30 December 2020

The Edge of Forever by Melissa E. Hurst REVIEW

 Summary:

In 2013, sixteen-year-old Alora is having blackouts. Each time she wakes up in a different place with no idea how she got there. The one thing she is certain of? Someone is following her.

In 2146, seventeen-year-old Bridger is one of a small number of people born with the ability to travel to the past. While on a routine school time trip, he sees the last person he expected--his dead father. The strangest part is that, according to the Department of Temporal Affairs, his father was never assigned to be in that time. Bridger's even more stunned when he learns that his by-the-book father was there to break the most important rule of time travel--to prevent someone's murder.

And that someone is named Alora.

Determined to discover why his father wanted to help a "ghost", Bridger illegally shifts to 2013 and, along with Alora, races to solve the mystery surrounding her past and her connection to his father before the DTA finds him. If he can stop Alora's death without altering the timeline, maybe he can save his father too.

My Thoughts:

It started out really slow but picked up and I am so glad that I kept going through it, despite being in a bit of a reader's slump.

Alora's character is a bit, well, cliché. But she's still likeable and interesting. Her unknown history is probably the most interesting thing about her, and we get to find out quite a bit, although it is set up to have a sequel, so we'll see if it is a satisfying conclusion. Her being so similar to Vika was also kind of cliché but the twist on why was a nice surprise.

Bridger is a bit more interesting. His beloved father is dead, leaving him with his brother and his incredibly selfish mother. The set-up of the future was something I hoped to learn more of, but this book mostly takes place in 2013, so don't expect too much. A lot of things, I hope, will be explained and more clearly developed in the sequel.

If you can push yourself through the first third of the book, you won't regret it.


My Rating: 4 stars

22 November 2020

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins REVIEW

 Summary:

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and out maneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined-every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute...and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

My Thoughts:

It started off nicely, and then was a slump for a bit before going back to being interesting. I do really wish that how Snow got the presidency was included, as we barely know anything about that.

Snow is originally a character to sympathize with. His family, though famous and from the Capitol, is very poor and they worry about losing their home daily. I don't really see how choosing to follow the rules over love made him the cruel president we see during Katniss's time though. I honestly wish we got more of Sejanus (a brief friend of Snow's before he is betrayed and hung). He seemed like a more interesting character to me. I now know why Snow hates District 12 though. I wish we knew more about the rivalry between the headmaster, Dr. Gaul, and Snow's father. 

I don't understand why the tributes were basically starved before the games. If you want someone to fight to the death and be entertained by it...they kind of have to be at full strength. 

It was good to read, but if you're just a casual fan, you might not want to. While some parts were great, others were extremely boring.

My Rating: 2 stars


24 October 2020

Gatekeeper by Alison Levy REVIEW

 My Thoughts:


I absolutely loved this. I would have gotten this review done sooner but I am so busy with college lately. Rachel is from another dimension. Her job has her working with daemons, but her new assignment has her tracking down a killer trying to open another dimension so a very old, very dangerous daemon can get out and wreak havoc. The job is something she's never done before-and she has no available help since the offices are closed and no one is answering her calls. Rachel's first attempt at capturing the man is unsuccessful, but she finds a flash drive that he drops while running away. Since she is unable to read the language on the drive, she enlists the help of Miss Morely, an expert in languages, which gets them both captured. Can she finish the job? Why is the killer so obsessed with opening this door and finding a long lost gatekeeper?

I loved getting to know Rachel and her home dimension. I would, however, have loved to know more about her home and job. The end sounded like there was going to be a sequel, which would be amazing. I can't wait to see what else the author has in store. 


My Rating: 5 stars

16 August 2020

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake REVIEW

*sequel to Anna Dressed in Blood*
Summary:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live--not walk around half dead, pining for her. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.
Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep, and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...These aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears. Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

My Thoughts:

While this book is just as well written as the first and I got through it just as quick, it pales in comparison. The introduction of a secret order that Cas is descended from seemed rushed. While it was interesting, the idea just wasn't well developed.
I did really like how realistic Cas seemed throughout the book. Losing someone you love is really hard and you do really see them everywhere--just not in the same way that Cas does. I did really like Jestine (I wish we knew more about her) and I think it would be pretty cool to have a book with her as the narrator/main character someday, considering how the book ended.
In this book, Gideon was really different and it didn't feel right. In the first book, he was not just a mentor, he was also a friend to Cas, but this book just threw that out the window.
I would LOVE to have more books set in this world.

