Words by Sooz

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Exactly as described The title tells you everything you need to know about this book and it was perfect for someone like me who spends their work commute reading. It was a super quick read and just a beginner level of astrophysics. So if you haven't read any topics on the subject, it's a great place to start. But there are no deep answers in this book, and there shouldn't be. There is still so much about the universe that we do not know or understand yet. It will make you feel important and insignificant at the same time. View all my reviews

Now I Rise by Kiersten White My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lada is brutal, cruel, destructive and I adore her. The retelling of Vlad the Impaler as a woman is fascinating. Lada has had to literally cut her own way into the world when no one would take her seriously as the Prince of Wallachia. But she inspires and makes people listen even if she doesn't have a gentle touch. Her brother Radu has his own mission as he acts as a double agent in Constantinople. His inner turmoil is very well done as he contends with his love for another man, which is not at all accepted during that time period. While Radu and Lada spent the book apart, the two often thought of the other and tried to consider what their sibling would do. one has grace and cunning while the other has brutality and perserverance. They perfectly complement each other. Great book. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series. View all my reviews

The Falconer by Elizabeth May My rating: 2 of 5 stars I’ve read a lot of books lately that have included fae: Throne of Glass sequel, Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices series) and now The Falconer. The Falconer was the worst of the bunch. I didn’t dislike it, but I certainly didn’t love it. Unfortunately, when I put the book down, I felt annoyed. Even though I know it’s a trilogy, I expected there to be some kind of resolution in part of the story line before I would have to move on to the next book – much like the Throne of Glass series. That’s not the case and The Falconer ends with a cliffhanger that seems to stop right in the middle of an important scene. I was excited when I first started the book. There were some good elemnents. I noticed the steampunk themes and hoped there would be a bit more exploration into that, but instead there were just a few mentions of some devices used in the world. And Aileana is supposed to be an inventor, but the tools aren’t on displa...

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas My rating: 5 of 5 stars I actually wound up liking this better than the first book in the series. Finally, I got to see Celeana, the assassin, which is what she has been billed as. The first book didn't really show much of that. But the character had great growth in the second book. I also loved the banter between Celeana and Chaol. While I didn't agree with every choice made in the book, it wasn't my book to write. At least, Maas made the moments meaningful, and didn't waste people for the sake of having them in a book. My only complaint was that A LOT happening without really happening. I felt the book could have been a bit shorter. Overall, though, I loved it. View all my reviews

Dear Martin by Nic Stone My rating: 5 of 5 stars It's a fascinating read especially with the way we are so aware of what is happening around the country with police brutality toward African-Americans. Reading 'The Hate U Give' was difficult because of the tough nature of the story. 'Dear Martin' is no different. In this case, Justyce, an African-American teen is the center of the story. He gets put in cuffs by a police officer even though he wasn't doing anything wrong. He deals with the conflicting sides of growing up in the hood and going to prep school, where he doesn't feel like he fits in either place. He also has to have "the talk" about being black in America - it's not just about what to do when getting pulled over by cops, but also conducting yourself in every day life. I'm thankful that Nic Stone wrote this book, but also sad that it's the type of book that needs to be written. While fiction, it certainly feels like so...

Where to find it : Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | iTunes  I keep doing this. I start with the wrong book in a series. I don’t do it on purpose, but it turned out The Case of the Werewolf Puppy was actually the second in The Warlock Case Files. The good thing, however, is that there was enough information and action that I didn’t feel as though I was missing anything by starting with Book 2. It made for a good stand-alone book within the series. Author Juli Monroe has a great voice with a very easy, casual feel about it. It’s almost as though a friend is telling you a story rather than an author trying to put a series of actions together. Getting inside the head of Dafydd, the protagonist, is also interesting. He’s a warlock, but it’s more about rituals and potions. That doesn’t mean he is bad. In fact, Dafydd goes through some serious soul searching as he learns more about evil and how far he is willing to go in the name of doing the right thing. ...

Moon Called | Patricia Briggs Summary : The introduction of Mercedes Thompson, a stubborn mechanic who wants to keep to herself. But other people don’t intend on leaving her alone. Mercy lives next door to an Alpha werewolf and they don’t always play nice as she can change into a coyote. However, when her new employee, a newly made, lone wolf from out of town ends up dead on her doorstep and the Alpha is attacked and his daughter kidnapped, Mercy’s instincts kick in to help. Where to find it : Amazon | Apple | Barnes & Noble Review : I started backwards, reading the seventh book in the series first. I enjoyed that book so much, I went back to the beginning. I can see why readers have enjoyed the Mercy Thompson series. She’s a fiery, independent woman who doesn’t want to take people’s crap. She doesn’t seek trouble, yet it has a way of landing on her doorstep. What I found intriguing was the development of certain relationships. I know where Mercy ends up – b...

The Picture of Cool | Laurie Boris Summary : Charlie is a television producer that meets an interesting man who is a guest on the show. The two connect, but Adam has a secret that could tear his family apart. Where to find it: Amazon Review : When reading a book about people and seminal moments, the characters have to be believable. They need to feel real and not as though they are forced into a moment for the sake of a story. Boris did everything right in The Picture of Cool.   The characters are real and in situations easily imagined. The pain Charlie feels as he pines for Adam is something that any person can relate to. Their relationship is gradual and sweet. It doesn’t matter that the main characters are gay, anyone should be able to enjoy this book. Boris leaves a note at the end stating she intends to make these characters part of a longer book, and one I fully intend to read. I actually wanted to learn more about the characters, including ...

