The 999 Challenge

The Keep by Jennifer Egan (33/81)

2009-12-24T19:37:00.001-05:00

The story begins with Danny's arrival at The Keep, an ancient European castle that has come into the possession of his cousin. Though Danny thrives on a busy social scene, he has left New York for the isolated confines of the Keep because he has angered too many people at home. Howie, the cousin, has been very successful in life and has bought the castle with the goal of creating a special sort of resort where people can escape from the modern and allow their sense of adventure and imagination free rein.

The story of Danny, Howie and the Keep alternates with that of its author or narrator, an inmate in a state penitentiary for unspecified crimes. He's taking part in a writing program, where he is creating or remembering the story of the Keep. With this story, he hopes to impress the leader of the writing group, a woman named Holly, but in prison, even writing a story can attract the animosity of a man's fellow inmates.

There's an interesting tension between the two narratives. Both stories are contemporary, but the story of the Keep, while mostly realistic, incorporates so many Gothic elements--not just the Keep itself, but an ancient baroness, a journey into the catacombs, a looming tower--as to push into the realm of fantasy or parody. The prison narrative, while not outwardly Gothic, still very much involves those Gothic elements such as isolation, confinement, the weight of the past, and forbidden longings.

Despite the use of Gothic and metafictional elements, the story is fairly restrained, which sometimes gives the novel a little bit of a truncated feeling. My initial response was to feel a little disappointed by the end of the novel, as if the unique setting and structure of the novel had promised much more than it had been able to deliver. On reflection, my affection for the novel has grown. The Keep is a story about the choices the people make and how those affect their lives and connections with others. It may not indulge the fan of the Gothic novel in the full-on outrageousness one may expect from that genre, but it does use those elements skillfully.

Laughter in the Dark (32/81)

2009-12-24T18:41:00.003-05:00

An early Nabokov novel about a man named Albinus, a well-to-do German businessman who becomes infatuated with a callow younger woman. There are some similarities here with Pandora's Box or "Der Blaue Engel" (for fans of Weimar Cinema) in this story of a rather pompous individual brought low by his romantic entanglement with a younger woman.

Overall, it's a fairly tragic story, as Albinus loses first his marriage, then his daughter, then, in quick succession, his sight, dignity, fortune and life. It has its moments of humor and unique prose. Though hardly as brilliant or radical as Nabokov's later works, Laughter in the Dark is still a well-crafted narrative of one man's folly.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (31/81)

2009-12-23T14:58:00.001-05:00

The title of the novel is no accident, for it is as gothic a tale as any that was ever set in a crumbling castle on the banks of the Rhine. Its treatment of human evil, isolation and madness could easily qualify it as the pinnacle of 20th Century American Gothic.

A shadow has fallen across the house of Blackwood. Though once a prominent family, a possibly accidental poisoning has reduced their numbers to three (two sisters, an uncle) and made the townspeople suspicious of the survivors. The uncle, Julian, has been left physically crippled and one of the sisters, Constance, has developed a phobia about the world outside the house which does not prevent her from accepting visitors. It is left to the younger sister, Merikat (short for Mary Katherine), to venture into town on necessary errands.

Gothic literature often features singular characters, individuals who seem eerily plausible yet who are warped in a way that makes them unlike anyone else we've ever encountered. Merikat, who is the narrator and thus our guide through this story, is just such a character. It is clear that she views the townspeople with hostility, going so far as to craft charms--ordinary household items such as books or mirrors placed in odd locations or strange configurations--to keep the world at bay.

But soon it does intrude, in the figure of Charles, a cousin from an estranged branch of the family. His healthiness and level headedness seem to promise an opening up of the Blackwood home, a return to normality. But Merikat sees in him a representative of the crudity and selfishness of the outside world and seeks to drive him out through more and more powerful charms. The last of these results in a terrible reaction from the townspeople which sends the Blackwoods into greater isolation, leading to a hauntingly melancholy end to the story.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle is an incomparable achievement, a story that will equally charm and disturb in ways that sometimes can be almost intolerable. And you will probably never forget Merikat Blackwood.