My Rating: 3 stars

04 August 2020

The Edge of Elsewhere by Sam Stea REVIEW

Summary:

In the year 2079, fourteen-year-old Abbey Lane dreams of vivid colors that no longer exist and wonders of nature that have disappeared in a world blanketed with dust.
One day, scrounging through the abandoned ruins of Princeton University with her best friend, Max, Abbey discovers an ancient notebook that opens up a possibility beyond her dreams.
Using the information in the notebook, Abbey and Max and her brainy brother, Paul, defy time and travel into the past.
In the New York City of 1971, they discover the natural world, join a group of hippies, and befriend a legendary musician and peace activist, who may hold the key to changing the tragic destiny of Earth as they've known it-if they can only save him from an untimely death.
But do they dare disrupt the natural flow of events? Will it endanger their own existence? Will it make matters better or destroy everything and everyone they've ever known?

My Thoughts:

Since I know very little of the topic the author is writing about (climate change), I won't be talking about how realistic or not the world of 2079 is, I will just give my thoughts on the story.
At the beginning of the book, I definitely disliked Paul, however later on, I actually ended up liking him the most out of the three.
The story begins with Abbey and Max eating together at the spot where the university used to be. They end up exploring and finding a journal written by Einstein himself. They bring it to Abbey's house and Paul ends up taking it and locking himself in his room. He figures out how to time travel, and after lots of begging, agrees to let Abbey and Max go with him.
Most of the book takes place in the 70s, which is where they traveled to. I do wish the author spent more time building the world in 2079 though.
I suppose for the time period, it would make sense that John Lennon was an important figure in helping try to save the earth, but I personally know very little about him.
It isn't really clear how they end up saving the earth, which was the one thing I really wanted to know. (SPOILERS) Also, if their mom changes to not being their mom...shouldn't they not exist? That confused me the most.
While I found this book to be very interesting, the lack of enough world building and amount of unanswered questions really ruined the fun.

My Rating: 3 stars

10 July 2020

Music From Another World by Robin Talley REVIEW

Summary:

It's summer 1977 and closeted lesbian Tammy Larson can't be herself anywhere. Not at her strict Christian high school, not at her conservative Orange County church and certainly not at home, where her ultrareligious aunt relentlessly organizes antigay political campaigns. Tammy's only outlet is writing secret letters in her diary to gay civil rights activist Harvey Milk...until she's matched with a real-life pen pal who changes everything.
Sharon Hawkins bonds with Tammy over punk music and carefully shared secrets, and soon their letters become the one place she can be honest. The rest of her life in San Francisco is full of lies. The kind she tells for others-like helping her gay brother hide the truth from their mom-and the kind she tells herself. But as antigay fervor in America reaches a frightening new pitch, Sharon and Tammy must rely on their long-distance friendship to discover their deeply personal truths, what they'll stand for...and who they'll rise against.

My Thoughts:

I saw this at a bookstore and immediately ordered it from the library. I'm so glad I did. Tammy and Sharon are such well built characters, and so is Sharon's brother. I love the formatting of the book as well, although at first it was kind of confusing.
While I don't have anyone throwing antigay campaigns, I know what it's like to have a conservative family, go to a Christian school, and have to pretend I'm someone that I'm not. So it was really nice being able to finally relate to a main character in a book.
Tammy ends up running away to Sharon after her family finds out that she's gay. Sharon comes to terms that she's bisexual and in love with Tammy.
This was my first LGBT-centered book I have read, and I absolutely loved it.

My Rating: 5 stars

01 July 2020

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake REVIEW

Summary:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: he kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead-keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed every person who has dared step into the deserted Victorian house she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

My Thoughts:

I actually bought the sequel without realizing that it was a sequel last year, so I borrowed this book from my library. It was just as good as I hoped.
Cas is one of the few male narrators in books that I have actually liked. His father was killed when he was young and he secretly plans to get revenge once he gets enough experience to do so. What he doesn't know, is that he'll get revenge a lot sooner than he thinks. It turns out Anna is just a scared girl who was cursed to stay in the house and kill everyone, and that she never wanted to in the first place. The romance between Cas and Anna is so well written, although I wish the author explored their relationship a bit more.
Overall, I absolutely LOVED this book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes reading/watching things about the paranormal.
*also, it's definitely NOT a children's book. It is implied that Anna's stepfather did things to her, as well as other things that would be spoilers*

