My take on Fifty Shades

This is not a review, but just my take on the book that EVERYONE is reading.

I didn't want to download this book. I thought $9.99 for an Ebook was crazy, BUT I told myself if I won the drawing for a B&N giftcard at my RWA drawing that I would buy it and see what all the fuss was about. Guess who won the drawing?

I read the first chapter and was intrigued. My RWA chapter actually does a Magic Moment contest every year in which we judge the first ten pages or when the hero and heroine meet. If this manuscript came across my lap as a judge I would give it an A for the sexuality in that first magic moment. After that...ehhhhhh....

Here is what bothers me about this book dubbed "mommy porn"

1.) When I heard that it was based on erotic Twilight fan fiction that was all I could think about. I saw Ana as Bella and Christian as Edward Cullen. Really it was the same characters except one was mortal. I know people say that my books resemble Twilight, but come on now I don't have a brooding egotistical maniac and meek little girl who becomes a sex goddess overnight.

2.) I hated Christan. I found him egotistical and very stalkerish. It was creepy enough that Edward watched Bella sleep, but Christian takes it a step further.  "Hey I'm going to find out where you live, work, and then just show up at your mother's place in Georgia when you say that you need to get away from me. If a guy did that to me I think I would get a restraining order.

3.) The nookie was so unrealistic I felt like I was reading a cheesy porn flick. If you are a girl and you 'got off' and enjoyed it your first time then we should probably meet because I've never met anyone that had that experience. I also never met a girl that enjoyed having a guy put his thumb in her mouth after...ew...ew...ew.

4.) I didn't like the plot, which didn't help that I got bored with the sex every ten pages and started skimming. Same story over and over: shy girl + brooding male = romance. Okay you can say that about the alien series, but at least Alex is a BA and stands up for herself, which leads me to the part I hated the most...

5.) "I'm going to punish you Ms. Steele."

WHO THE HECK THINKS IT'S OKAY TO BEAT SOMEONE IN THE NAME OF SEX?

Yeah whatever I understand the BDSM thing, but this just seemed wrong. Ana really didn't seem to like it and at the end she cried and left. I decided to give it a go and read the next book, but had to put it down because I was so upset by this.

As someone that has been the victim of violence in a relationship I was mortified at the way the author used Christian's "control issues" as an excuse for his spanking and belt whipping fetish. Why was it ok that Ana went home so upset after the belt whipping for her to go back to him? There was nothing sexual about that, it was her bent over and him whipping her like a bad child in the 70's with daddy's leather belt.

So that's my take on the book. I did read the whole first one and put down the second book. I do understand why everyone is into it. It's mainstream erotica that isn't in some backroom or covered with half naked people. The publicist the author spent $100,000 on really worked for her. But everytime someone tells me they want to read this I do have to stress that the violence was not something I tolerated reading.

What did you think of this book series? Are you okay with violence in the name of sex?

Contemp Book Bloggers Wanted!

Life, Life, & Lemons ARCs should be ready by end of February/ Beginning of March. Are you a book blogger that loves some contemp?  Drop me a line at authormagan@gmail.com with your blog link, why you want to read the book, and something pretty.

The Soulkeepers and Dr. Silva's Pumpkin Cocoa

Jacob Lau's life truly began the day he died.  But as he was brought back from life he learned that his mother was missing and that he would have to move from his home in Oahu to the small town of Paris, IL with his estranged uncle, whom he'd never met or knew about.  As if moving across the country wasn't enough he also has to face racisim by his new classmates and strange dreams of his neighbor, Dr. Silva, visiting him in the night.  Things only get weirder when Jacob finds out he is a Soulkeeper, a protector of good.  But how does he know who really is good and who really is evil?  And will he be able to hone his new ability in time to save the people that he loves?

Release Date:  June 24, 2011
Page count:  308
Genre:  Young Adult
Similar to:  Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
Recommended to:  Boys and Girls 10+
Stars:  5/5

*The Good:

*FINALLY, I have been waiting for a story that doesn't have your typical all-american white bread teenagers.  A half-chinese boy and an Indian girl as the leads?  Now that is something that you don't see in YA literature, or any literature for that matter and it was very refreshing.

*You could tell that Ching did a lot of research for this novel because the details were so vivid and the story was so well put together.  Ching told me that Soulkeepers was based in actual angel lore and you can tell that she did her homework and got down such wonderful details that made me feel like I learned something, yet kept me enthralled with the story.

*The Not-as-good:

*The only thing I could say that I didn't like was the fact that I wanted just a little bit more romance.  BUT GP says that there is much more romance in the sequel, so I'm looking forward to reading that!

All in all, this is a very recommended read for girls and boys, so you should go read it NOW.


Dr. Silva's Pumpkin Cocoa

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4-5 cups whole milk
11 ounces white chocolate chips
4 teaspoons cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, combine 2 cups of milk, white chocolate, and cocoa powder. Cook over medium heat, whisking periodically, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and ginger. Add the remaining milk, 1 cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
If desired, serve topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg. Just be sure not to fill the mugs too full before adding the whipped cream, or you might have some overflow.