Murder at Hazelmoor, 28/81

2009-11-10T01:51:00.003-05:00

A murder in a tiny Dartmoor village in the dead of winter sets the stage for this classic Christie whodunit. Several had a motive, few had an opportunity. The most likely suspect is quickly imprisoned, but his fiance remains unsatisfied with the law's conclusions. Determined to clear James Pearson's name, Emily Trefusis sets off with intrepid newspaper reporter Charles Enderby to seek out the circumstances of Major Treveylan's murder. As with all of Christie's books, we get plenty of atmosphere as the plot unfolds in the Dartmoor countryside. Here we see the deepest depths of winter. This novel has all of the elements of a juicy, quick read. The plot and suspense build as we follow Emily on her quest for answers. This is classic Christie- a bit of brain-fluff, for sure, but engaging and well-written.

Agatha Christie, Murder at Hazelmoor (Putnam, 1987) ISBN: 0396090133

Category: Scary/Spooky, 3/9, 28/81

Easy to Kill, 27/81

2009-11-10T01:47:00.002-05:00

It's easy to kill if no one suspects you, and in the situation Luke Fitzwilliam has wandered into, that seems to be the case. A series of deaths has mostly gone unnoticed-- unfortunate accidents, they seemed, but not to everyone. Lavinia Fullerton has suspicions and premonitions, but she is run down on her way to alert the authorities. After hearing Lavinia's story retired police office Luke Fitzwilliam decides to do a bit of investigating of his own. He finds a small town with a variety of eccentricities. In some ways, this novel follows the typical Christie pattern: murder, a variety of suspects, and an unsuspected conclusion. This particular Christie has more of an element of danger, however, which adds excitement. We actually get to see some action, not just the detective revealing his or her conclusions at the end. Christie has also been successful in underlining the fact that apparently, it is remarkably easy to kill (or at least it was in the days before DNA evidence and whatnot.)

Agatha Christie, Easy to Kill (Pocket Books, 1945) ISBN: 0671811282

Category: Scary/Spooky 2/9, 27/81

Velva Jean Learns to Drive, 26/81

2009-10-21T20:47:00.001-04:00

In the mountains of western North Carolina, in the 1930s, Velva Jean Hart lives with her extended family in a community rich in folk tradition and seemingly isolated from the outside world. Velva Jean Dreams of one day going to Nashville to sing at the Grand Ole Opry. But Velva Jean's community is not one that people tend to leave. Velva Jean is limited by her age and family situation. With her mother dead and father run off, she is left to the restrictions of her older sister. With age and marriage Velva Jean's dreams of Nashville fade, but she gains a new desire- to learn to drive. This novel follows Velva Jean from childhood into young adulthood. At every turn it seems that Velva Jean is forced to push her dreams aside. Her story is set in Appalachia during the Depression, and we also see the first signs of outside intrusion into these previously cloistered communities. The Blue Ridge Parkway is about to be cut through the mountains. Even if it does not cut through their village, the new road will affect the lives of all around it. This was an engaging book, with a complex plot line and characters. A wonderful read.

Jennifer Niven, Velva Jean Learns to Drive (Plume, 2009) ISBN: 0452289459

Category: Published in 2009, 4/9, 26/81

Red Pottage, 25/81

2009-10-21T20:43:00.002-04:00

This 1899 novel, the story of friends Rachel West and Hester Gresley, provides biting satire of the gender and class conventions that governed late-Victorian England. Set against a trio of painful love stories, Rachel and Hester learn the inconveniences and heartbreak of love. Rachel loves an adulterer, and Hester, a writer, loves her new book, whose manuscript consumes all of her time and energy. These pursuits are set against particular Victorian settings: Hester in the vicarage home of her self-satisfied, traditional, high-church brother, and Rachel in the stately homes of rural Middleshire's minor gentry. Both friends feel acutely the emotional and physical restrictions of their situation. None are able to understand Rachel and Hester's friendship, a deep, emotional attachment formed outside the boundaries of heterosexual marriage. Guiding the plot is what is perhaps one of the most ridiculous displays of masculine bravado: a suicide pact between the two lovers of Lady Newhaven. Cholmondeley is biting in her criticism of Victorian society. Somewhat different from other Victorian satirists, she relies upon plot rather than explanation. Cholmondeley doesn't tell us why we should see absurdity in a particular situation; she relies on plot to do that. Written at the very end of the Victorian era, we start to see the seeds of change in gender relations. The very biting quality of Cholmondeley's novel suggests coming change.

