Monster Diaries 1: The Negative Monsters!: Negative Nelly & Negative Ned by Bolaji O.

I downloaded this book after browsing the free section of Amazon in the hunt for some research. I thought it was a cute cover and I was extremely interested.

The lesson from this book is pretty awesome. The idea of building self-esteem in children is one that is always a question of debate. Do you teach them to fight or walk away? In Bolaji O's Monster Diaries 1: The Negative Monsters! there are lessons not only for children, but also for parents.

To build the self-esteem of children with their own minds is one that was never taught to me. I was praised for what I did right and punished for what I did wrong. Simple and easy, nothing more than what my parents were taught truthfully. Bolaji O's however gave me a different perspective to look into giving confidence to my future children.

However, this book needed some additional editing. Towards the end there were a few sentences cut off or repeated on my copy of this book, but overall it was an extremely easy read.

I recommend this book, but warn readers that there are some grammar issues.

New For 2015

First I want to say Thank you to all of my readers! Whether you subscribe, follow me through social media or word of mouth I want to say thank you to all of you for hanging in there with me through the last year.

This is the first time in all of my blogging years that I have ever reached over 1000 views and I wouldn't have been able to do it without all of you!

Onward, a new year brings on new challenges. After some careful consideration, I have decided to add reviews of Children's and Young Adult books this year as well. My reviews for this genre will be posted every Tuesday (Tot Tuesday as I call it). I'm excited about this because I have been working on my own children's book series and find this is just one more addition to my own personal study of the art of writing.

If you are an author and have a book that you would like a review please drop me a comment with the title and a link where I can find it for purchase.

You can also log onto my other blog The Queen Bee where I talk about writing, reading, and the world of working in communications and marketing.

And don't forget to find me on facebook and twitter.

Ape House by Sara Gruen

I love books that I can't put down, Ape House by Sara Gruen was exactly one of those novels. Truthfully I didn't even realize that this was the same author of Water for Elephants until I was halfway through the book.

Sara's career as an author seems to creep up on me in an extremely good way. I loved Water for Elephants, so I was not surprised by her talent in this tantalizing story.

John Thigpen, a journalist, who's career and marriage is on the rocks when he is brought to the Ape House after an explosion in which the caretaker of the Ape's, Isabel, is injured. Isabel's family is with the Apes, she understands them, she loves them and cares for them as if they were her own. So when the Apes are captured and blasted over media for entertainment she has to get her family back.

The story is full of twist and turns for both John and Isabel who are both on a journey of holding their families together in this disaster of animal rights protests. This book is vastly different in Water for Elephants and I feel that comparing Gruen's work is unnecessary in that aspect. Her love for animals is honest and true which is well seen in both books. However, the relationships she has built are challenging in both stories and therefore Ape House cannot be truly compared to Water for Elephants.

Ape House provides the reader a look into a man's mind as he worries and wallows in his misfortunes that are of his career and marriage. The thoughts and feelings of a man in these situations are usually hidden, even in real life, so to have them brought forth gives the reader an understanding that man are not robotic non-emotional humans.

I recommend Ape House time and time again to those who ask for suggestions. It's not your viral best seller (as I call them), but this is a well established author with her own political and personal beliefs weaved into each book, something that I find makes for a great author in general.

The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin

I have always been told that The Stepford Wives book was better than the movie. Truth be told I'm not so sure about that opinion now.

I'm a true fan of the movie version featuring Nicole Kidman and as I began to read Ira Levin's story I felt as though the plot was sticking rather well to the movie. But somewhere around the time when there was suddenly no details to the life within Stepford did I become increasingly lost. Yes, the daily grind that Joanna goes through is described along with the sudden fear in which she harbors, but this was not until the end.

The book felt empty compared to the movie. But more compounding was my utter confusion in the end. I understand based on the movie what happens, but there was no evidence of the robotic clones as evidence throughout the book. Do the women change? Yes, but without explanation, leaving the reader lost. The behaviors of these women just changed.

Could be drugs, hypnotism, or as in the movie computer chips. Could the missing pieces to allow for the reader to build their own story? What about the politics within the community? Maybe by watching the movie more times than I can count I found myself lost on this book.

Overall it's a good read, but I found so much to be missing that the ending was more confusing than it was fulfilling. I would have to say that the movie was better than the book this time around.

Trains & Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith

Have you ever needed something to just slap you in the face and make you wake up to reality? Relationships are hard, breakups are even harder. And sometimes we get stuck in this mind set that they will start over, even though you know in your heart it's really over.

I've been in that type of relationship. I've been the one hoping it will start over, but I've also been the one to cause the pain as well. So when I picked up Trains and Lovers by Alexander McCall Smith I truly didn't know what to expect.

I truthfully just really liked the cover. What I found was much more. I read the book from front to back in one night. I have never done this, never once in my life. The stories that Smith places between these four strangers on a train will propel you into the story of love and loneliness.