I should post something...

I can't think of what to say, because I have so much that needs to be posted!

But here is what you can expect from me in the coming weeks:

Fangirl Friday with Jennifer Bosworth (author of Struck)

Fangirl Friday with Megg Jensen (Author of Anathema and a giveaway!)

Review of Soulkeepers by GP Ching (and another giveaway!)

The Fangirl awards (more info to come on this)

And there will probably be more, so stay tuned, keep following because you know what would be awesome?  Getting to 300 followers, yep yep.

The Near Witch and Fat Witch Brownies

It starts with a crack, a sputter, and a spark.

Lexi’s family lives on the edge of the small town of Near reserved for hunters and witches.  Her father was a hunter, but after he passed on he left his brother Otto as the town Protector and Lexi to protect her family.  There are no strangers in the town of Near, but when one is spotted out near the moor, suddenly the stories that Lexi reads to her little sister Wren at night are coming true.  Children are disappearing from their beds in the middle of the night and the likely source to blame are the witch sisters at the end of town and the stranger.

 

But there is something about this stranger that intrigues Lexi and she soon realizes that it may take the witches and the stranger to save the children.

 

In Schwab’s debut novel she crafts a world full of fantasy and lore set in a historical time that has readers looking forward to seeing how these tales affect people of a different time.  It’s unlike most of the fantasy novels that I’ve read recently and sets itself apart by setting itself apart and taking a historical twist and giving it an almost fairytale-like quality.

Release date:  August 2nd, 2011

Page Count:  288

Genre: Historical/Paranormal Young Adult

Similar to:  The movies Hocus Pocus and The Village

Recommended for:  Girls 10 and up

Stars: 4/5

The Good:

 

*I’m not a huge fan of most historical fiction, but this novel somehow crossed that barrier and was able to combine a more historical/fairy tale piece and weave it with the fantasy elements and romance that I love about YA paranormal books.  Once I got started I couldn’t stop turning the pages and immersing myself in the town of Near.

 

*Schwab did an excellent job of characterization without even describing too much of the character’s appearances.  By her dialogue and descriptions of how the characters interacted, I felt like I really knew them.  She also had a way of making the Near witch so creepy that I still can’t get the images of her out of my head!

 

The Not-as-good:

 

*A hunter/father who passes away leaving his hunter/daughter to take care of her hollow mother and little sister, sounds like another main character that is soon to be immortalized on the big screen by Jennifer Lawrence, doesn’t it?  One of the main aspects that drove me nuts about this story, is that the main character was so similar to Katniss.  I don’t know if it’s just a clichéd character or the author was trying to embody the spirit of a strong female character, but it was just to reminiscent of Katniss to make Lexi memorable to me.

 

*The stranger is given a nickname by Lexi, but they NEVER reveal his real name and that just drove me nuts!  Lexi even felt bad about the nickname she gave him after she found out about his past and yet she STILL called him that throughout the entire book instead of figuring out his real name.  most of the other questions were answered, but this one just lingered and made me wonder if there is maybe a sequel on its way?

All in all, this was a quick and enjoyable read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something a little paranormal, a little fairy tale-like, and an all around good story.

Fat Witch Brownies

2 sticks butter

1 bag Reeses peanut butter and chocolate chips

2 cups powdered sugar

4 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp.  flour

pinch of salt

Grease and flour a 9x9 baking pan (I used a 8x8 inch baking pan). Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

Cream the sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until well blended. Sift flour and salt directly into the chocolate mixture. Gently mix the batter until well blended and no trace of the dry ingredients remain. Fold in the peanut butter chips.

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake 33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with only crumbs, no batter on it. Allow to cool for 1 hour. Cut into 16 squares.

Reviews&Recipes: Original Sin and Sinful Angel Cake

It was all a lie - a beautiful illusion.

In this sensual follow up to PERSONAL DEMONS, Frannie and Luc return, but Gabe takes a little break and lets a familiar guardian take the celestial guarding duties.  Unfortunately, this new angel isn’t as heavenly as Gabe and brings them all a little piece of the dark side that no one can resist.

Release date:  July 6, 2011

Page Count:  400

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Similar to:  Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Recommended for:  Girls 14 and up

Stars: 4/5

The Good:

*Desrochers created a story that was, simply put, Un-putdown able!  There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I nearly gasped out loud at certain scenes. This book may be a sequel, but it was able to shine on its own without feeling like the dreaded connector book in a trilogy.

*Frannie may have been my favorite from Personal Demons, but Luc stole the show from me in this follow up novel.  His transition from sexy demon to an awkward new role as a teenage boy was so wonderfully done that I’m starting to wonder if Desrochers actually has personal experience with a  demon turned teenager.  All three of the characters whose viewpoints shaped this story had such distinct voices that it made me feel like I knew each one of them and how the world viewed them as well.