The Chase was a gripping thriller, blurring the lines of the law to get justice. Even though Kate O'Hara and Nicholas Fox were once on opposite sides of the law, they don't let that get in the way of their relationship. They work well together, picking up traits from each other along their journey. I didn't read the first book of the series, but the good thing about The Chase was there was enough background information that didn't leave me confused as to how an FBI agent and a career criminal ended up working together. Evanovich and Goldberg did a nice job of recapping their history without making it feel bogged down. The Chase was a fun read, and reminded me of the TV show Leverage where -- to borrow a line from the opening credits -- sometimes bad guys make the best good guys. I'll probably read the first book to get the full picture of how these two started on their path of catching the worst crooks in the world and doing crazy heists all in the name o...

Jacob Lau is shipped off to live with his after his mother goes missing. This is just the beginning of his problems. The Soulkeepers (The Soulkeepers Series) is the first book in the series by G.P. Ching, and her debut novel. Jacob’s father died several years ago. His mother goes missing and is feared dead. He ends up in a town where generations of families have lived and don’t like newcomers. This town and some of their families hold secrets, and Jacob has one of his own. The stereotypical idea of small towns not liking newcomers (or those who aren’t white) seemed a little heavy-handed. Perhaps growing up in a diverse city, I didn’t see much of this when new people showed up in the neighborhood. But it’s a good way to force to characters together who may not have otherwise been friends. Jacob acts like a typical teenager in the middle of a crisis. There were some readers who thought he was acting childish, but he’s 15 and an essentially an orphan. There aren’t...

Ilir Berisha might say he was one of the lucky ones. He got out of Kosova alive while living there during the war, and got to tell his story. Berisha’s book “ Summer Is My Favorite Season: A Memoir of Childhood and War in Kosovo ” paints a true story of a young boy who witnesses some of the worst the world has to offer. His parents are frustrated and frightened. They don’t know where they are going to get their next meal or when the electricity will return or if they will ever get running water again. His father has to work the black market to make money. And a beloved uncle is killed by a Serbian group. When three masked men storm their apartment on a night where NATO bombs are falling around them, Berisha doesn’t know if he and his family will make it out alive. The men could kill them or perhaps a bomb will miss its target. It wouldn’t be the first time Berisha wished for a quick death. And he was just 14 years old. Berisha’s memoir is gripping. He starts...

Love can happen in any number of ways, even when it’s the last thing you want. Even when the world is screaming at you that love is just around the corner, it can be hard for people to accept. Shaynie Gavin finds herself in that moment when Divinity and The Python starts. She’s a young Canadian woman who is connected spiritually to nature. She’s senses things around her from the way the wind blows or a candle moves, and allows nature to guide her. Shaynie doesn’t seem to want to listen to the part where it says that local hockey hero Cameron Weste is the one for her. Although, he’s known to get around the party scene, it seems much of her reluctance has a lot to do with self-loathing from what she calls “Hellnight,” an alcohol-induced night that Shaynie can only grab bits of memories. Bonnie Randall created an interesting heroine. She’s not perfect. She’s independent. Even when she makes the wrong choices, it seems Shaynie does so knowing there will be consequences. However, ...

It didn’t take long to realize Larry Doyle had a background in television while reading “I Love You, Beth Cooper.” His book tried to be a John Hughes like teenage rom-com with Superbad mixed in. You couldn’t help but see the movie playing in your head while reading the book. There was fighting, police cars, kissing, beer and a wild party. However, at the end I didn’t find myself rooting for the hero. I was just happy to be done with it. The characters were flat and I found them mostly sad and pathetic. Doyle included every one-note stereotype he could think: the dorky virgin, the head cheerleader, the kind-of-gay best friend, the slutty ditz, coke-up steroid freak and even  a black guy who sells drugs (Doyle actually called him a black wigger and was one of just two black people in the school). What is meant to feel like a night of discovery is left feeling like a night of stupid choices. It feels like a night that has gone horribly wrong where a concussion or a brain ble...

The Fever Series has thrilled me since the beginning. I loved following Mac’s story and the people who came in and out of her life. That wasn’t any different with Dani O’Malley, 14-year-old with special abilities. She was good supporting characters, giving Mac a chance to have a sisterly relationship. So, I was concerned with Karen Marie Moning’s new Fever series starring the flippant, cocky teenager, starting with Iced: A Dani O'Malley Novel (Fever Series) . Reading the book didn’t ease any of those concerns. KMM books have explicit sexual scenes in them. Having a 14-year-old as the main character gave me an icky feeling from the beginning. I know some 14 years olds engage in this behavior, I just don’t want to think about it, much less read about it. SPOILER (go to the next paragraph if you don’t want to know): Dani doesn’t actually have sex in the book, which is good considering two of three love interests are way too old for her. As in 14 will get you 20 ki...