Mary Cholmondeley, Red Pottage, (Penguin, 1986) ISBN: 1406845612

Category: Virago Modern Classics 5/9, 25/81

Jewels: A Secret History, 24/81

2009-10-21T20:39:00.003-04:00

I must admit, I am captivated by jewels: their shine, their brilliance, their color. Thus, I was excited to read a history of jewels. Finlay's is a social history, examining how human beings have constructed the value of brilliant minerals. This is not a comprehensive study. Finlay has chosen a series of case studies, the research for which took her all over the globe, from Australia, to Russia, to Sri Lanka, to the American southwest. This is quite an interesting book, and it certainly does show that these stones that human beings so treasure have no inherent value. This is evident in the changing fortunes of so many stones, which have variously fallen in and out of favor. It also becomes clear through the course of Finlay's work, that stones have, and do, cause a tremendous amount of human suffering. Indeed, in the long history of gems there has been much more misery than fortune. Finlay's history is clearly narrative in nature. She is concerned with telling some of the most interesting stories behind the jewels. It is not a book that analyzes the larger social forces behind many of these changes. Still, this is an interesting book. Finlay gained access to many places most people cannot. She travelled to some of the most unforgiving parts of the world in search of the people who mine, cut, and sell valuable stones. Any jewelry-lover will likely find this book engaging.

Victoria Finlay, Jewels: A Secret History (Random House, 2007), ISBN: 0345466950

Category: Reading the Dewey Decimal System, 2/9, 24/81

Arc of Justice: A saga of race, civil rights, and murder in the Jazz Age by Kevin Boyle (9/81)

2009-10-19T22:25:00.002-04:00

Category: National Book Award for Nonfiction Winner (2/9)

Yes, it's true, I've only read 1/9 of the books for this challenge! I'm not planning on finishing, but I figure since I read a book for the challenge, I might as well post about it.
Arc of Justice is the story of Ossian Sweet and his family, and the murder trial they become involved in when the Sweet family attempts to move into a part of Detroit where they are not welcome. The Sweet family is black, and in 1920's Detroit, this means they cannot live where they choose, especially following the race-related violence of 1924 and 1925. When a mob gathers outside of their new home and begins throwing rocks and getting more and more violent, shots are fired, although by whom it is never fully clear. Dr. Sweet had filled his house with friends to help defend it from the violence he knew was coming. When one man in the mob dies after being shot from the house, the eleven people in the house, including Ossian's wife and two of his brothers, are taken into custody and eventually charged with murder.
This book is not just the story of the Sweet family and the trial, however. It is a story of race relations in the northern urban areas of America in the 1920's. Boyle does a tremendous job bringing all aspects of the story together to educate us on this issue. I am continually amazed by how little I know about the history of race relations in this country. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to know more about our recent past.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (74/81)

2009-09-27T22:01:00.000-04:00

Warning : Do not read this if you haven't read The Hunger Games as it contains spoilers ..

After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen returns to her district, hoping for a peaceful future. But Katniss starts to hear rumours of a deadly rebellion against the Capitol. A rebellion that she and Peeta have helped to create. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless Katniss and Peeta can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. This is the terrifying sequel to The Hunger Games .

Will unless you have been living on the moon for the past year you are bound to have heard of this series .... And eagerly waiting on the next installment ........... And I have to say that the second book is just as great as the first :) ............ The only downside is that we have to wait until next year to find out what happens next ........ All I can say is 'Please Suzanne don't let it be too long!' ............

With Katniss and Peeta winning The Hunger Games you just knew that them being happy was not going to last .... And that the Capitol will find some way of paying them back for their rebellion ...

