Hi all! Surprised to see me? I figured you were. Thank you, to the few of you who have noticed I haven't been around at all. I'm glad my absence was noticed. I haven't been really social lately. It's a bad time of the year for me, and for some reason it started earlier than usual with me being down and out of sorts. I pretty much haven't been doing anything but reading and gaming since March. I'm taking an extended break from Swap-Bot after this swap and a few others. I just am not in the mood for SB any more, or pretty much anything right now. I'm hoping I'll get back to my normal soon, but who knows. So, thanks for those of you who noticed and I do miss being social, I'm just not up for it yet.
I'm also booked out, so I think I'll be skipping Bout of Books this time. I've been doing a GoodReads challenge since mid March (I committed before I started feeling off, so I stuck with that and nothing else) and I've read 76 books since March 21st, including 52 books (these books) in April. I've found out that once I hit about 70 books in about a 6 week period, I'm just done with books for a bit. We have a week and a half left of the challenge, but I'm not pushing it. I'm too over books right now.
The main thing I've been doing lately is gaming. Speaking of ~ Yo, Shaina, when I feel up to it, we need to chat. :) I'm shocked by what I'm addicted to right now, I never ever thought I'd get into the game, then YOU had to go and mention something about books a bunch of posts ago, so I was like, what's that all about? So, I decided just to start the game, because I knew I wouldn't like it...... yeah well I started up Skyrim and O M F G, I got OBSESSED big time!! I can't stop playing that game. I'm into the mods and sexy armor, and all kinds of stuff. When I get to feeling more like me, I'll message you at GR and chat at you about it. I LOVE that game, and it's cuz of you that I tried it. I'm working on getting all the books and I have an ebook copy of all the books so I can read them outside of the game. ARGH!! :)
ANYWAYS ~ onto my log for April. I'm sorry for the lack of pretty colors for this one. I stupidly didn't do my log as I went along (was too busy reading) so I just had to write out all my thoughts on all 52 books today. UGH!!
P.S. I have about 5 or 6 reviews I need to do for NetGalley, so I hope to get those up soon, otherwise, I'll probably still be a bit quiet. :/
April Reading Log 2015 ~ ImzadiRose
April ~
01 ~ Checkmate (The Bowers Files 07) by Steven James
Completed 4/1
3 of 5 stars
This is the final book in the Patrick Bowers series, which I have been reading for years. I’ve been pretty bored with the series for the past few years, so I’m glad it is finally over, I just wanted to finish it out. Bowers is a FBI agent who deals with the locations of crimes and figures the crimes out that way. It was an ok series overall, I just got bored with it in the end.
02 ~ A Better World (Brilliance Saga 02) by Marcus Sakey
Completed 4/1
4 of 5 stars
This is the 2nd book in the Brilliance Saga series, a series about people who have gifts and are feared. Nick Cooper had once hunted them down but now feels differently. He works for a new person and is up against the craziest of Brilliants. It was an enjoyable story with good characters.
03 ~ Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge
Completed 4/2
1 of 5 stars
Typical murder mystery but boring as crap for me. I liked the crimes, but everything else in between was soooooo slow and boring. It was with horrible characters. They were flat and dull. The MC kept accusing everyone in her department without any kind of proof of any wrong doing. She just kept accusing until she was left with just one suspect. Then, there was a sex aspect that bugged me.
04 ~ Uninvited (Uninvited 01) by Sophie Jordan
Completed 4/3
3 of 5 stars
In this one, the main character, Davy, finds out she has the HTS, a supposed “kill gene”. The premise was different and sorta interesting but I didn’t like most of the characters and only Davy was half way likable. I hated all the people that turned their backs on her.
05 ~ Unleashed (Uninvited 02) by Sophie Jordan
Completed 4/3
2 of 5 stars
I would have liked this one better if it had been about the conflicts. If it had been just about that, it would have been stronger than the first book, BUT it was instead all about the relationships and her back and forth feelings for different guys. TOOOO girlie too much feelings. It was probably 70% about the relationships and 30% about the conflicts, which is a shame, it could have been good.
