The Road To Cordia, by Jess Allison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to hate this book. I was halfway through and was convinced that nothing good would happen to the protagonist, 14 year old Ja'Nil of the Fisherfolk.

Here's this young girl, ostracized by her people and living with horrible memories of a tragic past, who's thrust into this unwanted journey in search of a healer. And pretty much every character she meets on her way to Cordia has ulterior motives when it comes to poor Ja'Nil. Except for the potential love interest. He's not evil...yet.

On the other hand, the majority of the female characters are strong and smart and likeable. I wonder if the author was trying to make a point.

And yet, I liked what I read. The second half of the book focused more on the overarching storyline versus Ja'Nil's misfortunes, and this is where the writing is at its strongest.

I just don't think it's enough for me to want to read part 2.

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I tried a new Tilapia recipe today. It was a simple bake with lemon, garlic, and sage. Delish!

I always have a hard time cooking fish. I never know what condiments to add, how long to bake, and nothing is as fancy as the stuff you get at restaurants. Sure, I'm not a Master Chef, but I'd like to at least do something simple like fish.

Methinks I can count today as a success.

Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So, I received a free copy for review...

I really wanted to like this book. As a matter of fact, I believe it deserves a 2.5 rating versus just a 2 because it was a decent read.

I'm a fan of urban fantasy. The world Wright creates is intriguing, and I see the parallels to our history's past. The problem is that it's not enough. The book glosses over this world giving little hints and pieces. Supernaturals are branded and relegated to habitats, but why this was done isn't explained. Mixed breeds are hated but again, there's no explanation as to why. I'm guessing this will be explained in the next books, but it comes off as lazy story-telling.

The book seems more focused on the romance, and it's horrible. We're supposed to feel perplexed over who Lanore should choose. Hulking and beautiful MeShack, or hulking and beautiful Zulu. Their skin-color is the only characteristic that really tells them apart, but even that changes. These men are alpha males, misogynistic, brutish, and boring, but the heroine soaks it all up. I hated them, and I could not stand Lanore. One second she's all tough and determined, and the next she's unrealistically skittish and cowardly. It's lazy writing meant to please the romance freaks. Sorry, I just don't do poorly written romance.

Like I said, it's a nifty world. Some of the plot points were intriguing, but at less than 300 pages long, it's not that great.

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CISPA Amendment Proves Everyone's Fears Were Justified While Failing To Assuage Them | Techdirt

The single biggest criticism of CISPA is that it could be used by the federal government in a way that infringes on people's privacy, allowing government agencies, including the NSA, to sift through the private data of American citizens with...

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Sonant by A. Sparrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What a quirky read. I love a book that can just lose itself in the details. In Sonant, music plays a huge part in the plot, and it was fun to just read through lines dwelling on the harmony and melody of sound. For a music lover, it's the ultimate geekfest. I was revited.

Religion also seems to be a focus of this novel in both it's positive and negative aspects. The over zealous anre humane but flawed as are the ones without faith. It's not preachy in the least. It's quirky.

My only complaint is the editing. Words were missing, creating incomplete gaps in sentences. Filling in the blank was no biggie, but the book could have used a bit more editing.

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Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, so I have one question that nagged me throughout the entire book. Why was Ethan's fate messed with? I get who did it, but who was behind it? It's probably staring me in the face.

Anyway, what an awesome series. Loved the world building and the characters. The reveal of what Link did at 9 was just hysterical. I think he's such a great character. Really, what a nifty series.

So sad it's over. 🙁

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Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Almost the entire time I was reading this book I kept thinking, "how was the movie version? I have to see the movie!" Only to probably be disappointed.

Ethan's a great character. He's sweet and loyal, and maybe a little funny. The book is told from his point of view, which I wasn't expecting, but being that he's the Mortal of the story, it brings a unique male perspective. His love for Lena is sweet, and you feel for him when things don't go quite as expected.

The other characters are fairly well developed, with Amma and Macon being the most intriguing of the bunch.

For being Young Adult, the read was fun and quick. I definitely recommend t.

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The Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

No mas!!!

Had a promising start which devolved into one ginormous bitchfest. I could have done without the Dolph angst and the Richard angst. New characters showed up out of no where only to disappear just as quickly and I'm supposed to care?

Who finds this crap appealing?

No more Anita Blake novels for me.

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Lágrimas en la lluvia by Rosa Montero
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's a lot to love about this book. It's set in the world of Blade Runner and yet it isn't. The main character is Bruna Husky, a replicant, a technohuman who ritualistically counts down the days of her inevitable demise: 4 years, two months, twenty-one days. She's a tough, flawed character thrust into solving a murder spree of replicants. Obviously, her little search leads her towards something more.

I wonder what it would have been like to read this in English. Montero's descriptions are detailed and humorous. I know I lost something in my own translation, but as a whole, it's such a fun read. I enjoy a good sci-fi mystery, and this has it all.

My only complaint is that it wrapped up all too neatly. I'm wondering if this isn't the last that we've read of Bruna Husky. I hope not.

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