Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #2
Publication: February 5th 2013 by Feiwel and Friends
Genre: Young Adult ~ Sci-Fi/Dystopian
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5

    

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

~My Thoughts:

Okay, wow! I was blown away by this fabulous sequel to Cinder. It ended up being even more amazing and fantastic than I hoped it would be. Just like in Cinder, I devoured this book in record time even though it's a pretty big book of 450+ pages. 

This book follows 18-year-old Scarlet who lives in a small town in France. When we meet her her grandmother has been missing for two weeks but the police have stopped searching for her already. When Scarlet meets street fighter Wolf she finds out he might know a whole lot about her missing grandmother and is determined to find out what exactly it is he knows and where her grandmother is.
Meanwhile Cinder is trying to break out of jail in order to escape the clutches of Lunar Queen Levana who will stop at nothing to get Cinder and control of Earth. 

This second book in the Lunar Chronicles is even more awesome than the first one. Not only Cinder's story continues but we also meet Scarlet, who's in search of her missing grandmother. There were also other great new characters like Wolf who travels to Paris with Scarlet and "captain" Thorne who assists Cinder in her escape. A lot of the other characters we're used to seeing like Kai, Queen Levana (she still scares the crap out of me) and Iko (yes, she's back!).
The story definitely picks up a notch. There's more action, more gasp-moments, more unexpected friendships formed and more sadness than ever. There were quite a few different points of views; Cinder, Scarlet, Kai, also Thorne also if I remember correctly and one for Levana too (brrr). I loved all the POVs but I must say Kai's made me a little sad. 

Scarlet is definitely different girl than Cinder. But does it make her less awesome? No it does not. I like her just as much as Cinder. Scarlet and Wolf are just too adorable together when they were traveling to Paris. I loved their spark so much. And, gosh, is he hot! But swooning aside, I just admire him for changing his ways and trying to warn Scarlet not to go searching for her grandmother because he knew what was waiting them. I just want to hug that guy!

I just love the way Marissa Meyer tells this story. Her writing is seriously awesome and had me flipping page after page, hour after hour. No wonder I finished it in only a few days time. One word to describe this book is: "Addicting". So very addicting. One thing's for sure, I can't wait for the next book, Cress. The wait will be torture but so worth it. Is it 2014 already? Le sigh.

Also, if you haven't read Scarlet I would definitely recommend to read The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles, #1.5) before it because it'll give you more information on what's happening. You can read it for free here: http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/11/the-queens-army


Overall Scarlet was a kick-ass and absolutely worthy sequel to Cinder. I can't remember any book that's been as fascination, exciting and just stunning as Cinder and Scarlet were, especially the latter. Is Scarlet an even better book than Cinder? Most definitely so! I can't wait to see where the next book will go and what is going to happen in it. 

Amusement touched the corner of his lips. "Animals love me."
"Oh, I'm sure they do," Scarlet said, beaming with fake encouragement. She shut the door before muttering, "What farm animals don't love a wolf?”

He was still dazed, and though she hated to admit it, he was actually rather attractive. If a girl happened to like that square-jaw, bright-blue-eyes, devilish-dimples kind of thing. Although he was in desperate need of a haircut and a good shave.

A sickening howl stopped her, sucking the air out of her lungs.
The night's chatter silenced, even the loitering city rats pausing to listen.
Scarlet had heard wild wolves before, prowling the countryside in search of easy prey on the farms. But never had a wolf's howl send a chill down her spine like that.

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf . . .), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was given a small book of them when she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. Cinder is her first novel.

Visit Marissa at:

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Review: Descended by Debra Ann Miller

 About the Book 

Descended (Fallen Guardian Saga, #1)

Destiny has two ways of crushing us…by refusing our wishes…and fulfilling them.

Vie had no idea when she descended into the small town of Newcastle, Wyoming that she’d find herself mesmerized by the mysterious and alluring eyes of one Carter Stone. And Carter believed he knew everyone that lived in his rural town until the day he locked eyes with Vivian Thorne. He couldn’t help but wonder what was different about this girl he had known all of his life.

