Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Wicked Merman by Kelly Apple
The Wicked Merman
Summary From Goodreads: 
When her friend drags her off to the lake for some much needed R&R, Ari thought she’d be getting away from supernaturals for a few days. Sunning and swimming sound divine and it might help her shake off the funk of being parted from her beloved Guardian.
But when a girl who loves monsters ends up at a lake housing a merman, she’s going to end up doing a lot more than swimming.
Ari can’t resist trying to find the answer to the age-old question: How do mermen have sex?
This wicked merman is more than happy to give her some hands-on experience.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I have come to the conclusion that the Monstrous Tales series is going to be exactly what most erotica enthusiasts are looking for, at least if they enjoy the fantasy variety. It is a solid dose of “monster” and human coupling, an underlying story of isolated creatures that are pretty lonely, and a small bit of “regular life” drama thrown in. If that is what you are after then you will be more than satisfied as this is some of the best writing I’ve come across in terms of the sex scenes. Kelly Apple is innovative, she answers questions that come across perverse minds like ours such as “how do mermen have sex?” while giving a bit of a reality check when it comes to the day-to-day lives of these creatures, it isn’t all fantastical in fantasy land.
If you follow the blog, and this feature in particular, then you know that I’ve featured three of the four tales in this series making it somewhat of a staple akin to Leigh Wilder and the writers at Luna Erotica. The difference between this series and some of Wilder’s similar work is the MC in Monstrous Tales, Ari, is someone I can barely tolerate, where even the frustrating ones in Wilder’s stories have some redeeming qualities. The sex scenes, monsters, and story around her is excellent, but she is whiny, self-centered, and quite frankly bitchy when she’s not screwing something. Even then she isn’t satisfied and wants her Guardian, which is fine to a point, but it is stressed too much for me.
I’m going to keep reading this series and trying to tune out the MC’s whiny tendencies and frustrating lack of compassion toward anyone but the Guardian. The rest of what is going on is definitely worth it, but if you are looking for a character you can get behind (pardon the pun) this is not it. I still recommend the series, but just keep it in mind. Thanks as always for reading and have a great (and maybe a bit naughty) weekend! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #72/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #25/75; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #24/75
Killing My Kindle: Beneath the Sand by Scott Zavoda
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Beneath the Sand by Scott Zavoda
Released On: June 10th, 2013
Summary From Goodreads: 
Have you ever worried that something is hiding beneath the sand? What if something brushed your foot one night on the beach?
Would you run? Could you?
Now that surfing, dating, and every aspect of a California retirement are off limits, he paints and pretends the beach isn’t so close. Things might have been okay, too, if he hadn’t found the new pile of sand in his house or thought so hard about the accidents.
He tries to do what they trained him back in his Vietnam days – focus ahead but never behind, but it’s hard to ignore what tickles and scrapes your feet, what whispers to you in the dead of night.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
Beneath the Sand is a freebie I stumbled upon a while ago and I rarely get to read about military characters, be it active or formerly enlisted, and so I figured I would give this novella a shot. I wish I had passed. Beneath the Sand, unfortunately, does nothing to intrigue the reader or use any sort of twist or turn anywhere in the story. Essentially it took the obvious summary and just elongated it to ~45 pages of zero surprises and little else.
The MC is a war vet who is stereotypically (though not surprisingly or inaccurately) cynical and slightly off in the head, bemoaning this or that, and in general being unhappy with something even during the better times. There was nothing that drew me to care about him or the characters around him and so, when he experienced the loss that was clearly coming, I didn’t care. The mysterious sand is a simple concept and Zavoda wasn’t able to make it come alive for me.
The story was pretty simple, the relationships fine but not special in any way, and it was a sad and dull tale indeed. This was a rare time where I was glad the story was short. Oh well, they can’t all be winners. Thanks as always for reading!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #70/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #24/75
January & February Wrap-up
January & February Wrap-up
Somehow it is already March! The first two months of the year went pretty quick, and while I’m not as ahead in my challenges as I’d like to be I’m at least on pace which is good. While I know a few people regularly check my widgets on the sidebar to keep up with my progress, I still figure a recap of how this year has gone so far wouldn’t be remiss. I’m going to go over challenges, my favorite books, my least favorites/biggest disappointments, and what I’m looking forward to in the coming months. Here we go! ^.^
Challenges
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge – The overall reading challenge I use to keep track of my progress, out of the 365 books I have for my goal this year (a book a day challenge in case you haven’t heard about it) I’ve read 62. I do count novellas in this, so it is a little padded, with 15 of them being of shorter length. I’m on pace, managing to stay a few books ahead, but I had hoped to have a bigger cushion at this point. Oh well, not a bad start!
Mount TBR/2014 TBR Pile Challenges – The goals are different for these two (200 for Mount TBR, only 50 for 2014 TBR Pile) but I’m counting TBR books for both and am currently at 44 which is a ways ahead of even Mount TBR’s needed pace. I’ve done a pretty good job of trying to read TBR books for the majority of my reads, but since it is early in the year it has been easier since there just haven’t been that many books released in 2014 yet. As the year progresses this might be more difficult, but I’m thrilled with this progress! TBR book of note – Pivot Point by Kasie West
New Author Challenge – This is one of my two new challenges this year and I’m having a blast with it! The biggest possible goal amount on this one is 50, and right now I’m at 26 which I’m pretty ecstatic about. I imagine this one will slow down if/when I work more on my next goal, but for now I’ve been experiencing plenty new authors and for the most part loving it! New Author book of note – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Seriously Series Reading Challenge – I do want to start, continue, and finish more series this year and I set a goal of 75 books total (rather than a series amount) and am currently at 19. This does mean I’m ahead of where I need to be, but most of these came in January, so in March I’m going to try to read and complete at least 3-4 series to get back into it. SSR book of note – Three by Kristen Simmons
2014 Ebook Reading Challenge – This is my other new challenge this year and what sparked the idea for my weekly Killing My Kindle feature that is on Thursdays. I set a reasonable goal of 75 eBooks and am currently at 22 which is a solid start, just a bit ahead of my progress on SSR. I’m using eBooks for two features that run almost every week so I have no doubt that I’ll surpass 75 here, though I’m not sure by how much. Ebook of note – Fosgate’s Game by David C. Cassidy
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Favorite Books
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen – This was such a great read and the sequel, Lady Thief, was excellent as well. Love this Robin Hood retelling! 
