Nancy Drew Recap - July, August & September

I started off the year doing really well and I'm fizzling out a bit.  Not out of lack of interest, but mostly because I have a whole lot to read and I haven't fit any Nancy Drew in.  One week I'll have to concentrate on reading just Nancy.  But I'm past the half way mark at least.

July 

Mystery at the Ski Jump #29

  

August 

The Clue in the Velvet Mask  #30

The Ringmaster's Secret #31

The Scarlet Slipper Mystery #32

 

September

None

September Wrap-Up

Books reviewed:

Clockwork Angel (Clare)
It's a Book (Smith)
Virals (Reichs)
My Invented Life (Bjorkman)
The Rise of the Fire Tamer (Gow)
Low Red Moon  (Devlin)

Audio books finished:

The Red Pyramid (Riordan)

Challenges completed:

GLBT Challenge 2010

Challenges joined:

R.I.P. V Challenge 

This was a slow month for me.  It took a bit to get back to my reading groove after Mockingjay, but I managed it.  Favorite book this month - Low Red Moon.  How was your month?

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

Avery Hood is discovered one night, covered in her parent's blood after they are murdered.  She can't remember much about that night except for flashes of silver.  Now living with her grandmother, she longs to remember what happened to her parents.  But something dark and evil is evading the woods around her house and it's after Avery too.

But now I realized I hadn't understood longing at all.  It wasn't about hope.   It was about want, pure and simple.
p.55 ARC

Y'all, this book is super creepy.  From the very first moment when Avery is found covered head to toe with her parent's blood next to their mutilated bodies all the way to the very surprising ending.  Creepy.  It really kept me guessing and gave me the shivers.  It managed to evoke a quiet, chilling atmosphere while providing an interesting murder mystery and a few paranormal elements.  It was well-written and the main characters were well fleshed out.

I really liked this book.  I would have loved it though if it didn't include the supernatural element that was Ben, the new boy at school.  I mean Ben the character was fine and his connection thing with Avery was actually fine.  It provided a necessary though mostly unexplained reason for his character.  It's what Ben is that bothered me.  It seemed unnecessary though I suppose plot-wise it actually was necessary.  I just wish it had been different.  But I liked the supernatural aspect of Avery and thought it was pretty neat and different.  Can't win them all.


Sidenote: I bet the real book is beautiful.  The ARC has a little bit of what I think the whole book will be, with red at each chapter break and it is gorgeous.   I'll have to pick up a regular copy to see.

Hogwarts: Defence Against the Dark Arts
R.I.P. (mystery)

Teaser Tuesdays - The Kid Table

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

     I was too surprised to open my mouth. The shock of knowing what was to come went directly to my spine, straightening me too.

p.223 The Kid Table Andrea Seigel

Weekly Round-Up 9/27

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 The Candidates (Scott) and reading Extraordinary (Werlin).  I'm listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling).

Last week I read Mostly Good Girls (Sales).

Reviews posted:
Virals (Reich)
My Invented Life (Bjorkman)
The Red Pyramid (Riordian)
Rise of the Fire Tamer (Gow)

The following from Traveling ARC Tours
The Candidates by Inara Scott
Publish date: August 2010

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just…happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden. But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia’s days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses–not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome. And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn’t convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her “gift” than they’re letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it…But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales
Publish Date: October 2010

The higher you aim, the farther you fall….
It’s Violet’s junior year at the Westfield School. She thought she’d be focusing on getting straight As, editing the lit mag, and making Scott Walsh fall in love with her. Instead, she’s just trying to hold it together in the face of cutthroat academics, Scott Walsh’s new girlfriend, and the sense that things are going irreversibly wrong with her best friend, Katie.

When Katie starts making choices that Violet can’t even begin to fathom, Violet has no idea how to set things right between them. Westfield girls are trained for success—but how can Violet keep her junior year from being one huge epic fail?

