Review | The Other Side of the Mirror; Volume 1 & 2 by Jo Chen

It's not what it looks like...actually, yes it is. I've only read simple manga books this past month. This was a short, two part story that I read while sitting on the floor at Barnes & Nobles. I don't know why it caught my eye, but when I read the first one, I turned to the second one soon after. The story of Sunny and Lou was a bit interesting and I liked that there was only two volumes to it, or else I'd still be sitting at Barnes & Nobles trying to finish it. But maybe if it hadn't been short, it wouldn't have gotten my attention.

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Review | Forest of Gray City: Issue I by Uhm JungHyun

I humored the boyfriend by going into a comic book store by my school, Pulp Fiction and in their buy one, get one free sale I picked up a copy of this for myself. I wasn't too interested, like I said I was just humoring him, but I actually enjoyed the cute, short love story a bit. I'm actually looking forward to how the little story ends in the second issue, and I actually returned to the store to look for it. Although it hasn't been released in the US, it should be coming soon, so I reserved it. A little silly and unlike me, but I'm glad I did it.

Review | Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

I love this book. I've read it multiple times, and I started talking about men and their doughnut ways one night to the bestie, so I picked it up once again. I loved it, just like I loved it the dozens of other times I've read it. Jennifer Crusie is definitely on my top faves ever. Anyways, its kind of like the second part to Welcome to Temptation or at least Davy's story, who I happened to love to pieces from the first book even though he's a con man and dangerously doughnut-ish.

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Quick Reviews #1

Staked (Void City, Book 1) by J.F. Lewis

I love vampires. I am a vampire (not really, but I can dream can't I?) And vampire books fascinate me. I hadn't read a vampire book since Breaking Dawn, and I was super excited when I picked this one up at Borders for about four bucks. The main character is Eric. Eric is a vampire with short term and long term memory loss. His girlfriend Tabitha, wants to be a vampire just like him so they can be together for eternity. When he decides to turn her, most of his problems start. With some gruesome fighting scenes, and some sex scenes, this book is for older teens and adults. The ending is not satisfying at all, and I assume will continue on in the sequel which I look forward to reading. Sort of. I enjoyed it, but not. It was humorous and entertaining, but not so much of a page turner that kept me coming back for more.

100 Bullets Volume 1: First Shot, Last Call by Brian Azzarello

My first graphic novel of the year. My friend has a collection of all sorts of graphic novels, and since I joined the Graphic Novel Challenge this year, I asked him to let me borrow a good one. He thought about it for a while and then told me I might like the 100 Bullets series. I believe he has all of the published ones, and I pulled the first one off his bookshelf. What's it about? I asked. I wasn't too sure if I would really like it. "Okay. Imagine you're content with the way your life is. Something happened that changed everything about the way you lived, but now you're okay with your life. Now imagine, a man you have never seen pulls up in a car next to you. He tells you he knows you, and what happened to you. He gives you a briefcase. Inside is proof that one person is responsible to why things went wrong in your life. There is also a gun and one hundred bullets. Each bullet is untraceable and if you decide to use it, you won't be caught" I was so intrigued about what he said that I borrowed the first two and breezed through the first one. It wasn't exactly how he described it, but it gets better the farther you get into it. Its only one hundred and twenty something pages, so its a quick read. It's really interesting and I liked it.

"If a stranger offered you the chance to get away with murder...would you take it?

Review | The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy

I got this book for Christmas two years ago, right after the movie came out in theatres. I tried reading it about four times, before I actually made it a goal of mine to finish it. It was tough. I've been reading it on and off for about four months and although I know I don't remember all the details, I finally finished it a 12:23AM. The book is based on The Black Dahlia murder of the late 40's and although it was a while, maybe some hundred and something pages, before both cops really started getting deep in the investigation, it was interesting to read. It was sad and dark, and kind of raw maybe. I don't think I'll ever pick it up again, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.

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Review | The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

I loved this book so much, I can't wait until I read it again some other time. The way the story unfolded and how it was told through Mary's eyes was great. It took me some time to finish, not too sure why, but I thought it was amazing. I watched the movie before this and I loved it as well. I had no idea it was based on the book, and not the just on Henry and one of his, what was it, six wives? It is definitely on my faves list.

Review | Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit

For like the fifty-millionth time. I love, love, love this book. Only a few hundred and thirty something pages long, this book has been probably on my top three faves of all time. I don't know why I decided to read it again, but I couldn't help it and finished it in less than a day. It's fascinating. The story of the Tucks has captivated me since the first time I read it back in sixth grade. I'm pretty sure that no one else in my English class from sixth grade has ever touched this book again. Or maybe I'm wrong, but I could damn well bet on it. Anyways, read it + love it.

