About my Book Reviews...

So I love to read and I love a good story, that being said, I am NOT very picky unless sheer idiocracy and terrible writing get in the way. I can forgive some grammatical errors, especially if self-published. I am all about people with good stories getting out there by any means possible. I can forgive some character stupidity, if the stupidity matches the their ARC, and it works. I can forgive stories by separate authors that are very similar, again, as long as the stories are compelling.

What I cannot forgive is sheer stupidity by a character that is completely out of character for them. Why WHY WHY did they do that??. If the author cannot somehow explain why a beloved character is so stupid, then I cannot forgive the author (Veronica Roth). I cannot forgive bad writing (this does not include grammatical errors or some misspellings), this includes lack of diversity in words/descriptions and poorly written scenes (E.L. James - pick of a thesaurus), lack of character development or repeated stupidity (Stephanie Meyer), or book series that just need to end, even though I loved them (Janet Evanovich). Oh and FUCKING LOVE TRIANGLES! Here is actually a link to a great blog (Love is Not a Triangle) that describes the severity of love triangles in many YA books. I have turned to her for many a book review. Now, I can do a small love triangle, if - in my heart - there really is no question who the right pair is, and the 3rd person is thrown in there to just slightly annoy us or because they are imperative to the story (Jennifer Armentrout and the Covenant Series was ok, because the 3rd in the Triangle was very important to the story, and he ended up getting his own book series anyway, and the best pairing ended up together).

Upon writing this, I know it sounds like I am pickier than I am, but I assure you, I am not. Most books do not fall into the criteria listed above (maybe that’s actually because I never ended up finishing them?...Hmmmm, I should look into that)

Let me get back to you actually, maybe I am pickier than I thought. ;)

But in the end, I just like a good story. If I feel like I cannot put the book down, chances are I think its great!

Book Review - Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Date Published: October 18, 2011
Date Read: June 27, 2012
Amazon Link: Half-Blood (Covenant)


Covenant Series: This is one of my favorite book series of all times. I am not going to lie, it has a lot of similarities with Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy. Guess what? I love BOTH series! Similar or not, both authors have great writing style, different characters, and the books start to drift apart in similarities after book 1 anyway. So if you love one, then you will probably love the other.

Jennifer Armentrout, in my opinion, dominates both the YA and adult book series circuit. Her critically acclaimed Lux series seems to be a fan favorite, but I don't know what it is about the Covenant series that puts it ahead of the game just a bit for me. Maybe it's the Greek mythology tie in, maybe it’s the sassy female lead with a rebellious attitude, maybe it’s the male lead who is rule-abiding enough to not quite be an ALPHA male, but still be a total badass, and maybe it’s the “I’m-going-to-string-you-along-with-a-kind-of-love-triangle-but-in-your-heart-you-know-it’s-not-a-real-love-triangle” aspect.

Either way, this is a book series that I will keep re-reading, over and over again, when I find myself in need of something fun, swoony, adventurous, and a wee-bit torturous.

Summary from Goodreads:
"The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals--well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is.

If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck."

Alexandria (Alex) is a half-blood Hematoi, who are descendants of the gods. A half blood occurs when a pure blood Hematoi and a human pair up and reproduce. Hematoi are basically the rulers of their society (which are assimilated with human society, but tend to live in separate areas), whereas the half-bloods only have 2 choices: to live in servitude of the Hematoi (no thanks), or to become trained bad-ass Sentinels and fight/kill daimons. Daimons are Pures who have tasted the aether that runs through the veins of other Pures, become addicted and basically turn into “vampires,” letting the cravings for aether turn them into killing machines. Luckily, half-bloods have this nifty sense where they can see though the glamour that daimons have, glamour that can fool pure bloods to lure them in. Because, with any superior race, there needs to be some kinds of checks and balances (Right Stephanie Meyer, with your perfect vampires with no real flaws or known enemies to hold them back, yet somehow still decide to live in secret from the humans, who they could easily take over with their only risk being sparkling them to squintyness??….but I digress...). In addition, not only do half-bloods have to fight daimons or serve pure-bloods, they're also forbidden from having relationships with pure-bloods.

Any who...Alex is a free spirit, who happens to live in a society dictated by ancient rules, and she generally goes beyond stupidity to break these rules. In fact, she's sometimes frustrating in her attempts to break rules but she's also endearing so I kind of forgive her. Aiden is a smexy, bad-ass, rule abiding pure-blood, who also happens to be training as a Sentinel. He is burdened with the duty of catching Alex up with her training, after she returns to the safety of the Covenant, from 2 years living on the outside with her mother. She and her mother escaped the covenant together (for reasons which you will discover when you read the book!), but when daimons attack, killing her mother, Alex has no choice but to return the Covenant.

