Matt and Chloe live in a small town in the English countryside. It is there where they lived and loved, and prepared to bring a new life into the world. However, Chloe starts changing – and it isn’t regular pregnancy changes. When Matt realizes that Chloe is not the only woman acting strange he starts to worry, but even his girlfriends altered behavior and appearance doesn’t prepare him for what comes next. In one sentence, spider-like parasites that use human women to breed and any human to feed on.

I have mentioned here before that every now and again I like to read a good horror novel, the kind that keeps me awake all night because it was just so creepy. When I found a copy of this book tucked away in the horror section of a local used book store that’s what I was hoping for. However, I must say that it didn’t really live up to the scariness I was looking for. That being said, it wasn’t a bad book.

Breeding Ground, while not being really scary, still had a couple creepy and uncomfortable moments. If I had to compare this book to something, I would say it is much more The Faculty ‘figure out what’s going on as you stumble around freaked out’ and far less Rob Zombie’s Halloween ‘mind fuck’ (excuse my language).

The characters we’re a mixed bag. The main character Matt is easy to like, but some of the other characters were a downright pain to put up with. In all honesty, I was glad to see some of them go. There is a lot of conflict between some of the characters, while the rest just want to band together and find a way to survive. Needless to say, there is never a dull moment between the players.

As for the book as a whole, once it starts moving, it moves and is really easy to read. I say this having read the book in just a few hours. I kept reading because I wanted to know what the characters were going to have to face next and what they were going to learn. Pinborough was rather creative in finding ways to raise the shock factor, gruesome as they may have been, and also finding things that would benefit the characters in their quest to survive amongst this new species.

I recommend this book if you’re looking for something to read that’s on the creepy side, though I warn anyone who is quick to cringe to brace yourself for some of the more grisly parts. Personally, I will be keeping an eye out for some of her other works as well as the follow up to this book, Feeding Ground.

In January 1943 two hundred and thirty women who had bravely fought as a part of the French Resistance were sent to Auschwitz. These were women who spanned many occupations and age groups, who fought for many different reasons. Yet, they all had one thing in common… They wanted to free their country from German rule. A Train in Winter is the story that illustrates just what these women endured.

The book starts out a bit slow, but Moorehead does a great job of setting the stage for the reader and introducing many of the players involved. Regardless of the opening, the book really starts to set its hooks into you after the first few chapters. It is nearly impossible to set the book down once you start to read about what these women sacrificed for their cause, the fear they overcame in order to do what they felt was necessary.

Moorehead does not shy away from the cruel or the heartbreaking. Having met with a few of the survivors still alive, the families of survivors who have since passed, and much research into the topic, she paints a brutally honest picture of the events surrounding the capture and subsequent encampment of these women. What they had to undergo is not something that’s easy to digest, but then the story wouldn’t mean nearly as much without being so true to what she learned about their experiences.

If the stories from the survivors didn’t make the book real enough, the pictures included in the book certainly serve to make the story that much more real and unforgettable. You are able to put faces to names and picture the torturous conditions all the more clearly. When you learn that only forty-nine of the two hundred and thirty women are able to make it out of the camps alive it really hits home.

A Train in Winter is not a book you are going to read and forget about, it is a book that is going to stay with you and make you realize just what we are capable of even in the worst possible conditions. This is the story of women who were stronger than most people will ever have to be and who supported each other in an attempt to survive the cruelest conditions a person could find themselves in. In one sentence, this is a book that everyone should read.

For more information about this book, the author, or if you would like to see more reviews visit the books main tour page.

** I received a copy of this book from the publisher as a part of TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

So, what did I read in October?

Forbidden by Suzanne Brockmann
Bad Boys Do by Victoria Dahl
A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World’s Largest Experiment Reveals About Human Desire by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam
The Sweetest Taboo by Alison Kent
Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough
Seeing Red by Jill Shalvis
Geek Girls Unite: How Fangirls, Bookworms, Indie Chicks, and Other Misfits Are Taking Over the World by Leslie Simon
Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from my Grandmothers by Adriana Trigiani (For TLC Book Tours)

Okay, so that’s only eight books, but it’s better than the two or three I was reading here and there previously. It also didn’t help that I finished off October without power thanks to the Nor’easter that hit this weekend. Who knew it was so difficult to read in the freezing cold by flashlight?

I’m one of the lucky one’s who has had power restored, as of last night for my house (apparently living on a busy street has it’s merits), I can finally get all caught up on the reviews I intended to write this past weekend. I have a HUGE backlog of reviews that I have yet to finish, some reviews going back a few months. I’m hoping to get some of them polished and up by the weekend which I’ll be doing in between catching up on homework I couldn’t do this weekend, studying for four exams, and working on a few small papers and one large research paper.

I’m also going to apologize  now if I don’t stick to the reading/posting schedule I set for myself over the next two weeks. In addition to all of the schoolwork, I decided I wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo again this year, and that kicked off yesterday. I have this horrible, morbid, very basic idea of a story I came up with when I was in a bad mood, and decided to fly by the seat of my pants with it. So that’s another thing I’ll be doing this month.

