The Little Bookworm

Hiatus

2012-01-04T01:00:00.000-06:00

Lately my heart has gone out of blogging. I don't know if it is the pregnancy occupying my mind or the fact that I've been busier both at work and at home or a little bit of both. But book reviewing is feeling more and more like a chore than something fun. I started this blog so I could write down my thoughts on the books I've read, but along the way I got really involved with the whole world that can go along with book blog. And I loved making the new friends I've made and reading their blogs and generally becoming more involved in this whole aspect of the book world I didn't know about until I become a blogger.

But life moves on and my family is expanding and I've taken on much more responsibility in the real world, so much that the blogging world has been pushed to the side. I feel like that isn't fair to my blog and to the readers I have left. In 2011 the amount of reviews I've published has diminished quite a bit and I really began to drop out of blogging months ago. But now I've finally decided to just go on hiatus and read a book that doesn't have to be reviewed. Is this permanent? I don't know. I really enjoyed blogging when I was into it. So maybe I'll be back. I'd like to be back. And I have a feeling I'll be posting reviews now and then. It's hard to stop someone who loves books as much as I do from talking about them. I just don't want to feel obligated. So I'll see ya'll around. Thanks for reading and I've enjoyed becoming blogging friends with you. Catch ya later.

2011 Yearly Wrap-Up

2012-01-03T10:39:00.001-06:00

I've had a good year over here. I've read 79 books, listened to 30 audio books (290 hours). I joined 13 challenges and finished 11 of them, abandoning 2 and 1 incomplete.

I read some really great new books this year and had fun reading some fun old series like the Betsy-Tacy books. I discovered some awesome new series like the Bloody Jack series. It was a good reading year for me.

2012 Audio Book Reviews

2012-01-01T10:56:00.001-06:00

2012 Reviews by Title

2012-01-01T10:56:00.000-06:00

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Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T01:00:00.000-06:00

I hope you all have a wonderful and magical Christmas day!

Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

2011-12-24T04:30:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder about Jacob Marley, the reason why Scrooge is visited the three spirits and his soul is saved? Here is the story of what happened with Marley and why he was able to offer Scrooge the chance he did.

This was really well done. It fit nicely with The Christmas Carol. It is written in the same style and tone as the Dickens' tale. The Christmas Carol is one of my favorite holiday stories and I had never really given Marley much thought. He just appeared in the story as a minor character, but really he is very important. Because he is the one who offers Scrooge the chance to redeem himself. I enjoyed reading how Marley really effected Scrooge's life and contributed to Scrooge's attitude and outlook and his overall ruthlessness. This was a wonderful addition to the Dickens' story and it is a great holiday tale.

from NetGalley

Holiday audio books

2011-12-23T04:30:00.001-06:00

I've been listening to some old favorites this holiday season. Instead of doing individual posts of books I've already reviewed I thought I'd put them all here.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, read by Elaine Stritch.

The Herdmans are the worst kids in town and somehow they end up mixed up in the Christmas Pageant. Everyone thinks they are going to destroy the pageant but they end up showing everyone the true meaning of Christmas.

I never read this book as a child, but the movie was a favorite growing up. I discovered that is was based on a book within the last few years and of course I had to read it. It is as delightful as the movie and I hope that it is a favorite for my kids one day. I like the narration of Elaine Stritch. At first it caught me off guard how much older she sounds than the narrator of the book is supposed to be. But she does such a fine job that it doesn't really matter in the end.

A Christmas Story by Jean Shepherd, read by Dick Cavett

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies is based on a series of short stories by Jean Shepherd (who narrates the movie). Jean Shepherd is one of my favorite retrospective authors and I love his books. And all the stories contained in this compilation should sound familiar to anyone who has seen the movie. From Red Ryder and his bb gun to Grover Dill, the bully all the stories are here. It's fun listening to them and I really like Dick Cavett's voice and the sound effects that go into the audio book.

Weekly Round-Up 12/19

2011-12-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Anna and the French Kiss (Perkins) and Christmas in High Heels (Halliday). I'm listening to A Christmas Story (Shepherd).

Last week I read Jacob T. Marley (Bennett) and listened to The Penderwicks (Birdsall) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson). I reviewed Heavy Weather (Wodehouse) and Forever (Steifvater).

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

2011-12-16T04:30:00.000-06:00

This was an adorable book. I love the Penderwicks and thought they were a delightful group of girls, from Rosalind, the oldest to Batty, the youngest. All the girls had very distinct personalities. Rosalind, 12, is the caring oldest sister who is beginning to like boys. Ferocious and smart Skye, 11, is next followed by aspiring author Jane, 10. And last is Batty, 4, the sweet and adorable yet trouble prone youngest. They were all great characters and I was happy to go along with them on their summer vacation. I also like Jeffery and thought he was a sweet boy who really needed his mother to listen to him. Mrs. Tifton is not a likeable character but I think there might have been more dept to her character than could really be explored in a short childrens book. That was the great thing about this book. Even the characters who were not fully explored, i.e. most of the adults, seem to have hidden depths and a real back story. That is is so rare to find and is, I believe, the hallmark of a well written book.

Heavy Weather by P.G. Wodehouse

2011-12-15T04:30:00.000-06:00

This installment of the Blandings Castle Saga finds the house in an uproar as usual and is a sequel to Summer Lightning. Ronnie Fish still wants to marry Sue Brown over the objections of his aunts. But when they bring his mother into the mix and Ronnie suspects Sue of being in love with someone else, it all comes crashing down. Meanwhile, a variety of people are steal trying to steal Gally Threepwood's manuscript, some to destroy it, other to publish it.

These books are so amusing. I really do enjoy them. They are the perfect easy and funny read when I'm in the mood for light reading. Usually Wodehouse's books are sequels but this one is for Summer Lightning. And it took me a little to remember what happened in that book, but it's not hard as Wodehouse is not meant to be complex. I"m happy that Sue and Ronnie worked it out and Gally is really growing on me. And Lord Emsworth's obsession with the Empress of Blandings is always amusing.

Wodehouse

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Steifvater

2011-12-13T04:30:00.000-06:00

Sam and Grace have been through so much together and now they face a challenge that means life or death. Isabelle's dad has found a way to eliminate the wolves and with Grace still shifting, it becomes imperative that Sam, Cole, and Isabelle find a way to save the wolves.

This was a great ending to this series. I was actually expecting a much sadder ending. While it was sad enough that I cried, it was still hopeful and I didn't mind the fact that a finite ending wasn't given to Sam and Grace. Real life doesn't work that way and so books don't have to either. Though I did find Sam and Grace, well Sam in particular, much more frustrating. His inability to do something made me want to shake him. Isabelle and Cole are really my favorites. They are much more sarcastic and proactive and I love them for it. Sam and Grace's pure sweet love is wonderful to read and I love them too, but sometimes you need a bit of grit in your romance.

12 hours, 10 minutes

Read by Jenna Lamia, Pierce Cravens, Dan Bittner, Emma Galvin, Maggie Stiefvater

The same cast from the previous book returns and they do a great job. Each manages to embody their character and they play them beautifully. The audio books are great for this series because the actors really manage to convey the emotions well. I enjoyed this audio series a lot.

Weekly Round-Up 12/12

2011-12-12T04:30:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library..

This week I'm reading Jacob T. Marley (Bennett) and Sweetly (Pearce). And I should finish listening The Penderwicks (Birdsall) this week and I'll start the Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson) after that.

Last week I finished Heavy Weather (Wodehouse). And reviewed Every Other Day (Barnes).

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

2011-12-06T04:30:00.000-06:00

What if Buffy was only Buffy every other day? That's pretty much the premise behind this book. But it's pretty awesome. Kali is kick ass on some days and on the others she is an ordinary human. She doesn't know why but on her hunter days she is compelled to seek out the things that go bump in the night and kill them. But it's one on of her ordinary days that she finds that a classmate is infected with a chupacabra, a virus-like organization that sucks the blood out of people and erases their memories. Figuring that she can kill it on her hunter day, Kali takes it into her body only needing survive the chupacabra's draining until the next sundown. But she finds that it's presence changes her in ways she could not predict. Aided by some new friends, including a sort-of psychic, her older brother and his girlfriend, the girl who originally hosted the chupacabra, Kali begins to seek out the truth behind her origins.

I am a huge Buffy fan. And I love the idea that superhero is only a superhero some of the time. It makes the hero(ine) much more interesting. I was surprised by the direction that this book ultimately takes, but surprised in a good way. Kali legitimately has a reason to complain because basically her life changes from day to day without her control. And she wants to know if she is alone or if there are others like her. But she and her dad have a frosty relationship so she can't ask him and tip him off. The answer actually comes from a surprising source and I love that. Kali is a great character whether she is the hunter or not and she is very much a teenager despite her unusual nature. This is a fun read, not too gory or over the top, but just right with a unique concept.

From NetGalley

Weekly Round-Up 12/5

2011-12-05T04:30:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm finishing Heavy Weather (Wodehouse). And I'm listening to The Penderwicks (Birdsall).

Last week I reviewed All These Things I've Done (Zevin).

All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1) by Gabrielle Zevin

2011-11-29T04:30:00.000-06:00

From Goodreads:
In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

The thing I liked about this book most is the mafia mystery. Anya gets caught up in her family's politics, a place she doesn't want to be. She mostly just wants to fly under the radar, make it to her 18th birthday and keep her siblings safe. But by virtue of her birth, she is meant to be more in her family's business. I have a feeling that is where this series is headed. Unfortunately, the mafia angle is dropped half way through and the romance angle becomes the focus. It's not necessarily a bad thing. It's only that the thing that drew me in is swept aside for something a little less compelling. But I'm guessing that it will be explored more in the next book. Anya is pretty emotionally detached from life expect for the few people she truly loves that it is hard to "feel" the emotions she is feeling as she falls for Win, the Assistant D.A.'s son. But the book is told from a past perspective and so I guess in the re-telling she is less inclined to become too emotional. I enjoyed the whole book though I wish it had stuck to one kind of story and I also wish it had explained it a bit more. The idea that chocolate and caffeine is now illegal is intriguing one. I get wanting to outlaw drugs in the future, but alcohol is still available so that doesn't fit. The time setting is 2083 but it had a very 1920's Prohibition feeling with the coffee bar speakeasies and the smuggling of chocolate. That was my favorite part, but it needed more explanation. I mean why, of all things, chocolate? I felt like that part was glossed over too quickly. Still, conceptually, it is pretty awesome.

Weekly Round-Up 11/28

2011-11-28T08:51:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Heavy Weather (Wodehouse). And I'm listening to Forever (Steifvater) and The Penderwicks (Birdsall).

Last week I finished All These Things I've Done (Zevin).

Weekly Round-Up 11/21

2011-11-21T04:30:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading All These Things I've Done (Zevin). And I'm listening to Forever (Steifvater) and The Penderwicks (Birdsall).

Last week I finished Every Other Day (Barnes).

Weekly Round-Up 11/14

2011-11-14T04:30:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Every Other Day (Barnes) and All These Things I've Done (Zevin). And I'm listening to Forever (Steifvater) and The Penderwicks (Birdsall).

Last week I finished Touch (Accardo) and reviewed Prized (O'Brien) and To Say Nothing of the Dog (Willis).

To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis

2011-11-11T04:30:00.000-06:00

Ned Henry is badly in need of a rest. He's been shuttling between the 21st century and the 1940s searching for a Victorian atrocity called the bishop's bird stump. It's part of a project to restore the famed Coventry Cathedral, destroyed in a Nazi air raid over a hundred years earlier.

But then Verity Kindle, a fellow time traveler, inadvertently brings back something from the past. Now Ned must jump back to the Victorian era to help Verity put things right--not only to save the project but to prevent altering history itself. -- Goodreads

I love this book! Seriously, I first listened to it about 10 years ago and then listened to it again a couple of years later. When I saw it on Audible, I was ecstatic because my local library did not have it on CD. But would it still be as good? The answer is yes. It starts out a little slow because I was impatient for Ned to get the Victoria era, but man the whole thing is good. I haven't read Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome, a book which is referenced a lot and from which this book gets its title, but I will one of these days. To Say Nothing of the Dog is written in a high manner house comedy style, much like a Wodehouse and has the same sensibilities as those book but with a large slice of science fiction thrown in. Basically the whole book is about surviving the Victorians with their awful taste in furniture and the belief in seances, all while trying to save the space-time continuum. But it never gets confusing or really all the science-y. And the technology is a little laughable since they can travel through time but don't have cell phones. But that has more to do with being written in 1997 when such things were not widely available and the internet wasn't what it is now. Still I can forgive all that because the plot is so wonderful as are all the characters. I was a little sad when it was over and I couldn't live in this world anymore.

