Why I am disappointed in our country right now

WARNING: THIS IS NOT ABOUT A BOOK. YES, IT IS A RANT, BUT I CANNOT HELP IT AT THIS POINT. Sorry, almost all of my other blog posts have been in some way bookish, but I need a platform for my disappointment and anger.

I have avoided speaking out about this for the entire election. I am only now doing this, after everyone has voted, partly because I just can’t believe it. I’m literally on the verge of tears, because I can’t believe that so many Americans actually voted for him. However, I also learned that my mom voted for him, during early voting earlier this week, and truthfully, I almost wish that I didn’t know. I usually don’t ask my parents who they vote for, but my boyfriend asked, because he literally cannot understand how anyone at all could vote for him, especially anyone we know, or heaven forbid, anyone in our families.

At first, I thought that it was just a joke gone bad. People thought that the idea of Donald Trump running for President of the United States was so absurd that it was funny.

The Simpson’s predicted it back in 2000 (which the writers claim was a warning), just as they've predicted quite a few other important events, like the Ebola breakout and 9/11. The writers pitched Trump as the President in 2030, because “it was the consistent with the vision of America going insane.” They chose him, because he was the “most absurd placeholder joke name that we could think of at the time.”

Yet, today, actual Americans voted for him! Will we vote for Lisa Simpson in four years, after he run’s the country into the ground and we’re all broke. This is far from the first time The Simpson’s has predicted thefuture.

I’m terrified and confused that even people in my family voted for this vulgar bigot. Since I know that my family is not of racist idiots, I had to reconsider why so many people voted for a man I initially thought was just a joke that people took too far, thus further encouraging him and his antics.

I totally underestimated the power of the Democrat and Republic parties and how loyal many people are, despite who is running for their party. Also, there has been a recent economic crisis, and not having money scares people. Donald Trump has promised to fix this, even though his track record indicates that he will bankrupt people and businesses to add to his wealth, whether it be by simply not paying them or dragging them through drawn out, expensive legal battles that only he can afford, and the other parties will eventually be forced to settle for pennies on the dollar.

I can (kind of) understand that people are looking for someone that will do things different. When your family is poor and in comes the man that claims that ONLY HE can make things better for them, some people will inevitably believe him. God, I wish that everyone loved to read and research things like I do…. We definitely wouldn’t be in this position at all if people were more educated on the politics that they so readily argue about. 

The consensus is that all the polls that indicated Hillary winning by a landslide did not account for all the rural, uneducated folks living outside of the cities. They do not live in areas that are multicultural and more accepting of diversity. They are worried about their jobs and money and apparently believe the oranged-faced man who says that he is the only one that can save the day. So, maybe this post does have a tidbit about reading: PLEASE DO A LITTLE RESEARCH BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS ELECTING THE LEADER OF THE COUNTRY. You cannot trust politicians, and you sure as hell cannot trust some super-rich, entitled "businessman" that promises you the moon! But apparently I am the idiot for thinking this is common sense.

So, there are (somewhat) sane, good people that voted for Trump. However, that is not the outspoken majority of his supporters. The ones that we have been watching and reading about for the past couple of years are the straight-up racists, the white-supremacists, bigots, womanizers, rapists, and the closed-minded idiots that have been right behind him from the very beginning.

His rise truly does remind me of Hitler. Hitler didn’t start out as the man that we read about in history books. He presented himself, at first, as Germany’s solution to the hard times it was going through, and well, you know the rest.

I’m not going to keep going, but I will give my predictions for if he wins…

Most other countries are not going to want anything to do with us, except maybe some that we don’t really want anything to do with: I’m looking at you Russia. The racism in this country is going to skyrocket to heights I have not seen in my lifetime. Not only has this man ran his whole campaign on the premise that he will build his stupid wall (and lie that Mexico will pay for it) and will ban an entire religion from entering the US, but he has shown time and time again that he is the most outwardly racist president-elect since the end of segregation. Plus, Trump has shown over and over again that he sees women as nothing more than something for him to sexual lyrics assault (unless you're fat or have a small chest, of course).