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Review | If This Bed Could Talk by Liz Maverick, Lynn LaFleur, Kimberly Dean

Title: If This Bed Could Talk by Liz Maverick, Lynn LaFleur, Kimberly Dean
Series: N/A
Genre: Adult - Romance
Published: May 23rd 2006 by Avon Red
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★

Synopsis: Agent provocateur Liz Maverick: A deadly agent is assigned to prepare an exotic beauty to be the ultimate seductress and perfect spy . . . lessons that will require long hours of personal instruction to perfect her ability to pleasure a man . . . and, ultimately, conquer him.

Unrequited Kimberly Dean: After years of secret longing for his brother's wife, Tyler rejoices when she is set free and ripe for new love—though it may take a prolonged seduction to convince wary Trista to open herself up to pleasure once more.

Victim of Deception Lynn LaFleur: When a woman moves into an old house, she is suddenly tantalized by erotic dreams that cause her to shed her every inhibition . . . leaving her vulnerable to the very real, very irresistible ministrations of the man who'd once broken her heart.

Thoughts: Some erotic romance novel. Three short stories, sure to make things interesting. I picked it up along with a few other books at a local dollar bookstore a while ago. I just needed something romatic-ish without the young-ish part that I've been reading recently. A good beach book kind of read. Made me wish it was summer and that I was tanning somewhere hot.

Review | Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel

Title: Mommies Who Drink by Brett Paesel
Series: N/A
Genre: Autobiography - Memoir
Published: August 10th 2006 by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★

Synopsis: For young single women, every night is Ladies' Night. For Brett Paesel and her friends, Friday happy hour is all they get--if they can wrangle a babysitter. Like most mommies, they support each other through pregnancies, sleep deprivation, and the need to talk about it all. Instead of meeting at the playground, they convene at the local watering hole while sipping Black and Tans and flirting with the cute bartender. With a poignant voice and a fresh style that makes this memoir read like the best women's fiction, Paesel navigates mommyhood in all its forms--the ecstatic, the terrifying, the tedious, the hilarious, the transcendental, and the sticky. Paesel's laugh-out-loud perspective will appeal to all women who are braving the new world of motherhood, where the secret question on their minds at playgroup is "When is it too early in the day to start drinking?"

Thoughts: Maybe its because I don't have children, or because I don't have a Friday night drinking group, or because I would never be fit to be an actress, but I didn't enjoy this book much at all. I kind of just forced myself through most of it, and found the collection of stories in this book a little dull. But I looked up a few reviews after I read it, saw some pictures of the author and I guess I can say it was okay.

Review | Spilling the Beans: Loteria Chicana by Jose Antonio Burciaga

Pretty cool, short essays on Chicanismo. I thought most of them to be pretty interesting and I was surprised at some of the things I learned reading a few of them actually. I love all the spanglish used, and it makes me feel like I'm talking out loud.

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Review | Houston, We Have a Problem by Erin McCarthy

Title: Houston, We Have a Problem by Erin McCarthy
Series: N/A
Genre: Women's Fiction - Contemporary Romance
Published: November 1st 2005 by Kensington
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Synopsis: Dr. Houston Hayes has never had trouble maintaining his professional distance. . .until he meets resident Josie Adkins. Every time she drops a chart in his presence, he's treated to a view that makes him extremely interested in her bones. Jumping them, that is. For a man who prides himself on control at all times, this is a problem. . .

All her life, Josie has wanted to be a surgeon. But how can she do that while she's suffering from the debilitating Dr. Hayes Induced Dropping Medical Equipment Syndrome? And then Dr. Hayes prescribes a cure: one night of sheet-burning passion to erase the tension for both of them. But only one night. . .he won't need more than that. . .

Suddenly, Josie has her mission--a chance to prove to the arrogant Dr. Hayes that one night with her will never be enough. And soon, both doctors may be falling into a desire deeper than any they've ever known. . .

Thoughts:A light fluffy romance, a simple sweet love story. Who knows how long I've had this book sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read, but I finally got to it. It was pretty okay :) I read it pretty quickly because I was enjoying it. I'm not too sure if I liked the authors writing style too much though, so I know I'm not going to go searching for any more of her books any time soon.

Overall, it was a quick easy read and I'm sure I'd enjoy it again at a later time.

Review | Uglies by Scott Westerfield

 "In a world of extreme beauty, anyone normal is ugly."

I enjoyed it. It kind of creeps me out that in the future Earth, everyone is turned beautiful at sixteen. Everyone looks the same, everyone thinks the same, everyone is the same. Although it seems bizarre that this would happen, it in some strange way makes sense. There would be no more anything due to differences. It gives the mind something to think about in a subtle kind of way.

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special:

Happy Birthday Eric :)

my baby brother turns twelve today.