Review: The Value of Life - Andy Crowson

Format: e-Book

Genre: Fiction

Published: January 2011

Pages: 413

Read in March 2012

Rating: 3/5 Stars

I read this because I just got the nook and it was a free book. It had potential but there were things that were said too quickly and I missed it. It just jumped a lot and I had to go back a few times to things that I missed. But it was still an OK read. A man goes and kidnaps kids for ransom and never really hurts the kids. You have feelings for the kidnapper and you are not really sure why. He is no real monster but kidnapping is still bad. I think that there was a great story line but was written too quickly and I think it needed more passion it in.

Review: Fade - Lisa McMann

Genre: YA Fiction

Format: Trade Paperback

ISBN: 9781416974482

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Published: 2009

Read: February 2012

Series: Dream Catchers #2

This is such a quirky fun story. I gave the same rating to the first book Wake. I really enjoyed it. I like the dream sequences and I like how she is learning to use her "powers". The whole TiVo thing is pretty neat too. The things that really scared me in this book are the relationships with the teachers. I mean when I was younger we kinda hung out with some of the teachers but never was it uncomfortable or in a closed space. We would all hang out openly in a restaurant or what-have-you. It just scares me that I have 2 girls who may have to endure such thing when they get older.

Anyways, it is a good series and I am just hoping that I will like the last one, Gone, is just as good as the first to. I highly recommend for a light and interesting read.

Review: Maybe This Time - Jennifer Crusie

Genre: Paranormal Fiction

Format: Trade paperback

ISBN: 9780312584160

Pages 342

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Read: February 2012

Why: Every one's Choice Feb. book club read

I really enjoyed this book and for unknown reasons. I thought it was cute and quirky and even if ghosts were involved I still felt like there was some realism in it, especially in the way everyone talked. This book is about an old house that was haunted and the ghosts wouldn't let the 2 young children leave so their legal guardian sent his ex-wife to go and try to sort things out and just to find out that ghosts really did exist and that the divorce was a mistake even if it were 10 years! That part I kind of found a little disbelieving (the ghosts?). After 10 years??? It was just hard to fathom.

Well, I really did enjoy this book and there is not much else to say about it. It is a very quick read and highly enjoyable.

Review: Stella - Mirriam Smyth (eBook)

Genre: Fiction

Format: Electronic Book

Read: February 2012

Why I read it: Got a Nook Tablet (it was free)

Rating: 1/5 Stars

Published: April 2011

This is one of those judge-a-book-by-its-cover kinda thing. I just got a Nook Tablet and I wanted to try it out, so I got some free books and this one sounded OK and it was short so it made sense at the time. First, let me start with the Nook. I gotta say I am not a fan of reading electronically. I like my physical book but that's a little off. Second, about the book: well, it was just boring and fast and straightforward. These can be good qualities sometimes but in this case it really didn't work. It was so just kinda flat and boring. I am not a writer and I think this would have come from my own hands, which isn't saying much about my writing abilities but like I said I am not a writer and I am actually pretty bad at it but now I know I am not alone.

Review: Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok

Genre: Fiction

ISBN: 9781611291742

Pages: 290

Read: February 2012

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Format: Trade Paperback

Published: May 2011

It was one of those books that I had for a while and kinda stare at you and yell "Read "e Already!" so I did and I very much enjoyed it. There were parts at the end that I wish didn't happen but it did and so I had to deal with it but other than that it was good. It is about Chinese immigrants who migrated to New York and of how they lived and continue to move in the way of the "American Dream". It really just revolves around the Mother and Daughter. Of course there are other characters but it really focuses on them, especially the daughter, Kimberly.

The good thing was that I could totally visualized all the places since I live near Chinatown and kinda get a realistic view of the story. The bad thing is how horrible they lived and the things they had to endure. It was pretty sad and you just wished you could have reached in the book and helped them but as life is, life is. I do recommend this book for a good quick read.

Happy Reading!