For heaven’s sake, he pretty much said that there is no way that his own daughter would be a victim of sexual assault (which I don’t even think he understands the definition of). Of course, his daughter would never experience such a thing, because she is a strong business woman. Oh, and if she were to be a victim of sexual assault? His solution: she should just get a different job. I don't expect better of him, considering he's commented on both of his daughters' appearance in ways that feel way gross and creepy and has repeatedly said that he would date one of them. That HAS TO tell you what he thinks of women, if the first thing in his mind when someone brings up his daughter is how hot she is and how he would totally date her if she wasn't his daughter (he doesn't mention that he's 70 years old, because that wouldn't be an issue for him, even if it was for her). I am a rape survivor, and every time I hear more about how this man talks about women, I fear for our country. If our president can get away with it, more and more boys will grow up thinking they can. 

I have been in the position where men felt entitled to taking things from me that they have no right to take if I do not consent, and I do not want my young nephews growing up with a President and potential role model that brags about being able to do this because he is “a star.” I want them to grow up to respect women and treat them as equals.

If elected, this man will take our country back decades. If you are not white, you should be terrified. If you are a woman, you should be terrified. If the President can get away with all the ways he mistreats women, then what will other men feel entitled to?

Happy about the fact that there has been some progress in guaranteed maternity leave? Say bye-bye to that. Trump sees pregnancy as an inconvenience for businesses, and he doesn’t think much more about it than that. He is proud that he had no part in his own child’s births and childhood.

If he wins, congratulations people, The Simpson's really will continue to dictate our future!

I will stop now. I know I should have spoken up sooner, but I, truthfully, NEVER thought he actually had a chance. I really did think that people would come to their senses and realize that this man SHOULD NEVER BE IN A POSITION OF POWER. Just being able to fire people gave him WAY TOO MUCH power.

Just wait and see what happens if he is elected. I guarantee the people that are not racist bigots will be horrified with the man they chose to lead our country. If I had the money, I would likely leave the country if he’s elected, because dark days are inevitably coming. For the racist bigots that believe that women should be put in their place (in the kitchen), you will likely be super happy with your choice.

Please do not point out to me that you don't think you can trust Hillary Clinton and think she's a crooked politician. IT DOESN'T MATTER! All politicians are crooked, but at least most of them pretend like they have the people's best interests in mind. Trump thinks of nothing but himself, his ego and his money.

Please remember that the President of the US has the power to start wars, nuclear and otherwise. Please remember this the next time someone makes Trump mad on Twitter.

If he actually wins, GOD HELP US ALL, because Donald Trump will be able to do virtually whatever he wants without having to answer to anyone. 

UPDATE:

Soul Finder by Jacinta Maree

Since being discovered as Soulless, Nadia has become a target for both terrorist groups and government corporations. Now, her only hope for survival rests in the hands of the man sent out to kill her: Diesel, the Mad Dog terrorist.

Diesel is determined to free himself of the never-ending curse of reincarnation and the haunting memories that plague his mind. But when his search leads him to Nadia, a greater desire stills him from taking her life. Unable to see into Diesel's cracking mind, Nadia instead puts her faith into his strength, fueled by eleven generations of unmatched rage and insanity. Their tight-rope relationship balances the two between life and death, love and rage, trust and betrayal.

Tension pulls at the hems of their dangerous companionship, and as time runs out all madmen must eventually make their choice.

Book two of the thrilling Immortal Gene series dives deeper into the danger of trusting your heart over your head. 

Review

I read Soulless, the first book in the Immortal Gene series and started on Soul Finder the same night. Overall, I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to see how the story progressed, especially with the HUGE cliffhanger the first book ends with. 