This is where our story begins. Follow the beginning of Alex’s journey, as she struggles to catch up with her former classmates (I mean, she used to be better than them, but egos and hiatus don’t mix!), battles with her increasing feelings towards Aiden (and his inner conflict to stay good in the face of ultimate temptation), discovering that she is more than just a lowly half-blood, and learning there is far more at work in her society then she previously knew.

This is a YA book, that is a part of a 5 book series, so don’t expect anything conclusive to happen for at least the first 3 or 4 books. Jennifer Armentrout is the queen of stringing you along (Will they? Won’t they?) but her writing style is the kind that make you blush with a simple eye contact, or innocent finger brush. You know it’s good writing when a YA book with limited SEX can still make you swoon and get all the feels. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good hot scene every now and then, but it’s a testament to a true writer who can make you feel stuff without all that. I swear, some of these scenes turn me on more than blatantly written scenes of a more amorous and obvious nature (EHEM, 50 Shades of Grey).

Anyway, if you like fantasy, YA, action, a teeny bit of love-triangle, and fun, then the Covenant series if definitely for you!

Rant: What is with Book Series Finales Sucking??

 

Ok, this is just a short rant about books and authors....

Why are you making your series finales suck?

Ok, maybe you ran out of ideas, maybe you were just anxious to finish the series, or maybe you know that so many people are invested in your series that they will buy the book no matter what so you can do whatever you want to the ending and be evil just because you can, because you already got our hard-earned cash....

I just hate it when authors need to add something "shocking" or a "twist" or kill off awesome people just to get a rise out of the readers, even if it doens't pertain to the story. Listen, if it doesn't improve the storyline or the quality of the book, THEN DON'T DO IT! (I am of course talking about one specific book series finale that came out last month, but to spare readers who have not yet read it, I will abstain from naming names)

Ok, I realize that not all books are going to end happy-go-lucky, but for Gods sake, don't make me regret the whole series! I mean, there has to be some kind of happiness to an outcome, even if it not ideal, to make the readers at least kind of understand WHY you did what you did???

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason I HATE LOATHE DESPISE love triangles.

Dear Author: Quit messing up your story becuase you can. Make it believeable at the very least. Make it flow.

Now I LOVE happy endings, and I know I will not always get it. But I also love emotional roller coasters, deaths, war, famine, and crazy and traumatizing situations and crazy climaxes throughout the series, but I like the ending to have some semblance of happiness and/or closure. Just a hint....but when I finish a book and my first thought is "well that sucked, what is the point of any of it?" Then Author, you failed!

Now, that being said, I need to finish series finales of the Frost Series by Kate Avery Ellison, and I got a spoiler alert that I may not like the ending, but I am going to finish the series. If the ending is bad, then fine, as long as it makes sense and adds to the storyline. So far I have loved the series, but lets wait and see shall we.....

 

Author Spotlight: Jennifer Armentrout AKA J.Lynn (for the "adults")

Simply speaking, this author is amazing. She has many books of many genres, but that mostly fall into the YA paranormal/fantasy realm (Duh, just look at my blog thusfar). However, she also delves into quoteunquote adult literature (YUM). The thing in common with most of her books is they involve some sort of bad-ass female (a must, in my opinion), some totally swoon worthy male lead (yes please), and the BEST PART? Wait for it….

 

Keep waiting….

This is the major selling point for me….

NO FUCKING LOVE TRIANGLES!

 

Ok, let’s be real. At some point in most books there has to be some sort of emotional conflict. I get that, and her Covenant book series toys with a love triangle…but it is never brought to full fruition like many YA books that make the female look like some wishy-washy, weak, wet willowy wimps (like the alliteration? I roll with it), and the males look like domineering, stalker, obsessive compulsive morons who have nothing better to do than fight primitively (not physically fight, that would show some strength and manhood, but fight with vicious JEERS and STARES and NONSENSE) over their one and only beloved woman…No I am not hinting to a particular book series (what that word for dawn? Dusk? Not quite dark? Sparkly? I digress).

In terms of writing, Jennifer “J.Lynn” Armentrout writes in a very relatable way. It is easy to read without being elementary. Plus, she uses quips and phrases that are just funny and sarcastic (hmmm, methinks I like that style). I mean, with a quote like “holy alien babies” it has to be good right? The writing keeps you entertained the whole time, even if there is a lull in the plot point (which there rarely is).

Dual POVs. Awesome. I have never personally been a fan of books with a male point of view, mostly because I am a female, and can relate to female thinking. However, dual POVs is awesome because you get the same brilliant story, told from a completely different perspective. One of the greatest things about Miss J is that she has short stories told from the male POV of some of her most memorable book scenes on her website. So when you have finished reading the book, and have to wait forever and a year for the next one, you can satisfy your urges by visiting her website and reading her stories, adding fodder to your already expanding obsession (which you will be, obsessed that is, which also happens to be the name of one of her ADULT books).