The not-as-good:

*Sensuality isn’t a bad thing, but if it’s something you’d be uncomfortable recommending to your mother-in-law then it might be a problem.  There was a lot of sexual tension between characters (some of the same sex) and while it wasn’t graphic, it’s still not something you maybe want to share with your grade school cousins.

All in all, I think this was a fantastic follow up to Personal Demons.  I felt like Desrochers read my last review and then took all the stuff that I loved, put more of it in there, and then took the stuff that I didn’t like and took most of it out.  The only reason I didn’t give this book five stars was because I can’t recommend it to everyone with the large amount of sensuality, but if you are looking for a novel with a  great story, an amazing cast of characters, and some scenes that may have you questioning why you are so turned on by the girl next door, then this book is for you!

Sinful Angel Cake with an Espresso glaze

*1 20oz can cherry pie filling

*1 box angel food cake mix

*1/3 cup baking cocoa

*1 cup powdered sugar

*2 Tbsp coffee

* 1/2 tsp vanilla

-Mix pie filling, cake mix, and cocoa together (do not add water).  Pour into 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

-In a separate bowl mix together powdered sugar, coffee, and vanilla.  Pour glaze over still warm cake.

A little darkness, a little bit angelic, and a little bit of caffeine because you'll be up all night reading this book!

Recipes and Reviews

The Punching Bag Fights Back was created to talk about writing and the little injustices in the world of being a former teen geek turned glamour geek (if that makes any sense at all).  As things progressed I started doing more things like interviews and then eventually book reviews.  This got me thinking about how all of the little things I do on the blog are connected and I’ve finally figured out what it is!

Creativity = Happiness

Make sense?  Okay, for example, when you finish writing a book you feel great afterwards.  You let all your creative energy flow and you feel even better when someone reads it and loves it.  The same thing goes for writing a blog.  I know when I take a peek over at my latest posts and see that there are comments on it, I get all giddy and excited.  You like me, you really like me!

And now as I’ve become a mom, this weird domestic side of me has really kicked in and I’ve started to really enjoy baking.  Nothing gives me more pleasure than to create something and then have other people enjoy it.  Last week I made Gooey butter cookies and my husband gobbled them down talking about how great they were.  I brought those same cookies to my aunt’s house for father’s day and everyone kept telling me how amazing they were.  This gave me that same sense of fulfillment that I get when someone likes my writing or even when I read a really awesome book, recommend it to someone else and then they really love it.

So, that’s where this new idea came in.  Starting with my next review, all of the following reviews will  include recipes that tie in with the story.  I will bake some sort of delicious treat, take pictures with book and said treat, and post the review, picture of the treats, and recipe on the blog.  Just something a little different to go along with reviews and who doesn’t like to read and eat good food?

How do you spread your creativity?  Have any recipe suggestions to go along with books?

Review: The Disunited States of America by Harry Turtledove

He felt as if it were the corpse of his own childhood lying there in a spreading pool of blood.

Justin and his mother work for the Crosstime Traffic Corporation and spend their time traveling to different alternate universes from the home timeline of the late 21st century. In this fourth installment of Turtledove’s Crosstime novels, Justin and his mother travel to an alternate timeline in which the Constitution is never written and the Articles of Confederation failed to work. Each North American state has become like their own country and not all of the states are so friendly with each other.




Becky is stuck with her eccentric grandmother as they take a trip from their liberal California home to the backwoods Elizabeth, Virginia. If the racial injustice wasn’t enough for Becky, the war that rages between Ohio and Virginia as keeps Becky in Elizabeth, fearing for her life, as Ohio unleashes a deadly virus.
The two teenagers find each other as Justin travels to Elizabeth with another Crosstime traveler posing as his uncle. Both fear the senseless war and want a United States, but one of them is too afraid to admit that to the other and is hoping that they live long enough to get out of Elizabeth.


Turtledove has built an alternate reality that is not only imaginative, but hauntingly realistic. His character’s experiences in their surroundings literally put the reader into the story and feel what the characters are feeling. It’s a good choice for anyone that likes speculative fiction or American history.



Release date:  April 26, 2011
Page Count:  288
Genre: Dystopian Young Adult
Similar to:  N/A
Recommended for:  Boys and Girls 12 and up
Stars: 3/5

The Good:

*Turtledove’s world building skills are beyond superb.  He has been noted as the master of alternate realities and I can see why.  The alternate timeline highlighted by this book is so realistic that if you think about it, could actually be a plausible reality.  He was able to build a world focused around what the characters were feeling.  In one scene Turtledove describes Justin’s reaction to shooting a gun and it made me see what Justin was seeing on the streets just by his reactions.

*Having two different main characters gave the story a more three dimensional take.  You could see what the scene would look like to someone from a different timeline and then what it was like to someone who actually lived in that timeline.  Becky and Justin’s reaction to the injustice of the states were so similar and yet so different that you could separate these two characters, but at the same time really grasp onto their experiences together.

