Facts About Me and My Books

Hello!

I wanted to do a fun post about myself, the kind of reader I am and some of my favorite books and such. It's the normal 25 Facts About Me - but book themed! So without further ado, let's get started...

1. I cannot decide on a favorite book of all time but I will say that I shamelessly love romance novels, manga and young adult literature.

2. My favorite series is definitely the Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I have mentioned this series before and even did a review on it.

3. My favorite writers are Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cassandra Claire, Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll.

4. I was never the girl to get detentions over stupid behavior, but I would be the one to get my book taken away in the middle of class…then I would just pull out another one from my backpack.

5. I can't read with music in the background, it frustrates me and really distracts me - relaxing music more so than pop music!

6. Yes, I have cried at books. The only ones coming to mind are books in the Dark Hunter Series.

7. My favorite place to read is anywhere. I can read in a car, on the train/bus or curled up with my favorite purple blanket

8. I can stop reading in the middle of a chapter if I have to but I really hate too. Most of the time, I have to read until a page break at the very minimum or I will get lost.

9. The book I was most proud of myself for finishing was the Da Vinci Code. It took me so long to make it through but I finally did and felt like I had accomplished something big and awesome.

10. I hold my head in shame as I tell you that I do indeed fold over the corner of pages to mark my page, but I avoid it whenever possible (I generally use sticky notes or random strips of paper as placeholders).

11. I think my favorite character in YA Literature is Clary Fray. She is thrust into this new world and she is doing everything she can to fight for her mother and family while figuring out who she truly is. She is definitely one of my role models.

12. Some books on my reading list are: #GirlBoss, Uganda Be Kidding Me, Fault in Our Stars (want to see what the craze is about), and Tell the Wolves I’m Home.

13. In terms of love triangles, I’m the kind of person who is like “you can have ____, I’ll take _____” haha. Big examples are, back when I was in middle school and reading Twilight and New Moon I got so angry at Bella for screwing with Jacob’s head I was like, “Jacob, I’ll love you! Forget about Bella!” I think my new favorite love triangle is Clary, Simon and Jace.

14. I read at least two – three books at a time - and sometimes I get REALLY confused. During grade school I would always have at least two books in my back pack.

15. If I'm not engaged by a book, it'll take me at least twice as long to finish than a book I'm interested in. That’s why it always takes me so long to read most of the required books for school. I feel like I am just trudging through. Although isn't that the same for everyone else?

16. I genuinely have an unhealthy obsession with notebooks; I have lost count of how many I have in my room. And I'm not planning to stop!

17. I’m the kind of person that will sit down in the isles of bookstores or library’s and read.

18. There are several books that I haven’t been able to finish. I have picked them up and tried to make it through but get distracted and never finish. My biggest example is The Count of Monte Cristo.

19. I love the smell of books! Don’t know why, just do.

20. I prefer books where the writing is witty and fun and can make me smile. I genuinely try to avoid books that make me sad.

21. I am just getting introduced to “booktubers”, and my the one I have been watching recently is Bookables.

22. I hang my head in shame as I reveal this fact - I watched The Mortal Instruments and several others before I read it. I'm sorry.

23. I get so annoyed when people try talking to me when I am reading and then get upset that I wasn’t listening. I cannot focus on someone talking to me if I am reading.

24. I don’t really read too many book blogs, though I am trying to branch out. The two that I found and have been reading a lot are Blame My Bookshelf and the Mile Long Bookshelf.

25. I am very new to doing book reviews and will probably be borrowing examples and rating systems. Be patient with me as I learn. I will be creating a page at the top with links to all the reviews I have done.

Funny article what does your bookshelf say about you?

Love at Stake Series Review

Hey guys, I'm back to do another series review for you. *Yes, it is another romance novel series* This one will be pretty short because I mostly just wanted to get something out for you guys and as I said in my last post I have been swamped lately. So here we go!

Much like the Dark Hunter series which I reviewed the Love at Stake series is also based in the paranormal/supernatural genre. However, this series bases mostly in just vampires and wear animals and doesn't expand too much outside of that zone. Even though the world it is set in isn't as complex as the DH world, it is still a fairly interesting and a bit more relate-able considering it is mostly based in New York.

This series is more on the comedic side of things, it definetly makes you laugh with the humor in the writing. There are currently 15 books in the series, including two novella/mini story books. Check out the complete reading list and summaries here. My favorite books so far in the series are "How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire" and "All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire." They all have pretty punny titles.

Generally, I feel like this series would also target the same audience as the Dark Hunter series. Side note: the three main romance novel series that fall in this paranormal catagory are: the Dark Hunter series, Love at Stake series and "the Others" series. I may wind up doing a post on my favorite romance novels/what is on my kindle/bookshelf. Let me know if you think that would be fun.