PLETHORA to choose from! This woman must never sleep, because she has a lot of books! I only discovered her back in beginning of 2012 when she had 2 major series she was writing (Lux and Covenant), and now she has tons! All of her books are great, no matter which universe you are in, and each series explores new topics, genres, and themes, while still staying faithful to what makes her style unique.

I have read a ton of books these last 2 years, after taking an almost 10 year hiatus from reading. JLArm is the one author whom I love and look forward to each and every one of her books, like always pre-ordered and anxiously awaiting delivery status.

BOTTOM LINE: If you like YA or Adult fantasy, paranormal, or fiction, try her books. They are great! Individual book reviews coming soon!

Check her out at www.jenniferarmentrout.com

 

FAKE NERD GIRL MEMEs...Whats so "fake" about it??

We love the nerd girls, fake or real. Don't be a hater! :)







HAHA...sarcasm is my best friend.







Thank you!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/why-the-fake-geek-girl-meme-needs-to-die

Book Review - Divergent by Veronica Awesome...Roth, I mean Roth

 

Okay, in my headlong dive back into the world of sifi/fantasy/dystopia and YA, I found Divergent. It is one of the first book series I have read in my….mature years. Hunger Games got me started on this dystopia kick. I mean, who doesn’t love a world that is more politically effed up than ours? Tales of survival, baddassery, love…

I am very picky when it comes to reading. I don’t have a lot of time, and I am not made of money (Can you imagine actually being made of money? Want a coffee? Let me just peel this bill off my abs. Now THERE is a concept for a future novel!). So I look at reviews on goodreads.com and see what people are GENERALLY saying about books. You have to skip the 5 star and 1 star reviews that are written with a LOT OF CAPS though, because they are largely hyper spacey fankids or emo disgruntled youths, and both live in some weird alternate reality that you really can’t trust. So, after weeding through those, I decided to try my hand at Divergent by Veronica Roth.

It was honestly one of those books I could not put down. Just ask my husband (sorry Dave, there will be a lot of apologizing in this blog). It was engaging, had plenty of action, without being all hack and slash. I love books written from the first person POV because I really can get into the characters head and see their decision making processes. I love to see what makes people tick, how their actions are dictated, and be at one with them, if you will. It’s why I always like the book version of movies better, because books in first person are so much more in depth. Side note: when authors write how the character thinks, i.e. not in proper English, but in slang and made up terminology, it adds an element of realism and comedy. It keeps me further engaged. Now, Divergent is bit more on the serious side, so Beatrice doesn’t have too many Immature Comedic Moments, but that was me just throwing in my own opinion.

Short synopsis: This is a must read. Takes place in a future Chicago, in which there are no longer political parties, but rather factions that are based on futuristic aptitude tests. You are born into a faction, but when you turn 16, you take this virtual reality aptitude test to discover where your true faction is. You can chose to stay where you are, with your family, or to go to the faction that your aptitude reveals.  Once you have chosen, you live, eat, sleep and train with your appointed faction. There are 5 factions, Abnegation (selfless), Candor (truth), Erudite (knowledge), Amity (kindness), and Dauntless (fearless). Each faction has a role in society, and therefore certain jobs and tasks. The main character Beatrice is born into Abnegation, but must chose if she wants to stay with her family, or go where her heart tells her. Once she chooses, she has to struggle to fit in, because she is different than most people. She is Divergent. I’ll let you read the rest of the story to figure out what all that means.

I love Beatrice as a female lead. She is not without character flaws, but she is smart. She was not described as beautiful, as many YA female leads are, but rather interesting and endearing. She draws attention to herself not by her looks, but by her actions and intentions. The male protagonist, Four, is probably one of my favorite male leads of all time. Trust me, you will LOVE Four. Wise beyond his years, good, but fearless, and yes, badass, but with a sensitive side that is later revealed.

In my opinion, the characters make the book. If I cannot relate to the protagonists in SOME way, there is no hope. I hate drama queens, weak (fainting, screaming, crying) females, and females that rely heavily on their male counterparts to save them, as in most YA books.  Beatrice is none of these. She holds her own and fights to prove her worth. Four, does not coddle her, but rather trusts her to hold her ground and makes her into a stronger character. I hate dominating, masculine, “I must protect my woman,” overly jealous males….Welcome to the 2000’s, where women don’t have to be weak!

