It's a full on angel Apocalypse....

Hey Bookies, long time no review! Sorry about that; so here goes nothing. At the beginning of this month I finished Susan Ee's novel End of Days; the final book in the Angelfall Trilogy. I was really dragged reading this out because I was so in love with the series. So reading this book was really bittersweet. It was very hard to leave behind Raffe and Penryn. In this book we are thrust back into a world that seems to have ended; however, the real apocalypse has not even happened yet. Which makes this book even more exciting. I know that seems messed up to wish an apocalyptic event on a books characters; but, if you've read these books you know that the action is often the best part. 

Honestly reading about Raffe and Penryn battling it out with scorpion like creatures and rogue Angels is the truly the best! It also happens to produce some of the funniest dialogue I have ever read. The best part of this particular book is when Raffe and Penryn decend into the underworld to bring back fallen angels to help Raffe fight for the human race. 

It was during their time in the underworld that I think Raffe's true feelings for Penryn are on full display. The tension between them had been building since the second book. However, Raffe made it clear that he could not be with her no matter how he felt because getting the heavenly hosts (the Angels) back in order is what is most important. He promises Penryn that he will do all he can to get the Angels back where they belong and perhaps they will even be able to fix what happened to her sister. What I loved about the story is that Susan Ee seemed to wrap things up so nicely. She really left no lose ends. What was most surprising was Raffe's sacrifice to keep Penryn safe. I really wish that Susan had showed us a little more of what happened after the finally battle to save humanity. All together I gave this book 5/5 stars on Goodreads. 

Quotes I loved:

“He looks down at me with sincere eyes. 'If I were human, I would have been the first in line for you...' He looks away. 'But I'm not. I'm an archangel, and my people are in trouble. I have no choice but to try to set things straight. I can't get distracted by a Daughter of Man.” 

“Raffe arches his brow at me. ‘You should be with a nice human boy. One who takes your orders and puts up with your demands. Someone who dedicates his life to keeping you safe and well fed. Someone who can make you happy. Someone you can be proud of.’ He waves his hand at the Watchers. ‘There’s nobody like that in this lot.’ 
I glare at him. ‘I’ll be sure to pass him by you first before I’ – settle for – ‘choose him.’ 
‘You do that. I’ll let him know what’s expected of him.’ 
‘Assuming he survives your interrogation,’ says Howler. 
‘Big assumption,’ says Cyclone. 
‘I’d like to be there to watch,’ says Hawk. ‘Should be interesting.” 

"I challenge you to come find us.’ ‘This is Penryn Young, Daughter of Man, Killer of Angels." 

 

I am going to Camp....Are you?

Every year I tell myself I am going to write more. I am going to be more productive in my creative life; and then I flop. I get lazy etc. Mainly I just allow self doubt to stop me. So as a part of my mission for the year I am going to commit myself to writing and I what a better way to kick it off then with Camp NaNoWriMo? I am very excited. 

I have finally worked out the beginning of the book I have been wanting to write for years. This book is deeply personal, and this journey will most likely not be easy. Anyone that writes knows just how personal the process is. I am going to be blogging about the journey once a week here beginning in April. I will also be creating an online writing group in May. Anyone interested in joining can email me at thebookbabe84@gmail.com! Also, if you are also going to be at camp let me know! We can keep each other encouraged. Good luck bookies! 

She is spinning a new tale....

One this day of Women's history month I want to uplift the name of author Danielle Paige. She is the author of the best selling Dorothy Must Die YA series. Before she was a novelist she worked in the Television industry. 

A woman I want to be like.....

On this day of Women's History month I would like to draw attention to the beautiful Nobel Prize winning author, Toni Morrison. I was introduced to Miss. Morrison by my aunt; who at the time was reading Beloved. She gave me the book after she finished and if had a profound affect on me. Never had I read something so haunting but so beautifully written. It remains one of my favorite books. Some of her other works in include The Bluest Eye, Tar Baby, Home, and God Bless the Child. Morrison is not only an accomplished author but a civil rights activists and she is has even lead discussions on the importance of fighting against censorship. For more information one her and her books visit tonimorrisonsociety.org

Here are just a few of the Quotes by Morrison that I love:

First Impressions.....Night Pleasures (Dark Hunter # 2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Here is the blurb from the back for the book (Goodreads.com):

The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .

 He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance.  Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win. 

First Impression after reading three chapters:

Okay, so I am a fan of J.R. Ward's Blackdagger Brotherhood series, and over the time I have been reading those someone always mentions this series. So at the end of 2015, I read the Manga's based on the series. You know just to get a feel on whether or not I may enjoy these books. Well the story was interesting enough that I went out and purchased the first three books in the series (used) from Acorn Books. I think that it is important to note that I am also speeding up my reading experience by using an audio book. A technique I found really helpful when I was reading the All Souls Trilogy. 

Well, with Kenyon also filing a lawsuit against Cassandra Clare for ripping off her characters and ideas I decided it was time to start them; because I truly wanted to be able to dissect the claims that the stories are similar. 

