May's Reading Menagerie

It's the end of the month, folks, and you know what that means.  Yep, reading list time :)

• THE HUNT by Andrew Fukuda ... YA Paranormal ARC   you can find my review here
• INSURGENT by Veronica Roght ... YA Dystopian  the sequel to DIVERGENT.  this was a little quieter at the beginning but boy did it pack a punch during the middle and end. great read.
• MEMOIRS AREN'T FAIRYTALES by Marni Mann ... Contemporary/Literary  a gritty tale of addiction that will leave you aching
• DEADLOCKED by Charlaine Harris ... Paranormal   book #12 in the Sookie Stackhouse series.  eh...not a fantastic read, but fan of the series will not be (completely) dissappointed
• THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green ... YA Contemporary/Literary   Cancer kids find love. GUH. Green has a way of just ripping your heart on one page than then making you laugh your f***ing a** off on the next. 
• IN A FIX by Linda Grimes ... Urban Fantasy ARC  fantastic debut novel here (expected release date: Sept 4, 2012...review on this blog sometime in August) 
• SOMETHING ABOUT WITCHES by Joey W. Hill ... Adult Paranormal Romance  not the best Hill book I've read, but some familiar characters make a cameo appearance, which I enjoyed seeing.
• FIFTY SHADES OF GREY by EL James ... Adult Romance  With so much hype surrounding this book, I was not only roped into buying the first book in the series but all three, thinking that they'd be awesome reading.  I was so wrong, friends.  This was so NOT an awesome read.  I really, really disliked it and not because of the BDSM element.  There was just so much I disliked about this book that I can't even begin to list all the wrongness found within these pages.
• FIFTY SHADES DARKER by EL James ... Adult Romance   So, if I disliked the first book so much, you're probably wondering why I read the second, huh?  Well first, I bought the bundle and felt the need to get the most out of my money.  I doubt I'll further the torture by reading the third book.  Although...you never know.  Second, I felt this need to find out an answer to one of the questions that plagued me through the first book.  Yes, I got my answer here, but I'm left wondering if all that hassle was worth my time, effort, and above all my money.

That's it for me this month, folks.  Read anything on this list?  If so, what did you think?  Also, what are you reading?  Anything I might be interested in?  Do share:)

TEASING YOU

I never thought I'd be so wrapped up in a world where we (the humans) are the aliens.  But, here I am, folks, happily wandering through the world of ZERO, my current WiP. 

And, since I'm a giver--I know, right? you're welcome!--I'll share a little snip with you this fine Tuesday.  Enjoy!

The ship the first settlers arrived on was little more than a flat disc. Dark gray in color, it cut through the night sky with barely a sound, blending in with the heavens so that no one knew it was there until it landed, lights blazing to life as it hovered slowly to the ground.


Talk about making an entrance.

We all gathered around it, still as statues, rooted to the spot by a mixture of fear and excitement until the doors to the ship opened. Out flowed creatures like we’d never seen. They walked upright, had faces, hair and a spoken language. Just like us, but that was where the similarities ended.

These beings—humans, we later learned they liked to call themselves—were strange and captivating creatures. Their skins ran the gamut in coloring, from the pales of white and pink to shades of olive, yellows, beige, and browns so dark they were almost as black as the night sky they came in on. Their shapes, too, were vast and varied. Tall humans, skinny humans, short humans, very round humans, baby humans, and old humans.

The most surprising facet of their kind was not the colors or the shapes or even the way the years carved away at their faces and bodies. For us, it was their volume. These humans were the noisiest things we had ever encountered. Papa once said that they put a herd of wild hendlings to shame. But even with all their flaws, we were still in awe of them.

The novelty of their differences—not just to us but within their own group—appealed to our general sense of curiosity. And they were intrigued by us, too. With the velvety texture of our sand colored skin that holds the faintest tinge of green—a residual effect from the plants and mosses that make up most of our diet—the humans were always finding reasons to touch us, smooth their own papery flesh against ours.

And, they asked questions. Oh, the questions they asked! Because of the language barrier, it was difficult at first. Papa spent many frustrating hours trying to “talk” with the humans by drawing pictures in the sand and waving his arms frantically around his head. But, he always said that it was worth it in the end. That we had made new friends, and we would do well to make an effort to learn their language as he was sure they would do the same.

Of course, they didn’t make that effort. After the initial fifty settled in, sleeping in our beds, eating our food, and not even trying to help us in our chores, Papa and the rest of the Elders began to suspect these humans of bad intentions, but it wasn’t until much later when they started arriving in ships carrying thousands instead of dozens that we realized just how terrible they really were.

By then, it was already too late.

How are your WiPs coming along? Do share ;)

Friday Five: It Was A Dark And Stormy Night...

