Book Review: Top Secret Twenty-One - Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich, never stop writing these books!!! I will be so sad after I finish the last book in this series, whenever that may be. Hopefully not for a lot of years. Grandma Mazur and Lula are my favorite characters and I love how past characters make their way into new stories, like Randy Briggs. He cracks me up too. 

This book had plenty of laugh out loud moments, and one that had me laughing and gagging at the same time. These kinds of things can only happen to Stephanie. 

If you haven't read any of the books in this series, each book can stand on its own, but I would recommend reading them in order. It's my opinion that reading them in order would make them funnier than if they were read in a haphazard order. 

I really wish they would make a TV series out of it. It would probably be expensive, what with all the car and building explosions, but it would be worth it!!!

From the GoodReads website: "Stephanie Plum is back in an all-new adventure from #1 bestselling author Janet Evanovich. This time Stephanie’s in deep. To get to the bottom of the mess, she’s going to have to keep things Top Secret."

Book Review: No Dawn Without Darkness - Dayna Lorentz

Awesome series, seriously, they need to start making plans to turn this series into a movie. It takes a really deep look into human nature and how crazy we can sometimes get when faced with disaster and confinement. 

Throughout the series, the story is told from different characters' points of view, and while you may not agree with some of their actions, you can understand why. 

I can't remember how I stumbled upon this series, but it was right around when the first book came out. I read the synopsis and found out it takes place in a mall. I worked in a mall office at the time (and when the second book came out) so it struck me as interesting. And yeah, with the ever increasing violence in our country, I'm fully aware of all the things that can go down in a mall - spreading some deadly toxic or virus airborne with the HVAC system is probably one of the scariest scenarios. 

But yes, read this series, especially now that the last book is out, you won't have that painful wait in between each one like I did.

From the GoodReads website: "Perfect for fans of Life As We Knew It and Michael Grant'sGone--this conclusion to the No Safety in Numbers trilogy will make your heart race, your palms sweat, and will leave you wondering exactly what you'd be willing to sacrifice in order to survive.

First--a bomb released a deadly flu virus and the entire mall was quarantined.

Next--the medical teams evacuated and the windows were boarded up just before the virus mutated.

Now--the power is out and the mall is thrown into darkness. Shay, Marco, Lexi, Ryan, and Ginger aren't the same people they were two weeks ago. Just like the virus, they've had to change in order to survive. And not all for the better. When no one can see your face, you can be anyone you want to be, and, when the doors finally open, they may not like what they've become.

If you think it's silly to be afraid of the dark, you're wrong.
Very wrong."

Book Review: Allegiant - Veronica Roth

Over all, it was an entertaining enough series...though if I'd actually tried to read it, rather than listen to the audiobook, I don't know if I would've continued it beyond the first book. I don't know, the whole concept about damaged genes versus pure genes....just not appealing. As I said after reading the first book, I'll still watch the movie. Who knows, the story may come across better in that medium.

But honestly, this is one of those series/books that, looking back, wouldn't have mattered if I'd ever gotten to it or not. I have a long, long list of books to read and I'm sure there are plenty on there that I would've enjoyed more than this. 

Overall thought on the series - Meh, it was ok. If she writes any other novels, I'm willing to give them a try.

From the GoodReads website: "What if your whole world was a lie?

What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent."

Book Review: Cat Daddy: What's the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love, and Coming Clean - Jackson Galaxy

I had already watched a few episodes of his show, My Cat From Hell, a few years ago and liked them. Recently discovered that the series is on Netflix and, after one of my cats has been having issues going outside the litter boxes, decided to watch a few episodes to get some kitty insights. As I'm watching, I'm wondering if he has written a book yet. Lo and behold, yes he did. It took me a few days to read it, but only because out of those few days, I was only able to read it on two of them. I learned SO MUCH! I thought I knew a lot about cats and he totally blew what I knew out of the water. I was so wrong on a lot of things. I feel like I have a much better understanding of my feline companions now and have already started putting some different practices into place. We'll see how they work out. 

The story itself is amazing, he discusses all the addictions he's been through in his life and to see him come out on the other side and be so successful is a great story for anyone that has or is dealing with an addition. 

I would say this is a good book for any animal lover or anyone that has or has had an addiction.

From the GoodReads website: "Cat behaviorist and star of Animal Planet's hit television show My Cat from Hell, Jackson Galaxy, a.k.a. "Cat Daddy," isn't what you might expect for a cat expert (as The New York Times noted, with his goatee and tattoos, he "looks like a Hells Angel"). Yet Galaxy's ability to connect with even the most troubled felines -- not to mention the stressed-out humans living in their wake -- is awe-inspiring. In this book, Galaxy tells the poignant story of his thirteen-year relationship with a petite gray-and-white short-haired cat named Benny, and gives singular advice for living with, caring for, and loving the feline in your home.

When Benny arrived in his life, Galaxy was a down-and-out rock musician with not too much more going on than a part-time job at an animal shelter and a drug problem. Benny's previous owner brought the cat to the shelter in a cardboard box to give him up. Benny had seen better days --- his pelvis had just been shattered by the wheels of a car -- and his owner insisted he'd been "unbondable" from day one. Nothing could have been further from the truth. An inspiring account of two broken beings who fixed each other, Cat Daddy is laced throughout with Galaxy's amazing "Cat Mojo" advice for understanding what cats need most from us humans in order to live happier, healthier lives."