A. Renee Hunt's Blog, page 89

Predestined and Leif 2.5 by Abbi Glines

*Audiobook


     This is my second audiobook review for the Existence series.  Predestined answers a lot of questions, which should have made me like this book.  Sadly, the likes were over-shadowed by other aspects.

     Predestined is the conclusion of Pagan and Dank's relationship.  The couple should be busy loving on one another while Dank resumes his responsibility of taking souls from their bodies and passing them on to Transporters (the figures who take souls away to their next lives).  Instead, Leif is back and doing his best to claim Pagan as his own.

      The first thing that turned me away from liking this book is the ambiance.  For some reason, the innocence of the first book vanished, swallowed whole by profanity, sexual innuendo and extreme jealousy!  Dank has turned into the boyfriend from hell!  I don't understand why but it seems as though Dank doesn't care for romance and subtly anymore.  Now that Pagan knows what he is and how Leif isn't quite who he claims to be, it's okay to be nasty and possessive.  Well, they both are possessive.  It's funny, both are bad, but one claims evil over the other.  It's a quality in the book that's a turn off.

     Other than that, I enjoyed Predestined, so much more than the first.  The flashbacks of the tale explained much of the "why's" I carried when reading book one, but I have to state that the entire book was slightly clouded by the narrator yet again.  Liz's voices were so awful, I almost didn't want to finish the series.  Thankfully, I ignored myself and her voices and completed the book.  

     Now Leif 2.0 was  an easy read because more than half the book were already known from Existence & Predestined.  What Leif 2.5 gave was a small glimpse into his thoughts on the situation.  How he'd sought assistance and eventually his decision that made the ending of Predestined.  I will not give anything else away.  Because it did some clarifying, I rate Leif 5/5 specs.  With 3 Specs for Predestined, this evens out to a nice 4/5 specs.
Happy reading everyone!   

Existence by Abbi Glines (Existence Trilogy + 1)

*Audiobook

    This is my first book review on an audiobook.  I had a few credits with Audible so I thought I'd go ahead and check out the Existence trilogy + 1.  I say plus one because there is evidently a short story about one of the characters that fits between books 2 & 3.  I'll be reading that one too, but it is an actual ebook and not audio as with the other three.  Okay, let's get to the biz.

     I have three big issues about this book.  I could honestly have added more but I won't go there.  The main problem I have lies in the fact that it's an audio book- (1) The Narrator.  Then there was the (2) Name Thing, then the last actually has to do with the (3) Story.  I'm not saying I didn't like Existence, but stick with me,  I'll explain.

     First the narrator, Ashley Litz, should do voice-overs regularly, just not audiobooks.  Her transition from dorky, teen valley girl to the seductive, slightly British accent of Dank was not likable in the least.  She should have just read the, in her voice.  She sorta ruined it for me right there- but I pressed on.

     Then there were the names... Who names their daughter Pagan?  Seriously?  I understand we're looking for uniqueness but that was ridiculous.  It was annoying to hear but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as Dank.  I laughed when I first heard it- let alone that's the name of our male protagonist, Dank.  Yup, Our male lead is Dank.

     Last is the most serious: the story.  Pagan has been seeing dead people all her life, yet she has no idea why.  Is it a hereditary thing, did her mom see them- what is the deal?  And the fact that she just ignored them and never tried to rid herself of them made her flat to me.  A chunk of her lifelong situation is explained to her by a dying, little girl in the hospital!  She even managed to hide her apparitions from her mom and best friend since third grade!  Wow!  

     Pagan is also a pathological liar!  The entire book, she lied to everyone, herself included!   She never liked Leif but suddenly fell for him after tutoring him.  Speaking of which, students with learning disabilities have an educational program set up, so having another student to assist was totally unreal.  Then to add more gasoline to the flames, Pagan used him for comfort, while pining for Dank!.  That's rank!

     The story's flow was a bit slow and characters weren't relatable.  The conversations were so exaggerated (like everything concerning her mom) and her best friend 80's girl banter.  I found myself not caring what happened to anyone, especially Pagan.  The book didn't carry much direction; if something happened it was either predicted or just went nowhere.  I only rated Existence 3 specs for the originality of "No Spoilers"  Anyway, the mellow, climactic ending is really the only reason I'm moving to book 2, along with already having purchased it.
And if I have to hear another song spoken by Dank again...
Have a great book and day!  

Auggie & Me by R. J. Palacio

     Did you take my advice and read Wonder, the story that paved the way to this book- that's NOT a sequel?  Well if not, you should do so now because you'll want to read this one too!  This time, the POV's come from three characters who played a piece in Wonder.  When you read this, you'll be just as affected as with the first book.