Would one divulge such intricate details to someone they don't know? Have you ever been stuck next to someone on a flight across the country and suddenly they know your whole story or you know theirs? What about the person on the train next to you? Everyone has a story of love and Smith shows us very eloquently how they intertwine into an amazing lesson.

Smith takes you on a ride through each characters story of love and how they question the existence of true love, whether with "the one" or family. Each character has a story, one that defines the position of their life, another a secret that must stay hidden, and two that leave each in a question of faith, trust and understanding.

While reading this book I found myself releasing my love and guilt from past relationships, understanding that paths cross, love is meant to bloom and fade, and that sometimes secrets are ok to be left hidden. The heart is a scary place, it can shatter into pieces instantly and take years to rebuild. But Smith does a great job of throwing the existence of an awkward situation and turning it into a true love story.

I thought that I would wind up reading about how to lonely passengers fall in love, but what I got was so much more. While this is a love story, it's not one in which the title portrays. I recommend this book with my whole heart. I have never fallen so deeply in love with a book or the stories behind it.

Death of a Mill Girl (Josiah Beede Mysteries) By Clyde Linsley

This book took me three tries to get into, however I'm so thankful I stuck it out. Clyde Linsley's, Death of a Mill Girl was tantalizing and a page turner in the end. I'm not a normal mystery or suspense genre fan, which is why I think this book took me so many tries to grasp my attention.

The finding of a dead girl in the middle of a field with no possible suspects seems deterring and agonizing as the girl in herself is a complete mystery. Josiah Beede takes on the case in hopes of finding the killer and soon harbors his main suspect at his farm as a means of watching him.

The beginning of the book is very dry, but as I pushed forward I found myself increasingly interested in finding out who the murder was. The problem with this book is that I truly don't remember much about the killer or the plot, what I remember the most is that the book dived into the historical concepts of mill workers and the deplorable situations they were required to work and live in. Linsley's book while was a suspenseful mystery I stayed interested because of the history in the end more than the plot line.

While this is not a read I would pick up again I'm still interested in Linsley's work for the sole fact of bringing history to life on the pages. If you like a mixture of history, mystery and fiction this would be a great read for your library.

The Orphan Sister by Gwendolen Gross

Growing up I've always wondered what it would have been like to be a twin or even a triplet. My fascination with multiples comes from a long family line of multiples, my dad being a twin himself.

To have a built in best friend from the time of conception seems like a bond unfounded. But sometimes this concept makes a turn for the worst and instead of best friends you feel like the third wheel without direction.

In The Orphan Sister, by Gwendolen Gross, Clementine Lord is the third daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Lord and the third of a set of triplets. Clementine however is nothing like her sisters, for one she is the only one not identical within the set of three, unmarried and without a passion for healing humans. Her life has all been about being the odd one out.

Clementine is swept into family drama as her father suddenly disappears without notice and her family is in denial of the tragedy at hand. As the story moves forward Clementine faces the ideas that she never measured up to his standards or that of her sisters and mother. Her rebellion and love are torn to pieces one tragedy at a time all of which help piece her back together with her sisters in the end.

Clementine's story is refreshingly new and different. Gross is an author that is staying on my radar for the future. I highly recommend this novel as the obstetrical faced by each member of the family is one that reunites the bond that is formed from day one between the sisters.

Snow by Maxence Fermine

Falling in love is one of the easiest and hardest things to do with life. Whether it's the love of an animal, child or your soul mate, there are boundaries that have to be crossed to allow hearts to collide.

Maxence Fermine writes a poetically beautiful novel about finding love in Snow: A Novel. This is a very quick read, with only 112 pages, but it is one that will take you on a journey of a young man coming into manhood in 1884, Japan.

Yuko Akita lives in Japan where his father informs him that it is time to find an occupation. Yuko, only 17 at the time, explains to his father his love for a poetry and has determined to turn this into a career. Yuko's father resist his son's wishes in the beginning, but as his son shows him his love of snow and the color white through his poems his father soon wants to help his son flourish to fame within the imperial court.

Yuko learns that while he can portray snow and white in elegant vibrancy, he has no color to his poetry. Afraid of failure in his love of poetry Yuko seeks out on an adventure through the snowy mountains of Japan in search for Soseki, who will teach him the missing pieces of art to complete Yuko's snow white poems.

What Yuko learns is the lesson in love is not one color and builds deeply even at the end of time on earth.

This was an extremely easy read, flowing through the pages very quickly I found myself falling in love with Yuko and his journey. A page turner for sure and I'm now on the hunt for more of Fermine's work.

Emerson's Attic: The Blue Velvet by Kathleen Andrews Davis

I had the privilege of meeting Kathleen Andrews Davis while at a writing conference a few months ago where she handed me a copy of her book series Emerson's Attic.

This review is of the first book in the series Emerson's Attic called The Blue Velvet. This book captivated me within the first few pages. As a middle grade book (my first review for this age group) I found myself wanting more. As Emerson is reeled back into time I'm reminded of the TV show Downton Abby and the staff that make the house and show a great success. 

