Another Quick Triple Review: Love, Tears, or Paranormal Edition

Last time I took forever to write that triple review, so I'm going to try to give a quick "sum it up" snippet review so I can get back in the swing of things here.  Here we go!

I Remember You is another Harriet Evans novel, which for me should be enough said.  I don't know what it is about Harriet Evans, but that lady knows how to weave a good yarn!  In some ways, I feel guilty including her lengthy beauties in a triple review post because they are so darn good.  There is a complex story woven here that you have to invest time to get into, but it is worth it.  Tess Tennant moves to her home town to teach.  There she meets back up with friends and loves from years before.  It's during a school trip to Rome, however, that Tess's story takes a dramatic and heart-wrenching turn.

Honestly, this novel takes a lot of time to get through.  You think you know what is going to happen and then parts of the story unfold and reveal themselves to you.  I kind of like that unpredictable nature to them, although once that one piece falls in to place, you know the rest of it.  I still really love a good Harriet Evans novel and felt this one did not disappoint.  If anyone will make me cry, Evans will.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry  falls into the NA (New Adult) genre and seems to fall into the wounded soul category again.  I'm only speaking from my own experience here, but the only NA books I have read all seem to have characters that are wounded and come together romantically speaking and heal their issues through their love.  I'm not completely sold on it.  Noah is the guy who went from jock to freak outsider who gets gossiped about.  We find out that he's just trying to  hold it together and get his brothers back now in the temporary custody of another family.  Echo had her own secrets she was coming terms with and together they helped one another deal with them.

I think I got caught up in the hype, especially coming off the buzz that came with books like Easy as well.  Maybe it's the idea of characters that had experienced so much and had worked through so much pain and grown up together that made me think it was going to be a great read, but it just didn't come together for me.  I also think that I might be looking at it as a high school teacher who worries about its marketing and perception by the students who might pick it up.  I do think there is a particular audience who might be ready for this novel, but I'm not sure I fit into it.

Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill is the second in the Chicagoland series.  I kind of like this series, but I'm still not sure why.  Sometimes I get bored, but that's just because I feel like it takes an entire book for something to happen.  For instance, it takes an entire book for her to become a vampire (that's book one), and entire book for their to be a problem and you to figure out that someone has a grudge against her because of her rich family (that's book two).  Okay, so I oversimplify, but you get the gist.  I do like the character development in these books and I care about what is going to happen to them, so that is what tends to keep me reading.  In the end, isn't that what makes a good book?  I'm entertained, and I like the characters.  Also, in a strange way, it feels new to me, which I would think is extremely hard for a writer of vampire fiction!  Kudos to Chloe Neill for that.

Well, I succeeded in getting another triple review written.  Let's see if I can writing a few other reviews.  I've actually been reading a lot this summer.  I'm exercising like crazy, eating super healthy, and sleeping like a mad woman (if mad women sleep like crazy).  You get what I'm saying, right?  Anyway, I'm doing all of that trying-to-be-healthy-and-feel-better sort of stuff so I'll be a better and more healthy me by this fall.  On the whole, I'm just repairing myself so I'll stop having killer migraines and so I'll be happier!  Anyway, I'd like to be caught up with reviews before I head back to work, so I might be back with another triple review!  I hope you're having a great summer, whatever you're reading and whatever you're doing.

Review: Pride and Prejudice (The Graphic Novel)

Recently, I was sent a recommendation to the graphic version of Pride and Prejudice, adapted by Nancy Butler. Being the Austen fanatic that I've come to realize that I am, I placed it on hold at the library. There's no need to really rehash what the story is about, as it really is a graphic telling of the famous novel, but will say that the heart of this famous love story is all present and represented nicely.

I thought that this graphic version of the famous story to be quite fun reading. In fact, after taking it to school to show it to the librarians and several of my classes, I had a couple of students who wanted to take it home (which I would have considered had it been my own copy). It was a cute, fast read, and the pictures that went along with the chosen dialogue were quite well done. Other than being a little distracted by Elizabeth's lips (excessive lines made it look like she'd had a bit of botox), it was a great read. I highly recommend this graphic novel to anyone who is an Austen fan and would like to see their favorite scenes played out in graphic fashion.

Thanks to the librarians at my school, they also pulled a variety of other graphic novels and mangas for me to try out. Below are the ones they checked out to me. I'm excited to give them a try!


Admittedly, I'd rather read novels in the classic sense, minus the pictures, but I found this to be a fun departure from the norm. Am I the last to the graphic novel craze? I'm curious as to what other graphic novels or stories you might recommend?

My First ARC!!!

After a fairly nerve-wracking day (and no, for once it's not because of work), it was so exciting to return home to find a package with the "Meg Cabot" sticker I've heard about from other bloggers, sitting on my counter! Honestly, my heart gave a little jump, and I smiled because I knew I'd been chosen to review Meg Cabot's newest sequel to Airhead, Being Nikki. It's terribly exciting, and I need to get a move on. Unfortunately, after getting a bit of bad news about owing MEGA taxes this year, I've had a nasty headache brewing and think I'll be heading to bed early. More reading tomorrow! I really can't wait to dive in. :)

I did want to review a fantastic documentary I watched over the course of the last three days, "Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work." I caught the first episode of this five episode, BBC produced documentary about two months ago when I was flipping channels. Having a fascination with BBC productions, and of course with the Royals, I was instantly gripped by the film. Sadly, it was next to impossible to catch the real times it was being shown on PBS, so I checked the library and put it on hold. How silly though...no one else was even in the que to get this great piece!

Documenting the engagements kept by the Queen, the film follows the British monarch to a state visit to the U.S., showing to what extent everyone goes to in order to make her visit comfortable and monumental. It was interesting to watch the way the White House (actually not white, but "whisper") pulled out all the stops to put together a formal dinner, showing the presidential chinas being considered, and discussing George W. Bush's aversion to white tie events to begin with. You then follow this episode with other visits the queen makes, other dinners and presentations made at the palace in London, and even see her visit her famous home in Balmoral. It's all so fascinating! I don't know how she keeps to her schedule all the time, nor how she deals with talking & schmoozing with so many people all the time! The final episode actually shows her children, cousins, and grandchildren taking on royal duties as well, highlighting the seriousness with which they take their work, championing causes from around the UK.

If you're at all interested in Britain, or the royals, then I highly recommend this wonderfully fascinating documentary.

Wish I had some of the Queen's money about now...

Review: Princess in Love by Meg Cabot

Happy Sunday! I finally finished another book last night, and it gave me a little happy grin. Without pretense or hidden messages, Meg Cabot's third in the Princess Diaries series, Princess in Love was a sweet little, fun book that put me one stop further into the story of Princess Mia.

In book three, we find Mia in a relationship with Kenny, the boy who had sent her anonymous love-email in book two. While she muses on the idea of finally having a boyfriend, he's not the one she REALLY loves! The pressure to be a "normal" teenage girl who has a boyfriend who she can lock lips with from time to time has Mia all in a tither. You see, she really doesn't want to kiss Kenny, she wants to kiss Michael! As she tries to figure out how to break it to Kenny, that she doesn't want to be his girlfriend, and how to get Michael to see how much she likes him, she continues to prepare to head to Genovia for her Christmas address as the new princess. What stress!

Told in diary form, and in the language of a teenager, the third Princess Diaries' tale is a fun, rather quick jaunt through Mia's life. After teaching three "classics" in the last month and a half, the more light stuff I can get my hands on to keep me smiling (and not taking myself too seriously), the better!