The only thing that I found a little disappointing was how Nadia goes from super strong and independent to dependent on Diesel. It seems like throughout a lot of the book, she struggles with her feelings of self-worth depending on Diesel's perception of her. I really would have liked for her to continue being as strong and confident while in a relationship with Diesel. However, the author does a good job at explaining the nuances of their relationship, even if I might have preferred things a bit differently.

Besides this, the book was very well-written, and the author does a great job of story building. The story also has a very unique concept.

Although I was super excited to move from the first book to the second, I am sad that I will have to wait to see what happens next.

Thank you, Xpresso Book Tours, for allowing me to be a part of this blog tour! I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Author Bio

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres, including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the Year and Bestselling Author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

Author Links

http://jacintamaree.wix.com/jacintamaree

https://goodreads.com/author/show/6448929.Jacinta_Maree

https://facebook.com/jacinta.maree.10

https://twitter.com/jacintamaree6

Autonomy Blog Tour Review and Giveaway (INTL - Ends 11/3)

Balmoral Murraine works in a Battery, assembling devices she doesn't understand for starvation pay. Pasco Eborgerson is the pampered son of an Elite, trying to navigate the temptations of the Pleasure Houses, the self-sacrifice of the Faith, and the high-octane excitement of Steel Ball. They are two strangers, who should never have met, and now they will rip the world apart. 

What happens when ninety percent of the world lives on skaatch - a jellyfish and insect composite?

What happens when mankind spends more time in alternative life sims instead of the 'real' world?

What happens when economic interest is the sole determinant of global decision making?

What happens when a single secret is discovered that calls into question everything we have ever believed?

Welcome to the Autonomy. Welcome to your future.

First of all, I'm super excited to be a part of this blog tour and giveaway! Thank you Xpresso Book Tours!

Any book that starts with she "felt a pop between her legs followed by wetness" is bound to be interesting! When the next sentence talks about getting a bonus for hitting the baby quota, it had my attention... except, I am an idiot!

As I moved on to the second paragraph, I realized that it was not referring to a baby quota but describes finishing her shift to hit the quota before having the baby. (I thought about taking this part out of my review, but why not let someone else have a laugh t my stupidity? I do all the time!)

Balmoral was dealt a CRAPPY hand. From the second she was born, it kept hitting the fan. She was named Balmoral Murraine for heaven's sake! That was definitely not the name her parents picked for her. She never whines or complains, though. She just figures out a way to live the crappy life she was handed.

This book was awesome! It exceeded my expectations.

It has been refreshing to read YA books lately that have strong female characters that are not wrapped up in a cookie cutter love triangle of some type or super boy crazy.

I wasn't sure if there would be a sequel to this book, but the ending set up for one perfectly. I can't wait to see what happens next with Balmoral and Pasco! The only thing I'm upset about is how long I will have to wait to see what happens next!

Buy Autonomy Here:

 

Author Bio:
Jude Houghton developed a love of fantasy from a relatively early age after realizing an innate talent for making stuff up could result in something other than detention. Working across the glove in fields as diverse as journalism, data entry, sales, management consultancy and babysitting. Jude has partially succeeded in putting an English and History degree from Oxford University to good use. A somnambulist, insomniac, lover of letters, Jude writes late into the night, most nights, tumbling down the rabbit hole to dream of other lives. Jude currently lives in Pennsylvania with an over-enthusiastic family and absurdly entitled dog.

Giveaway Details:
5 copies of Autonomy by Jude Houghton
International - Ends November 3rd 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

Crosstalk by Connie Willis

Briddey is about to get exaclty what she thinks she wants...

Briddey is a high-powered exec in the mobile phone industry, overseeing new products from concept ('anything to beat the new apple phone') to delivery. And she works with her wonderful partner, Trent. They've been together for six magical weeks, in a whirlwind of flowers, dinners, laughter and now comes the icing on the cake: not a weekend away or a proposal but something even better. An EDD. A procedure which will let them sense each other's feelings. Trent doesn't just want to tell her how much he loves her - he wants her to feel it. Everything is perfect.