The book is fast paced and I really didn't want it to end ......... And the way it did end ... Sucks ..... In a good way because it has kept you hanging for the next installment ....

I love the characters in the book and I have to say I am totally on Team 'Peete' ........

So if you haven't read the first book do yourself a favour and get a copy ........

I rate this book 5*****

Books in order of series:
The Hunger Games
Catching Fire

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead (73/81)

2009-09-24T20:18:00.000-04:00

Bound by love,but sworn to kill ... The rest of the world had considered Dimitri dead. And to a certain extent, he was. But I hadn't been able to forget a conversation he and I had once had. We'd both agreed that we'd rather be dead, truly dead that walk the world as Strigoi. It was time to honour our words.

I have anxiously been waiting for this book to come out ..... As the last book in the series ended with a cliff-hanger ....... And I was not disappointed ....... It seems that the more the series goes on the better the books are .....

Warning this will contain spoilers if you have not read the previous books ... Rose's world has fallen apart with Dimitri changed to a Strigoi ..... Her mission now is to find him and kill him.... But when she is face to face with Dimitri will she be able to carry out the promise she made to him ...

You still have your favourite characters in Lissa and also the wickedly lovely Adrian and some new characters appearing as well ..... It is a really easy read and Richelle takes you through many twists and turns ....

If you love your Vampire books then this series is one you should read ..... The only problem now is that I have to wait until next year to see what happens .......

I rate this book 41/2 ****

Books to in series in order:
Vampire Academy
Frostbite
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound ( coming out in 2010)

Anna Karenina

2009-09-22T21:08:00.000-04:00

This weekend I read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. It was an easy read and while it got very detailed I never skimmed or skipped sections because all of it told more about who the character was.

It is really two stories in one. The story of Anna and her affair and how she and that portion of society throw off the traditions and conventions in an attempt to be more free and unencumbered by concerns about what others think or how others feel. Anna walks out of her marriage and abandons her son, but never truly trusts the love and commitment of her lover. Perhaps if they had been able to be married, but wouldn’t that have been a convention? Her story ends with a very detailed and moving description of depression and how debilitating it is. And the depression, in part, seems to be due to that loss of convention that would reassure her of who she is and where she is and what she can count on. Aided definitely by the fact that outside of her lover she had no identity or reassurance of what her purpose was. In short, no relationship with a Savior.

The other story is that of Levin, a land owner who is fascinated by trying to make farming work, with tools, techniques, and the native Russian workers. He deals with resistance to change (we’ve always done it this way) and laziness (it’s easier to do it this way and then sneak in a break) and ridicule from upper society that doesn’t understand why he would want to work, but also tries to impose idealistic solutions for improving the lower class.

Tolstoy was a Christian and Levin is also searching for God, even when he thinks he’s comfortable with no belief in a higher power. Many of the other characters are also searching or confronted with their empty faith. It is interesting to see how prevalent church attendance was in Russia once.

Strange Angels by Lili St Crow (72/81)

2009-09-22T19:58:00.000-04:00

Dad? Zombie.
Mum? Long gone.

Me? Well, that's the scary part.

Dru Anderson has been 'strange' for as long as she can remember, travelling from town to town with her father to hunt the things that go bump in the night. It's a weird life, but a good one – until it all explodes in a broken-down town when a hungry zombie busts through her kitchen door. Alone, terrified, and trapped, Dru's going to need every inch of her wit and training to stay alive. Chances of survival? Slim to none.

If she can't last until sun up, it's game over...

The first installment of a new series ........... And I loved it ........ This is Lili St. Crow's first stab at the Young Adult Market and it is great !!! ......... If you love your fantasy this book has it all ... Vampires, Were's and a host of other creatures .......... Throw a couple of hunky guys in the mix and you have your romance as well :) ........

The character of Dru is sassy and funny at the same time .... And even though she has been brought up knowning about the 'other world' around us ....... She is still unprepared for what is going to happen ....... Who can she trust? ..........

It is great that there are so many books out there at the moment with girl heriones .... And Dru is definately one of them ...... The next book 'Betrayals' comes out in November so not much of a wait thankfully ........