06 ~ Insignia (Insignia 01) by S.J. Kincaid
Completed 4/4
4.5 of 5 stars
One of my favorite books (series) of the year to this point. Soooooo good and enjoyable with really likable main characters!! Tom Raines is a typical gamer teen, unoticed with a miserable life, when he get s approached to join an academy that is using gamers to fight a war. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try it out, it was a fantastic book.
07 ~ Vortex (Insignia 02) by S.J. Kincaid
Completed 4/5
4.5 of 5 stars
In the 2nd book there’s more going on and Tom and his friends are continuing to adjust to their lives. Not quite as good as the first for me, but still really enjoyable.
08 ~ Catalyst (Insignia 03) by S.J. Kincaid
Completed 4/6
5 of 5 stars
The conclusion of the series, and I didn’t like how it started out, AT ALL. But it ended up turning around and with everything Tom endured, it ended up being a great story and the best of the series for me. I difinitely wish it wasn’t a trilogy, so that I could continue reading about Tom and his world.
09 ~ The Paper Magician (Paper Magician 01) by Charlie Holmberg
Completed 4/6
2 of 5 stars
It seems to be two views on this book, people love it or they hate it. While I didn’t hate it, I definitely didn’t enjoy it, Ithought it was incredibly boring and I thought the characters were flat. Fennel was the only character I found really appealing, and he was a paper dog. So yeah, dull for me.
10 ~ Breaking Steele (Sarah Steele 01) by Aaron Patterson
Completed 4/7
3 of 5 stars
Typical murder mystery type thing with an ADA which was kind of different. Very short but enjoyable book. Sarah is a pretty interesting character and I definitely enjoyed reading the book. Looking forward to more
11 ~ Allies (Insignia 01.5) by S.J. Kincaid
Completed 4/8
3 of 5 stars
A short novella about one of the characters from the Insignia series. It gave a bit of a background on her and for that, it was ok, but overall it was a tad dull. I’m not a fan of novellas overall, so it was a take it or leave it thing for me.
12 ~ The Wicked Will Rise (Dorothy Must Die 02) by Danielle Paige
Completed 4/8
3 of 5 stars
I’ve continued with this series, though I’m not really sure why. I don’t hate it but overall it’s pretty dull. It’s a lot of the same stuff over and over. The audio really sucked on this, I didn’t like the narratory much at all.
13 ~ In Cold Blood (Beatrix Rose 01) by Mark Dawson
Completed 4/8
2.5 of 5 stars
I started this series because it was really short on audio. It was ok, kind of boring. Beatix is a government assassin who has gone rogue because her former team killed her husband and took her daughter away from her. Parts were emotional and had to read, I’ll keep with it because it’s only 3 books and they are so short.
14 ~ Vertical Run by Joseph Garber
Completed 4/9
3 of 5 stars
My Hubby had this book years ago but neither of us read it. I ended up listening to it on audio and it was an enjoyable book. It was definitely different in a lot of different ways, a lot of action and craziness going on. I’m glad that I read it.
15 ~ Twisting Steele (Sarah Steele 02) by Aaron Patterson
Completed 4/9
3 of 5 stars
In this one, Sarah and her friend go to Rio for a vacation and get caught up in a case down there where wealthy women are being abducted. It was enjoyable enough, I like Sarah for the most part.
16 ~ Boy Nobody (Unknown Assassin 01) by Allen Zadoff
Completed 4/10
3 of 5 stars
The first book in the Unknown Assassin series, which was an ok start. The MC is a teenage assassin who goes in and gets close to the son or daughter of the person he intends on killing. In this book, he starts to question himself and his orders for the first time. It wasn’t a bad book, but I didn’t love it.
17 ~ Omega (Chess Team 05) by Jeremy Robinson
Completed 4/11
4 of 5 stars
It feels like I’ve been reading this series forever because even though it’s only the 5th book of the main series, there was also a 7 novella set of books after the 3rd book I think it was. This one was definitely different, with the team thinking that King was dead but he had actuall y went back in time. The times in the past were comical,but I hate that the team thought King was dead for a while, even if it was just for a few hours.
