It's a nice day to start again

Well, it's been more than a year since I last reviewed a book on this blog, and I think I'd better start it back up again. New URL and a new layout (well, soon) as well as a new feature! If you have a book you'd like me to review, I will now! I will read anything, but I prefer not to read erotica. I post my reviews here and on Amazon.com, and I am completely honest with my reviews. If I would rate something 2 or less stars, I would contact whoever asked me to review and let them know the situation first so that they are not shocked when they see a less than stellar review.

Please allow up to 2 months for my review of your work to appear on the blog. I read fast, but I often have two or three books going at the same time (don't worry, I don't get the books mixed up, I just need a break from a story every so often).
I ONLY accept ebooks to review. In the future, when I have a physical address again, this may change, but it's rather difficult to receive packages given my current situation. You can email your ebook in PDF, MOBI, or EPUB to skrain.dukat@yahoo.com. Please put "Review Request" and your book's title in the subject line so I know it's not just spam.

Yeah, so, that's pretty much it! Happy reading!

Coraline by Neal Gaiman (Illustrated by Dave McKean)

Synopsis: A young girl is bored with her life at home, finds a whole different world through a door in a room in her flat that is rarely used. Frightening consequences accompany it.

This is one of those rare events in which I enjoyed the movie far more than the book, though the book went into greater detail. It was an insanely easy read, taking less than two hours of reading time.


Overall: 2.5 out of 5 bookmarks
Kids?: Yes. It's a kids book.
Recommend?: If you're looking for a good, creepy kids book.
Where to find?: Wherever books are sold.

The Anthem by Ayn Rand

Synopsis: A man journeys through life, feeling that something is missing. He's grown up in a world where everybody works for the good of his brothers and sisters, where men and women are not allowed to look upon one another, much less speak to one another.

I honestly do not know if I understood the book completely. I have to say, I had to "read" it with the text-to-speech feature turned on, so I could hear it as well, because the language which Rand uses in her writing is difficult, to say the least. I did enjoy it, and I read the entirety of it (it's very short) in less than a day.

Overall rating: 4 of 5 bookmarks
Would I recommend?: Yes, if you're looking for a challenge.
Safe for kids?: Sex is mentioned a couple times, but not explicitly, so I would say that an adolescent would probably be okay reading it. Also, there are a lot of essay contests based around her books for younger readers.
Where to find?: Where ever books are sold.

Madness: A Bipolar Life by Marya Hornbacher

Synopsis: Hornbacher once again brings readers into her life as she tells, in stunning and sometimes horrifying detail, about her diagnosis and the things she struggles with because of her illness. She brings the reader through multiple hospitalizations, a divorce, a marriage, and to rock bottom and back again.


I have to say, right now, I am biased. I am a huge fan of Marya Hornbacher's work, having read and reread her book Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia enough times that I have it memorized. Completely. Cover to cover. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, even though it was, at times, not easy to read. The truth is not easy to read, neither is someone's pain. I honestly think that everyone should read this book.

Overall Rating: 5 of 5 bookmarks
Would I recommend?: Absolutely and whole-heartedly
Safe for children?: I would probably allow someone as young as 13 to read it. Parental discretion encouraged.
Where can you find it?: I downloaded this one from the Amazon Kindle store. But I've been told it is also available at Barnes and Noble and at Borders.

Review #4: Erotique, by Nicole Austin

Synopsis: A woman and her husband anxiously await their turn to bare it all in front of an audience on stage at a sex show.

I can honestly say that I got what I paid for in this one- Nothing. It's not very well written, it doesn't create the mood a romance story is supposed to, and there is little-to-no character development.

Rating: 1 of 5 bookmarks
Safe for Kids?: No
Would I Recommend?: No
Where to find?: Amazon Kindle eBook store

Review #3: Star Wars Jedi Apprentice #1: The Rising Force, by Dave Wolverton

Synopsis: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn's paths keep crossing as the Force pushes them toegether even as Jinn refuses to take Kenobi on as an apprentice. Both Jedi are assigned to the same planet, but for different reasons.

Personally, I love this series, bt this is my least favorite book of the series. In my opinion, the writer didn't know what he was doing writing a young readers' Star Wars novella. Also the grammar is not good. But it does have a good story, so overall it is a so-so book.

Rating: 2 of 5 bookmarks
Safe for kids?: yes
Would i recommend?: yes

Recommendations?

If you'd like to recommend a book for me to read and review, leave it here in a comment! I don't really have a preference in genre or anything, I just ask that you please not recommend anything written by Ann Coulter.