The only down side to the book is there is abit of swearing in it ....... Otherwise I would have rated it higher ........ So if you are looking to take a bite out of some fantasy ........ This book is for you !!!

I rate this book 4 ****

Here's the Book Trailer ... Enjoy :)

Dark Places, 23/81

2009-09-21T00:11:00.003-04:00

Libby Day, the sole survivor of a murderous massacre that killed her family, has spent the rest of her life trying to avoid that night. Her brother is imprisoned for the crime. Libby has become a dysfunctional adult, and having exhausted her trust fund, finds herself in need of money. Her rather unorthodox solution is to investigate the night of the murders funded by the Kill Club, a group of crime junkies. In the process Libby is brought into contact with all the horrors of that fateful January night. In the process Libby finds herself reevaluating everything she thought she knew about the crime. She also digs deeper than she ever anticipated and finds herself coming too close to a murderer still on the loose. This was a gripping story. It kept me invested from start to finish. The mix of thriller and literary fiction was refreshing- I like a good thriller, but I also want good writing, and this book definitely has both. Flynn offers us plot development, fully rounded characters, and enough suspense to keep the reader on edge.

Gillian Flynn, Dark Places, (Shaye Areheart, 2009) ISBN: 0307341569

Category: Scary/Spooky 1/9, 23/81

Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice (71/81)

2009-09-17T19:48:00.001-04:00

In A Darkened Room A Young Man Sits Telling The Macabre And Eerie Story Of His Life - The Story Of A Vampire, Gifted With Eternal Life, Cursed With An Exquisite Craving For Human Blood. Anne Rice's Compulsively Readable Novel Is Arguably The Most Celebrated Work Of Vampire Fiction Since Bram Stoker's Dracula Was Published In 1897. As The Washington Post Said On Its First Publication, It Is A 'thrilling, Strikingly Original Work Of The Imagination ...sometimes Horrible, Sometimes Beautiful, Always Unforgettable'.

The first book in the Series The Vampire Chronicles ..... And really this is where all the Vampire books really stem from apart from Bram Stoker's Dracula. Hard to imagine that this was written in 1976 .. I would have been 4 years of age !!! ...... It is a brilliant book to read and one of those that is one the 1001 books you should read before you die ... And quite rightly so it was a real pleasure to read :) ........

The basically narrated by Louis who got turned by Lestat a vampire .... It will be interesting to read the other books as they are about Lestat to see if my feelings change over the course of the next two books ... We read of the struggle that Louis has that even though he is turned into a vampire he still feels human emotion which is unheard of by any other vampire ...

This book is a must read if you are a Vampire Lover just because if we didn't have this novel we wouldn't have such a wide range of Fantasy Authors today .........

I rate this book 4 1/2 ****

The rest of the series goes like this ... The Vampire Lestat (1985); The Queen of the Damned (1988)

As you know this book got made into a movie which I just loved .... And it was not to bad with sticking to the book ...... But as ever the book is better :) ..... But you have a brilliant cast in Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater and Kirsten Dunst who plays the young girl brilliantly ...... Here's the trailer .... Enjoy

The Touch of Twilight by Vicki Pettersson (70/81)

2009-09-09T20:20:00.001-04:00

Joanna Archer has reluctantly accepted the roles destiny assigned her: Avenger, Savior ... Destroyer.

On the surface she's a sexy, sophisticated socialite, at home among the beautiful people of the Las Vegas upper crust. But Joanna Archer inhabits another world: a place ordinary humans can't see and could never enter ... a dangerous dimension where an eternal battle rages between the agents of Light and Shadow. And Joanna is both.

She never asked for the mantle that's been thrust upon her, but she will not abandon it now that it's hers. Stalked by an enigmatic doppleganger from a preternatural realm, Joanna can feel the Light failing – which is propelling her toward a terrifying confrontation with the ultimate master of evil, the dark lord of Shadow: her father.

Vegas is all about winning big – or losing everything. To save her friends, her future, her worlds, Joanna Archer will now have to gamble it all by fully embracing the darkness inside her.