Steven Crossley is the narrator and the voice of Ned. He has the perfect British voice for this book and I love hearing his narration and the voices he does for the various characters. He gets the tone and the inflection just right every time.

20 hours, 58 minutes

Whisper in My Ear

Touch by Jus Accardo

2011-11-10T04:30:00.001-06:00

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.
Except there's something off with Kale. He wears her shoes in the shower, is overly fascinated with things like DVDs and vases, and acts like she'll turn to dust if he touches her.
It's not until Dez's father shows up, wielding a gun and knowing more about Kale than he should, that Dez realizes there's more to this boy, and her father's "law firm," than she realized. Kale has been a prisoner of Denazen Corporation -- an organization devoted to collecting "special" kids known as Sixes and using them as weapons -- his entire life.
And, oh yeah, his touch? It kills.
The two team up with a group of rogue Sixes hellbent on taking down Denazen before they're caught and her father discovers the biggest secret of all. A secret Dez has spent her life keeping safe.
A secret Kale will kill to protect. --Goodreads

While I enjoyed this book, it reads like a checklist of an action-adventure/science-fiction movie. Plucky heroine? Check. Brooding guy with a dark secret? Check. Evil organization with an agenda? Check. But despite the cliches involved, it is a fun book and an easy read. I wasn't a huge fan of Deznee throughout the book. She rubbed me the wrong way and I kept wondering what it was about her that made all the boys fall over themselves. Because she is, frankly, fairly abrasive. And Kale is so blank. There is very little to his character except to growl menacingly at anyone who threatens his woman and to become fascinated at everything about Dez or the world in general. A little more character development would not have been amiss for anyone in this book.

The action never stalled though and that was good. Because really this is an action based book. Dez moves from scenario to scenario trying to figure out how to save Kale and her mom from Denezen and how to deal with her bad guy dad. She does a great job figuring out what to do next. And she really does kick ass in her own right. The book ends with a typical cliffhanger and while I enjoyed reading it, I doubt I will continue on with the series.

From NetGalley
Published: November 1, 2011

Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien

2011-11-08T04:30:00.000-06:00

The sequel to Birthmarked finds Gaia struggling to save her baby sister as she tries to reach her grandmother. But when she is rescued by a stranger and taken to the town her grandmother use to run, Gaia finds the rules of that society are also constricting. The number of men far outweigh the number of women and so the women hold all the power. But power can be corrupting and the men are getting tired of being the underdogs. Gaia finds unfairness at each turn along with someone from her past who provides another source of conflict for her.

While there is no such thing as a perfect society, it seems that all Gaia can find is dysfunctional ones. This time she moves to one where the rules seems unfair to her and, frankly, chaffed me as well. The Matrarc of the town immediately takes away her baby sister and her freedom. And it left me angry at how quickly Gaia or any stranger is treated like a criminal simply for being from somewhere else. The action moved pretty quickly even as Gaia is kept locked up. But the romance angle felt like it was too much and it was a little unnecessary. I am curious to see what happens next with Gaia and her tendency to overthrow dystopias. This series is turning out to be a real page turner.

From NetGalley

Weekly Round-Up 11/7

2011-11-07T04:30:00.000-06:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Touch (Accardo) and Every Other Day (Barnes). And I'm listening to The Penderwicks (Birdsall).

Last week I read Prized (O'Brien) and finished listening to To Say Nothing of the Dog (Willis).

Weekly Round-Up 10/31 + Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T04:30:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Prized (O'Brien) and Touch (Accardo). And I'm still listening to To Say Nothing of the Dog (Willis).

Last week I read Ascendant and Errant (Peterfreund). Other reviews posted were Friends in High Places (Kellogg) and Uncommon Criminals (Carter).

Happy Halloween!!

Errant by Diana Peterfreund

2011-10-29T04:30:00.000-05:00

Set in the Killer Unicorn universe, this novella takes place in 18th century France. It is a tradition of the nobility to hold a unicorn hunt before a wedding to prove the virginity of the bride. When Sister Brigitta of the Order of the Lioness arrives with her unicorn, she is surprised to discover not only is the bride of the bloodline, she also has the power as well. Together the two find a way to save Elise from the men trying to control her life.

I really enjoyed the story. At first it was frustrating because neither Gitta nor Elise has any interest in trying to understand each other, but once they come to see the other's point of view was great. I liked the whole story and I think it added something to the story that was started in Rampant and Ascendant. It was interesting to see in this world how unicorns are accepted and something known even if they are scarce. And how the world generally views unicorns and unicorn hunters.

Friday 56 - Ascendant

2011-10-28T04:30:00.000-05:00

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Hosted by Freda's Voice

And how wily of the zhi to have used her teeth and not her horn. I hadn't seen that before from a unicorn, not even the devious kirin.

p.56 Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Ascendant (Killer Unicorns #2) by Diana Peterfreund

2011-10-27T04:31:00.000-05:00

Astrid is having trouble coming to terms with her ancestral calling. On one hand, she can't let the unicorns slaughter innocent people. On the other, she doesn't feel right hunting the unicorns to extinction. So when Astrid is offered a job protecting a herd, she views it as a chance to get away from the Cloisters and try to understand the animals better. But she also learns that everything comes at a price and someone is always the loser.

As one, the unicorns bowed before me, touching their horns to the earth, and I released my hands. I was a goddess. I was Diana, the Huntress, the Mistress of the Animals. p.215

I actually found this one a little more compelling than Rampant. It explores the moral implications more of taking a virtually extinct and once thought mythical creature and either hunting it to extinction or using it like a lab rat. Neither are really going to work, but how do you solve a problem like man-eating unicorns? Astrid doesn't know but then neither does anyone in her world. And Astrid does not think a lot of herself and her powers so I liked seeing her explore them more along with her ability to "communicate" with the unicorns. There is understandably some killing and a lot of action, but it was nice to not to have it hunt, kill all the time like in Rampant. Astrid certainly has a lot of questions that need answering as do I. The ending set up nicely for another book but without a dreaded cliff-hanger.

Friends in High Places by Marne Davis Kellogg

2011-10-26T04:08:00.000-05:00

Kick Keswick is enjoying her life in France with her husband. But an old foe is back at Ballantine and Company, threatening to expose Kick's old life. While her husband is away on assignment, Kick goes back to London to set right some of the consequences of her old thieving ways.

I was apparently in the mood for heist stories because I followed Uncommon Criminals with Friend in High Places. Two very different protagonists, however. Kick is a reformed thief but still the very best at it. And she loves the good life, fancy parties, luxurious meals, and beautiful jewels. When it comes out that somethings are not on the up and up at Ballantine and Company, Kick feels compelled to help out. And Kick is very clever so she manages to help out her old company, make some new friends, and help out some nuns. And she does it with a lot of style. I love reading about her adventures and the clothes and the food, but I am getting a little tired of reading the same thing about her background. It's redundant. But still these are good books, worth reading especially if you like a good heist story.

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

2011-10-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

Katarina Bishop is now the girl that robbed the Henley. Following her successful heist of that museum, Kat has dedicated herself to recovering art stolen from its rightful owner. When Kat is contacted to steal the Cleopatra Emerald, one of the largest every discovered, she concocts a scheme to steal it even though it is the one thing Uncle Eddie has forbidden. But the emerald comes with a curse and all is not what it seems for Kat.

This was a great second installment of the Heist Society. I really like Kat and her crew. She is so clever that even when she is conned she still manages to come out ahead and in the simplest manner too! I love a good heist story and this one has it all. I love Kat's relationship with Hale. They have the best chemistry. And the rest of Kat's friends are pretty awesome too. Gabriel is pretty amazing.

The plot moved at a good pace. It was nice not knowing how Kat was going to pull it off until the very end. I liked how she got the better of her antagonist. I am intrigued though by the lady's relationship with Uncle Eddie and I hope she makes another appearance. She was a great foe for Kat.

6 hours, 43 minutes

Angela Dawe is the narrator and she does an excellent job. Her tone was just right for the story. She doesn't really do voices but she does try to distinguish each character. I liked her pace and her voice is appropriate for the story.

Weekly Round-Up 10/24

2011-10-24T04:29:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Ascendant (Peterfreund) and Prized (O'Brien). I'm listening to To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last (Willis).

Last week I read Friends in High Places (Kellogg).

From NetGalley
Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

Written in the style of Charles Dickens, Jacob T. Marley is to A Christmas Carol as the world-famous Wicked is to The Wizard of Oz. Jacob realized that he was no more than an entry in Scrooge’s ledger in an account that was now being closed. What a wretched man, Marley thought. Whatever in the world made him? Whether it was seconds or minutes, Marley did not know, but he paused so completely he thought his heart had stopped beating. I did, were his own words that came to him. I did. I made Ebenezer Scrooge.

Weekly Round-Up 10/17

2011-10-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Friends in High Places (Kellogg) and Prized (O'Brien). I'm listening to To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last (Willis).

Last week I finished The Name of the Star (Johnson) and read Ashfall (Mullin) and The Hijab Boutique (Khan) and listened to Uncommon Criminals (Carter).

From NetGalley
Prized (Birtmarked #2) by Caragh M. O'Brien

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

From Audible
To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis, read by Steven Crossley (e-audio)

Connie Willis' Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Doomsday Book uses time travel for a serious look at how people connect with each other. In this Hugo-winning companion to that novel, she offers a completely different kind of time travel adventure: a delightful romantic comedy that pays hilarious homage to Jerome K. Jerome's Three Men in a Boat.

When too many jumps back to 1940 leave 21st century Oxford history student Ned Henry exhausted, a relaxing trip to Victorian England seems the perfect solution. But complexities like recalcitrant rowboats, missing cats, and love at first sight make Ned's holiday anything but restful - to say nothing of the way hideous pieces of Victorian art can jeopardize the entire course of history.

Harriet Spies Again by Helen Ericson, read by Anne Bobby

Harriet M. Welsch has just received the best news of her 11th year—Ole Golly is coming back! Harriet can still remember how sad she was when her beloved nanny married George Waldenstein and moved away. But the circumstances of Ole Golly’s return remain unclear. Where is George Waldenstein?

With Mr. and Mrs. Welsch living in France for three months, Sport confiding that he has a crush on a girl at school, and the arrival of a mysterious new neighbor who’s going to require a whole lot of spying, Harriet already has her hands full. Then she overhears Ole Golly saying she’s innocent—but innocent of what? Harriet the Spy is on the case and ready to help Ole Golly in any way she can.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin

2011-10-14T13:23:00.000-05:00

When the supervolcano at Yellowstone erupts during his first weekend home alone, 16 year old Alex finds himself on a journey across ash covered land and extreme weather changes trying to get to his family.

At first when I started this book I felt it was going to be a retread of Life As We Know It, but I was happy to find out as I read on that it was different. Sure both books are about an event that causes extreme changes in the climate and changes society but LAWKI was more of a isolated book. Ashfall explores the world as it has changed. Alex is trying to get to Illinois where his parents went for the weekend. What is a three hour car ride takes him more than a few months. Along the way he has a lot of encounters with both nice people and cruel, vicious people. And there are some really horrific things happening in this lawless state. The most horrific happens off page but still just hearing about it was enough. It's all sort of pre-Mad Max.

Alex was a typical enough teenager and I liked his personality growth. He changed from normal teenage boy to a survivalist. I liked his relationship with Darla. I was glad that it didn't turn too mushy but instead maintained that balance between needing each other and still being their own persons. Alex is, in a way, more caring than Darla and she is definitely the tougher one. But it worked out okay for them. Everyone else is more anecdotal than fleshed out, but given the nature of the book that definitely fits.