The Rise of the Fire Tamer (The Wordwick Games #1) by Kailin Gow

Description from Goodreads:
After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Workwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.

The idea was a good one.  A group of teenagers winning an online game sends them to a mysterious castle where they get to play an unknown level that sends them to another world.  In this world, certain "ruler" words have literal power and there is a struggle going on between two factions.  So what the players do has real consequences.  I liked the idea.  I wasn't so keen on the actual book.  It felt like it needed more work, a little more editing or something.  In the end, I didn't care about the characters, the setting, or what happened.  I just wanted to finish it. 

Hogwarts: Charms

The Red Pyramid (audio) by Rick Riordan

Description from Goodreads:
Since their mother’s death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist,Dr. Julius Kane.  One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.  Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them--Set--has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe--a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family, and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

I never thought I was going to finish this effin book.  Now that's a way to start a review.  But, seriously, I didn't.  I'm not entirely sure what my problem was.  Well, I do know but I'll get to that in a second.

The inevitable comparison to Percy Jackson:
I kind of feel like this is a less worthy follow-up to the Percy Jackson series.  The first one in that series was so great and made me want to read more.  Even the audio book was great!  Not all the Percy Jackson books are great, but the first one was a showstopper.  This was like reading one of the less great Percy Jackson books.  There were too many locations, too many gods, too much mystery.  And the big bad felt a lot like Kronos.  I wasn't feeling it.  It was too much like Percy Jackson with siblings and an Egyptian goddess instead of Percy, Anna and Grover.

How I felt about the narrators:
This is one thing I hate saying.  I wasn't enamored of the narrators, particularly Katherine Kellgren as Sadie.  I found her voice to be particularly grating though she was much funnier in her reading than Kevin R. Free as Carter.  I found him much easier to listen to and his voice really lent itself to the audio book.  His characterization of Sadie left much to be desired though.  Kellgren actually did better as Carter for her parts than Free did as Sadie.

Further things I didn't like:

Part of my problem is all me.  I'm not as familiar with the Egyptian gods and so I didn't care about meeting them so much.  I'm interested in learning more, but they were never my favorite subject growing up like the Greek gods were.  But like I said, there was too much jumping around and I got a little confused.

Things I did like:
Bast was the most awesome god.  I loved her.  She was so fun and kickass and an all around great character and I was happy to see a good solid character.  I missed her when she wasn't around.

The humor was good.  Very funny and sarcastic.  And there were a few genuine laugh out loud moments for me.

Overall:
I really think I would have liked this more as a middle grader.  I was much more willing to deal with formula back then.  Now though I have a hard time excusing it.  I'm sure others will disagree with me because if you like Percy Jackson, then you should like The Red Pyramid.  Maybe it because it was on audio, I don't know.  But I do know that I was so happy to be done with the whole thing.

Hogwarts: Ancient Runes
Library

My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Convinced that her older sister is a lesbian, Roz "comes out" at school to try and force Eva out too.  But her plan backfires and now Roz must deal with the consequences as she tries to figure out what sexuality really is and what it means.

I won this from the GLBT Challenge back in May and finally decided to read it.  I really enjoyed it.  It was a quick read and I liked the questions that Bjorkman brought up regarding the nature and fluidity of sexuality.  That Roz came out on a dare, but learned the hard way that it is ok to be gay or bi-sexual and that you can still identify as a heterosexual and be attracted to another girl or you can just be homosexual and have no feelings about the opposite sex.

I wasn't that fond of Roz.  I found her to be a bit grating, but that was the point of her character.  To be too obtuse to understand about her sister and not understand that is the exact reason why her sister won't open up to her.  I was glad to see her character grow and change.  And, of course, I love the happy ending that everyone gets.

Hogwarts: Muggle Studies
GLBT

Virals (#1) by Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan (grand-niece of Temperance Brennan) lives on a secluded island where her father works for a university research center.  She is friends with four boys her age who also live on the island.  After finding some mysterious dog tags on the research island, Tory and her friends get caught in the mystery of a girl's mysterious disappearance 40 years ago and also discover an illegal experiment that transforms Tory and her friends into something more than human.