The Unbound by Victoria Schwab – An excellent sequel to The Archived. The world is amazing, I love Schwab’s writing style, and the characters are excellent. Can’t wait for book three!
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch – I knew the serious material in this one, but I didn’t expect to get as emotionally invested as I have. This book is amazing, touching, and so sweet. All the feels!
Most Disappointing Books
Vitro by Jessica Khoury – My only DNF so far this year and with the potential it had this sucked even more than usual. Ugh. 
Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge – A beautiful cover, a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and an awesome world, what could go wrong? Everything else apparently. The MC was whiny, the love triangle sucked, the book was jumbled and all over the place, and I skimmed the last 75 pages or so and found the ending to be exactly what I figured it would be. *groan*
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut – I didn’t know you could make time travel, aliens, war, and a quirky MC boring. It didn’t seem possible, but Slaughterhouse-Five proved me wrong. What a drag to make it through this one, oh well.
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What’s Next?
More Series! – I plan to read at least a few series as I mentioned before including: Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Secrets of the Eternal Rose by Fiona Paul, The Heroes of Olympus, and Kane Chronicles.
Readathons! – Ides of March: Mar. 13-17th hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, UKYA Day: April 19th a 24hr readathon hosted by Lucy at Project UKYA, and Dewey’s Readathon: April 26th hosted by Dewey!
Read All The Books! – Seriously, I just want to read as much as I possibly can, get ahead on my overall reading challenge, and somehow keep blogging every day. Let’s do this!
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Dragon’s Bride by Leigh Wilder
The Battle of the Dragon Slayer
Summary From Goodreads: 
This is 18+ Shape-shifter erotica.
In the town of Paradise everything is perfect, thanks to the magic of a dragon. Every year the town must pay tribute in the form of gold, jewels, and a daughter of the town. Fiona’s perfect life is a bore–void of adventure and love. At first being taken captive by the dragon is terrifying, but once he establishes that he has no intention of eating her, she begins to warm to the idea of being his bride.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
In large part I could copy last week’s FFF review of Wilder’s The Battle of the Dragon Slayer (here if you want to read it) and it would apply, but this one does have a much different feel and tone to it. The Dragon’s Bride, like TBotDS, is light on the sex and features a pretty interesting story about a town in debt to a dragon. The sacrifice mirrors the previous book, though there is no relation between the two mentioned or listed, but what happens after is much different, and much more to my taste.
In my review of TBotDS I mentioned I wasn’t a big fan of the dragon appearing to be more of a beast than a sentient being, and The Dragon’s Bride fixes that. As the summary mentions this is a shape shifting dragon and regardless of form he is funny, sweet, and quite the charmer. I really liked his character, and though the MC, Fiona, didn’t blow me away the characters were well constructed and I would happily read more about them.
As for the tone, where as in TBotDS it was more humor/sex-crazed with more of an erotica feel, The Dragon’s Bride reads like a romance that just happens to include a sex scene at the end. The first half of the book is background, character layout, and giving us the magical setting all while the reader gets to enjoy Wilder’s excellent prose. The second half is grandiose, romantic, beautiful, and yes, pretty sexy too. Definitely a solid read if fantasy romance/light-erotica is your thing. Thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #62/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #22/75
Killing My Kindle: Lessons III – Demonic Dolls and Other Morbid Drabbles
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Lessons III – Demonic Dolls and Other Morbid Drabbles by Michael Crane
Released On: July 30th, 2011
Summary From Amazon: 
A sister’s doll doesn’t take kindly to insults, and proves it.
A puppet maker believes his creations are out to get him.
A mother can’t stand her son’s new favorite toy… and for good reason.
In Michael Crane’s latest collection of terrifying and darkly comic drabbles, you’ll find out why Playtime is only fun for those with vicious intentions. In these thirty 100-word stories you’ll run into deranged toys with old scores to settle, homicidal sociopaths and other unapologetic creatures that lurk in the shadows.
In LESSONS III: DEMONIC DOLLS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES, nobody ever leaves Playtime in one piece…
Features bonus drabbles/shorts from authors David Dalglish, Daniel Arenson, Sean Sweeney, Imogen Rose and Jason G.Anderson.
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Michael Crane is at his best when he fires out quick, creepy, and humorous short stories, which is what all of the Lessons collections are. I enjoyed the first two Lessons collections quite a bit and got the hankering to read the next one recently, so it was time for III. So in the same style as the first two I will be giving a reverse-ordered favorites list, this time with my 5 favorites! ^.^
5. Never Date a Circus Clown – I imagine the inspiration for this one came from the Joker, and that’s really all I need to say about this one. Who wouldn’t read a short that reminds them of an insane clown? Exactly.
4. A Bloody Joke – Not everyone has the same sense of humor, and often comedians find that their jokes work very well on some crowds, but not at all on others. In this case the consequences are a bit more dire.
3. Downer – People when they are upset often say things they don’t mean, or are at least more extreme because of the emotions they are feeling, and Crane exploits this understanding in Downer very well.
2. Procrastinator – I don’t think the title really works for this one, but while the vampire joke is familiar and reminds me of one of the stories in Lessons II it still works pretty well. Another great ending on this one as well, if only Twilight could have been as sensible.
1. Confession Time – This was a truly hilarious story, not darker like some of the others, and the ending was priceless. Most of us have a guilty conscience to some degree, so when someone corners us trying to get us to confess it isn’t always obvious as to what exactly they are talking about. That is the situation in this story and it’s quite satisfying.
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #60/365; Mount TBR Challenge #43/200; 2014 TBR Pile #43/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #21/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Battle of the Dragon Slayer
The Battle of the Dragon Slayer
Summary From Goodreads: 
The village of Breakwell Mountain has been plagued by a dragon for centuries. Every year a virgin must be sacrificed to save the village from certain doom. This year Adelie turns eighteen and she must draw lots with the other village girls, but Adelie has a secret. Deeply in love with the betrothed Bella, she knows there is no place for her in the small town. She has decided to sacrifice herself to assure Bella’s safety, her final loving gesture to a girl who can never love her in return.
The day of the sacrifice a band of gypsies appear, claiming the ability to slay the dragon. Gypsy prostitute Rohesia is a new dragon slayer. She’s been training since her youth to do what few can imagine–screwing a dragon into submission before stabbing it through the heart.