Well this is the third book in the series .... And it does have abit less language but still I would class it as an Adult book ....

The first two signs of the Zodiac have been fulfilled and now everyone is waiting with baited breath on the third sign ....... Will the Shadow side overshadow the light side of Olivia .... Will she turn her back on her troop to follow her fathers footsteps .......

I quite like the character of Olivia and also of Hunter but again there is alot of language and violence in this one as well ... But then again this series has been classed as 'Dark Urban' ...

I rate this book 2**

The Taste of Night by Vicki Pettersson (69/81)

2009-09-08T20:12:00.000-04:00

Being mortal isn't easy. Being a superhero is even harder.

Even mortal, Joanna Archer was nobody's idea of a victim. But now, infused with the supernatural power to alter the battle between Shadow and Light forever, what she's become is a target. And when a toxic virus invades the valley, her allies are targets are well. To find the cure that will save them, Joanna must embrace her Shadow side ... even if it leads her into an all-out battle with the demons of her past.

The second book of the series Sign of the Zodiac and this one has more bad language than the first and more graphic sexual scenes .......

It follows Joanna who has finally found her place in the Zodiac ... But she is becoming a pawn for everyone around her getting pushed and pulled in different directions ...... She is finding it hard to let go of her old life and embrace her new life as the 'Archer' ..... Will she be able to set a side her personal feelings and function as part of the group or will she catch down her own agenda to the peril of those closest around her ...... Sounds great doesn't it !!! ........ Just a real shame that there is so much sexual references and bad language other wise it would be a great wee story line ....

This is definitely another Adult book even more so than the first of the series so be warned ...

I rate this book 2 **

The Scent of Shadows by Vicki Pettersson (68/81)

2009-09-08T20:11:00.000-04:00

When she was 16, Joanna Archer was brutally assaulted and left to die in the Nevada desert. By rights, she should be dead. Now a photographer by day, she prowls a different Las Vegas after sunset - a grim, secret Sin City where Light battles Shadow - seeking answers to whom or what she really is . . . and revenge for the horrors she was forced to endure.But the nightmare is just beginning - for the demons are hunting Joanna, and the powerful shadows want her for their own . . .

Well everyone is raving about Vicki Pettersson and her latest book has been in the Top Bestsellers list for a while so I thought I would give her a whirl ...

I think after reading so many Young Adult books to go straight into this series was abit of a shock ... Be prepared for bad language and adult themes ......

The story line is interesting with Joanna being forced to leave behind her old life and get thrown into someone Else's life .... She has to try and figure out who she can trust and bring the 'Light' side of the Zodiac's together ....... And it is not everyday that you find out that you are a Superhero ..........

This is the first book of the series and at the moment there are 4 books released ........ This series is definitely one for the adult audience because of the content .....

I rate this book 2**

The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan (67/81)

2009-08-31T20:53:00.000-04:00

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets and the Guardians and their power and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future - between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

This is the first book of the RIP challenge that I am doing ...... And I loved it :) ........ It was an easy read and I couldn't put it down .......... Dishes and Kids where left to my poor husband to sort out while I was totally engrossed in the book ........ Like a another reviewer said "putting the book down is not an option."

It is a young adult read and yes it does have Zombies in it ......... I heard that they have decided to make this into a movie which will be brill ...... Reading it did remind me abit of 'The Village' but a totally different concept ..... I will definitely be going out and buying more books by Carrie ...

Ok getting back to the book .... It is about a girl called Mary who lives in a village surrounded by the Unconsecrated ........ She dreams for escaping and hopes that there are other people like her beyond the Forest of Hands & Teeth .... Her whole world changes when her Mother is turned ...... And her only option is to stay with the Sisterhood who claim they are the ones who protect the village ....

If you love fantasy books and of course Zombie books you are going to eat this up ( excuse the pun )

I rate this book 5*****

Here is short trailer put together for the book ...

I am excited as the companion/sequel to The Forest of Hands & Teeth is coming out in the Spring 1010 in USA ......