The trouble is, Briddey can't breathe a word of it to anyone (difficult, when the whole office is guessing) until she's had two minutes to call her family. And they're hounding her about the latest family drama, but when they find out about the EDD - which they will - they'll drop everything to interrogate her. And it might just be easier to have the procedure now and explain later. Only Apple is poised to deliver an amazing new product and she has to be one step ahead... is she can only persuade their tech genius, C.B., to drop his crazy ideas about a 'privacy phone' with its 'do not disturb' settings, and focus on what people really want: more efficient, instinctive and immediate ways to communicate.

The race is on: not just for new, cutting-edge technology, but also for a shred of privacy in a public world and - for Briddey - a chance for love at the heart. 

This book is set in the future, but in the very near future. It does not specify exactly how near in the future, but the Kardashians are mentioned in passing, and apparently Kim and Kanye were still together, shortly before the events that occur in the book. 

It also mentions Brad and Angelina... I guess I wasn't the only one who didn't see their divorce coming. I don't think anyone expected it, and I know the author didn't expect their break up to be announced right as his book was released. 

Being set in the near future, most of the events in the story (and the technology) are totally plausible, today. That makes the story unique and different from many books I've read. 

The main character works at a tech company that is preparing a phone that will rival Apple's new iPhone that is about to be release and supposedly has some kind of secret, crazy awesome new technology. So far, none of this sounds unbelievable in today's society, does it?

That is, except for the one little aspect of couples getting EDDs to connect emotionally with their partners... EDDs are brain implants and allow couples to help them connect with each other and feel what their partner feels. So, that't the exception to similarities to today's capabilities, but who knows what they'll come up with next!

This book was AWESOME! Although it does involve a love triangle of sorts, which I expressed my disapproval of in my review of Wolf Road, it wan't anything even remotely like those I was referring to that  are so common in YA books nowadays. 

Briddey doesn't have to debate over who of the two unlikely suitors is the best choice. She may not know the whole time, but she doesn't do the mushy wishy-washy thing. 

Thus book was very unique and had lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way. I really want to say what my was, but it would give away a HUGE spoiler. So, you'll just have to read the book and see what your favorite plot twist way. Then, let me know and we can see if it was the same one. 

Overall, this book as great and a really entertaining read! While it might not have as much humor as Spontaneous, it definitely had its fare share of funny!

If you are a fan of YA fantasy/paranormal or Sci-Fi and want to read a book about the dangers of being too connected, you will love this book! Check it out! 

I received this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my GoodReads review!

Wolf Road by Beth Lewis

True Grit meets The Road in this post-apocalyptic psychological thriller--narrated by a young girl who has just learned that her adopted father may be a serial killer, and that she may be his next victim.

In the remote wilds of a ravaged land, Elka has been raised by a man who isn't her father. Since finding her wandering in the woods when she was seven, he has taught her how to hunt, shoot, set snares and start fires--everything she needs to survive. All she knows of the world outside if gleaned from whispers of a cataclysmic even that turned the clock back on civilization by a hundred and fifty years and reduced governments and technology to shambles, leaving men at the mercy of the elements--and each other.

Everything changes when Elka learns that the man she has been calling father is harboring a terrible secret. Armed with nothing but her knife and her wiles, she decides to escape his clutches and sets out on a long journey to the frozen north in the hope of finding her long-lost parents.

But as the trail of blood and bodies grows in her path, Elka realizes that daddy won't be letting his little girl go without a fight. If she's going to survive, she'll have to turn and confront not just him, but the truth about what he's turned her into.

Not 5 minutes after I finish writing about how well the author of Spontaneous wrote about high school students spontaneously combusting without making it too icky, I started reading Wolf Road. The first paragraph of the book describes a man that has just killed a boy and still has blood on his knife and his scalp hanging from his belt. The irony was not lost on me, and I seriously wondered what I was getting myself into.

