Tantalize / Eternal

I absolutely love this book! Dark and sensuous, the imagery is amazing.

Quincie, the main character, is drawn into a world of vampires and werecreatures where her best friend is a werewolf. She is determined to open a vampire themed restaurant but the plan stumbles when the head chef is murdered. Enter Henry Johnson, a chef that no one would consider dark and mysterious, to take over. Will Quincie be able to open her restaurant and resist the temptations that are offered to her? This is how to write a good vampire/werewolf triangle. It is one of those books that will stay with you long after you've finished shuddering.

Eternal is the next book from Smith in this series. It is not a direct sequel but it seems that the following book will tie everything together. It is another dark book but the ending may surprise you.

Miranda is a shy girl who wants to be in the school play. Zachary is her guardian angel who somehow has fallen in love with her. When Miranda's friend brings her the graveyard to meet a guy, Zachary tries to keep her safe. But the worst possible thing happens and Miranda becomes a vampire princess. It's up to the tarnished guardian angel to save her soul and save himself.


I was impressed by both books and they are definitely on my re-read list. There are moments that horrified me but both left me breathless at the ending. Definitely not your typical vampire books especially the vampire/angel love story in Eternal. It's not necessary to read them in any order or back to back although they take place in the same world. I would recommend reading with all the lights on though.

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge - COMPLETE

Another book challenge! From J. Kaye's Book Blog, the challenge is to read your choice of 12, 25 or 50 books from your local library throughout the year. I am going to choose the 25 book challenge only because I have a lot of books in my office to read. I'll be listing them here as I go.



1. Ender in Exile - Orson Scott Card

2. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

3. Savvy - Ingrid Law

4. Switch - Carol Snow

5. Need - Carrie Jones

6. Eternal - Cynthia Leitich Smith

7. Impossible - Nancy Werlin

8. Being Nikki - Meg Cabot

9. Dirty Laundry - Daniel Ehrenhaft

10. The Last Olympian - Rick Riordian

11. The Stepsister Scheme - Jim C. Hines

12. Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

13. Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr

14. Graceling - Kristin Cashore

15. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

16. The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

17. The Forest of Teeth and Hands by Carrie Ryan

18. The Real Deal: Unscripted by Amy Kaye

19. Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle

20. Hunger by Michael Grant

21. Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop by Jennifer Allison

22. Boy Meets Boy by David Leviathan

23. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

24. Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter

25. Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz

The Mealworm Diaries

Jeremy has a secret. When he and his mom moved to a new town so his mother can finish school, he carries his secret around with him, trying not to let it affect him except in his dreams, where he has no control. In science class, each student is assigned a meal worm to study and Jeremy ends up with not only a meal worm of his own, but with Aaron's too, the most hyperactive kid in the class. Through studying the meal worm and interacting with Aaron, Jeremy learns how to treat people when they are different and how to let go of his secret.

This is one of the sweetest books I've read in a while. Jeremy is a typical boy, wanting to be cool and kind at the same time. I got a little teary at the end when Jeremy admits the secret he'd been carrying around about his father's death and was gratified by the ending. This is a good quick read with a lot of heart and very realistic characters.

Brisingr

Oh Brisingr, how you slay me! Not only are you 23 audio discs long but for most of that it was boring explanation and rehashing of Eragon's stupid promises that he should know better than to keep making. Honestly, if it weren't for the last little bit where there is some action and something actually happens, I would have quit you long ago. You even had me in tears a little at the end there. But mostly you drone on and one about dwarf customs and elves and stupid Nasuada and are one of the most stomach turning books I've ever listened to or read. Blech. But still the ending was almost worth it and I'll be back when the next, and hopefully last book, comes out, just because I cannot help myself and to give up on series, even one that deserves it, is beyond me.