He was right, Vie was the beautiful young Guardian that had been sent to their world looking for Carter and she did so merged in the vessel of the Thorne girl. Their meeting sparks a passionate romance between the two and soon after they embark on their journey to uncover the secrets of a past that they begin to realize they both shared. Their forbidden connection unleashes a war with disapproving parties and the lovers find themselves on a mission to uncover the truth of their not wholly human existence and their unbreakable bond.

Darkness falls as Lucian returns to settle a score with them and their lives take a thrilling and terrifying turn. The only way for Carter to stop Lucian and save the one he holds most dear is to unlock the secrets of his past and unleash the powers within him. What are the chances that two raindrops, flung from the heavens, will merge on a windowpane? Gotta be fate!

Deeply passionate and extraordinarily suspenseful, Descended captures the struggles between doing what is expected of you and unleashing your destiny, between fulfilling prophecies and desires, between loyalty and love.

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 My Thoughts 

I tried really hard to enjoy this but it just didn't happen. Apparently angel books are not my cup of tea. :(

Descended starts off slowly and there isn't much action until the last forty pages or so. I didn't connect with any of the characters whatsoever. The main character Violet's personality flip flopped from dogging someone to find out something or hurting someone and then the next thing ya know, she was trying to console someone after upsetting or hurting them so I didn't like her at all. Then there's Carter...who is almost as frustrating as Violet (he's a little better) and their insta-love thing, though towards the end it is explained that  (small spoiler) they knew each other after all. Then we have our bad guy Lucian, who I found to be an over-the-top wannabe villain.

To me the storyline felt like a lot of other young adult books around today. Girl meets boy, short time later we find that we're soul mates, etc. My biggest problem was the constant mention of how 'beautiful' Violet was...what is wrong with what most call an average girl? Why can't she be pretty and still be as wanted? Overall I wouldn't read this again or plan on reading book 2. All of that said, I have to give a low review because I found myself struggling to finish this.

to

Descended

*Debra Ann Miller was kind enough to offer a copy of Descended in exchange for a review so thank you Miss Miller.*

 About the Author 

I am a happily married, devoted mom of 3 living in Naperville, Illinois. I'm married to a fifth grade teacher, who is my best friend and soul mate. Being "Mom" for the past 23 years has been my privilege but really didn't allow me the time I needed to pursue what I loved most...writing. I put my interests on the back burner while I carted kids off to soccer games, baseball practice, and back home to make dinner and help with homework. By the time my head hit the pillow I was off to dream land where my imagination flourished.

After my grandmother passed away, I decided that life was too short to put the things we love to do on hold. The next day my story took flight. I felt compelled to put the words inside my head to the pages of my old school notebook. I wrote freehand whenever I could and the more I wrote the more the characters came to life. Carter and Vie began having conversations in my head daily and I found myself addicted to writing their story. Nine months later I finished and published, Descended (Fallen Guardian Saga #1). 

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Review: Dear Rockstar by Emme Rollins

Sara is obsessed with rock star Tyler Vincent, and as she works to complete her senior year, she’s determined to find a way to meet him—although her best friend, Aimee, keeps telling her to find a different escape from her desperately violent home life.
Complications arise when Dale, the mysterious new transfer student, sets his sights on Sara, and she falls for this rock-star-in-the-making in spite of her better judgment. When Sara wins a contest, she is faced with a choice—travel to Tyler Vincent’s home town to meet him, or stay and support Dale in a Battle-of-the-Bands hosted by MTV.
Their triangulated relationship is pushed to its breaking point, but there is another, deeper secret that Dale’s been keeping that just may break things wide open...
Turn up your collar, feather your hair, and splash on some Polo, because we’re going back to the ‘80’s when MTV played music videos, there was no such thing as American Idol, and becoming a star meant doing nothing short of crazy for that one, big break.

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My rating: 

I loved this book! I went through every emotion reading it, I laughed, I cried, I was happy then sad, shocked, scared... you get the point. I sat up till like 4 in the morning because I just could not stop reading. I had to know everything. All the little secrets that there were hints for through the book that made you wonder, hmm what's that all about and then of course you read on. And before I knew it.. I was done. My mouth hanging open just looking at the screen for a while before I could wrap my head around it, it couldn't be over this soon I just started it. It was just that good! 