The not-as-good:

*The voice of this novel seemed more adult than YA to me.  There were descriptions and situations that both characters dealt with that just didn’t feel young adult at all.  Times have changed with YA literature using more adult themes, which this did, but it didn’t keep that fresh, YA voice that I have read in other novels.

*The beginning was a little slow moving for me.  The real action and war didn’t start until close to the end of the book.  I guess that there did have to be some world and character building to build up to that, but it was just a little harder to get through the first 100 pages because of it.

All in all, with this being my first experience with Turtledove's alternate realities, I have to say that it was a pretty decent one.  I would consider looking into his other Crosstime novels and would advise anyone that is into dystopians or speculative fiction to do the same.

Queen of The Dead by Stacey Kade-An ARC review

Add to all of that, the person that I spent the most time with now was a beauitufl girl who happened to be a spirit but who was still living (in her own way) and very touchable?

After returning from the light former homecoming queen –current Queen of the dead- Alona Dare is spending her after-life helping others to see the light alongside social outcast, Will Killian.

Will used to be afraid of his ghost-talking abilities until he realized that one ghost in particular, a certain queen, may or may not be more-than-a-friend.  But before Will or Alona can decide, they run into another ghost-talker by the name of Mina who has information about Will's ‘abilities’ that he is willing to do anything to find out about…even leave Alona behind.

First Will ignores Alona for a frizzy haired ghost talker and now Alona’s parents are replacing her.  Alona’s mom has packed up garbage bags full of Alona’s precious memories and her father is having a new daughter with his wicked new wife. This is definitely not a plus for Alona.  Too bad Will is too busy trying to figure out information from Mina and has left Alona to her own devices…which is never a good idea.

The two go on their separate journeys to look for answers to their problems, but find themselves caught in a situation that could lead to drastic consequences for Alona and open a secret door to a world that Will never knew existed…until now.

Queen of the Dead is like a frozen mocha, you really want to savor every drop, but it’s so good that you can’t help but gulp it down!  When I read the description of this book I was expecting a completely different story, so it was like finding a mound of Oreos that made me crave more as I turned each page.

Release date:  May 31, 2011
Page Count:  272
Genre: Paranormal/Contemporary Young Adult
Similar to:  Beastly by Alex Flinn
Recommended for:  Girls 12 and up
Stars: 5/5

The good:

·         One of the best things about Kade’s writing is that she nails the teenage voice for both genders.  Will is a genuine teenage boy with his inner thoughts about Alona’s legs and a personality that seems so real it’s life-like.  I’m pretty sure that Kade was never a “mean girl,” in school, but she gave Alona  a voice and personality that made me understand her mean girl ways and actually like this Queen.

·         It seems like most paranormal trilogies use a love triangle to lead into the later books, but Kade took a twist on that love triangle and made it less about a love story and more of a real story.  She had twists that I never expected and each page was like a new surprise that I would have never predicted.

The not-as-good:

o   I usually don’t like when authors use current technology or music in their novels and Kade did do this, but honestly her use of current technology was really funny and totally relevant.  I actually laughed out loud when she talked about Ipads and charting fashions.  I’d still prefer to not see names of current bands or even technology, but it’s something that can really help a contemporary story.

o   It’s not really a bad thing, but the description that I read of this novel actually gave me a completely different idea about what this story would entail.  When I read the description closely I realized that it was written to try not to give away spoilers.  At first I was actually annoyed by this, but then I realized that it was better not to actually know what was happening and savor the story as it went along.

All in all, I thought that this was a great follow-up to The Ghost and the Goth.  There was a mystery and a killer cliff-hanger that has me really eager for the third installment of this series.  I highly recommend that anyone looking for a fun and page-turning read to check out this novel.

Writing elements that make you go 'Hmmmmmmmmmm'

After reviewing a few books now, I’ve realized that there are certain elements that writers use that can automatically make me twitch a little.  They aren’t always a bad thing, but it can sometimes be my reason for not enjoying the book or give it the full five stars.  It does help, though, as I work on my own writing to realize things that I don’t like and then not put those elements in my work.  What are some of them you may ask?  Well…I just happen to have this handy list here!

Character overload:  It’s only the first chapter, but you’ve already been introduced to every single character in the story and it takes you until about chapter 20 before you can figure out who’s who.

Description dumping:  It’s nice to get a picture in our head of what our character looks like or what their crush looks like, but really I don’t need paragraphs or pages describing their long blonde hair and pale eyes.  Or even just pages of them doing some mindless detail, so you can get every description of their body from their yellow toe nails to the top of their dandruff-ridden head.

Current day slang:  In the Seventies it was ‘groovy’ in the Nineties it was ‘cool’ and lately it’s been ‘Epic.’  If you use current terms, they can easily date a book.  Some will transcend the test of time, or are used in diary style narratives, but mostly they just tend to make the text look out of date.

