Review: 4.5/5 Stars
Speakeasy's, gangsters, and a love story, Parker glides her readers through the prohibition era with her flawlessly written romance novel. The novel follows Billy, a corrupt cop, and his love interest, Madeline. Parker manages to blur the lines, redefining your archetypal "good guy" and "bad guy." Her main character, Billy is interested in fighting crime yet is taken advantage of by the "bad guys" due to his corruption. Parker exposes the fragility of morals and the line authority blurred back in that era just to make a little extra cash. If you're interested in a moral twisting, noir love story, you're reading the right book.
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Dear “Weird” Kid,
I can see you, I know you think I can’t, and no one else does either. Today, you drape yourself in black to blend in, but have dyed your hair bright, fluorescent pink. Each day, you walk a tedious line, a frighteningly delicate balance, craving to be seen for whom you are, and the desire to hide. Dear “Weird” Kid. We spent 2 years together while you walked the hall and got books from your locker; I heard the other kids call you horrible, horrible names, and instead of standing up for you, I ducked my head and kept on walking Dear “Weird” Kid: I can tell through the longing in your eyes, you want to be seen, and you quietly draw attention to yourself, hoping someone will notice you for who you are. You aren’t sure if we can see you, but you walk the line again, styling your hair so it’s not ridiculed but leaving it messy enough to look effortlessly cool. Your body is how you represent yourself because it’s all that’s left. We’re too self absorbed to stop and listen to what you have to say, but we’re not the people who you want listening anyway. Dear “Weird” Kid: How do I know? You reveal it everyday. The way you dress, carry yourself and speak, forces you to considered something different than the masses. You don’t fit into the box of nerd, jock, popular, pretty, or partier. You manage to fit into them all. Throughout a day, you may represent each box that society believes you should fit into, but you truly don’t. You are teaching us all that we can be our individual selves. We can learn to march to the beat of our own drum. You’ve never cared about what box you fit in, instead, you demand we see you for yourself and to honor your individual choice, thereby embracing our own. You are the new reality, but the world has yet to realize it. Dear “Weird” Kid: Don’t stop what you are doing. Don’t start conforming. Continue to be true to you. Be weird and misunderstood. We’ll come around, eventually. As you are yourself, you empower others to step into their own skin. You show them how. Dear “Weird” Kid: When you think you are flying below the radar, when you feel small and scared, know that I see you. I honor you and your journey. I value all you have come to teach me. When it feels too much, know that you are not alone. I see you. And, I appreciate you exactly as you are. Summary: What would happen if a real vampire were captured in Toronto. In Canada he wouldn't be decapitated or have a stake driven through his heart. He would receive benefit of the law. And that's what happens to Dragul Mangorian who appears to be the sole-surviving member of a sub-species of homo sapiens that through evolution is forced to feed on human blood. His trial creates a world-wide sensation and after an unusual defence, is acquitted. As a vampire, Mangorian is the ultimate 'bad boy.' He becomes television's #1 Late Night talk show host and with his lawyer/partner Al Hamblyn enjoy fortune and world-wide fame . . . until the murders start up. The story is filled a psychological thriller with dramatic twists, humour, and heart-pounding action scenes. If you aren't a vampire or horror fan, think again. Late Bite turns the vampire myth on its head and opens the genre to a whole new audience.
Review Ever wonder what it would be like to be a "vampire"/talk host in Canada? Well now you don't have to. I'm not going to lie (and even if I tried I'm not very good at it), at first I was entirely unimpressed by the summary of this book. The concept of the book seemed lame and random, but after reading the book I have an entirely different opinion. The best way to describe my feelings for this book is "don't judge a book by it's cover." Late Bite provides an interesting take on a plot that's never been explored before. I really admire Matsui for his attempt at coming up with an interesting, original topic. Matsui manipulates his words through the use of formatting; he plays around with font and italics to convey his points and characterization. I don't know why, but as a person who is unhealthily obsessed with font I thought the different font changes were super cool (for my lack of a better term). It was as easy to fall in love with the characters as it was to fall in love with the font; each character was engaging and had a concrete purpose in the plot. None of the characters felt redundant or unnecessary and I was impressed by that. I really loved the setting of the book, the fact that it was placed in Canada made the book seem fresh and original. Usually a lot of the vampire books I've read these