Armed with a sword, a knife, and a big jar of lube, Rohesia and Adelie take on the dragon together.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
As has been the theme with Frodo’s Frisky Friday, The Battle of the Dragon Slayer is a short erotica with a lot of humor in it. With all of the fantasy-themed ones I’ve read lately I went in with the mindset that it was going to be goofy, and I maintain that it makes these all the more enjoyable. What better to be snarky about than dragon sex? ^.^
However, unlike many of the fantasy erotic tales that are out there, Leigh Wilder manages to fill it with excellent writing and wonderful characters to go with the naughtier bits. I thought Rohesia and Adelie were a great pairing and definitely characters I’d be happy to revisit if that opportunity were to arise. They were a sweet match and though the time with the dragon was well done, I’d be even more interested in just seeing how their relationship progresses.
The only downside to this novella is what happens with the dragon at the end. I knew it was coming because of the whole “dragon slayer” thing, but still, the poor thing doesn’t know any better. Also, I wasn’t prepared for it being more of a beast as opposed to the sentient version you normally see, such as in Kelly Apple’s The Wicked Dragon. I can’t say I enjoyed the change, it’s more fun when they have personality to them!
Overall it was an enjoyable, quick read, and it has just enough “sexy time” for those looking for just that. I really enjoy Wilder’s work and I’ll continue to read her material as long as she is writing it. Check this one out, and Kelly’s for that matter, and see which kind of dragon tale you prefer! Thanks as always for reading!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #55/365; Mount TBR Challenge #39/200; 2014 TBR Pile #39/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #19/75
Killing My Kindle: The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe
Released On: January 14th, 2014
Summary From Goodreads: 
So many secrets for such a small island. From the moment Anne Merchant arrives at Cania Christy, a boarding school for the world’s wealthiest teens, the hushed truths of this strange, unfamiliar land begin calling to her—sometimes as lulling drumbeats in the night, sometimes as piercing shrieks.
One by one, unanswered questions rise. No one will tell her why a line is painted across the island or why she is forbidden to cross it. Her every move—even her performance at the school dance—is graded as part of a competition to become valedictorian, a title that brings rewards no one will talk about. And Anne discovers that the parents of her peers surrender million-dollar possessions to enroll their kids in Cania Christy, leaving her to wonder what her lowly funeral director father could have paid to get her in and why.
As a beautiful senior struggles to help Anne make sense of this cloak-and-dagger world without breaking the rules that bind him, she must summon the courage to face the impossible truth—and change it—before she and everyone she loves is destroyed by it.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I was excited enough for this book that, despite being approved for it in eBook form, I bought a print one anyway. Looking back on it that thought process is rather confusing, just like my thoughts toward the book after reading it. The first half of the book reads much like a contemporary. Anne is in a school setting, she has classes, a girl she fights with from the very beginning, guys she falls for, etc. Sure, there was some weird stuff going on, but it read more like a contemp with mystery elements than anything else.
Then you get to the second half and BOOM! Paranormal weirdness, secrets are revealed and they are just freaking bizarre, and to top it off Anne just takes it in stride. She tries to make herself believe it is a regular school and all, but eventually just moves past that, rationalizes that the island is all magical/supernatural/whatever and tries to figure out even MORE about the creepy stuff going on. The last 50-75 pages are a blur of action, people constantly changing sides and revealing more about themselves, and it was really jumbled and gave me a reader’s version of whiplash.
Parts of the book worked for me such as the main setting (a creepy school that I enjoyed quite a bit), the bitter rivalry of the students, and the awesomeness that was a certain dance. On the other hand; love triangles with obvious endings, repetitious dialogue, and a frantic over-the-top pace that didn’t make me excited but confused, those elements didn’t work. I’m alright with the MC, some of the side characters are interesting (I actually really enjoyed her rivals), and the dynamics of the PTs give the series a lot of possibilities going forward.
Did I enjoy it? Somewhat. It was a decent read and I’ll likely check out the second book because this one ended in an irritating cliffhanger and I want to know what’s going on. I struggled with the beginning as well as the end, but there is enough here to warrant a look. This is a debut novel so hopefully book two will be stronger. Thanks as always for reading!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #54/365; New Author Challenge #24/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #18/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: Taken By the Fairies by Celestia Dew
Taken By the Fairies
Summary From Goodreads: 
Belinda is a young, innocent virgin fearing kidnapping and rape while traveling…instead she stumbles into a fairy ring and is transported into a fairy orgy. The fairies like virgins. They like them a lot.
Fantasy Erotica. 18+
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
Taken By the Fairies is an excellent naughty read as long as you go into it with the mindset of a humorous tale. Yes, the sexy times are a big part of it, of course, but for me what made this such a great read was how hilarious it was. Fairy orgies, globular breasts, thinking orgasms are brought on by fairy magic alone, and the ever popular gaping holes, all make appearances in this short story.
The sex scenes were pretty good in this one, just as with Taken By the Centaurs, and they are certain to get you aroused, well… assuming you are into fantastical creatures of course. Who isn’t though? Celestia Dew takes what a few other authors are doing with magical creatures and then adds a bit of depth and much better writing to it. Not to say her ideas aren’t her own, but in comparison to others trying to do this I’d say she is one of the best.
There are actual stories mixed in with the “fun times” in her novellas, even ones that are this short, and the characters are engaging enough to make you want a full-length version, something most erotica in my experience do not do. I definitely recommend it for a quick, funny read. Thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #41/365; Mount TBR Challenge #31/200; 2014 TBR Pile #31/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #16/75
Killing My Kindle: Tommy Nightmare by J.L. Bryan
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Tommy Nightmare by J.L. Bryan
Released On: April 10th, 2011
Summary From Goodreads: 
While Fallen Oak recovers from the Jenny pox, someone new is hunting Jenny.
Like Jenny, Ashleigh Goodling belonged to a pair of opposites with powers that mirror each other.
Now Jenny and Seth must face the opposite of love…
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Earlier this year I read and really enjoyed Jenny Pox, the first book in this series, so I was pretty excited to see what Tommy Nightmare had in store. Tommy Nightmare introduces a pretty large group of new characters, a lot of them becoming close to being MCs, but there was still plenty of Jenny and Seth from the previous book. There’s also another returning member, but I won’t say anything about them for spoiler reasons.
