, it was a little annoying.
In the end, it was a good continuation to the series and a good way to kill some time before the next official book is released, but it wasn't the best installment.

Review | "Yes Please" by Amy Poehler

Another audiobook review! This time it's over Amy Poehler's 2014 release "Yes Please". Like "Bossypants" by Tina Fey, Poehler did the reading of this audiobook, along with chapters read by people she knows, like  Seth Meyers, her parents Eileen and William Poehler, Kathleen Turner, Patrick Stewart, Michale Schur, and Carol Burnett- all of which makes the listening more of a podcast experience. Before I get further into my thoughts, though, here's the Goodreads description:

In Amy Poehler’s highly anticipated first book, Yes Please, she offers up a big juicy stew of personal stories, funny bits on sex and love and friendship and parenthood and real life advice (some useful, some not so much), like when to be funny and when to be serious. Powered by Amy’s charming and hilarious, biting yet wise voice, Yes Please is a book is full of words to live by. 

I will say, right away that I enjoyed Tina Fey's book a little more. It was more sarcastic, less crass, and felt more like a memoir than just a bunch of anecdotes that center around certain parts of the author's life (or, to explain better: Tina Fey's anecdotes followed a more linear timeline and expanded over her whole life while Amy Poehler focused more on what she thought were the most important parts of her life up until now and shared multiple stories from each period.) I would recommend not reading/listening to this book soon after "Bossypants" because it is near impossible not to compare the two while you read. For the purpose of this review, howcer,  I'll try to refrain from further comparisons.
The way the book is written doesn't follow a set chronological order and opens up many story parenthesis to go on tangents. For example, a story that begins with Poehler as a child would lead to a tangent story that occurred years in the future before returning to the original setting. I can see that getting confusing because, as a listener or a reader, you will forget about the first story and become invested in the sideline ramblings and going back to the original can be a little jolting. This skipping around with the timeline also means that some things are repeated.
The jokes in the book didn't seem as natural as I would have hoped they'd have been so I wasn't laughing out loud so much as smirking at the wit.
While the guest readers was an interesting addition, it did take away some from the book and made it seem almost like a podcast, I say almost because it wasn't an natural conversation. That is just my personal taste, however and I can see a lot of people really liking all the new voices. 
There are times I felt like there was a lot of word count cushioning, like when she goes into explaining all the jobs in Hollywood, or when she repeats how much she loves the people she's worked with and how her career would be nowhere near this successful without them. At other times, it seems like the book was serving to promote "Parks and Recreation" even though it's going into its last season. 

In all, the book felt a little scatter brained, so I would recommend this to Amy Poehler fans, but not everyone. If you enjoy her humor, this is a must, if you're on the fence, I would say if you have the chance, check out the audiobook, if not, it's not the end of the world.