Rough Waters Book Review

The book is by Kara Lynn Conyer and its about a 16 year old girl names Allanis who convinces a renowned marine biologist to take her on a research mission to figure out why this stuff called "the fouling" is stopping all ocean related industries. What they find is the cause is nothing they ever expected. Mermaids who thought humans caused an oil to pollute the water wanted a war with the merpeople.

There seems to be a little more marine biology and scuba than mermaids but that's okay for me. I skimmed over the scuba descriptions on how to dive because I'm a certified diver and I know how it's all done.

Overall this book was very interesting and I think it was done well. Not my most favorite book but good enough to keep me entertained. If you want an easy read with some mermaids and marine biology, check the book out.

Outpost

I am late in posting this since I finished this book several weeks ago, but I was busy and it was hard trying to find time to write a review. This is the sequel to Enclave.

Synopsis: Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide. (Taken from Goodreads).

Review: I actually began reading this book and forgot who people where and how the first book ended. It took a few chapters and Deuce going back to the past for me to remember all the details. I am not sure if the first book just had no lasting impression on me, or if I just needed a recap sooner in the book. 

Overall the book was good and I think it had a lot of good elements. I was surprise that the romance did not bother me as much as I thought it would. I can see where Deuce is coming from finally feeling love and understanding what many of us take for granted and wanting to be able to be herself no matter what other's think of her. 

What surprised me is that the events and things happening in the town were bases on things that really did happen. I was shocked to discover that, but then again I feel that many people write things based on some kind of truth. 

I am looking forward to the next book to see what happens. There is a lot to learn and I feel that Outpost just kind of ended where it could of gone on a little bit more. 

My Rating: 

TBR 2013 Challenge January Recap

Hopefully I will be able to do this once a week, but if not well lets hope I do a better job this year. I was able to get 5 books read this month and hopefully I can continue to do so. Here's my list.

Sedona Through Time by Wayne Ranney
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Zona by Nathan Yocum
The Kill Order by James Dashner
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Pretty interesting list. I hope to finish more and if I can do this well I will change my goal of 20 books to 50.

Insurgent

Shortly after  I finished Divergent I bought Insurgent on my kindle so I could continue the story. I know the 3rd book comes out this year, but I needed to see what happened next.

Synopsis: One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. (Taken from GoodReads). 

Review: I was very happy with this book. I flew through it very quickly and I was very impressed by it. I felt that Tris was still like a fictional version of me and I was thinking the entire book if I would make the same choices as Tris did. 

There were more twists and turns in this book that I did not see coming. I never knew what was going to happen next which is a good thing for me. If I see something coming I get bored with the book. 

Divergent

I finally was able to read this book and a book in general. I wish I had more time to read, but I haven't, not yet at least.

This book has been long on my to be read pile and I was hoping to finally finish it. If you are doing the read along, please do not read my review. I finished the book weeks too early and I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't read it yet.

Synopsis: Tris aka Beatrice has reached her 16the birthday and all 16 year olds must test to see which fraction they belong to. Tris has an odd result and chooses to leave the fraction she has grown up in. She realizes that something bad is going to happen and the world as she knows it will change.

Review: I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book. As soon as I started the book it only took me a few days to finish it. It felt good to finish a book that quickly since lately I have been reading books that take me forever as you can see if you look at my goodreads current reading tag.

For me I identified well with Tris. I feel like growing up and now inside I am a tough woman who is capable of a lot of things I've just never done them or tried. On the outside everyone sees me as a girl that is too kind, isn't able to do anything tough or physical. I kept feeling like Veronica Roth sat down and talked to me before writing this book.

I enjoyed the fraction part and I wish they expanded on how they decided on how start the fraction rather than having it that people make their own chooses. I wonder what happen that made them decide that it was better to separate things.

The one thing I wasn't into was the ending. I get that it's a series or is going to be, but the ending just ended to me. Like there could be more to say before it was ended. I am sure we've all read books where it just ends and you are trying to see if you are missing a page. That how I felt. I guess once I get Insurgent I will know how the two books connect better.

My Rating:

Top Ten Bookish Goals For 2013

Not sure I can come up with 10, but I am going to try. 

1. Read at least 20 books that are not related to work or classes

2. Read as many prepper, survival and self sufficient books as I can

3. Read all Temperance Brennan books

4. Blog about more books which means I'll need to read more books

5. Read more Dystopian and Horror books.

6. Buy less new books and get more used books

7. Keep finding new books to add to my to read pile

8. Finish any series I have started

9. Donate or sell my unwanted books

10. Make more space for my books. 

Top Ten Books I Resolve to Read in 2013

You can find Top Ten Tuesday topics over at The Broke and the Bookish. I hate the term resolution because I never do resolutions or believe in them. I try to do things better or new changes, but never resolutions. One of those things is to read more, more of the books I have piling up, but mostly the mystery and crime novels I have been putting aside. I did join the TBR Pile challenge again and I have to go through my books, but here are the top 10 that I know I do want to read.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth- This is the first book for the read along part of the challenge and I have this book sitting collecting dust for the last year so I really want to get this one read.

2. The Kill Order by James Dashner- This is the prequel to the Maze Runner series and I almost squealed in delight at Walmart when I saw this book on the shelf. I didn't know it was coming out and I got it for Christmas from my brother. He told me he had trouble finding the book, which makes me think a lot of people wanted to read it. I'm excited to see how it all began.

3. Frozen Heat by Richard Castle- I have enjoyed this series even though I know it's ghost written by different authors I still think it's a good series. I haven't been keeping up with the TV show, but I still want to read the book. I didn't know it came out until I saw my mom reading it.

4. The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks- I started this book, but have been having trouble reading it. I want to read it even though I know it's not realistic if zombies ever invade us. I just want to read it so I know what the big hubbub is.

5. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan- Another book sitting on my bookshelf for a year i still want to read it since some many people have mentioned how great it is.

6. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame- Smith- I saw the movie a few weeks ago and it wasn't bad. I want to read it so I can compare and see if my faith in rehashing classics into horror is even worth reading again.

7. The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth- I found this book on GoodReads and someone gave me a copy for a secret santa. It's an interesting idea and I want to see if it's a series I could get into.

8. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson- I didn't enjoy the Will Smith movie, but the Vincent Price adaptation is wonderful. I've meant to read this book after my fiancé kept mentioning that he loves the book. I got this too from my secret santa and want to read it. It also has the other short stories Matheson wrote.

9. Thrive by Brendan Brazier- I'm not a vegan, but I understand how healthy it can be. I was a vegan and vegetarian for 8 years and lately I haven't been feeling healthy even with my attempt to get into running.

10. 2nd Chances by James Patterson- I quickly read through the first book and just never got around to reading this one. I know some do not like this series, but I'm looking forward to seeing just how good it can be.

So there are many more I could add, but I will give those as honorable runner ups that I hope to read as well.  Let me know what's on your list.