Reviews in Progress:

           Hi everyone! This time I can honestly say I haven't forgotten about the blog. So, if I haven't been uploading or making snazzy new changes, what have I been doing? Well, honestly, tackling this semester's workload. My classes have been heavy on the writing, reading, and research this semester and on top of that I have to do an investigation and  the first part of a thesis. So all in all my life has been somewhat hectic.

           Now, where reviews are concerned,  I have a few ideas in mind. I want to add more variety to the types of books reviewed here as well as to the content of the blog. Because my interests are more academically inclined now I've been toying with the idea of reviewing and writing about more academic topics and texts as well. I can't say there will be a lot in the way film and tv reviews, but I also want to expand on those. For anyone interested here is a short list of the reviews I plan to work on:

• The Goldfinch (film)
• Alice Isn't Dead (novel)
• Poetry books by Ramona Meisel 
• Continue the Guild Hunter series reviews 

           Now, aside from these, I've also considered adding reviews about a few podcasts I've been listening to. If these do end up being written and actually implemented into the site, the reviews would be about podcasts like: 

• Welcome to Night Vale
• The Magnus Archives
• Alice Isn't Dead

           Of course, seeing is believing. In all honesty the podcast reviews might take longer than the regular ones because I don't listen to podcasts very consistently. Nevertheless the previously mentioned reviews are some I've been dying to work on for a while and can't wait to upload. I don't yet have everything about this blog figured out yet like the formatting my sister used, but I'll be sure to annoy her as much as necessary so the content remains uniform across all review types. 

Kindest regards: 

P.S.: While my signature used to be Silros, it will now be changed to my own name. I will go through the previous posts making the necessary changes to avoid confusion, but for now know that this blog is still being run by the same sisters. 

"A Hopeful Future" or alternatively "Here we go again"

Hello dear readers:

You may remember a post here a few years back promising to get back into the swing of things and start posting reviews again, a post that as of today has been deleted. A lot of things happened between then and now and, clearly, the blog was never picked up again. That being said, it has been on my mind all this time and I have been meaning to come back here, tweak around with the blog, possibly incite my sisters wrath, and generally bring it back to life. Unfortunately something or other always seems to get in the way of things.

Now, it's been years since I wrote a book review, and much longer since I messed around with a blogs formatting. Nevertheless I'm somewhat eager to get started doing those things and more or less revamping the place a little, since my sister's aesthetic is so different from mine. Nothing too drastic of course, lest I incur my sisters rage and tempt her to hop on the next airplane home and murder me. Honestly, she's more likely to yell at me over the phone, but who knows, people do crazy things. (Jk I love you sis!)

Due to my lack of experience with the actual running and maintenance of this blog, it might take me some time to bring it up to speed and to somewhat more modern times. It doesn't help that my blog experience has so far been mostly limited to Tumblr. While I've talked to my sister a few times about sitting down together to tweak around the blog, it still hasn't happened and, at this rate, I highly doubt it will. So I've decided to sit down on my own, mess around with things, and hope I don't accidentally destroy the blog in the process.

Actually, speaking of, in case I don't deliver any results or updates here in the next few months, feel free to go yell at me on my studyblr account over on tumblr. Please remember to do so respectfully, of course. Any disrespectful messages will be deleted and not replied to.

I also feel the need to clarify that this is being written as a way to procrastinate studying for my finals, so my current momentum may wear off as soon as finals are over and done with in a week. I do have a few ideas already for the blog, but since I don't know how to implement them just yet, they might take a while.

So, back to stuff about the blog. If anyone is interested, here's my game plan for the next month and a half for this blog:

• Write an about me (not kidding I've been meaning to do this for like 6-8 years more or less)
• Add a fanfiction like tagging system to go along with the regular tagging system
• Update my signature (Silros isn't bad, but it has to go)
• Publish at least a new review every month
• Update links and information as necessary
• Change the icons 
• Change the header and background eventually (it isn't technically bad, but it could do with an upgrade)

Of course, these changes will take time, so even if I'm here working on things, it might be a bit before I can implement some of these. That being said, I'm really looking forward to making these things happen and slowly come back to writing reviews. Thank you so much for your time and patience, I hope to continue the journey we paused years ago without further setbacks. 

Sincerely:

Review: Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall

Title: Her Mad Hatter
Series: Kingdom, Book 1
Author: Marie Hall
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 137 Pages Approx.
Publication Date: December 2, 2013
Available Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Alice is all grown up. Running the Mad Hatter's Cupcakery and Tea Shoppe is a delicious job, until fate--and a fairy godmother with a weakness for bad boys--throws her a curveball. Now, Alice is the newest resident of Wonderland, where the Mad Hatter fuels her fantasies and thrills her body with his dark touch.

The Mad Hatter may have a voice and a body made for sex, but he takes no lovers. Ever. But a determined fairy godmother has forced Alice into Wonderland--and his arms. Now, as desire and madness converge, the Hatter must decide if he will fight the fairy godmother's mating--or fight for Alice.

