The Best and Worst of 2014

First of all, I want to thank all of you who have been following me this year.  This is my first year with a blog dedicated to books.  I think overall it went pretty well!!  I wanted to do so much more with this blog and I hope that in 2015, I am able to do it.

In the 8 months since my first post I have had nearly 800 views and I have gained a few followers.  Again, to you all I say thank you!!  My goal this year was to review every book that I read, and have a post about it.  Unfortunately, I did not do that.  I also wanted to add a few other fun blog posts, but alas that did not happen either.  Life, gets the way sometimes.  I'm very sad to say, that I did not meet my goal to read 70 books this year.  As I am writing this, I'm sitting with my iPod next to  me that has a book I need to finish on it and one on my nightstand that I'm determined to finish  before the ball drops.

So let's get to the good stuff.  The best and worst books that I read this year.  There is only one book that I gave a five star rating to and that was The Invention of Wings by Susan Monk Kidd.  The one book I have a one star rating to was Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead.  Most books received 3-4 stars.  All in all it was a pretty good year of pretty good books.   I had 36 books on my to read in 2014 list, but I only got around to 8 of those.  I did expand my reading for review list and that I am very proud of  because I really enjoy reviewing books.  I want to get better at it.  While I'm reading I have so many ideas I would like to put in my blog post, and then when I'm finally finished with the book, the thought is gone.

I already have a few books on my list for 2015 I'm going to start with The Demeter Code by Russell Brooks and The Barefoot Queen by Ildefonso Falcones.  I'm already excited about these two!  I hope I'm able to make my goal for this year.  I'm going to try for 70 again, since I didn't make it this year!!  I hope to surpass it!

Happy Reading to all of my fellow reading friends!  I hope that 2015 finds you in good health and with plenty of good books to read!!

Review -- Walking Up A Slide by Daley James Francis

Walking Up a Slide: A Rom-Com for Anyone Who Has Ever Pined Over 'The One That Got Away' by Daley James Francis
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was really excited when I saw this book.  I love romantic comedies and I had high hopes for this book.  I was a bit disappointed.

Jason is a batchelor and has been for a while.  He is a duty manager at the local hotel and is currently living with his two closest friends, Sean and Jim.  When Jason receives a wedding invitation in the mail from his ex-girlfriend, Lila Holmes, his world goes into a tailspin thinking about the one that got away.  His friends are on a quest to find him a plus one, while Jason is wallowing in the sorrow of knowing he would not be the one to marry Lila.

This book did not have very much romance in it and to me it wasn't really that funny.   I didn't find myself laughing out loud or really connecting with the characters at all.  On the positive side though, I didn't stop reading the book.  I did want to know what was going to happen next and how Jason was going to actually face his ex when the time came.  There were a ton of movie references in this book which really didn't add to the story.  I will read another book by this author, though.


**I was given a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.**


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Review - Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry & Donna Grant

Tryin' To Sleep In the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made is a story of three friends.  It traverses their lives from childhood to adults.  And we get to see all the fun, joy, and pain that goes along with it.

Pat, Gail, Marcus, and Freddie are inseparable.  They are classmates and best friends.  One day when Freddie finds a gun and decides to share it with the rest of the group, the most tragic thing happens.  This changes the lives of the other three forever.  Pat is taken from her mother and temporarily put into foster care until Gail and her family take her in.  Marcus, who was Freddie's brother feels he has to fulfill Freddie's life dreams instead of pursuing his own.

As they graduate high school and spread their wings to find new things, they are torn in different directions and their friendship is never the same.

I love reading books about friendship.  Friendship lost and found.  It makes me feel good on the inside and that is exactly how this book made me feel.  It made me laugh and it made me cry, but overall, it made me want to call all of my friends and rekindle what we once had.

The DeBerry/Grant team are great writers.  This is the second book I have read by them and I can't wait to read the next.