     As I stated, this is not a sequel book.  This book is about three children, from Wonder and how they were affected by the special boy that made a difference at Beecher Prep.  Julian, the bully, Christopher and Charlotte are the tellers of the tale.  Honestly, Auggie was barely in this book and that's what was off yet still quite nice.       The Julian Chapter brought me to tears... Oh the story Grandmère in France when the German's arrived; I knew who Tourteau was.  The retelling was beautiful.  There was a precious lesson there.   Pluto was unbelievable.  At first I thought Christopher was a horrible friend and son, but his lesson was pleasant and easily YA relatable concerning appreciation and love.  Then Shingling, told by Charlotte was all about social awkwardness, consideration and kindness.  None of the tales were about August, but because he was in their lives, you got to see how he had some sort of influence.  It just goes to show that everyday, someone can have some sort of affect on  your life.  This book tied so many people's lives together- friends or not. It was a fun read but less emotional. I cared but wasn't affected.

     So do yourself a favor and get to the nearest bookstore or library, or Kindle (sorry, I'm biased concerning ereaders) and purchase this book and Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  You will not be sorry, totally entertained and happy you listened tome.  You'll say, "You know what Alyssa?  You were so right!"
I know...
Off to the next book!

You Look Yummy by Tatsuya Miyanishi

     OMGoodness, You Look Yummy! is an adorable read!  So here's the synopsis:

     This story is so cute and I can't wait to share it with my ewoks.  It's about a baby ankylosaurus who's found by a tyrannosaurus.  The tyrannosaurus has develops a fatherly relationship with little Yummy.  And the ending... totally adorable!  It's sweet and I can't think of any child who wouldn't love it.

     Grab yourself a copy of this beautiful children's story.  You will be so happy you did.
A book by Tatsuya Miyanishi (story and illustrations). Rating:  

Nightmares by Dan Sihota

     There is a reason I love to read and I'm going to be quite frank here.  At first, it was because I had to.  I hated it.  Then I wanted to, like many.  Later, I found I had to.  Created within me was a lust, a ravenousness, insatiable hunger for more books, more lives.  So I grab books from all walks of life, as long as they're walks I can't take on my own.       Nightmares by Dan Sihota didn't give me that.  I'm not saying the stories weren't good, because they were.  They just gave me tastes of other people's ordinary  lives.  Everyday, someone's killed, chased, divorced, lost, crabby, enraged, etc.  These are life's nightmares, yes- but I was expecting more.  

    When I saw the book cover, because you know I studied it, I thought, "Ooo, mystery.  Something shocking?"  What I got was life.

     Each story was nicely written, though  paragraph breakdowns would have made the read easier on the eyes.  For me, the best story was Road Rage, though it rambled quite a bit.  Then the action began... and ended.  It all happened with such an abruptness, I was left deflated.  With the other tales, it was like reading the newspaper: man kills himself after wife divorces and take children to France.  Youth disappears while on trip to visit girlfriend.  I need escape when I read and these kept me here in the real world.  
​Not a bad thing... just not what I was hoping for.  I came 
 away form Nightmares thinking, the ​author's got something, but it's not for me.  On to the next book!
Rating: 

Stay With Me Tonight: A Dark Brothers series, Pt. 1 by Whitney D.

     Whoa Nelly is this a book for ADULTS ONLY!  If I was lighter, my face would have been red, from start to finish!

     I've never read a book like this before, so naturally I was gung-ho for the entertaining, but what I got was a show!

     Stay With Me Tonight, by Witney D. is about a young lady who refuses to continue living her life, from one one-nightstand to the next. She wants something real or nothing at all.  But when fate places Bellamy in front of her, not once but twice, she goes for it.  And man do they go!  

     Like I said, this was my first novel like this and I'm thinking this is what all the rave of Fifty Shades was about- but it's so much more!  This story gets you to adore Katie.  She's got her head on straight, she's intelligent and she doesn't want to give herself to just anybody. And that's when she meets up with Bellamy.  I won't tell you what happens, because you know I don't do SPOILERS!  What I will say is that when you get to the ending, you're gonna to be like, "WHA-?" with that heavy chime: Dun-Dun-Dooon!  I kid you not!  It threw me for a loop and now I'm looking for Part 2!  Last I heard, Whitney's laptop died, so I don't know what that will be but soon, I hope!  This story is so much more than romance, sex and a great time.

     Take a peek at this awesome ebook, available on Amazon right now $.99!  And gear up for the second installment, coming in January 2016.  (Cover reveal was on Oct. 16th)  

A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller

      I've never read an Amish romance before, so when I saw this story, I thought it would be nice.  I know Amish have their own language and when using English, they sound Danish.  I love accents, but I'm gonna tell you now, reading it is ​another story, especially the way it's used in this book.       This is in no way an insult to anyone, especially Kathleen Fuller, the author, but I didn't see the use for the Amish colloquialism.  There were sentences where they said mann instead of man, geh instead of go and several others.  I love the way the Amish sound but there was no need to throw a word in periodically.  It was extraneous.

     Other than that, I loved the book cover.  It's beautiful and looks exactly as I pictured.  Granted, I've been in Amish country before.  I have no complaints there.

     As for the story, it's about a young lady, strong willed and intelligent, who wants nothing to do with men.  She was accosted when she was younger and from then on, kept to herself.

