A Bit of Dash

One Woman's Incredible Journey

2012-03-05T10:57:00.000-05:00

Journey Across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman's Search for Homeby Veronica Li

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: This is a true and touching story of one Chinese woman's search for home. It is also an inspiring book about human yearning for a better life. To escape poverty, Flora Li fought her way through the education system and became one of the few women to get into the prestigious Hong Kong University. When the Japanese invaded, she fled to unoccupied China, where she met her future husband, the son of China's finance minister (later deputy prime minister).

She thought she had found the ideal husband, but soon discovered that he suffered from emotional disorders caused by family conflicts and the wars he had grown up in. Whenever he had a breakdown, Flora would move the family to another city, from Shanghai to Nanking to Hong Kong to Bangkok to Taipei and finally across the four seas to the U.S. Throughout her migrations, Flora kept her sight on one goal: providing her children with the best possible education.

Review: An incredible story that shows one woman's incredible strength and determination.

I loved reading Flora's story. She was an incredible woman (I am not sure if she is still alive). She came from very little and managed to be educated, deal with a troublesome husband, and put her children through college. I enjoyed reading a memoir that wasn't from a US born American's point of view. Reading about Hong Kong, especially during the war, shows how people suffered and the gap between the rich and the poor. Their life was different from ours, but it was still the same in a number of ways. A lot of people, Flora included, had to struggle to survive.

I found myself cheering for Flora as she accomplished one victory after the other. She never gave up, even when she was dealt a bad hand. I can't believe how she managed to deal with her husband. She kept having to save him from making bad decisions so she would be able to provide for her children. Her experiences would have broken a lesser person, but Flora was able to shoulder on. I am glad that she was able to convince her husband to go to America. Her children have been successful and that is what Flora wanted all along. I certainly cannot pretend to know her mind, but I must assume that Flora was happy in the United States because she finally was able to provide the opportunities she wanted for her children.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to people who enjoy memoirs, especially those who enjoy womens' memoirs and/or memoirs told by non native American citizens.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2012-03-05T10:25:00.000-05:00

So I'm starting to do some memes (I don't know if it'll get to all days of the week though, but perhaps a few eventually). It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey. This meme lets you show fellow readers what you have read, what you are reading, and what you will be reading.

Recently Read: (I read a lot in the past week).

Currently Reading:

To Read:

Rambling, with Guitars

2012-03-03T22:37:00.000-05:00

Daron's Guitar Chronicles: Volume One by Cecilia Tan

Summary: Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Coming out and coming of age in the days of AIDS, MTV, Reaganomics, and Just Say No. Daron Marks is a young guitar player with a dream, make it big like the guys he grew up idolizing in New Jersey--or at least escape his dysfunctional family. He makes it as far as music school in Rhode Island, and the stages of Boston beckon. But it's hard to succeed from the closet.

Review: A novella that manages to ramble on for all of its short length.

I have personally never been in a band nor do I have any desire to, but I still have always enjoyed supporting my friends' bands and I think there is something exciting and different about being in a band. So that being said, I thought I would enjoy Daron's story. I really didn't though. There seemed to be little plot and sometimes chapters jumped from one time to another without much warning or explanation. I learned at the end of the book (thanks to the author's note) that this story was a serialized story, which might help to explain some of the flaws. I personally found Daron to be something of a jerk, especially with how he leads one girl on.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this story to those who enjoy band/music fiction and who don't mind a bit of m-m (there are only a few scenes of it and they are not very graphic).

Review Copy Cleanup - Show Off Your Pile (Challenge 1)

2012-03-02T11:12:00.000-05:00

The Show Off Your Pile Challenge is very simple. All you have to do is share what you are planning to read (or have read already!) this month during the Review Copy Cleanup. Feel free to take a photo of your TBR pile you are aiming to devour this month - or if you don't have a camera at hand or you're reading ebooks, just make a list of your books or post the cover image. Not only can we then spy on you what you're reading, but you can also win some very cool books in the first giveaway of the Cleanup!

What I plan on reading:

Books and Dukes, Oh My!

2012-03-01T23:28:00.000-05:00

A Duke's Temptation by Jillian Hunter

Summary: Samuel Charles Aubrey St. Aldwyn, Duke of Gravenhurst, is a radical rogue and champion of unpopular causes. No one would dream that he is also the author of a bestselling series of dark historical novels, a writer accused of corrupting the morals of the public, and a master seducer who counts among his passionate fans wellborn Miss Lily Boscastle. But Lily is no stranger to disrepute.

When her engagement to another man ends in a tarnished image and public disgrace, Lily is forced to seek employment outside London --- as housekeeper for Gravenhurst himself. Her sharp wit and sensuality appeal to his wicked instincts --- and she's a perfect match for every beguiling move he makes. Yet there's more to him than Lily imagined --- a secret known to few living souls, ghosts from the past that haunt both of their futures in ways too dangerous for even the duke to have invented.

Review: An enjoyable romance with likable characters and books that play a major part in the story.

I found the premise of the book a bit hard to swallow. I did like Lily and her naughty streak, but a few minutes of flirting should not make a man want to marry her. That's incredibly stupid. The scandal wasn't much of one. I was expecting Lily to have been caught with another man, not what actually happened. I am not sure how that situation turned into a scandal and why would her parents just let her go on her own as a housekeeper, which is so below her station.

I did like Samuel and his antics, especially when he acted out the scenes from his books with his staff. Despite wanting to marry Lily instantly, he was a surprisingly level headed man who wasn't going to try and seduce her even though he really wanted to. He wanted her to make the decision. Which she certainly does, but it seems out of character for her. I found it hard to get a good grasp of her character. I enjoyed the interweaving of the story and Samuel's novels and the humor strewn throughout the novel. The ending was melodramatic, but satisfying.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy a dash of humor and books with their romance.

Trauma? Not So Much

2012-03-01T13:11:00.000-05:00

Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease by Robin Karr-Morse, Meredith S. Wiley

Summary: The first years of human life are more important than we ever realized. In Scared Sick, Robin Karr-Morse connects psychology, neurobiology, endocrinology, immunology, and genetics to demonstrate how chronic fear in infancy and early childhood lies at the root of common diseases in adulthood. Compassionate and based on the latest research, Scared Sick will unveil a major public health crisis. Highlighting case studies and cutting-edge scientific findings, Karr- Morse shows how our innate fight-or-flight system can injure us if overworked in the early stages of life. Persistent stress can trigger diabetes, heart disease, obesity, depression, and addiction later on.

Review: A book that informs, but still misleads and was a disappointment.

This summary of this book on Goodreads and on the book jacket makes it seem like this book will focus on trauma (sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and neglect). I have recently become fascinated by the connection between childhood trauma and the developing brain. Trauma can and does change the brain, making people more prone to mental illnesses. So in short, I thought this book would be perfect. Unfortunately, this book focuses on what they term little traumas (such as divorce or the death of a parent) before the age of 2. Only one chapter was dedicated to traditional traumas and didn't go into too much detail.

This book had some good information about the brain, how it functions, how environment can change genetics, and how trauma can affect and change the brain. The most interesting thing I learned about was how premature babies do not have all the protective measures in place so they can be really affected by their early experiences. Personally, I felt this book had an agenda. It constantly talks about how important mothers are to their children and implies that women should stay home with the kids because the more hours children spend without their mother, the worse of they are. Too bad many women can't stay home with their kids. It is not always mothers who can be important to their children. I felt this book was also quite doom and gloom. This happened to you and know you are stuck with it. Too bad. Very little is mentioned about the brain's plasticity and only one chapter is dedicated to therapy (including some types of therapy that are questionable). I was disappointed by this book.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that are very interested in how early childhood can affect our brains and bodies.

Books I Must Review: Update 2/29/12

2012-03-01T00:05:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the end of February and it's time for my little report (which functions mainly as a way for me to keep track of all my requests). I didn't do too shabby this month and I hope to review at least the same number or more next month. This list is tricky and seems to keep growing every month. I think the books are multiplying when I am not looking.

Books To Read:
1065131 by Jason Breedlove
Agents of Light & Shade by Sherwin Pineda

The Annihilation of Foreverland by Tony Bertauski

Better Dayz by Clary Ingram
Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory
Blood Oath by T. L. Clark
Chasing Vegas by Tad Vezner
Chosen by Jerry Ibbotson
The Concubine's Gift by Katy Ford
The Cursed Man by Keith Rommel
The Darkness by Crystal Connor
Delicate Wedding by Joseph Kranak
Demon Days: Angel of Light by Richard Finney and D. L. Snell
Dream Magic: Awakenings by Dawn Harshaw
End of the Innocence by David N. Alderman
Energy Book 1: Jasmine by Sabrina Sumsion
The Evil Visitor by Fernando Sobenes
Forge of Stones by Vasileios Kalabakas
Grace by Susan Bennett
Henrietta Sharp and the Magic Lunch Box by Jan Welborn-Nichols
How to Prevent Rape/How to Detect and Defeat Today’s Spy Technology by Daniel Hanson Jr.
Hungry For You by A.M. Harte
Isla Lacra by John Boyd
Journey Across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman's Search for Home by Veronica Li
The Keeper by Natalie Star
The Last Dawn by Christina Lasater
The Medici Legacy by Greg Ahlgren
Narrative Loserdom by Ryan Collins
Pretty Girls Make Graves by Nicole Trilivas
The Reality War Book 1: The Slough of Despond by Tim Taylor
The Rower on the Bluff by Lawrence Seinoff
Sacred Are the Brave by James D. Sanderson
The Shrew Untamed by James Carter
Unbalanced by Lawrence Seinoff
We Of The Universe by Rachel Coope
Wolves among Men by Penelope Sweet

Books I Read:
Goodbye Milky Way by Dan Makaon
The Night Shifters by Emily Devenport
Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li
Crimson Groves by Ashley Robertson

A Vivid Look into Another World

2012-02-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: Nightfall in Mogadishu is a spy thriller and historical novel set in Somalia. It weaves the country’s history, politics and culture into a tale of international intrigue. Susan Chen, a CIA agent is sent to Mogadishu to thwart a plot to overthrow the government. She finds a nation that has lost its soul and is whirling into a vortex of violence and terror.

Review: This was an exciting thriller that showed a different world (technically country, but it is a world apart).