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Review - The Dells by K.L. Barnes

The Dells by K.L. Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who doesn't love a weekend getaway with the girls?  8 friends from Arizona, spend one weekend a year together for a getaway.  They leave the husbands and kids and worries behind and enjoy their time, eating, drinking and being very merry.  But, this weekend is a little different.  When one of the ladies, meets a handsome stranger their weekend is about to take a turn for the worse.

This was a very enjoyable book to read.  The only drawback was that there were too many characters.  8 different women and I could probably only remember 2-3 names. This made for not very good character development.  It could probably take 1/4 of the book to describe these ladies in a way where you felt you knew them personally.   Add on their husbands(6) and the police force that helps them, and that's a lot of people to worry about.

The thing I did like about this story was about how resilient these women are. They let nothing or no one stand in their way of doing what they want and how they want.  No matter if it means interfering in a police investigation or dividing rooms for those who sleep and those who don't.

There were a few grammatical errors in the book. A name not being capitalized and wrong usage of words(here instead of hear), but overall this book held my attention and I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  It would have been just as good or maybe better if the focus was on just 4 friends instead of 8, but still a book I will recommend to others.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**


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Review -- The Warrior by Ty Patterson

The Warrior by Ty Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Major Zebadiah(Zeb) Carter is an extraordinary person.  A member of the Special Forces, he is one guy you want to keep on your good side.  Not one for many social interactions, he always completes his missions to the best of his abilities(which are amazing).

When Zeb is sent to the Congo to complete a mission, he sees some things he shouldn't have seen.  When he reports these things back to his superiors, they tell him to leave it alone, but he can't.  He can't stand by and watch innocent women and children be raped and killed for sport.  So he decides that he will find the people who are responsible for this and punish them himself.

On his down time, he likes to check in on his sister.  On one such occasion, he meets Rory, her 7 year old next door neighbor, who is all but thrilled to have Zeb around.  With two busy parents and not too many friends, Zeb is great for Rory.  These two have an instant bond that no one would have expected.

When Zeb's mission and a story being written by Rory's dad, Connor, crossing paths, Rory gets to see Zeb in action.

For the most part this was a really great book.  I gave it three stars because there were parts that were confusing and I had to go back and read.  I felt as though the book could have gotten a little deeper into the character of Zeb.  We really don't know more about him than everyone else around him and I would have liked to know more.  There is a part at the end of the book, that helps you understand his stoicism a bit more, but knowing that at the beginning of the book may have made me enjoy this better.  It's a good book and I plan on reading the rest of the series.  The Reluctant Warrior is the next book in the series.  And The Warrior Code is coming out later this month.  You should get them all!!


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+Ty Patterson

Review -- Unlucky 13 by James Patterson

Unlucky 13 by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Women's Murder Club really has their hands full this time.  Burger bombs, hijacked ships, and an old "friend" back for a visit, these ladies have their work cut out for them this time.

One thing I really like about James Patterson books is how quickly I can get through one.  With the short chapters and the excitement around every corner, there is never a dull moment.

My thoughts...look out for 14 in the coming year or so....there is some unfinished business that needs to be attended to.


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Review -- Missing by Jenni Boyd

Missing by Jenni Boyd
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blake Stanley needs a new housekeeper.  Terry Johnson isn't exactly what he expected when he picked her up from the airport.  Terry, along with her son Dale have come to help Blake and his son, Brad with the day to day operations around their home in the outback of Australia.  From the moment Blake first lays eyes on Terry, he can tell there is something different about her and her son Dale is unlike any other little boy he has ever met.  When Blake gets a frantic call from Dale while out on a muster, he hurries back to the homestead to find Terry lying on the ground in a pool of blood with Dale no where to be found.  What is this lady into and where is Dale?  Sent on a wild chase all throughout Australia, and finding out things about the past he should never know, Blake is determined to find out who Terry is and where Dale is.

Missing is a good book based in Australia.  With so many twists and turns, you are never sure where you are headed next.  This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and wondering what is going to happen next.  There are a few parts of the book that get confusing at times and I had to read over these a couple of times.  There are a lot of components to keep track of which adds to the confusion.  Overall, though, this is a book that is a good read.

**I was given this book by the author in exchange for my honest review.**


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