     Shelton was right.  Things had gotten insane.  For a moment, I wondered if life would ever be normal again.
     No.  We'd been changed at some fundamental level.  There was no going back. p.426 ARC

Having never read anything by Kathy Riechs I wasn't sure how Virals was going to read.  I think that it is fairly evident that an adult writer is trying for a young adult audience.  However, I can't find any fault with that.  A few reviews I read complained that it felt dumbed down, but it didn't to me.  There was a lot of science involved and it was written for someone who doesn't understand science (like me).  I appreciated that.

I really enjoyed the mystery part of the book.  That was my favorite since I am a big mystery fan.  It was a little Nancy Drew mixed with Bones (of course).  Tory is such an awesome, smart character that I loved her.  I liked how all the kids are thrown together by little more than proximity and they become friends even with their distinct personalities and backgrounds.  Each of the "Virals" is well characterized and thought out.

The paranormal aspect is fun, very sciency though it wasn't my favorite part of the book.  But it is cool to have an almost reasonable explanation for the thing that happens to Tory and her friends.  And the abilities they gain come in handy.  I'm curious to see where this series is going to lead.  Hopefully to a lot more mysteries.

Hogwarts: Transfiguration

Teaser Tuesdays - Mostly Good Girls

lyTeaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

I guess I shouldn't go to Katie's for dinner, because for some reason I always wind up finding it really depressing. But Bunny Putnam serves excellent desserts. So it's hard to stay away.

p.84 ARC Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales

Weekly Round-Up 9/20

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 Extraordinary (Werlin) and I'm listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling).

Last week I read Red Hood's Revenge (Hines) Dylan and the Baby Doctor (Woods).
No reviews from last week since I only did BBAW posts.

Won from Library Thing's Early Reviewers
Publish: August 2010
Lucy Unstrung by Carole Lazar

Teens who get pregnant and raise their babies are often in the news. But what about those children who are growing up with parents scarcely half a generation older than themselves?

In this wise and funny first novel by Carole Lazar, Lucy is a sensible, perhaps even rigid, thirteen year old who is convinced that Grandma, God, and the Catholic Church are on her side. She tries hard to make her twenty-eight-year-old mother see the error of her ways. It's not that her mother is wild - in their household even a fancy coffee causes a scene - but she has had to put off her own teenage years and she's chaffing at the restraints on her life. Lucy is faced with the loss of her family, her home, her school, and even her best friend. As she struggles to preserve what she can from her past life, she finds that while Grandma, God, and her church are still there for her, there are problems she has to solve for herself.

Dylan and the Baby Doctor (e-book) by Sherryl Woods

(For a challenge to read outside of my genre.  I haven't read a true Harlequin-type romance in at least 15 years)

Private detective Dylan Delacourt had only to look into baby doctor Kelsey James's beautiful green eyes to know he'd move heaven and earth to find her kidnapped son. But having lost his own son to his ex-wife, Dylan had a particular distrust of single mothers. Especially when, despite their increasing attraction, Kelsey seemed to be withholding crucial information....But learning the truth of her secret and revealing his own buried anguish gave Dylan new hope. Suddenly, whatever risks he had to take seemed worthwhile, for he might find not only Kelsey's son and his own--but the love of a lifetime, as well.

Longing and Lies (e-book) by Donna Hill

(Ditto from above)

With her sensual looks and free-spirited ways, Ashley Temple is the perfect agent for The Ladies Cartel, a secret crime-fighting organization. But her latest assignment—breaking up an illegal baby trafficking ring—is more than a job. It's personal. The stakes go sky-high when she teams up with FBI operative Elliot Morgan, a man so deep under cover he's off the radar.