I personally have not read many thrillers and they normally do not appeal to me, but I enjoyed this book. It was a nice mix of a kick ass woman, political upheaval, and a look into another country. I am honestly not sure when this book takes place so I do not know if Somalia is still like how it is portrayed, but I have a feeling it might be the same or similar. The politics added a level of intrigue that made this book more intriguing than what I think of as traditional thrillers.

I really liked Susan. She handled herself quite well for her first assignment and didn't fold under the pressure. It is quite impressive how well she was able to handle the banking position. The story moved a little slowly at first, but quickly picked up speed as events quickly came to a head. I must admit to sometimes losing track of characters in the story and sometimes forgetting who the character was and what had happened to him or her. Despite that, the story was quite nerve racking and nail biting, leaving one anxious to find out what happens next. I would gladly read another book about Susan's adventures.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy political thrillers, especially thrillers that take place out of the United States.

I'm Twitting!

2012-02-28T11:24:00.000-05:00

My Twitter account is here and I have added a little follow me button on my blog. If you are on Twitter and have a booky blog, let me know and I'll gladly follow you.

Monday: What Are You Reading?

2012-02-27T13:17:00.000-05:00

Recently Finished:

Currently Reading:

To Read (planned):

Not Special, but Merely Medicore

2012-02-25T21:53:00.000-05:00

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

Summary: "Special Circumstances":

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

Review: Why, oh why, do I keep reading Westerfeld's books?

Seriously, I am not really sure why I keep doing it. Perhaps I hope they will be good books (though I did enjoy Midnighters) and that I will enjoy them. Also, I am not sure why I bothered to read the second book in this series and the third. Perhaps it's because they are usually quick reads and I like to finish series eventually even if I didn't like them too much. Regardless, I read Specials, which says it's the last in the trilogy, but there is Extras, which I'll probably read eventually too.

It's been a while since I have read the first two so I don't remember too much. This book was full of drama and not much else (melodrama is a better term). The slang is irksome. The term icy kept making me think of snowmen and Ice Bat. I still find the world hard to swallow. Tally's adventures were somewhat entertaining and I liked learning more about the world, especially new cities. Tally herself was annoying and downright stupid at times. I didn't like how quickly change came to the world. The book seemed pointless.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who have read and enjoyed the rest of this series. I would recommend the series to those that enjoy young adult dystopian fiction with an unusual world.

A Kick in the Stomach

2012-02-23T23:09:00.000-05:00

The Wasp Factoryby Iain M. Banks

Summary: Frank - no ordinary sixteen-year-old - lives with his father outside a remote Scottish village. Their life is, to say the least, unconventional. Frank's mother abandoned them years ago: his elder brother Eric is confined to a psychiatric hospital; and his father measures out his eccentricities on an imperial scale. Frank has turned to strange acts of violence to vent his frustrations. In the bizarre daily rituals there is some solace. But when news comes of Eric's escape from the hospital Frank has to prepare the ground for his brother's inevitable return - an event that explodes the mysteries of the past and changes Frank utterly.

Review: An incredible look into a troubled mind.

I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the book at first nor I did particularly like Frank at first. I never did come to like Frank, but I found myself being torn between hating him and feeling sad for him. Banks does a wonderful job of showing the workings of a troubled, deluded mind. Frank's story slowly unfolds in a way that manages to build upon itself with increasing suspense. Eric and his escapes adds a new level of complexity to Frank and his past. Reading this book was very emotional for me and my stomach was often in knots. It's quite impressive how much of a reaction the book provoked.

As you learn about what Frank has done still does, you can't help but wonder what would create such a person. Was it upbringing or mental instability (perhaps it runs in the family). The question is always why, but there is not always an answer and that is the hardest part of all. I really wanted to know what the Factory exactly was, how it came about, and why Frank followed it. The ending was unexpected, but I don't feel that provides enough of an explanation as to why.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of serial killers, psychological horror, and anyone who wants to be scared a little. Not for anyone who are disturbed by graphic images and animal abuse.

One Wife Obviously Isn't Enough

2012-02-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Summary: At age 16, Rhine Ellery has four years to live. Thanks to a botched effort to create a perfect race, all females live to age 20 and males live to age 25. On the cusp of her 17th birthday, Rhine attempts to flee, but what she finds is a society spiraling out of control.

Review: A polygamy novel parading as a dystopian novel.

I don't mind polygamy as a practice as long as all people involved are informed, consenting adults. And since fiction is fiction, I don't mind polygamy in books even if it happens to be unwanted. Wither had polygamy due to a virus that kills people off at very young ages. I didn't understand why the virus killed off men at age 25 and women at age 20. The numbers were so exact and didn't make much sense. A more general range would have been more acceptable. And if certain people are so concerned with continuing the human race, why kill off the unacceptable women? Why not just dump them back on the streets? Is it worth killing them? The dystopian background of the novel is not very well fleshed out and seems like an excuse to have polygamy in a novel.

I wasn't a fan of Rhine. She is so eager to escape yet manages to fall for Linden, who I wasn't a fan of either. He isn't a bad guy, but he still gets his wives by force and has sex with them (even though one is 13). Is it worth causing so much pain to continue the human race when people die so young? And of course she manages to fall for Gabriel. They barely interacted. I found myself eager to finish this book just to get it over with.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone enjoys fiction about polygamy.

Space, Matter, and Time, Oh My!

2012-02-23T00:04:00.000-05:00

Review: Grand Unification and the New Look of the Atomby L.N. Smith

Disclaimer: I received this from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: Discover a provocative new conceptual model for the physics of the universe that answers some difficult questions: (1) What is dark matter? (2) What is dark energy? (3) What are virtual particles and antimatter? (4) What explains the Big Four of natural forces? (5) What are gravity waves, really? (6) Why have we been fooled into thinking that energy travels in bundles, called photons? (7) Why does light behave as both a wave and a particle? (8) How do electrons switch orbital shells without crossing the space in between them? (9) What was Albert Einstein's great oversight?

Review: An interesting twist of science and science fiction.

This book is actually two short stories (tales might be a better way to think of them). The first is an explanation of ecomets and the second is a journey through an atom. The first tale does a good job of going over some complex physics facts in a quick manner (although some of examples are a bit simple for how fast the theories are discussed. And as for ecomets, it's an interesting theory and fun to learn about, but one I cannot honestly entertain with what I know about physics hence the reason I call this science fiction. The second tale was a fun rump through an atom and explained a number of things about the atom without actually explaining directly in words.

Rating:

Recommendation: Due to the relative complexity of the physics, I would recommend this book to those really interested in physics and who also enjoy science fiction as well.

Your Imagination on Caffeine

2012-02-21T11:50:00.000-05:00

The Night Shifters by Emily Devenport

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: "Hazel — Promise me you won't give up on your dreams."

"I won't, Mom!" Hazel swears, assuming Mom means that she should try to be whatever she wants to be, a doctor, or lawyer, or even a mermaid. Hazel is just nine, but she really means to keep that promise.

Seventeen years later, she wonders if she's broken it - or maybe just failed to fully realize it, because she hasn't become a doctor, or a lawyer, or a mermaid. Or anything much, really. Yet, in one way, she has kept her promise — because Hazel is a Grand Champion Dreamer. When she's asleep, she dreams a dazzling universe full of heroes and monsters, princesses and goddesses, cities and temples and gardens that make the most wonderful places on Earth seem dull in comparison.

During the day, she does what she has to do to pay the bills. At bedtime, she turns in, confident that she will dream, and that the sun will come up in the morning. So on the evening of her last day, she embraces the night wholeheartedly and drifts into the universe of her imagination.

But when the alarm goes off, she opens her eyes to darkness. The sun hasn't come up, the world outside has become a City of Night, and the dwellers there are Night Shifters — gods and elves, daemons and djinns, dreamers and wizards. All of them have their own agendas, all of them are chasing Hazel, and as she fights to understand this world of dreams and her place in it, she can't help remembering what her mother said.

And she wonders. All those years ago, when she swore to never give up on her dreams, did she really understand what she was promising?

Review: A delightful novel with an unusual world, characters, and a main character you can cheer for.

Hazel certainly has an imagination, an incredible one actually, and the intertwining of her memories with the Night was incredible. I loved the slow revealing of the Night, Hazel's memories, and just exactly who she was. It was the perfect balance between info dumping and being too slow to reveal. I dare say it was tantalizing. I loved the Night and wished I could visit a place half as interesting in my dreams. To me, the Night symbolizes possibility and never giving up on your dreams.

I really liked Hazel even though I thought some of her decisions were foolish, but I cannot be too critical since she did quite well for being thrown into a situation she had no idea about. She kept her head and kept moving forward even when it seemed like the Night and everything in it was working against her. It was hard to decide which character to like and which to distrust and it kept switching. You become certain that one person is her enemy when that person actually becomes an ally. It was a bit hard to keep track of. I also didn't understand Hazel's attraction to any of the Night dwellers.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of fantasy and those who enjoy a twisting, weaving story line.

The Power of Mediocrity

2012-02-21T09:59:00.000-05:00

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Summary: I've seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he's a mystery. But to me . . . he's one of us.

Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

Review: I enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to finding about the other numbers and the bad guys, but this book was pretty dull most of the time, shoving in a bunch of action at the end.

Did they really think they could stay hidden, especially when their faces are plastered all over the news? For all their powers, they didn't do a very good job of being on the run. And they certainly ran. The book switched between the viewpoints of Number Four and Number Seven. I enjoyed Seven's story because it actually had some development and interest when compared to Four's story. It felt like Four was constantly on the run for two thirds of the book. Sure, there was a lot of action, but it felt like the same thing over and over again.

As mentioned before, there was plenty of action, but the rest wasn't too interesting to me. I did like learning more about Lorien, the Legacies, and the Mogs, but some of the information that is revealed seems a bit too convenient. I was not a fan of what happened at the end. They will continue to look for the other Numbers in the next book, but weren't they supposed to be doing that in this book? They found one more person, but will it take a book for each Number to be found? As Monty Python says, "Get on with it!"

Rating:

Recommendation: I would this book to anyone who enjoyed the first book and the series to anyone who enjoys teen fighting evil aliens.