So now that we have the reasons why I am reading this text out of the way...let's get down to business. After three chapters, I have mixed feelings about the book. Kyrian is everything I expect in a paranormal romance; however, I feel like he is a little to "pretty" and is missing the edge and grit that I seem to love about Ward's Blackdagger Brothers. Of course, I am pretty much still in the beginning of the story so he may grow on me. Also, the actor that reads the audio's take on Kyrian kind of throws me. Since it's a woman the male voice is almost soft, not at all "manly". That could also be what's throwing me off. Right now the book is following the manga very closely. Which is a good thing if you want skip reading the novel. (Not that I would advocate for that.)

While the novel is funny, and characters very interesting. The mentions of sex can be a bit much. It's almost as bad as Ana Steele (character by E.L. James) and that "inner goddess" of hers. Hopefully it will not be the same way through every book; because if so I will find myself not reading the series. Not because the romance is to much but because it's not sexy and honestly is extremely poorly written to the point that it's tacky. I know that's a bit mean. But I feel that it's best to be honest. As of right now I am giving the books a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Hopefully that rating will change by the end of my reading experience! 

Newest Aquistions....

🤓 New Book Alert*****

I wanted to share with you my most recent acquisitions! 

1) A.D. 30 by Ted Dekker:

 A sweeping epic set in the harsh deserts of Arabia and ancient Palestine. A war that rages between kingdoms on the earth and in the heart. The harrowing journey of the woman at the center of it all. Step back in time to the year of our Lord...A.D. 30.

The outcast daughter of one of the most powerful Bedouin sheikhs in Arabia, Maviah is called on to protect the very people who rejected her. When their enemies launch a sudden attack with devastating consequences, Maviah escapes with the help of two of her father's warriors--Saba who speaks more with is sword than his voice and Judah, a Jew who comes from a tribe that can read the stars. Their journey will be fraught with terrible danger. If they can survive the vast forbidding sands of a desert that is deadly to most, they will reach a brutal world subjugated by kings and emperors. There Maviah must secure an unlikely alliance with King Herod of the Jews. 

But Maviah's path leads her unexpectedly to another man. An enigmatic teacher who speaks of a way in this life which offers greater power than any kingdom. His name is Yeshua, and his words turn everything known on its head. Though following him may present even greater danger, his may be the only way for Maviah to save her people--and herself.

2) Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington: 

This groundbreaking study documents that the infamous Tuskegee experiments, in which black syphilitic men were studied but not treated, was simply the most publicized in a long, and continuing, history of the American medical establishment using African-Americans as unwitting or unwilling human guinea pigs. Washington, a journalist and bioethicist who has worked at Harvard Medical School and Tuskegee University, has accumulated a wealth of documentation, beginning with Thomas Jefferson exposing hundreds of slaves to an untried smallpox vaccine before using it on whites, to the 1990s, when the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University ran drug experiments on African-American and black Dominican boys to determine a genetic predisposition for "disruptive behavior." Washington is a great storyteller, and in addition to giving us an abundance of information on "scientific racism," the book, even at its most distressing, is compulsively readable. It covers a wide range of topics—the history of hospitals not charging black patients so that, after death, their bodies could be used for anatomy classes; the exhaustive research done on black prisoners throughout the 20th century—and paints a powerful and disturbing portrait of medicine, race, sex and the abuse of power.

 

3) Thin, Rich, Pretty by Beth Harbison- this lovely book was a gift from my buddy Angel, I will put it on my summer reading list! Here is the synopsis:

Twenty years ago, Holly and Nicola were the outsiders at summer camp. Holly, the plump one, was a dreamer who longed to be an artist. Nicola, the shy, plain one, wanted nothing more than to be beautiful. Their cabin nemesis was Lexi. Rich, spoiled, evil Lexi. One night, Holly and Nicola teamed up to pull one daring act of vengeance. But they never considered that this one act would have repercussions for decades. 

Today Holly is a successful gallery owner who has put her own artistic dreams on hold. She still struggles with her weight and for approval from her overly critical boyfriend. Nicola is an almost-famous actress who believes that one little plastic surgery fix is just what she needs to put her over the edge into fame. And Lexi . . . Lexi is down on her luck and totally broke. 

Holly will do anything to be thin. Lexi will do anything to be rich. And Nicola will do anything to be pretty. But at what cost? Hilarious, heartwarming, and full of truth, Thin, Rich, Pretty will strike a chord with any woman who has ever looked in the mirror, or at their bank statement, and said, "If only . . . "

4) Elizabeth 1 by Margaret George - this one was also a gift from Angel, I had been talking about this book for Ages and I always missed an opportunity to purchase it! I am really excited to dive into. Mainly due to the fact that Elizabeth 1 is one of my favorite women in history!