Emerson is your typical teenager with technology being a staple in her life. When she is punished for an argument and forced to clean the hot, dirty attic Emerson finds herself rummaging through items that where once the objects of enjoyment to older generations. 

In her process of cleaning she finds a trunk that houses a blue velvet hat. Out of curiosity and glamour Emerson places the hat on her head and admires the old fashion style. Next thing you know she's taken off into a world in which she doesn't know or understand. But Emerson has little problems adjusting to this new world. 

With Lizzy's help, Emerson is able to navigate enough through the strange world without too many "slip ups" of the 21st century mindset she holds. Emerson travels for a reason, but to understand the reason she must understand and grow with the story. 

Davis does a great job of incorporating the young, old, new and historic together in this story line. I found that changing my mind set back to being a young kid helped me understand the writing style more than anything. As an adult the mystery of the book felt empty with extreme detail missing, however for a tween these details most likely would mean nothing to the reader. Adult books feel much more in depth vs. middle grade, but then again I can barely remember actually loving books at that age. 

This is a great book that dives the reader into many different genres; mystery, suspense, and time travel; a way to build the young readers interest on numerous levels and having them want more.

At the end of the book I wanted to know more about Emerson and her adventures; it's a good thing too because Davis has a second book to the Emerson's Attic series Smoke & Mirrors available now.

The Murder's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

Lulu and Merry are orphaned sisters with the nightmare tale leaving their mother dead and their father imprisoned. Lulu blames her father not only for the death of their mother, but for stealing their innocents and future.

The sisters grow up complete opposites, one successful while the other is lost in the trauma of their past. Throughout the story you gain a great insight to the drifting relationships and angst towards their father.

Does time served really out rule the heartache of killing? The question that Lulu and Merry are plagued with when their father reveals that he is seeking parole after serving years for their mothers death. In his journey however, he also seeks the forgiveness of his daughters.

Meyers portray of each woman's thoughts and feelings of their situation is very well detailed and drawn out for the reader. Everyone responds differently to traumatic events, children especially when all they knew was that the person who hurt them was the one that was suppose to take care of them.

Lulu and Merry's stories are real in the context that they happen every day throughout the world. While it may not be murder, it could be death, rape, or illness, children use different coping mechanisms. Lulu spent years escaping what her father had done to her by burying her nose in a book while Merry's trust in men dwindles into loveless, sexually driven relationships.

The question is how would you handle living through a traumatic experience like theirs?  Knowing that the one person you used to trust hurt you the most? Would you want to keep them in your life? Is blood really thicker?

All of these are ones that Lulu and Merry faced constantly. Their minds and concepts of the situation grew drastically different as they grew up. Lulu refused to admit that her father was a murder while Merry finds comfort in giving her own attacker company at the prison. Forgiveness on his acts however, are not handed over easily. They are riddled with contempt and anger that will give both woman lessons of themselves that not even they could expect.

The book itself rest on emotions that are very rarely brought to the forefront of American literature as the main focus. Hope, redemption, forgiveness and fear; all make up the world of The Murderer's Daughters. 

What a year can bring

This past year of reading has been one full of achievements and disappointments. I have found that I can't set limits on myself. Life can get in the way cause many setbacks. Planning ahead is great, giving me goals to reach towards, but I have learned to accept the moment of failure.

I haven't failed in my goal of reading more, I've failed in achieving the goal of reading all the books I promised myself I would. I have read numerous books throughout the year, many that I just haven't had time to review, but plan on.

I also failed miserably on not buying books. I have acquired over 25 new books this year alone. Either through my kindle or actual books.

So what does this mean for the future? I means I keep reading, I keep reviewing and stop challenging my goals. I wanted to read more and I achieved that. I can't complain about anything more. Life got in the way with unexpected twist and turns. Our lives are stories waiting to be told, just as a great book would have, the unexpected is right around the corner.

My future holds many things. I will keep reviewing books, mainstream or indie it doesn't matter to me. I have no time limit on finishing my library because I know it will forever grow.

Therefore I decided to change the name of my blog. Road to Review or roadtobookreview.com for address purposes. 

This challenge has allowed me to dive deep into my likes, loves and distaste for books. I've read books that don't seem to spark a fire in me while others I wish never ended. But more than anything, I've learned that books are my passion. I have spent years hidden behind a keyboard writing. Whether is be in a blog, short story, novel or what not. I love to write and I honestly can't wait to find my own book on the shelves of the local book store someday.

I have started the process of finally getting my writings published and I can't wait! From editing, talking to publishers and agents; my mind swims with joy everyday on this crazy insane process. 

For now I am working on setting up my own website where my readers can join me in the many different adventures I experience. It's a hub for all my writings. In a sense it's my portfolio. Once the website is complete I will have a launch! I am excited about this adventure and finally heading on the right path with my career. 

I don't know what will happen next, but all I can say is keep reading. You never know where your next adventure will lead you!