days are all set in Washington (WE GET IT GUYS YOU SECRETLY WANT TO MEET YOUR OWN EDWARD BUT IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON). I'm so used of the same old boring vampire books but Matsui brought an interesting turn to Late Bite. The book was never boring or felt like it was dragging, but instead kept me entertained and enthralled. I strongly recommend Late Bite to anyone who loves horror and mystery, it truly is a great read. Rating 4/5 stars. Hi Guys! Since this week is mental health week I wanted to share an incredible moving essay, titled the depression, from an amazingly strong girl named Kara from Alabama. I would like to thank her for her submission and for her courage because I know writing this could not have been easy. Thanks! -Express Reviews The depression, it envelops me; it whispers in my ear, taunting me, telling me to give up... to stop trying. It buries me deeper into darkness until I can't see anything. I shake, I fidget, I slouch, letting the depression take control of me. I surrender control of MY body, MY thoughts, and MY life. Each day is a constant fight, me vs the world; some days I relish in my victories, while others I lie wounded, too hurt to even consider getting up. I scream to anyone who will listen. I yell in their faces, show them my pain, but they're too occupied in their own worlds to care. I feel like I am drowning, drowning in my own pain, I feel the water slowly fill my lungs as I gasp for air. I hate everything I say, everything I do, I really just hate myself. Nothing is in my favor and it feels like the whole world is against me. I get up to talk and all that comes out is pointless chatter, because I am scared if I tell them what's really happening they'll want nothing to do with me, they'll throw me away, a broken toy. People like pretty. people like fun. people don't like problems. My bed. Recently, that's what my life's been about. I tell myself, If you don't get out of bed life won't hurt you, life won't ruin your perfect day. So I lie down when really all I want to do is run and scream and dance and jump, but the chains of depression pin me in that bed. I pray and pray and pray. I pray for something good to happen to me, I pray that one day I will be happy, I pray that someone will see what is really happening to me and I pray that I will be saved from this constant nightmare I am forced to live in. I envy the days where everything was fine, the days where my only problems were what to wear in the morning. I envy the girl I used to be. I see conversations going on and try to join in, but every word out of my mouth sounds stupid, every word I say shakes. I can't even look them in the eye because if I do I know I will see the disapproval in their eyes. The same disapproval I create for myself everyday. Breathing is painful. Every time I take a breath I feel the anxiety and fear creep up my throat, just waiting to come out. Waiting to say everything I've wanted to say for the past year, but I force it down and pray it doesn't resurface again. Dreams slowly turn into nightmares. The things I used to love I now can't seem to stand. The friends I have I don't want to associate with and the family I used to love I now detest. I lie in bed at night trying to sleep, except each time I close my eyes I see the worst parts of myself, the ugliness of my face, the fat on my stomach, the stupidity etched in my words. The worst things in the world are mirrors. Mirrors are a test I don't know how to pass. They allow you to look at yourself and hate everything you see. "Your arms look huge today" "What is up with your hair?" "Oh my gosh is that ANOTHER zit on your face" yet overtime I see them I get lured into their trap and spend time just hating myself more... if that's even possible. I hate going out. Social events means more opportunities for someone who doesn't know me to judge me more than I judge myself. It's hours of me fidgeting and itching under their scrutiny. It's me trying to convince myself everything will be ok as long as I smile and pretend I'm fine. The double life I live burdens me. It lies on my shoulders and I have no place to leave it. I constantly carry it, trying to push it off but the more I push the more it refuses to move. It stays there, trying to weigh me down. I used to look forward for those days, where a beam of light would fall through my life of dark clouds. I would spend days waiting for that one beam of light and I would welcome it with open arms. But now, I curse that light when it comes near me because I know the moment I open myself up to it the harder it will be when it goes away. I just want to be okay. ~Kara K (16) AL Hey guys (again)!
Sorry for the crazy posting but I have one more announcement. I am looking for books to review. So authors if you want to hit me up with ARC's or if you're a reader dying for me to review a book I will! Just fill up a contact form at the bottom of my page and I will review the book, thanks! Hey guys! I recently got a newsletter option for my website so you never have to miss a post! Just scroll to the bottom (exhausting I know) and just put in your email so you can always see whenever I post (unless you hate me and this website because that's cool too).