18 ~ The Lost Mission (Unknown Assassin 02) by Allen Zadoff
Completed 4/11
3 of 5 stars
The second in the Unknown Assassin series, it was mostly more boring than the first, with him going to a cult place to kill the leader. It was alright, it kept my attention for the most part and some of the things he found out were interesting.
19 ~ The Island of Dr Libris by Chris Grabenstein
Completed 4/11
5 of 5 stars
What a cute little story! Definitely a must read for book fans. Billy is forced to go with his mom to a cabin that has no tv or eletronics and he’s set to be hopelessly bored. When he finds the library, he’s forced to read, but as he does, he can HEAR what he’s reading coming from the island in the lake. He goes to the island to find out that all the books he’s reading has come to l ife. It’s an adorable concept and such a great book. If you haven’t read Grabenstein before, you should try this and his Lemoncello book. He’s great!
20 ~ Vespers Rising (39 Clues 11) by Rick Riordan
Completed 4/12
3 of 5 stars
Continuing on with listening to the 39 Clues series, this is the last book in the main series before it breaks off into some spin-offs. It was pretty good, enjoyable to learn about the others out to get the Cahills
21 ~ Blood Mood Rising (Beatrix Rose 02) by Mark Dawson
Completed 4/12
3 of 5 stars
Definitely a more enjoyable story than the first book, seemed to be better written or was just a more enjoayble plotline for me, not sure which. I definitely can understand her need for revenge and I hate that she’s sick.
22 ~ The Persona Protocol by Andy McDermott
Completed 4/13
5 of 5 stars
This book was different and enjoyable. It’s about a spy who through some technology can take on the full persona of another person, therefore having all that person’s feelings and thoughts and memories. They are able to take the memories of a terrorist without torture or killing them. It was a cool concept and definitely an interesting story, I enjoyed it a lot.
23 ~ The Medusa Plot (Cahills vs. Vespers 01) by Gordon Korman
Completed 4/13
3 of 5 stars
The first of the 7 book spin off series of 39 Clues. I dont’ really want to say the same thing over and over again about how I enjoyed them all, so I’ll just pick out a few facts to share about them. In the first one, the members of the Cahil famly have been kidnapped and the Vespers are forcing Amy and Dan on a variety of heists to free them. It was enjoyable over all, and I liked the series. In the first one they have to steal a Medusa art piece.
24 ~ A King’s Ransom (39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers 02) by Jude Watson
Completed 4/14
3 of 5 stars
In the 2nd one they have to steal a map that hasn’t been seen in decades and no one knows if it exists anymore. We learn more about their friend Jake and Atticus, who are likable characters.
25 ~ The Dead of Night (39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers 03) by Peter Lerangis
Completed 4/14
3 of 5 stars
In this one, Atticus is kidnapped and they are focused on trying to find him and get him back. The stuff that the rest of the kidnapped bunch is doing was enjoyable.
26 ~ Shatterproof (39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers 04) by Roland Smith
Completed 4/14
3 of 5 stars
In this one they are off to steal a large diamond and the hostages are planing their own excape that doesn’t end well.
27 ~ Trust No One (39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers 05) by Linda Sue Park
Completed 4/14
3 of 5 stars
Amy was annoying me in this one. I definitely didn’t care for all the boy drama of the series, it annoyed me. I liked all the stuff they had to do, what the hostages were doing and all the action. Could have done without the teenage angst stuff.
28 ~ Day of Doom (39 Clues Cahills vs. Vespers 06) by David Baldacci
Completed 4/15
3 of 5 stars
Pretty good ending, enjoyable overall. Sad for all the deaths that happened through this part of the series, they didn’t have many in the first set of books, they were there but not a lot, and not people we really got to know. Good conclusion.
29 ~ Almost Dead (Lizzy Gardner 05) by T.R. Ragan
Completed 4/16
3 of 5 stars
I’ve been reading this series for a while, it’s overall enjoyable. Lizzy Gardner is a private detective. The last book ends with a shooting at her wedding and her fiance now lays in a coma, but life has to continue for Lizzy. The storyline was neat, it was a person killing the members of a bully club who had bullied and tortured her when she ws in highschool. The stuff with the side characters were good as always, and I still hate Lizzy’s sister.