Stargazer by Claudia Gray (66/81)

2009-08-31T00:12:00.000-04:00

In Stargazer, Bianca returns to Evernight, and she now understands the dark, centuries-old feud between vampires and hunters that prevents her and Lucas from ever being together. But even though everyone thinks Bianca has given up on him and embraced her destiny of becoming a vampire, she's found a way to communicate with him. But when Evernight is attacked, she discovers that she's not the only one who's been keeping secrets, and her world is turned upside down.

The much awaited 2nd book in the Evernight series which if possible is better than the first book ...... The third book comes out in December in the USA so I may have to ask some of my American friends very nicely to get me a copy when it comes out !!!

Since everyone loves Twilight and looking for another series to read ... This is it ..... I read it in a day and loved it :) .... ( And not just because the cover is purple my favourite colour ) ...

Bianca is back a the Evernight Academy trying to figure out why humans are admitted to the school !!! ....... She is still in love with Lucas but things prove difficult when your boyfriend is a member of the Black Cross ( Vampire Hunters ) ........ Bianca finds herself changing more and more each day into a Vampire !!!!! .... When strange things start to happen at the Academy ... Maybe all those ghost stories ours parents told us about are actually true !!!

Again if you love your fantasy, Vampire books then this series is for you :) I just have to hang out now for book 3 !!!!

I rate this book 5 *****

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (65/81)

2009-08-31T00:11:00.000-04:00

It has been a year of change since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence Academy. Having bound the wild, dark magic of the realms to her, Gemma has forged unlikely and unsuspected new alliances both with the headstrong Felicity and timid Ann, Kartik, the exotic young man whose companionship is forbidden, and the fearsome creatures of the realms. Now, as Gemma approaches her London debut, the time has come to test those bonds. As her friendship with Felicity and Ann faces its gravest trial, and with the Order grappling for control of the realms, Gemma is compelled to decide once and for all which path she is meant to take. Pulled forward by fate, the destiny Gemma faces threatens to set chaos loose, not only in the realms, but also upon the rigid Victorian society whose rules Gemma has both defied and followed. Where does Gemma really belong? And will she, can she, survive?

Again a gorgeous cover ...... I really enjoyed this series .... This book is the last in the series and although it is a chunky book 814 pages worth it is great !!!

I love Libba's style of writing ...... The novel flows really well and the sense of humour is great !!!

Now that Gemma has bonded the magic to solely herself everyone is after her to gain some power !!! ..... But whom can she trust !!!! ...... She has got to make friends in the realms but everyone seems to have an agenda ...... With the new wing at Spence Academy getting rebuild all new surprises start to unfold ........ Can she save the people around her and still keep control of the magic !!! ........... And will she be able to concentrate on her school work and be the belle of the Ball to win the boy that she loves !!

This is a great wee series for any young teen ........ There are no vampires in this book but lots of other creatures to keep you hooked !!! .......

I rate this book 4 1/2 ****

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray (64/81)

2009-08-31T00:10:00.000-04:00

Ah, Christmas! Gemma Doyle is looking forward to a holiday from Spence Academy, spending time with her friends in the city, attending ritzy balls, and on a somber note, tending to her ailing father. As she prepares to ring in the New Year, 1896, a handsome young man, Lord Denby, has set his sights on Gemma, or so it seems. Yet amidst the distractions of London, Gemma’s visions intensify–visions of three girls dressed in white, to whom something horrific has happened, something only the realms can explain. . . .

The lure is strong, and before long, Gemma, Felicity, and Ann are turning flowers into butterflies in the enchanted world of the realms that Gemma alone can bring them to. To the girls’ great joy, their beloved Pippa is there as well, eager to complete their circle of friendship.

But all is not well in the realms–or out. The mysterious Kartik has reappeared, telling Gemma she must find the Temple and bind the magic, else great disaster will befall her. Gemma’s willing to do his intrusive bidding, despite the dangers it brings, for it means she will meet up with her mother’s greatest friend–and now her foe, Circe. Until Circe is destroyed, Gemma cannot live out her destiny. But finding Circe proves a most perilous task.

Well is it possible that you will love the 2nd installment of this series more than the first .... Heck Yes in this case !!! ........ It is a great wee series !! .......