Pop culture:  This is one that I’ve commented on A LOT when I review a book.  If current day slang bothers me then it’s no wonder that mentioning things like a current song or actor just rubs me the wrong way.  I remember on one #askagent someone stating, “If you have a character like the music that you did when you were a teenager it isn’t edgy.  It just makes you look old.”  Ouch…maybe modern day teenagers like Backstreet Boys!  Anyone?  Anyone?

The nice guy finishes last:  Why is it that there is always the best friend or the nerdy guy that likes the main character, but she always ends up with the bad boy or the brooding jock?  Why can’t she just end up with the geek?

Do these writing elements bug you?  Are there any other writing elements that you see over and over that automatically rub you the wrong way in a story?  (Note:  Sorry if you have used any of these elements and this offends you.  It’s just my opinion)

Putting Makeup on Dead People- An ARC review

I'm pretty sure it's even less normal for me to feel so comfortable near her coffin and corpse.

Donna Parisi's dad passed away four years ago, but the weight of his death has loomed over her ever since. She's just been going through the motions, unsure of what she really wants to do with her life until she finds herself standing in front of a dead classmate's casket and realizing that is exactly where she wants to be in life, in front of a casket and helping others cope with death.

That moment begins Donna's transformation.  With a little help from a charismatic new friend, Liz, Donna begins a new life that she never thought possible.  Of course not everyone is exactly happy with Donna's new found love for the dead.  When Donna tells her mom that she's applying to mortuary school and is going to start working at the Brighton Brother's funeral home, it doesn't sit well.  Then again, it's the first time Donna has had a passion for anything since her father passed away and for the first time she's really felt alive while hanging out with dead people.

Violi's story of teenage transformation was a breath of fresh air with a main character that wasn't a cliche YA girl.  Donna Parisi and her family are like a normal Italian catholic family that I feel like I would see sitting across the aisle from me at church and loved reading about characters and a story line that felt real and not forced.  She made me want to know these characters and was able to give away a moral without having to do an after school special get the message across.

Release date: May 24, 2011

Page Count: 336
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Similar to: How to Ruin a Summer Vacation by Simone Elkeles
Recommended for: Girls 12 and up
Stars: 3.5/5

The Good:

*I haven't found a YA novel that uses a young Italian girl as the main character and I was finally able to find one in this debut novel.  Not only was she Italian, but she wasn't the stereotyped Italian that you'd find on TV, but a real Italian girl that you'd actually find outside of reality TV.

*The characters and the story were very real.  There wasn't any part of the story that seemed far fetched or that I couldn't see happening in real life.  Even in contemporary novels sometimes the themes can be over the top,but Violi managed to write a great story and keep it rooted in reality.

The not-as-good:

* When I read about the concept of this story I was intrigued and really wanted to read about the main character's experience in the funeral home.  Unfortunately it seemed as though the funeral home was a side story and got lost with everything else that was going on.

*There was a lot of spirituality talk throughout the novel, everything from spirits to late night rituals in the woods.  Not only were there a lot of spiritual elements, but they almost took away from the story. Instead of focusing on the character's thoughts on death it went back to discussing the spiritual elements of how they were interpreted by the people around her.  I wanted more on the main character's thoughts on things instead of a lot of spiritual talk.

All in all, I did enjoy switching to a fun, contemporary story for a change even though I was expecting something a little less light hearted from a book with 'dead' in the title.  If you are looking for something light hearted and contemporary then this novel may be worth picking up.

*ARC and artwork courtesy of Disney Hyperion books

Blogging Break

If there was one thing that being a writer prepared me for it's those sleepless nights as a new mom...unfortunately that didn't prepare me for not having much of a life other than caring for another human being.

So because of that I am taking an indefinite blogging break.  I'm going to try and update as much as I can (for sure there are two book reviews coming up), but other than that my Twitter and blog may be pretty quite.

Thank you all for being such loyal readers and I promise a contest is in the works for all of you to make up for it!

Magan Wants an Ereader: Kindle v. Ipad

On my continued quest for an Ereader/ Tablet I asked another one of my fellow RWA member, Kathy Tosh, about her Ereading devices.  She has an Ipad1 and a Kindle, so she decided to compare the two for me.


Does the device have a USB port?


Kindle – Yes

iPad – Yes

Can you read in the sunlight?

Kindle – Yes

iPad – Yes

Can you listen to music?

Kindle – Yes, although I never have

iPad – Yes

Can you access the internet / email?

Kindle – Sorta. I know I can send myself documents to read and edit on my Kindle, but I haven’t done so and probably won’t. I think it’s 15 cents to do it.

iPad – Yes


Can you write on this device?

Kindle – Not really

iPad – Yes

Can you edit on this device or critique?

Kindle – Sorta

iPad – Yes

What do you mainly use the device for?

Kindle – Call me a purist, but when I sit down with my Kindle, it’s to read. That’s why I wanted it.

iPad – I mainly use it to write, to surf the Internet, and yes, to play some games.

What do you like best about this device?