The book is about Sara, a girl who has a major crush on the rockstar Tyler Vincent, she's trying to get her diploma so she can leave and get away from home. She paints a picture of her and Tyler Vincent to win a schoolarship in Maine, her chance to leave. 
Everything changes when she mets Dale at school. Dale Diamond looks a lot like Tyler Vincent, but depsite that Sara feels a strong connection with him. It starts out as this really sweet book about Dale and Sara falling in love, and they have all of these cute moments from their first meeting sharing skittles, him making a little heart out of the red ones when he found out it was her favorites and moving on to their first kiss where you can say the first sign on trouble started with Sara's stepfather, or stepbeast as she calls him very fitting, interrupting them and pulling her inside. Despite that they continue to date and grow closer and closer. part of the book is just one hot scene after the other and you're like whoa and them BOOM! just when you think another one there's that stepbeast again and this time it gets bad. 
So apart from the amazing storyline and the excellent writing the characters are great! 
Sara is strong. I can not tell you how strong she really is because that reveal the whole thing, but when you get to the end and read what she's been through so just think about how can this girl still.. cope and live like everything is normal. She is amazing for being able to go through all of that and still being able to live a normal life, you really feel for her. And I guess we can all relate to the celeb crush cause who hasn't had that. so yeah hers is major, but still. 
And then there's Dale... I love him. He's so sweet, caring and fun. And also very talented with his mouth... yes you guessed it, the boy can sing! And play the guitar and other instruments. He's competing in the battle of the bands with his band. 
Aside from them there's Dale's dad John who is like the sweetest dad ever and Sara's friends are also great! 
Anyways.. 
By the end of it all of these things that suddenly gets revealed is crazy! And what happens... wow. I won't reveal anything, but it was pretty messed up and you just wonder how this girls survived all these years. All I can say is that I happy she found Dale, happy that she can for once be happy even after everything that she's been through. And then it's the sweetst end ever. 
This is a must read the book has everything! 


*BIG spoilers of the book* 
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*Seriously do not read unless you want the books ruined or you've read* 
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*Okay then. Hightlight the area under to be able to read it*

When Sara gets out of the hospital after her stepfather tries to kill her wondering how her mother hasn't come to visit her it was all "oh....my.... god..." when you find out she killed herself.. like how could she! she is finally able to escape that man, he's gonna rot in prison or maybe even get sentenced to death and she does that! She still had her daughter.. she survived and then.. yeah. It was awful. so many feels towards the end. 
And then finding out that Sara got had been pregnant and six months in her stepdad had beaten her so the little girl died :( It was all just so sad! 
and then the big revelation that Dale's dad really isn't his dad but Tyler Vincent! Like you've been expecting it cause of how much they look alike and her mother's affair with him so you knew. And then you feel sorry for Dale's dad because he is like the sweetest being ever. Sweet and caring and yet he doesn't 

Emme Rollins is an up and coming author of New Adult/Mature Young Adult fiction. She’s been writing since she could hold a crayon and still chews her pen caps to a mangled plastic mess. She did not, however, eat paste as a kid. 

She has two degrees, a bachelor’s and a master’s, one of which she’s still paying for, but neither of which she uses out in the “real world,” because when she isn’t writing, she spends her time growing an organic garden to feed her husband and children (and far too many rabbits and deer!) where they live on twenty gorgeous forested acres in rural Michigan.

She loves tending her beehives (bees are wonderful pollinators and Hello!? Honey!) and keeping up with her daily yoga practice and going for long walks in the woods with her boxer, Rodeo, who loves chasing squirrels almost as much as Emme loves writing!

Emme loves hearing from fans, so feel free to use the contact page on her site to connect with her.

http://emmerollins.com/

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Review: Immortal Heart by Inger Iversen

Title: Immortal Heart

Author: Inger Iversen

Series: Few Are Angels #0.5

Publication: September 30th 2013

Cover Rating: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5/5

eArc provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

    

Immortal Heart
More than a century after the tragedy of Hélène's death and before Ella found Kale bruised and broken on her doorstep, Kale moved through the world in a haze of personal punishment allowing it to consume him. Until his friend, Detective Deacon, a newly infected Chorý calls on him for a favor.

