Reads to Reels With Angela :)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Book Review: Slave by Sherri Hayes

Slave by Sherri Hayes
(Finding Anna, Book #1)
Goodreads -- Amazon

SYNOPSIS:
Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how. Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing. Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

Review:
Okay... Wow... Unreal... Wow again...

This book was amazing for me! It was so unlike anything I'd ever read or heard of. I'm still stuck on the park that she's a slave! Like a real slave! I just can't fathom that... even though I know that people are kidnapped and sold as sex slaves. But still...

So this book was supposed to be 'erotica'... but unfortunately there was no sex. When I got this book I was thinking -"OOOOh, a dominant buys a slave! There's gonna be a whole lot of nastiness!" Wrong! But the characters totally make up for it. Brianna was so scared and shy (obviously because she is a slave.) And Stephan, omg, he is so nice to her from the very beginning. All he does is think about her and how she feels emotionally and physically and how he can help her get back to 'normal'... Bless his heart.

So, I'm gonna say this book is not for everyone. I say that because some people might not even want to think about her being a slave. Some people might think it's boring. Some people might think it's slow. Some people might even say it doesn't have a plot. I beg to differ. It's not one of those action-y, drama filled, holy crap books. It's much more of a psychological/sociological read. You're trying so hard to read into Brianna's mind, see what's going on. Why is she a slave? How did she get into that position? And how it's effected her mentally, emotionally, and even physically. I found it very interesting, even cute. The way he showed so much compassion for her. It was fabulous.

Like I just mentioned, you're trying to understand everything about her and how she became a slave. Well, I forgot to mention that this book is written from Stephan and Brianna's point of view. So you do get some insight here and there. One thing I loved about the POV switching, was that the author would sometimes do the whole scene over again from the other persons POV. But don't go thinking crazy stuff, it was perfect. Everything was not repeated, you just simply heard the other side of the story and the thoughts in their head. It was great.

Another thing is- I can see a lot of people comparing this book to the 'fifty shades' books. They both have a handsome rich man, who is a dominant, with a playroom, coming into some kind of situation with a younger woman and her being practically clueless... But this is NOT fifty shades. It is 100% completely and totally different.

All I can say is go read it! I loved it! I couldn't read it fast enough. I stayed up many nights trying as hard as I could to keep my eyes open and try to finish it. I really need to do more reading during the day... Anyways, If it sounds like something you're interesting in... Go get it! You'll love it!

All in all I gave it 5 stars. And I can't wait to read the sequel, 'Need'!

Have a great day!

*This book was provided by the publisher for a honest review*

Friday, July 6, 2012

Middlesex

Pulitzer prize winning author Jeffery Eugenides second

novel Middlesex is one of my favorite books of all time.

His first book the Virgin Suicides is also quite a masterpiece. However, this story explores a lesser known facet of human life. The story is told through the eyes of Calliope Stephanides a girl who is dealing with issue of being inter-sex. It Chronicles her life, growing up in the sixties as a girl in Detroit. Until she discovers that she is more male than female. The book examines the history of the Stephanides family and their struggle to make it to America from Greece. Family secrets are revealed and cultural taboos explored in an attempt to explain the unusual predicament the main character finds herself in.

Eugenides uses instances from his own life to lend a hearty scoop of truth to his tale, though it is fiction. He developed the idea after reading Herculine Barbin: Being the Recently Discovered Memoirs of a Nineteenth-century French Hermaphrodite. Which is the tale of a french hermaphrodite who was born in the mid 1800's and forced to life her life as a male after illegally falling in love with a woman. Barbin later comitted suicide. Eugenides read the memoirs and was inspired to write Middlesex as a way to further explore the life of a middle-sexed person. The book not only focuses on gender reality, but also takes a inside look at American life during this time period. The novel also discusses the concepts of nature versus nurture, rebirth, and the adherence to gender roles. in addition the book discusses the pursuit of the American Dream. Though it is fiction, Eugenides writes in such a way that makes his main character Calliope seem very real. The insightful and descriptive nature of the book draws a reader in and lets them feel what it is to be middlesex.

If you're looking for a lovely and touching piece of work, that will give you insight into the emotions of a person experiencing gender limbo than the book Middlesex is a great read and I recommend it. It was a pleasure to read and I am sure you will find it so as well. Obviously the givers of Pulitzer's thought so too.

