Hunted

I just finished this book, the only book I actually read while I was on Christmas break. This book was probably the worst of the series, but I feel obliged to read on since I borrowed them from J and she really loved them and told me how much she loved them. I continue to try to enjoy them, but geez... Vamps, fallen gods, teens succumbing to their hormones... Ugh...

Walking Around in Cirles Before Lying Down

I loved this book. It was funny and unexpected. There were names that I recognized, and I forgot for a moment that this book was fiction. I loved that the dog had a voice and said all the things that I know my dogs say on a daily basis, though I am not tuned in enough to hear them. Please read this book. I wish I could write more about how much I love it, but alas, I am a student again and school has to take precedence.

The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker

I just finished this book and it seems fitting since I just moved into a first floor apartment in a rather large city with a high crime rate. Honestly, the book made me feel safer, not by teaching me how to fight off an attacker, but to trust my instinct when I feel I am not safe. It taught me not to fear just because of where I am, but to really listen and see and take in what is around me, because that is where the most valuable information can be found.

This book was interesting because it provided both facts and interesting incidents of aberrational behavior ranging from domestic violence to serial killers to kids who kill. I also learned that if you are in a situation in which teens are involved, especially more than one, you are really in danger because they are most likely to kill.

This book was a self-help, but not in the traditional way. It is a book that can be used to help you live in situations where you may otherwise face death. I hope I never have to apply the things I learned while reading this book, but I am glad that it was recommended and that I took the time to really dig into what De Becker had to say.

I can 100% recommend this book to any reader. My sister has read it and I told my best friend that she also needs to read it. Take the time to go through. It does take quite a bit of time, and not everything will apply to every reader, but it really is worth it.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I read Shiver only because I saw it at Walmart one day and it looked like something a younger kid might like. Little did I know that it would be GREAT! The book is about a girl who loves wolves and has her fantasy realized when her favorite wolf turns out to be a human. This book is not the traditional werewolf story. It is a book that highlights young love, and for me, a late 20's woman, it really transported me  back to the fantasies I had when I was 14, 15, 16 years old. There are alternating viewpoints, both from the male and female perspective.

 I am slightly disappointed that there is a series because I wanted the book to end where it did and let me imagine the rest, but there are more. I will have to read them eventually, namely because I just thought of more questions that I wanted answers to, but I would have been content to let this book stand alone.

Recommendation? Read it! Be 14 again. Love again. Hide away for the few hours this book lasts.

Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

I finished this book today. I am still really enjoying this series. There is a lot of repetition, and that can get old, but there are big punches of action in each book. I forgot about Zoey's love life being a big source of conflict in the last book. In this book, it really played a large part in the plot. Zoey, bless her heart, is struggling with her relationship with three beautiful men who all seem to adore her, an everyday problem for all of us, I'm sure... In this book, her love life continues to spiral out of control, as does her relationship with Neferet. There is a huge climax at the end that made me happy to have the rest of the series in my house so I can keep going. I was waiting for this moment, so I am glad it actually ended the way it did, though it was a major cliff hanger.

Recommendation? Keep reading! : )

Chosen by P.C. and Kristin Cast

I admit I finished this book about a week ago. I was sick and didn't feel like typing. Now, I still don't feel like typing, but I finished the next book, so I am going to go ahead and write what I need to write. I can't remember Chosen as well as the most recent book I finished. I know that Stevie Rae was a main character in this book in a big way. I liked it well enough to immediately request the next at the library, so get started with this series and keep reading. So far, I am enjoying it.

A Touch of Dead by Charlaine Harris

I read this book because I wanted to know about Sookie. Surprisingly, I finished half of it while I was waiting in the pharmacy for three prescriptions. It was truly a collection of short stories. I remembered some of the main characters, but there were more minor characters that I didn't remember or didn't care about. I plan on sharing this book with J, who loves Sookie and so many other books. I think it is one to read if you have some spare time, but it isn't memorable enough to keep.