I also want to mention my reading challenges. Some of them are complete, or nearly complete, and others I’ve yet to start.
My main goal for myself comes from the Outdo Yourself Challenge. I signed up to finish six to ten more books in 2011 than I did in 2010. I read 157 books last year, so I’m shooting for 165 this year. As of today I’ve read something like 145 books (I have to update my 2011 Reads list which lists 141).  I’m pretty confident I will reach that goal.
For the Non-Fiction Challenge, I’ve got five categories to go: Art, Food, Medical, Travel, and Money.
The Off-the-Shelf Challenge is one of the two challenges I don’t think I’ll finish, doesn’t mean I won’t try, but I don’t think I’ll finish it. I’m about halfway to my goal of reading 50 books that I purchased before Jan. 1, 2011. The other challenge I’m hesitant about finishing is the Vintage Mystery Challenge which is the one I’ve yet to start on. I’m very much intending to change that this month though.
The lone challenge that I’ve completed is the E-book Challenge. I am signed up for the Obsessed, or 20 e-books level, but when the host added new levels I decided to shoot for those. I believe I have read 48 e-books to date.

Okay, so the last order of business. What am I planning to read this month…
- Rembrandt’s Whore by Sylvie Matton, I started this during the read-a-thon and just have to finish it.
- Persuasion by Jane Austen, I decided it was time for another Jane Austen and this is the lucky one my finger landed on.
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, I wanted to read it for Halloween, but realized pretty quickly that it is probably a book best saved for when I’m not forced to read by flashlight.
- Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie, for the Vintage Mystery Challenge.
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
- And lastly, I’ll be reviewing two books for TLC Book Tours this month as well. A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France by Caroline Moorehead and A Watershed Year by Susan Schoenberger

As always I’ll be leaving room to change my mind about what I read (with the exception of the tour books), but what’s above is ideally what I will read this month. And with all of that, Happy Reading!

The read-a-thon has come to an end, a few hours ago actually. Unfortunately, I must admit that I did not finished. I ending up passing out on my couch at about 6 am or so and when I woke up the read-a-thon was over. However, I’m back to finish the end of the event meme!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
   Hour 22 definitely, that’s when I really started to feel tired.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
   It’s hard to say, I think it depends entirely upon the reader and what they like as far as genre is concerned.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
   I do not, everything seems to be working quite well.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
   I have to say I love the hourly posts and updates on the website.  It’s a good way to keep everyone ‘thonning together.
5. How many books did you read?
   I read two and a half books.
6. What were the names of the books you read?
   I finished:
   A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam
   Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough
   I started:
   Rembrandt’s Whore by Sylvie Matton
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
   I found A Billion Wicked Thoughts to be the most interesting of my reads.
8. Which did you enjoy least?
   I actually enjoyed them all.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
   I was not a cheerleader.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
    I will definitely be participating in the read-a-thon again. I’ve really enjoyed it these last two times.

We’re a couple of hours into the second half of the Read-a-Thon, hour 16 to be exact. My current status, I’m coming to a close in Breeding Ground. Perhaps I’ll get through four books after all.

Hour 20 Update:

Well, its about 3:30 am and I’m still going strong. I haven’t even broken into the coffee reserve yet. I recently finished my second book of the read-a-thon Breeding Ground. When I was trying to chose my third book I was quite unsure which to choose, but I finally settled on Rembrandt’s Whore by Sylvie Matton which I’ve been looking forward to since stumbling across it at the bookstore.

How are you guys doing?

Rereading Mini-Challenge:

The hour 16 mini-challenge is hosted over at The Bluestocking Society. They want to know what book we’re rereading during the read-a-thon or what books we can reread time and again. There are three books that come to mind when I think about what I love to reread and they are:

                                                              Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

                                            The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

                                                      The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta

Any books that you love to reread?

Finished:
A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam
Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough

Currently Reading:
Rembrandt’s Whore by Sylvie Matton

The read-a-thon has officially hit the halfway point, and we’re celebrating with a mid-event survey.

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
I’m reading Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough

2. How many books have you read so far?
I’m currently on my second book.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?
In all honesty, I have no clue. I’m enjoying Breeding Ground for sure, but I have yet to decide what else I’ll be reading. I’m basically choosing as I go.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Actually, I didn’t this time. =]

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
I’ve had a couple interruptions and taken a few breaks, but I just do what I’ve got to do and keep reading as soon as I can.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
If I’m honest, my reading speed. I’m reading much slower than usual today, but that happens and I’m not going to let it get in the way of enjoying my books.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Not really, this is only my second time participating, but I’ve enjoyed the read-a-thon both times and everyone involved is generally very enthusiastic.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
I think next time I’ll try to go somewhere where I know there will be less distractions so I can read more.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
Nah, it’s only 8:30 my time and I’m a serious night owl. It’ll be about 4 or 5 am before I really start to feel tired.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
It’s probably not news to anyone, but I think the best thing to do is to enjoy what you’re reading and take a break every now and then to move around a bit.

Hello readers!

We’re a few hours into the read-a-thon now and this is where I’m going to be posting my updates for the first half of the read-a-thon.