The Poets Korner: Sic

Sic
Heaven help him

He's delusional bits

Pieces and leaflets

He can't afford to live; he can't abide and die

He is a product of this American lie

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Swoon Thursday: Need

Swoon Thursday #2!

Swoon Thursday is a HOT meme hosted by YA Bound.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished,
tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your
skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in
the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on
your blog! We want to know :)

Need by Sherri Hayes

Need (Finding Anna Book #2) by Sherri Hayes
Goodreads -- TWCS Publishing House This week my swoon comes from 'Need' by Sherri Hayes. I took it from chapter 1, I didn't want to give anything away, since this is the second book. In this excerpt you can see how much Stephan really cares for Brianna just by how soft and calm and tender he is.

I cupped her face with both of my hands. "You don't have to make any decisions right now, Brianna. I won't force you into this. It has to be your choice."

She closed her eyes briefly. When they opened again, they were glistening, and a single tear fell down her cheek. My mouth opened and pressed against her skin, capturing the moisture. The salty taste lingered on my tongue.

Brianna's lips parted as she sucked in a deep breath. My senses registered her reaction, and I felt the pull I had felt so many times before. Tilting her face up with the pads of my thumbs, I moved my lips down to within a breath of her own. "I want to kiss you, Brianna."

She didn't answer me so I remained where I was. She tilted her head, bringing her mouth closer to mine almost unconsciously.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" I whispered.

"Yes," she said, her breath ghosting across my lips.

A second after the word left her mouth my lips were covering hers. My fingers wrapped around her scalp, moving her head to give me the best access. Her lips parted and I took advantage.

The taste of her against my tongue drove me on. Ever so slowly, I explored every inch of her mouth. The mouth of the woman I hoped to one day make completely and solely mine.

Whoa! It's getting steamy in here!
So, tell me, what made you swoon?!
Enjoy your day!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Seraphina

Waiting On Wednesday #3! :)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
My pick for this week is:

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Expected publication: July 10, 2012
Amazon -- Goodreads
From goodreads:
Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

In her exquisitely written fantasy debut, Rachel Hartman creates a rich, complex, and utterly original world. Seraphina's tortuous journey to self-acceptance is one readers will remember long after they've turned the final page.

This one sounds so fun! A whole lot can happen
in this novel and I'm sure it'll be great!

What are you waiting on this wednesday?
Leave a comment and tell me.
If you have a blog, leave your link :)

Have a good day!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Angela's Book Haul #7

So today I got my package from BookCloseOuts.com. I had never ordered from them, btw, they're in Canada. They had a pretty good sale going, I think children's fiction was something like 50% off. So, I got a few books from that list, I also got a few from the "scratch and dent" list.

All of the books are in perfect condition except for one. As you can see in the picture below. Poor little "The Iron Thorn" is gonna need some tape, but I don't mind.

So as I mentioned before, their website says they're in Ontario, Canada and I'm in southern Oregon. It only took about a week to get here and the email said 2-4 weeks. So I was really excited when it came today! :)

So here's what I got:

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge
(Iron Codex, Book #1) Goodreads -- Amazon

Kiss Me, Kill Me by Lauren Henderson
(Scarlett Wakefield Series, Book #1) Goodreads -- Amazon

Into The Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern Goodreads -- Amazon

The Maze Runner by James Dashner
(Maze Runner Trilogy, Book #1) Goodreads -- Amazon

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
(Maze Runner Trilogy, Book #2) Goodreads -- Amazon

Fallen by Lauren Kate
(Fallen Series, Book #1) Goodreads -- Amazon
Enjoy your day!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Book Review: Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

'How can something so wrong feel so right?'

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
Goodreads -- Amazon

SYNOPSIS:
Sixteen-year-old Maya and seventeen-year-old
Lochan have never had the chance to be
'normal.' Having pulled together for years to
take care of their younger siblings while their
wayward, drunken mother leaves them to fend
alone, they have had to become much more
than simply brother and sister. And now, they
have fallen in love. But this is a love that can
never be allowed, a love that will have
devastating consequences...

**NOTE: IMO, Forbidden is not
suitable for younger readers.**

So... First of all let me say: WOW! Like HOLY-you know what-! I had heard great things about this book, but I definitely wasn't expecting to love it the way I did.