The Hijab Boutique by Michelle Khan

2011-10-12T04:32:00.000-05:00

Farah has been assigned a project about her mother for International Woman's Day. The problem is that Farah thinks her mother is boring, much more so than the other moms of her classmates. As Farah struggles to find something to bring to class, she learns more about her mother.

Well, this was a cute book. The language was very simple and it read like a 10 year old wrote it. In fact it brought memories back of my 5th grade journal. It was funny that Farah thought her mom was so boring and couldn't think of anything interesting about her. Very typical. But the lessons is really that it's hard to know who your mother is outside of your relationship. And Farah really knew very little about her mother. So I enjoyed Farah's discoveries of her mother's past. And I liked the explanation of why her mother choose to wear the hijab and all the different styles of hijab. It made the story different than my usual reading fare.

Won from LibraryThing

The Name of the Star (Shades of London #1) by Maureen Johnson

2011-10-11T02:47:00.000-05:00

Rory is from a small town in Louisiana, but she moves to London when her parents decided to teach in England for a year. Luckily she gets a good roommate at her new school and starts figuring out the ways of the English. Less lucky is the fact that someone has started imitating the Ripper murders. And there is no evidence of who it is despite there being cameras everywhere. And somehow Rory has started seeing people that no one else can see.

Annoy a Southerner, and we will drain away the moments of your life with our slow, detailed replies until you are nothing but a husk of your former self and that much closer to death. p.25

I'm always wary of non-Southerners writing about teens (or really anyone) from Louisiana. Sometimes it's hard to get right. And I love Maureen Johnson so I wanted her to get it right. But the thing about Rory is that she is less Louisianan and more Southerner and more teen than all of that. And she is a definite fish out of water at her Wexford. But she manages with the help of her new friends. The thing about Rory is that she just sort of goes along, just doing what everyone tells her. She was a little blank for a main character. I guessing she is suppose to act as proxy for the reader and that would explain it.

But beyond Rory, the story definitely fell on the creepy side of the line. So much so that I refused to read it before bed as I like sleeping and not dreaming of murders or imagining ghosts in the dark corners of my room. I don't know much about Jack the Ripper so I did a little research after I started. The background is explained but I like to know before I start. I liked the introduction to the mystery and I liked the twist in the middle that changed the story. It made it different. I was actually surprised that by whodunit and thought it was set up nicely though the info dump at the end was a little too much. The set up for the next book was unique and I'm excited to see what happens to Rory in the next book.

350 Page

Weekly Round-Up 10/10

2011-10-10T04:28:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

I'm reading The Name of the Star (Johnson) and listening to Uncommon Criminals (Carter).

Last week I finished The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer) and posted my review of Department 19 (Hill).

Friday 56 - This Book Isn't Fat...

2011-10-07T09:15:00.000-05:00

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Hosted by Freda's Voice

I feel this weird warm flush when he laughs. I look away, start searching my bag for my phone, suddenly nervous.

This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous by Nina Beck

The Wake of the Lorelei Lee: Being an Account of the Adventures of Jacky Faber, on her Way to Botany Bay by L.A. Meyer

2011-10-06T09:47:00.003-05:00

Jacky is bound for the penal colony of New South Wales as punishment for her crimes against the crown. To add insult to injury, the government confiscates her newly bound Lorelei Lee and puts her and the other female convicts aboard for the trip. But Jacky's friends come through for her as Higgins finds a way on broad along with some old faces.

Well, this was full of adventure! Jacky is sentence to life in New South Wales, finds herself on her own ship, is threatened by the first mate multiple times, marries Higgins, finds and loses Jamie, ends with as the "pet" of a Chinese female pirate, finds Jamie again and reclaims her ship. Phew. That's a lot for one 16 year old girl. And as much as I enjoy Jacky's adventure, they are beginning to lose their what little credibility they had in the first place. Oh well. They are fun books and explore their historical nature to the fullest which is a fun way to learn about these things. I really liked Jamie's chapters. The boy is coming along nicely but I do feel sorry for him. All of these terrible things happen to him and he does some questionable things in return and all because of his relationship with Jacky. I hope that works out in their favor. And I hope Jamie can hold on to his sanity in the meanwhile.

Katharine Kellgren does a wonderful job yet again. I love her singing voice and I love her voice for the Shanty Man. She is so versatile! And she does a great job with the dialects and the languages which must be hard to do.

Bloody Jack
Whisper in My Ear

Littlest Bookworm

2011-10-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

There will be a new little bookworm at my house. YES I am expecting a baby at the beginning of April and am so excited. As you may or may not know, I already have a 4 year old (5 in December) and now I'll have a little baby too. I can't wait! But as long as pregnancy feels, it does go by quickly in the end. If I've been absent lately, it's because this is what I have been concentrating on lately.

Department 19 by Will Hill

2011-10-04T09:45:00.000-05:00

Jamie Carpenter watches as his father is gunned down by mysterious government agents. Two years later he is an outcast in society for his father's supposed crime. But when his mother is kidnapped by a mysterious and dangerous creature, Jamie is brought into the Loop where the vampire hunters work for the government in Department 19. It's up to Jamie to find his mother before the oldest living vampire does the unthinkable.

Confession: I've never read Dracula. It was just never high on my list of things to read. And that story figures heavy into this story. Despite my lack of Dracula literature reading, I still got the gist of the story and the background of some of the characters. In this novel, Dracula is dead, killed like in the original story, but he turned three brothers into vampires and they are the oldest living vampires. They are brutal and vicious and they are creating an army of other vampires. The second oldest, Alexandru, kidnaps Jamie's mother, leading Jamie to hunt for his mother. Jamie is taken by Department 19, a secret government agency founded by original slayers of Dracula, to hide him. But Jamie only wants to find his mother. Aided by Frankenstein (the monster), Jamie becomes immersed in the world of the supernatural, determined to find his mother and figure out what really happened to his father.

There is a lot going on in this book and I suppose part of that is a trilogy. There is the mystery of Jamie's father, and why his mother was taken. And there is something going on with the vampire brothers. It's not confusing when you're reading it but when thinking about it, I can only hope that more is answered in the next book. I enjoyed it though and I liked the characters. I found Jamie a bit abrasive and there was a lot of yelling (I can't help noticing when a verb is overused), but it is all understandable. It is on the gory side so if you are squeamish, be forewarned. Mostly it is vampires exploding and lots and lots of blood. But it didn't bother me too much. enjoyed the alternating historical chapters and thought they were a nice touch. There are definitely a quite a few stick with it images. I'm curious to see where all of this is going.

Won from LibraryThing
Off the Shelf
350 Page

Weekly Round-Up 10/3

2011-10-03T02:50:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

I'm reading The Name of the Star (Johnson) and listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Last week I finished Department 19 (Hill).

Monthly Picks

2011-10-01T07:32:00.004-05:00

Favorite Book:

Tankborn by Karen Sandler
I really liked this science fiction book. It was different than what I've been reading and the characters are still relate able and the story is interesting.

Friday 56 - The Name of the Star

2011-09-30T04:30:00.000-05:00

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Hosted by Freda's Voice

"The police aren't even trying to deny it anymore, " Jerome said quietly, right before Mark took roll. "There's definitely a new Ripper."

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

p.56 e-book

Queens of All the Earth by Hannah Sternberg (repost)

2011-09-29T01:32:00.000-05:00

I've been asked to repost this review since the publication date was moved back.

After a mental breakdown, Olivia Somerset is brought to Barcelona by her stern but loving sister, Miranda for some R&R. Olivia is drawn to the quiet and strange Greg Brown who is traveling with his father. And the two families become acquainted after a mix-up with the sister's room and Mr. Brown's offer to switch with them.

If you have ever read A Room with a View, then you will be familiar with the plot of Queens. There are a few changes here and there, but the basic story is there, just modernized and set in Spain rather than Florence. Since A Room with a View is one of my favorite classics, I really enjoyed this book. It is the condensed version and the descriptions of Barcelona are beautiful. All characters fit their classic counterparts, but there are a few key differences that I liked. The motivation for the trip comes from Olivia losing touch with reality and having a complete breakdown so her sister kindly travels for a bit of "travel therapy." And the trip proves therapeutic for the both of them as is wont to happen in these books. I'm not entirely sure if this is classed as YA or adult, but it really could go either way. It is an enjoyable book whether or not you have read A Room with a View or not.

Provided by NetGalley
Publish Date: October 1, 2011
Publisher: Bancroft Press
ISBN: 978-1610880329

Weekly Round-Up 9/26

2011-09-26T03:49:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm still reading Department 19 (Hill) and listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Reviews posted: Tankborn (Sandler), Blandings Castle ...And Elsewhere (Wodehouse)

Friday 56 - Blandings Castle

2011-09-23T04:33:00.000-05:00

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Hosted by Freda's Voice

His recovery was hastened by the slamming of the door and the spectacle of his son Frederick clasping in his arms a wife who, his lordship had never forgotten, was the daughter of probably the only millionaire in existence who had that delightful willingness to take Freddie off his hand which was, in Lord Emsworth's eyes, the noblest quality a millionaire could possess.

p.56 Blandings Castle and Elsewhere by P.G. Wodehouse

Blandings Castle ... and Elswhere by P.G. Wodehouse

2011-09-22T04:39:00.000-05:00

The Blandings Castles short stories contained in this book are meant to be read before Summer Lightning. Something I didn't do, but still I don't know how much that really matters. All the stories were hilarious and entertaining in true Wodehouse style.

"The Custody of the Pumpkin" takes the reader back before Lord Emsworth acquired the Empress of Blandings and become obsessed with his pig. In this story he is worried about a prized pumpkin and the loss of his head gardener. Also Freddie gets married and Lord Emsworth is at first dismayed, but then later delighted to learn who Freddie married.

"Lord Emsworth Acts for the Best"- Freddie's wife leaves him when he does something stupid (just like Freddie) and Lord Emsworth decides to fix the situation so as not to be stuck with Freddie. This leads to an awkwardly hilarious encounter with his daughter-in-law and her little dog.

"Pig-hooo-o-o-ey" - With the loss of his pig-man, Lord Emsworth searches for a way to get the Empress of Blandings to eat for fear of her losing weight and the prized pig competition. With the help of niece Angela's young man, he succeeds in both his endeavor with his pig and with helping the two young people come together.

"Company for Gertrude - Freddie tries to help his cousin Gertrude with her love problems but manages to annoy his father in the meantime.

"The Go-getter" - Freddie tries to convince his aunt to buy the dog biscuits of his father-in-law's company, leading to a confrontation between Gertrude's fiance's dog and his aunt's dog and solving Gertrude's love problems.

"Lord Emsworth and the Girl Friend" - Lord Emsworth makes friend with a young girl and her brother and tries to avoid a tiresome event at Blandings Castle.

Wodehouse Challenge

Tankborn by Karen Sandler

2011-09-21T04:23:00.000-05:00

Kayla and Mishalla are GENS (Genetically Engineered Non-humans), people made from human and animal DNA to be slaves for the high class trueborns. When each receives their Assignments on their 15th year, they find themselves involved with something more involving the children Mishalla is assigned to care for and the trueborn family Kayla works for.

I can honestly compare this favorably with the few Octavia Butler books I've read. And that is high praise indeed. While Tankborn seemed a bit heavy-handed sometimes with the genetically engineered slave concept, it was still a really enjoyable read and pretty thought-provoking. Kayla and Mishalla are ready made sympathetic characters and it is easy to care for them and their plight. The castes system in the book was a little confusing to me with the trueborns, lowborns and GENS and all the classifications in the middle. But really it was important to establish who everyone was and how they all fit together. Like I said, I really liked Kayla and Mishalla and their romantic interests were pretty likeable too. I liked seeing the growth of Devak, the grandson of Kayla's Assignment. The conspiracy of the plot was fairly surprising and actually a little horrifying as I become invested in all the characters. There were a few subplots that were not addressed and so I wonder if they are planning a sequel.

Provided by NetGalley
Publish date: September 28th 2011
Publisher: Lee & Low Books, Inc.

Weekly Round-Up 9/19

2011-09-19T01:48:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Department 19 (Hill) and listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Last week I read Wisdom's Kiss (Murdock) and Tankborn (Sandler).