The other thing that this series REALLY has going for it, there is a touch of romance, but it does not dominate the story. When I read dystopia, I am into the politics, character development, and the story of survival. NOT sappy love stories. There are plenty of other books out there for that. Don’t get me wrong, I do love that now and again, but Divergent really had a good ratio for me.   This series, so far, does NOT have a love triangle! HUGE BONUS POINTS. I hate falling in love with the male lead, and then in Book 2, another male leads walks into the picture and now said chick has to toy with Male 1’s heart, lead Male 2 on, etc. etc.  all because her own wishy washy weaknesses (That isn’t a reference to Bella, Edward, and Jacob AT ALL…cough cough).  In fact, Veronica Roth is not releasing the third installment to this trilogy until November 2013 (GASP, FAINT), so I really hope that she doesn’t decide to go the generic route and add a love triangle. The story is so good, it doesn’t need it. It is a distraction. It would suck…(talking to you psychically Ms. Roth).

Check out Veronica Roth's Goodreads page HERE

Check out the Goodreads Divergent page HERE

Anyway, I have prattled on far to long. Read the Book. Divergent – Veronica Roth….Then read Insurgent, the sequel. READ IT.

 

Who am I?

My name is Riana Rohmann. I am a fitness competitor, personal trainer, and combat fitness specialist for the Marine Corps (Visit my facebook page and "like" for awesomeness). I am ENGULFED in fitness. I love it. It is my life. I wake up, work at the gym, workout out, go home and cook healthily for the fam, go back out and train on my own, work out some more, and sleep. Well, little do many of my peers know that I am also a self-proclaimed nerd. I have loved fantasy/sci-fi stuff since I was about 10 years old when my mother made me read Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. Instantaneous obsession! I also have a love affair with Dragons. I specifically love the Enchantica style Dragons in sculpture form. My mother also collects there. Go Figure. Video Games? RPG? Dungeons and Dragons? World of Warcraft?  Yep, I am there too!

I lost touch with my nerd side in college unfortunately. Classes and training just did not allow a lot of time for me to escape to my dreamspace. I met my now husband in college, and that was a lot of fun, but he isn’t really a D&D sort of guy, although he embraced the fact that I was! (win!) What other guy will let his woman totally geek out on things like that? Plus, my husband isn’t even that interested in fitness! What do we have in common? You may ask….We are both quirky, like the Padres, love to talk to each other, and he is one of my best friends! But we are SO different too...Why would I want to be with someone like me? I digress…Back to my total abandonment of all things nerdy. I was so focused on getting a good job, grades, career, and then my son was born and OH BOY Mothers Unite, because that is a whole new world! Slowly my nerdisms were drifting farther and farther away, though still buried deep inside.

Well, once I had my established career (combat specialist for our US Marines), home, training routine down pat, fitness competitions, family time, etc., all organized, I decided to actually pick up a book. I was passengering (what? I wasn’t driving) to LA with Dave (my husband, if I forgot to mention). And I was like, “What’s all this talk about Hunger Games?” I have issues with things that are pop-culture that I know nothing about. It’s the only reason I read Twilight (that’s a WHOLE other blog). So I downloaded the books onto my Kindle, and pretty much read all of them in less than a week. BAZINGA! I actually found time to read! By the way, the Kindle App on my Droid is the best thing ever. I find that when I am a passenger in cars, I can read a few pages. Stolen moments in between playing with my son, I read. OH AND JACKPOT! Cardio! We fitness competitors tend to log a lot of miles on the stairmaster, elliptical and incline walking on treadmill.

Hunger Games started my delve back into YA (that’s Young Adult for all you laymen out there) novels. I love myself some kick-ass female characters, and some steamy (but not pornographic) romance. (BTW, I hate love triangles). Since reading Hunger Games late last year, I have read almost 50 books, thanks to that Kindle App (I always have my phone on me, and its more convenient than carrying a book, plus its cheaper, sorry, but I’m a tight-ass). However, if there are book series that I LOVE, I will buy the hard copy, preferably first edition, and hopefully something I can get signed by authors at the local Dealers down at Mysterious Galaxy SD.

Now that I have found time to read, I also do need to work on balancing out other nertastic things I love, from certain TV shows (I REALLY need to re-watch Buffy, and get caught up on Dr.Who) and other books (I have 143 books on my to read list – find me on Goodreads) video games ( I play WoW, but also want to get into Star Wars TOR) and get started with graphic novels. I feel like I am a decent nerd, but there is no WAY I can compete with the nerdiest. That’s ok, I will get there soon! (Challenge Accepted, Sorry Babe!)

                Basically, this blog is for me to jot down my thoughts, experiences, book reviews, game reviews, etc. Basically this is a place for me to post about random, nertastic things and escape the world of fitness for 5 seconds. I also plan on posting some Cosplay things I want to get into, my artwork, and some short stories. My own little online diary if you will. That is open to the public…scary! I’ll keep this short. I plan on blogging a few times a week, as my little mental escapes. Thanks for reading.