I really liked what Bryan did with Tommy’s character for the most part. He’s a badass, doesn’t take anyone’s crap, and uses his power, fear, to his advantage whenever he sees fit. Sure, that doesn’t make him overly likable, though his backstory does elicit some sympathy, but it is a logical path for him to take. My complaints for him are twofold. One, I wanted more of him in this book, he really only had about a third or so at most, probably less, and his sense of humor and pretty freaky power potential wasn’t expanded on as much as I would have liked. Two, in the second half of the book he was being manipulated, and despite showing some resistance for all of one or two pages, he just let himself be a puppet. It was disappointing.
The rest of the book bounces around from the previous MCs, Jenny and Seth, to other new characters that have other (admittedly cool) powers, such as Esmeralda and Alexander. There is also a regular human that has her own arc, but it doesn’t really need more than that mention. While the multiple points of view do help to give a full scope of what is happening in the story, it did make for a bit of a jumbled feel and I would just be starting to enjoy one section when it would jump to a different one. A little irritating.
With all that said I did enjoy much of what I read and the displays of power were really incredible. The different romances that went on, despite my usual distaste for triangles and various couplings taking over the story, were plentiful but really well done. I liked the dynamics presented and thought that they added to the story where as others I have seen it might detract. My favorite element outside of the powers was definitely the flashbacks to ancient times. Ancient Sparta and Athens were mentioned a few times and it gave the story a realistic feel, plus I just love ancient history so the more of that the better.
Even though there were elements that I mentioned that disappointed me this likely would have been a 3/5 if it weren’t for the ending. Without spoiling anything I can say that Jenny does a 180 in a lot of ways, runs off without thinking, and changes her entire persona because of one incident. Everyone else stayed true to their story arc, but Jenny? Nope. So needless to say I was really disappointed.
There are good points here, potential for the rest of the series, and enough to get me to read book three in hopes that it improves back to the level of the first book, Jenny Pox. Overall it was a disappointment and a giant drop off, especially in terms of believability and consistency. The writing is still really solid in quality, but maybe Alexander Death will settle down on the POV jumps and get back to the roots of the series that made it start out so well. I am definitely intrigued by Alexander’s character, which made only a brief appearance in book two. Thanks as always for reading!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #48/365; Mount TBR Challenge #34/200; 2014 TBR Pile #34/50; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #19/75; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #17/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Wicked Dragon by Kelly Apple
The Wicked Woods
Summary From Goodreads: 
It’s been five days since Ari and her green Guardian were forced apart. Ari’s determined to ride out the storm of sexual longing she feels whenever she thinks about him, but it’s hard.
When a dragon appears in her backyard, Ari is faced with a dilemma—send him on his way and continue pining or follow him into the woods to see what he can do for her. She’s already tried out a werewolf, is there anything a dragon could possibly offer to keep her mind off her missing beloved?
As it turns out, this wicked dragon might have a trick or two up his sleeve.
Warning: This book contains a dragon with an impressive package and a girl who likes getting gifts. No flight plans were filed (or interrupted) during their interlude.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
Kelly Apple is at it again and this time she figured out how to make a dragon and human coupling work. I could stop right there as that is more than enough to warrant you reading this, but I’ll say a little more, just to tease. ^.^
While there was certainly love in the air in book one, The Wicked Woods, it was mostly sex-centered, and rightfully so being that this is erotica. Book two, The Wicked Wolf took that to new levels, focusing almost solely on pleasure and Ari’s supernatural fetishes, with a werewolf I might add. However, The Wicked Dragon develops the story a good bit, letting us into some of what is going on in the world of the fantastic, and showing more personality in both Ari, and the dragon that is introduced.
Sex certainly plays a part in this story, and it’s pretty satisfying if for no other reason then seeing how a dragon can, well… fit. To me, though, it is Max (the dragon), and how much of him we learn about that makes this a great read. Somehow in a story this short the dragon’s history, current state of his kind, and other secrets and backstories are all laid out, and all while Ari is busy getting soaked just looking at him. Check it out, it’s well worth your time, and thanks for reading. ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #35/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #13/75; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #14/75
Killing My Kindle: Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover
Released On: October 14th, 2013
Summary From Goodreads: 
A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.
When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.
One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.
Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn’t guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I haven’t actually read the full-length novels in the Hopeless series, but apparently this companion novel has been sitting on my Kindle for a while so I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m so happy I did! Initially I was worried because of the whole insta-love thing even though it’s pretend and all, but it was done soooo well. From the first scene on I knew I was going to love this story.
The best part for me was the humor, oh my goodness was it excellent. Sarcastic, witty, snarky, just wonderful banter between all the characters, but especially between Daniel and Six is what sold this for me. The romance is so sweet and Hoover’s willingness to poke fun at romantic stereotypes and the usual tropes made it all the better and more unique.
Daniel was a great MC, though I preferred Six for obvious reasons (if you’ve read the story, no spoilers!), and the chemistry between them was perfect. Really, I have no complaints whatsoever for Finding Cinderella. If the humor and excellent writing are even close to as good in the full-length Hopeless novels then they are must reads for me. I will definitely check them out soon! Thanks as always for reading. ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #40/365; Mount TBR Challenge #30/200; 2014 TBR Pile #30/50; New Author Challenge #17/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #15/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Goblin Market by Leigh Wilder
The Wicked Woods
Summary From Goodreads: 
“Goblin Market” was written in 1862 by Christina Rossetti. Now Leigh Wilder takes the suggestive imagery in this classic poem and builds on it. Eliza and Laura swear never to be parted by man or beast, but when Laura is tempted by the forbidden fruit of the goblin market, Eliza must go to great lengths to bring her back from the brink of death.
Contains erotic lesbian content.
Also included is the original poem and author’s notes.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
This is Leigh Wilder at her finest in terms of showcasing her beautiful writing and abilities. It stays true to the poetry of the great Christina Rossetti, and maintains that classic feel, while still mixing in some modern touches to the older way of speaking. It’s fun, incredibly sweet, and truly quite romantic in some ways.
My only complaints, and they are minor, are that it is shorter than I had hoped and while there are some more risque scenes, they are brief. I think the latter part actually works for the most part, even if I wouldn’t have minded more given Wilder’s other pieces and how much I enjoyed them, and it keeps The Goblin Market lighter than I had anticipated. However, the length was disappointing, and while I understand staying true to the poetry and working within those confines, I thought there was room for expansion.