Kindle – I honestly LOVE both of these devices, but as I said, my Kindle is my reading-specific device. There aren’t other distractions taking my attention away from reading, which is my ultimate me-time enjoyment. Specifically, I really dig the dictionary at the touch of a button. The Kindle causes less eye strain than other devices (because it isn’t backlit). Shopping is maybe a little TOO easy, but it’s great, and since it’s directly connected to my Amazon account, they “know” me, and I get all those good recommendations.

iPad – The coolest of the cool, this is a device that you can truly customize. It does SO much. I especially love turning it on and instantly being connected to the Internet. None of that grinding away to get the computer up and running. I love that I have a computer that weighs next to nothing and is so portable. It’s fast, it’s easy to use, it’s awesome.

What do you like least about the device?

Kindle – I love everything about it.

iPad – Not having Adobe Flash

What program do you use to read books?

Kindle all the way (and the good old paper kind, too, of course).

How long is the battery life?

Kindle – Long. Depending on how much I read, I can go without recharging it for an entire weekend. I think because it’s not backlit it doesn’t use much charge.

iPad – If I use it heavily, probably the better part of a day. Depends on what you’re doing, of course. Some games suck battery life. I believe if you turn down the brightness, you can save on your battery life.


What are the graphic like?

Kindle – Pretty decent, although no color, but I’m not reading any picture books, so that’s fine with me.

iPad – Great.


What is the coolest feature of this device?

Kindle – It’s super fast to download books, and I can do it anytime, anywhere. It’s 3G, so I can shop in the car if I want (as a passenger, of course).

iPad – How much you can do, but it all depends on what YOU want to do. Our son-in-law is a doctor, and he uses one to take notes on his patients rather than dragging a computer around, so it’s a work tool (with a much longer battery life than a laptop). I love the portability of it and the ease of use. I can instantly turn it on anywhere and immediately start to work – in a restaurant, at my kitchen counter, in the car (again, as a passenger).


How much does this device usually cost?

Lucky me, I didn’t pay for either of them. They were gifts – the benefit of a significant other who hates to shop and is willing to pay not to have to! However, had I purchased them, the Kindle was around $300 at the time (cheaper now), and iPad was $800 because I got the one with 32 GB and 3G enabled.


Do you have any upgrades on this device?

Kindle – Good question. I think it automatically upgrades, which I’m pretty sure it’s done a few times but I haven’t noticed anything significant changing.

iPad – The Apps upgrade.

Do you have any apps on this device? What kind?

Kindle – No apps. This is my dedicated library. I’d call it my quiet friend in that I can curl up with it and completely unwind. That’s what it’s for.

iPad – Oh, yeah. The iPad is my wild friend that’s all over the place. It’s exciting. It’s fun.

o I have a couple of games – Angry Birds, Solitaire, and Cut The Rope (HUGE time wasters).

o Like my Kindle, my iPod is dedicated to only music, so I don’t have any tunes on my iPad, but I do have Pandora and Shazam. Both very nifty apps.

o Restaurant apps (I think I have two or three), that are kinda sorta okay, although one of them told me about a restaurant that I might be interested in that was over 1,000 miles away!

o I have a number of writing prompt apps, and they’re okay, but not great. Also, a few note-taking apps, including one that’s virtual note cards for organizing. Haven’t used them yet. I wonder if that’s significant J

o I have two “word processing” apps – One is Office Works (or something like that). It’s basically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. I think it was $15. It’s not bad. I also have Pages, which is an Apple product. I just got it, and I think it will be easier to use than the Office Works. It allegedly will transfer to Word with no problem. I believe it was $10.

I don’t have a wireless printer yet, so I just email the documents to myself and then print them. I do, however, have a wireless keyboard. I got the Apple one, and it’s fantabulous. If you’re going to use the iPad for a lot of writing, I recommend it. Then again, wanting the keyboard could be generational.


I really love that Kathy was able to compare both systems side by side for me.  It really made it easier to compare and contrast the two devices.  I like having a just reading device that wont distract me from reading or critiquing, but I did take a trip to Best Buy and saw the coolness of the Ipad 2 this past weekend... 

Do you have an Ipad or Kindle?  Do you have anything to add?

Where She Went by Gayle Forman- an ARC review

Every day I wake up and I tell myself this:  It's just one day, one twenty-four-hour period to get yourself through.

It's been years since Adam has seen Mia, but she's never left his thoughts.  Infact, every song on the album that sky rocketed his band to fame was written with Mia in mind.


When Adam decides to take a later flight for his band's European tour, the memory of Mia is brought up all over again by a reporter who can't help but ask the questions that she was told specifically not to ask.  After going off on the reporter, Adam decides to take a walk instead of going back to his hotel room to "disconnect," it's in that moment that he sees a poster for a cello concert and the star performer just happens to be Mia.


Adam thinks he can just go incognito.  No one should recognize him at a cello concert, but an usher pulls him aside after the performance and tells him that Mia wishes to see him.


One night is all they have together.  Mia leaves for Japan the next day and Adam for Europe, but it's that one night together that they both needed.  To see where they went.