Overall, the characters are pretty well developed with decent backstories. While the basic outline of the sories can be generic or a bit "jolty" (some books I feel end too fast or just don't 100% follow through). But in the end this is a decent series if you are looking for a fun, whitty read.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

<3 Kimmie

Friday Favorites: Things from Tumblr

Hey everyone, I feel bad for not having posted anything lately. My schedule/queue post setting is being weird and I just realized it didn't post anything I had queued....so......yeah I will be back posting those.

Life has been crazy hectic lately. I had Grand Bethel and Anime Expo back to back and I have also been working 9.5-10.5 hour days at work lately! I hope you have all been having a good time and are happy its Friday!

I wanted to just do a cute and simple favorites post about my favorite things from Tumblr recently. So here we go!

1. I  personally love panda's and this is so adorable!

2. I everyone loves a David Tenant derp face!

3. This reminds me so much of high school

here is the fixed GIF: 

4. This series was so adorable! Plus its dragons!

5. I was such a huge N'Sync fan and this made me laugh. Whoever did this deserves cupcakes!

6. These popped up in this order on my feed. Excellent coincidence or master planning?

7. The description says it all folks.

 8.And then there are cats in tanks...

Writing 101 Day 1 - 20 Minute Free Write.

So I know I am behind on starting this and I am doing my best to catch up. Here is my 20 minute free write I did when I had absolutely nothing to do at work/my lunch break.

Sometimes the days go by pretty quickly, while other days drag on and on at a glacially slow pace with no end in sight. Some days I just stare at the walls that are as empty as I feel. I really hate days like these. They allow boredom and depression to overwhelm me in an onslaught of emotions and chronic emptiness that seeps to well up inside my stomach. Growing and growing until it completely consumes me.

How are some people so interesting? How are some people so fun and care free? Why can’t I be like that and not this crappy shell I call home to my soul. I hate thinking about how truly boring of a person I am. It is so pathetic that I hate the realization being brought anywhere close to the forefront. The voices in my head just love chiming in too, as if they make it any easier…their stupid little comments ring in my ears and taut and tease me. Little shits.

All my life I have wanted so badly to be this idea of normal. Or at least just fun. I hate the fact that all I do is get up, go to work, work my day then come home, be boring, go to sleep and press repeat. It’s as though the enthusiasm I once had has been sucked out of me by some big cosmic vacuum. Why can’t I be fun and care free and exciting and full of life rather than this pathetic little shell…

Summer for College Students and Incoming Freshman

School years have to a close, the weather has been getting warmer, people are going to the beach and it certainly feels like summer is finally in full swing. I want to say congratulations to all the high school graduates this year. Four years of hard work has finally paid off. By now you have already picked the college you plan to attend, probably ordered some gear and are on your way.

But how do you prepare for that much anticipated fall?

1. Start narrowing down what you would want to take and put together a packing list. Remember that dorm rooms aren’t that big.

2. Remember that being homesick is perfectly normal. Some people get hit more than others but don't feel bad if the waterworks turn on every now and again.

3. Don't expect college to be like the movies. The way college life is portrayed in movies is so ridiculously over-dramatized and glorified and just flat out unrealistic. News flash: despite what Hollywood wants you to think, college is not one big party. I have a whole post planned on this so stay tuned!

4. Start checking things off the list. Bed, Bath and Beyond has a pretty good dorm checklist, as well as an apartment checklist, for what to bring and what not to bring to college. While not everything on that list is necessary it is definitely a good outline and hits all the major points of things you do need. Don't wait to the last minute to buy your items!

5. Enjoy your summer! Even though you should be preparing for fall there, one of the most important things to do this summer is to enjoy yourself, spend time with your friends before you all go different directions and make memories that will last.

I hope you all have a wonderful summer and wish everyone luck in the fall! <3 Kimmie

Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon Review

I think it is safe to say that anyone who is even remotely familiar with the horror genera has heard of the iconic character “Hannibal Lecter,” more commonly known as “Hannibal the Cannibal.”

But, what you may have not known is that the movie that made this character so iconic and forever instilled Anthony Hopkins in the thriller hall of fame, is actually the middle in a trilogy. The movies in chronological (timeline) order are: Red Dragon, Silence of the Lambs and finally, Hannibal. Side note: these are only the films with Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hannibal. There are several other films about the character of Hannibal including “Hannibal Rising” in 2007. And another side note: I have yet to watch Hannibal yet, so I will most likely post a second half to this review after I watch Hannibal. As my usual MO this will go: brief overview of the movie and main points, the villains, high and low points and my overall opinion. So sit back and relax as we dive into the world of the chilling Hannibal.

