BotW: Locked Inside

Welcome to Sunday loves!  You know what that means, it's book of the week time!!! This past week has been rough for me.  Especially due to the shooting that happened in Orlando a week ago today.  I will forever be haunted by the loss of friends and members of the LGBTQ+ community.  I weighed my options when choosing a book for this week, because there are so very many that I can feature - some that I've read, some that I've not. 

However, my decision comes with the knowledge that this woman is a fantastic writer and someone I have greatly enjoyed getting to know through a group on Facebook.  I won a copy of this book in a give away last Christmas, and only recently (in the last few months) got around to reading it and I was not disappointed.  It was also one of the first pieces of lesbian fiction I'd read, period.  I highly encourage you to track down this book and other works by this author, you won't be disappointed.  I'm also including a link to my review of this book, check it out.  

Locked Inside

Annette Mori

If you've read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, are a psychology or medical student you are somewhat familiar with locked-in syndrome.  I'd been familiar with it in vague terms from watching shows on television (as I'm a fan of Grey's Anatomy and House), so I wasn't completely unfamiliar with what Belinda was experiencing at this particular moment in her life.  

I like the characters in this book, their struggles are unique to them and yet bring them together to hopefully give them each that glimmer of hope that love might actually be a possibility between the two women despite various obstacles and fears.  

Review: Locked Inside

Title: Locked Inside
Author: Annette Mori
Format: Kindle
Pages: 199
Date(s) Read: April 3-5, 2016
Rating: 4 (up from initial 3)

Summary:

Belinda is semi-comatose, suffering from what is known as locked-in syndrome.  Carly sees something special in her, and begins spending time with her.  An unusual bond is formed.  Can Carly pull Belinda from her own emotional prison?  Will Belinda's fears keep their relationship from developing into something deeper, something more?

Review:

Thank you Annette Mori for a copy of this book.  It was a surprise and a blessing rolled into one when I was the one chosen in the giveaway.

Yet, for some reason, I was nervous about reading this book...as a member of the LGBT community, and this being my first piece of lesbian fiction...I wasn't sure what to expect.  I wasn't sure what was behind the cover.  However, the uncertainty faded as I started reading, and I was pulled into the story of Belinda and Carly.

Locked-in syndrome is not something nice, not something that we can fully understand, but we know it exists.  The fact that Carly was willing to take a chance on Belinda was something that made me hopeful.  After a six-year coma, Belinda surfaces, however her body at this point is nothing more than a shell.  Locked inside herself, she can only communicate by blinking her eyes.  It was Carly that began noticing the change, as she spent her lunch hours reading to Belinda.  

Eventually, Belinda's recovery begins and Carly is by her side every step of the way.  Yes, this story made me cry at times, but then again what story like this wouldn't move you to tears at least once.  I am very thankful to have read this book, and I will definitely be looking for more of Ms. Mori's work in the future.

Review: Kalona's Fall

Title: Kalona's Fall
Author: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Format: hardback
Pages: 160
Date(s) Read: Jan 1 - Jan 3, 2016
Rating: 4

Summary: 

Kalona, the winged immortal.  His history was a secret.  How did he go from being the Goddess' Warrior and Guardian to her enemy and betrayer?  Was he tainted by the Darkness like Neferet, or did he always crave power over honor, and control over faith?  

Review: 

Seriously? Kalona is by far one of my favorite bad guys.  Dunno why I'm so attracted to this fallen angel.  This creature that has turned from Warrior and Guardian to Enemy and Betrayer.  

This book is an insight into Kalona's history, his past.  What made him who he has become.  His relationship with Nyx and Erebus was absolutely not what I had originally expected, and in fact it surprised me and was more than I could even ever expect.  

Kalona and Erebus were crafted by Mother Earth for Nyx.  3 tasks were given to prove their worth to the Goddess, their elements were chosen to allow them to wield them to gain the Goddess' favor.  Both had feelings for Nyx, but their feelings differed greatly.  Nyx, however, cared for them both quite deeply. 

As you can already determine, Kalona's choices were not the best and ultimately lead to him being cast from Nyx's realm.  Fallen Warrior is what he would always be seen as.  

I am greatly looking forward to reading more of Kalona's story in the upcoming House of Night books. 

Review: I'll Give You the Sun

Title: I'll Give You the Sun
Author: Jandy Nelson
Format: Hardback
Pages: 371
Date(s) Read:  Dec 27, 2015 - Jan 1, 2016
Rating: 4

Summary:

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are close - very close.  Age 13, Noah draws and falls in love with the boy next door.  Jude cliff-dives, wears red-red lipstick and talks for both of them.  At 16, they barely speak.  Early years are Noah's to tell.  Later years, are Jude's.  However, each twin only has half the story - if they find their way to each other - they can get the whole story.

Review:

This book.  All the feels.  I cannot even begin to express how much of an impact that this book had on me.  The stories that are told by both Noah and Jude are powerful, passionate, and beautiful.  There were tears, lots of tears as I read this book and honestly, I still can't figure out why I did not give it a full five star rating - however, it is worth each and every one of the four stars that I have gifted it with!

Noah and Jude can be related to, not necessarily to the extend of how they buried themselves in dream-shredding lies and secrets, but to the act that they are so very real.  Every aspect of this book is so very much real, and it sucks you in and traps you in the struggle between brother and sister.  Hell, even the secondary characters are absolutely real and I love all of it.

This book however, has ultimately further endeared this author to me, and I will be hunting down some more of her work.  Especially if her other works are as real and engrossing as I'll Give You the Sun.

BotW: End of Watch

Good Sunday Morning lovelies!!! Did you miss me? I hope so!  It's Sunday, and we all know what that means!!! Book of the Week! YAY! Beyond that, last week seriously made my week!! Why? Because a couple of hours after I posted my Bibliophile Wish List post....I got an email alert from my local library...my digital hold for End of Watch came in!!! HAPPY DANCE!  I just started reading it this morning (mainly because I have a strict no Stephen King in the dark policy). 

So, guess what this week's book of the week is?! 

YUP! 

END OF WATCH

Stephen King

LOOK at that cover?! Isn't it so pretty?  Seriously! I love it!  It's creepy and yet not all at the same time!  I'm definitely enjoying this one so far!