My Rating: 4.5 stars

23 June 2020

Turn Your Pain Into Art by Ariel Bloomer REVIEW

Summary:

In this hilarious, candid, and warm debut, Icon for Hire vocalist Ariel Bloomer bares her soul and shares her struggles, coupling accessible autobiography with practical advice and inspiration for navigating the messiest parts of life.
From growing up a passionate but troubled spiritual seeker to chasing her rock n' roll dreams, Bloomer's journey illustrates the importance of cultivating self=love and the transformational nature of creativity, as well as how to access the artist inside all of us. Turning one's pain into art is an intense but rewarding endeavor, and is one we can all benefit from-if we're brave enough to say yes to the challenge.

My Thoughts:

Honestly, this is the most helpful 'self help' book I have ever encountered. In the first third of the book, Ariel shares her life story and how she got to where she is now. As someone who struggles with some of the things she does, it was a good way to connect with the author and know that her advice would actually most likely work for me. Ariel then dives into the deeper stuff. She talks about how she overcame her struggles with tips and hints on what worked for her. Some sections have you write down different things that relate your life to what she's talking about.
As someone who LOVES Icon for Hire, I knew this book would be great, but I had no clue how great it actually was.
If anyone is trying to find a self help book that ACTUALLY HELPS, definitely check this one out. You won't regret it.

My Rating: 5 stars

08 June 2020

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs REVIEW

Summery:

Mercy Thomson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, never knows what the day-or night-may bring in a world where witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people. But she is about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous, those who seek them are just plain deadly...
Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae book she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secrets-and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...

My Thoughts:

I've had this book on my TBR list for a while now and finally got around to reading it. Despite this being a part of a series, it also reads well as a stand-alone. Mercy is a likable character and a bit of an outcast, since she is living with werewolves despite not being one and mated to the Alpha.
She goes to return a book to Phin, her friend and bookstore owner, but she finds a fae inside with no sign of her friend. Realizing that what she borrowed may be dangerous, she hides the book until she finds Phin.
I really loved reading this. I was able to finish it in a matter of days after I started it. My only complaints are that the big showdown was a bit of a letdown (it was too short) and we know pretty much nothing about why this book is so dangerous.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

25 May 2020

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Dwarf Story by Professor W. W. Marplot

Summary:


For Arty to miss a day of school, either he is very, very sick or a fairytale-character turf-war has begun in his backyard — such as what begins this particular Wednesday. First, he finds an ax-swinging, bearded, sweaty warrior Dwarf scaring his dogs. Soon enough, Emma, Cry and other middle-school friends also find fairy creatures — Elves, Spriggans, Pixies, and a hoped-for Dragon — crashing into their normal homework-doing, backpack-carrying, phone-charging schooldays. 


Why are these magical beings here? What should be done? Is that axe sharp? Can Pixies be given aspirin? 
Arty with his friends — and spying jerks, and questionable strangers with long names — follow the clues and try to find out, even as things turn dark and dangerous. 

The mythical beings are taking sides. The Gwyllion, that legendary Old Woman of the Mountains, has a sinister plan, turning the neighborhood into a fantasy battleground. One that awaits young heroes. 
Interview with the Author:

How and when did you discover your great-grandfather's manuscripts? I was very young -- I think 5 or 6 years old -- when I went on an extended family reunion that had us tramping all over Great Britain. All I remember of Great-Grandad is wandering around in this dark old mansion. It looked like a cathedral, with the light inside coming at all crazy angles and through huge colored windows, and everywhere were large bookcases, and bookshelves, from floor to high-ceiling, and with every desk or table piled high with old papers, books stuffed with flattening parchments, scrolls and tube containers -- a musty, dusty maze through the whole house. And they told me not to touch any of it! That experience definitely started my love of books. I don’t think I was even there very long, but those images are burned into my memory, a very happy one. I don’t remember seeing the professor too much, but he must have noticed me because when we left, he wobbled over to me -- he had a cane, was very old and gray with a stiff, short beard and a pipe sticking out of his fat, fluffy mustache. He said something about me being a good girl and that I should read a lot, or something. I don’t remember much else; it was so long ago and dream-like. But on my birthday every year since, he sent me some old parchment or ancient book with leaves disintegrating off the binder, and they were about very strange things -- supposedly hidden knowledge or stories that just looked like a mess of symbols to me. Some had designs with bright colors and gold and silver etched lines -- and pictures! Very cool. When I was 13, I asked him to send me something that I could actually read, something a normal girl would like. And in pieces -- large pieces, in big boxes -- I started to receive papers filled with more modern stories. And with very little explanation! I finally convinced him to get a computer and email so we could communicate faster and more often. He wouldn’t want me to say much more, but he did help me get the papers in order, and he told me all he knew of their history -- which honestly wasn’t much. 
How did you weave together the story as you sorted the tattered pages, and how long did it take? A long time for “Dwarf Story” because pieces of it arrived in a scattered and disorganized way. And specifics as to the story’s setting were missing -- as if any scenes that revealed specific data were intentionally left out, cut from existence. With some -- very little -- help from my great-grandfather I narrowed down some possible U.S. locations for the story, though it could have taken place almost anywhere. The place names in the tale were hints, as well as the weather and landmarks. I followed clue after clue, the way Arty does in the story, and did the best I could. Interesting that such a modern story could have such a mysterious source. I was just about 15 when the first package with “Dwarf Story” pages came -- marked as “Mary’s letters,” and those scenes from the middle of the book. Because I recently finished it, it was about eight years from beginning to end. A lot of fun! But eight years to tell a story that takes place over one week is crazy! 
Do you think your grandfather left behind more pages that you've yet to uncover? 
Oh, yes. In fact, there are pages that didn’t make it into the book, a few scenes that definitely take place in Scotland, but they didn’t fit the main story and still need work. It is a good question I ask myself also: For how long will I keep getting more “Dwarf Story” pages? 
What do you think your grandfather would say, knowing you went through all of this effort to tell his stories? I think he will be proud to see more stories published because, to him, they are the latest link in a long chain. One theme of all his research and investigations concerns stories of young adults and how they cross into the fantastic and legendary. Though he doesn’t communicate much -- or say much when he does communicate -- so it’s hard to tell. But I think he is enjoying it. 
Did you learn more about your grandfather after discovering his writing? Was anything surprising? Only that he seems more real, sometimes, seeing the work he did to collect these stories, and the writing he did on pulling together all old legends and connecting them up -- like what I did for “Dwarf Story,” now that I think about it! Though his work is much, much greater. The hidden knowledge he compiles and collects and seams together is truly amazing -- and I have only seen a small part of it! 
Have you preserved the original manuscripts? Where are they now? I made copies and worked with those. All the originals are in storage. I had to seek some expert advice for how to preserve them. A local university has a Special Collections Department and they helped. My great-grandfather’s working spaces were far from pure -- so much pipe smoke and dust, and that old mansion amid year-round cold, wet weather! What he sent me is now in airtight containers and temperature- controlled rooms. I had a local historical society staff volunteer some time also; they were very interested in the material. 

11 May 2020

Catalyst by Tracy Richardson REVIEW

Summary:

This summer, high school junior Marcie Horton is working at Angel Mounds, the archaeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds--something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with. Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history.

My Thoughts:

I went into this not knowing if I would like or hate it. I am glad to say that I really liked it.
It was really cool to follow Marcie through this journey. She is able to see spirits (?) of the past at the site and even before working there. I loved the dynamic between Marcie and Leo; I was actually convinced that they were a couple, unlike other couples in some other books. I would love to know more about the dimensions and powers that were briefly discussed in this novel. I hope there will be a sequel, because there is so much that the author could do with this world she built. The book is also informative about fracking, and the problems it causes. There were some spelling and grammar errors, but it was an ARC, so that was expected.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a fast but good read.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

10 April 2020

Black Dahlia, Red Rose by Piu Eatwell REVIEW

Summary:
The shocking murder of hopeful starlet Elizabeth Short, in the wicked, noir-tinged Los Angeles of 1947, holds a permanent place in American lore as one of our most inscrutable true crime mysteries. In a groundbreaking feat of detection, relentless legal sleuth Piu Eatwell cracks the case after 70 years, rescuing Short from tabloid fodder to reveal the woman behind the headlines and construct a compelling theory about who killed her. Drawing from unredacted FBI and LAPD files and exclusive interviews, Black Dahlia, Red Rose is a gripping panorama of the seedy side of Hollywood and a persuasive account of one of the biggest unsolved murders of all time.