I liked the characters as Wilder portrayed them, and I wanted MORE, so perhaps it is a good thing that it was a short sweet sample of Wilder’s talents. Did I enjoy it? Absolutely. It is easily the tamest piece I have read by her, which isn’t much of a surprise given this wasn’t even filed under “erotica” unlike most of her others, and it was nice to see this side of her. I recommend it for poetry lovers, people who want to get their feet wet in something naughty before diving in, and just fans of great writing and/or LGBT works. Thanks as always for reading. ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #34/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #12/75
Killing My Kindle: Irregular Creatures by Chuck Wendig
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Irregular Creatures by Chuck Wendig
Released On: January 6th, 2011
Summary From Goodreads: 
Contained within are nine stories featuring bizarre beasties, mythological mutants, and overall “irregular creatures” – including flying cats, mermaids, Bigfoot, giant chickens, and mystic hobo hermaphrodites.
Horror, fantasy, science-fiction and humor.
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I have been in an anthology kind of mood lately I guess, especially ones with a twisted/dark side to them. So in the same vein as last week’s Killing My Kindle we have Irregular Creatures. Unlike Lessons II with its short stories that provide just a glimpse into the mind of the author, Irregular Creatures has some longer stories, novellas in and of themselves, and ones that are deeper and connect on more levels.
It starts with Dog-Man and Cat-Bird (A Flying Cat Story), a way to ease the reader into Wendig’s twisted brain. It’s exactly what it says, a flying cat story, but it’s not just funny (though there are laughs mixed in), it is also a look at what we perceive, what our brains will accept, and what is most important to us. Which leads to A Radioactive Monkey, and while that can also be taken in the literal sense it deals with perception on a different level, showing how people aren’t we make them out to be, and why it’s truly necessary to dig deeper to really know anyone.
To me it is not the creatures that tie these stories together, but the common theme of alternate perspectives, how we see the world. Product Placement shows how much we are willing to buy into what corporations and businesses sell us, not just their products, but the way they want us to live, to behave. It does this with alternate dimensions, but still. This Guy is a shorter story, and shows how much routine can blind us into believing we are living different lives then we really are, perhaps ones that seem more fulfilling or “normal” than the harsh reality.
Mister Mhu’s is a tad more sexual than I had anticipated finding in this collection, but it actually takes the widest scope of our world and how the vices we let take hold of our lives can completely alter our life views and thus the course ours take. Lethe and Mnemosyne is a short but pointed example on what age and suffering can do to rid our minds of all the cherished (or perhaps not so) memories they contained.
Wendig continues working through the variety of ways our brain can trick itself in The Auction where mythological beasts of all sorts, tricksters, and artifacts that wreak havoc on people’s minds all mess with a young boy. The Auction distorts his reality with the fantastical things just as we are often succumbed to through wonders of technology and artistic majesty.
Beware of Owner is a short example of old-fashioned thinking taken to an extreme, slightly off the track of the other stories, but interesting all the same. Finally Do-Overs and Take-Backs examines whether getting a whole new “better” life is really worth losing the one we already have, and everyone in it.
So what is Irregular Creatures? Excellent writing, dark humor, creatures ranging from beautiful to downright disturbing, and underneath one of the better examinations of the human mind out there in this kind of format. I definitely recommend it whether you want to focus on the surface or delve deeper, Wendig rewards both equally. I hope you didn’t mind me getting a bit philosophical and thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #33/365; Mount TBR Challenge #26/200; 2014 TBR Pile #26/50; New Author Challenge #13/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #11/75
Fosgate’s Game by David C. Cassidy: Frodo’s Review
Fosgate’s Game
Summary From Goodreads: 
KINGS OF INDUSTRY. PAWNS OF FATE. LET THE GAME BEGIN.
For Chadwick Harlow, a peaceful, easy-going Englishman, after-dinner drinks with his business partner—a ruthless, hard-edged hunter—is a weekly affair. But when casual conversation takes a mysterious and menacing turn into the supernatural, his wits are put to the test in a deadly challenge. Clinging to life but praying for death, Chadwick must summon the will to survive, before all is lost in a terrifying descent into madness.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
I stumbled across Fosgate’s Game while I was on Amazon searching for deals, because as we all know what I need is MORE BOOKS. >.> Ya, I might have a small book buying problem, but oh well. This one was free though, so huzzah!
What drew me to this book is I’ve played chess casually since elementary school. I was lucky enough to go to a school that had a chess club (a mixture of elementary and middle school kids, mostly the latter), and have loved it ever since, even though I don’t play as much as I would like to. Anyway, so I saw the cover and figured chess + supernatural elements + some sort of “deadly challenge” was bound to equal awesome, and it did!
The story is mostly set in this creepy and ominous study with a strong thunderstorm outside, as these two “gentlemen” discuss the newspaper that they run and how one of them, Fosgate, would like to move up in popularity. We get this creepy tale, involving the chess set of course, and much of it is set in Germany which is a favorite of mine. There is also some discussion of WWII which was pretty interesting, I’m all for more historical content in my books. ^.^
Without spoiling the story I will say that the games of chess do play a huge role, and the supernatural elements are equally gruesome and fascinating, with the lone disappointment I have being that the actual games they played weren’t described at least a bit more in detail. Maybe that would ruin the pacing or the dark atmosphere, but it would have been fun for me anyhow.
The dialogue is excellent, and the whole thing had somewhat of a noir feel to it. Both characters were engaging in different ways, and watching Fosgate and Chadwick descend into madness was very entertaining. Overall, just a great short story and I definitely would recommend it. Thanks as always for reading, I’m off to go play a game myself! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #29/365; Mount TBR Challenge #23/200; 2014 TBR Pile #23/50; New Author Challenge #10/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #10/75
Killing My Kindle: Lessons II: Another Morbid Drabble Collection by Michael Crane
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Lessons II: Another Morbid Drabble Collection by Michael Crane
Released On: January 7th, 2011
Summary From Goodreads: 
A sinister puppet finally makes a new friend.
A man learns about his bleak future.
A killer has another painful lesson to teach.