Friday 56 - Lulu Dark

2011-09-16T02:42:00.000-05:00

*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Hosted by Freda's Voice

Those two had some nerve accusing me of being a wannabe sleuth. Charlie and Daisy were the ones who were acting like this was some big mission: impossible.

p.56 Lulu Dark Can See Through Walls by Bennett Madison

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

2011-09-13T03:50:00.000-05:00

Goodreads:
Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure far beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.
Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true life secret from his family.
Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.
These three passionate souls might just attain their dreams while preserving Montagne from certain destruction, if only they can tolerate each other long enough to come up with a plan. Tough to save the world when you can't even be in the same room together.

I haven't read Princess Ben so I was unfamiliar with the world and with the character. I might have to go back and read it because Nonna Ben was pretty fierce. As was Wisdom. She was very tenacious and curious and fairly unprincess-like. While she wasn't my favorite character (that honor going to Trudy) she was alright for a princess. Trudy was the sweetest and the one with the most to lose as an orphaned serving girl with psychic powers. The love triangle that springs up between Wisdom, Trudy and Tips, Trudy's childhood friend and first love, was inevitable. But the real meat of the story, for me, was in the intrigue between Wisdom's kingdom and the duchy she is meant to marry into. I loved the outcome and how clever they solved the problem.

I liked this book, let me say, I did. But it is told in many random forms like diary entries, memoirs, letters, biographies, a play and all of that together felt mish mashed. Random bits of important information are thrown in through in encyclopedia entries which seems like a lazy way of importing things readers need to know. The conceit is cute at the beginning but loses its cuteness about half way through the book. But it doesn't make the book unreadable. On the contrary, it is a charming book that I enjoyed very much. It was just one of the those things I couldn't help noticing.

From NetGalley

Weekly Round-Up 9/12

2011-09-12T01:48:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

I'm reading Wisdom's Kiss (Murdock) and Tankborn (Sandler). I'm listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Last week I read Drink, Slay, Love (Durst).
Other reviews posted: Paranormalcy (White)

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

2011-09-09T03:46:00.000-05:00

Pearl is a fun-loving, blood-drinking sixteen year old bad girl vampire. That is until she is stabbed by a unicorn. Suddenly she is a different kind of vampire, one who can walk in the sunlight and has a reflection. But she is also turning into a different kind of girl, much to her family's displeasure. Now they have given her the task of luring a large meal to the Fealty Ceremony and, for Pearl, that means going to high school.

I loved Pearl in a weird way. I love that she was so badass and so out to prove herself and that doesn't change even after the unicorn incident. I love that it was a unicorn of all things that stabbed her. So random and fun. But I loved Pearl's gradual transformation the best and the fact that she went to the library of all places as soon as she could walk in the sunlight. Her fascination with daylight was almost touching. It's something everyone just takes for granted but as a vampire she had no experience with it. Pearl was awesome, even in high school. She was just the coolest. And Evan, the boy, was super sweet and I liked him too. It is a romance-light book which works for the story being told.

The story was really fun and I liked this book. The vampires and the unicorns, it's a weird combination but it works in this book. I did have a little laugh at the Vampire King of New England because I mean, come on, what kind of title is that? But the world was built nicely and everything made sense and there were some good light hearted laugh out loud moments in the midst of Pearl's identity crisis. And prom, of course.

From the publisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish date: 9/13/2011

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2011-09-07T02:44:00.000-05:00

Evie works for IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) bagging and tagging paranormals and wishing she was a normal girl herself. But when the paranormals start dying, the mystery of who and what Evie becomes all too important.

Just as he reached for my neck, I tased him. I was there to bag and tag, not to kill. Besides, if I had to carry separate weapons for every paranormal I took out, I'd be dragging around a full luggage set. Tasers are a one-size-fits-all paranormal butt-kicking option. Mine's pink with rhinestones. Tasey and I have had a lot of good times together.

I liked Evie's sarcastic tone and her naivete. She was kick-ass without being too in-your-face tough. This was a fun book and I really enjoyed it. I was a little frustrated by the fact that no one would answer a darn question in a straightforward manner, but still it was interesting, uncovering the secret of Evie and Vivian. Thought not too much of the secret, I assume, since this is still a series and there is more to the story than what is in this book. It was nice that the book didn't end on too much of cliffhanger. I hate that. It could almost be a standalone if necessary.

Lend is my favorite boy of the moment. Who could be more perfect and more perfect for Evie? Sigh. No one. He is awesome and so is his family. I loved that part of the book. And I loved the chemistry between Evie and Lend. I can't wait to read more about them.

8 hours, 40 minutes

Emily Eiden is the narrator and she does a great job of capturing the sacrastic nature of Evie and the sweetness of Lend. I liked her voices for all the characters. Her pacing was pretty much just great and she has a wonderful voice. I really liked her and would definitely listen to something else read by her.

Whisper in my Ear

All These Things I've Done Giveaway!

2011-09-06T14:57:00.001-05:00

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Courtesy of Macmillan Children's Publishing, I am giving away one copy of Gabriell Zevin's new book All These Things I've Done. I loved loved Elsewhere and can't wait to read this one. The giveaway ends on September 16 at midnight. Winner will be chosen via random number and contacted for mailing address. Just fill out the form below.
&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Weekly Round-Up 9/5

2011-09-05T01:47:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Drink, Slay, Love (Durst) and Wisdom's Kiss (Murdock). I'm listening to The Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Last week I read Huntress (Lo) and finished Paranormalcy (White).
Other reviews posted: The Unwanteds (McMann)

From NetGalley

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Publish date: December 27th 2011

Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.

And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.

Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.

When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process

Croak by Gina Damico
Publisher: Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publish date: March 30th 2012

Fed up with her wild behavior, sixteen-year-old Lex's parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach Lex the family business.

She quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. But Lex can't stop her desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. Will she ditch Croak and go rogue with her reaper skills?

Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publish date: May 8th 2012

Eliza dreams of writing plays for the king’s theater, where she will be admired for her wit rather than her father’s wealth. Beth is beautiful but poor, so she must marry well, despite her love for her childhood sweetheart.

Zabby comes to England to further her scientific studies—and ends up saving the life of King Charles II. Soon her friendship with the handsome king becomes a dangerous, impossible obsession. Though she knows she should stay away from the court, the queen needs ladies in waiting.

And so the three Elizabeths from very different walks of life find themselves at the center of the most scandal-filled court that England has ever seen.

Huntress by Malinda Lo

2011-09-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Goodreads:

Nature is out of balance in the human world. The sun hasn't shone in years, and crops are failing. Worse yet, strange and hostile creatures have begun to appear. The people's survival hangs in the balance.
To solve the crisis, the oracle stones are cast, and Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. And yet the two girls' destinies are drawn together during the mission. As members of their party succumb to unearthly attacks and fairy tricks, the two come to rely on each other and even begin to fall in love. But the Kingdom needs only one huntress to save it, and what it takes could tear Kaede and Taisin apart forever.

She was here because the Council of Sage believed the Fairy Queen knew something about why their kingdom was turning into a wasteland - place where crops spoiled overnight, where farmers couldn't replant because there was no sunlight. Where monsters crawled out of their dark places and were found dead in northern villages, or were somehow reborn in the soft little bodies of human babies. p. 103

I loved Kaede and Taisin. They were a beautiful couple and their relationship develops at a sweet and slow pace allowing them to really think of about how they feel about each other. Each girl has her own strengths and places to them very well. Taisin is a gifted sage and Kaede is very strong and determined and become quite a good hunter. It's those qualities that get them through their long adventure, allowing to them to carry out the tasks set before them. They set out at the invitation of the Fairy Queen to find out what is happening in their kingdom and find many fantastic and sometimes horrific creatures waiting for them. Yet they manage to persevere and complete their quest.

Where Ash was a retelling of the Cinderella story, Huntress has its own unique story to tell. I loved it and thought was a truly lovely book, though a bit sad. It is set a couple of hundred years before Ash and really tells the tale of how the Huntress position came to be. It moved along at nice pace though it did seem to take a long time for them to get to the Fairy Queen and it moved even quicker after that. But I guess the background was necessary for what they found with the fey. It is beautifully written and the imagery is amazing.

Monthly Picks

2011-08-31T10:18:00.000-05:00

Favorite Book:

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
I really enjoyed this one with its science fiction flair and a main character who is adorable. I'm anxious for the next book to come out in the U.S.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

2011-08-30T02:02:00.000-05:00

In Quill, people are divided at the age of 13 into three categories, Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. The Wanteds are sent to university and get the higher level jobs, the Necessaries do the menial labor and the Unwanteds are sent to their death. But all is not what it seems because at the Death Farm, there is a magical world, Artimé, behind the gates that takes in the Unwanteds and grows their artistic talents (the reason they are Unwanted in the first place). Alex is an Unwanted with a drawing ability while his twin brother, Aaron, is deem Wanted. The two brothers are very different and that might cause the biggest problems of all between Quill and Artimé.

I really did feel sorry for Alex and all the other Unwanteds. Sentenced to die for having creative ideas is terrible. But the High Priest is determined to keep everyone under her control and forward-thinkers would challenge that so out they go. But luckily for them Mr. Today, the so-called "Death Farmer," has created a magical parallel universe hidden from Quill to save the Unwanteds and not only foster their artistic abilities but to teach them magic based on their abilities. So the drawing students learn to paint themselves invisible and use clay to bind people and many other pretty awesome things. The Unwanteds thrive in this world. But they must say hidden from the land of Quill otherwise the consequences would be dire. It's a pretty neat concept and I liked the magic involved as well as the characterization of Alex and his Wanted twin, Aaron.

I was expecting more older middle grade but this was read younger middle grade to me. The story was very simple and everyone was fairly straightforward. Nobody really had gray areas in their personality. But it was cute and I enjoyed it. The cover says The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter and that is far from the truth, having neither the grittiness of The Hunger Games nor the world-building of Harry Potter. It is still charming though. If I compared it to anything it might be Diana Wynne Jone's Chrestomanci series but it still lacks that intangible quality that makes those books great. What I'm getting at is that it is cute and fun and provides a largely one-sided view of creativity and that it is worth reading, but it lacks that something that makes a book a classic. Children will enjoy it, some adults will enjoy it as well. I would recommend it, just don't go looking for greatness.

Provided by the publisher
Publisher: Aladdin (Simon and Schuster)
Publish date: 8/30/11
ISBN: 9781442407688

Weekly Round-Up 8/29

2011-08-29T04:30:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Huntress (Lo) and Ashes (Bick) and I'm listening to Paranormalcy (White). After I finish that I'll start In the Wake of the Lorelei Lee (Meyer).

Last week I read The Unwanteds (McMann).
Other reviews posted: Fury (Miles)

Vintage Nancy Drew books!

2011-08-28T12:46:00.000-05:00

My friend got me these early 1950's Nancy Drews at a library booksale. How awesome is that! They are pretty neat and in good condition. They all have the blue tweed board covers and some pretty illustrations. The end papers are nice too, most are the blue "Digger" endpapers, except for one which is the blue silhouette endpaper. I'm going to have to read them soon! Aren't they pretty?

Top left: The Mystery at the Ski Jump

Top right: The Mystery at Lilac Inn

Bottom left: Nancy's Mysterious Letter

Bottom right: The Secret at Shadow Ranch


Blue Digger end paper for Nancy's Mysterious Letter


Frontispiece for Nancy's Mysterious Letter


Blue Silhouette endpaper for The Mystery at the Ski Jump

Frontispiece for The Mystery at the Ski Jump

Fury (Fury #1) by Elizabeth Miles

2011-08-26T04:10:00.017-05:00

Emily and Chase have each done something bad. Em hooked up with her best friend's boyfriend while Chase's idea of revenge got a little out of hand. When three beautiful and mysterious girls turn up in their town and begin manipulating Em and Chase, they are in real trouble. Sometimes sorry isn't enough and someone has to pay.