Let me first say (well, first after the lovely disclaimer above, warning you that this book may contain some gore), if you do not like reading books written in the dialect of the characters, you may not enjoy this book. The book is written in first person, and the main character was raised in the wild and talks like a hillbilly from way back when. Here is an examples from the first chapter:

Nana let out one a' her big signs. Seen other folks from Ridgeway sign like that, like they weren't just sick a' the person giving 'em ire, but sick a' the whole world what was full a' them.

The rest of the book follows suit, but I think it adds to the story. The dialect kind of reminded me of The Knife of Netter Letting Go (awesome book btw). Not using Elka's dialect would have made for a completely different reading experience, though. It would have taken away from the story and we would not have been able to get as clear of a picture of her and the world she lives in. 

I really enjoyed this book! I do have to admit that the last chapters were a little slow, but necessary to wrap everything up.

Overall, it was a GREAT book! It was well-written and had a wonderful story, and I hope to hear more from Elka, very soon!

I love that Elka is a strong, independent woman, and the book doesn't focus on any romantic relationships. She's got much more important things to worry about! You do not have to read about her falling in love with an unlikely choice or her conflicting feelings about two boys that are total opposites but equally compatible with her. I'm not knocking those books. I like some of them, but I hate that it seems to be the recipe for waaaay too many YA books nowadays. 

This book is not like any other YA book that I've ever read. It is completely original and definitely work a read!

I receive this book from the publishers, via Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my GoodReads review!

Spontaneous by Aaron Starmer

A darkly funny and spectacularly original exploration of friendship, goodbyes - and spontaneous combustion.

Mara Carlyle's senior year is going as normally as could be expected, until-wa-bam!-a fellow senior, Katelyn Ogden, explodes during third period pre-calc.

Katelyn is the first, but she won't be the last teenager to blow up without warning or explanation. As the seniors continue to pop like balloons and the national eye turns to Mara's suburban New Jersey hometown, the FBI rolls in and the search for a reason is on.

Whip-smart and blunt, Mara narrates the end of their world as she knows it while trying to make it to graduation in one piece. It's an explosive year punctuated by romance, quarantine, lifelong friendship, hallucinogenic mushrooms, bloggers, ice cream trucks, 'Snooze Button™,' Bon Jovi, and the filthiest language you've ever heard from the President of the United States.

Aaron Starmer rewrites the rule book with Spontaneous. But beneath the outrageous is a ridiculously funny, super honest, and truly moving exemplar of the absurd and raw truths of being a teenager in the 21st century...and the heartache of saying goodbye.

Let me first say that this book grabs your attention, right off the bat. The first sentence describes a girl blowing up in her pre-calc class and how the janitor "probably figures he's only have to scrub guts off one whiteboard this year."

I requested this book a few months ago. However, there was an issue with the download link that took a while to resolve and get a new one. So, it inevitably got pushed way back on my TBR list, and by the time I started reading it, I'll admit that I forgot what it was supposed to be about

The book starts with Katelyn, the super-smart, weed-smoking senior blowing up in the middle of class. The news blames terrorists, at first, because she was Turkish, even though both of her parents were born in the US and no one else was hurt and nothing else even remotely explosive was found.

It wasn't Mara's "year to blow things up. It was her year to blog things off, perhaps her last change in her lie to say 'f*** it.' It was a lot of people's last chance to say 'f*** it,' as it turns out."

This book is written in first person, as if the main character is speaking directly to the reader. Here is how her senior year starts out: Once Katelyn blows up in pre-cal, another student blows up in the therapy group intended to make the students who saw the first "explosion" feel better. Needless to say, therapy was cancelled indefinitely.

This book was hilarious!  Even things that would usually be mundane details are funny in this book. The author had me cracking up through the whole book!

I really enjoyed this book, but I'm not sure what I think about the ending. I get what the author was going for, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. It wasn't that I didn't like it, I just thought it should end differently, not that I can tell you how it should have ended differently... Maybe I just wanted everything wrapped up nice and tidy, with a pretty bow. Maybe he's leaving an option for a sequel... That, I would be happy with. 

