Follow My Book Blog Friday

DO YOU JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER?

Is there seriously somebody who has never done this at some time or another? Yes, I have judged a book by it's cover before. You tend to think of that as seeing a book and thinking it must be bad because the cover is horrible, but I have picked up a book thinking the cover looked so good and been very disappointed.  I guess you just never know until you delve in.

Judgment Day by Wanda L. Dyson and a Giveaway!

Suzanne Kidwell hosts a weekly cable show called Judgment Day where she is known for her sensational journalism.  Her goal is to exploit and expose people of prominence for the lies they tell.  She fancies herself a champion of ethics when in fact, she is quite the opposite.  Suzanne’s lazy investigation tactics and creative embellishments put her job in jeopardy and leave innocent people ruined.

Things begin to go terribly wrong when Suzanne’s boyfriend dies in a car accident that was meant for her.  Then the police find someone murdered on her living room floor and she has the blood on her hands.  Jail is the last place Suzanne ever expects to find herself and when she comes face to face with a man she betrayed in college, things really start to heat up.  Suzanne knows about something big, something worth killing for if she can just stay alive long enough to prove it.

This book was fast paced and I couldn’t help but be sucked in to the plot.  The character of Suzanne as a cold hearted journalist looking for fame and success definitely came across well.  In fact, I really didn’t like her at the beginning and I still didn’t like her at the end.  I felt like her change of heart at the end was shallow and more about her brush with death than actual regret for her horrible treatment of others.  The plot rotates around the horrible practice of organ harvesting and it is a sad and sick thing.  I’m sure it does happen today, but I shudder to think of it.  Overall, if I view this book as a distraction and don’t think too much about it, I liked it.  It was a quick, engaging read.

I received this book courtesy of Blogging for Books for my honest review.  They actually sent me and extra book to give away so if you love a good murder mystery kind of book, leave me a comment here with your email address.  Giveaway will end Tuesday, April 19^th.

Unsinkable: A Young Woman's Courageous Battle on the High Seas by Abby Sunderland and Lynn Vincent

This book follows the epic and heroic journey of sixteen year old Abby Sunderland as she sets out to be the youngest person to sail nonstop around the world unassisted.  Setting out from Marina Del Rey, California, Abby sailed a southern route around Cape Horn and become the youngest person to sail solo around the “Mount Everest of sailing”, proving wrong the critics that predicted her trip would last a few weeks at most.  Abby literally battled against the odds as her equipment failed, vicious storms pounded her, and the public attacked her family.  The greatest test came in the Indian Ocean, twenty-seven million square miles of the most treacherous and wicked waters on the earth.  Here Abby battled alone against the waves that would change her life forever.

When I first saw this book, I was interested.  I hoped that it would be an engaging read but didn’t really expect great things from it.  In the middle of reading another book, I picked up Unsinkable and thought I’d just take a glance at the first bit.  I couldn’t put it down.  All other books become non-existent as I became swept up in the story of Abby’s sailing.   I loved how the first chapter took me right into the middle of her worst nightmare and then pulled me out and placed me in the beginning where I learned about Abby’s family and her first experiences onboard a sailing boat.  The story is cleverly told, alternating between Abby and a narrator where we get a whole picture.  There was a glossary in the back that helped me understand the sailing terms I am positively uneducated in.  There was also a diagram of Abby’s boat so I could identify where the things were that were being talked about.  It was an education!  What I loved most about Abby’s story is her courage and tenacity.  What a remarkable young woman.  I was so impressed with the calm self control and that core strength that Abby possesses that got her through the tough times.  At one point, her equipment was failing and she had to fix it.  She spent the whole night, drenched in cold water, in the dark trying to fix something with only verbal instructions over the phone.  She never lost her head, never became rude or impatient.  She kept trying and refused to give into the many things stacked against her.  That is some kind of impressive control.

I loved reading this book.  I can’t say enough good about how impressive Abby Sunderland is.  Her story is inspiring.  This is a fantastic read for adults and teens alike, and I’m better for reading it.

I received this book from BookSneeze for my honest review.

Winner of Across the Universe!

Congratulations to Annette who won the giveaway for Across the Universe by Beth Revis!  Annette said,"I haven't read this yet, but I am so intrigued. It seems many bloggers have a "love/hate" relationship with this book. I'm looking forward to seeing what it's all about. Great review. Thanks!"
Enjoy the book, Annette!

Infinity: Chronicles of Nick by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Sarcastic, quick-witted Nick Gautier thinks he knows pretty much everything about the world going on around him.  At fourteen, he’s had his share of hard knocks.  With his dad in prison, his mother working as an exotic dancer and barely bringing in enough money to feed them, Nick knows plenty about being poor and doing without.  At school he is constantly bullied by kids who think they are better than him because they have money and status.  Nick knows how to be tough.  Then weird things start happening, like one of the kids at school tries to eat another kid.  The world Nick thinks he knows is only the surface of what is really out there.  As he quickly learns, looks can be deceiving and things are not always what they seem.

There are a few things I liked in this book.  I enjoyed the dry sarcasm Nick had.  It was quirky and often funny.  I liked the idea of paying forward the kindnesses you receive, especially if you are in a position to help others.  I could relate to a mother who loved her son and wanted better for him that what she got dealt in life. 


Past that, for me, this was a read I endured.  I’m not a fan of zombie books so it didn’t have much appeal to me.  I felt like for most of the book that I was missing out on something.  This series is a prequel to Kenyon’s adult Dark Hunter series, which I haven’t read.  I’m pretty sure that’s why I always felt like I didn’t really know some things that were going on that I should have.


As for content, there is language and while there is no explicit sex, there are plenty of sexual references.  I actually read this book per request for the website The Literate Mother where we review books for content for those that want to know.  If you are interested in the breakdown on content you can view it here.  

Last Day for Across the Universe Giveaway!

Just a reminder that today (Monday 4-4) is the last day to get in on the Across the Universe Giveaway.  You can read my review and get in on  the giveaway here.

Follow My Book Blog Friday

Q. WHAT IS THE BOOK THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT TO LOVING??

I don't think there is a book I don't want to admit to loving. If I love a book, I'll tell you. I think everybody is entitled to their own opinion, especially about books and what one person loves another may hate. But if you love a book others hate, there has to be a reason, right? There are so many books I love. I admit to all of them.  :)

If you haven't read Across The Universe yet, enter my giveaway. It ends on Monday.  

Happy Friday!