Jeez, this was a creepy story. There was one part I read right before going to bed and I regretted it. It reminded me of Final Destination in a way. Because in those movies if you escape death it will come for you until it gets you. The Furies' determination to make Emily and Chase pay is relentless. And the thing is that both Emily and Chase did something that was terrible but I don't think it was quite up to what happened to them. Maybe it was and I just felt sorry for them. I don't know. This was a riveting book and I almost couldn't put it down. The writing wasn't as polished as some of the books I've read lately but the story was good and made up for some of the clunkier writing. It is apparently a trilogy so it will be interesting to see where Miles takes the rest of the story.

From the publisher for review
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publish date: 8/30/11
ISBN: 9781442422247

Weekly Round-Up 8/22

2011-08-22T04:29:00.000-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading The Unwanteds (McMann) and something else that has not been determined yet. I'm listening to Paranormalcy (White).

Last week I read Darkness Becomes Her (Keaton).
Other reviews posted: Rapture of the Deep (Meyer)

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

2011-08-17T04:34:00.000-05:00

When Ari goes searching for her mother it leads her to New 2, the city formally known as New Orleans, now a washed out shadow of itself after two hurricanes devastated the area. There she finds all manner of people and she begins to learn about the curse that has taken the life of her mother and so many before her.

I'd just killed a man - my fingers flexed on the hilt of the blade - with a goddamn miniature sword.
Family time with the Sandersons never covered this. p.22

The good: New Orleans, baby! It was fun reading a book and knowing all the places the author was describing. From Covington and Mandeville (where my in-laws live) to the drive across the Causeway to the Garden District and the French Quarter, I know it all and I love it in a book. Especially a book about New Orleans basically existing outside of the United States and being truly its own place. The atmosphere was just right for a book about paranormal creatures because what better place than New Orleans. Ari is a pretty kickass character though she jumps to conclusions too quickly and is always ready to just leave when she doesn't like how things are going. Sebastian too is pretty awesome and definitely a worthy boy for Ari. I think Violet, a mysterious little girl, might be my favorite character. Something about her intrigues me.

The bad: My problem with this book is that it reads like an adult writer writing a young adult book. While I'm not opposed to language in a book (I rarely mention it in a review) this cursing felt forced in places. Some of the characters who used curse words just seemed wrong saying them. It was odd. And I felt like it pulled me out of the book and made me contemplate whether or not such a character would really say that. I also felt like the author just threw every supernatural or paranormal creature at the book hoping something would stick. I was initially disappointed by the reveal of the main antagonist and who Ari turns out to be. It just felt random. But I can see it working too so maybe I withhold judgement on that point.

Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy by L.A, Meyer

2011-08-16T04:12:00.028-05:00

Mere hours from marrying her beloved Jaimy, Jacky is taken by British Intelligence and given a mission to dive for sunken treasure off of the Florida Keys.

Jacky is sent a mission looking for sunken Spanish gold and she runs into a whole lot of trouble along the way (of course). Between a serious a** of a Spanish lieutenant and an old pirate friend, Jacky has her work cut out for her. I really hated Lieutenant Cisnero. He was so horrible to Jacky and with very little provocation. I was glad to see a good-looking guy who was hateful remain that way though. Very often with Jacky, she makes all these guys fall in love with her and do her bidding. So it was nice to see her charms next work quite right. Though what is up with every guy she meets wanting to have sex with her? Seriously. I mean, she is suppose to be pretty but I can't really believe that. And why is she almost raped in almost every book? Maybe it is suppose to be a reflection of the time period and the situations she is in. I'm not sure, but it's getting a little old. As is the fact that she has become the "everything but girl" and is still holding out to give her virginity to Jaimy. I mean good for her but they need to get in on at some point or another. I know that sounds terrible, but she is always making out and doing other stuff with other guys and poor Jaimy is held to different moral code or something.

12 hours, 19 minutes

At the end of this book there was a discussion between author L.A. Meyer and narrator Katharine Kellgren that was very interesting.. It was cool to hear about both the writing process and how Kellgren prepares for a Bloody Jack book. I also like hearing how the audio books effected the writing process. And also Meyer mentions that the last book has been written so it was a relief to know that there was going to be an ending at some point. Not that I want it to end soon, but it was nice to hear.

Bloody Jack
Whisper in my Ear

Weekly Round-Up 8/15

2011-08-15T04:28:00.006-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Darkness Becomes Her (Keaton) and The Unwanteds (McMann). Sorry that I've been mostly absent from the blog lately. My head is not in a reading space right now.

Last week I read Ruby Red (Gier) and Fury (Miles) and finished Rapture of the Deep (Meyer) on audio.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

2011-08-09T08:57:00.032-05:00

The time travel gene runs in Gwyneth's family and is supposedly going to affect her cousin, Charlotte. But Gwen is the one who begins spontaneously traveling in time. Paired up with Gideon, Gwen is introduced into the mysteries of the society who takes control of the time travels. The two of them are sent on a simple mission that soon turns dangerous.

I hated myself for admiring how cool she was right now. To me, the idea of suddenly landing in the past was totally terrifying. p.19

I love time travel and so this book was right up my alley. The idea of a person being able to time travel on their own is pretty awesome. Gwyneth is not expected to be the time travel in the family because of a deception on her mother's part so she is unprepared when it happens to her. I think her reactions are pretty spot-on for having no idea what to do when she lands in a different time period. Gwen is a pretty cool girl and I was cheering for her from the beginning. I didn't like how most of the adults and her cousin treated her and, even though Gideon is the love interest, he rubbed me wrong at first too. But Gwen actually has some backbone and does her best in every situation. I was really hoping that the other two books had been translated from German into English already but the next book, Sapphire Blue, doesn't come out till the spring of next year. Sadness. I can't wait to read more about Gwen and Gideon and their mission and see if Gwen will finally tell everyone how she can see ghosts. Love this book doubly since it reminded me (for some reason) of Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog, one of my favorite time travel books.

Sent by the publisher for review
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co
Publish date: 5/10/11
ISBN: 9780805092523

Weekly Round-Up 8/8

2011-08-08T04:27:00.023-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Ruby Red (Gier), Darkness Becomes Her (Keaton) and Fury (Miles) and listening to Rapture of the Deep (Meyer).

Last week I read Overbite (Cabot) and A Long, Long Sleep (Sheehan).

From NetGalley
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publish date: 2/14/2011

Senior year is over, and Lucy has the perfect way to celebrate: tonight, she's going to find Shadow, the mysterious graffiti artist whose work appears all over the city. He's out there somewhere—spraying color, spraying birds and blue sky on the night—and Lucy knows a guy who paints like Shadow is someone she could fall for. Really fall for. Instead, Lucy's stuck at a party with Ed, the guy she's managed to avoid since the most awkward date of her life. But when Ed tells her he knows where to find Shadow, they're suddenly on an all-night search around the city. And what Lucy can't see is the one thing that's right before her eyes.

A Long Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

2011-08-05T04:03:00.006-05:00

Rosalinda Fitzroy is woken from a sixty-two year chemically induced sleep by a kiss. Confused by her long stasis and grieving for her lost time and her long dead parents and boyfriend, Rose begins to confront the reason she was put in stasis in the first place and deal with a new threat in her current time.

I really loved this book. It surprised me because I figured it to be some sort of science fiction Sleeping Beauty (which is was) but it was took the story and molded into something beyond the fairy tale. It became less of just a Sleeping Beauty retell and more of a story of abuse and lost love. I was glad that there was no real romantic storyline other than the one in Rose's past because it would have felt more artificial. When Rose develops a crush on, Bren, the boy woke her up, I was worried since it seemed less like her feelings and more like a contrivance, but that is cleared up eventually. The "realest" relationship would be Rose's friendship with the odd alien-human hybrid, Otto. That was a relationship that was enjoyable to watch progress. Overall, it was easy to see where the story was going, except for two details revealed at the end that I wasn't expecting at all. It was nice to be surprised. One of my few complaints was how heavy handed the Sleeping Beauty or Briar Rose comparisons felt at times. The story had all the earmarks of that fairytale without it being forcibly shoved into the story. My only other complaint was an unresolved storyline that would be good for a follow-up book. I certainly hope it gets written since I am curious about what happens to Rose next.

Provided by NetGalley
Publish date: August 9, 2011
Publisher: Candlewick
ISBN: 9780763652609

350 Page

Overbite (Insatiable #2) by Meg Cabot

2011-08-02T09:06:00.002-05:00

Meena Harper is now working for the super secret Palatine Guard using her psychic abilities to keep its employees safe. But when her ex-boyfriend, the prince of darkness and vampire king, Lucien reappears, she knows her life is about to get crazy again. Something is going on in New York and within the Palatine Guard itself and Meena is right in the middle of the whole thing ... again.

And true, their relationship had gone from amazing to unmitigated disaster in record time because he'd kept biting her. And then the members of his family kept trying to do the same. And now vampires all over the world seemed to think of Meena's blood as a refreshing pick-me-up, like Dr. Pepper. p.30

Another fun book from Meg Cabot and I'm guessing the last book in this series which is fine. Meena is not very good at keeping in control of her life and she seems to attract the Alpha Male types, like Lucien and Alaric, neither of whom I liked very much. Both of them rankled my nerves and I have a hard time believing someone as generous and kind as Meena would ever really love either of them. But I am obviously wrong and, also, not the writer of these characters, because for some reason she does love them both. So there is the kinda sorta love triangle, only not really because Lucien is a giant ass through the whole book and even Meena had to recognize this at some point.

I thought the mystery of who was turning everyone Meena knows into vampires was very good. The perpetrator was a little obvious, but it still worked as far as mysteries goes. The book moved at a pretty good clip so there wasn't a lot of down time and Meena and her crew have to work very fast to figure things out. There were some funny moments as per any Meg Cabot book and I love Meena's brother who provides the most comedic relief. The POV switched around so the reader gets a little bit of each person and the story unravels in a more whole manner. It was a cute and funny story and definitely not the standard vampire story going around these days. It's more old school than new school and I don't mind that at all.

Weekly Round-Up 8/1

2011-08-01T04:27:00.042-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Overbite (Cabot) and listening to Rapture of the Deep (Meyer).

Last week I finished Smokin' Seventeen (Evanovich), Matched (Condie). I finished My Bonny Light Horseman (Meyer) on audio.

From Audible:
Rapture of the Deep: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Soldier, Sailor, Mermaid, Spy by L.A, Meyer, read by Katharine Kellgren

On the very day that Jacky Faber is to wed her true love, she is kidnapped by British Naval Intelligence and forced to embark on yet another daring mission—this time to search for sunken Spanish gold. But when Jacky is involved, things don't always go as planned.

Jacky has survived battles on the high seas, the stifling propriety of a Boston finishing school, and even confinement in a dank French prison. But no adventure has quite matched her opportunistic street-urchin desires—until now

Overbite by Meg Cabot

Meena Harper has a special gift, but it's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard — a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican — has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena's ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.

Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena's sworn off vampires for good ... at least until she can prove her theory that just because they've lost their souls doesn't mean demons have lost the ability to love.

Meena knows convincing her co-workers — including her partner, über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf — that vampires can be redeemed won't be easy ... especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena's friends and family as well.

But Meena isn't the Palatine's only hope. Father Henrique — aka Padre Caliente — New York City's youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case.

So why doesn't Meena — or Alaric — trust him?

As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare ... and temptations she never even imagined existed, but finds impossible to resist.

This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

Only his father knew that Rigg possessed the power to see deep down the paths of people's pasts. But it was only after his father died that Rigg discovers that he has another special gift: the power to change the past. Unfortunately, with that knowledge, all certainty and safety began to melt away. Thinking of it as a coming-of-age novel at triple speed.

July Picks

2011-07-31T08:26:00.019-05:00

Favorite Book:

Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace
I loved the conclusion to this very sweet series. It was fun to see Betsy grown up and finally with Joe. I think it gave a good account of what it was like to be a newly married woman during World War I. I liked that Besty and Tacy and Tib remained good friends despite growing up and getting married. This was a lovely series.

Favorite Audio:

Mississippi Jack by L.A. Meyer, read by Katharine Kellgren
This was a fun addition to the Bloody Jack series and I suppose I really enjoyed it because it takes place in the early United States and down the Mississippi River, winding up in New Orleans. Jacky can get into real trouble wherever she goes and it is a good thing for her that she makes lots of good friends.