Life in the field is nothing compared to the adrenaline rush of passion and pleasure Elliot feels with Ashley. And when they pose as a happily married couple to stake out a suspicious adoption center, he knows he's in deeper than he's ever been. He can't risk falling for her—the danger's too great. But how can Elliot let Ashley go, when this sweet, sultry lady takes him beyond the point of no return? 

Expecting His Child (e-book) by Leanne Banks

(Ditto)

Martina Logan dangerously shared a passionate affair with her family's nemesis, handsome Noah Coltrane. But when she became pregnant, Martina was determined to have the baby alone. So, armed with baby booties, she stood her ground.
Seeing this vulnerable beauty, swollen with his child, made Texas bachelor Noah fall head over spurs, and ring in hand, he stormed her door. This was one Logan he was determined to make a Coltrane!

BBAW Future Treasures

Today is my chance to share what I've enjoyed about BBAW and also what my blogging goals are for the next year!

I've enjoyed seeing all the different blogs that people have chosen to highlight.  It's very in the spirit of the community, getting the chance to spotlight other blogs instead of just focusing on my own.  And I love seeing everyone's choice of great books and all of the really fun interviews.  BBAW is such a fun week.

As far what my blogging goals are for next year, well, I don't know.  Recently I've decided to worry less about having a post for everyday and instead just read at the pace I feel like reading and reviewing the books as they come.  I need to lessen the pressure of what is suppose to be a fun activity/hobby and just do what I like.  So there might be less posting from time to time here.  Other than that, I'll still be around, making as many comments as I can and enjoying what other bloggers are doing.

BBAW Forgotten Treasure: The Bermudez Triangle & The Dust of 100 Dogs

Today's BBAW post is about a book that I feel should get more attention.  I had to think about this long and hard because there are many many books that I feel are worthy of Hunger Games like attention.  So in the end, I'm picking two because I just couldn't decide.






The Bermudez Triangle by Maureen Johnson

I love Maureen Johnson and her books.  The first book I read by her was 13 Little Blue Envelopes which I loved so much that I had to read the rest of her books.  And so I began picking them up one by one.  They are all pretty great but the one that made the biggest impression was The Bermudez Triangle.  I think it is safe to say it was the first YA book I'd read that dealt with GLBT issues and I found it to be very well done and very realistic.  I liked the dynamic between the girls and how the one who was left out's feelings were not glossed over or made petty.  And how the girls managed to survive what could have been the end of their friendship.  It is a funny and insightful book and I highly recommend it, especially for someone's first foray into GLBT fiction.

The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

I read this about a year ago and it had stuck with me ever since.  It truly was one of the best books I read last year.  I think it was the pirates.  I loved Emer and how she went from being a sweet girl to a ruthless pirate.  I loved the whole incarnation idea and the sections about Emer's lives as different dogs.  I loved Saffron and how she has these insane memories of being the pirate Emer and her quest to find Emer's buried treasure  Even the cover is awesome.  All the elements of this book added up to winner.

BBAW Unexpected Treasure

Today I'm going to talk a little about an unexpected treasure.  I read Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris as a result of the Take a Chance Challenge and I surprisingly loved it.  It's not that I don't like classics.  I just rarely read them.  I have a few bad experiences (ahem The Scarlett Letter) so they are not the first thing I reach for.  But I genuinely loved Mrs. 'Arris and her wacky adventure of looking for her own personal Dior dress for no other reason than to own something beautiful.  I love how genuine she is and how because of that, others are inclined to be more genuine and generous themselves.

I love it when either a book blogger or a reading challenge leads me to an unexpected place.  For the most part I stick to my own preferred genre and rarely get out of it.  Not that I mind, but with book challenges it's great when they can get me out of my safe place and into a new world.

BBAW New Treasure: Interview Swap - The Lost Entwife

This week I am participating in Book Blogger Appreciation Week.  Today's post is the blogger interview swap.  My partner is Lydia from The Lost Entwife.  Thanks for  for answering all my questions!

You can see my half here.

Tell me about your blog.