My Thoughts:
The murder of Elizabeth Short is really fascinating to me, so I decided to learn more about it by picking up this book.
I really like how thorough Eatwell is with her research. On nearly every page there are footnotes to explain further on things, and the back section not only has a sources page, but also an index, notes, and a list of the people involved.
I love how Eatwell not only gives evidence as to why she believes that Leslie Dillon and Mark Hansen worked together on the murder, but explains why the other suspects were not involved with lots of evidence. This might be partially because I am also taking a research class. This was very well written and easy to read compared to other nonfiction books I have read.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is into true crime or murder mysteries.

*I don't rate nonfiction, since it is based entirely on facts*

01 March 2020

The Forge of Bonds by Wendy Terrien REVIEW

Summary:

Jason Lex and Sadie Callahan are together again in their hometown of Salton recovering from personal tragedies and bearing the burden of new secrets. Both are wishing for nothing but normalcy, but when Skyfish swarm and a rogue Bigfoot attacks, Jason and Sadie know looming danger can't be ignored.
Their friendship is challenged when a vanquished enemy returns from the dead bringing imminent threat to the lives of their friends and family. Sadie turns her back on Jason and he struggles without her to balance his upgraded Guard powers against fears of his own dark destiny, while Sadie is solely consumed on avenging her loss and defeating her adversary once and for all.
After a stunning family revelation, an agonizing betrayal exposes Jason and Sadie to their greatest enemy yet. They must find a way to fight together or suffer the loss of everything and everyone they love.

My Thoughts:

This was a really fun book to read. I do not think that I have read any other fantasy book like this before. Despite going into this book partially blind (I got an ARC and I have not read the previous books), it made me want to go back and read them.
The characters were refreshingly normal-they went to school, had classmates they disliked, had normal friends. While in the end I am grateful that Jason did not kill the creature despite Sadie yelling at him to do so, I do not really understand his hesitation to wound or kill evil creatures. Spoiler alert-the creature ends up being Sadie's mother who was thought to be dead. And the enemy they were trying to avoid was hiding in plain sight all along, which was cool.
Another thing I did not understand was Sadie's refusal to train. I understand not wanting to wipe someone's memory, but training is an entirely different thing that would have been extremely helpful for the big fight at the end.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am really glad I was able to read it.

My Rating: 5 stars

08 February 2020

Under the Black Flag by David Cordingly REVIEW

My Thoughts:

*this is the first non-fiction book I have reviewed here, so it may not be great*

I got this book from a used book sale about a year ago, and I have finally read it. It was a bit of a slow read, however it was very interesting. It talks about the history and beginnings of pirates as well as where the myths come from and if they were true. For example, only one pirate ever buried his treasure. There were several female pirates mentioned as well, including some that are not famous (at least in the US). It was really interesting to find out where the cliches in fictional stories came from and how most pirates used to be seamen who either lost their job or needed money.
Overall, it was slow but worth it to read and learn things that I never knew before.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

05 January 2020

Fallen Skies by Philippa Gregory REVIEW

Summary:

Lily Valence is determined to forget the horrors of the war by throwing herself into the decadent pleasures of the 1920s and pursuing her career as a music hall singer. When she meets Captain Stephen Winters, a decorated veteran, she's immediately drawn to his wealth and status. And Stephen, burdened by his guilt over surviving the Flanders battlefields where so many soldiers perished, sees the possibility of forgetting his anguish in Lily, but his family does not approve.
Lily marries Stephen, only to discover that his family's facade of respectability conceals a terrifying combination of repression, jealousy, and violence. When Stephen's terrors merge dangerously close with reality, the truth of what took place in the mud and darkness brings him and all who love him to a terrible reckoning.

My Thoughts:

While this book was well written as expected, I did not enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed Ms. Gregory's other books. Lily, Rory, Charlie, and Coventry were the only likable characters. I did not like Stephen from the start, and hoped maybe I would later on, but I only started to hate him more. On their first (?) "date", he briefly thinks about raping Lily. As the book went on, he became both verbally and physically abusive toward her after they married. While Coventry was friends with Stephen from the war, he is a lot more likable. He has a soft spot for Lily, and ends up saving her and her baby in the end from Stephen. Rory is Stephen's father who was badly injured in the war. Lily spends time taking care of him, and as he starts to get better, we see why Lily spent so much of her free time with him: he is kind. Charlie is Lily's first love who she met during her time working as a singer. He loves her as well but won't marry her because of his infidelity. He also tells Lily that if she decides to leave Stephen, she can live with him.
While the book was really interesting, I was not a huge fan of it. I probably won't pick it up again.

My Rating: 2 stars