In this highly anticipated follow up to IF I STAY, Forman crafts a story that is so beautifully written that I found myself hanging on every single word.  She uses the cliches of the Rocker and Classical musician lifestyle and explains them so stunningly that you feel like you understand why every Rock Star and classical musician act like they do.  It wasn't just the words that drew me, but every facet of the story had me glued to the pages and to the world that she created in the original novel.  It may have been years since we first met Adam and Mia, but it feels like they had never left.

Release date:  April 5, 2011

Page Count:  208

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Similar to:  Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan 
Recommended for:  Girls 12 and up
Stars: 5/5


The good:


*I don't want to sound like a pretentious English snob, but the voice and writing was just beautiful.  There is no other word to describe it.  Forman used the Rockstar and Classical musician cliches, but described them in such a way that they didn't feel like cliches.  You felt as if you actually KNEW the characters and why they acted in these cliched ways.  There were even parts in the story in which Forman pointed out the cliches and then explained them in a way that made them feel like real people instead of stereotyped characters.


* One of the things that I really liked about this novel was that even though it was a sequel, it didn't feel like a sequel.  IF I STAY was written from Mia's point of view and at differant times in the character's lives.  Fast forward three years WHERE SHE WENT is written from Adam's point of view with flashbacks to the times inbetween.  She didn't have to do the long and drawn out backstory it just flowed along with the story in such a way that you almost didn't need to read the first book to understand this one.


The not-as-good:


* I know I sound like a broken record, but I really don't like pop culture references in novels because I feel like it dates them.  The phrase 'The new Nirvana' was used at one point to describe Adam's band and I didn't mind that one because I feel that Nirvana is timeless and people get the reference of a newer Seattle grunge band.  What I didn't like was references to current pop stars or even talking about a record surpassing Lady Gaga's.  I think that Lady Gaga and Britney Spears are icons of the younger generation, but I'm not sure if in 20 years someone will read this novel and still see Lady Gaga at the top of the music charts.


* This novel sort of teeters on the Young Adult market.  In the first book the characters were younger, approaching college aged but not quite there.  In this sequel it actually borders more on the adult/women's fiction side since the characters are out of college and in their early twenties.  (Can we get a genre for this, please?)  I don't know if it was because of this age difference, but some of the word usage threw me for a loop as the characters used what I like to call 'SAT' words.  There were only a few times that I saw these bigger words that a younger audience would have no idea what they mean (and by younger I mean that I had to use the thesaurus) and it kind of pulls you out of the story when that happens.  Granted, this is an older couple now and the SAT words actually made sense in the context of the story, but sometimes I feel like it's better to just describe out the word or just use something differant instead of an SAT word.

All in all this is probably one of the best written novels that I have ever read.  Just the way the words flowed to make a story enticed me to never want to leave the world that Forman created.  I highly recommend that even if you haven't read the first book to go and pick up this charming sequel.  Trust me, it's worth it.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty-an ARC review

Preparing to pregg is a full-time job with no days off --but I don't have a choice.  Not when there is so much at stake.

In not-so-distant future a virus has swept the globe and everyone over the age of 20 infertile and the teenage pregnancy rate has never been higher.

Melody Mayflower is the first girl in her school to go pro—or become a surrogate for profit.  The problem is, she’s been pro for three years and the couple she’s supposed to be surrogating for has not found a sperm jockey to “pregg her egg.”  Not only has her flat tummy in a world of fashionably pregnant teens made her stand out, but her secret longing for her vertically-challenged best friend, Zen, and long lost twin sister showing up on her doorstep could ruin her chances of ever getting bumped.

Harmony was raised in the God-fearing community of Goodside where they believe that pregging for profit is a sin.  Harmony decides to leave Goodside in search of her long-lost twin sister, armed with her veil, a purity gown, and a deep secret that even she has trouble admitting.

When Melody is finally matched with an uber-famous donor, both sister’s lives are changed forever.  A case of mistaken identity, troubled friendships, and a secret love show that these sisters may have more in common than just their DNA.

McCafferty has an ability to do something that every writer longs to do—create main characters that you want to be your best-friend and male counterparts that you want to be more than friends with.  At first I was kind of disturbed with the elements in her story until I realized how REAL she made things like teenage pregnancy and the stigma of baby bumps as “fashion accessories.”  I couldn’t get this story and these characters out of my head and had a hard time putting this book down. I’d recommend this book for any girl/woman who is looking for a story that will have you thinking about it long after you’ve finished the last page.

Release date:  April 26, 2011

Page Count:  336

Genre: Contemporary/ Science Fiction Young Adult

Similar to:  Sloppy Firsts- Megan McCafferty

Recommended for:  Girls 12 and up

Stars: 4/5

The Good:

*I love Melody and Zen almost more than I love McCafferty's original couple of Jessica and Marcus.  Melody had a witty inner and outer dialogue that I found myself laughing out loud to and wanting to get to know.  But she didn't just have the savvy one-liners, she also had a heart and emotions that made me feel what she was feeling.  And Zen...well I do love me a boy with some spikey black hair, but he was more than that.  He just seemed like one of those genuinely nice guys that everyone wanted to be around, and I found myself wanted to jump into the pages and hang out with him too.

