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.

Review | "My True Love Gave To Me" by Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, Kelly Link, Matt de la Pena, Kiersten White, Ally Carter, Jenny Han, Myra McEntire, David Levithan, Holly Black, Gayle Forman, and Laini Taylor

I know I know, another Christmas book that is very late in getting its review up. I could argue that a few of the stories in the book aren't so much Christmas stories, but I won't. I realize that this review is very late, but it's taken me a while to decide how I wanted to review it.
Before I begin, though, here's the Goodreads description:

If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa, there’s something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. You have twelve reasons to stay indoors and fall in love. 

Being an anthology, I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about my general thoughts, or go into my thoughts on each story. I've decided on the latter.

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell: Cute. Noel reminded me a lot of Levi from Fangirl, so I'm not sure how original the story itself can claim to be in origin, but it was a good start to the book and I enjoyed it.

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link: The vocabulary didn't really fit the characters' ages at the time and was told in a semi out of order way for a time which made it confusing. Also, the story had the stereotype that rich people are unstable and eccentric which was a little eye-roll worthy. The ending got a little unclear and confusing the story itself didn't really seem to fit the anthology's theme (which actually happens with a few of the stories).

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Pena: Nice. The main character got a little annoying, and it felt unfinished, but over all it was nice.

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han: Very reminiscent of the Santa Claus movies. There were some contradictions. The elves were actually pretty unkind. The fact that they aren't the traditional
Santa Elves is never addressed (like where that myth came from) and the ending was pretty unsatisfying.

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins: There was some word cushioning, but other than that, it was adorable and I loved it.

Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan:  Didn't really fit the anthology theme until the very end, and even then not really. The story was too big and complicated to fit into a short segment and should have been its own novella/novel

Krampuslauf by Holly Black: Rushed into things a bit, but still good. The magical elements just sort of appear with no explanation and I think it should have been longer to have lived up to the potential it had.

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman: The story resolved itself a little too quickly, but otherwise, I really enjoyed it.

Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire: I didn't really like the characters or their voices and they all seemed pretty generic with their personalities and backstories. I didn't really care about the plot or anyone involved in it.

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White: Very heavy on the "jealous of mom's boyfriend" plot tool. The story and characters were pretty run of the mill. The change of heart of some people happens so quickly it gave me literary whiplash. 

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter: Story is incredibly unbelievable, there's no way it would work out. The big reveal at the end was even more far fetched and there are so many ways it could have been handled better.

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: Confusing, it didn't really fit the theme in really any way. The plot tried to explain itself but it failed a little and just ended up being dark and odd.

Overall, non of the stories made me want to read anything by the authors I hadn't already read and it didn't deliver what you might expect. You would probably go into this book wanting a lot of cute, fluffy stories to fit the cheerful Christmas spirit, and some of the stories really don't meet that.
I wouldn't say to definitely avoid it, but I think it's passable if you're not that interested.

Review | "In Kelly's Corner" by Roxie Rivera

This week's review is over an ebook that was (and possibly still is) available for free download from amazon. It's the first book in the "Fighting Connolly's" series and is thus meant to pull you into the story and purchase the other books.
Before I get into my thoughts, though, here is the book's Goodreads description:

After a stalker breaks into her home, internet entrepreneur Bee Langston decides Kelly Connolly is the only man who can help her—but seeking help from the former Marine isn’t easy, especially after she made a spectacular fool of herself trying to kiss the sinfully sexy bodyguard.
When Kelly spots Bee weaving her way through the Houston nightspot where he’s working security, all those feelings he’s desperately tried to deny for his best friend’s sister come flooding to the surface. He’ll do anything to keep her safe, even if means getting up close and personal with the one woman he simply can’t have.
Soon, Bee’s stalker isn’t his only problem. His gambling addict father is tangled in a mess of debts to two of Houston’s toughest loan sharks. With the family gym on the line, there’s only one way for Kelly to make everything right. He agrees to fight for the Albanian mob in an underground bare-knuckle fighting tournament.
But winning the tournament and saving his family’s legacy comes at a high price—one that just might cost Bee her life. 

This book has a pretty good average of 3.93 stars, and it isn't terribly long, so I was looking forward to reading it. It seemed like it would have the gritty tones that make me like Kit Rocha's "Beyond" series so much without being a dystopian- and over all, I did enjoy it and would recommend it, if nothing else, because it's available for free. However, I noted quite a few things that anyone who was reading critically would notice.
In the beginning there is quite a bit of clunky exposition. The backstory is necessary, but I feel like it could have been done smoother.
Kelly's reasoning doesn't make much sense. He's supposed to be Bee's bodyguard, he's supposed to keep her safe...and he does that by dragging her into his own dangerous personal problems.
The fact that everyone knows each other gets a little confusing, partially because the connections between them aren't always clear.
Bee is the typical "quirky" (or just clumsy) female character who jumps to conclusions and doesn't use her head because she's "independent" when in reality she's just being stupid. I mean, Kelly is telling her things so her stalker doesn't start wearing her around as a jacket, not because he wants to patronize her like the little sister he never had. Her doing this, among other things, makes her come across as immature and at times had me really questioning how I was supposed to believe she created such a successful company when she couldn't understand even simplistic things (all the misunderstandings serving solely as fuel for drama that didn't need to be there).
The romance was rushed. I understand why, that's the reason people are reading the book, but there should have been either 1) less initial conflict or 2) more time for those feelings to organically develop and become known.
The romance scenes weren't written the best. They're heavy with adjectives and adverbs that don't intensify the scene, but rather makes it seem like the author didn't quite know what she was doing and was trying to hide that fact. While at other times, there were details that were on the ridiculous side.
The "everyone has a secret" plot point that drives Bee's storyline is overdone. Not to say it's an impossible secret, but it's definitely extreme, and in a story that has a lot of extremes, that one wasn't exactly needed and was only there to beat in the idea that the book is supposed to be edgy.
Certain reactions and descriptions were repeated.
The  "I want to take this slow and really get to know you so it will be special" perspective regarding sex is completely dropped. Not even in a way that acknowledges that it existed in the first place.
The end had a lot of forced conflict, and I found myself really having to force myself to get through the last 50 pages or so of the book.
In the end, it was a flawed story and I wasn't so invested in it that I could look past the numerous problems I noticed, but it wasn't bad. I think someone who just wants a fun read and won't be scrutinizing everything as they read it will enjoy it, and while there are many better books out there, this one is available for free download, which is always a positive.