My Bonny Light Horseman : Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War by L.A. Meyer

2011-07-29T04:34:00.026-05:00

Jacky has finally been caught by the British government and is set to France as a spy.

You know what? I'm glad that Jacky was finally caught. It felt like the chase had gone on long enough and another book of Jacky escaping would have been too much. This book added some forward motion to the overall plot and I was glad of it. I knew that Jack would make an excellent spy. She is so clever and wily and she proved me right. It was interesting to see a battle of Napoleon's (who makes an appearance) and how Jacky handled being in "enemy" territory. And, of course, being Jacky she manages to find romance in the midst of her spying. I'm beginning to feel sorry for Jaimy. I think Jacky might love the idea of him, more than actually him. Because how well do they really know each other at this point? Each has done things the other doesn't know about, things they are not proud of. And Jacky's affections wander so much in each book. I guess time (and more books) will tell.

12 hours

As always, Katharine Kellgren does a great job. I did notice, however, that her screaming rendition of Jacky's distressed moments, especially at the battle, are a bit grating. While I know that her reading of those parts is accurate for the text, I found myself wanting to fast forward.

Bloody Jack
Whisper in my Ear

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

2011-07-28T08:57:00.003-05:00

Cassia lives in the Society where everything is perfectly controlled from leisure time to food to who people marry and how many kids they have. Cassia is excited to finally be Matched but when the screen flashes a face different than the boy she is Matched to, Cassia begins to wonder about the choices people in the Society don't have.

I was kind of hoping to be blown away. I've heard such good things and I waited so long to read it. And while I liked it a lot, in the end, it felt like a cross between The Giver and the Uglies series. The writing was good and it flowed smoothly for me. It was a quick read despite being a little lengthy. I didn't really connect with the characters much and I never really felt a connection between Cassia and Xander. I know that they are best friends for years, etc. but she really spends so little time with him and when she does, all she can think about is Ky. So I didn't get a sense of her love for Xander at all. Condie did a nice job setting up the love story for Ky and Cassia, but I feel like she neglected the relationship between Xander and Cassia for it. Thus the love triangle didn't really work for me.

Conceptually it is definitely part of the new YA trend for dystopians. Society controls every aspect of the lives of its citizens who are, in turn, willing to be controlled in order to maintain a safe life. There were a few aspects that stood out to me, like the pills that everyone carries around and the artifacts they are allowed to have from the before times (or whatever they call them). And I will probably read the next in the series (due out in November) because I am curious by the events at the end of the book.

Won from Library Thing

Alphabet Challenge
Take a Chance
350 Page
Off the Shelf

Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich

2011-07-26T08:39:00.000-05:00

Stephanie is back with more of the same. This time Grandma Belle, Joe's grandmother, is putting curses on her. Meanwhile, someone is leaving dead bodies for Stephanie and several people want to kill her. But then again, what else is new?

I enjoy this one as I have enjoyed the other Stephanie Plum books, but they are bordering on stale. It's sort of the "same ole thing" with Stephanie, needing to choose between two hot guys, her failure to apprehend skips, and people wanting her dead. I really want some forward motion for her. She seems to be stuck in the same spot. There was a nice callback to the first book so that was something. And Grandma Mazur and Lulu are once again the funnies thing in the book. It was a nice addition to the Stephanie Plum collection but it wasn't the greatest. I am hoping that this series is going to wrap up soon and that Stephanie gets a good happy ending with a guy who will just let her be herself.

Weekly Round-Up 7/25

2011-07-25T04:34:00.047-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Smokin' Seventeen (Evanovich) and listening to My Bonny Light Horseman (Meyer) and Paranormalcy (White).

Last week I read Sister Mischief (Goode) and The Wizard of Dark Street (Odyssey)

Other reviews posted: Glee: The Beginning (Lowell)

The Secret Diary of Alice in Wonderland, Age 46 and Three-Quarters (e-book) by Barbara Silkstone

A murder by beheading sends Alice Harte, reluctant real estate broker for thugs, running into the arms of Nigel Channing, a charming British con man. This urban fantasy is set in Miami and London. Fans of Stephanie Plum will cheer for Alice as she watches her back in attempting to keep her head, while being stalked by Nigel's daft ex-wife and inept, but dangerous mobsters. Alice's world is filled with memorable characters strangely reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland.

Nigel, a chubby John Cleese with serious dress-code problems, whisks Alice to England. She sees him as her White Rabbit rescuer. The plot trips along at a cracking pace with Alice flinging zingers like a drive-by shooter.

After Alice discovers a gangster's freshly beheaded body in his Miami mansion, she launches a desperate self-defense in a kangaroo court. The main witness against her is Algy Green, a bumbling cockney swindler who super glues his bat wing ears to his head and commits perjury for theme park tickets. But in the middle of the trial a small piece of evidence opens her eyes.

From Simon and Schuster

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst
Publish date: 9/13/11

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire... fond of blood, allergic to sunlight, and mostly evil... until the night a sparkly unicorn stabs her through the heart with his horn. Oops.

Her family thinks she was attacked by a vampire hunter (because, obviously, unicorns don't exist), and they're shocked she survived. They're even more shocked when Pearl discovers she can now withstand the sun. But they quickly find a way to make use of her new talent. The Vampire King of New England has chosen Pearl's family to host his feast. If Pearl enrolls in high school, she can make lots of human friends and lure them to the King's feast -- as the entrees.

The only problem? Pearl's starting to feel the twinges of a conscience. How can she serve up her new friends—especially the cute guy who makes her fangs ache—to be slaughtered? Then again, she's definitely dead if she lets down her family. What's a sunlight-loving vamp to do?

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld (I will be buying this one, but I couldn't resist an ARC. But these books are really best view in real life since they are so beautiful.)
Publish date: 9/20/11

Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I, reclaim Alek’s throne as prince of Austria, and finally fall in love. The first two objectives are complicated by the fact that their ship, the Leviathan, continues to detour farther away from the heart of the war (and crown). And the love thing would be a lot easier if Alek knew Deryn was a girl. (She has to pose as a boy in order to serve in the British Air Service.) And if they weren’t technically enemies.

The tension thickens as the Leviathan steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is at it seems in this thunderous conclusion to Scott Westerfeld’s brilliant trilogy.

The Wizard of Dark Street by Shawn Thomas Odyssey

2011-07-21T04:06:00.036-05:00

12 year old Oona is destined for the position of Wizard's Apprentice since she is a rare Natural Magician. But all she wants to do is start her own detective agency. When the current Wizard, also Oona's uncle, is stabbed with a magic knife, it's up to Oona to figure out who purported the crime.

"Indeed, Deacon," she said. "Nothing like a bit of spying to put one in the right mood." ARC p. 75

This was a great mix of fantasy and mystery so it combined two of my favorite genres. Oona is a girl detective and those are the best kind. She is smart, witty, clever and loyal to her uncle. She is also filled with a deep sadness after the death of her mother and sister and a fear of her own magic because of their deaths. It adds some depth to Oona's story which otherwise might have been too formulaic. I also loved Oona's talking encyclopedia raven, Deacon, and their relationship with each other and how he aids her in sleuthing and acts as her friend and companion.

The world that Odyssey has built is very well thought. Dark Street is the last of the faerie paths, now closed off to the Faerie world and only available to our world for a minute each night at midnight. It makes the inhabitants of Dark Street very unique. Still it is a pretty normal place to them. But it is a world unto itself. I liked how the magic of the place flavored the book, but wasn't the point of the book. I loved how really this is, at heart, a mystery, just dressed in fantasy clothes.

Sent by publisher for review

Sister Mischief by Laura Goode

2011-07-20T04:20:00.055-05:00

From Goodreads:
Listen up: You’re about to get rocked by the fiercest, baddest all-girl hip-hop crew in the Twin Cities - or at least in the wealthy, white, Bible-thumping suburb of Holyhill, Minnesota. Our heroine, Esme Rockett (aka MC Ferocious) is a Jewish lesbian lyricist. In her crew, Esme’s got her BFFs Marcy (aka DJ SheStorm, the butchest straight girl in town) and Tess (aka The ConTessa, the pretty, popular powerhouse of a vocalist). But Esme’s feelings for her co-MC, Rowie (MC Rohini), a beautiful, brilliant, beguiling desi chick, are bound to get complicated. And before they know it, the queer hip-hop revolution Esme and her girls have exploded in Holyhill is on the line.

Plot: I could see this as movie. It would be a great Disney type movie except for the cursing and lesbians. And, while you might be able to lose the cursing, the lesbian part is a big part of why this book works in a different way from the standard YA love story. Music is hard to read on paper and rarely comes through so while I could picture the girls rapping and singing I couldn't really "hear" it. But the message comes across pretty well despite the discrepancies of medium.

Writing: There is a lot of slang, but it was fairly easy to follow. My main obstacle was the grocery list of musical artist and songs that occur with some frequency in the story. I wanted to say "YAY! I'm glad that you know your artists and musical genre, but moving on." I was glad when that lessened as the story became more established. That is my main gripe. Other than that the prose flowed nicely and it had a bit of a poetic flavor to it.

Characters: I loved Esme. I just want to hug her and maybe mother her a little bit because she really needs a mother. Her father does his best and he is a very open and emotional father and I loved that about him. His willingness to give her freedom and not hold her back was so awesome in a parental figure. But her yearning for her wayward mother is deeply apparent. Esme is such a tough talking chick, but she is so vulnerable and willing to love. She and her friends are so amazing together and their dynamic alone made the book worth reading. They were each so distinct but all bought something to the table. They like to discuss deep and meaningful things like religion and sexual language and misogamy in rap music. They are a awesome group of heavy thinking, heaving rhyming girls and I thought they were great.

Love Story: Esme, who knows for sure that she is a lesbian, starts a little something with Rowie, who is unsure of her sexual orientation. This leads down an interesting road that is probably pretty obvious. I think that it is a huge growing part for Esme, even though I want nothing but everlasting love for her.

Overall: Worth reading. If you love hip-hop, then this is the story for you. If you love LGBT stories, then this is the story for you. If you like high school empowerment , then this is the story for you. If you don't like any of the above, well, then I don't know what to tell you.

Provided by NetGalley
Alphabet Challenge
GLBT
350 Page

Glee: The Beginning by Sophia Lowell

2011-07-19T04:51:00.027-05:00

Find out the story that happened before the first episode of Glee. How Rachel became involved with show choir, Quinn and Puck's attraction and how Quinn and Finn became a couple in this prequel to the television series.

No offense, but it turns out Glee is less charming without the music and the actors to pull it off. Not that the book was bad. It was well written. I think that the book just lack some of the charm that the TV had when it first came on. It was interesting to see the dynamics of the group before the show started. I hadn't had the impression that Mercedes, Kurt, Artie and Tina were in the glee club before Mr. Schuester took over, but apparently they were. And Puck and Quinn had their attraction even before she decided to start dating Finn. So the dynamics were different than the ones explored in the show. But I don't know. Maybe it is because it took me forever to finish the damn thing, but I was less than enthralled. I rarely read based on a (fill in the blank) books so that might have been it. Still it is a pretty cute book, especially if you are a big Gleek.

4 hours, 58 minutes

Emma Galvin is the reader and I like her voice a lot. I need to see what else she has narrated because she adds this sort of sarcastic tone to the story. She is a clear and crisp reader and I like what she adds to the story.

Whisper in my Ear
Alphabet Challenge

Weekly Round-Up 7/18

2011-07-18T04:33:00.033-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I am reading Sister Mischief (Goode) and The Wizard of Dark Street (Odyssey) and listening to My Bonny Light Horseman (Meyer) and Paranormalcy (White).

Last week I read Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell (Rumley) and finished listening to The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (Lockhart) and Glee: The Beginning (Lowell).
Other reviews posted: Imaginary Girls (Suma)

For Books in the Email check out this post

My Bonny Light Horseman: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, in Love and War (audio) by L.A. Meyer, read by Katharine Kellgren

In My Bonny Light Horseman, the infamous pirate, riverboat seductress, master of disguise, and street-urchin-turned-sailor Jacky Faber has been captured by the French and beheaded in full view of her friends and crew.