This Friday Five is going to be a little different, folks.  Instead of regaling you all with a list of five things all with a common thread as per my usual posts, I'm going to share with you the first FIVE words of my current WiP, ZERO. 

Fun, huh? 

Okay, so here we go...

When the first settlers arrived,

There you have it, folks!  What are your first FIVE words?  Do share.  (in which this is my shortest Friday Five.  EVER)

On My TV...

Just popping in to show you all what I am currently obsessed with:

I've seen every episode of this series at least twice and am considering purchasing the DVD.  THAT is how much I love FROZEN PLANET.

The Marriage Debate

I know what you're thinking.  That this is yet another post in which some nobody blogger gets up on her soapbox and shouts out weighs in on the whole definition of marriage thing.

And, you'd be right.  But, not in the way that you think.

You see, friends, I'm not the type of person who enjoys lecturing others on how to live their lives.  Yes, I have my opinions, and yes those opinions sometimes scratch and try their best to claw their way to the surface.  I am only human, you know.  But, I adhere to the philosophy that when it comes to religion or politics, you will never get someone to change his or her mind from that which they believe.  The only thing you get from jumping up on your soapbox is a bunch of crap-slinging, angry rioting in which no one will back down.

So, I'm not here today to tell you that you can't marry whomever you like.  Whether you are a boy wanting to marry a girl or another boy, I say, "If you love that person, rock on with your bad self."  This is not to say that I am not morally opposed to some unions. 

Vampire/Human marriages have an undeniable squick factor for me.  I mean, come on!  Undead means NOT ALIVE!  Why would anyone(who is not a fictional character) want to marry someone without a pulse, especially one that thirsts for their blood?

Which leads me to the whole Zombie/Human thing.  Again, DEAD, as in NOT ALIVE.  Only zombie love is a whole lot crazier, considering the whole decomposing corpse up and walking around thing.  Plus, they don't talk, just grunt and slobber...although the not talking thing might not be a fatal flaw, if you think about it.

HOWEVER...

I think a Zombie/Vampire relationship is a perfect combination.  Both of them exist in the realm of NOT ALIVE.  The vampire is undead and the zombie is walking dead.  So, there's that.  They both prey on humans.  While the vamp is sucking a human dry, the zombie could be happily munching away at the victim's brains/flesh.  No wasting food there.  Yep, that is definitely a match made in Dead Heaven.

Plus, think of the book opprotunities!  When Dracula met The Walking Dead, a romantic comedy.  That's got bestseller written all over it.

That's all I have for now.  Until next time, friends, when we discuss the Yeti/Unicorn conundrum.

What's in a Name?

This is where I admit that I am one of those obnoxious people who comes up with slightly strange/awkward nicknames for her friends.  Sometimes, it's just a shortening of a peep's name.  Like changing Cindy into a Cinn.  Or my computer friend Abby, I sometimes call Abs, just to see if she rises to the bait.  (she ignores it...for the most part)

Then, there are the somewhat odd names I come up with.  I used to call Zach, my art buddy in high school, Za. Not Z, but Za (pronounced ZUH)...because that's how I roll.  My best Florida friend is now referred to as "Old Lady".  She's a year younger than my mom, so...you know...she's OLD. 

Others get nicknames that have to do with how we met, especially if I need to differentiate them from someone else I know with the same first name.  Example: Jeremy the Mechanic is not the same as Jeremy My Cousin who is completely different from Jeremy from Jersey.  (yes, that is how they are listed in the contacts list on my phone)

And, of course, there is my friend F***ing Mark.  Trust me.  There's a story behind his nickname, but as it paints me as a bit of a dumbass and isn't all the interesting, I'll refrain from sharing that little tidbit.

So, is it any wonder that my characters all end up with little nicknames for each other, when I have such a penchant for them myself?  In ALWAYS & FOREVER, Mia (my MC) called Kal (her friend/boyfriend) Kallie more often than not.  Her little brother Ben turned into a Benj or a Benji as well as her friend Erica morphing into a Ricki/Rick.   And in HATE CRIME, my on-again/off-again WiP, everyone but my MC calls Alex by his nickname, Frodo. 

Yep, I think it's fair to say I have a thing for nicknames.  Sometimes, I go overboard, but hey, I like it:)  What about all you, fun friends?  What is your stance on nicknames?  Do you label your friends/family/enemies/strange-stalker-guys-down-the-street with endearments?  Do you have one of your own, mayhaps an unfortunate one you wish you didn't own?  Do share ;)

Tease!

A little minute ago, I posted a teaser from my current WiP, which I have since titled, ZERO.  Today's Teaser Tuesday post is a continuation of that scene.  Enjoy!