From the author of LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES comes this terrifying and amusing follow-up. 30 100-word shorts about horrible ghouls, monsters and deranged, bloodthirsty lunatics. In these drabbles, you’ll run into kid-hungry goblins, sadistic dolls, zombies and psychopaths who believe that violence can solve just about anything.
Disgusting, creepy and darkly comic, LESSONS II: ANOTHER MORBID DRABBLE COLLECTION is bound to entertain, as well as horrify.
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Michael Crane is at his best when he fires out short stories like these, quick bursts of wit and a little dark humor, and Lessons II is filled with 30 such works of gorey awesomeness. I really enjoyed the first Lessons collection which I reviewed early last year, and felt like this was a good time to give II a shot! So in the same style as the first I will be giving a reverse-ordered favorites list, this time with my 7 favorites! ^.^
7. Guest – Had one of the more unexpected twists, something that is pretty hard to do with only 100 words, and it made me think of True Blood. That’s my only hint. ^.^
6. Homework – Oh substitute teachers, how fun it can be to take advantage of them. My mother having been one for some time also added some extra enjoyment to this funny little story.
5. Intervention – This is definitely one of the darker stories despite its lack of gore, but there is a pretty serious message here too. I could use a drink…
4. Fortune Teller – This one had me in stitches. Fortune tellers already take advantage of the public for the most part, not that I blame them, but this is to the extreme, and it’s awesome.
3. Rats – This is included and this high up purely because it reminded me of The Princess Bride and the rodents of unusual size. I need to watch that again soon! As youuuuu wiiiiiish!
2. Dental Work – Dentists and dentist offices, not my favorite environment or place to be, so this had an added freak-out factor. They could do anything while you are knocked out! O_O
1. Solution – This story is, for me, Michael Crane at his best. It’s gorey, dark, twisted, and freaking hilarious. The ending is fantastic and I absolutely didn’t see it coming. One of life’s little problems solved, huzzah!
I don’t think it will be another year before I read Lessons III, these are just too fun to read and I could always use a good laugh. If you haven’t read the first Morbid Drabbles I would check that out, as well as the rest in the series, you won’t be disappointed. Thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #26/365; Mount TBR Challenge #21/200; 2014 TBR Pile #21/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #7/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: The Wicked Woods by Kelly Apple
The Wicked Woods
Summary From Goodreads: 
Ari’s always had a thing for monsters. Big ones, small ones, and all the ones in between. They turn her on like no human can. She’d be an ordinary girl if not for that one little quirk.
Since monsters aren’t real, she’s resigned herself to loving them in her imagination.
But, as Ari is about to find out, monsters are real and now one of them has her in their grasp. Will reality be better than fantasy? Or will she walk away and lose her one chance at fulfilling her wildest dreams?
Warning: This book contains a girl who isn’t afraid of monsters and a monster who wouldn’t mind a special lady friend. You’ll never look at those all-night monster marathons on TV the same way again.
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It’s time for a special kind of review! I read The Wicked Woods as part of the Bout of Books 9.0 readathon and live tweeted my reactions as I went. I’ve done this kind of review format a couple times, but it’s pretty rare, so I hope you enjoy!
I know I’m in a naughty state when I read “my little brother couldn’t get his mouth around Arabella” & I’m in the gutter. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
We already have a Twilight reference! #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Oh and she likes sex and masturbation, presumably because she’s human. But easy on the biting! #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Supernatural being fetish! #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Haha, she gets wet for Swamp Thing. Oh this is going to be fun. There are also things throbbing already. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Do people really skitter? What does that look like? I honestly have no idea. #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Spontaneous lubrication, you don’t see that every day! Or maybe you do, idk. #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
If there was one thing I knew going into this it was that @KellyRApple can’t resist putting tentacles in her book. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Whenever I see “rumbly” I think of Winnie the Pooh & his tummy. Now I’m picturing her getting dragged off by giant Pooh. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
If I’m being carried off by some non-human giant thing I’m probably not going to just doze off. Maybe I’m the weird one… #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
The non-human giant w/tentacles is apparently of a species called Liath Mor. My brain instantly changed that to Hi Mortal! #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Oh she is so ready to get it on with this tentacled green dude. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
Why would you say it is weeping? That just makes me think his appendage is sad. #GLA #boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
This guy has ALL the tentacles. Yet his form is almost normal (if green) when she describes him. Where do they come from?! #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
She has to pee and eat so she leaves the one man orgasm machine? Crazy talk! #GLA #boutofbooks — Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
That was a lot of fun! Not that I’m surprised, I do love @KellyRApple! ^.^ #GLA#boutofbooks
— Frodo (@1FantasyFanatic) January 10, 2014
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I hope you enjoyed that goofy style of review! If you did let me know and I can try to do this more in the future, and if you didn’t enjoy it that’s cool too since (for now) this is a pretty rare thing for me. Thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #15/365; Mount TBR Challenge #13/200; 2014 TBR Pile #13/50; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #6/75; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #5/75
Killing My Kindle: Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Jenny Pox by J.L. Bryan
Released On: July 22nd, 2010
Summary From Goodreads: 
Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the “Jenny pox.” She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.
Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth…but if she’s going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.
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This book is exactly what I had hoped for when I decided to tackle my Kindle app and enjoy some of the bookish goodness it had inside. Jenny Pox has been sitting in my Kindle since the summer of last year and I’m sorry that it took me so long to get around to it because the book is fantastic! Jenny Pox is a mix of paranormal, romance, and a sprinkling of horror, all wrapped in a small town and great cast of characters.
Jenny is a sweetheart, with a bit of an edge that she has developed from years of being bullied and stuck in a self-imposed isolation. I loved her character and really felt for the struggles she had to go through, while enjoying her ability to be so caring in spite of them, and her willingness to love if the opportunity presented itself.
That leads me to Seth, a great guy and while being a bit of a party animal he is clearly a gentleman. He’s sweet to Jenny and despite him being a bit of a “knight in shining armor” stereotype I enjoyed his playfulness and creepy/goofy sense of humor.
The romance between the two is beautiful and just incredibly touching. It’s hard to imagine what Jenny had to go through not being able to touch anything or anyone, and then all of the sensations from being able to with Seth! It must have been overwhelming, even just with hand holding.
The use of different powers in different and creative ways was fascinating and a joy to read. Bryan came up with different twists to them that I never would have thought of and it proved that even the most dangerous of powers can be useful for good, and that some powers are more than first meets the eye.