A Few Cups of Coffee Might Get You Through

2012-02-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World by Mark Pendergrast

Summary: Uncommon Grounds tells the story of coffee from its discovery on a hill in Abyssinia to its role in intrigue in the American colonies to its rise as a national consumer product in the twentieth century and its rediscovery with the advent of Starbucks at the end of the century. A panoramic epic, Uncommon Grounds uses coffee production, trade, and consumption as a window through which to view broad historical themes: the clash and blending of cultures, the rise of marketing and the assembly line mass production, and urbanization. Coffeehouses have provided places to plan revolutions, write poetry, do business, and meet friends. The coffee industry has dominated and molded the economy, politics, and social structure of entire countries.Mark Pendergrast introduces the reader to an eccentric cast of characters, all of them with a passion for the golden bean. Uncommon Grounds is nothing less than a coffee-flavored history of the world.

Review: As a relatively new coffee drinker and a fan of history in all varieties, I thought I would enjoy this book. But I didn't.

Coffee is such an ingrained part of our lives. And nothing exists in a vacuum. Coffee has and still affects the world. Pendergrast presents a lot of information and history, but focuses a lot on the later half of the 1800s and the 1900s. He waits til the last chapter to describe some basic information about coffee, which should have been in the very beginning. The best thing I can say about Pendegrast is that he is very thorough. He must have done a lot of research. I enjoyed learning about how caffeine affects the body (it is a poison and the liver tries to break it down as fast as it can) and how sexism was used in a lot of coffee ads.

The worst thing I can say about Pendegrast is that he is very thorough. He presents a lot of information, perhaps too much information. I also feel he focuses on the later half of the 1800s and the 1900s too much. I was most interested in the early history, early 1800s and before. That could just be me though since I like early history (anything before the 1900s) and medical history.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to people who are really curious about the history of coffee and/or people very interested in 1800s/1900s food history.

A Not So Sleeping Beauty

2012-02-19T01:12:00.001-05:00

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn

Summary: Talia fell under a spell...Jack broke the curse.

I was told to beware the accursed spindle, but it was so enchanting, so hypnotic...

I was looking for a little adventure the day I ditched my tour group. But finding a comatose town, with a hot-looking chick asleep in it, was so not what I had in mind.

I awakened in the same place but in another time—to a stranger's soft kiss.

I couldn't help kissing her. Sometimes you just have to kiss someone. I didn't know this would happen.

Now I am in dire trouble because my father, the king, says I have brought ruin upon our country. I have no choice but to run away with this commoner!

Now I'm stuck with a bratty princess and a trunk full of her jewels...The good news: My parents will freak!

Think you have dating issues? Try locking lips with a snoozing stunner who turns out to be 316 years old. Can a kiss transcend all—even time?

Review: An interesting take on a fairy tale that combines modern and historic elements. Unfortunately, the characters, especially Talia, hindered my enjoyment of this book.

I thoroughly enjoy fairy tales and fairy tale retellings. A Kiss in Time was unique in that it involved both modern and historic elements although it doesn't really answer the question of how a kingdom gets thrown three hundred years in the future (besides making it an amusement attraction). I honestly wasn't a fan of the mixing. Perhaps another story could do it better, but I think prefer either modern retellings or retellings set in historic times.

Speaking of mixing, I felt that Talia became too easily accustomed to modern times. She often spoke of how she wasn't a child anymore (since she was 300 years older), but I felt that she was more bratty in modern times than in the 1700s. I don't care how beautiful, smart, and talented you are! Jack was a nice enough guy, but I don't buy the falling in love in a week nor could I see falling in love with Talia. Everyone accepted the story of what happened way too easily. Also, Malvolia wasn't evil enough for my tastes. I know it's a fairy tale retelling, but everything ended too nicely.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to huge fans of Sleepy Beauty and fairy tales and retellings.

Review Copy Cleanup

2012-02-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 2012 Review Copy Cleanup!

My bookish friend, Celine from Nyx Book Reviews and I were getting swamped in review books. We decided to make it all a bit more fun and are challenging you all to read your review copies with us! Clean up that big pile of books this March and join the Review Copy Cleanup. We have lots of fun challenges and tons of prizes in store for you guys, so make sure to join us on a quest to clean up our review copy pile and to have some fun in the process.

Challenge guidelines:

✦ This challenge runs from 1 to 31 March, 2012
✦ Sign-ups are open until 15 March 2012. After that the linky list will be closed and participation in the challenges and giveaways won't be possible for anyone who hasn't previously signed up.
✦ To sign up, just fill in the Mister Linky form below. Link to your sign up post directly, please!The Linky is the same for both our blogs, so you only have to sign up once.
✦ When you post your sign up post on your blog, either include the challenge button with your post or link it back to this article so that people know where to sign up. Thank you!
✦ Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both ebooks and hard copies, including all genres and lengths.
✦ You don't need to follow the two hosts in order to be able to sign up for the event (although it's appreciated), but you do have to follow us in order to be able to enter our giveaways. In order to be entered in the giveaway, simply complete the given challenge and add the link to your post in the linky list.
✦ Challenges will be posted every week on Fridays and will last throughout the week until Thursday the next week. Every challenge ends with a giveaway. To enter in the challenges and giveaways, simply add the link to your challenge post in the Linky list in the main challenge post. It will be posted on both blogs.
✦ At the end of the event we will host our Massive Giveaway. This contains tons of prizes donated by awesome authors. All you'll need to do in order to enter this giveaway is to fill in a Rafflecopter form - as simple as that. :)
✦ Most of our giveaways will be open INTERNATIONALLY but you'll find all the relevant info about each giveaway when we post the challenges.
✦ Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of lovely bloggers :)

Challenge schedule:

✦ March 2 - Show Off Your Pile
✦ March 9 - Cuddle Up With a Book
✦ March 16 - Don't Be Such a Tease!
✦ March 23 - Mysterious Meet-up
✦ March 30 - Love Will Find a Way

My Thoughts: This challenge will be perfect for me since I have many books to review and anyone else who has a backlog of books to review.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T15:50:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day! My husband and I grabbing dinner (aka fast food) and then going to a delicious frozen yogurt place afterwards. I didn't want to do anything really fancy since the resturants will be super crowded and my mind is currently on my school work. What is everyone doing? And even if you don't have a significant other, just think of all the cheap, discounted candy after the holiday! :)

Ice Bat says "I ice you!"

Review: And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

2012-02-12T18:47:00.000-05:00

And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

Summary: Supremely sensible Emmaline Dove wishes to share her etiquette expertise with London's readers, and as secretary to Viscount Marlowe, Emma knows she's in the perfect position to make her dream come true. Marlowe might be a rake with a preference for can-can dancers and an aversion to matrimony, but he is also the city's leading publisher, and Emma is convinced he's her best chance to see her work in print...until she discovers the lying scoundrel has been rejecting her manuscripts without ever reading a single page!

As a publisher, Harry finds reading etiquette books akin to slow, painful torture. Besides, he can't believe his proper secretary has the passion to write anything worth reading. Then she has the nerve to call him a liar, and even resigns without notice, leaving his business in an uproar and his honor in question. Harry decides it's time to teach Miss Dove a few things that aren't proper. But when he kisses her, he discovers that his former secretary has more passion and fire than he'd ever imagined, for one luscious taste of her lips only leaves him hungry for more.

Review: Apparently, it is perfectly ok for a woman not to have any morals or to have too many morals and be divested of those morals with ease.

Seriously, these books (this one especially) act like there is something wrong with having morals. Morals are not something you should throw away over one damn guy who can kiss well. And why can't women ever seem to control themselves? Why is it that women go from virgins (why are they always virgins?) to enjoying sex in a really short period of time? Learn some self control! I certainly don't mind a woman questioning her morals and eventually sleeping with a man before marriage in romance books, but it has to be done well, like in The Devil's Waltz. Otherwise, it gets annoying and old quite quickly.

What I disliked most about Marlowe was his off hand remark about how he hired a woman to prove that a woman could do a job as well as a man. That was a nice thing he did, but he doesn't see any worth in Emma or any women for that matter. I don't know how lust goes to love with those two. I also find it hard to believe Marlowe wouldn't pay any attention to Emma in all the five years she worked for him. I was glad that Emma was able to grow as a person, but it shouldn't have taken a man to do all the work.

Rating:

Recommendation: It's hard for me to recommend this book. If you can't get enough of rakes and tight laced spinsters, then you can give this book a read.

Review: House of Pleasure by Deborah Court

2012-02-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

House of Pleasure by Deborah Court

Summary: When Jane Eden inherits an old Victorian mansion on the outskirts of Boston, she has no idea what secrets it harbors. She soon discovers that it's a magic house, fulfilling all the sexual fantasies of its female residents. Losing herself in sensual dreams that take her to exotic places and delightful historical eras, she never considers what will happen if she ever loses her heart.

Luke Thomas is Hollywood's most celebrated action-hero, used to swooning fans falling all over him. One day he meets a beautiful woman in a park who doesn't seem to be interested in him at all. It's a challenge he just can't resist. His desire to see her again transports him to Jane's house, and he gets lost in the arms of a lover who drives him into a frenzy of boundless pleasure. But will he gain her love when the prize is higher than she's willing to pay?

Review: A quick, smutty read with little else.

This was a bit longer than a short story, but despite the added length, there was very little actual story. Just a lot of sex. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about sex, but I need some build up, some tension associated with it. The sex was quite hot and fun to read about. Why are authors so afraid to name female body parts? I don't want to hear terms like hot love channel. And I didn't get why loved blossomed between Jane and Eden that quickly. They had sex, a number of times, but there was no explanation besides an "instant" connection, which could have been attributed to the magic of the house.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys smut and doesn't need a story.

Review: The Devil's Waltz by Anne Stuart

2012-02-10T22:39:00.000-05:00

The Devil's Waltz by Anne Stuart

Summary: Penniless heiress Annelise Kempton is hired by a rich widower merchant to execute his daughter's successful debut and help her snare a titled husband. The notorious Viscount Christian Montcalm is in debt, but determined to win over Annelise.

Review: A thoroughly enjoyable romance with a slow seduction and a happy ending.

After looking at books similar to this one, it seems like the spinster/rake romance is a common one. This was my first encounter with it (I haven't read much romance yet) so perhaps I enjoyed it more than I would have if I had read other books with a similar plot. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a tad annoying that the main female character constantly listed her faults even though the main male character finds so just damn attractive. And of course the womanizing rake falls in love with only one woman.

I really liked both Annelise and Christian. They were both stubborn, but are not afraid to come to terms with their feelings. Christian was delightfully bad, but not too bad. The interaction between Annelise and Christian was delightful. Chipple is a bit too evil to believe and although I suppose there are man out there like that, I think his evil was used a plot device. I liked the romance that developed between Annelise and Christian and that it actually took some time to develop. The ending was a bit too happy for my tastes, but it was still very satisfying.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of historical romance, especially Regency romance.