The head guard nods to his men, and everyone is back in motion. They grab us at random, picking up one and then thrusting her aside in favor of someone else. Fauna is tossed aside for Elle. She is taken from the shack, her arms and legs flailing as she fights to remain with her sister. Others follow in Elle’s footsteps. I count seven girls taken before the guards make their way to the corner where Leda and I are huddled.


She clutches at me, her fingernails digging painfully into my sides, drawing tiny rivers of blood. I do not cry out. I think that if I am perfectly still, completely silent, they will leave us be. They are just weeding us out. They do this every so often. There used to be sixty of us in this run-down room. When the mood strikes them, they come in and take the trouble-makers away.

Leda and I never speak out against the guards, never do anything to bring unwanted eyes upon us. This should make us safe.

Apparently, Leda is not the only one who readily believes lies.

The guard that I detest the most—the one with the dark, angry eyes and lips twisted up in a perpetual sneer, the one who is always the first to raise a hand, to dole out cruel punishments for even the smallest infractions, like taking a moment to wipe the sweat from one’s brow—marches over to where Leda and I huddle. The light on his hat flickers, and the strobe effect temporarily blinds me. I pull away from Leda to shield my face from the brightness. It’s only for the space of a moment, no more than a fraction of second.

But, it is enough.

“Thia!” Leda screams as she’s pulled from my side. Her fingernails claw at my arm as the guard yanks on her again. I try to hold on. I really do, but she is gone, and I’m left grasping at nothing but air. “Thia!”

“No!” I leap to my feet, moving faster than I have in days, weeks, months, years. They have taken everything! They can’t have her, too. I won’t let them. I’d die first. “Leda!”

I feel rather than see countless pairs of eyes—guards and prisoners alike—swing over to me, the quiet one. The girl who never argues. The girl who always does what is required.

Not anymore.

I come alive, my body humming with an electric current I haven’t felt since they first came for us, when Mama and Papa were still there, when we were still a family. They’d separated us then. I can’t—won’t—let them do so again.

I lunge at the man dragging my sister toward the door. She will not be leaving this cabin without me. That is the only truth I am sure of. I land on his back and begin to pummel.

He drops my sister and, with an outraged roar, turns on me. A fist, the size and hardness of the rocks they make us carry everyday, connects with my stomach, just below my ribcage. It is followed by its twin, only this one lands on my back.

Pain—hot and sharp—pierces me, cuts me down to my knees. “Run, Leda,” I gasp between each blow he lands. Everything goes sideways, and my vision blurs. The floor rushes up to greet my face. My forehead lands inches from his steel-toed boots. This is my end, I think. It will only take one good kick. Pull his leg back and drive his booted toe straight into my brain.

He starts to do just that.

Closing my eyes is not an option. I want to see Death coming. I need to see it. I don’t know why, but I just do.

“Stop.”

The command is spoken in their language, that harsh tongue that always sounds just a little bit angry, and of course, the guard listens. It is, after all, their language, and none of us speaks it.

As far as they know.

 
Sooo?  What do we think of my alien book so far? yes? no? maybe so?

ARC Review: THE HUNT

The Book: THE HUNT
The Author: Andrew Fukuda
The Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (an Imprint of St. Martin's Press)
Release Date: May 8, 2012

Marketing Copy Summary:

In a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction, seventeen-year-old Gene has only managed to survive by painstakingly concealing his true species. If the bloodthirsty creatures surrounding him knew what he really was—a human—he would be devoured swiftly and terribly. When Gene is chosen to participate in the government-sponsored hunt for the last remaining humans, it thrusts him into the fight of his life—and into the path of a human girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible. Now, he must learn the art of the hunt and elude his fellow hunters whose suspicions about his true human nature are growing. But most importantly, Gene and the girl he loves must find a way to forge a life together in a brutal world that’s bent on their destruction.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book can be a little misleading.  Upon picking it up, I expected the Heper Hunt (as it's called) to take up the majority of the book.  The hunt actually doesn't begin until about 2/3 of the way through.  Those last 100 pages are nonstop, heart-pounding, breath-stealing action.  No doubt about that. 

What about the first couple hundred pages, you ask?  I can't say as they were bad.  On the contrary.  They kept me riveted.  From the beginning as Gene paints such a vivid picture of life in the midst of so many creatures that would just as soon eat him, if given the chance.  He survives by adhering to a very strict set of rules that his father pounded into him at an early age.  Even after losing his mother, his sister, and then his father, Gene is still alive.  Still surviving. 

Even if he is kind of douchebag.  Okay.  So this is where I admit that I didn't like Gene.  Not at the beginning.  Not in the middle.  And definitely not at the end.

