Book Review: Farewell to Charms (#3)

Summary: (from Goodreads) Desi Bascomb is a princess substitute prodigy--she's the fastest employee ever to advance to level three in the Facade Agency, and the youngest to ever be a full-time sub. But now with all eyes on Desi, the only thing she wants is a moment alone to talk to Reed, who's a Facade legacy and secretly a sub for princes. As Desi trains for her new role, she spies more than a few cracks in Facade's perfect appearance. But uncovering the agency's dark past might require more than a princess sub can handle by herself. Desi is no damsel in distress, but sometimes a girl needs a knight in shining armor.

Review: Leavitt has created a whimsical and magical series, yet, Farewell to Charms falls flat. Readers enchanted by Facade, Desi, Meredith, and Reed will find that all the build-up, secrecy, and romantic tension told in the previous two novels comes to a point in this latest book. And promptly falls off a cliff. While still enjoyable I have to recommend it, but don't be expecting the same gleeful anticipation as the last two Princess for Hire books.

Formats: e-book, hardcover

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Running: An Introduction

I must confess.

I'm a runner.

I'm not an expert, or advanced (yet), but I put one foot in front of the other just like the best of them. I just happen to go slower and shorter distances.

I caught the running bug freshman year of high school. I loved it and I was hooked.

[insert awkward picture of teen with braces here]

Pictures are all at my parent's house, and therefore unavailable at present. 

Then senior year hit and suddenly I stopped.

Over the years I've started. Then stopped. And tried again. It wasn't until the Awesome 80's 5K that it truly stuck. It made running real.

Mere minutes after finishing

Rank: 1139

It's taken me many stops and starts to get to this point. A point of peace, of knowing in my heart of hearts this is something that will be part of my life for the rest of my life. And the best part? I'm just getting started.

Question of Note: Do you struggle with your passions too? What thing or things do you do for yourself that you couldn't live without?

The Book Club

Four friends.
Attempting to read and discuss... Book Club will never be the same. 

I couldn't help posting this. I saw it and just laughed and laughed. Happy Sunday!

Review: Ready Player One

Summary (from Goodreads): It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them. 

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. 

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle. 

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake. 
A quest for the ultimate prize. 
Are you ready?

Review:  The imagery and detail was beyond amazing. Ready Player One is one of those books that you can SEE while you're reading the book, like you're watching a movie, or transported outside of yourself and into Wade's world. That being said, coupled with it being a dystopian... I found it pretty depressing. The quest to find Halloday's egg, while noble, becomes an obsession and the Oasis (the Internet on steroids) is transformed into a diseased drug that sucked me in too much.

A great statement on how society escapes and disregards human connection, I offer Ready Player One with caution. Read with a flare of detachment, and be open to the geek inside of you to roam free for a while.

  ****Audiobook Recommended****

Formats: e-book, hardcover, paperback, audiobook

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Review: Jane Austen's Guide to Happily Ever After

Summary: Using Austen's books, characters, and real life as a guidebook, Kantor has created an amusing, no-nonsense way to raise women's awareness of honoring oneself and cherishing those around her.

Review: While I found the tips to be delightfully inspiring (if not self-explanatory), what I found most enjoyable was the character analysis. Kanton's way of describing Austen's characters, their worlds, and manner of livelihood was almost like reading a non-fiction fan-fiction. For me, it opened a whole new way to experience Austen, and has forever changed my perception on many of my favorite characters. If anyone is a fan of Austen -- single or coupled -- I would recommend a gander!



Formats: e-book, hardcover

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Review: Poodle Springs (#8)

Summary(from Goodreads): Philip Marlowe marries a rich, beautiful society lady who wants him to settle down. But old habits die hard, and Marlowe soon is back in business, enmeshed in a case involving pornography, bigamy, and murder.


Review: My least favorite of mine in the Marlowe series, possibly because Chandler only wrote half of it. While Parker picks up the pieces and arranges them nicely, fans of Chandler will detect the subtle differences. More dialoge, a too tidy [happy] ending, past characters making too many appearances... etc.

Despite this, it is a fairly decent noir mystery. I suggest reading another Chandler novel to leave a good taste in your mouth.


Formats: paperback, mass market, audiobook

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Review: Forgotten

Summary: (from Goodreads) Each night at precisely 4:33am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.

Review: It all went wrong so fast! What should be a great premise for a story, did not turn out the way I had expected it What I can say with assurance is, "Forgotten" leaves a LOT of questions waiting to be answered.

Formats: e-book, hardcover, paperback, audiobook

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