I stumbled across book blogging by accident. So first my blog was just a mix-n-match of personal daily life things, random memes and some ideas I had about reading. Then I realized that people might actually read my reviews if I put them up and.. they did!

What kinds of books do you review?

Just about everything! I have really eclectic taste and if the book looks interesting, I'll read and review it.

What is your favorite book so far this year?

This is a tough one. I loved Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman for the sheer southern beauty of it, Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen for its magic, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger for its faith and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins for its audacity.

Favorite author?

Lately I've been answering Wilkie Collins for this one (I'm on a big Wilkie Collins kick) but I'm hosting a read-along this month of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell and she's growing on me quickly.

What book are you looking forward to that is coming out soon?

Crazy by Han Nolan. I've been singing this books praises since I read an e-galley of it from NetGalley. I can't wait for it to be released so I can own a hard copy of it.

If you could be one literary character, who would it be?

Anne Shirley. I wouldn't even mind the red hair.

Reading Challenges, yay or nay? Favorites?

This is my first year with reading challenges and I love it. I'm a big list person so I love that feeling of satisfaction I get when I check another book off the list. My favorite so far has been the Gilmore Girls challenge - so much variety!

Best blog other than your own?

Oh geez. I love them all! Well...those who don't force auto-play music on me. C'mon people, knock it off with the music!

Who is your favorite Winnie-the-Pooh character?

Eeyore. I've always been a kind of dopey, love the rain type of girl and Eeyore has been my favorite for years.

Teaser Tuesdays - Low Red Moon

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

And then I remembered that it wasn't the Dark Ages and I could do what I wanted.  That all I had left was myself and Renee, and I had left her house because I felt so alone.

p.37 ARC Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

BBAW First Treasure - J'adore happy endings

First up in the BBAW schedule is First Treasure where we are asked to share a book blog that we have discovered since last year.

One of my new favorites is J'adore happy endings.  I'm not entirely sure how I discovered Nina's book blog.  But I like it.  She reviews mainly YA which is my favorite genre and also does Dutch Cover Alerts comparing the Dutch cover of a book to the US one which I always find fascinating.  I also enjoy the gifs she uses on her blog when she announces winners.  Most of them make me laugh so much.  And, of course, the owls are the blog are super cute.

Weekly Round-Up 8/13

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 Low Red Moon (Devlin) and reading Red Hood's Revenge (Hines), Look Both Ways (Mitchard) and/or White Cat (Black).

Last week I read Virals (Reich), Rise of the Fire Tamer (Gow), and My Invented Life (Bjorkman) so I guess I've pulled out of my slump.  I FINALLY finished the damn Red Pyramid (Riordian) on audio and can get back to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling).

Provided by Traveling ARC Tours
Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
Published Date: September 2010

Avery Hood is reeling from the loss of her parents–and the fact that she can’t remember what happened to them even though she was there.
She’s struggling to adjust to life without them, and to living with her grandmother, when she meets Ben, who isn’t like any guy she’s ever met before.
It turns out there’s a reason why, and Ben’s secret may hold the key to Avery finding out what happened to her parents…
But what if that secret changes everything she knows about–and feels for–Ben?

Book Title Meme (II)

I did this last year and thought it would be fun to do again with this year's books.


What To Do: Using only books you have read this year (2010), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It’s a lot harder than you think!

Describe yourself: Truly Madly


How do you feel:  Very LeFreak


Describe where you currently live: This World We Live In


If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Howl's Moving Castle


Your favorite form of transportation:  Splendor


Your best friend is: Anything but Typical


You and your friends are: Friends Forever


What’s the weather like: Rampant


You fear:  Going Bovine



What is the best advice you have to give: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler


Thought for the day: Nothing Pink


How I would like to die: Donut Days


My soul’s present condition: Everlasting

Teaser Tuesdays - Virals

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

Movement flickered in the corner of my eye. I stole a peek.
My friends, safely distant, watched with disbelieving eyes.

p.38 ARC Virals by Kathy Reichs

Weekly Round-Up 9/6

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 honestly not sure what I'll read.  I'm in a bit of a slump and I can't decide so it will be a surprise for everyone including me.  I'm listening to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) and STILL to The Red Pyramid (Riordian).  I feel like I am never going to finish it, but I will one of these days.

