Author: Little Bee

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Posted in YA Book Reviews

This effin’ book…only I’m not saying effin!

Posted on by Little Bee

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Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Audiobook rating: 4 out of 5 stars, Narrator: Nick Podehl

First, I want to point out, this review will contain a MAJOR spoiler. So, if you rather discover this travesty on your own, skip this review. I normally do my absolute best to not give spoilers, but this particular incident almost made me not finish the book. I had to leave it for a week or two and try again.

My previous experience with Patrick Ness was emotional, yet pleasant. I enjoyed A Monster Calls so much that I was excited to begin The Knife of Never Letting Go. A lot of my friends also enjoyed this series, and it came highly recommended.

If you are like me, you like to read what other people say about a book. Generally, this doesn’t bias me or how I perceive a story, but helps me to understand what others feel and if it is the same as me. In my research, one such reviewer mentioned about the bad grammar. Let me point out, the author’s grammar is not bad in this book. I think the reviewer missed something. Young Todd is not educated, and since this story is told from Young Todd’s point of view, the grammar should reflect his level of knowledge. Further, Young Todd is the youngest and only boy remaining to become a man in Prentistown. The mayor of Prentistown banned education long ago, so unfortunately, Todd’s grammatical abilities are sub-par and that is being generous!

From the very beginning, I was confused about this book. Information was very slowly given along the way. Having said that, I understand why it was written that way. Todd only knows one way of life. In fact, he believed that Prentistown was the only town in New World. This town also has no women. On New World, you can hear each other’s thoughts, including the animals. Todd has a dog named Manchee. Manchee was my favorite character. The narrator really brought Manchee to life.

Now, the rest of the review is complicated because I don’t like writing book reports for a review. Todd is close to becoming a man. He is very excited for this, but doesn’t understand what it means yet. Upon returning home from a trip to the swamp, after hearing an absolute silence he couldn’t explain, his surrogate father, Ben, told him that he had to leave.  Ben gave Todd a journal that Todd’s mother kept while she was still alive in hopes for it to help save Todd one day when the time came. Ben never really explained why, so Todd was very confused and upset for most of the story. Todd and Manchee ran towards the swamp trying to escape. The mayor has a group of men already coming for him. When he gets into the swamp, he finds that eerie silence again. He discovers it’s a GIRL!  So, Todd becomes even more confused because there weren’t any girls in New World. They all got ill and died. So he he was taught. After a rough start, the two team up and discover there is a town nearby and run for it. In this town, Todd discovers MORE females. He also discovers that people from Prentistown are not well liked. He doesn’t understand it and no one is willing to explain it to him. One such man in this new town tries to attack and kill Todd. The ever faithful Manchee attempts to protect Todd and gets injured. Poor Manchee gets injured a lot coming to his friend’s aid.

Here is the spoiler: Manchee gets killed. Beyond killed, Manchee is murdered. A lot happens to Todd, Viola (the girl) and Manchee. At a pivotal point in this story, Viola is taken by Prentistown’s preacher, Aaron. Todd and Manchee devise a plan to save her. It works up until the point when Todd is attempting to get into a boat and Aaron grabs him. Manchee tears at Aaron. Rips at his throat. But in one wrong move, Aaron gets the leg up and grabs Manchee by the neck. Aaron tells Todd it is the girl or the dog. Todd just leaves. He just leaves his dog to die.

I listened to this book. Manchee’s character was so enjoyabl. Just writing that bit of the review brings me to tears and I can hear Manchee’s last question when he realizes Todd is leaving him to die…his very last….”Todd?”

You know, I can accept the death of a beloved character. I really can. What i can’t stand about this death is that Todd didn’t even try to save them both. He just chose the stranger over a loyal companion he has had for years. This death brought my already low rating down even more.

The book ends with a massive cliffhanger, so be ready. The ending infuriated  me and made me that much angrier at Manchee’s death. The massive confusion I had towards the beginning of the book eventually started making since right after Manchee’s death.

Overall, the book was good. It was. Todd and Viola’s character growth was good and what I would expect out of a character that had to face the situations that they did. I just don’t enjoy being confused for 33 of the 42 chapters in a book. Something has to give. Sure, I figured some things on my own. So my level of confused frustration brought my rating down a bit more.

I do suggest listening to this book over reading. Nick Podehl really brings the characters to life. I would listen to him again. I think being able to place a voice to the characters gives a much stronger impact of emotions when something happens in a book. That is something Patrick Ness has down pat as an author—making you feel exactly what the character does as they are experiencing it.

Posted in YA Book Reviews

The Forager

Posted on by Little Bee

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I received this book from the author for an honest review.