The ending was a whirlwind of action and I encourage anyone who hasn’t given this book a try to read it for that alone if nothing else. The powers are on full display, tension is oozing, and there are twists and turns everywhere. Frankly it was just freaking fun!
Overall I really enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to read the rest of The Paranormals series! Thanks as always for reading and I hope this inspires you to tackle your eBook library as well! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #14/365; Mount TBR Challenge #12/200; 2014 TBR Pile #12/50; New Author Challenge #6/50; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #5/75; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #4/75
Killing My Kindle: Giggles by Michael Crane
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: Giggles by Michael Crane
Released On: August 28th, 2013
Summary From Goodreads: 
It was supposed to be a simple robbery. But when things go horribly wrong and a bank teller winds up dead, Chad and Ray need to keep themselves hidden from the law. They find a house where conveniently the family is absent. It should’ve been the perfect place for them to stay out of danger.
But there’s a greater danger lurking inside. A child’s sock monkey waits in the shadows and has terrible, awful plans for the pair.
From the author of LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES comes a tale of pure terror and mind games.
Mr. Giggles is ready to play…
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I’ve read a few of Michael Crane’s short stories and really have enjoyed them, most notably Lessons (and Other Morbid Drabbles) which I reviewed last year and gave 5/5. So perhaps I came with too high of expectations when I decided to read Giggles for this week’s Killing My Kindle.
Giggles is a sock monkey, a demented sock monkey, and that part does come through in Giggles (the story) rather well. He’s a bit goofy and he uses stereotypical horror movie scenes and then openly mocks them, twisting things back to his version of reality as he sees fit. Giggles (the sock monkey) likes to torture, to play, and have fun…in his own way. All of that worked pretty well.
Where Giggles (the story) runs into problems is the other two characters, Ray and Chad. The story is told mostly from their perspective, taking turns from their POV every couple chapters. I never found any reason to feel any sort of emotion toward either of them. Neither of the two are engaging, both seem pretty cookie-cutter (Ray is the bad guy outer shell but a bit scared on the inside, Chad is the wimpy one that kind of wants to do good but can’t figure out how), and overall they both fell flat for me.
The humor (outside of the sock puppet’s) didn’t work for me here. Crane can deliver good comedic bursts and fun twisted stories when they are short and sweet (or sick and demented, to each their own), but in this longer format it felt stretched too thin. The story broke the fourth wall quite a few times and that didn’t help matters either. Maybe this was supposed to feel like a cheesy horror film (like the story mentions multiple times), and if so it works somewhat well, but I don’t think that was the aim.
Overall it was alright. I didn’t hate it, there were moments where I laughed a bit, and the gore was certainly there even if I was picturing tomato paste more often than blood (cheesy factor again). I wanted to like it, and I think Crane’s short stories are well worth checking out, but this one I can’t recommend. Thanks as always for reading! ^.^
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #13/365; Mount TBR Challenge #11/200; 2014 TBR Pile #11/50; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #3/75
Frodo’s Frisky Friday: Taken by the Centaurs by Celestia Dew
Taken by the Centaurs
Summary From Goodreads: 
This is fantasy erotica of an adult nature.
Eleni thought she was desperately in love with Mikhail, the man her father refused to allow her to marry. The young lovers run off, determined to taste each others’ flesh at least once before she is forced to marry an older man. Alone at last, they are interrupted by a group of centaurs who steal away the pair. Back at the centaur’s camp Eleni learns some harsh truths about Mikhail, and some fantastic truths about her own body and what it can handle.
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It’s time for another edition of Frodo’s Hobbit Sized Reviews! Short and sweet just like 2nd breakfast!
With this piece being so short at 16 pages, it seemed fitting that I do a mini review even though it isn’t Monday. If you read tales of the naughty variety, and even more so if you pay attention to some of the more…odd erotica that has appeared lately, then you likely have heard about the dinosaur erotica that has been discussed quite a bit. While this isn’t dinosaurs, or dragons, I’d say centaurs fall into a similar fantasy theme, especially that of rather large “members” and the throwing away of most logic when it comes to the sexual acts, something I am completely fine with.
Taken by the Centaurs is a great mix of hilarity and well written sexual scenes and I enjoyed the short story quite a bit. If you are in it for the steamyness this has plenty. If you want a goofy tale with mind bending sex, well that’s here too. The dialogue is great, the female MC is enjoyable, and the centaurs…well, they’re centaurs alright. One last thing of note is that the mythological aspects were done exceptionally well here, and for that I applaud Dew’s extra effort. Thanks as always for reading and if you want to check this out for yourself it is only 99c on Amazon here!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #3/365; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #2/75
Killing My Kindle: The Sorcerer’s Daughter by Larry Kollar
Killing My Kindle
For 2014 I am tackling my Kindle app in an effort to make a dent in the large library of often forgotten eBooks. Every week I will talk about an eBook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated and share some of it with you.
This week I took a stab at: The Sorcerer’s Daughter by Larry Kollar
Released On: December 10th, 2013
Summary From Goodreads: 
In the third “Accidental Sorcerer’s” story, as Bailar and his apprentices help the Conclave prepare for conflict with the rogue sorcerers, Sura learns that she is a descendant of a noble House in the Alliance. But when she discovers the price of her history, it may be too late.
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The Sorcerer’s Daughter is, by far, the best book in this magical series to date. Picking up right where Water and Chaos left off, Sura and Mik continue to learn more about magic and their abilities to control under the tutelage of their master Bailar. While there is some back and forth between the views of the two apprentices, this is Sura’s story, especially in the second half of the short but exciting adventure. After seeing things from Mik’s perspective in Water and Chaos, I’d say that I prefer things told from Sura’s point of view. There is more feeling, emotion, and passion behind her voice and the story is strengthened because of it. Kollar makes us feel what she is experiencing and, to me, this is his strongest piece from a writing standpoint as well.
The relationship between the two young sorcerers isn’t as central to the story, something for which I was very grateful, and that allowed the magic to be the focus. Spells using all elements, sometimes mixing them to create something even more powerful, and displays that were exciting and often rather humorous are spread throughout the book.