30 ~ Bad Things Happen (David Loogin 01) by Harry Dolan
Completed 4/16
3 of 5 stars
I accidently read the 2nd book in this series a few years ago and I enjoyed it but I found this one pretty boring. It is a murder mystery and it tried to have all kinds of plot turns and crazy stuff but I found it all pretty boring. I think I’m over certain kind of predictible murder mysteries.
31 ~ Blood & Roses (Beatrix Rose 03) by Mark Dawson
Completed 4/17
3 of 5 stars
The last of the series, Beatrix finds the last two people she’s out to get, but killing them comes with a huge price. It was hard to read at times and sad for Isabella. But she was tougher than most kids that age! Most may not like what happened, but I didn’t mind.
32 ~ TimerRiders (TimeRiders 01) by Alex Scarrow
Completed 4/18
3.5 of 5 stars
An enjoyable time traveling book. Liam, Maddy and Sal are all on the verge of death when they are approached by a stranger who tells them they can live on if they come with him and help him out. They help watch over time and fix it when something goes wrong. In this one, history is changed when a person from the future goes back and helps out Hitler. The kids have to figure out when things went wrong and how to fix it.
33 ~ Dark Days by Kate Ormand
Completed 4/18
2 of 5 stars
This wasn't awful, I just didn't find it engaging. It was a short and quick read, so that was good, but it was too quick for the story it was trying to tell. I think it would have been better if it was longer with more character and world building. Dunno, it was just dull overall
34 ~ The Black Book of Buried Secrets by Mallory Kass
Completed 4/18
2 of 5 stars
A history of everything Cahill this book read like a textbook and was a lot duller and more boring than I thought it might be. But hey, it was the first “real” physical book I have read in about 5 years since it wasn’t in ebook form. Was surprised my little tiny library had it.
35 ~ Legend (Legend 01) by Marie Lu
Completed 4/19
4 of 5 stars
This series had so much promise and started out sooooo good. But it went downhill from there. Unfortunately the author did the typical things that female authors do ~ made it all about the emotional side and the relationships rather than the action and the conflict. These books would have all been 5 starbooks if the relationship crap was kept out of it!
36 ~ Prodigy (Legend 02) by Marie Lu
Completed 4/20
3 of 5 stars
Next book, same thoughts only worse, more about the relationship and less about what was going on, which was really disappointing.
37 ~ Champion (Legend 03) by Marie Lu
Compled 4/21
2 of 5 stars
Wavered on what to rate this. Everything felt off. Like she knew how she wanted it to end but didn't know anything else. The whole stuff with the war and trying to get help didn't fit in with the other books. Mainly, it was too emotional and girlie. The battle stuff was good, but then it had to go and start ending badly. REALLY REALLY stupid and dumb what June did. Idiot. Roll eyes! Lovely how I had to deal with all the emotional girlie shit, stupid stuff instead of the action, for it not to matter. Dumb dumb dumb. Ending was so lame.
38 ~ Rapid Fire (39 Clues: Rapid Fire 1-7) by Clifford Riley
Completed 4/21
2 of 5 stars
Meh! I was ticked off in the beginning of this book when Amy was unclipped from her tandem skydiver yet still had her own shute and was able to jump safely. Uh no, that’s now how it works, and I really don't think Ian was that wishy washy. Also, mention of the watcher, then nothing? It was just disconjointed all over. Looking forward to getting back to the original writers, not this new one. Skipping Cahill Files cuz I just didn't enjoy this author at all, I don’t think he fully knew the characters.
39 ~ Storm Runners by Roland Smith
Compled 4/21
1.5 of 5 stars
For a book about a supposed storm, the storm didn’t come into play until just about half way through the book. THEN the book ended when they were in the eye of the storm. Wasn’t expecting it to be a 3 part book, not series but book, so didn’t like it for that reason. The characters were ok.
