Grim In All The Right Ways

Grim: A Fairy Tale Anthology

Edited By: Christine Johnson

Written By: Ellen Hopkins
Amanda Hocking
Julie Kagawa
Claudia Gray
Rachel Hawkins
Kimberly Derting
Myra McEntire
Malinda Lo
Sarah Rees-Brennan
Jackson Pearce
Christine Johnson
Jeri Smith Ready
Shaun David Hutchinson
Saundra Mitchell
Sonia Gensler
Tessa Gratton
Jon Skrovan

Released: February 25th 2014 by Harlequin Teen

Summary: Inspired by classic fairy tales, but with a dark and sinister twist, Grim contains short stories from some of the best voices in young adult literature today.

The Video Review!





The Extra Review!

The short stories in this collection are from some of the best YA writers out there (right now) and are nothing short of amazingly imaginative. While I was able to guess most of the fairy tale influences for each, there were one or two where I had no clue what tale they drew from. I especially loved the story about The Chad (I kept picturing Tom Green from Charlie's Angels) and the Bluebeard rendition. I'm definitely going to keep my eyes out for this one when it's released later this month.

I received my copy of Grim from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.







Also, until the publication date, and if you're a resident of Canada or the U.S., you can enter on Goodreads for an ARC giveaway!!

Virginity, Thy Name is Bliss

Losing It

Written by: Cora Carmack

Released: February 26th 2013 by William Morrow

Summary: Virginity.
Bliss Edwards is about to graduate from college and still has hers. Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, she decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible-- a one-night stand. But her plan turns out to be anything but simple when she freaks out and leaves a gorgeous guy alone and naked in her bed with an excuse that no one with half-a-brain would ever believe. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, when she arrives for her first class of her last college semester, she recognizes her new theatre professor. She’d left him naked in her bed about 8 hours earlier.

The Video Review!

Check out my YouTube channel for more book related videos!!!






An Extra Review!!!!


So, this book interested me mainly because of the whole virginity angle; I find it fascinating that the main character is almost a university graduate and still has her virginity in tact. Today, kids are losing their virginity at such younger and younger ages and it can be quite alarming - especially with news reports of 14 year old girls and younger becoming pregnant from it. But that’s a whole other topic.

I loved the fact that Bliss, the main character, was still a virgin by choice. No religious or old fashioned  beliefs here folks. I also found it interesting that she really wanted to lose it ASAP — but in the right way. I feel like, because of this fact, this book will be able to speak to a lot of girls (and guys) who are interested in the New Adult genre. Or just interested in this book itself. 

Pair a good plot with great characters and this was a greatly enjoyable read, even though I found a hard time getting into it. But I blame that fact mostly on having to read a PDF on my computer since my personal paperback copy is in storage with most of my life*. 




*Moving stinks. Having to wait to move into your new house stinks even more. Especially when having to live with your mother until then. 

Walk Like an Egyptian

So, months ago - while I was still living in BC - my commute into the city was long and boring if I went by myself. To ease this boredom, I started to listen to audiobooks. I was killing two birds with one stone; I started to ease out of my book reading slump, and I made my drives interesting.

One of the first books was the first in the Kane Chronicles, and since it was so amazing, I continued with the second when I got my hands on an audiobook copy.






The Red Pyramid

Written by: Rick Riordan

Released: May 4, 2010 by Disney-Hyperion

Summary:Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. 

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives. 

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

The Throne of Fire

Written by: Rick Riordan

Released: May 3, 2011 by Disney-Hyperion

Summary: Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians. 

And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family. 

To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished. 

First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly? 

Narrated in two different wisecracking voices, featuring a large cast of new and unforgettable characters, and with adventures spanning the globe, this second installment in the Kane Chronicles is nothing short of a thrill ride.

Here's my video review!

Basically, this series is wonderful. Ok, I'll admit that I didn't love it like I love the Percy Jackson series, but still. This is aimed at a slightly younger audience - but is still awesome for all ages. I did, when the first book was released, try to read it and it fell a little flat. But this is why I love the audiobooks so much. The voice actors really make the characters and the story come alive, and thus made me enjoy the book immensely. 

Series Review - Vampire Academy

Last year I reviewed the first Vampire Academy book by Richelle Mead and posted the video on YouTube (click the link here to see it), and it took me months to fish reading the series - admittedly reading the last four books within a few weeks after needing to know what happens next.

My love or the series is why I decided to make a video just about the series. Well, that and because I don't have my copies of the books to make said individual review videos*.

So here is my series review for Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead just in time for the Vampire Academy movie release this Friday!! I am so excited for the movie and even more excited for the Bloodlines series and see more of my favourite characters.

*not that I would need the books to make a review, but I like having the props!!

WOO!!! YOU TUBE GURL!!

Hola readerinos.


So, I'm not going to lie - I'm horrible at updating this site. Feel free to agree with me. However, to be fair to myself, I haven't been DOING anything with it to update... Until now!


Just in case you're late to the party (I'm always late... it happens), I made a new YouTube channel JUST FOR THE BOOKS!!! And its one that makes more sense for the blog, and the twitter, and the instagram....

This new channel is MsLadyCritic.  <----This is the link to click...
Sometimes I forget how to spell it. In fact, there's a video on there where I do - or there's one that I have yet to edit where it happens. Regardless, it happened.

Now, the reason for this post.

I suck at updating.

There, I said it. And that being said, I'm going to try REALLY hard to update here more frequently, but I'll be honest - the YouTube will probably be done more often. I think it's because I like the challenge of making and editing coherent videos where I don't quite look like the spaz that I am. And I love a challenge. It keeps me young.


So that's where you'll find me on the semi-regular. I'm trying, at least, to make more videos and not just reviews and book hauls*.


*I'm trying to not buy books until after BEA. We'll see how that goes.



Here's a cute picture of my Lucy!