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

2012-02-09T12:06:00.000-05:00

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Summary: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls' lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

Review: A dystopian novel with a hard to believe premise and decent characters.

I know that we have to swallow a lot of unbelievable premises in dystopian fiction, but some are more unbelievable than others. What I find more important than the premise is how well the premise is executed. I always hold all dystopian novels up to 1984, which might be unfair, but 1984 is one of my favorite novels so I do it anyways. I can certainly believe a virus that made everyone over 18 infertile, but I could not take the whole culture that came around because of it seriously. The slang didn't help either. It should either been taken out or toned down. A glossary would have been nice too.

The characters were extreme opposites of each other and I felt like they were plot devices used by the author to show how different the two cultures were and how they would clash. There was a lot of stupidity and blindly following by both characters, especially Harmony, but they do manage to come into their own beliefs by the end of the book. Since the book is told in 1st person by both twins, I find it hard to believe that the duplicity of the one twin wouldn't have entered her thoughts. I am interested to read the second book and see how everything develops between the twins.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of young adult dystopian fiction who don't mind a rather wacky premise.

Wednesday Weeklies: Design Your Own Perfect Valentine's Day Date Reading Challenge

2012-02-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I am featuring a challenge, which I wrote a story for. This story is for the Design Your Own Perfect Valentine's Day Date Reading Challenge on Goodreads. This is your fantasy and you can make it go any way you wish. The following are examples of what you can choose, but please feel free to improvise and change them to fit you. Make it your own. These are meant to help guide you to your very own Happily Ever After, and it's your turn to write your own fantasy date. I had choosen the fill in option, hence the story. Enjoy:

It was Valentine's Day and I had been invited to The Devil's Waltz, an event hosted by The Lost Duke of Wyndham so known because he had recently returned from many years abroad and no one had heard from him in nearly as long. It was a masquerade so I decided to dress as an Angel in a Red Dress. I had always liked to toe the line of propriety.

It was an exquisite event and no expense was spared. I was eager to see the duke that everyone was talking about, but masks covered every face, including mine. I danced with many people, but was still none the wiser. Halfway through the party, I stopped for a moment to get something to drink. A man dressed in livery approached me and handed me a card. It asked if I would spare One Dance with a Duke. "Yes!" I told the man, hoping that I had attracted the attention of the mysterious duke. I was soon approached by a man dressed as a Scotsman although I knew the duke was English through and through.

"And who might you be?" I asked him, knowing full well the answer.

"I, my dear, am a highlander. Could you not tell?"

"The plaid gives it away," I replied with a smile. He placed his hand on my waist and led to the dance floor. I didn't think my heart could beat any faster. And he was so handsome too even though the mask covered half his face.

"There is one thing you must know about highlanders."

"And what's that?"

"A proper lady would never ever be caught In Bed with a Highlander."

"But who says I am a proper lady?" I knew this flirtation was dangerous and that a woman's reputation was almost all she had, but the way he smiled and the twinkle in his eyes did funny things to my mind and body.

"So I am not Tempting a Proper Lady then?"

"I am afraid not." His smile grew wider and he pulled his body flush against mine. I could feel his obvious excitement.

"Then you are not afraid of The Perils of Pleasure?"

I knew I was treading on dangerous waters. Everything I heard about the duke told me that he was a notorious rake and seducing women was his favorite pastime. I should excuse myself, run away, do whatever possible to get away. Instead I found myself saying no even though I had barely kissed a man before. No one had so sparked my interest like the duke had done in so short a time.

"Would you like to go to someplace more private?"Last chance. This was my last chance. I should run. I need to run. "If You Desire." I'm a fool. The world's worst fool. The dance ended and the duke led me off the dance floor by the hand. I was going to give in to A Duke's Temptation and I wasn't sure where I would find myself when it was all over. But this was the best worst decision I ever made.

Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

2012-02-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

Summary: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

Review: A decent steampunk adventure with evil robots and a just a smidge of romance.

I liked the idea of the Jekyll/Hyde aspect of the main character. It was a bit jarring at first the difference between the two sides of Finley's character even though I knew what was wrong with her. I honestly didn't feel much for her character or the rest of the characters. I saw them as a group of oh so special teenagers who trying to fight the bad guy and save the day. There wasn't much depth to the characters. My favorite character was Jack Dandy and I wish he had been in the book more. I will admit that I found the romance between Sam and Emily sweet.

Ok, I do not need to know what everyone is wearing every time they show up wearing a new outfit. It's unnecessary. And how many special gadgets/abilities do these oh so special teenagers have or will have in the future? Why did it take so long for Griffin to finally help Finley when it could have done it much sooner? And I saw the plot twist coming from many miles away. The story was certainly action packed, but the action can't do much to help it. I had been hoping for a more interesting resolution to why machines have started to attack people and who the Machinist actually was. The book wraps up the story, but does end on a cliffhanger. I'll give the second book a shot.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of young adult steampunk and possibly steampunk in general if you are a huge fan.

Review: Crimson Groves by Ashley Robertson

2012-02-06T12:47:00.000-05:00

Crimson Groves by Ashley Robertson

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a review.

Summary: Intense and suspenseful with a twist of romance. Abigail Tate was a normal human girl. Until the day Bronx the vampire barges into her life and turns her against her will. Held captive while forced to deal with never ending cravings for blood, Abby prays for a way to escape. Only when an opportunity arises, it's with the aid of an innocent human named Tyler—except vampires are forbidden to interact with the unbitten. But Abby quickly learns this human has secrets of his own...secrets that can either help her or get her killed. Only Abby discovers that she was the one with the biggest secret of them all.

Review: A vampire story that started out strong, but weakened in the last two thirds of the novel. Despite that, Crimson Groves still managed to entertain.
I really liked Abby and thought she was a very realistic character. She did do a bit too much crying for my liking, but she was always trying her best to get out of the situation she found herself in. Also, she listened to her mind instead her body a good deal of the time, especially with Tyler. It was refreshing that she saw Bronx for who he is and didn't fall in love with him (no Stockholm syndrome here). I found the whole situation with Bronx so unfair (but life isn't fair) and I was glad when she was able to escape with Tyler.

The book lost steam after that point. It was a good deal of Abby trying to find information, find blood donors, and trying to resist falling for Tyler. If humans aren't supposed to know about vampires then how do they find blood donors? Aren't they afraid they will blab? I liked the idea of vampires with magic. It is a bit cliche how special Abby is, although she does happen to be a unique blend. The ending was satisfactory and opens up the possibility for a second book. I do want to know what will happen to Abby, Tyler, and Stone in the next book (if there is one).

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of vampire/supernatural fiction who are sick of the same old vampire fiction.

Review: Goodbye Milky Way: An Earth in Jeopardy Adventure by Dan Makaon

2012-02-05T10:40:00.000-05:00

Goodbye Milky Way: An Earth in Jeopardy Adventureby Dan Makaon

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: Tom is a freelance project manager with a reputation for getting results for corporations and governments. But he’s never been up against a challenge like this. The earthquake that triggered the Asian tsunami did more than kill 283,000 people. It caused a shift in the axial tilt of the Earth. But what could have caused such a powerful earthquake and its unusual tectonic activity? An eclectic group of scientists, calling themselves the Star-Slayer Team, calculates that the cause of the quake emanates from the depths of space, threatening all of mankind with extinction. Tom leads a harrowing expedition to Antarctica and discovers an ancient secret that can help save mankind. He joins the Star-Slayer Team and leads massive and dangerous construction projects in Ecuador and on the Moon. Assisted by Aieda, a powerful and sophisticated computer, the team has only seven years to develop the mechanism that will save the Earth and the Moon. With Einstein-like intelligence, and even adopting a female persona, Aieda believes her new theory governing gravity and space-time will save humanity. But can she be trusted?

Review: A very action packed science fiction adventure that had a few faults.

I must admit that when I first started this book, I wasn't sure how much I would actually enjoy it. The premise of the book sounded interesting, but the actual development of the plot was hard to believe. Everything fell into place so quickly and there were a large number of resources available and people so willing to help. I am not denying that all those people could have come together eventually, but it went way too quickly in the book. Another aspect of this book that I didn't like were the characters. They felt stilted and two dimensional. Also, I don't need descriptions of all their actions, especially the most bland. I can infer that they performed certain actions.

But despite all that, I did enjoy this book. As I mentioned before, it was very action packed so the reader could never stay bored. As the project progressed, there were many attacks and you never knew what would come next and where. I liked the characters better as time went one although there still was that describe everything aspect going on. This book had plenty of physics, mainly astrophysics, which I love so I enjoyed that part of the book. I liked comparing my knowledge of physics and current theories to what the characters in the book mention. The ending was a little unexpected and I can't help but wonder what else got affected.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of science fiction with a lot of action and/or science.

Review: The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

2012-02-01T23:29:00.000-05:00

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

Summary: It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of "Sight," the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward's protector, who brings her to court as a "holy fool" for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.

Review: My least favorite in her Tudor series due to the book being told from the viewpoint of a character I didn't much care for.

I know authors historical fiction can and do twist history to their purposes and almost all dialogue will have to be created, but I like my historical fiction to be as close to history as possible and if not, I want it to be entertaining. I am not sure if there were women fools, but I didn't mind the idea. I, unfortunately, did not like the character of Hannah. She is a 20th century woman thrown back to the 16th century. There was a large disconnect between her beliefs and the time period. It was too much of a contrast. Hannah makes a lot stupid and foolish decisions that only bring her pain and dismay. She felt too high and mighty for my liking.

Her character felt merely like a plot device to show the lives of Elizabeth and Mary. I highly doubt a fool would have been taken into such high confidences and even if the queen and princess felt friendly to her, I doubt they would see easily share their feelings and thoughts. I did enjoy the changing contrast between Elizabeth and Mary, but I did not feel that a fool character had to be invented to show that contrast.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would only recommend this book to people who will read anything they can about Elizabeth or Mary or people who have read her other Tudor novels.

Books I Must Review Update 1/30/12

2012-01-30T15:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I did manage to read a few books from my list of books that I must review. I still have a few Goodreads First Reads books to review. The rest are books that people have requested me to read. This list has grown thanks to this blog. I plan on having a post like this each month to demonstrate my progress and also to remind me what I still have to read (it's convenient having it in one place).

