Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Breanna L. (Spreebre) - - Reviews

1 to 8 of 8
Blood and Chocolate
Blood and Chocolate
Author: Annette Curtis Klause
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 30
Review Date: 6/15/2007
Helpful Score: 2


One of my favorite books! It has romance, adventure, suspense, just about everything! Normally, werewolf stories are corny, stereotypical, and old fashioned, but this book took the werewolf idea and put it in a modern day setting, where they exist but are in hiding (they are careful about what the do so as not to be discovered). I like to read this book every few years and it never gets old!

WARNING!
If you have read this book and are interested in seeing the movie, prepare to be disappointed. About the only similarity in the two are the characters names (literally). And if you have seen the movie and are interested in the book....prepare to be amazed!


Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff
Review Date: 5/17/2019


I'm not going to lie, I went into this book not ready to take it seriously - it was more like mild curiosity (and it was free to borrow with my Prime so I figured 'why not?'). Although I absolutely knew I needed to declutter, I arrogantly thought there was NO way a book was gonna convince me to let go of enough of my stuff to make any real difference.

I. Was. SO WRONG.

I started out skimming through the book and somewhere about halfway through, a particular paragraph struck a chord in me. Soon after I started the book over to read it word for word. I made it through the first few chapters and felt so inspired, I immediately began decluttering. I then spent several days doing massive purges; I literally filled my husbands truck bed with donations (twice!!). Every time I'd get overwhelmed or unsure or indecisive, I'd stop and read some more and this would always light my fire again.

Dana writes in such way that it honestly felt more like a conversation rather than reading a book. I felt encouraged, understood, validated, and celebrated during my entire decluttering process, yet it was just me and this book. Decluttering momentum is no joke!

With that being said, there is one little thing worth noting - the book is VERY repetitive. After explaining her decluttering technique, each chapter after that becomes a room by room walkthrough, repeating the exact same process but with examples of problems you may run into in that specific room. This makes it an incredibly fast read; or, if you're like me, a nice helper to keep you on track.

I was NOT expecting this spontaneous read to spur a life changing week but here I am, feeling so much lighter and with a completely altered perspective of my home and its contents.


Devil's Diaries
Devil's Diaries
Author: Marcus Weeks
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 4
Review Date: 10/31/2011


This was an intriguing and quick read. The book opens up with an unsigned contract with the Devil and rest is composed in a typical diary fashion with side notes, doodles and clippings. It was quite comical at times and it was interesting seeing the "Devil's" spin on well known historic events. The only thing that got me is that it felt like I was reading the diary of a hormonal teen (who just so happened to control the underworld). It really made the Devil seem more like a child than the feared Evil One. Still, it's an entertaining book and worth picking up if you want a short and easy read!


Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides)
Review Date: 12/7/2018


Not quite as comprehensive as I had hoped. It does make things a little easier but I still find myself asking a lot of questions the book doesn't answer. But the book itself is quite lovely even if it isn't as comprehensive.


The Host
The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 23
Review Date: 5/2/2009
Helpful Score: 5


I think its too bad this book got "swept under the rug" because of Twilight. It's sorta slow in the beginning, but once it picks up it REALLY picks up. I absolutely loved this book; nearly as much as Twilight! I've never been into the sci-fi alien theme - I've always been for vampires and werewolves - but The Host was an excellent read. It really makes you think about what makes us human. I would recommend for anyone.


Look for Me by Moonlight
Look for Me by Moonlight
Author: Mary Downing Hahn
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.1/5 Stars.
 14
Review Date: 9/10/2007
Helpful Score: 4


I read this book because it was being compared to every author and book I have only the highest opinions for. But I was very disappointed after reading it. It certainly can't be compared to Amelia Atwater-Rhodes or the book "Blood and Chocolate." No, this book was very stereotypical of vampires and didn't really stand out from your average, non-outstanding vampire story. I felt as if I had read this story already a hundred times in all of the different vampire books I've read. Nothing new.


Marked (House of Night, Bk 1)
Marked (House of Night, Bk 1)
Author: Kristin Cast, P. C. Cast
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 1193
Review Date: 2/23/2010


This book is like the "Harry Potter" of vampires. It jumps head first into the story. A seemingly normal girl who has a sad, messed up home life is "marked" to become a vampire. When her parents find out, they freak out and try to keep her locked in the house so she doesn't have to go to the House of Night vampire school (which looks like dark scary castle - Hogwarts?). The school trains its "fledglings" to become vampires. In this book, all vampires have a mark on their forehead (a crescent moon), but Zoey's (the main character) is unique and causes a stir in the school (sound like a certain boy with a lightning bolt scar?). She has an interesting lineup of classes one of them being horseback riding (broomstick?) along with vampires sociology, fencing, ect. She makes new friends, one being a silly nerdy girl with red hair (Ron?), a pair who are silly and don't take things seriously who are referred to as "the twins" (Fred and George?), and a really smart guy who is always there to give his knowledgeable input (Hermione?).

Really, it wasn't a terrible read...I read the whole book in one sitting. It was a very easy book to read. There aren't many hidden clues or foreshadowing. The characters make comments that are so obvious it leaves nothing for you to wonder about. A few times I found myself questing the flaky obviousness throughout the book. But I think my biggest obstacle with this book was comparing to Harry potter. The idea is neat, but the book is not even close to being as clever as Harry. It's not as clean either. It's pretty crude at some points, and uses a quite a bit of unnecessary profanity. I haven't yet decided if I'm going to finish the series, but if your looking for a simple, easy read, I would recommend this book.


Valentine
Valentine
Author: Tom Savage
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 2.7/5 Stars.
 6
Review Date: 11/20/2018


*** SPOILER ALERT *** SPOILER ALERT ***

I read this book recently as a part of a book club and although I went into it excited, it didn't take long for me to lose interest. It wasn't that the story itself was bad...I just found the characters to be unrelatable and lacking in depth. The twist at the end (revealing the killer) was one I had been suspecting very early on, although I admit I had no idea how it could be "him."

*** SPOILER BELOW *** SPOILER BELOW ***

I struggled to stick with this book and if it had not been for my book club, I probably wouldn't have finished it. It was nothing extraordinary for me - a subpar, run of the mill "thriller," whose only redeeming quality is that it is cleverly written enough to distract you from the cliched truth - "it's always the husband/boyfriend."


1 to 8 of 8