Two nights ago I was lying on my bed, at the wee hours of the morning, browsing through Amazon on my cellphone, because sleeping seemed impossible at the time. That's how I stumbled into Her Mad Hatter, I was looking for a quick read and both the title and the description drew me in. Little did I know that I would end up enjoying the story so much.

Danika, a fairy godmother for the "bad boys" must find Hatter's true love before a year passes or the madness will fully consume and destroy him. Finally she finds the right Alice, a 24-year-old, cupcake shop owner and lover of all things Wonderland (and Hatter). Unfortunately, there has been quite a parade of "Alices" before including our leading lady's own great-grandmother. So much so that Hatter is not interested in going through with the whole thing all over again. Our Alice has just three days to convince Hatter that not only she is the real deal, but that she loves him with all her heart.

Her Mad Hatter is a re-imagining of, yup, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The story is very reminiscent to the Lewis Carroll's masterpiece in its whimsical and nonsensical quality that at the same time speaks volumes. It is also a beautiful, if short, love story.

It really surprised me because I was expecting a quick read, not to fall in love with the characters. I will be definitively continue on with the series, I'm curious about what else can the author do with our favorite villains. Regardless that is a re-telling of a children story, this book is for adult audiences.

The story, the first in a series, is currently free on Amazon. If you like Paranormal Romance you will enjoy this book.

Review: Howling For You by Chloe Neill

Title: Howling For You
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 8.5
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library (NAL)
Length: Approx. 88 Pages
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Available Format: Kindle Edition, eBook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★½☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Jeff Christopher is a shapeshifter and ally of Chicago’s Cadogan House of vampires—he’s also a tech whiz and mostly-legal hacker. And the only protective shields he’s never been able to find a way around are those of the powerful Keene Family.

For a long time, Jeff has only had eyes for the beautiful Fallon Keene. Unfortunately, she is the only sister of the lethal North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene. The intricate balances of power and politics make it all but impossible for Fallon to trust her feelings.

But fate takes a hand when the Pack’s totem is stolen—threatening the Keene family’s rule—and Fallon enlists Jeff’s help to retrieve it before the Pack is thrown into chaos. Can she and Jeff find the totem, and restore order, before it’s too late? And will Jeff finally be able to prove himself to the only person he truly loves?

First off, the short story comes with a two-chapter preview of the next Chicagoland Vampires, Wild Things, which comes out on February 4, 2014. Honestly, I love that sneak peak, I can't wait to read another Merrit and Ethan story.

Now the review...

I have mix feelings about this short story. On one side I love the chance to learn more about the shifters in the Chicagoland Vampire series, on the other I had a small problem with part of the resolution.

In the end I liked the story, I wish it was longer. Is very sweet and straight to the point. I'm curious to see how this particular plot line develops in the next books on the series.

MAJOR SPOILER COMING, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. 

You've been officially warned. 

Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling

Title: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Series: Harry Potter Companion Books, 1
Author: Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling)
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Length: 42 Pages
Publication Date: November 1, 2001
Available Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Source: Confiscated it from my sisters book collection
My Rating: ★★★★★
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description: A copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them resides on almost every wizarding household in the country. Now, for a limited period only, Muggles too have the chance to discover where the Quintaped lives, what the Puffskein eats, and why it is best not to leave milk out for a Knarl.

Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to improving and saving the lives of children around the world, which means that the dollars and Galleons you exchange for it will do magic beyond the powers of any wizard. If you feel that this is insufficient reason to part with your money, I can only hope most sincerely that passing wizards feel more charitable if they ever see you being attacked by a Manticore.
-Albus Dumbledore

The book Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them is a common wizarding household item. Meaning that wizards all over the world find the information written on these pages to be very valuable and helpful with a great many magical creature related problems. Now, thanks to the amazing persuasive abilities of the one and only Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, muggles all around the globe have a chance to acquire a copy of this book. But not just any new edition, muggles will be able to purchase a copy with handwritten notes at random and irregular intervals on the pages of this book. And whose notes are these? Why, no less than those of The Boy Who Lived and his best friends Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger. These side-notes add an amusing touch to this already wonderful book. And, as if that wasn’t enough, twenty percent of the sales of this book will go to Comic Relief U. K., an organization set on helping children who live in poverty all around the world.

Now thought, in all seriousness this book is a wonderful addition to all PotterHeads out there. It’s funny and easy to read. I loved it from page one (seriously the first page had me in a fit of giggles) till the very end. It has many, many creatures identified in it, from dragons and unicorns all the way to fwoopers and acromantulas.