 Red Dragon, was released in 2002 and was actually the third movie to be released, 11 years after Silence of the Lambs in 1991 and one year after Hannibal in 2001. Red Dragon features Edward Norton as the hero, former FBI agent Will Graham and Ralph Fiennes (more commonly known as Voldemort) as the villain Francis Dolarhyde a.k.a. the “Tooth Fairy” as he is referred to by the FBI. The summary on IMDB says “A retired FBI agent with psychological gifts is assigned to help track down "The Tooth Fairy", a mysterious serial killer; aiding him is imprisoned criminal genius Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter.” The movie opens with a short sequence of how Hannibal got caught, arrested and imprisoned after being found out by Graham and almost killing each other and then the fun ensues. You also get to see Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a nosey paparazzi who gets set on fire.

Moving onto a brief overview of Silence of the Lambs. The official summery says “A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.” This movie shows a young Jodie Foster as F.B.I. cadet Clarice Starling who tries to get Hannibal to help them catch killer “Buffalo Bill” before he can kill a senetor’s daughter and use her skin to finish making his, ahem, skin suit. As disgusting as it sounds, you actually see very little gore. As the case progresses Clarice finds out that Hannibal actually knows the killer and Buffalo Bill used to be one of his clients DUN DUN DUUUUUN.

Let’s talk about the villains. One, Francis Dolarhyde is obsessed with this painting of a dragon and is convinced that by killing these married women that they are being “reborn” and he becomes more a part of this dragon. Did I mention he has some serious issues after being verbally and mentally abused by his mean grandma? No? Well that explains a large portion of his issues I’d say. Anyone who says that Voldemort is Fiennes best roll needs to sit their bum down and watch Red Dragon because I beg to differ. Don’t like thrillers but just like Ralph Fiennes? Well you get to see his completely naked, aside from tattoos, backside…TWICE! So hey there is fun for everyone!

Second, Buffalo Bill. Personally I feel like Buffalo Bill isn’t as present in the story line as Dolarhyde is in Red Dragon. You don’t see as much of his backstory and I feel like there isn’t as much depth to his character as there could be. However, that does not mean there is no insight whatsoever. You do wind up finding out more reasoning behind why he is hunting the women, but I won’t spoil that for you.

Finally, Hannibal. Hopkins transforms into a cold and calculated killer flawlessly and his performance is absolutely chilling how well he did this role. I now understand why he received so much recognition over these films. What I like is that Hannibal isn’t the kind of villain who is going to run up and shoot you in the face, he gets inside your head and toys with your mind.

My final opinion: The only downside is the length of the movies for me. At a 118 and 124 minutes they are not short by any means and for some it may be difficult to sit through a movie that long. Also, the movie isn’t anything like a Michael Bay film with crap blowing up every two seconds, you have to commit to watching the movie because it is a slow build up. Overall, these movies are amazing psychological thrillers that are worth the watch. If nothing else, check out the main of the three: Silence of the Lambs. The characters are so complex and Hopkins shines, in a sense, and I can’t believe I hadn’t seen any of the movies until a few months ago (I must have been living under a freaking rock!) Two thumbs up in my book.

Dark Hunter Series Review

Imagine entering a world where all the demons, beasties and gods and goddesses that we learned about in mythology were real. In Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series, she develops the most incredible world of myth’s, magic and fantasy. In her world the Greek God, Apollo developed a race, which he called “Apollites”, which he felt were superior to humans. However, when a couple Apollites killed his pregnant mistress, Apollo, in a fit of rage, cursed all the Apollites to die a slow, agonizing death at the age of 27 (the age of his mistress). Eventually the race discovered how to steal human souls to prolong their lives.

In response to this new threat on humanity, Apollo’s sister Artemis, created a group of warriors called “Dark Hunters”. Dark Hunters were created when someone died and their soul cried out for revenge, Artemis would grant them that revenge and immortality in exchange for their soul and becoming an eternal warrior.

The Dark Hunter series is one of my favorite books series of all time. Sherrilyn Kenyon is a brilliant writer who can make you laugh out loud, cry and truly become invested in the characters and their journey. The world that Sherrilyn has created within the pages of her books is incredible to say the least! The extensive amount of research she must have done to blend so many different myths and cultural lore is mind boggling.

If you like myth, fantasy, suspense, mystery, action or romance, or all of the above, you will definitely love this series! For all those out there reading this review, keep in mind these books are romance novels, meaning they do have sex scenes. If you don’t like those kinds of books then I am sorry, or you could just skim over those parts. Unlike a lot of romance novels I have seen out there, the ones I read are focused more on the story line and plot. I love the fact that the scenes that she does put in actually kinda further the plot a bit and they don’t consume it or take it over.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this series; I just truly love it so much. I own all the books, even the companion. The only downside for some people could be the fact that it is a romance novel, I know a lot of guys who tease me and call them chick novels or smut novels, but whatever.

All in all, if you are looking for an amazing mystery, paranormal, fantasy novel and are willing to put up with a few sex scenes then you should definitely check out this series.