I have started getting more and more into reading dystopian novels. I think when it comes to dystopian, there is a lot of creative avenues that can be taken. It almost doesn’t really matter the setting. You can create your own setting and your own reason for why the world ended, and you can’t really be wrong.

The Forager is no different. One thing I liked about this book is that, unlike some dystopians that use a mass war or environmental event, Ron Scheer used what could happen if the economy crashed and the value of the dollar became moot. It is scary, but our dollar is already not doing so well. So it made it that more interesting to learn while reading about what happened to the world when the economy crashed.

I did have a few minor issues…I don’t know if maybe I just missed it somehow or it wasn’t really explained, but I had no general idea of where this town was located in the story. I feel like it is situated somewhere in the mid-west, but I also can kind of visualize rural Pennsylvania. I also had a hard time visualizing majority of the characters. Reading this, I will tell you a few characters I could visualize and how I visualized them:

1. The Forager—Jeff Bridges
2. Frank- The Rock (not sure why, but just did)
3. The mayor—Anthony Hopkins
4. Millie- the mother from the movie Master in Disguise.

At first, this book starts kind of slow, but once everything happens, it picks up. Before I knew it I was 30 pages away from the end and wondering how in the world everything was going to happen that needed to. The ending was predictable, and I felt like I could have used more conflict, but overall, for a first book, it was pretty good. I enjoyed it. Structurally, there are some periods missing. All that said, I think it is an enjoyable read. It is original, and original is always welcomed and nice when so many books within a genre are almost the same.

Posted in YA Book Reviews

Son of the Mob

Posted on by Little Bee

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Rating: 4 stars

Audiobook rating: 5 stars, Narrator: Max Casella

It seems like I have listened to more books than read lately, but with my current job, I need something to entertain me during the day. This story definitely brought the entertainment! I have to say, this book is one of those I don’t think I would have enjoyed as much if I had read it on my own. This book was made enjoyable by Max Casella.

This book is about Vince Luca, a high school student and the son of a major mob boss. Vince doesn’t want anything to do with his dad’s “legitimate” business endeavors. However, through a series of unfortunate events, Vince finds himself in the heart of his dad’s organizations!

This book is almost like a modern day Romeo and Juliet, but no suicides or deaths. Vince starts dating the daughter of the very FBI agent that has been trying to lock his dad up for the past few years. All the while, Vince does his best not to tell his new love who his dad is. Vince always hated being judged because of who his father was. All the while, Vince becomes a bookie without realizing it thanks to his older brother, the go to guy for those who owe his dad money, a normal boyfriend and the finder of the snitch infiltrating his father’s organization.

Max Casella made the entire book enjoyable. He nailed that New York/Italian accent that sucked you into the story line. I found myself laughing my ass off the whole way through this story. I am not saying it is the best thing I have ever read, but Max Casella made an okay book an awesome book.

Posted in YA Book Reviews

If I stay

Posted on by Little Bee

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Rating: 5 stars

Audiobook rating: 5 stars, Narrator: Kirsten Potter

This review will be short and to the point because if I say too much, I will give everything away.

I recently saw in one of my Goodreads groups that this book was considered “over-hyped.” I have to say that crushed me a little. I have come to realize, that there are stories I like because I listen to them through audibook instead of read them. Some narrators just captivate me and from the beginning. This book is one such book. I think I still would have liked it if I read it, but maybe not as much. I know everyone has different opinions, and I respect that. A book I love and give a high rating to, you may not like at all.

This book is a complete tear jerker and completely original. I have not read a book from the perspective of someone in a coma watching and hearing everyone around them and trying to decide if they want to stay or move on. I liked how the main character, Mia, has flashbacks of her life. The accident pretty much happens at the get go, so these flashbacks are the only way to connect with any of the characters.

This book is another book I think is more enjoyable as an audiobook. Kirsten Potter’s inflections were exactly right. She brings the right amount of emotions at the appropriate times.

All I can say is this-don’t listen to this book at work like I made the mistake of doing! Also, have tissue. And finally…I hope the movie brings this tragic story to life respectfully. This book is worth the read. Even if you find you didn’t like it, the experience of such beautiful writing is something you need to go through. Even more so through audiobook!

Posted in YA Book Reviews

Zac and Mia

Posted on by Little Bee

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My rating: 3.8 Stars out of 5. Goodreads rating: 4 stars

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. The following is an honest review that I was in no way compensated to give 

First, I should say, this if I could rate this more than a 3.5 but less than a 4 on Goodreads, I would.