Thanks so much, Express Reviews Summary:
When Ava Nickerson was a child, her mother jokingly betrothed her to a friend's son, and the contract the parents made has stayed safely buried for years. Now that still-single Ava is closing in on thirty, no one even remembers she was once "engaged" to the Markowitz boy. But when their mother is diagnosed with cancer, Ava's prodigal little sister Lauren comes home to Los Angeles where she stumbles across the decades-old document. Frustrated and embarrassed by Ava's constant lectures about financial responsibility (all because she's in a little debt. Okay, a lot of debt), Lauren decides to do some sisterly interfering of her own and tracks down her sister's childhood fiancé. When she finds him, the highly inappropriate, twice-divorced, but incredibly charming Russell Markowitz is all too happy to re-enter the Nickerson sisters' lives, and always-accountable Ava is forced to consider just how binding a contract really is . . . (Creds to Goodreads) Rating: 1/5 So I would like to start this off by saying I was really excited for this book. I had read Claire LaZebnik's "Epic Fail" and thoroughly enjoyed it, but this book was a colossal let down. I absolutely hated the character development in the book. Claire attempted to humorously play around with the stereotype that in each pair of sisters one is smart and the other is dumb, but her attempt was a little sad. First of all she made Lauren (the pretty one) so stupid she made me lose faith in humanity. It felt like Claire threw all the anti-feminist stereotypes into one package and wrapped it in a bow when creating Lauren's character. Don't believe me? Lauren is a shopaholic who's only passion in life is her clothes and makeup and relies on men for everything. As a women I was offended to even read this book. The next character she heavily stereotyped was Eva, who's the smart one. Eva is treated as though she looks like a troll. If this family was real, and not a work of fiction, Eva would need therapy for all the shit her family gives her. Look don't get me wrong I love Claire LaZebnik, and you should definitely read some of her other books, but I was truly disgusted by her insinutation that all smart girls are ugly and that all pretty girls are dumb. Yes she did make an attempt to show that personality is important and we shouldn't be shallow, but she did so in such a way that it was offensive to women in general. The characters in this book are so unrealistic it's genuinely painful to read. When the mom gets diagnosed with cancer the daughters number one priority is getting married or sleeping with as many men as they possibly could (looking at you Lauren). In general all the characters were shallow and pathetic. The whole moral of the book is so sexist I am genuinely appalled by it. The moral of the book is: A girl will only be respected and loved if she dresses well and is a size six or smaller. It's offensive and stupid. Claire spends the entire book classifying Eva as a strong-independent women, but then at the end makes her change herself just so a guy will like her back. Slow clap for you Claire LaZebnik. Grease is a great movie but let's be honest the morals as the end of it were complete crap. Here's an idea, just because Grease does it doesn't mean you should too. This book was crammed with so many cliche's I can bet there was at least one cliche a page. Don't believe me ok, There is the boy next door cliche, the sisters who are total opposites cliche, the something significant in my life that forces me to move back home cliche, the one broke sister cliche, the girl who just wants to do her own thing cliche, the makeover cliche. (you get my point) Just so I don't come off as totally rude and obnoxious I would like to talk about some things Claire LaZebnik did right. Claire LaZebnik has always had a great writing skill. I fell in love with her reading "Epic Fail" because of her amazing characters and sweet story-line. And her writing ability was clearly apparent in this book. I like her humor, it makes me laugh and is full of wit, so good job on that Claire. It is evident that Claire LaZebnik can certainly write, but maybe she shouldn't have written this book. (Please do read Epic Fail though, it's amazing) Being depressed isn't a choice. It's something I have had to deal with. Some days I find it difficult to get out of bed. It's not funny to joke about it or talk about how pathetic we are for feeling this way, it happens to the best of us. It's not funny to compare yourself to us, being sad for one day isn't depression, it is just an off day. It's not funny to mock someone for the way they feel, we wish we didn't feel this way. It's not funny to make jokes about suicide when some people are actually contemplating it. It's not funny to make fun of cutting when the kid next to you has slits all over his wrist. It's not funny to compare depression to being dramatic, it's a mental illness. So I have something to say to all the people who think depression is just a joke, you're. not. funny.
Kat Archabeau Hey Guys!
Long time no see! So recently I have been going through a lot of anxiety, which is why I have been away for so long. So i wanted to share some thoughts from me, my friends, and others on their input on mental health. So this week i will be featuring poems, anecdotes, or people's songs about mental health. Please try and be supportive since this is the first time a lot of people are sharing. Thanks :) To start us off here is a two poems from Arlington, TX Heart Thumping, Hands Sweating, I scream into the sea of people, drowning in their mocking laughter. Looking, searching for a way out, but I am pulled back in. I scream again, waiting for someone to notice I froze, motionless. Suspended in time, with nowhere to go. I scream, but it is pointless, I am left behind, gasping for air. Summary: In this coming-of-age novel, Melanie Collier is learning how to survive the college experience with few friends and a loner tendency. She never imagined herself going to such a large university because it seemed just too impossible - too many people and too far from home. Melanie's freshman year is full of social anxieties, the discovery of Creative Writing courses, and the chance meeting with a charming yet secretive Australian tennis player, Lleyton Harris. The culmination of which have drawn Melanie out of her shell and helped her open up to her new life at Indiana University. Melanie becomes mildly addicted to the blossoming relationship with Lleyton, and she hopes that their banter and love of music can survive the summer. My Review: I made this mistake of starting this book in the middle of finals week, and I read the entire book in one sitting. The beginning was a little hard to follow but once you get through the first couple of chapters it becomes amazing! The writing drew me into the intricate plot and the complex characters. I loved meeting the various characters and learning their stories. Sarah Towne does an amazing job of getting into the mind of a archetypal teenage girl. She makes her characters extremely relatable and extremely charismatic. Sarah Towne has done an amazing job on her first book and I hope everyone reads it! |
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June 2017
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