I truly loved this book J.K. Rowling has a wonderful gift through which she charms the reader and allows you to get lost inside the wonderful world of witches and wizards that she created. This book adds magic and expands the already big world of the infamous Harry Potter. In all honesty Rowlings could publish twenty books more just to expand on the history of Harrys world and I would more than happily read them all. I hope that someday she publishes Hogwarts Through the Ages. That would truly make my life complete, or as close as it will get xD

Comic Relief U.K.:

http://www.comicrelief.com/ 

http://www.comicrelief.com/about-us/product-licensing 

http://www.comicrelief.com/news/2009-07/harry-potter-book-profits-go-comic-relief 

http://www.comicrelief.com/news/2012-08/harry-potter-companion-books-now-available-ebooks

Review: Night of Essences of Phoenix and Serpent by Jennifer Jiménez

Title: Night of Essences of Phoenix and Serpent
Series: Nonutopians
Author: Jennifer Jiménez
Publisher: CreateSpace
Length: 242 pages
Publication Date: April 8, 2013
Available Formats: Kindle Edition, Paperback
Source: The author asked me to review it
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

“What brings you inside: the aroma of the coffee. What lets you out: the most pure and intimate aroma never sensed before—the…”

Twenty-seven is a perfect cube, being 3^3 = 3 × 3 × 3, but for engineering professor Vanora, it’s something else. When Vanora has visions of the creation of humankind, she strives to leave behind a legacy of hope through an unusual book, in which the upcoming evolution of mankind is described.

Twelve-year-old Valeria has the ability to descend into human bodies. She sees the future through Amrit’s eyes, a seventeen-year-old Puro Di Cuore girl. Amrit meets arrogant and evasive Ansel, who is always changing locations to hide his breed. They are destined to live a relationship against the rules.

In a laboratory near rock-crushing waves, Gustav and Juliette were created against an international prohibition. The nineteen-year-old clones are meant to be killed before compromising the security of their country. Someone connects them all.

I acquired this short novel right after the author asked me to review it from amazon while it was free of charge for a day or so. This story follows the lives of many people with different backgrounds, lives and problems. One thing unites them all, destiny. The book revolves mainly around the life of Vanora Candela a young Puerto Rican woman on the journey of finding herself. It takes place mostly in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, although that is not the only place where the story develops.

Review: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Title: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
Series: Love at Stake, Book 1
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Publisher: Avon
Length: 371 Pages Approx.
Publication Date: July 26, 2005
Available Format: Paperback, Mass Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audiobook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

Roman Draganesti is charming, handsome, rich...he's also a vampire. But this vampire just lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn't have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop-sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren't going well for Shanna Whelan, either. After witnessing a gruesome murder, she's next on the mob's hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral, because she's afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she's found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman's fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her?

This book was extremely funny and the romance was rather cute. Picture this, extremely old vampire, highly feared among his peers, bites into the neck of a rubber doll (I will leave the way he does this for you to find out when you read the book) and ends up dislodging one of his fangs from the root. He needs to reattach the fang before the sun forces him into slumber and his gums seal clean. But when he makes it to the only clinic available, a 24 hour dentist office, the doctor present not only refuses to attach a "dog tooth" in a "human" but she's attacked by a group of mobsters from whom she was hiding.

Review: A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands

Title: A Quick Bite
Series: Argeneau, Book 1
Author: Lynsay Sands
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 315 Pages
Publication Date: October 25, 2005
Available Format: Hardcover, Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audiobook,
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau's bed? He's not dessert -- he's the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there's another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood ... an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn't hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?

Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger's bedroom pretty quickly -- once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That's a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into ... if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

This is the story of Lissianna, who for centuries has had a little complication: she faints at the sight of blood; a little inconvenience for a vampire don’t you think? In comes Gregory, a doctor who claims he can cure anyone’s phobias. Thanks to Lissianna’s mother’s machinations, Greg wakes up tied to Lissianna’s bed and she cannot resist the urge to bite the nice looking doctor.

Announcement: The Paranormal Bucket List

My friends and I were joking the other day about which movies and TV shows everyone must see before they "kick the bucket." We were reminiscing about our favorite programs as we were growing up, etc. And it got me thinking, with all the great books and authors out there, how a reader can wade their way into the paranormal book realm. So I’m going to create a new section here in Journey with Words called The Paranormal Bucket List.

The Section will be coming soon, stay tune...

Review: UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn

Title: UnEnchanted
Series: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, Book 1
Author: Chanda Hahn
Publisher: Self Published
Length: 216 Pages approx.
Publication Date: December 30, 2011
Available Format: Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook
Source: Free Download
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated, that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her newfound fame brings misfortune as an old family curse come to light. For Mina is descended from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business. Which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its next fairytale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and stop these deadly events, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

Picture yourself in high school, those awkward years. Now, not only are you a high school student, you are also a very clumsy one. One, so epically clumsy, that you are the school's outcast. You are such an epic klutz that some pretty weird, explainable things happen to you all the time. And that every single time one of these things happens, your Mom packs up and forces you change zip-codes. Now, imagine what it feels like to one day discover that the reason behind all of your misfortune is because you (and your kid brother) are the last descendants of the Brothers Grimm and as such you have inherited the family curse.

I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed this book. First heard about it when my sister asked me to buy her the second book in the series, then explained to me that she had stumbled into the first one (for free) at Amazon. I was intrigued by the premise so I went and downloaded myself a copy. This book turned out to be a great twist on the fairy tale realm. And much like my sister, now I want to get my hands on the next story.