When I first entered this giveaway, I was excited to find out that I won. Once I received the book and started to read it, I found that i constantly had to remind myself that this book is not John Greene’s The Fault In Our Stars. If you plan on reading this and you liked The Fault in Our Stars, Zac and Mia is WAY different. If you go in thinking it might be just as great, you might be disappointed.

Zac was an enjoyable character. He was funny, and your almost typical 17 year old male. He was a smart ass and was obsessed with success rates. Cancer success rates that is. Zac has lukemea, with a very low success rate. In the 50s. If he is lucky. At the beginning of this story, Zac is in the hospital after having just received a marrow transplant. Chemo didn’t work, and this transplant has a “hit or miss.” Zac was always the strong one. For his family, for himself, and eventually, for Mia.

Mia was atrocious. I am not trying to be insensitive. I do understand why she was upset, having osteocarcoma and ultimately having part of her leg removed…I get that she would be upset. Mia was very shallow, and instead of doing what the doctors told her, she RAN AWAY….because running away from our problems means they won’t ever catch up right? Page after page of “woe is me” is too much. Especially when you have Zac, who had to have a marrow transplant that MAY NOT work and he is not crying or sniveling or stealing from family to run away. I think Betts could have spent a little more time on Mia. I couldn’t stand Mia until part 3 when she finally got it together.

Zac was strong. He just tried living what he had left of life to live. He never gave up on Mia, even when she gave up on herself. This story is about more than cancer and friendship. It’s about growth and strength.

I feel this story took too long to get to the point. I liked it was told from the points of view of both Zac and Mia, but I found myself more engrossed in Zac’s narratives. This book did bring tears to my eyes. Even though it took me a while to read and truck through, part 3 was worth reading and bumped my overall rating.

This book was far from The Fault in Our Stars, but then again, it’s not supposed to be the same is it? Just keep an open mind.

Posted in Uncategorized

Wow!

Posted on by Little Bee

So I haven’t reviewed a single book since May! Things in my life have been kinda crazy. I have read though. I’m currently at 102 books for the year and my goal is 150. Give me a few days and I will have some reviews up and ready. 🙂

Posted in Romance

Beauty Dates the Beast

Posted on by Little Bee

beauty dates the beast

My rating: 4 stars

Browsing through audiobooks on my library’s website, I came across this book. So of course, I had to read what it was about…The book review information was so funny, I decided I had to listen to it.

First, I want to say, if you get embarrassed easily, don’t listen to this book with your mom. Second, if your mom gets embarrassed, don’t listen to it with her. In any scene where there was some form of innuendo (and there are plenty), I received a bruise on my arm while I was driving…each time some sexual word or phrase was used, I received a bigger bruise on my arm…while driving. I can’t decide if it is because my mom was listening to it with me and maybe she was just embarrassed or if maybe the scenes themselves were embarrassing. Either way, it didn’t bother me, except for the receiving bruises while driving. As soon as it was done, my mom screeched that she was ready for the second book. In fact, she is trying to push us through a different audiobook just so we can continue on with this series QUICKLY because she enjoyed this book that much.

I don’t have a lot of “Bad” with this book. The only reason why I didn’t give it that 5th star is because the main character was CONSTANTLY trying to feel like she had to protect everyone and that she couldn’t tell anyone anything…but c’mon…seriously? Her sister is a werewolf and you seriously try to hide her smell when you are around other were-animals to keep her safe? Yeah…c’mon…I am sure we have all read enough paranormal books to know how effective that is yeah? After a while, this does get annoying.

Other than that, the characters were great. I figured it out, mom it took a bit. (but to her credit, I read a lot of similar books). The story line was enjoyable and creative. I do think that the character sketches could have been a little stronger, but they weren’t miserably horrible.

As for the narrator, she wasn’t bad, but she wasn’t the greatest either. I feel like over the last year I have come an audiobook snob. I have heard some REALLY BAD narrators, but I have heard narrators so amazing, I wanted to re-listen to the books over and over and over again, or I find myself searching out every book that person narrates so I can listen to more. In this book, some of her voices were just kind of “meh.” My mom didn’t like her voice for Beau but I did. It just fit some how. Overall, I wouldn’t go out of my way to not listen to a book by her again.

Posted in Romance

Dark Lover

Posted on by Little Bee

Dark Lover

My rating: 4 stars

This is the first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This series is constantly gracing my Goodreads News Feed. Many of my friends have suggested I start it. So, I happened upon a copy at Wal-Mart and said guess I will start now!

