Review - The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Released: March 21, 2011
Publisher: DarkSide Publishing
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 310 pages
Format: ebook
Source: Kindle
Rating: 2/5
Author Site: G.P. Ching

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbor offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him.

Sadly I had a hard time with The Soulkeepers. I really don't know if it was the religious parts or what but I can say I would have found it a bit more enjoyable if they had not been thrown in. I just don't think I needed to know every few chapters who believed what and who didn't. I just felt like it should have been mentioned in the synopsis somehow but instead when I read the above synopsis I had no clue about all the religious parts inside.

There were some other parts in the story that I really didn't get or see why they mattered either like what difference did it make if his mom was Chinese or why did the grandfather stipulate in his will that the family business could only be passed to a male heir when he knew nothing of Jacob and only knew his other child had a daughter? I also had a hard time wondering why Uncle John seemed to welcome Jacob with open arms but it was his wife and daughter who dissed Jacob?

Other than that Jacob's character was very fleshed out and it was interesting following him thru his many life changes and obstacles to find his mom and even fall in love. This was just not the book for me it would seem and I just don't see me continuing with the series.

March Wrap-Up and April TBR 2012

These are what I managed to read and review in March 2012. Not as many as I would have hoped but still not bad however according to my GoodReads I am still running a tad behind! Grrr Hopefully I will be able to get up to par in April! I have linked my reviews for March and once I have read one in April I will put a line on it. Be sure to post and let me know how you did this past month and what's on your April TBR!

March Wrap-Up
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Fallen By Lauren Kate
Starters by Lissa Price
The Eternal Child by David Wasserman
Me and My Manny - M.A. MacAfee
Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2 - John Austin
It's a Big World Little Pig by Kristi Yamaguchi
The Good Ghouls' Guide to Getting Even by Julie Kenner
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

April TBR

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper
Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper
A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
A Sliver of Shadow by Allison Pang
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Wander Dust by Michelle Warren
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
The Weepers by Susanne Winnacker
Blood Born by Jamie Manning
Tempest by Julie Cross
Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear
Shaman, Healer, Heretic by Terry Green
Shaman, Friend, Enemy by Terry Green
Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans
A Kiss In Time by Alex Flinn
One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
Thoughtless by Jacqueline Gardner
The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching
Triple Shot by Sandra Balzo
Deadish by Naomi Kramer
I Remember Mommy's Smile by Dina Wolfman Baker
Panty Raid at Zombie High by Rusty Fischer
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Review - One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

One For The Money by Janet Evanovich
Released: (November 22, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Age Group: Adult
Pages: 352 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5
Author Site: Janet Evanovich

Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash--fast--but times are tough, and soon she's forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family.

I read this one a long time ago but over the years I had forgotten how much I loved it and when the movie came out I just had to reread it and hopefully continue on with the rest of the series this time. What can I say except this was a freaking laugh out loud book that kept me in stitches the entire time I was reading it even when Stephanie got herself into some of the gosh awfullest predicaments it was totally fun reading how she wiggled out of them! It's just one of those books/series that I could read over and over and still find funny every time!

Morelli was my next favorite character with his Jersey kind of "charm" and bad boy attitude. I felt worse for him than I did Stephanie because bless his heart he was a cop on the run not only from his fellow officers for shooting an unarmed man but the bad guys as well, and bounty hunters including Stephanie who had no clue what the heck she was doing as a bounty hunter but she could sure keep Morelli on his toes rescuing her if nothing else all the while still trying to prove his innocence and not get caught or killed in the process!

As always I highly recommend reading the book before watching the movie! The book is usually always better for sure!

Review - Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Released: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 560 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 5/5
Author Site: Robin LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Oh my gosh! I don't even know where to begin! Let me just start by saying I am not a huge fan of historical fiction but OMG Grave Mercy just rocked my socks off! It was freaking Amazing! I never ever thought I would enjoy this book as much as I did!

Ismae was just such a character it was easy to feel for her and understand her and feel such compassion for her. She was never wanted and her mother tried to abort her but Ismae lived in shame with the scars from that and with hatred from her father and everybody else but as bad as she had it growing up it just made her stronger for what lay ahead for her.

The writing just flowed from the pages as Ismae is swept away into her new world to embrace a life as a nun assassin and tap into powers she never realized before. I loved Ismae's cunning as she was molded into her work for Mortain (the God of death) and how once she was sent out to do his bidding she soon realized that even though she didn't trust men easily that surely it was not right to just mark them for death so casually.

Loved Loved Loved Grave Mercy!!!!

Review - A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang

A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
Released: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Pocket Books
Age Group: Adult
Pages: 242 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5
Author Site: Allison Pang

Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage.

AWesome Debut! I knew this was gonna be a wild and wicked read from the first sentence which is from our heroine describing what she is smelling. "Cat piss and cabbages." No further details there I will just let your mind wander! Seriously there is barely a dull moment in the entire book and it is filled to the brim with all kinds of otherworld folks from angels and daemons to fae and unicorns. I have always dreamed of unicorns but I am not so sure Phineas and I would get along as he is the size of a small dog and loves plundering in womens underwear!

The plot is pretty basic as plots go...there are missing people, a mystery to solve, a sexy incubus naturally needing... ahem some loving while helping solve said mystery but Allison writes in a way that even though the plot is basic her characters came to life for me and they were funny and sassy and Brystion was just all out yummy. The ending wasn't all that huge of a cliffhanger but enough to encourage me to pick up the next book and ladies and gents I am off to do that now!