Books To Read:
1065131 by Jason Breedlove (Goodreads First Reads)
Better Dayz by Clary Ingram (Goodreads First Reads)
Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory (Goodreads First Reads)
Chosen by Jerry Ibbotson (ebook)
The Darkness by Crystal Connor (ebook)
Demon Days: Angel of Light by Richard Finney and D. L. Snell
Goodbye Milky Way by Dan Makaon
Grace by Susan Bennett (ebook)
Hungry For You by A.M. Harte (ebook)
Journey Across the Four Seas: A Chinese Woman's Search for Home by Veronica Li (ebook)
The Keeper by Natalie Star (ebook)
The Night Shifters by Emily Devenport (ebook)
Nightfall in Mogadishu by Veronica Li (ebook)
The Rower on the Bluff by Lawrence Seinoff (ebook)
The Shrew Untamed by James Carter (ebook)
Unbalanced by Lawrence Seinoff (ebook)

Books Completed in January:
Demon Days by Richard Finney, D.L. Snell

Miles Away... Worlds Apart by Alan Sakowitz
Undaunted by William Manchee

Review: Undaunted by William Manchee

2012-01-29T20:20:00.000-05:00

Undaunted by William Manchee

Summary: As a youngster Stan Turner is determined to become an attorney. He is mysteriously forewarned that the path to his dream will be difficult and fraught with danger. At every turn, Stan is confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet he pushes forward, undaunted by the unknown forces that seek to derail him. Forced into the United States Marines by a vicious twist of fate, Stan leaves his wife and family and reports for duty. On his first day he unwittingly befriends a serial killer and soon finds himself charged with the murder of his drill sergeant. Aided by a lustful nurse who wants him and a journalist who wants his story, Stan desperately searches for the actual killer to prove his innocence.

Review: A decent mystery read, but the main character really irked me.

The author provides a lot of background information at the beginning of the story. It takes a few chapters to get to the actual story. It felt very unnecessary and it takes longer to get to the actual story. Also, within the first few chapters, there is a chapter that is told from another viewpoint. At first I thought that it was the author many years later, but it turns out later that it is a reporter. Later in the story, there is another chapter told from the reporter again and I was able to tell it was from the viewpoint of the reporter. Those two chapters should have been marked and caused a lot of confusion at first.

Stan is a jerk. I really hated his character. He has two women who want him and he somehow falls in love with one in a few days (and I thought you were happily married). He doesn't sleep with the women and they call him a great guy because he didn't cheat on his wife, but I call him a hypocrite! He constantly talks about how he shouldn't be doing this, but he didn't want to disappoint the women or disobey orders (and those orders weren't orders!). The mystery was decently intriguing and had a few twists, but I couldn't enjoy this novel because I wanted to strangle Stan.

Rating:

Recommendation: It's hard for me to recommend this book because of my strong dislike of the main character, but I suppose big fans of military fiction and mysteries might enjoy this.

Review: The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation by Elizabeth Letts

2012-01-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Eighty Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired A Nation by Elizabeth Letts

Summary: Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a bleak winter afternoon between the slats of a rickety truck bound for the slaughterhouse. He recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up horse and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry’s modest farm on Long Island, the horse thrived. But the recent Dutch immigrant and his growing family needed money, and Harry was always on the lookout for the perfect thoroughbred to train for the show-jumping circuit—so he reluctantly sold Snowman to a farm a few miles down the road.

But Snowman had other ideas about what Harry needed. When he turned up back at Harry’s barn, dragging an old tire and a broken fence board, Harry knew that he had misjudged the horse. And so he set about teaching this shaggy, easygoing horse how to fly. One show at a time, against extraordinary odds and some of the most expensive thoroughbreds alive, the pair climbed to the very top of the sport of show jumping.

Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo, based on the insight and recollections of “the Flying Dutchman” himself. Their story captured the heart of Cold War–era America—a story of unstoppable hope, inconceivable dreams, and the chance to have it all. Elizabeth Letts’s message is simple: Never give up, even when the obstacles seem sky-high. There is something extraordinary in all of us.

Review: An enjoyable story about a man who rose from long odds and was able to follow his dreams. Plus, there are horses!

I shamelessly love horses so I was interested in reading this book, especially since I had never heard of Snowman. As I learned in this book, Snowman's fame was during the late 50s and 60s so it made sense that I had never heard of him before. I am very glad someone told Snowman and Harry's story. Letts provides a lot of background information of horses, their riders, and the culture that surrounds them. It is sad that horses have declined in importance in their use, especially for use on farms. As I mentioned before, Letts provides a lot of background on horse, which can easily get boring and dry for those that only have a casual interest in horses or little interest in history.

Snowman and Harry are inspirational because they both wouldn't give up. The two were really meant for each other. Their story shows what trust, love, and a good amount of hard work can accomplish. I found myself cheering for Snowman and cringing whenever he made a fault. Like Harry, I wanted him to be the best. Snowman had a lot of triumphs in his life and he lived a full, fulfilled life. I know it was inevitable, but it was still quite sad when Snowman passed away.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of horses and those who enjoy a heart warming inspirational story.

Review: Short Story, Powerless by Stella Notecor

2012-01-27T22:50:00.000-05:00

Powerless by Stella Notecor

Summary: When Mark orders his boyfriend-and-employee David to get coffee, David is offended. He's the Chief Technology Officer for their company, not some lowly secretary! But he's ready to make Mark understand what it means to lose control of a situation. It's time for one of their games...

Review: An enjoyable and quick smutty read with some bdsm thrown in. I liked the contrast between the characters' work lives and their home lives. The dom/sub relationship they had (although it did not seem too strict, but I am certainly not an expert) did not leech over into their work lives, which is a healthy thing. The characters were quite sweet and really cared about each other. The sex was titillating and not overdone. This story didn't stay in my mind long after I read it, but I still enjoyed this story.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this short story to fans of m-m fiction.

Review: Short Story, Like Cats and Dogs

2012-01-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

"Like Cats and Dogs" by Robert Ropars

Summary: Dark Bites is a horror short story collection focusing on the classic creatures we love to fear: zombies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts and more. Adriana is bitten by a jaguar in Guatemala. Returning to Chicago, she faces a renegade werewolf on a rampage. Can she learn the ways of the were-jaguar from her ghost lover Lily before the next full moon? Or will she fall before him as Lily did?

Review: "Like Cats and Dogs" is part 2 of a larger story collection, but stands on its own. The short story, although short, feels like part of a larger story or novel. The story still manages to wrap up by end, but I was left wanting more and annoyed that the author would throw in so many extras that the story could have done without. The summary is also a bit misleading. Lily is not Adriana's ghost lover (unless I missed something completely). Adriana reacts a bit too well to becoming a werejaguar. The "bad guy" didn't seem all that bad and I feel that there is another side to his story. It was nice to have other wereanimals besides werewolves.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this story to anyone who is a huge fan of werewolves and wereanimals and for fans of horror stories.

Review: House, M.D.: The Official Guide to the Hit Medical Drama by Ian Jackman, Hugh Laurie

2012-01-26T12:48:00.001-05:00

House, M.D.: The Official Guide to the Hit Medical Drama by Ian Jackman, Hugh Laurie

Summary: "Humanity is overrated." Dr. Gregory House's pronouncement wasn't just a momentary peeve; it represents his philosophy of life. The main character on Fox's long-running House, M.D. series knows that he doesn't reside in a just universe and he refuses to beautify his opinions, medical or otherwise, with niceties. This official guide unfolds the conflicting characters, evolving dramas, and fascinating cases of this award-winning audience favorite. A perfect primer to our secret guilty pleasure.

Review: A very thorough book that talks about how the series got started, is produced, and the running of the show. Chapters on the characters make this book better although it is still a dry read.

I was very eager to read this book because I am a huge House fan although I am so behind on the seasons. Plus Hugh Laurie is quite sexy. ;) The book is structured with chapters dealing with the show and how it is run interspersed with chapters on the characters. There are some color pictures and pictures scattered throughout the book. The book has quotes from various members of the House team and little interviews along with the standard written parts of the chapter. The quotes and little interviews break up the chapters in annoying way, distracting readers with different fonts and text sizes.

I was expecting this book to be more about the show itself, not how the show is produced. Some of the information including props and how special effects are created are pretty interesting, but I didn't want to read a whole book about it. There are still plenty of quotes and information about the characters (besides just the chapters on the characters) that give thoughts on the philosophy of the show, the characters' interactions, and where the show may be headed. The chapters on the characters were the most interesting and I would have gladly read a book that was just about the characters. This book was a bit dry and also has some spoilers for various seasons.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book only to people who are big fans of House and possibly people who are very interested in the production of a tv show.

Review: The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

2012-01-26T12:13:00.001-05:00

The Lady of Bolton Hillby Elizabeth Camden

Summary: Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

Review: An enjoyable romance with likable characters and a good message.

I honestly didn't realize that this book was a Christian work. I had downloaded because it sounded like it might be a good romance. And it was. The time period allows for the strong faith that Clara displays, but the author does not hit the reader over the head with Clara's faith. It is a part of her convictions and drives her journalism. Clara is unique in the fact that her father encourages her to pursue her journalism even though women were rare in the field. I do not know enough about the time period, but I do suspect that women like Clara were few and far between. Daniel is a really sweet and strong character and you can tell how much he cares about his sisters and Clara.

The beginning prologue demonstrates the friendship between Clara and Daniel. It's a very heart wrenching chapter and you hope that Clara and Daniel will get together in the end. I liked the political background to the story. It's add another level to the romance and demonstrates what life was like back then for the working poor. Both characters are very stubborn and you will see that in the story, especially Daniel. The theme in this story is change and I was certainly glad for the change that occurred. To me, the change seemed to happen too fast though, especially since two of the characters were so set in their ways and had been for years. The ending was sweet and satisfying.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction, historical romance, romance with a bit of suspense thrown in, Christian romance, and/or clean romance.

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2012-01-21T23:51:00.001-05:00

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Summary: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Review: A cool read that involves angels and a love triangle that actually makes sense and doesn't annoy me.

I do so love reading angel related fiction and I must admit to wishing I had wings. I also plan on being an angel for Halloween too. I love the mythology behind the angels in this book although I still don't understand how or why angel blood can be transmitted, but I can look past that. There is a lot of information not revealed in the book about angels and I am very eager to learn more, especially after the ending. What is the purpose of angels? And what happens if angels don't find their purpose? Why are they on earth, not in heaven?