     It's not until she's placed in a bind and needs to get married that she has to settle on a husband.  Sadly, it's the brother of the man who'd attacked her years ago.  She'd kept away from him as a friend, seeing him as a coward, but then she has to accept him as her husband!      This story is written well, other than the throw-in expressions.  I enjoyed the story.  It deals with issues like alcoholism, sexual abuse, mental and physical abuse and biblical chauvinism.  Sadly, the death of Sadie's parents placed her in a position to marry a person who'd left her to an awful fate years ago.  

     The book raises emotions and is an excellent read for anyone who loves this genre.  I'm on to the next book.   

Get Your Story Straight by Kristen Hatton

     When you're given a devotional book to rate, it's very different.  You can't place it in the same category as any other.  For me, this book was easy.  I just used it with my family.  We used this book every night and I can say, I loved it.  We're still using it and will continue to use it in the new year.

     Kristen Hatton used Get Your Story Straight as a lesson guide.  You get the focused reading first, then you answer a few questions.  Then next day or two you actually work on what you've been given before something else to read that relates.  The rest of the week you get some in-depth questions that you work with the family to answer.  I loved it.

     I am a homeschool mom, as you know, so when I used this, I really believe my family became closer.  So many of the activities and questions were relatable to both my son and my husband and neither are teens.  It was beautiful and a blessed addition to my family time.

     We will use this book until we need something new.  It's now a staple for the Hunt family and I hope you enjoy it too.  On to the next read!

The Magpies by Mark Edwards

     Here's an audiobook I enjoyed on bubblebath night.  There's nothing better than listening to a young man with a gentle, British accent, while soaking in patchouli and oils.  All the lingo and descriptions of places I'd love to see... just a great time.

     The Magpies, by Mark Edwards, is about a couple who's ready to start a new life together.  They managed to find an amazing place that fit their budget and the neighbors seem like they'll all get on pretty well.  Until they're the victims of pranks- especially on the day of their house-warming party.  Pizzas ordered, ugly, porcelain clowns and cruel notes... they get it all.

     When they receive a particular note and a recording of rather embarrassing noises, enough is enough.  They have to take action.  

     What do you do when your neighbors are the monsters?       As I said, I listened to this book every time I enjoyed my bubble bath.  I'm a serious bath gal and this book took care of my listening entertainment while soaking in my LushCosmetic-Heaven!  I've listened to Mark Edwards before; he writes with a certain style that you have to know in order to enjoy.  If not, you'll get bored.  It's like he gets sidetracked sometimes.  This book was no different.

​     I like the cover, but it really did nothing for me or the story.  I'm used to something going on or the cover matching well with the story.  This one didn't do it for me.  Also, I LOVED the narrator.  Elliot Hill has a great voice for audio. Then there was the intrigue, but because Kristen and Jamie were a bit thick, it made the story annoying at times.  

     There were times in the story where I kept fussing,"Come on guys!"  They were doing things in response to the threatening actions against them that made no sense.  I wanted to throw a shoe at them!  Sometimes an author can make characters so real, they're unreal.  These two fit that bill.  I also have to say,there were unnecessary parts that I could have done without hearing.  These parts are R-rated and overly described.  I didn't need that.  About six times.  I will say no more.

     The ending came together well, but not well enough for me to rate this as high as another book by Mark Edwards, that's soon to post.  I may listen to it again, I may never; I just don't 'know yet.  While The Magpies was entertaining, I can definitely say it wasn't the best or worst book I've listened to.  On to the next story!

Wonder by R. J. Palacio - Wow!

     OMGoodness!  Have you ever been one of those people that loves something so much, when you think about it, you wear a huge, cheesy grin?  That was me as I finished the last, maybe eight chapters of Wonder, by R. J. Palacio.  This book is so sweet, funny, and tear-provoking that I couldn't put it down!  I finished it in 24-hours!  (I'd have finished it soon had bedtime & a nap not interfered).

     Wonder is about a boy, a fifth grader who suffers from mandibulofacial dysotosis (and a tad more)- a genetic defect that causes ones features to either  not develop, or to not develop where they should- that's the best way to describe it.  I looked it up on a few sites and those who suffer from this appeared exactly as described.  But "Auggie", August Pullman, doesn't let that stop him from being normal.  Yes he endures situations that made me angry as a mother, yes he is loved and yes, he has a happy ending- but everything he went through in the book... so emotionally raw.  I even got up one time and read a few pages to my husband, fussing and bickering at the book - like it was all real!  This book really affected me, but I loved it. 
Every little bit!      Wonder is definitely a winner as far as I'm concerned.  I can't wait to read Auggie and Me, also written by Palacio.  Her style of writing is easy on the eyes and make for a quick read.  Strangely, there are about five or six POV's (points of view)- that I don't really understand, but it didn't distract from the story.  Those chapters, sorta filled in the gaps, you could say.  There were two chapters that could have been skipped or  could given to the parents- or even Mr. Tushmann, but you have to read the book to understand what I'm saying.  

     Anyway, check out this book- you will love it.  I promise.  You may even cry, as I did, but they were happy tears for a fictional boy and for every obstacle children in the non-fictional world achieve!  Have a wonderful day and grab another book!