What sets The Sorcerer’s Daughter, and indeed the Accidental Sorcerers series as a whole, apart from other magical series is that the spells aren’t designed to just inflict damage against enemies or even to just protect yourself. In this series every spell has multiple purposes and uses, and often the initial intent behind them is peaceful in nature, but these sorcerer’s find creative ways to make them combative. It’s a nice departure from the never ending stream of books filled with fireballs and earthquakes.
The story is split into two halves, initially learning and teaching new spells that will be useful later on at the Conclave, and then with Sura having an adventure on her own as she learns about her history and what her life could be like if she desires for nobility. Both are equally entertaining, and the pacing is perfect. The personality of the other apprentices in the first half as well as the nobles and servants in the second helped to keep the mood light and kept me laughing. The cast overall was the strongest it has been in the series and I really enjoyed meeting some new people that I imagine will be returning in the forth book, Into the Icebound.
I’m really looking forward to experiencing more of the world Kollar has created and seeing what new spells he comes up with. This is a really light and easy read for fans of MG or YA fantasy and it’s only a dollar on Amazon if you want to check it out. I’m so happy I started the year off on a high note as this was the first book I read for my challenge and it makes me hopeful as I work my way through my Kindle app that this will be a fun feature to do each week. Thanks as always for reading!
Goodreads 2014 Reading Challenge #1/365; Mount TBR Challenge #1/200; 2014 TBR Pile #1/50; Seriously Series Reading Challenge #1/75; 2014 Ebook Reading Challenge #1/75
Goals and Challenges for 2014
It’s a brand new year and I plan to enjoy it with as much bookish awesomeness as I can possibly handle, which (if everything goes well) will be a lot. If you’ve been following the blog since the beginning of 2013 (which is freaking amazing if there is anyone out there who has) then you know about my 365 books in 365 days challenge that I attempted. I only lasted around 90 days that time, but this year WILL go all the way to the finish!
365 Books AND Posts in 365 Days Challenge
Last year I was trying to review EVERY book I read, and it burnt me out rather quickly. This year the goal has been tweaked so I can make this doable for me, and more enjoyable for you. I have a set schedule, most of the features are weekly, and I won’t review every book, but you WILL get a recap/rating at the end of each week. More on that later.
This challenge is simple, I read one book for every day in the year and post on the blog every day. I can read multiple books in a day to get ahead, but even if I post more than once in a day on the blog I still have to post EVERY day. Make sense? Alrighty!
Other Challenges!
Mount TBR & 2014 TBR Pile: These go together since they both involve my TBR, and the 2014 TBR Pile (hosted by Evie over at Bookish) has a maximum of 50, while Mount TBR (hosted by Bev at My Reader’s Block) has a max goal of 150+. My goal is 200 books off my TBR which should be quite manageable since I don’t plan to buy more than 165 books this year. 😛 If I’m successful my print TBR will all but disappear, at least those I bought prior to this year. Wouldn’t that be crazy? This is the majority of what I’m tackling:
Seriously Series Reading Challenge: This challenge is another great one because it will give me extra motivation to complete entire series so that I can make progress on the pretty progress bar on my sidebar. Seriously Series is hosted by one of my favorite bookish people, Kelly, at Reading the Paranormal, and my goal is (for now) at 75 books, because I have SO MANY book 1s in series and I don’t know how many I’ll continue, so this is a safe starting point.
New Author 2014 Reading Challenge: I love reading books from new authors, whether they are debut authors or just ones I’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy, and when I found out about this challenge I immediately was drawn to it. This is one of two new challenges I’ll be attempting this year, and the New Author Challenge by Jackie at Literary Escapism will ensure that I read all sorts of new styles and worlds to keep things fresh. I can’t wait! My goal is the maximum for this challenge, 50 new authors.
2014 Ebook Reading Challenge: The second brand new challenge for this year, the Ebook Reading Challenge hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads, has even spawned a new weekly feature which I’ll talk about shortly, and is the only really limiting challenge I’m taking part in. My Kindle app tends to be forgotten with all of the pretty print books right nearby, and I wanted to attempt to whittle the crazy number of ebooks down a bit. My starting goal is 75 or “Hard Drive” (out of the maximum 150) and it should be a nice change of pace at times.
*Sidenote – All of these challenges can be combined so I’m not trying to read ~400 books, just 365. ^.^
Blog Features and My Schedule
Monday – Mini Review Monday: Same as it ever was, a short and sweet review that can be any kind of book, in any format or genre. This allows me to get my feelings out about a book, but without going into as much detail as a full review, and I’m often more passionate in these.
Tuesday – Totally Random Tuesday: Mostly this will be Top Ten Tuesday as I do love lists, but it can be an extra review day, or something completely off the cuff. Enjoy the randomness! ^.^
Wednesday – Waiting on Wednesday/YA Wednesday: I’m back on the WoW train (not the video game) so that will be the usual feature, but again it could be an extra review if something YA is just that awesome in any given week.
Thursday – Killing My Kindle: Every week I will talk about an Ebook I read, be it good or bad, so that I can stay motivated to tackle my overwhelming Kindle library and share some of it with you. I’m really excited about this one!
Friday – Frodo’s Frisky Friday/Regular Review: Roughly every other week I will have Frodo’s Frisky Friday where I review a book that is either Adult, “naughty”, or has mature content of some kind. The other weeks this will be a spot with a regular review since this blog is mostly aimed at a YA audience.
Saturday – Book of the Week: This is exactly what it sounds like. Every Saturday I will talk about my favorite book that I read that week, whether it be a review or a spotlight, or maybe having the author over to talk about it. Regardless this is the best book I read that week. Yay for new features! ^.^
Sunday – Sunday Post: I want to do this every week even if I don’t have a book haul as part of it. I’ll list the books I read that week, give a rating and a brief summary of my feelings on it, and let you know about any fun things I am taking part in for the following week.
** Sidenote – All of these are the regular features, but if I am taking part in a readathon, blog tour, or other bookish event then I may post about that instead. Regardless you will get something every day! I hope you can handle it! 😛
2014
I’m so excited for this year and hopefully you will join me on this crazy ride of bookish goodness. I know I’ll make new friends, talk with more amazing authors, and gush over all of the great books there are whether they are just coming out or are ones I should have read last year or even before. If you have a goal post like this or want to share your excitement for the new year feel free to comment or link me up to the appropriate post, I’d love to see what your plans are! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a book (or 365) to read.
Frodo's Blog of Randomness 