Clara has a dash of Mary Sue in her although they can somewhat be explained by having angel's blood. I did sympathize with her, genuinely liked her, and I was glad that she followed her heart even though there might actually be consequences (unlike many stories where one or both characters say they can't be together because there might be trouble). I liked Tucker much more than Christian and I was glad the love triangle actually made sense instead of being there just for extra drama. The ending was deliciously unexpected and I am eager to see what happens in the next book.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of young adult supernatural fiction, angels, or anyone who is sick of love triangles that are thrown in books just because and wants a good romance read.

Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

2012-01-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Summary: Salvation has its price.

The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. "You're lying. What you're describing is impossible. There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone, they're gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever."

Robert's next words weren't directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. "That which is dead doesn't always stay dead...."

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri’s birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It's graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside of the Academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. He's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever.

But Rose can't forget what she learned on her journey—whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose's prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what—and who—matters most to her. In the end, is true love really worth the price?

Review: My favorite in the series so far. An enjoyable read with plenty of intrigue and unexpected events.

Rose has really grown on me. I still believe that she is still obsessed with Dmirti in a way that can be construed as unhealthy. I also don't like how she doesn't believe that Lissa should be learning ways to defend herself because it might put her in danger. She has protected Lissa for so long, but she can be too protective and a bit smothering of her friend. Despite all that, I really feel for her and I want her to be happy. I was also quite excited that she finally got together with Adrian. I really like Adrian.

There is a lot of action in the book, which make sense since the series is wrapping up in the next book. The first third of the book is a bit of blur due to the action of the last two thirds. I will not spoiler the book, but I still can't believe what Lissa, Adrian, and Rose do in their quest to attempt to save Dmitri. They chase a rumor and risk so much. I was very surprised by the ending and I wonder how Mead will manage to wrap it all up in the last book.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this series to fans of young adult supernatural fiction and vampires. I am glad I stick with this series so I would tell people to stick with it since it gets better.

Review: Miles Away... Worlds Apart by Alan Sakowitz

2012-01-18T23:21:00.001-05:00

Miles Away... Worlds Apartby Alan Sakowitz

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: Alan Sakowitz, a whistleblower of a Madoff-like Ponzi scheme masterminded by Scott Rothstein, fraudster extraordinaire, tells the story of his decision to turn in Rothstein regardless of the possible dangerous ramifications of such a decision. The saga of Rothstein's rise and fall which included a Warren Yacht, two Bugattis, Governor Crist, the former Versace mansion, The Eagles, and even the murder of a law partner, is the stuff that Hollywood movies are made from.

Instead of the mere accounting of such a scandal, Sakowitz uses the Rothstein scheme as a cautionary tale in stark contrast to the stories of humble, ethical individuals living within Sakowitz's neighborhood in North Miami Beach, Florida. Sakowitz's neighbors are people who have spent their lives trying to assist others, not line their pockets, and through these stories Sakowitz creates a sharp dichotomy between the greed, of a Rothstein and its mainstream culture of consumption and the charity, kindness and selflessness of a principle-oriented community. Indeed, Sakowitz speaks to the symptoms of a culture that could create a Scott Rothstein, and, though acknowledging that the easy way out is not simple to dismiss, offers remedies to the growing ills of our entitlement society. The answer, Sakowitz says, lies in thinking first of others, and how one's actions should benefit the lives of friends, not one's short-term gratifications.

Review: A gratifying book that tells the story of extreme greed and contrasts it to a community of people that are willing to help others without a second thought.

The motto of this story, if it's too good to be true, then it is. Sakowitz turns a lawyer's eye on the situation and can easily see the red flags. Still, even if you aren't a lawyer, I hope that people wouldn't be so easily taken in by something that seems too good to be true. It's always worth getting a second opinion. It is also very important to trust your gut. Too often people are blinded by greed.

The story of Rothstein's fall could have been a very sad and tragic story. Sakowtiz balances Rothstein and his greed with stories from his community. Those stories are very heartwarming and I would gladly read a book just of those stories (Sakowitz mentions the possibility of such a book in his acknowledgments). I am very glad Rothstein gets prosecuted and gets what is coming to him. I had hoped to learn exactly how Rothstein was taken down. The fall of Rothstein and his scams is a cautionary tale. I do not think there is anything wrong with earning money and wanting to have some of the nicer things in life, but there is a point where there is too much money unless it is being used for good purposes.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to people who enjoy legal/law nonfiction and anyone who enjoys heartwarming stories and good messages.

Review: Short Stories, Unfinished and Victoria Gardella

2012-01-15T16:52:00.000-05:00

Unfinished by Carol Oates

Summary: Jonas is already raising eyebrows at his new school and Cathy's day isn’t going much better. Everyone is acting as if she isn’t there, her twin is usurping her friends and her occasional boyfriend is moving on. Can she convince Jonas to help her before it’s too late?

Review: A quick read that still manages to fit an entire plot in its short length.

It's nice to read a ghost story instead of another vampire and/or werewolf story. It takes a few moments for the reader to figure out that Cathy is a ghost. The story lets itself be told instead of resorting to info dumps. How Cathy becomes a ghost is revealed in good time. The story builds up quickly and reaches a somewhat mediocre climax. The reason behind Cathy's death is a bit melodramatic. I really liked that Cathy did not give up on her sister even when it seemed like there wasn't any hope.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this story to supernatural fans along with those that enjoy ghost stories.

Victoria Gardella by Colleen Gleason

Summary: A short story introducing readers to the Gardella Vampire Chronicles.

Join Victoria as she navigates her way through balls and Society even as she works to rid the world of dangerous, bloodthirsty vampires.

Review: A quick read with vampires and fancy dresses and balls.

This short story happens to take place during the events of the first book, The Rest Falls Away. I have not read the first book, but the story still stands on its own. I like vampires, even though there are so many vampires stories out there, and the time period, which are the reasons I read this short story. Since this story is part of a series, I can forgive the info dumps. The action was quick and enjoyable. I can't say if I'm right, but I feel like there might be a love triangle in this series.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this story to fans of the series, fans of vampire fiction, and people who enjoy their historical fiction with a supernatural twist.

Review: Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation by Steven Johnson

2012-01-15T16:11:00.001-05:00

Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovationby Steven Johnson

Summary: With Where Good Ideas Come From, Steven Johnson pairs the insight of his bestselling Everything Bad Is Good for You and the dazzling erudition of The Ghost Map and The Invention of Air to address an urgent and universal question: What sparks the flash of brilliance? How does groundbreaking innovation happen? Answering in his infectious, culturally omnivorous style, using his fluency in fields from neurobiology to popular culture, Johnson provides the complete, exciting, and encouraging story of how we generate the ideas that push our careers, our lives, our society, and our culture forward.

Beginning with Charles Darwin's first encounter with the teeming ecosystem of the coral reef and drawing connections to the intellectual hyperproductivity of modern megacities and to the instant success of YouTube, Johnson shows us that the question we need to ask is, What kind of environment fosters the development of good ideas? His answers are never less than revelatory, convincing, and inspiring as Johnson identifies the seven key principles to the genesis of such ideas, and traces them across time and disciplines.

Most exhilarating is Johnson's conclusion that with today's tools and environment, radical innovation is extraordinarily accessible to those who know how to cultivate it. Where Good Ideas Come From is essential reading for anyone who wants to know how to come up with tomorrow's great ideas.

Review: An enjoyable read that combines natural history, technology, and science to explain how ideas either succeed or fail.

This book wasn't exactly what I expected. The summary and title is a tad misleading. Johnson does not provide "the complete, exciting, and encouraging story of how we generate the ideas that push our careers, our lives, our society, and our culture forward." Instead of focusing on a handful of ideas and providing the seven key principles that brought about each of those ideas, Johnson dedicates a chapter to each key principle and provides a few examples for each idea. It is a bit unnatural to divide the key principles up since they can overlap and can be more or less important to an idea.

I did enjoy learning about the stories of how ideas and innovations came about. It makes sense that they don't come from a vacuum and it was crazy to see how some ideas ideas and innovations may have never come about if one or two things would have been different. I had hoped to learn about how more ideas came to be, but Johnson kept using the same stories over and over again. My favorite aspect of this book is how ideas are created and developed in the natural world. Animals, plants, and bacteria are really quite smart when it comes to creating and implementing ideas.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to anyone interested in innovation and/or someone interested in the development and history of technology. This book might be a little too in depth for someone with a casual interest in the subject.

Review: Thirst by Claire Farrell

2012-01-14T00:02:00.000-05:00

Thirst by Claire Farrell

Summary: Ava Delaney calls herself a hybrid - a living, breathing human who happens to have vampire poison running through her veins. The only thing greater than her thirst for human blood is her capacity for guilt. She does her best to avoid the human world, for everyone's sake.

When Ava accidentally enslaves a human while saving him from a vampire, she realises she has to look for help setting him free. Despite her misgivings, she expands her world but finds herself dragged into a possible vampire civil war. With the help of some new friends with ambiguous loyalties, she tries to find a way to keep her human, and herself, alive.

Review: A solid vampire read with likable characters and a slightly different take on vampires.

I must admit to not expecting that much from this book since it was a free Kindle ebook (perhaps I'm a tad prejudice, but a lot of self published books are pretty bad), but I was pleasantly surprised. Farrell had a take on vampires that was between totally sexual creatures and complete and utter monsters. My only issue with the vampires is that if vampires are vampires because of the poison in their blood, why do they still get burned by crosses and silver?

Ava was an interesting character. She never let herself give into her urges, which takes a lot of self control. She wanted to protect humans from herself, which is pretty damn noble. Saving humans from vampires was another good trait of hers. Her OCD traits made her very human like. She goes to great lengths to try to free Carl after she accidentally claimed him. Carl wasn't much of a character for most of the book due to the thrall, but he seemed like a good guy. I liked Peter and enjoyed the budding feelings between Ava and Peter. Eddie is a jack ass and I know he's up to something.

There was a lot of build up in this novel and the plot moved swiftly. I enjoyed the scraps of knowledge that the reader learned about vampires and am quite eager to learn more. And who exactly is Eddie? The book does leave you lacking a lot of knowledge, but I did not find that to be an issue since it makes you eager to read the next book. The ending was sudden and I felt a little let down since there was such a build up to it.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to fans of supernatural/vampires fans. Plus it's free (on Amazon) and a quick read.

