Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can not tell you how much I loved the movie, and then to my surprise I found out it was a book. Later I read more of this writer's books and series. I can not express how much Diana Wynne Jones touched my heart as a reader. Not many books have ever done that to me. The Wizard of Oz and The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making; are the only two books that have ever effected me in the way that I did. And that reaction was this...

Now picture this I'm pregnant while reading this. washing my laundry, and it's New Years Eve and lastly I'm alone after getting my son to bed.

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“I feel ill," [Howl] announced. "I'm going to bed, where I may die.” ― Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle

“I think we ought to live happily ever after," and she thought he meant it. Sophie knew that living happily ever after with Howl would be a good deal more hair-raising than any storybook made it sound, though she was determined to try. "It should be hair-raising," added Howl. "And you'll exploit me," Sophie said. "And then you'll cut up all my suits to teach me.” ― Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have different parents or siblings? Then maybe you should check this book out. Gaiman gives us a new perspective as to why we should be careful what we wish for.
Cheers and Creepy Readings!



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“How do I know you'll keep your word?" asked Coraline. "I swear it," said the other mother. "I swear it on my own mother's grave." "Does she have a grave?" asked Coraline. "Oh yes," said the other mother. "I put her in there myself. And when I found her trying to crawl out, I put her back.” ― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Will I ever be reading this again?


I will never be reading this again, but I do say that it is a book that everyone should read at least once in their lives.
Cheers My Pretties!

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Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read this several times since my childhood along with The Hobbit, and The Wizard of OZ.
It brings up nostalgic feelings when you think about it. The story is one that everyone knows, but the writing is something that has been so sheltered from the lazy. You have to seek out your own education to appreciate Stevenson's writings.

Peter Jackson please make this into a movie???

I want the masses to be educated!



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Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know I always have these moments where I just spout,'It was Snowball!' This always incites amusement for husband; while a good portion of our friends have no effing clue, and are scratching their heads in their own ignorance.



I can't tell you how significant this book is to all of the conspiracy buffs out there. The book itself is an elementary view on how communism works. Now Americans ask yourself 'Is this where we want our government heading?'


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“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”

“Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments.”

“This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.”

“Let's face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short.”

“Can you not understand that liberty is worth more than just ribbons?”

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Review for The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

First and foremost I absolutely hated the themes of this book, but I did enjoy the gothic tones used in the plot. I loved the imformative parts about flowers, and rubies, and even the huge reading list this book leaves you with. There was a lot about art, and to it seemed very pretentious in the tone used when Dorian and Henry would conversate.

The story of Dorian Gray, is where the expression 'secrets in the attic' came from. To figure that out you will just have to read for yourselves, but I will give you a basic rundown of the story. Dorian himself was a very innocent type of school boy. He then meets a painter by the name of Basil Hallward. He agrees to do a sitting for the painter and along comes Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry is a typical 1800's rake, and he lives life by a set of loose morals. Dorian in turn adopts this way of living after Basil creates his masterpiece. Much more happens between Dorian, Basil, and Lord Henry which turns into a scandal involving another man's wife; this in turn makes Dorian leave for many years. When he comes back he is still just as young as he was the day he left. There is also the mystery of where the painter, Basil, disappeared to.

Granted that Oscar Wilde had many beautiful prose about art, culture, and music. I was put off, and I was also very reminded of Narcissus from Hercules.


We deal with imperfection and vanity. You see in society today that young women/men have turned to bulimia, anorexia or even the possibility of turning to amphetamine drugs. Just for that one complement; for someone to say, 'you look fantastic what have you been doing?' Any and all of this ranting and raving, I do believe that vanity isn't worth the trouble or the time that it takes for primping. That there are more important issues out there. That people should let go of that bit of egotism because they have been given what the gods gave them: their faces, their hair, and their body structure. With that I close this review.

Cheers and Happy reading!

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“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

“You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

“The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*sigh* Where to start? I'm dithering on giving this a competent review. There is whole bunch wrong with this fu^#*ng book.
Jane's childhood recollections are just Grade A, Cruelty. This is not what you do when you take in another child!
I was pulling this face a lot...


How the conversations turned into subjugation matches.


A lunatic locked in the attic.


Then when Jane thinks that she finally did the right thing; she gets entangled into an awkward relationship with her long lost cousin.


I promise when I calm down enough I'll be back to edit. For now just refer to this as:


Should you read it? Oh absolutely, for reference and vocabulary's sake!
Love you bunches Pretties!