*At first I was thrown off by some of the language, but then I realized that some of this language is pretty close to how people talk today (my eggo is preggo, anyone?).  In other reviews I've seen people complain about the confusing language, but that's something that you see in every Science Fiction novel is new language. Just like the evolution of our own language we all know that new slang will evolve.  There were some moments that I thought of the movie IDIOCRACY in which people evolved into being highly unintelligent.  It's as if McCafferty thought, "Hey, what if Teen Moms ruled the world?" and so came this story.

The not-as-good:

*One of the only reasons this book didn't get a 5/5 for me is because I didn't like the character of Harmony.  Because she is a main character this weighed heavily on me.  Every time I read one of her passages I just wanted to scream at her and tell her to stop whatever she was doing. Being the girl straight out of a compound I thought that I might feel sorry for her or understand her actions, but I just couldn't.  Even with the shocking twist about her past in Goodside, I still couldn't feel sorry for her.  Her actions just seemed selfish and I couldn't understand alot of her reasons for doing things.  I really felt like I understood who Melody was, but with Harmony it just sort of fell flat. 


*Some of the technology REALLY confused me.  I actually didn't realize what the 'MiNet' technology was until almost the end of the book when Melody says that she takes out her 'MiNet contacts and earbuds.'  Up until then I had no idea how people were getting their information.  I can definitely see a change in technology as the years go on and I like the idea of it, but I really wanted some more explanation of MiNet since it was a pretty big deal throughout the book.

All in all, I can honestly say that I loved the concept of this book and wasn't disappointed when I read it.  I loved the storyline and the characters of Melody and Zen. I hope that more girls read this book and realize that their child isn't a fashion accessory and how silly it sounds when they refer to them that way. I also hope that McCafferty gets the sequel out to this one ASAP because I can't wait!

The Lipstick Laws by Amy Holder- An ARC review

The words THE LIPSTICK LAWS are scrolled over the front of the binder in fancy red cusive.  Lipstick?  I wonder if this is what Haley was warning me about...

In this Mean Girls-esque novel, bra-stuffing April starts off her sophomore year wishing that her best friend hadn’t moved to Kansas, but quickly recovers when she is partnered for gym class with Queen Bee, Britney.  After April loans Britney some lip gloss, Britney quickly welcomes her in as a “friend-in-training” to her clique. Immediately she starts working on April’s fashion sense until she is worthy of becoming a full-fledged friend, and willing to sign the Lipstick Laws.

But breaking the Lipstick Laws comes with harsh consequences and Britney didn’t gain her popularity status by being nice.  April doesn’t want to be an outcast like the rest of the Lipstick Lawbreakers before her, but some words of encouragement from a friend help her to get the wheels turning and she decides to take on the Lipstick Laws, no matter what the consequences. 

As I turned the pages, I found myself laughing at the outrageous things that would come out of the character’s mouths or pop into their heads. I felt like I was sitting back in the middle school cafeteria and listening in.  Holder has a way of capturing the true cattiness of girls and then pushing it to the extreme.  So If you are a tween/teen who is looking for a clean, silly read then put down the red lipstick and turn the pages.

Release date:  April 4, 2011

Page Count:  240

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult

Similar to:  A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

Recommended for:  Girls 10-14

Stars: 3/5

The good:

*This book is a very light and breezy read.  If you are looking for something contemporary that will take you back to those days in the high school cafeteria, then this is a nice, fast read without paranormal creatures and some laughs along the way.

*I liked the fact that this book wasn’t overloaded with sexual innuendoes or a lot of cursing.  Not that it’s a bad thing to have that in YA literature, but this was definitely a book that I would pass along to one of my middle school cousins and not have a problem with them reading.

The not-as-good:

*Some of the language was a little off for me.  Yes, it was a clean novel with maybe a whole two uses of a swear word, but the way that April fantasized about her boy crush and the names that she used to insult people seemed a little more middle school than young adult.  With that being said, I think that the demographic for this book would probably be better for a tween who likes a book with less offensive language.

*The story was a little cliché for me.  I knew by the description that it was a lot like Mean Girls, but I would have liked to see a little bit more separation from the movie.  Yes, it was different than the movie and the characters were more well-rounded, but I couldn’t get the similarities out of my head as I read.  The ending also left me a bit dissapointed.  I'm not going to give away spoilers, but even though she "learned" her lesson, I felt like some points were still missing.

All in all, this was a cute story, but I wasn’t in love with it.  I think this is a great book for girls that are 10-13 and looking for something clean and without paranormal aspects.  If you are of the age, have a relative that you need to buy for that is that age, or are just looking for something different then I would recommend this book.

*ARC and cover courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company