Review: Demon Days by Richard Finney, D.L. Snell

2012-01-11T14:54:00.000-05:00

Demon Days by Richard Finney, D.L. Snell

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review.

Summary: While on vacation, journalist Sandy Travis and her fiancee, Tom, are in a horrendous helicopter accident. Tom is seriously injured and has an N.D.E. (a Near Death Experience) where he sees a bright light and a figure who tells him that he must go back to the living because there's still more he must accomplish with his life. After Tom is revived, he tells Sandy that he believes he's spoken to God. As it turns out... Tom is wrong. Horribly wrong. The episode plunges Sandy into a dangerous race against malevolent forces who want to trigger Armageddon as foretold in the Bible. She must save her husband from the dark forces who suddenly control his life by following a bloody trail of coded secrets and targeted assassinations. Sandy's plight will pit her against an otherworldly cabal who use the process of N.D.E. as a way of orchestrating events that will usher in the Demon Days!

Review: A very suspenseful novel with a nice dash of horror and a wonderful main character.

This a short book, but the authors certainly pack a punch and a bit of a wallop too in the 188 pages. I'm very excited to read the sequel, which has many pages so who knows how exciting it will be? Pretty exciting I'm betting. Since it is 2012 and all, Armageddon and the end of the world are very big. The History Channel even had a week dedicated to it. I do enjoy end of the world prophecies so I was eager to read this book. I wasn't sure how the authors could fit everything into such a short book, but they certainly managed to do it.

The book was very suspenseful and I found myself dreading, yet still eager to see what came next. The plot moves at a fast clip and you are catapulted forward into each new event. I really liked Sandy as a character. She was very realistically depicted and was a very strong person. Sandy was able to make decisions about what she could and could not focus on at the moment. I felt like she dealt very well with the trauma she was going through.

There were a number of tragedies throughout the story and the ending was the hardest to take. I wish it would have ended any other way than how it did. It is such a shame what happened to Sandy and Tom. The ending sets the stage for the next book.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would highly recommend this to people who are thriller/horror fans and those who enjoy end of the world fiction.

Wednesday Weeklies: Book Challenge Highlights

2012-01-11T11:03:00.002-05:00

I do plan on concocting a challenge or two for my blog at some point, but for the moment, I'm going to list a few of my favorite book challenges (all located on Goodreads because that is the site I happen to use and love). I'll provide links to the challenges so you too can join in on the fun if they strike your fancy.

1) The Incredible Challenge Factory Scavenger Hunt, Part II

Challenge Summary: January 1, 2012 – April 30, 2012

This “Challenge” works in conjunction with the other challenges you may participate in this month. You may use a book to fulfill multiple items (you do not have to read 50 books this month...do not worry!) While you are fulfilling the requirements of your other challenges, be on the lookout for the following items (they may be on the cover or mentioned in the book) Most items are specific, but if in doubt about an item – just ask!

When you find one of the items list the Book Title and Author (or link the cover), date it, rate it, and specify where the item is found within the book. (Books that are used must be read during the time frame of this challenge.) Good Luck! ☺

1. Donald Trump (or anything Trump related)
2. Maybach (any model)
3. Astroturf
4. Cupid
5. Candy Hearts
6. Elephant
7. Pink Tutu
8. Bodybuilder
9. Hoop Skirt
10. A Peignoir
11. A Trousseau
12. Captain’s Wheel
13. Compass
14. A Constellation
15. Full Moon
16. Glitter
17. Shakespearean Reference
18. Long Island Iced Tea
19. Absinthe
20. Fairy Prince
21. A Ballroom
22. Wedding Gown
23. Tiara
24. An Orchid
25. Telepath or Empath
26. Bank President/Manager/CEO
27. Summer Solstice
28. Winter Solstice
29. Samhain
30. Christmas
31. Turkey, Dead or Alive!
32. Were-____ (any were-animal will do)
33. Horn of Plenty
34. Pumpkin
35. Island Country
36. An Oasis
37. Machete
38. Bloody Handprint
39. Futuristic Vehicle
40. Tricycle
41. Treadmill
42. An Assassin
43. Rosary
44. Cross
45. Illegal Drug
46. A Mask
47. A Pseudonym
48. 4 Alarm Fire
49. Fireman
50. A King

Why I Love It: It's an unusual challenge and I love unusual challenges. They aren't any set books to read so can read whatever you want. It's like a treasure hunt and it's a pleasant surprise to find an item in the book you are currently reading.

2) The Book Word Challenge 2012

Challenge Summary: Pick one(or more) of these words and phrases and try to read a book for each letter. You can use the first letter of the book title or important word in the title or the first or last name of the author, or their official initials, or mix and match these options. Small words like a, in, is, an, the etc do not count as important words!

eg The King's Secret Matter means you can use letters K, S or M.
J.K. Rowling you can use J or K or R

SCIENCEFICTION, MYSTERY, THRILLER, HORROR, ROMANCE, URBANFANTASY, WESTERN, NONFICTION, DYSTOPIAN, PARANORMAL ROMANCE, YOUNGADULT, CHILDREN, CRIME, CHRISTIAN, RELIGION, HISTORY, HISTORICALFICTION, or any other book genre you can think of not on this list.

-Your books for each letter do not have to relate to the genre of the word or words you chose.
-When you finish a word, feel free to do it again or choose a new word
-your books can be tbrs, re-reads, books of any length including kids books. You decide!

This challenge runs from January 1st to December 31st 2012.

Why I Love It: I enjoy spelling out words. You don't have to read science fiction books while spelling out science fiction, but you can, which offers an extra level of challenge. If you read the genre you are spelling out, it gives you a chance to read a new genre, a favorite genre, and/or catch up on your to be read books.

3) New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball Challenge

Challenge Summary: The first item on the agenda is to pick your outfit/costume.

- You may pick one or more books that have a to die for dress, costume, or mask you fell in love with on the cover, or the title has a dress/out fit in the title (example Lady in the red dress) or do a spell-it-out challenge using the color of your dress, name of the character you choose, etc.

Example of a spell-it-out:
R: Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr (Title)
E: Edward from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (Character's Name)
D: Cat with an Emerald Eye - Carole Nelson Douglas (Author's Last Name)

The second item on the agenda to do is find/pick your date. If you hate committing to just one individual, then feel free to fill up your dance card with those individuals you'd like to dance with:

- Read 1 or more books which include your favorite romance hero(es)/heroine(s) or do an optional spell-it-out with the characters name first, last, or full.

- The third item on the agenda is to pick your mode of transportation

- Read 1 or more books which contain some means of transportation on the cover on in the book that you'd like to take to the ball. You may, if you like, do a spell-it-out challenge.

Fourthly, pick what music you'd like to dance to or what dance you'd like to partake in (could be a waltz or polka, etc). You could pick something current, retro, classical, etc At this ball you are the Belle of it so you get to pick.

- You may choose one or more books with couple dancing on the cover, have dancing or a masquerade ball in the book, or opt to do our ever popular spell-it-out challenge of your favorite song or dance.

The fifth item on the agenda is to Pick an entree or, if you are to nervous to eat in front of others, an hor'dearve.

- You may choose one or more books with a feast or dinner item on the cover (pizza, chicken kiev, ham, etc), books with sit down dinners, or do a spell-it-out challenge of your favorite food entree.

Lastly, as the clock strikes midnight pick what drink you'd like to toast the New Year in with.

- You may choose one or more books with your favorite beverage on the cover, with people toasting in the New Year in the book, or do a spell-it-out challenge of your beverage of choice.

Why I Love It: Half the fun of this challenge is picking out what dress to wear, who to go on a date with, how to get there, the music or dance you want to do, the food, and the drinks. Plus, it's a theme challenge and I do so enjoy themes. It's a lighthearted, fun challenge.

Review: The Book of Universes: Exploring the Limits of the Cosmos by John D. Barrow

2012-01-10T23:13:00.001-05:00

The Book of Universes: Exploring the Limits of the Cosmos by John D. Barrow

Summary: Einstein's theory of general relativity opens the door to other universes, and weird universes at that: universes that allow time travel, universes where you can see the back of your head, universes that spin and bounce or multiply without limit. The Book of Universes gives us a stunning tour of these potential universes, introducing us along the way to the brilliant physicists and mathematicians who first revealed their startling possibilities. John D. Barrow explains the latest discoveries and ideas that physics and astronomy have to offer about our own universe, showing how these findings lead to the concept of the "multiverse"—the Universe of all possible universes. New ideas force us to confront the possibility that our visible universe is a tiny region, governed by its own laws, within a Multiverse containing all the strange universes that could be—an idea that is among the most exciting and revolutionary in all of modern science.

Review: A very thorough and accessible book about our universe and the many possible forms it can take.

When this book says it's a book of universes, it certainly is a book about universes. Each chapter in this book and each section in the chapter begins with one or two quotes which are quite humorous. The first few chapters in this book are very accessible and the author's humor comes through. A good deal of the information in the first few chapters is a review of what I already know, but provides a good basis for those that are new to physics and the historic and more recent developments in the field. The book follows a roughly chronological line when discussing the universes.

I did learn quite a bit of new information. I was not aware of just how many universes there were. The Book of Universes is almost like a dictionary of universes. Once the first few chapters are finished, the author lists a handful of universes each chapter and provides a few pages about each one. I feel there are too many universes in this book. It might have been better to provide a couple examples for each chapter instead of three or four or five. This book also does not provide much information about the physics behind the universes.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys physics or who is very interested in learning about the universe. I would not recommend this book to casual science readers.

Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2012-01-08T01:20:00.001-05:00

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary: Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

Review: A very sweet, romantic read with likable characters and an intriguing plot.

I was initially wary of this book due to the relationship between Grace and her wolf, which I can't really call a relationship at all. One of her friends says she is obsessed with the wolves and it is very close to the truth. Grace still has a life, but she is too into the wolves, especially her wolf. And there was Sam's deceleration that he should stay away, even though he didn't and didn't seem to have the self control to stay away. Why does no one seem to have self control? And early on in their relationship, they both declare their obsession for the other and talk about be unable to imagine life without each other. Despite this ill beginning, their relationship built at a logical pace and was a very sweet relationship.

I liked the werewolves in this book. They can't change at will and can only shift when it's warm. It's an interesting take on a very overdone subject, although not as much as werewolves. The heat plays a big role in the story. The chapters that switched between Grace's and Sam's view threw me off for a few seconds at times because I didn't always look at the chapter title, but that was a small complaint. I liked all the characters. They were well characterized. The ending of the book is very bittersweet and I am looking forward to reading the second book to find out what happens next.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of werewolves, supernatural/paranormal fiction, young adult fiction, and fans of sweet romance with or without a supernatural twist.