This story is told from various viewpoints, some I enjoyed more than others. I found when I was reading Mr. X’s viewpoints, I was aggravated, but I guess that is the point as he becomes a leader in a sect of vampire killers. J.R. Ward takes vampire lore and just changes everything. Thankfully, she gives a mini dictionary at the beginning of the book because there were new terms I had never heard of before. Yes, this is a series about vampire warriors that are in a group called the Black Dagger Brotherhood. The main goal of this group is to protect the vampire race from the Lessening Society, which are a bunch of men (lessers) who literally sell their soul to the Omega and hunt vampires. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is run by a vampire named Wrath, who also happens to be the Vampire King that refuses to be king and lead his people (who are desperate for a leader).

This story follows Beth, the daughter of one of the Black Dagger Brotherhood (named Darius) who is killed in the beginning of the book. Apparently, in J.R. Ward’s world, vampires are born not created. You can either be born into a vampire family or be half human half vampire. You cannot be human and be bit and changed. At a certain age, these children “transition” into vampires. Usually in the early to mid-20s. When a person transitions, they have to suck the blood from a vampire of the opposite sex. Many people do not make it through the transition, especially ones that are half human.

This book is the same love story, told differently. Wrath is an asshole, pushes everyone away, bad boy, reckless. Beth is the girl everyone wants, yet hates her life and feels like it is going no where. Darius requests Wrath to be the blood donor during Beth’s transition, which he said no at first. Wrath is one of the only pure vampires left, and his blood would help Beth survive the transition. Basically, Beth tames Wrath. Beth makes Wrath suddenly have purpose and want to live. What made this story fun and interesting is the challenges faced along the way. The way each character becomes important, even if they aren’t the main. Every character has a specific role. You either hate them, or you love them, or you know that they are just misunderstood.

This is no small book, and I read it within a day because I couldn’t put it down. For being a romance novel, I did feel like there wasn’t enough “romance” but the side story was fun and enjoyable. I think, at this moment, there are about 12 books in this series. So if you like reading series that are further along when you start, you should be able to read through these before the next book comes out, which should be next year.

Posted in Romance

Jet

Posted on by Little Bee

Jet

My rating: 4 stars

Since I enjoyed Rule so much (see previous review) I decided to go ahead and continue on with the series. Jet is book 2 in this series. Jet focuses on Jet Keller and Ayden Cross. Ayden is Shaw’s best friend and roommate in Rule. Jet is a friend of Rule’s who is the lead singer and guitarist for a local band.

I did enjoy this book, but sadly not as much as Rule. Sure, Jet and Ayden have their own issues that they have to work through. These issues cause them to almost push each other completely away. They both have to get their shit together. I feel like some parts of this story was a bit forced. I was a little caught off guard what their ultimate decision was with their relationship’s viability, but I wasn’t really disappointed either.

I like that in this installment, we get to go deeper into the pasts of Jet and Ayden. In Rule, it was barely touched on for Ayden during a conversation with Shaw. We get to meet other characters as well such as Ayden’s lovely psychopath brother and Jet’s alcoholic has been father.

Where this story missed for me was the sex scenes. I felt like they were a bit boring, and there was too much implied. Sure, there were a few scenes that were WHOA, but the others just fell short.

From my understanding, this book fell short for a lot of readers in this series. A lot of readers like the other books out more than this one.

Posted in YA Book Reviews

Susan Ee is a GENIUS.

Posted on by Little Bee

AngelfallWorld After

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Both books

I have heard so many good things about Angelfall. It was constantly being recommended for me to read, so I finally obtained a copy and read it. In one day.

Every now and then, I am truly captivated by what I read. I mean OBSESSIVELY captivated. I am trying to find where to even start with this review. It was so good, I have no words other than to tell you to read it. Immediately.

This story is not just your typical angel romance…in fact…I can’t even say there is any romance in there…well maybe a smidgen of lust ;). I LOVED Penryn’s character. She was strong. She is a survivor in every meaning of the term. And..I LOVE Raffe, who is actually the archangel Raphael. He is arrogant. He is an asshole. But he is an observer. He cages his feelings and emotions to protect those around him. I loved watching Raffe and Penryn grow close. Watching Raffe learn that not all humans (“monkeys”) were bad. Penryn has such a loyalty. Even when all hope was lost, and most of us would just give up, she kept going. Kept moving, kept pushing. Learning to trust the angel that came and helped destroy the world as we know it.

The only downfall is that these books are released every other year, with book 3 being released May 2015. I HATE waiting…so, if you are wanting to read this series, I would keep that in mind.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this series. The subject matter touched on paranormal, angels, a slight touch of lust, strong characters, violence, hatred, loyalty….it has everything I like in a story. They were well written, imaginative and fresh. There is no way I could write a review to give this series justice. Just take my word for it and read it. Check it out on Goodreads if you need anything else to help sway you.