Here is the synopsis:

Personal and political conflicts among such larger-than-life historical figures as Francis Bacon, Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, and Will Shakespeare intertwine in George's meticulously envisioned portrait of Elizabeth I during the last 25 years of her reign. Unlike most contemporary depictions of the Virgin Queen, this one is actually a virgin; she's married to England, whose interests she pursues with shrewdness, courage, and wisdom borne of surviving the deaths of her family. Readers see the queen through her own eyes and those of her cousin, Lettice Knollys, wife of Elizabethan heartthrob Robert Dudley, aka the earl of Leicester. Elizabeth's antithesis, thrice-married and much-bedded Lettice, is driven by passion and self-interest, easily evidenced by the story's beginnings: it's 1588, and Elizabeth meets the threat of the Spanish Armada head-on while Lettice calculates how her son might benefit. Like her heroine, George (The Autobiography of Henry VIII) possesses an eye for beauty and a knack for detail, creating a vibrant story that, for nearly 700 pages, enables readers to experience firsthand Elizabeth's decisions, triumphs, and losses. Rather than turn Elizabeth I into a romantic heroine, George painstakingly reveals a monarch who defined an era. 

 

If your not reading her books you should be....

So on this day during Women's History Month I want to talk about one of my favorite Word Nerds (that all of you need to be reading), Susan Ee. Susan is the author of the Angelfall Trilogy. A group of YA dystopian novels that revolve around the Archangel Raphael and a teenage girl name Penryn. I was absolutely addicted to this series. I actually finished the last two books last month! I am posting about Susan because her character Penryn is one of the best developed YA characters I have read in sometime. For more information Susan Ee and her books visit www.susanee.com

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the Angelfall series:

The Wisest Woman you will ever read....Dr. Maya Angelou

On International Women's Day what better woman to celebrate then the author, Dr. Maya Angelou. After all, she penned the poem "Phenomenal Woman". Dr. Angelou was a fierce writer, and a civil rights activist. She is one woman, whose grace and wisdom always seemed to shine through her works. I deeply admire Dr. Angelou. She is the author of several collections of poems and the novel, I know why the caged Bird sings! 

 

Here are some of the Quotes I love by Dr. Maya Angelou

The Bravest Girl in the World....Malala!

We can not talk about Women's History month without acknowledging the importance of educating and empowering girls. Malala Yousafzai; is an author, and education activist. Her story is a compelling one. Malala became a target of the Taliban after she published several blog posts for the BBC about the treatment of women and girls in her native country, Pakistan. In 2012, while riding on a school bus, she was shot in the face by a member of the terrorist organization. Who had also put out a hit on her father as well. After overcoming that tragic event Malala still continued to be an advocate for education of women and girls around the world! She is also the author of i am Malala: The Girl Who Stood up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban. For

More information on Malala visit www.malala.org

Some of the quotes I love from Malala:

Women's Histoy Month....writer edition Day 3

Women's History Icon of the Day....Sonia Sanchez. The beautiful Miss Sanchez is a poet, author and activist. She is the author of several books including: Shake Loose my Skin, Homegirls and Handgrenades, and I've been a Woman! 

Some of the best quotes by Sanchez:

First read of March....*drum roll*

(Photo from Epic Reads via Pinterest)

I have been staring at this book for a few weeks. It's just been sitting on my night stand. Waiting patiently for me to finish World After and End of Days by Susan Ee. During that time I also started The Autobiography of Malcolm X (which I am going to finish this month). I am very excited to jump back into the world that Victoria Aveyard has created. I can not wait to see what happens with Maven, Cal and Mare! My first impressions blurb will be written after I am gotten 10 chapters in! 

Btw here is the synopsis of the book:

The electrifying next installment in the Red Queen series escalates the struggle between the growing rebel army and the blood-segregated world they've always known—and pits Mare against the darkness that has grown in her soul.

Mare Barrow's blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control. The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: she is not the only one of her kind.

Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors. But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

Women's History Month...author of the day!!!!

Woman's History Month is a time to uplift women that have influenced and shaped our way of thinking. Today I want to lift up, Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club and Valley of Amazement...and many many more. I first read Joy Luck while in highschool. And the book had a profound effect on how I viewed relationships with my mother, grandmother and aunt. The book also deepened my need to read more fiction focused on flawed, realistic female characters. I plan on re-reading Joy Luck some time this summer!

Here are some of the quotes I love by Amy Tan:

Another thing I love about her...she is cool with my favorite horror novelist...

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Seuss was one of the authors I first learned to read. My grams tells a story of me sitting on the couch reading a loud. She thought maybe I had just memorized it from the many times she had read the book to me. Until she handed me another book and realized I was able to read it too. As you can say in that one moment, with a few Dr. Seuss books, I had taught myself to read. Dr. Seuss has always had a special place in my heart!! I can't wait to share him with my future children!

Here are a few of my favorite Seuss quotes: 

Celebrating Women's History Month; one diverse author at a time! Day One....

Women's History Month gives us a chance to celebrate powerful women and girls that have made writing, speaking, and educating their purpose. Today I lift up Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, best selling Nigerian author, she is the author of Purple Hibiscus, Half the Yellow Sun and Americanah. Her stories always follow strong women as they make their way on the world. She also is featured in the Song Flawless by Beyonce. She is also a devout feminism who wishes to make the term inclusive to all women. 

Quotes of the day....