While it might not have been the ending I would have chosen, I totally wasn't expecting it, and I do love a surprise ending!

Overall, this book was awesome and funny and super creative. I would encourage anyone who wants to laugh*, but isn't afraid of a little spontaneous combustion, to read this book!**

*Disclaimer: If you do not like reading books with curse words, this book will probably upset you. I think it added to the humor, but it will probably piss some people off. 

**Also, I must clarify that although the book talks about some occurrences that are pretty icky, it doesn't go into explicit detail about the gore that goes along with spontaneous combustion. Compared to the Library at Mount Char, this might as well be a Disney story. The gore in that one really sticks with you... Is it strange that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED that book, even though some of it really grossed me out? Sorry, off topic....

TL;DR: Read Spontaneous. You'll laugh, you might cry, but you (probably) won't want to puke.

I received this book from the publishers, via First to Read, in exchange for my honest review.

Check out my GoodReads review!

The Surrendered Book Blitz (By Case Maynard)

The Surrendered 

By Case Maynard

Published by: Blaze Publishing

Publication Date: September 20th 2016

Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult

Synopsis:

After a financial collapse devastates the United States, the new government imposes a tax on the nation's most valuable resource - the children. 

Surrendered at age ten--after her parents could no longer afford her exprbiant fees - Vee Delancourt has spend six hard years at the Mills, alongside her twin, Oliver. With just a year to freedom, they do what they can to stay off the Master's radar. But when Vee discovers unspeakable things happening to the younger girls in service, she has no choice but to take a stand-a decision that lands her on the run and outside the fence for the first time since the System robbed her of her liberty.

Vee knows the Master will stop at nothing to prove he holds ultimate authority over the Surrendered. But when he makes a threat that goes beyond what even she considers possible, she accepts the aid of an unlikely group of allies. Problem is, with opposing factions gunning for the one thing that might save them all, Vee must find a way to turn oppression and desperation into hope and determination - or risk failing all the children and the brother she left behind.

Author Bio:

With over 20 years' experience in the legal and medical fields, Case Maynard decided to trade in her briefs and reports to write the stories that have been floating around in her head since childhood. She lives with her two teenagers and husband in South Georgia, while maintaining a long-distance liaison with her oldest daughter and partner in crime in Alaska. When not writing, she enjoys reading as often as possible, binge watching anything good on Netflix, and all things NCAA football (Go Noles!). You can learn more about Case and her stories on her website.

Author Links: https://casemaynard.com/  
GIVEAWAY

Blitz-Wide Giveaway

• $15 Amazon Gift Card (INTL)
• Blaze Publishing Swag Pack (INTL)
• Blaze Publishing Ultimate Swag Pack (US Only)
• Rise of the Dystopians Book Set (3 Dystopian Novels - US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spy for the Spiers (Meet Abby Banks #3) by J.A. Cipriano

An assassin out for revenge. A hidden tomb. An unlikely ally.

When the agency is brought to its knees by a couple of masked maniac, only Abby is left in a position to stop them from taking over completely. If she doesn't step in to stop Flash and Bang, the agency trying to kill her will be wiped off the planet.

The only catch is, if the agency dies, so will her father.

Spy for the Spiers is the third book in the Meet Abby Banks spy thriller series. Readers who enjoyed Sara Shepard's Lying Game series, Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series, or Robert Muchamore's Cherub series, will likely enjoy this young adult spy adventure.

After reading book number two in the Meet Abby Banks series, with a little bit of a confused opinion, I wanted to immediately continue to the third book, to try to straighten things out a bit. 

This book starts with a fight with a mechanical werewolf and features other random robot animals and ninjas and such, my particular favorite was a robot octopus pilot. 

I liked this book a lot more than book #2. The second book felt a little too all over the place, but this one was more focused on the main plot that worked up to the crazy ending. 

I thought that Meet Abby Banks was going to be a trilogy, but judging from the ending, there will be more to come. I'm really excited to see what happens next! 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Check out my GoodReads review!