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Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal — as we are!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had so many of these moments due to Mr. Bennet while reading this book. Austin was a woman of her her time; I can tell you.



The characters include: the Bennet family, Mr. Darcy, Mr. & Ms. Bingly, and a few secondary characters whom center their lives around gossip and scandal. With the Bennets is a father, his wife, and their five daughters. Now all that estrogen has to do something in has to do something to a man's mind. During this era women didn't inherent property or real estate unless you held a title to royalty. This causes many comical, uncomfortable, and embarrassing scenes in the pages of this book.

On the whole this this is your ultimate romance. Nothing honestly can compare with this classic. So ladies get your beverages ready, and prepare to bust a gut.
Have a great time reading! Cheers!

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A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony in a moment.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.

Angry people are not always wise.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like it, love it, live it. Learn from this book, and don't bitch about how dry Hemingway's writing is. There's an ass load of life lessons to learn from the Old Man.

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Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.

“Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is”

“I may not be as stong as I think, but I know many tricks and I have resolution.”

“Why do old men wake so early? Is it to have one longer day?”

“It's silly not to hope. It's a sin he thought.”

“Do not think about sin, he thought. There are enough problems now without sin. Also I have no understanding of it.”

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of the most influential books out there! Wells had a very different style that was beyond his time, and foreign to the present age. You should read it, and that's all there is to it.

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H.G. Wells “Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no need of change.”

“We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity.”

“Looking at these stars suddenly dwarfed my own troubles and all the gravities of terrestrial life.”

“Face this world. Learn its ways, watch it, be careful of too hasty guesses at its meaning. In the end you will find clues to it all.”

“It sounds plausible enough tonight, but wait until tomorrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning.”

Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

nONSTOP HILARITY AND DEBAUCHERY insues!
Get ready here comes the...


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David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In my opinion Charles Dickens was an a$$hol3! (view spoiler)[Seriously, did he really have to kill the dog off? (hide spoiler)]Though I do concede that this is probably his best work.

Characters of note: Aunt Betsy Trotwood, Mr. Dick, Mr. Peggity, Peggity, Clara Copperfield, Mr. and Miss Murdstone.

I'll be back to explain myself later.
Cheers Pretties!

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Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't love it nor did I hate it. If my children were to come across a child like this, I most likely would be like Tommy and Annika's mother. This kid is not only a danger to her friends; she is a danger to herself. As taken as merely fiction it's a cute adventure, but I was really bothered by the end. This wouldn't be a good for a child that is overly gullible.

That's all for now. Ta-ta.

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The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had heard of Terry Pratchett through Neil Gaiman's work. I had looked up his author biography, and I was daunted by this man's work.
Now that I've read the first out of many I can envision how vast this series is going to be. Oh and funny. I forgot to mention that.
I don't share a lot but I'm pretty much into sci-fi, so this is really up my ally. Lenord Nemoy died on my birthday, and on the following week so did Sir Pratchett. To me this was like the Library of Alexandria burning. Those who regularly following should get this. More later for you later pretties.

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Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Oh gods why didn't I read the synopsis of this book before I started it? I honestly thought 1001 Books to Read Before I Die list, bring it on.


Outright my thoughts on this book is that it is screwed up, and it makes me uncontrollably angry. Nice descriptions and settings, but overall the plot is horrible. Though this is construed as a romance; it's more of a telling of how one man was to take revenge on the family that took him in. It truly is a wonder to me how many modern books idolize this book, when it should be a warning that relationships like this are doomed to fail. That any young woman prefers this to Jane Austin should also consider getting therapy because she could be showing symptoms of being a victim.

Heathcliff is a devil, and he even says that he's a villain. Though that doesn't stop Linton's sister from marrying him. She learns fairly quickly though. Most of the book confused me by being told through, Ellen, the maid's point of view. Then being shifted to Hareton's point of view and then back to Ellen's.

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Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I read this book in my freshman year of high school, and I just didn't get it. So I picked it up again saying to myself okay there has to be something that I was missing when I was a teen.

My response...
What is it with this book? People fawn over this book, and I'm just not seeing it. Nine layers of Hell in Dante's Inferno wasn't this damn weird! Really, Ray Bradbury I'm not liking your Martian chronicles.
I'm seriously having a hissy fit over the chapter about Ylla!


Then to top it off to read that the vast majority of the Martians are under mass hypnosis.


I was very upset by the third expedition.