40 ~ Lockdown (Escape from Furnace 01) by Alexander Gordon Smith
Compled 4/24
4 of 5 stars
What an enjoyable series!! Alex is framed for murder and thrown into Furnace, a prison that is set under the earth’s surface. There’s only one way in and no way out. It’s definitely a crazy book with a lot going on in one location. Really enjoyable and such a good read had to go right into the next ones.
41 ~ Solitary (Furnace 02) by AGS
Compled 4/24
4 of 5 stars
They tried to escape and it didn’t work out too well for them and they ended up in solitary confinment. They find some unexpected allies and learn more about funace itself.
42 ~ The Tournament by Matthew Reilly
Completed 4/25
4 of 5 stars
I’m a Matt Reilly fan and with this book, there’s only one book by him that i haven’t read. This one was a different book from ones he’s written before and from pretty much anything that I have read. It was about things that happened at a chess tournament in the 1500s. It ended up being a murder mystery and was actually quite enjoyable.
43 ~ A New Hope (Thunder Point 08) by Robyn Carr
Completed 4/25
4 of 5 stars
I received this next book in the series from NetGalley for my review, which I haven’t written yet. Another wonderful book from Thunder Point. NOT for people who have hard time with reading about loss of a child. Parts were very very hard for me to read and skipped completely in some cases.
44 ~ Forged (Taken 03) by Erin Bowman
Completed 4/25
4 of 5 stars
Been waiting on this conclusion for a while, and it was pretty good. It definitely wasn’t as enjoyable as I remember the other ones to be, but I liked it overall. I didn’t like some things that happened but it ended good. I would have liked a little more with the ending.
45 ~ Nowhere to Run (39 Clues: Unstoppable 01) by Jude Watson
Completed 4/25
3 of 5 stars
Yet another series of the 39 Clues, in this one they are up againsts someone who took the serum and he’s dragging their family’s name through the mud. Overall it’s a good start to the series but I’m beyond the boy drama! Enough already.
46 ~ Stranded (Survivors 01) by Jeff Probst
Completed 4/26
3 of 5 stars
A cute middle grade book about a small family of kids getting stranded on an island. They have to work to gether to survive as they are trying to learn how to get along, their father and mother having just married. Carter was annoying the others weren’t bad.
47 ~ Trial by Fire (Survivors 02) by Jeff Probst
Completed 4/26
3 of 5 stars
Carter is more of a jerk in this one as they are struggling to survive. There’s a lot to do with fire, so the whole series is a neat play off of the Survivor show theme.
48 ~ Survivors (Survivors 03) by Jeff Probst
Completed 4/26
3 of 5 stars
An enjoyable conclusion but the end was way too short. I would have liked to know more, either more detailed and/or with an epilogue so we can see how the kids are doing a few months later, and if they grew closer and stayed close because of it all.
49 ~ Floors (Floors 01) by Patrick Carman
Completed 4/26
1.5 of 5 stars
Typically my kind of thing, this book ended up being disappointing on many levels. Some of the rooms were OK. It was just a little too young for me. I hated Sparks, so YAY for that ending with her, other than that, too many ducks and just missing something.....
50 ~ I am the Traitor (Unknown Assassin 03) by Allen Zadoff
Completed 4/28
4 of 5 stars
The conclusion to the Assassin series and my favorite of the 3. I like that he finally started doing what he felt was right, no matter what the consequenses were. I wish there had been more to the end, like I think of a lot of books. I would have liked to known how what happened next.
51 ~ Breakaway (39 Clues: Unstoppable 02) by Jeff Hirsch
Completed 4/30
2 of 5 stars
Ugh!! Amy was such a whiney stupid idiot in this one. You'd think after 20 some books, she would get a clue. I blame the new author to the series, hopefully she's better in the next book. She was just awful for this one and ruined the overall story for me.
52 ~ Death Sentance (Furnace 03) by AGS
Completed 4/30
4 of 5 stars
I really didn’t like how this one started out at all, but it really picked up around half way throuhg and it ended up being enjoyable as well. I haven’t read the next one yet, but I look forward to get into it to see what happens next!