Review: The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan

2012-01-07T15:24:00.002-05:00

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan

Summary: Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers: The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers’ genes far and wide. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also done well by them. So who is really domesticating whom?

Review: A short book (in ebook form at least) that took too long for me to read despite having some interesting facts and good points.

I was very interested in reading this book because it sounded like it would be fascinating. I suppose I didn't read the summary well enough and thought this would be more far reaching than it actually was. Having the book broken down into four desires and four plants was not necessarily a bad idea. It could provide a good overview of the plant, its evolution, and interactions and developments with humans. And while I did learn some interesting and downright fascinating facts about plants and their evolution with humans, the author did not do the best of job of staying on track.

The marijuana chapter was the one chapter guiltiest of this, but all the chapters were somewhat rambling in nature, jumping from subject or topic to another. I don't need strictly linear history, but the jumping around had me bored a number of times. My favorite chapter was the one about potatoes and made me want mashed potatoes or my grandmother's delicious potato salad while reading it. The history behind the potato is very interesting and I would like to read more about it, especially the potato blight and how it affected the Irish people.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would only recommend this to people very interested in plants, gardening, and botany.

Review: Nine Days a Queen: The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey by Ann Rinaldi

2012-01-06T11:05:00.000-05:00

Nine Days a Queen: The Short Life and Reign of Lady Jane Grey by Ann Rinaldi

Summary: I had freckles.

I had sandy hair. I was too short.
Would my feet even touch the ground if I sat on the throne?

These are the words of lady Jane Grey, as imagined by celebrated author Ann Rinaldi. Jane would become Queen of England for only nine days before being beheaded at the age of sixteen.

Here is a breathtaking story of English royalty with its pageantry, privilege, and surprising cruelty. As she did in her previous novel Mutiny's Daughter, Ms. Rinaldi uses powerful, evocative writing to bring to life a teenage girl caught in the grip of stirring times.

Review: A quick read, a very quick read actually, but an enjoyable story with a sympathetic character.

I have not previously read a book about Lady Jane Grey, but it is a very fascinating story. It's almost hard to believe that someone was queen for only nine days. I know some people may think of queens as being very powerful, but her story goes to show that even if a woman was queen, she could so easily be powerless. Some queens were more powerful than others, but Jane Grey was very much a pawn, or at least that is how it appears to me.

I found Jane to be a very sympathetic character and I hoped (even though there was no hope) that Jane would not be forced to marry, that she would not become queen, and would not be beheaded. This book had a good deal of foreshadowing due to Jane remarking that she was grateful that she was a not a princess, that she would never be queen, and that she would throw the crown at them if she ever did become queen. I must admit it's a little much because we all know what will happen to her.

Jane's character took a somewhat significant turn after she became queen, but I am not entirely sure it was warranted due to her actions, behaviors, thoughts, and emotions before. She took to the power she always said she never wanted a little too well. All in all, the story of Lady Jane Grey is a tragic one and this book does a good job of telling it.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to fans of young adult historical fiction, the Tudors, or stories dealing with young girls and teenagers in hard positions.

Review: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

2012-01-04T23:04:00.001-05:00

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Summary: Cherie Priest's much-anticipated steampunk debut has finally arrived in the form of a paperback original. Its plot features the sort of calibrated suspense that readers of her Four and Twenty Blackbirds would expect.Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his mother save him in time? Zombie lit of the first order.

Review: Steampunk, zombies, and a strong woman character? What could go wrong? Unfortunately, it did go wrong. I was expecting to like this book much more than I did so I must admit to being let down.

A few people have mentioned in their reviews that this book would be better as a movie and I agree. It's a somewhat simple story that involves a lot of action and fighting zombies, perfect for the big screen, but not so much in movie format. I thought that Briar was a strong character (I hesitate to say strong female character since that implies that most female characters aren't) although she seemed on the verge of losing it a number of times. It felt like there were underlying issues with her. Zeke was downright idiotic at times in his behavior. He didn't want to listen to his gut, which got him into many messes and forced people to recognized him. I liked Lucy and Jeremiah the best.

I found it a bit hard to believe that people except for those developing and smuggling the drug lemon sap to actually live in Seattle, especially since air ships docked on a regular basis. And I know this book came before Dragon Age, but I kept thinking of the Blight in Dragon Age (awesome game). The plot moved fast enough, but it felt without substance. The ending felt melodramatic and was something of a let down when compared to all the build up so far.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would only recommend this book to big fans of steampunk and zombie fans who don't mind a bit of steampunk with their zombies.

Wednesday Weeklies: Ebook Deals

2012-01-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

This is my first Wednesday Weeklies post. Wednesday Weeklies will feature ebook deals, book giveaways, book blogs, book challenges, or whatever else booky that strikes my fancy.

Today features ebook deals (just from Amazon for the moment).

Disclaimer: Except for the Amazon Daily Deals, I do not know how long these ebooks will stay free or cheap.

Amazon's Daily Deal

Amazon is featuring three of Dava Sobel's books today as their daily deal. Daily deals only last until midnight.

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time

Summary: The thorniest scientific problem of the eighteenth century was how to determine longitude. Many thousands of lives had been lost at sea over the centuries due to the inability to determine an east-west position. This is the engrossing story of the clockmaker, John "Longitude" Harrison, who solved the problem that Newton and Galileo had failed to conquer, yet claimed only half the promised rich reward.

Price: $0.99

A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos

Summary: By 1514, the reclusive cleric Nicolaus Copernicus had written and hand-copied an initial outline of his heliocentric theory-in which he defied common sense and received wisdom to place the sun, not the earth, at the center of our universe, and set the earth spinning among the other planets. Over the next two decades, Copernicus expanded his theory through hundreds of observations, while compiling in secret a book-length manuscript that tantalized mathematicians and scientists throughout Europe. For fear of ridicule, he refused to publish.

In 1539, a young German mathematician, Georg Joachim Rheticus, drawn by rumors of a revolution to rival the religious upheaval of Martin Luther's Reformation, traveled to Poland to seek out Copernicus. Two years later, the Protestant youth took leave of his aging Catholic mentor and arranged to have Copernicus's manuscript published, in 1543, as De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres)-the book that forever changed humankind's place in the universe.

Price: $1.99

Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love

Summary: The son of a musician, Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) tried at first to enter a monastery before engaging the skills that made him the foremost scientist of his day. Though he never left Italy, his inventions and discoveries were heralded around the world. Most sensationally, his telescopes allowed him to reveal a new reality in the heavens and to reinforce the astounding argument that the Earth moves around the Sun. For this belief, he was brought before the Holy Office of the Inquisition, accused of heresy, and forced to spend his last years under house arrest.
Of Galileo's three illegitimate children, the eldest best mirrored his own brilliance, industry, and sensibility, and by virtue of these qualities became his confidante. Born Virginia in 1600, she was thirteen when Galileo placed her in a convent near him in Florence, where she took the most appropriate name of Suor Maria Celeste. Her loving support, which Galileo repaid in kind, proved to be her father's greatest source of strength throughout his most productive and tumultuous years. Her presence, through letters which Sobel has translated from their original Italian and masterfully woven into the narrative, graces her father's life now as it did then.

Price: $0.99

Free Kindle Ebooks

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Summary: The undead can really screw up your senior year ...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction.

$0.99 Kindle Ebooks

Entwined

Summary: Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Unearthly

Summary: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has apurpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Camille

Summary: At a time when society conforms to the strictest rules and most proper etiquette, sixteen-year-old Camille Kennecott and her guardian, Dr. Bennett, live a most unconventional life. They hunt werewolves.When unwitting victim, Nathaniel Strider, wanders into one of their full moon pursuits, Camille and Dr. Bennett believe they have found a specimen for their study. Finding a scientific key to unlocking the mystery of lycanthropy would end their late night excursions. Yet beneath the irresistible exterior, Nathaniel is transforming into a flesh-tearing monster, and as each experiment fails, Camille loses another inch of her soul to him. In a month’s time, she must face the prospect of destroying the boy who has stolen her heart.

Review: Farewell, my Queen by Chantal Thomas

2012-01-02T17:19:00.000-05:00

Farewell, my Queen by Chantal Thomas

Summary: A woman whose function it once was to read books aloud to Marie Antoinette is haunted by the memory of her last days at the French court of Versailles, when Louis XVI's magnificent palace succumbed to the irrepressible forces of revolution. Now exiled in Vienna, Madame Agathe-Sidonie Laborde looks back twenty-one years to the legendary opulence of Versailles and, overcome with nostalgia and remorse, discovers the full measure of her fascination with the Queen she served.

Madame Laborde takes the reader within the palace, meticulously reconstructing the 14th, 15th, and 16th of July 1789, feverish days when the servants have disappeared and many of the courtiers are fleeing. Versailles' miniature universe, sparkling with every outward appearance of happiness and beauty, is brilliantly juxtaposed with the chaos that erupts. We witness the unraveling of the palace's dawn-to-dusk ritual and the rising panic of the court as Versailles edges closer and closer to collapse. With the revolutionaries virtually at the gates of the palace, Madame Laborde herself flees the night of the 16th, escaping with members of the once-powerful de Polignac family.

Review: Just as I am a fan of all things Tudor, I am also a fan of all things Marie Antoinette. Unfortunately, this book was very disappointing.

That the this book was told from the point of view from the reader of Marie Antoinette is unusual. I do not think such a person would be the best to accurately represent events. I felt like the reader was a nonperson and was only there to convey the story even though the book is told from her point of view. Technically, this book is told from first person perspective, but on one occasion, the reader manages to know the thoughts in another character's head.

I did enjoy this book when it first started. I liked the contrast between the Revolution and what life was like in 1810 compared to the life of the Court before 1789. Despite the book having chapters that supposed to take place in certain years, there was a good bit of jumping around. The chapters that deal with the three days are broken into hours. There is a good amount of the reader just wandering around the castle and listening to conversations, which provides the background and plot for the story. The plot started to drag during the third day. I also never felt any sense of urgency or despair despite the events that were occurring. I skimmed the last 20 pages and I was glad when it ended.

Rating:

Recommendation: I honestly wouldn't recommend this to book to anyone unless they are a huge fan of Marie Antoinette.