In this prequel to the Few Are Angels series, Kale is thrown into a world of human blood trafficking and is introduced to a Chorý that offers him a chance at happiness— in blood.

~My Thoughts:

This book has been one of the highest anticipated books of 2013 for me and am so glad I got the chance to read it already. I read it really fast — in only two days. A part of my wished I hadn't finished it already, that I had relished in it more but I couldn't help myself it was just so damn good! 

Immortal Heart is a prequel to Few Are Angels about Kale that takes place before he met Ella. I was very excited to find out about Kale's life before Few Are Angels. He's one of my favorite characters in the series so I had very high hopes for this book. Knowing Inger, and the amazingness of Few Are Angels and also the second book Awakened, I was sure I wasn't going to be disappointed too much but I had never expected to love Immortal Heart as much as I did really. It was amazing and I wished it didn't end as quickly as I did (due to my fast reading of it). 

It was amazing to see Kale walking through life more than a century after Hélène's dead and before he even meets Ella. I loved learning more about him and his inner struggles. 
Though the prequel is mostly about him there were other points of views also. One of them was Deacon. What can I say about him other than that he's covered in awesomesauce? Because he truly is. But he isn't just that. He also has his own issues and I loved learning more about him than what we've seen in the Few Are Angels series. I love him to bits and pieces. He was (after Kale) my favorite character in this book. 
Another POV was Sola, which is a new character and was a potential love interest to Kale. I wasn't sure I was going to like her due to the fact that I like Kale with Ella so much but I did like her a lot. First of all she has a beautiful name, Sola. And other than that she was so much fun to read about and so witty. I'm glad she and Kale met and have this kind of connection and history with each other now. 

My favorite aspect of the whole book was not only Kale's tale was the storyline of the human blood trafficking. I loved how Inger weaved that in the story and not made it solely about Kale and Sola. It gave the book that extra portion of excitement and danger. 
It's kind of hard not giving to much away but I wonder if anything of what happened in Immortal Heart will be somehow appeared in the next Few Are Angels book. Who knows!

So personally I think it's Inger's best writing so far. I really do. A lot of the things she wrote were so beautiful, especially the part with Hélène in the end. Simply gorgeous! <3


Overall this book is in my opnion a much needed and totally amazing adition to the Few Are Angels series. Inger Iversen just keeps writing better and better books that leave me breathless. So am I looking forward to the next Few Are Angels book? Hell to the yes!

Inger Iversen lives in Virginia Beach with her tree-hugging boyfriend Joshua and her overweight lap cat Max. When not reading or writing she spends her time watching reruns of True Blood or killing zombies in Call Of Duty.

Visit Inger at:

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This review has also been posted on Bookfever.

Review: Another Faust by Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri

 About the Book 

Another Faust (Another, #1)

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish-only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city's most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor's extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up-reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty-they start to suffer the side-effects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary re-imagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

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 My Thoughts 

Let me start off by saying that I'd never heard of the Faust legend before reading this. Pretty simple idea: mortal, demon, soul, selling of said soul.

The prologue starts off five years before the rest of the book where we're introduced to our main characters who are Victoria from England, Christian from Scotland, twin sisters Belle and Bicé from Italy and Valentin from France who only have age and unhappiness in common. Then one night they all disappear from their beds.

The children reappear five years later in New York with their beautiful governess, Nicola Vileroy who's only outward imperfection is an odd left eye which pretty much scares the hell out of everyone. About a quarter of the book takes place before they're enrolled at Manhattan Marlowe School where the kids wreak havoc using "powers or gifts" that Vileroy has given them...for a price. As we learn very slowly throughout Another Faust and don't know for sure until the last hundred pages (well I didn't at least), Madame Vileroy is a demon! Was I surprised much? Not really since I'd been guessing she was a witch or something since each chapter has a flashback to some of the others our governess has "helped". The woman literally has an EVIL EYE! xD

Overall it wasn't a bad story but I didn't enjoy the characters. Victoria was a bitchy hag, Valentin was a liar and kind of lost his mind/any decency he may have ever possessed at the end, evil Vileroy (I know I'm supposed to hate the bad guy but sometimes I don't) and Belle who was so vain to start off with. I did like the story idea but I might have connected better if it was someone who had sold their soul for family or love...maybe. My biggest problem was that I felt like there wasn't a real ending and I don't do well with maybe they had a happily ever after.