Inconceivable? Yes!

The truth is she’s secretly forced to pose as an American dancer behind enemy lines in Paris, where she entices a French general into revealing military secrets—all to save her dear friends. Then, in intrepid Jacky Faber style, she dons male clothing and worms her way into a post as a galloper with the French army, ultimately leading a team of men to fight alongside the great Napoleon.

In this sixth installment of the Bloody Jack series, love and war collide as the irrepressible Jacky Faber sets off on a daring adventure she vowed she’d never take!

Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter

Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life: Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long — and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous, and that is . . . the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all, she has her best friend — the gorgeous Hale — and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses and realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.

In the Email

2011-07-17T05:27:00.075-05:00

Normally I include this in my Weekly Round-Up post, but I am woefully behind in highlighting e-books that I have received for review.

From Simon and Schuster

Fury by Elizabeth Miles
Publish date: 8/30/2011

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It's winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year's even better--the guy she's been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there's no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em's best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that's nothing compared to what's really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it's only a matter of time before he's exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
Publish date: 8/30/2011

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths

Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.

In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.

But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

From NetGalley

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publish date: 9/6/2011

It could happen tomorrow...

A cataclysmic event. An army of "The Changed."
Can one teen really survive on her own?

An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky, destroying every electronic device and killing billions. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human...

Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the Changed, Alex meets up with Tom---a young army veteran---and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse.

This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to survive.

Wisdom's Kiss by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publish date: 9/12/2011

Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure far beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.
Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true life secret from his family.
Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.
These three passionate souls might just attain their dreams while preserving Montagne from certain destruction, if only they can tolerate each other long enough to come up with a plan. Tough to save the world when you can't even be in the same room together.

Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Publisher: Tanglewood
Publish date: 10/14/2011

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet.
Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon
Publisher: Bonneville Books
Publish date: 11/8/2011

After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publish date: 1/10/11

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.
And then ditched her.
Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...
But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by e. Lockhart

2011-07-15T04:42:00.003-05:00

Frankie attends Alabaster Preparatory, an elite school for both old and new money alike. She begins dating Matthew Livingston, one of the most popular senior boys, her sophomore year. Matthew is a member of the school's most secret male society and Frankie wants in. Underestimated by the boys and tired of being "adorable," she makes it her mission to become the brains behind the brawn.

I've reviewed Frankie Landau-Banks before. But I had the urge to listen to it again while waiting for the next Bloody Jack book to come in. It's been about 2 years since I first listened to it. I found Matthew to be a very frustrating character. The way that he doesn't even noticed Frankie for who she really is and, even when she tries to express her feelings, he doesn't get it. Maybe that is the product of being a teenage boy. But his constant refrain of "Don't be mad" and "You are adorable" are the wrong approach to someone like Frankie and it does reduce her to only being a little girl in the exact same way her family calls her "Bunny Rabbit." It's a serious underestimation of Frankie. But like Alpha says it would be hard to overestimate Frankie. I don't want to boil down Frankie's ambitions to her liking Alpha, but I think her need for him to notice her and respect her is part of what drives her taking over the Bassets. If he had acknowledged her when they first meet in school, maybe things would have been different. Alpha proves himself to be the better counterpart in the end, much more so than Matthew who is really just a follower, not a leader. Frankie and Alpha are both leaders.

And so, once again, this book gave me a lot to think about. I can say this is truly one of the best books to read and I'm sure this is not my last time with Frankie.

6 hours

Tanya Eby is the narrator and I love her voice for Frankie. She doesn't really do voices for the rest of the characters but it's still easy to tell them apart. She really reads Frankie with the right tone and speed.

Whisper in My Ear

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley

2011-07-14T04:03:00.035-05:00

Jane is the typical rebellious teen but she wants to do her grandmother and late mother proud so she agrees to be a Magnolia Maid for a year. A Magnolia Maid represents the town of Bienville, Alabama as an ambassador, participating in publicity events. All while wearing antebellum hoopskirts and corsets. Jane is not about to put up with the normal antiquated Maid routine and she tries to change it. But change is not something most Southerners like and Jane has her work cut out for her.

Truth is, there's nothing sweet about me. I hate being sweet. p.56

Well, this was incredibly cute and sassy. The Old South pageant ways are fun to read about even if I can't really related. Anyway, Jane deals with her issues with being a Magnolia Maid in a hilarious and sarcastic way, but she is a nice girl with plenty of parent issues. She really tries to cheer on the underdogs who end up on the court and does a great job standing up to the mean girl of the group, Ashley, and her henchgirl. She also deals nicely with the old fashioned views of the Head Advisory of the Magnolia Maids. Jane is pretty awesome. I really liked her and felt sorry for her. She is a typical heroine dealing the loss of her mother, the abandonment of her father and her long lost but not forgotten crush all while dealing with a frilly hoopskirt.

Received from publisher for review

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

2011-07-12T04:16:00.048-05:00

From Goodreads:
Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

I'm pretty excited about this book. It was different from a lot of the books that are out there right now. Going in, I wasn't sure about it and I put it on hold right after starting it to finish the Betsy-Tacy series. Picking it up, I was resigned to another "sisters' book. And there is a lot of that in this book. There is a whole lot more though. Ruby and Chloe are all each other has with Ruby acting as the mother figure to Chloe. When Chloe comes back from her father's and begins living with Ruby again, they try to take up where they left off. But Ruby's determination to get Chloe back results in her making a deal to return everything back the way it was, exactly and that leads down a strange and mysterious road, one I was happy to journey down. The way the story unfolded and the mystery in the town was ah-mazing.

I don't want to give too much away so that makes this harder to review. Needless to say that I simultaneously wish I knew more and am happy with what I know. There is a very large element to the story that is something that always intrigues me* and I was happy to see it explored in the story. Excellently and beautifully written, I have to say that Imaginary Girls is in my top 5 of summer books.

* SPOILERS (highlight) ** I am always intrigued by god-like characters who control small towns. I know that might be weird. So, much like the Mayor in Bleeding Violet (Reeves), Ruby hit the right button to interested me. What is she? I know what her mother said about her and how the town people feel about her. They seem afraid and disgusted by her, being made to love her and do what she says. I love the idea of her and her need to keep the town the same as something both for amusement and her security. I love that Chloe is really not afraid of her and is barely disturbed by her sister's abilities. It was interesting that Ruby needed Chloe to adore her and wanted Chloe to really love only her. There were a lot of elements that really worked including the town of Olive. I'm still a bit confused on that point but, in the end, I was just like Chloe, waiting for Ruby to resurface. **

From LibraryThing
What's in a Name

Weekly Round-Up 7/11

2011-07-11T04:33:00.019-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Sister Mischief (Goode) and Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell (Rumley) and listening to The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (Lockhart).

Last week I read Betsy's Wedding (Lovelace) and finished Mississippi Jack (Meyer) on audio.
Reviews posted: Betsy and the Great World (Lovelace).

Mississippi Jack : Being an Account of the Further Waterborne Adventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman, Fine Lady, and the Lily of the West by L.A. Meyer

2011-07-08T03:42:00.001-05:00

Jack is on the run from the British authorities and ends up in the wilds of America on the river. After obtaining a keel boat and turning her into a showboat (Jacky cannot resist becoming an entertainer), they obtain a crew and set on down the Mississippi River. But trouble, as ever always, finds Jacky Faber in the form of some British agents. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Jacky, Jaimy is trying to follow Jacky downriver and running into trouble of his own.

I was excited that Jacky was exploring America more and headed down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. I loved her adventure down the river, taken in typical Jacky style. She can't just go down river. No, she has to have a showboat and a scam. She is so awesome. Leave it to Jacky to get a hold of a boat so she can be captain once again. I liked Jaimy's storyline and liked hearing about his adventures. I think he is becoming more a man and certainly his trials in American have toughened him up and he is becoming more of Jacky's equal. That was nice to see. I worry about him trying to settle her down. I don't think that is going to happen the way he wants. Jacky is just too much to contain.

17 hours

Katherine Kellgren is once again the narrator and once again does an awesome job, especially with the character of Mike Fink, not my favorite character. I found his voice grating but that just shows Kellgren's talents. Mike is a hard character and she does a great job capturing his character with her voice.

Bloody Jack
Whisper in my Ear

Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace

2011-07-07T02:08:00.015-05:00

Betsy and Joe get married and Betsy adjusts to married life, wanting to be a good wife to Joe. But with the War looming over the entire world, will Betsy have the ideal life she is wishing for?

Things couldn't be perfect, for herself or Tacy either, unless Tib was happy too. p.242

Betsy and Joe get married! Excited. I loved how quickly they got married and started their life together, though Betsy's role as wife illustrates just how old fashioned this series is. But Betsy and Joe are a sweet couple and he treats her with a great deal of respect and she does the same for him. They are so sensible and loving with each other and towards their friends too. I love that Tacy found someone to complement her and that she had two boys. And that Tib found someone as well. This was the perfect ending to the series and I'm sad that it is over, which is a little funny given how old these books are.

Betsy and the Great World by Maud Hart Lovelace

2011-07-06T11:44:00.000-05:00

Betsy is 21 and embarking on a European trip to help her learn to become a better writer and to help her with the heartbreak of her broken relationship with Joe Willard. Betsy experiences life in a variety of European cities and learns about heartbreak and what she really wants out of life.

The next morning, of course, Betsy made a list. Lists were always her comfort. p.150

It was good to see Betsy growing up and learning about the world. That way she has these experiences before settling down and getting married. If she hadn't had a couple of romances, then her reunion with Joe might have fallen flat. Betsy needed more life experience and she got plenty in her travels in Germany, France, Italy and Great Britain. I enjoyed the descriptions of the places she visited and loved the clothing they wore and the trends in clothing at the time. It was also interesting to see World War I begin from the viewpoint of an American in Europe and how that occupied the attentions of everyone. It felt very real (mostly because these books are a fictionalized autobiography of Maud Hart Lovelace) and I was glad that Betsy and Joe are reunited in the end, but it was nice to see Betsy experience life outside of her comfort zone.

Weekly Round-Up 7/4 + Happy Independence Day!

2011-07-04T04:32:00.027-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Betsy's Wedding (Lovelace) and Imaginary Girls (Suma) (for real this time). I'm listening to Mississippi Jack (Meyer) and Glee: The Beginning (Lowell).

Last week I read Betsy and Joe and Betsy and the Great World (Lovelace).
Other reviews posted: Betsy In Spite of Herself and Betsy Was a Junior

Won from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers
Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.

Happy Independence Day to my US followers! I'll BBQing and swimming today and generally having a relaxing day.

The Lying Game on ABC Family!

2011-07-02T04:40:00.011-05:00

Having never read The Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard, I never got into the show. But I have read The Lying Game by the same author and now it is going to be a TV series on ABC Family, just like PLL! I am pretty excited about this since the book was fairly awesome. Definitely adding this to my must-watch list. I thought I'd share trailer with y'all.

June Book Pick

2011-06-30T04:15:00.002-05:00

Favorite Book:

Red Glove by Holly Black
This was hands down my favorite book. I really love this series and I thought that Red Glove was a strong sequel to White Cat. Few authors succeed in writing a strong follow-up but Black is more than successful. I highly recommend this series to everyone.

Audio book: Since I have listened to one book this month, I can't really pick a favorite.

Betsy and Joe by Maud Hard Lovelace

2011-06-29T03:46:00.025-05:00

Betsy is now a senior and she is ready for a great year. The elusive Joe Willard is finally interested in her and everything seems perfect for her senior year. But Tony Markham has become interested in her as well and proud Joe does not like the competition especially since Betsy is unwillingly to hurt Tony's feelings. Suddenly everything is not as perfect as it was suppose to be.

It was getting difficult, though, to divide he time between Joe and Tony. Balancing their claims, she felt sometimes like an acrobat on a tight rope. p.142

The last high school book! It was bittersweet to see Betsy and her friends graduate high school. I am happy that they had a great year even if it didn't turn out like Betsy wanted. I was frustrated by her inability to politely tell Tony that she preferred Joe. I understand that they are good friends and she was trying to keep him from the "bad crowd" but I think she did it at the expense of Joe. Also she did Joe a disservice by not explaining her reasons for going around with Tony. He might have understood if she had tried to explain.