Finishing up in The Silent Village and I'm in a fit of tears and rage.


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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Those who stir the pot, should have to lick the spoon. Seriously.
A lot of contriversy in the pages of this story in the South.
Twain gives a really good look on what happened in his society. I like to think that we as a nation have moved on from this. Yes, slavery was wrong. Yes, it was horrible. Wait though it is still going on. In many ways, to numerous to think or talk about. I think that racial prejudice has reversed for something that the last two generations of any race had nothing to do with. It's time to let the hate go people. We are human beings, and do mean something. Isn't it time to move towards just helping our fellow man because it's the right thing to do?

I do not recommend that if you are a parent, that you do not let a grade schooler read this. This is high school material, and should me treated as such! I agree that it is an important book. I'm pretty sure that most school boards get a call about at least once a year. Dealing with the issues of racism and alcoholism. What I don't agree with is 'how' it is taught in schools, and the age it's taught at. I recall that I was made to read it in the third grade, and then again in the fifth. I remember that's when the schism between the races in our classes began, when it wasn't an issue before. It hurts to think back on it, and I really dread the day that I have to discuss it with my kids.

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The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think H.G. Wells was brilliant, and he was giving us this!


He certainly was a writer that thought and wrote light-years ahead of his own time. The strangeness was that this is set in 1894. Two coincidences arise to mind. 1. Switch the 8 & 9.(We all know if you're a George Orwell reader, and you get it.)
2. The vast differences in tech between the 90 years.
Stop and let that sink in.



The particular edition that I read was also illustrated by Tom Kidd; which brought the story to life for me. This enriched the story all the more.



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Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is just freaking weird!


One minute you're in a normal situation, following a WWII P.O.W.veteran, and then thrown into this madhouse of a plot about aliens. WTF? I'll reserve judgment for now.



All right now that I have had a lot of time to reflect on this book, I can officially say I'm on the fence of love and hate. It was nice getting so many recommendations for this, and the writing was well paced and shared a lot of emotions. Anyone who might have a relative whom is suffering from PTSD/TBI related to wartime should read this. (Also along with the book Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.) These two books will give you a better understanding of the military, somewhat.
I can say that I would hate this as an assignment, but I'm sure a good number of people have to read it in college.(Bummer for me, since I didn't go to college. Still, there's hope.) It wouldn't be enjoyable to speak about some of the topics in a group, but I do see the benefits of doing so.


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“How nice -- to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive.”

“And so it goes...”

“Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.”

“And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep.”

“And Lot's wife, of course, was told not to look back where all those people and their homes had been. But she did look back, and I love her for that, because it was so human. So she was turned into a pillar of salt. So it goes.”

“- Why me? - That is a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is. Have you ever seen bugs trapped in amber? - Yes. - Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why.”

“America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the American humorist Kin Hubbard, 'It ain’t no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.' It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. The meanest eating or drinking establishment, owned by a man who is himself poor, is very likely to have a sign on its wall asking this cruel question: 'if you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?' There will also be an American flag no larger than a child’s hand – glued to a lollipop stick and flying from the cash register. Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.”

Saturday by Ian McEwan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book! This book is about to go flying across the room, oooppps there it went!

There is just to effing much wrong with this. I feel like the author has been speaking down to me the entire book!
To be fair the argument of going to war with Iraq was well thought out, and executed; just to be shot to hell and back by the home invasion.
I did like the perspective that of a foreign citizen. I was personally in high school when the events in the book are set. So that being said; I'm now going back and doing homework on most of the events that I was too busy to know what the hell was going on. Yes. Shame on me, but I'm doing my best to make up for it. :P
Well that's all for now pretties!
Ta-ta!

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Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When someone tells me that they have never read this book...


Then I have this reaction...



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Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts #1) Review

Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I just wasn't pleased with this book on a whole. The paranormal aspects were interesting, but the execution and hesitation of the plot was what killed it for me.



Yes really I do because I continued to read it. It was just that bad. It had absolutely fantastic apocalyptic concept, but the heroine of the series is just a mess.

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Unholy Magic (Downside Ghosts #2) Review

Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Downside Ghosts series has been a very unique series in and of itself. It has its own vocabulary, and gives a fairly in depth look into the world of addiction. Also it is extremely descriptive that has me internally screaming STOP IT, YOU'RE GIVING EVERYTHING AWAY! WHY ARE YOU LETTING THE MASSES KNOW. You are now warned!

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