Since I decided to sleep in a bit, I didn’t pick up a book until 11:30, and honestly I’ve been partially reading and partially browsing other blogs and talking to my mom over the last two hours, so I’ve only gotten a few more chapters of A Billion Wicked Thoughts read thus far. I’ve got about 100 pages left of that book, so I’m hoping to buckle down and get this book finished in the next hour or two which shouldn’t be difficult considering I’m finding it quite interesting.

Hour 9 Update:

I’ve finished A Billion Wicked Thoughts which, as I mentioned before, was thoroughly interesting. I’m actually going to take a little bit of a break before getting started on my next book as I have a couple of things to take care of. I still have no idea what I’m going to choose to read next, but lately I’ve had a hankering for a good horror story so I’ll probably find myself a promising looking book full of scares.

Hour 11 Update:

I’m finally back to reading with Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough in hopes of satisfying my itch for a good horror read.

How are you guys doing? Reading anything good?

Finished: A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam

Currently reading: Breeding Ground by Sarah Pinborough

Somehow, probably as a result of my recent failure to keep up with blogging and other bloggers, I managed to almost miss this weekend’s read-a-thon. Even though I’ve signed up very last minute, as in less than 24 hours to start time, I’m very much looking forward to participating. Earlier this year I participated in my first read-a-thon and was able to complete four books. Sadly, I’ve been in something of a reading rut lately, but I’m hoping that the read-a-thon is going to help turn that around.

I really have no clue what I’m going to be reading. I have about half of A Billion Wicked Thoughts read, so I’m hoping to finish that. Otherwise, I’ve got about 13 hours until the official start to figure out what else I’d like to read.

The read-a-thon starts tomorrow, Sat. October 22 at 8 am (for my time zone at least, though lets face it I’ll probably get started about 10 am), and it’s not to late for you to sign up, just click the picture above if you’re interested.

Happy Reading!

“As devoted readers of Adriana Trigiani’s New York Times bestselling novels know, this “seemingly effortless storyteller” (Boston Globe) frequently draws inspiration from her own family history, in particular from the lives of her two remarkable grandmothers, Lucia Spada Bonicelli (Lucy) and Yolanda Perin Trigiani (Viola). In Don’t Sing at the Table, she reveals how her grandmothers’ simple values have shaped her own life, sharing the experiences, humor, and wisdom of her beloved mentors to delight readers of all ages.

Trigiani visits the past to seek answers to the essential questions that define the challenges women face today at work and at home. Don’t Sing at the Table is a primer, grandmother to granddaughter, filled with everyday wisdom and life lessons handed down with care and built to last.”

My Thoughts:

We all have people in our lives who leave a mark of some sort. For Adriana Trigiani, her grandmothers Lucy and Viola had a huge impact on her. Don’t Sing at the Table is a moving and even entertaining book full of stories about these two powerhouse women and I enjoyed it immensely.

Lucy and Viola are two women who lived very full lives. They loved with all their hearts and gave everything they had to their jobs and families. From their births and childhood in Italy to their trip across the Atlantic and the lives they built once they arrived in the U.S., Trigiani shares her grandmothers with all of us. Don’t Sing at the Table is full of stories about the time she spent with her grandmothers, whether it was cleaning cars (which is a thorough and amusing process if I may say so myself), using a magnet to collect needles off the ground of Viola’s factory or Lucy’s seamstress shop, or simply enjoying a drink and conversation on a beautiful summer afternoon. Trigiani also shares bits of the advice her grandmothers imparted to her over the years on everything from maintaining a home, to love, marriage, and parenting and discusses how her grandmothers affected how she approaches her career and her life.

Don’t Sing at the Table wasn’t just a book for me, but an experience. I’m probably biased by the relationship I shared with my grandmother, but I can’t think of a bad word to say about this one. Don’t Sing at the Table is a beautifully written memoir about the everlasting effect two women had on Adriana Trigiani’s life.

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher as a part of TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

On this day, twenty-one years ago my mom brought me into this world. Had she known what she was in for, maybe she would’ve changed her mind (I’m mostly kidding), though I’m glad she didn’t.

In the grand scheme of things, I usually don’t make a huge deal about my birthday, nor do I generally draw attention to it. I’m quite content to just have a simple get together with my family and friends and have that be that. However, 21 is considered by many to be such a milestone. Aside from being able to legally drink and buy alcohol and go to the casino, it’s when a lot of people really realize they’re really adults know and when other adults finally recognize us as adults.

I haven’t done a whole lot of thinking on being 21, or what it means I can do now, simply because I’m not one of those people who’s going to go crazy about it and party all the time and let it go to my head. I got all of that out of my system before college (hence the earlier changing her mind comment). What I am looking at this specific birthday as is basically the start to the rest of my life, or turning to a new page so to speak. I’ve done and seen a lot in my lifetime regardless of the fairly short span it’s run thus far and this year alone I’ve had to deal with a lot of shit (‘scuse my language). Over the past few years I’ve developed a much better understanding of who I am and what I want to do in life, and now is my chance to do what I have to to get that. So here’s to eye-opening birthdays!