Last week I read Clockwork Angel (Clare) and  It's a Book (Smith).

Both provided by Traveling ARC Tours
Virals by Kathy Reichs
Publish date: November 2, 2010

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends they're a pack. They are Virals.

The Rise of the Fire Tamer by Kailin Gow
Publish date: June 14, 2010

After winning a contest for a popular game called Wordwick Games, five teens Gemma, Sparks, Rio, Kat, and Jack, are invited to stay at Wordwick Games inventor Henry Word's mysterious castle and play the newest level of Workwick Games. Little do they know, the castle is the doorway to a wondrous world call Anachronia where words can be used as weapons, power, and commodity. There is unrest in Anachronia, and if the five teens can follow the rules of Wordwick Games and prove to be the best player, one of them will be crowned Ruler of Anachronia.  

It's a Book by Lane Smith

I recived this picture book for review after seeing the trailer for it which I thought was brilliant and precious and funny as well as many other adjectives.  And the book is just as cute.  I've read this a couple of times to my son during his bedtime reading and he seems to like it too especially because I do voices for the ape and the donkey.  The donkey doesn't understand that a book is not a complicated electronic device.  It's a book as the ape tries to explain to him.  It is very cute.  My son likes it because of the voices and the pictures.  I like it because of the subtle commentary of how the new generation will not understand such a simple concept.  It's just a book.

Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Tessa discovers the world of magic when she is kidnapped by two warlocks. Rescued by the beautiful but aloof Will, she is soon immersed in the world of the Shadowhunters who are trying to figure out why Tessa is so important.

 "One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."  p.87 ARC

I haven't read the Mortal Instruments series so when I started Clockwork Angel I had no clue about the world that Clare has built.  I liked the steampunk aspect and the Victorian England setting and the whole Shadowhunters thing.  It was fine.  I never really connected with the story or the characters but that might have been more me than anything.  I did a 2 star reading of what should be a 4 star book.  Normally I think I would have liked this more, but it followed up truly great book and sometimes a truly great book will ruin the next book by overshadowing it.  So it's partly my fault that I can't muster up some real enthusiasm for Clockwork Angel.  That being said, there wasn't anything so wonderful in this book to make me forget about the last one and that, in a way, is the mark of a mediocre book.  If it had been great, then it would have lived up to the last book I read.

While it isn't a showstopper, it does have many solid elements.  Like I said the steampunk and time setting are really good and Clare is definitely ensconced in the world that she created for the Mortal Instruments series.  She knows it well and that flows out of the book.  The main characters were all very distinct, mostly likeable, though a bit too mysterious for my liking.  A little too much mystery doesn't make me what to read further, it makes me want to not read anymore.  A few more answers would have been okay at the end.  I'm sure that fans of Mortal Instruments series will enjoy this and the rest of the Infernal Devices series though.

Provided by Traveling ARC Tours
Publish Date: August 31, 2010
Hogwarts: Transfiguration

     "Remember that time you tried to convince to feed a poultry pie to the mallards in the park to see if you could breed a race of cannibal ducks?"
     "They ate it too, " Will reminisced.  "Blood thirsty little beasts.  Never trust a duck."
p.199 ARC

R.I.P. V Challenge - COMPLETE

It's that time again.  Time for the R.I.P. Challenge V from Stainless Steel Droppings.  This was a great one that I did for the first time last year.  I'm joining at Peril the Second: read two books in any of these catergories:
Mystery.
Suspense.
Thriller.
Dark Fantasy.
Gothic.
Horror.
Supernatural.

Challenge runs from September 1st through October 31st.

1. Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin
2. White Cat by Holly Black

COMPLETED 10.14.10