Review | "Bossypants" Audiobook by Tina Fey

I listened to another audiobook! I have heard opinions from both people who read the physical edition of "Bossypants" and people who listened to the audiobook (recorded by Tina Fey herself!) and the consensus leans much more towards listening than reading for yourself. That's understandable, unlike a novel, "Bossypants" is a memoir of sorts and if the audio narration will be done by the author, then it becomes more of a conversation. If the author is a great comedian like Tina Fey, you get to hear the tone her words were meant to be read in and it makes the experience that much better.
Now, before I get further into my thoughts, here is the book's Goodreads description:

In her acceptance speech for Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Tina Fey announced that she was proud to make her home in "the 'not-real America'." It is perhaps that healthy sense of incongruity that makes the head writer, executive producer, and star of NBC's Emmy Award-winning 30 Rock such a cogent observer of the contemporary scene. Bossypants, her entertaining new memoir, shows that strangeness has been her constant companion. Fey's stories about her childhood in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania are only appetizers for LOL forays into her college disasters, honeymoon catastrophes, and Saturday Night Live shenanigans. Most funny read of the month; the best possible weekend update.

Now, it goes without saying that if you are not a Tina Fey fan, or are not familiar with any of her work, this isn't the book for you. If you are, I definitely recommend reading (or better, listening to) it for yourself. The audio is around 5.5 hours so it's entirely out of the question to finish it in one day, depending on when you listen to audiobooks/how much time you have at your disposal during those times. The great thing about audiobooks is, of course, the fact that you can multitask. Granted, if you multitask, let's say, filing papers while listening, you'll miss the story, but I don't think I have to explain how to listen to an audiobook. 
Right away, I noticed a few words repeated themselves, "grim" for example, is a word that shows up in the book a lot as a way to describe things. It doesn't show up so much that it becomes too annoying, but if you start to notice it (which you undoubtedly will now that I've pointed it out) then it sticks out more. 
The book also slows down some once you get into the SNL and 30 Rock history. It makes sense that there is a lot of focus on those aspects of her career, but it does change the pace of the story. Around that time the book also turns into a sort of parody self-help/mommy memoir sort of book over a biography (though the book in general isn't extremely biographical and is more geared to let us in on Tina Fey's history and her insights and everything that was behind career moves etc.)
This book has quite a bit of sarcastic humor, and listening to it read by the author makes that even more apparent. If you are a fan of that, like I am, then you will find yourself laughing out loud or smirking at multiple parts throughout the audio. 
Ultimately, the book (the audio at least) makes Tina Fey seem so much more relatable. It puts the point across that she was an average girl who was fortunate enough to make it in her craft and has had success since, which is nice. I think a biography can easily go in the opposite direction and make people seem larger than life and this didn't do that. 
Like I said, if you are a fan of Tina Fey, I highly recommend checking this out. I think the physical book would be funny and entertaining, but I suggest the audio edition if you get the chance.

Review | "BookElves Anthology Volume 1" by Jemima Pett, Rebecca M. Douglass, Fiona Ingram, M.G. King, Wendy Leighton-Porter, S. Smith, and Ben Zackheim

I know Christmas is long gone, but today's review is over a seasonal anthology I won in a Goodreads giveaway (get used to the unseasonal reviews, because my review over "My True Love Gave to Me" will be coming up soon, as well). It's an independently published middle grade anthology with stories contributed by authors you may not have heard of before. However, before I get into my thoughts, though, here's the book's Goodread's description, as always:

Seven stories, seven situations threatening the festivities – a postbag that gets bigger, a Santa in summer, the strange disappearance of the gifts, a petnapping gang, a snowstorm in the wilds, a kidnapped messenger, and a whole raft of celebrations that are too strange to contemplate.
Will the holidays be a disaster? Will families be left out in the cold? Will there be tears before bedtime, or will there be happy endings all round?
Each tale weaves its own seasonal magic. Each magician has already warmed the hearts of thousands of young readers with their stories; Max the time-traveling cat, Champ the rescue dog, Shirley Link, the schoolgirl detective, the Ninja Librarian, the Princelings of the East, and the Seed Savers. As part of the MG BookElves group they bring you tales to enjoy during the holiday season.
Suitable for readers age 8 and up. 

My only real points that I want to make about this book are that:
I found it more of an elementary level anthology, rather than middle grade. Some of the stories don't evolve too much while others are too complicated to fully wrap up by the end, and I noticed some typos. A short review, I know, but there isn't much to say. I didn't particularly love the book, but I'm also not the intended audience. I don't recommend this to older readers, but I think 8-12 year olds could enjoy it as a light, holiday read. I couldn't find the book available on the Book Depository, however you can find it on amazon both in digital and paperback format- both at reasonable prices if you're looking for a little gift for a young reader.