I wasn't too keen on the football part of the story. But I liked hearing about all the dances and the clothing. It is interesting to read about how things were done in 1910. And I wonder if they ever resolve the Carney/Larry subplot. I guess I will find out in the next books.

Hogwarts: 7 in a series

Betsy in Spite of Herself & Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace

2011-06-28T03:44:00.049-05:00

Betsy in Spite of Herself

Betsy is now a sophomore and is extremely popular with her Crowd but she is dissatisfied with how boys look at her. She wants to be different but doesn't know how to change, until she visits Tib in Milwaukee and decides to go back to Deep Valley Dramatic and Mysterious. Despite attracting the attention of the sophisticated Phil Brandish, Betsy is unhappy with not acting like herself anymore, proving that it's hard to change your nature.

A Betsy-Tacy picnic, she thought as she foraged, was just about the nicest thing in the world. p.13

So this book covers Betsy's sophomore year and picks up close to where Heaven to Betsy left off. Betsy decides she needs to be a different version of herself to shake up her life a little and it works for a bit. Phil Brandish decides he likes her and they "go around" together for a little while. But Betsy gets tired of acting different from her nature and lets Phil go in order to go back to being happy, smiling, sometimes silly Betsy. I like this lesson. And I like how subtly is it done. Betsy is not made to be Dramatic and Mysterious and I am happy that she embraces her nature at the end of the book. It is also nice how her relationship with Joe is slowly built up over time and doesn't happen all at once. That is so much better than how books are sometimes written now.

Betsy Was a Junior

Now that Betsy is a junior in high school, she has decided to mature and sets up a list of resolutions for the year. But soon she is caught up in the idea of sororities as a result of her sister's Julia's experiences at college and decides to form her own sorority at Deep Valley High, derailing her resolutions.

"I really want him for a friend," Betsy thought. "Not just that I'm sweet on him. We have so much in common. We were intended to be friends." p.207

Tib is back! This made me so happy. Of course, she was in Betsy in Spite of Herself for a little bit, but now is back in Deep Valley for good. It is nice to see her and her practicality is a great rounder to the Betsy-Tacy team. It's funny to remember the little girls from the first books and reconcile them with the teenagers of these books.
Betsy starts a sorority which seems like a good idea at the time, but it means that some girls are excluded and that does not go over well. The girls who are asked are already in the Crowd so it's not like Betsy means to exclude anyone but that is the nature of sororities. But then nothing Betsy wanted to do goes right. She had planned on excelling in school and going with Joe and learning the piano and hanging out with her younger sister more now that Julia has gone to college. But she only really manages to do one of those things. But Betsy has a good heart and she tries to do the right thing but she can be careless a lot of the time and she doesn't stop to think about what she is doing. But she matures more in this book.

Hogwarts: 7 in a series

Weekly Round-Up 6/27

2011-06-27T04:29:00.032-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Betsy and Joe (Lovelace) and Imaginary Girls (Suma). I'm listening to Mississippi Jack (Meyer) and Glee: The Beginning (Lowell).

Since last week I have read Betsy in Spite of Herself and Betsy Was a Junior (Lovelace).
Reviews posted: Spoiled (Cocks and Morgan); Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (Lovelace); Heaven to Betsy (Lovelace); Red Glove (Black); In the Belly of the Bloodhound (Meyer).

From the publisher
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown & Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace

2011-06-24T04:19:00.000-05:00

Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (Betsy-Tacy #4)

Betsy, Tacy and Tib are 12 and begin to explore the town they live in further. They go downtown shopping and Tib rides in a horseless carriage and they attend the theater.

Betsy and Tacy and Tib were twelve years old now, and when they made plans like that they didn't quite believe them. But they liked to make them anyhow. p.116

I've said it before. I like how these stories grow up with the girls. It's like getting to know them when they are 5 and watching them grow up into young ladies. They are still children in this story though they are growing up fast. It's fun to read about the era that they grew up in and the excitement over the horseless carriage and the theater troupes and on on. And on the dime novels that the hired girl at the Ray's house lends them are considered shocking and too old for 12 year olds to read. I liked the plot with Mrs. Poppy though I felt sorry for her and her part in the other plot about Mrs. Ray's long lost brother was nice. I also liked Betsy's trip to the library (of course) and what a wonder that is for her. It was really sweet.

Heaven to Betsy (Betsy-Tacy #5)
Betsy and Tacy are freshmen in high school now, making new friends and becoming apart of the affectionate Crowd. Betsy is becoming more interested in boys and in developing her talents as a writer.

"Now," said Mr. Ray. "I'd better go put the coffee pot on." For that was what the family always did in moments of stress. p.213

Now that Betsy is a freshmen, her whole world expands once again to accommodate more friends and new loves. It's exciting to see Betsy and Tacy growing up. I missed Tib. I was surprised that she had moved away in the interim and it wasn't really made a big deal of. I'm glad that Betsy and Tacy are still best friends and that they always have each other, but are willing to let each other make new friends and it doesn't compromise their friendship.

I also love the descriptions of the hair and clothing styles. It sounds just lovely, the way they dressed and entertained themselves. Reminds me of Meet Me in St. Louis, one of my favorite musicals. I love that Betsy and her sister, Julia, are allowed to decide career paths for themselves and their parents support them wholeheartedly. And that the sisters are also allowed to decided their own religion. It's very progressive for that time.

Hogwarts: 7 in a series

Red Glove (The Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black

2011-06-23T03:58:00.000-05:00

Cassel returns to his boarding school after discovering just what kind of curse work he is capable of and, after his mother works Lila, the girl he loves and consequently
can no longer have. When his brother is murdered Cassel becomes trapped between the FBI and the mob, both of whom want to use his talents for their own cause.

I have to say that Red Glove was as brilliant as White Cat, a book that I loved wholeheartedly. Even as Cassel explains how to swindle a mark, I can't help but love him. I feel sorry for him and I keep hoping he can just get out of this whole thing alive. He is certainly not an innocent character but there is something about him that invites sympathy and I sincerely hope that he can get together with Lila and live a normal life. I don't think that is possible but, you know, one can hope.

I love the world of the curse workers that Black has built. It is intriguing that, as one of the FBI agents says, if you know that you are a curse worker then you've already broken the law. Because it is taboo to lay bare hands on someone else and it is illegal to work someone. I love how just the sight of bare hands causes an extreme reaction in people. It's almost like being naked and carrying a loaded weapon at the same time.

SPOILERS:
(highlight) ** I just wanted to say that I was kind of right about the chair. In my review of White Cat, I questioned the chair, thinking maybe it was Cassel's dad. I was wrong about that, but it was a person. I feel alright about my detecting ability right now because I also was guessed it was Maura that killed her husband.**

Hogwarts: Defence Against the Dark Arts

In the Belly of the Bloodhound : Being an Account of a Particularly Peculiar Adventure in the Life of Jacky Faber by L.A. Meyer

2011-06-22T04:33:00.003-05:00

Returning to the Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls in order to avoid piracy charges, Jacky Faber finds herself in another problematic situation. Most of the girls from the school including Jacky herself are kidnapped by slavers and are trapped in the belly of the slaver's ship. Jacky must use her cunning to get the girls out of their terrible situation.

Another adventure for Jacky "Mary" Faber! This one was sadder since it explored what slaves endured on their passages from Africa to the New World. It was heartbreaking listening to it. The girls are in a similar situation though they aren't chained up and seem to have more freedom than the black slaves that are usually in the hold. I guess because they are "well born" and are going to be sold to harems and not as field hands. I kind of thought that kidnapping well to do young ladies for a social slight on the parent of one of their parents was a shaky reason to kidnap and enslave anyone, but it made for a good story and showed that Jacky is capable of handling any situation.

I think that Jaimey underestimates Jacky too much. He refers to her often as a silly girl and doesn't seem to realize how clever she really is. Higgins has more faith in her and isn't surprised in the least when she manages to rescue all the girls while Jaimey really is surprised. I don't think he is good enough for Jacky and doubt he could keep her tied down.

15 hours

As always, Katherine Kellgren is the narrator of this book and does a fine job. She is a good voice actress and I enjoy listening to her.

Hogwarts: Charms
Bloody Jack
Whisper in my Ear

Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

2011-06-21T03:57:00.035-05:00

Molly Dix is in shock. Her mother revealed to her that her father is Brick Berlin, famous movie star, right before she died. Now Molly is moving to L.A. to get to know her father at last. But Brick's other daughter, Brooke, is none too happy and out to make Molly's life miserable.

I'll try not to let my love of Go Fug Yourself get in my way of any objective review, but it's hard since the authors of Spoiled are the authors of that website. I love those ladies and that is one of the funniest websites I've ever read. Seriously check it out. The best thing is that they have taken that same sense of humor and written a YA book so score for me! It is definitely an over-the-top, fluffy, hilarious beach read. The plot is a little predicable. Good girl finds out about famous dad, half-sister is not happy, makes her miserable, etc. There wasn't anything really surprising about it. But the fun is in the details. And the details were fun! So many pop culture jokes and fashion statements in one book. I adored this book.

Brooke and Molly were everything you'd expect, though there were a few surprises here and there. I love a mean girl in a story and Brooke was definitely all mean girl. But Molly had some backbone in her too and that was great to see. I hate it when the nice girl just lays down and takes it. And Brick was crazy over-the-top with his random sayings and his trying to parent trap the girls into being friends. The rest of the characters were funny too and there was a nice little romance in the story to spice it up. It concluded hilariously and there will be a second book next summer.

Hogwarts: Muggle Studies

Weekly Round-Up 6/20

2011-06-20T04:27:00.018-05:00

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Imaginary Girls (Suma) and Betsy in Spite of Herself (Lovelace) and I'm listening to Mississippi Jack (Meyer) and Glee: The Beginning (Lowell).

Since the last time I posted, I've read Spoiled (Cocks and Morgan), Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (Lovelace), Heaven to Betsy (Lovelace) and Red Glove (Black).

The wedding, for those of you who are interested, was lovely and we all had a good time.

Ruby Red Winner!

2011-06-16T09:54:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Christina T at Reading Extensively on being the winner of Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier!!

Ruby Red Giveaway!

2011-06-07T14:10:00.001-05:00

Thanks to the Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, I am giving away one copy of Kerstin Gier's upcoming book, Ruby Red.

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Sounds awesome right!? Just fill out the form. Giveaway ends June 15, 2011. US or Canada only. Winner will be chosen randomly and e-mailed for mailing address.

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And here is the awesome book trailer as well!

Weekly Round-Up 6/6 + Hiatus!

2011-06-06T04:26:00.001-05:00

In other news, I'll be on a hiatus of sorts for a little bit. We have a big wedding in the family this week and I have a feeling that I won't have time this week or next to write too many reviews. See ya soon!

Weekly Round-Up is my wrap-up of last week's activities and includes what I'm reading this week, reviews I've posted, books in the mail and anything else of interest plus From the Library, my weekly listing of what I've checked out from the library.

This week I'm reading Spoiled (Cocks and Morgan) and Imaginary Girls (Suma) and listening to Glee: The Beginning (Lowell).

Last week I read Ultraviolet (Anderson) and listened to In the Belly of the Bloodhound (Meyer). I started Blood Red Road (Young) but wasn't in the mood so it was abandoned. I'll try again another time.
Other reviews: Under the Jolly Roger (Meyer)

On my Nook
Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

16-year-old Molly Dix loves her ordinary life in suburban Indiana, so when her single mother passes away, she is shocked to discover that her biological father is Brick Berlin, world famous movie star and red carpet regular.
Equally intrigued and terrified by her Hollywood lineage, Molly moves to Southern California and plunges head-first into the deep end of Beverly Hills celebrity life. Just as Molly thinks her new life and family couldn't get any stranger, she meets Brooke Berlin, her gorgeous and spoiled half-sister whom welcomes Molly to la-la land with a healthy dose of passive-aggressive "sisterly love."
Set against the backdrop of a sparkling and fashion-filled Los Angeles, this deliciously dysfunctional family soap opera will satisfy every reader looking for their next lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous beach read.