California Here I Come - Happy Early Easter

Hey all! I just wanted to say a happy Easter! Thursday, at the butt-crack of dawn, I'll be jumping on a plane to visit my family! I'll still jump on my phone and comment and check my comments, but my presence will be limited. I'll be back Tuesday so only a mini vacation! Miss ya'll!

I'll take pictures!!

Book Review: Hunter Moon

Author:  Cait Lavender
Title: Hunter Moon
Genre: Contemporary, Drama, Action, Fantasy, Comedy 
Pages: e-book
First Published: March 1st, 2012
Where I Got It: Given to me to read and review for Ever After Pr


"Bawling cattle tore Shelby Flint from her bed. With lawyer fees to pay in her struggle to keep her ranch from the clutches of her greedy cousins, she couldn’t afford the loss of even one calf. When she sees a large wolf circling her cows, she aims and fires. While the wolf escapes, Shelby can’t seem to get away from her troubles when a marijuana grower sets up shop on her land, sabotaging her property and eventually coming after her. Adding to that, a handsome game warden is poking his nose into her business and working his way underneath her skin. Shelby will have to fight harder than she ever fought before to keep from losing heart and everything she ever loved."


Like earlier stated...I read this for Ever After Pr for my honest opinion.


The cover may be slightly crappy, but don't let that keep you away from this book! Just summary alone makes me want to re-read this. Perhaps it was the promise that all the reviews I've for this book was positive or I'm a huge werewolf kick right now. Well, I love those werewolves, but lately I've been wanting read non-stop werewolf fun!


The story began off a little slow and it made me groan slightly. Once the game warden appeared in all his yummy-ness I was instantly hooked. After introducing his character and a few tense moments, the story died a little for four chapters, but then it picked up again. Perhaps Cait Lavender did this on purpose; the calm before the storm? I don't know, but once I got past those four or so chapters I could NOT put this down. I even stayed awake WAY past my bedtime and had to force myself out of bed for work in the morning. I'm a bad kid, I know.


On surface both Shelby and Cash (the game warden) seem like they would be shallow, 2D, perfect characters, but they aren't. I was so happy that Cait Lavender avoided that ditch and made all her characters very believable and 3D. Even the side characters had some very good depth. Even the womanizer brother of Cash had some depth. ^.^ I really liked Shelby (the main chicka), because she was kick-ass. She could handle herself and I would be a lucky gal if she were to be my friend. I loved her sarcasm and her sassyness. She doesn't take anyone's crap. In some odd way, she reminded me cowgirl version of my friend Anee. I loved Cash too...he is the only man alive that can keep up with Ms.Sarcastic-cowgirl-who-could-kick-your-rump.


Not only did the characters have some nice realness to them, but the story also had a lot of depth and complex parts. I wasn't expecting the story to have so many layers, which it did and I loved it! I thought I had everything figured out, but Cait Lavender would throw another curve-ball to the story.


There was a lot I loved about this book and I don't have enough time or energy to do so, so I'll just skip to part I hated. The ending made me want to scream! I nearly killed my poor Kindle Fire. I kept trying the next page, but nothing appeared! I kept sliding the screen, but there was no more! Many people have had this situation occur to them when they ended the book. I feel like Cait Lavender just pushed me off a cliff and I'm hanging by a piece of string. It was a great cliff-hanging ending, don't get me wrong, but WHY CRUEL FATES!? WHY? *clears throat* Sorry, but now I'm dying to get my hands on the second book. I believe this is going to be a trilogy. Mhmmm. Not 100% sure, but I know there is another one coming out someday.


Anyways, this was a wonderful read and I'm simply dying to read the sequel. My eye is slightly twitching, because of the ending. Cruel author! Very cruel. Well...besides for the ending I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this for those that love a nice love story, action, drama, a smoking hot game warden, and a kick-ass heroine. I grant this one 4 stars.

Favorite Character(s): Shelby, Cash, James (even though he was pain in the rump), and Jesse
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Shelby's cousins


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<3CaroleRae

Book Review: House Made of Dawn

Author: N. Scott Momaday
Title: House Made of Dawn
Genre: Historical Fiction, Cultural, War, Classics
Pages: 198
First Published: 1968
Where I Got It: My Shelf (Amazon)


 

"The magnificent Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of a proud stranger in his native land.

He was a young American Indian named Abel, and he lived in two worlds. One was that of his father, wedding him to the rhythm of the seasons, the harsh beauty of the land, the ecstasy of the drug called peyote. The other was the world of the twentieth century, goading him into a compulsive cycle of sexual exploits, dissipation, and disgust. Home from a foreign war, he was a man being torn apart, a man descending into hell."

This is the first novel I've read by N. Scott Momaday and probably not the last. I've heard mixed reviews about this, so I was ecstatic to read it and form my own opinion.

When I first began to read I found myself in love with the scenery that Momaday showed. Well, I had already a deep love for the scenery since I went out to California last year. I felt very connected with the world he described and showed me, however that was the only thing I could connect to.

I felt very distant with the characters and the plot. I was confused a lot because the book wasn't in chronological order, which really bugs me. It's hard to follow a story where events are happening WAY out of order. I'm a fast reader, but I had to slow myself down so I could try to place the events in order. I don't know why Momaday wrote it that way, but I know he probably has a good reason (or so I hope). Also, the way he presented the characters seemed like they were far away. I had a hard time connecting with them. The only character that I truly understood was Angela, who was a little nuts.

Besides for the oddly placed events and the distant characters, I really liked this book. It has a good, deep meaning about self-discovery and finding your place in the world. Abel is not only a man who is lost in his world, but he's also a War Veteran who is tormented by the war. I felt so bad for him, but through him and his life Momaday shows that anyone can find their way to self-discovery and enlightenment.

It took me a while to read, but I'm glad I read it. There may be some major issues that  are hard to ignore (at least for me), but I found Momaday's writing style to be like magic. He wove such a wonderful story with beautiful scenery. It's a good book and I'm glad I own it, because I might re-read this in the future. I wish I could give this 5 stars, but I can't. I have to give this 4 stars; it would be 3.5 stars but I don't give decimals. 

Favorite Character(s): Milly and Abel

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Angela

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<3CR