And, I understand why he was written the way he was.  I mean, if you had lived your whole life pretending to be someone else, you'd kind of lose yourself, too, right?  One of his father's rules kept repeating itself through the book: Never forget who you are.  I felt (on more than one occasion) like Gene had broken this rule long before THE HUNT even began.

BUT...

He kept me reading.  Even if I didn't care for him, I found him interesting.  I wanted to see what he'd do next.  I wanted to find out if he'd redeem himself for me.  And, he did.  Once, maybe twice...but not until the very end.  WHICH turned out to be a m*****f***ing CLIFFHANGER!  (We all know how I hate those)

Now that you know my complaints, let me tell what I enjoyed about this book

• The writing.  Fukuda has a spare writing style that immediately pulls you in.  Each sentence flows into the next effortlessly.  No eye hurdles in sight.
• The concept.  It reminded me a lot of this book I read in junior high in which the really rich dude invites these big game hunters to his island and then hunts them down.  Only here, the hepers don't know they're being raised and protected only to be hunted down, even when THE HUNT finally begins, they're left in the dark.  I kind of love that plotline, even as I hate it.  It brought about a lot of dramatic tension.
• The no name thing.  I like how the vampires don't name each other.  I like how Gene doesn't even realize he has been nameless for all those years until a heper asks him his name and he stumbles, has to scrounge at long buried memories to come up with his name.

All in all, this was a rather interesting read.  Did I have issues with some things in the book?  Yes.  Did I love the idea, the writing?  Hell yes.  Did I like the main character?  Not really, but I can see how Fukuda is setting things up for him to really make good, to Never forget who he is.  I think anyone who is still interested in vampire books, or likes a little heart-pounding action would enjoy this tale.  But, CAUTION: Cliffhangers ahead.  I'm just saying.

Friday Five: Things That Make You Go, "WTF?"

1. My cousin once turned to me and said, "I hate reality TV."  We were watching Smallville.
2. An old lady in the check out line in front of me was short $2.78 on her bill.  Being in a hurry and not wanting to wait while she pawed through her bags to find something to have taken off her bill, I handed the cashier a five.  The old lady not only didn't say, "Thank you," or even acknowledge the niceness that I was handing out, she TOOK the change, too!  Apparently, she really needed that $2.22
3. A customer didn't understand why we couldn't build him a house with a basement.  In FLORIDA, a state that is mostly at or BELOW sea level.  Yeah, buddy.  I'll build you a basement that holds water all year round.  You can tell your friends you had an indoor pool put in.
4. A friend of mine once told me, "I think you scare some people."  Ummm...thanks?
5. I once told a (completely different) customer, "We build up.  If you dig in Florida, you'll hit water."  He'd asked me how deep we drill our wells.  *facepalm*  Lesson learned: no one is immune from making a jackass of themselves...in case you were wondering.

What about all you fun folks?  What's the craziest thing anyone's ever said to you?  What's the most idiotic thing you've ever told someone...and how long did it take for you to realize your lunacy?

I'm a Turtle

Yep, friends.  I haven't posted a reading list in two months, and do you know why?  I've become a turtle when it comes to reading.  Check my list for March and April:

• CELEBRITY IN DEATH by JD Robb ... Mystery/Suspense  The newest installment in the Eve Dallas series.  Great read.  This one's especially for all you Peabody fans. 
• 77 SHADOW STREET by Dean Koontz ... Horror  This one reminds me of the Koontz books of old that he put out way back in the day when I first started reading him.  It was a little weird, a lot crazy, and then when I thought it couldn't get any more nutso, the book veered sharply into left field.  Well played, Koontz.  Well played.
• PANDEMONIUM by Lauren Oliver ... YA Dystopian  The second book in her DELIRIUM trilogy.  Love as a disease that must be cured.  If you haven't read either book, you definitely must.  Just wait until the third book, REQUIEM comes out next year or you'll be beyond frustrated with Ms. Oliver.  Can you say cliff-hanger ending? GRRR
• A STORM OF SWORDS by George R.R. Martin ... Fantasy  Book Three in the GAME OF THRONES series.  This was a re-read for me, but I've been dying to read book four and because SOOOOOOOOO much happened in book three, I needed to refresh my memories before plunging into the next installment.
• A FEAST FOR CROWS by George R.R. Martin ... Fantasy  Book Four in the GAME OF THRONES series.  Now, I really, really, really need to read book five, but what happens when I finish that one?!?!  A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is the most recent one published.  Dammit, George!  Write more books already, and don't be giving me no lame excuse about how each book is a thousand plus pages and it takes time.  I need MOOOOOORRRREEEEE.

And that's my list.  I know.  I know.  Only five books in two months.  What is wrong with me, folks?  Well, at least I can console myself with the fact that the Martin books were extra long, right?  RIGHT?