I'm not sure why i was expecting the book to just start out in the middle of craziness and for everything to be like full blown just happening, but it wasn't like that. It didn't have a whole lot of back story, which was fine, but I knew what was going on. It took a lot longer than I was hoping for, for the plot to really get going.

The very beginning was really boring. I suppose I was expecting more conflict and problems, but it just seemed like a bad mother and the siblings trying to do the right thing. And then, it really picked up! And there was a whole bunch of stuff going on... Everything from their mom really messing up, to sibling rivalry, to school problems... It was actually perfect for how we knew the story would go.

So, we all know this book is about a brother and sister falling in love, no spoilers there, it's in the synopsis. Something I didn't like was Maya did too much explaining on why they couldn't be together or how they could lie about it and then they would be happy. I understand those were her feelings and essential parts of the book, but sometimes it just kept going on for pages and pages. It was just a smidgen too much for me. Eventually, I just started to skim the pages waiting or her to be done.

I think Lochan was a very lovable character. He was loving, fun, smart and also very shy. He would and did do anything in his power to help his siblings and keep the family together, and so did Maya, it just broke my heart thinking of how these kids were living their life. Even more because I know there are real families in situations like this. Maya was great also, she cared so deeply about trying to keep the family together and for the little ones to feel happy and not as if the family was falling apart. She tried hard to be a normal teenager, hanging out with her friends at school, getting the latest gossip. It was fabulous!

So let's talk about the last quarter or so of the book.... Wow! I honestly didn't see any of that happening. I thought it was going to go completely different, but after it all happened, I thought it fit very well. Made perfect sense. All I can say about this book is READ IT! READ IT NOW!

It is quite a touchy subject, but it's a great read! I give it 4 stars. The only reason it didn't get 5 is because of the little bit of boring-ness in the beginning and the little bit of over explaining.

I've inserted a little quote I saved while reading the book. In this scene Maya and Lochan are arguing, it was very intense and really powerful. What she said and how she said it made me think- "WHOA!" Enjoy!

'Oh, it's all about you!' I scream at him, sobs threaten-
ing to explode in my throat. 'This whole thing - it's al-
ways been about you! What will people think? How will I
look? How might I be judged? Whatever feelings once
existed between us clearly mean nothing to you compared
to your pathetic fear of other people's narrowminded,
bigoted, parochial prejudices that you once despised
but now adopt as your own!'

Have a good day!

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Movie Review: Magic Mike

Not so magical!

The new film Magic Mike was less than magical, but that didn't stop hoards of horny house moms from rushing to the midnight premiere to see the films hot bods: Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street, GI Joe Retaliation), Matthew McConaughey (The Lincoln Lawyer, A Time to Kill), and Joe Manganiello (True Blood) take it off on the big screen.

This is the latest project from veteran director Steven Soderbergh, he directed such gems as Oceans Eleven and Contagion. It seems as if this movie was made for the sole purpose of appealing to women's panties instead of moviegoers minds. The movie is about a self made male stripper, Magic Mike played by Tatum, and his struggle trying to manage his nighttime stripper life and his daytime realities. He makes loads of money and becomes mentor to another young dancer. He also develops a relationship with a girl he really likes but doesn't know how to manage her and his job.

The plot seems empty to me. But if you like naked men, and c'mon who doesn't? It is quite a visual treat. And even more intriguing is that the story is based on Tatum's real experience as a male dancer before he made it big in Hollywood land. It's one of those throw away movies that is made for money not art and in this economy I guess we can't blame Soderbergh for making it.

Reasons to watch Magic Mike:

1. Hot naked guys.

2. Funny moments.

Movie Review: The Raven

Rave Reviews for The Raven!

The Raven is the latest project from Australian native James McTeigue, director of the kick ass 2005 hit V for Vendetta. McTeigue is back with his fourth directorial venture The Raven, which hit theatres on April 27 2012, was a frightening thrill for movie goers. The film centers around murders committed based on the macabre tales of Edgar Allen Poe (played by John Cusack).

Poe is recruited by the local authorities to help solve the mystery of who is committing these heinous crimes. The film takes an analytical approach and delves deep into the mind of a distraught Poe during his final days. He is further compelled to help the detective because the killer has kidnapped his intended bride. Time is running out for Poe and his love and it is thrilling to see what happens as Poe and the detective try and outwit the murderous mind of a killer Poe inspired.