So if you enjoy books about evil governesses and pretty dumb kids who will sell their souls for petty reasons, then you should read Another Faust.

to

Another Faust

 About the Authors 

Daniel Nayeri is a writer and editor in New York. He wrote and produced "The Cult of Sincerity," the first feature film to be world premiered on YouTube. He has had all kinds of jobs around books, including book repairman, literary agent, used bookstore clerk, Official Story-Time Reader Leader, editor, copy-editor, and even carpenter (making bookshelves). He's also a professional pastry chef. He loves Street Fighter 2, hates the word "foodie," and is an award-winning stuntman.

Dina Nayeri graduated from Princeton where she first discovered her passion for fiction. However, being a stubborn know-it-all, she had to spend five years in the business world first. She worked as a consultant at McKinsey in New York City and as a project manager for Saks Fifth Avenue. Dina then received an MBA and an M.Ed. from Harvard, where she was a Zuckerman Fellow, a teaching fellow in economics, a resident advisor, and a speaker on topics in business and marketing. Next she's off to the Iowa Writers Workshop for her MFA. Dina lives in Amsterdam. In her spare time, she loves to cook, travel, read, and collect fancy degrees to decorate her future sarcophagus.

Dina and Daniel were both born in Iran and spent many young adult years in Europe. There they learned several languages between them and tried Frosted Flakes for the first time.

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Review: Wait for you by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Some things are worth waiting for…
Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.
Some things are worth experiencing…
Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.
Some things should never be kept quiet…
But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?
And some things are worth fighting for…

Jennifer. L. Armentrout does it again!

I looooved this book! The story is so cute and as always the writing is amazing!
I drained all the power on my phone cause I just had to read this all the time. I had to know more about what would happen!
The whole book you sit there and wonder what it is that happened to Avery, why is she wearing that bracelet, why is she getting those e-mails and calls. It created that mystery to the story. It wasn't just a boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after. You really wonder what happens and you keep reading cause you want to know what it is, this thing that made her move away from her old life and start all over in another city. Can't say it wasn't a good decision, cause this is where Cam is; "Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes" 
You can't not love Cam! He is amazing! 

He even comes over and makes eggs for Avery. So sweet. 

and let's not forget he has a tortoise named Raphael. Like in Raphael after Raphael from teenage mutant ninja turtles ;)

Cam has some secrets of his own though and they along with Avery's fears creates for some bumps in their relationship. 

All in all this is another must read! It's well written, has a good storyline and if not for that (even though those are good enough reasons) then for Cam's sake.. I'll just make him look at you until you get the book. 

Wait for you 

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Available in print 9/3/2013

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 
All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 
Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.
She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 
Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

“I'm beginning to think cookies is a code word for something else."
"Maybe it is." He tugged on my bag again as he took a confident step back, forcing me down another step. "And just think about it. If cookie was a code word, whatever it symbolizes, it's been in your mouth, sweetheart.” 

“You've been checking me out, haven't you? In between your flaming insults? I feel like man candy.” 

“And this must be Avery?"
"Oh, God, no," Cam said. "This is Candy, Mom."
His mother's eyes widened and a bit of color infused her cheeks. "Uh, I'm..."
"I'm Avery," I said, shooting Cam a look. "You had it right."
She spun around, smacking Cam across the arm. Hard, too. "Cameron! Oh my God. I thought..." She smacked him again and he laughed. "You're terrible.”  

“I have cookies.”“Cookies?” My brows rose.“Yeah, and I made them. I’m quite the baker.”For some reason, I couldn’t picture that. “You baked cookies?”“I bake a lot of things, and I’m sure you’re dying to know all about those things. But tonight, it was chocolate and walnut cookies. They are the shit if I do say so myself.”