With the loss of their beloved friend Pippa the 'Order' are searching for answers ... Order has to be restored to the realms and new friendships are made ... Who can Gemma trust?

Is Kartik actually a friend or a foe? ......... And will Gemma open her heart to let a dashing young man sweep her off her feet? .......

This book is bigger than the first one but I devoured it in a day .... I couldn't stop myself from reading !!! ..... It does remind me alittle bit of Harry Potter in a few area's ...... But the good thing about it is we have a female heroine which is great !!!

Cannot wait to read the next one ...... I love Libba's style of writing and find myself LOL at some of her comments .... I am lovin the covers and lovin the story inside :) ....... I am one happy reader at the moment :) .......

I rate this book 5 *****

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (63/81)

2009-08-31T00:08:00.001-04:00

It's 1895, and after the death of her mother, 16-year-old Gemma Doyle is shipped off from the life she knows in India to Spence, a proper boarding school in England. Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma's reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she's being followed by a mysterious young Indian man, a man sent to watch her. But why? What is her destiny? And what will her entanglement with Spence's most powerful girls - and their foray into the spiritual world - lead to?

Well it is official I think I have found another series that I love .... I have been wanting this series for a while now and so armed with only telling myself that I could buy one book at the bookstore I lifted this one .... When I went to pay for it I had $10.00 off and then the assistant said 'oh that is on special today you get the next book for free' So I went the full hog and purchased the third book as well .... So all in all I got the 3 books for the price of one ..... Happy Days .... Anyway back to the book ...

I love the character of Gemma Doyle she is smart, funny and daring .... She is a great leading lady in this story .... With the lost of her mother she is send back to London to Spence Academy to be trained as a Lady .... What she doesn't expect is finding out who she is and secrets about her family that threaten her life today .... Love, Love love it .........

It is set in 1895 so not only do we have mystery and magic we also have a period setting as well ... There are gypsies ....... A handsome young man who is swore to protect Gemma ...
A big haunted Mansion ......... Being able to travel to a different world ..... The abiltity to have all your dreams come true .... Beautiful clothes ..... And a very stern Headmistress .......

Come on .... what more could you want ......... Go out and buy the book .........

I rate this book 41/2 ****

The Visibles, 22/81

2009-08-21T19:16:00.003-04:00

This novel examines a girl's attempts to come to terms with parental abandonment. By thirteen Summer Davis's mother had run off without a trace, and her father was descending into serious mental illness. Summer quickly becomes the adult in a family spiralling out of control. There's not much that I found surprising or unusual about the plot of this book. It is, in fact, quite predictable. Summer's troubled parents shape ways in which she approaches school, career, and relationships. The plot proceeds just as one might expect. The twist Shepard adds to this particular story is Summer's fascination with DNA. She is first introduced to the concept soon after her mother leaves, and Summer spends much of her young adult life pondering the nature vs. nurture debate in light of her particular situation. I found this theme to be contrived, however, as it is only loosely woven into the narrative, and it added little value and effect to the plot. While I found Shepard to be a good writer, I wished the book had been more imaginative.

Sara Shepard, The Visibles (Free Press, 2009) ISBN: 1416597360

Category: Published in 2009 3/9, 22/81

Olive Kitteredge, 21/81

2009-08-21T02:49:00.001-04:00

What a character- Olive Kitteredge is loud, bossy, and decisive. In her old age she swears and complains. Strong-headed, but with her own sort of compassion, Oliver is an institution in her small Maine town. This novel, told in a series of stories, details the lives of Olive, her family, and those around her in Crosby, Maine. The great strength in this book is in its central character. I've never seen another character quite like Olive. From the blurb on the back I was expecting a sort of stock, cantankerous old lady, but that's not Olive. It's hard not to love and loathe Olive at the same time. Through this book we see how the exigencies of life can chip away at as solid a vessel as Olive Kitteredge, and that's both disturbing and reassuring at the same time.

Elizabeth Strout, Olive Kitteredge, (Random House, 2008) ISBN: 0812971833

Category: Award Winners (Pulitzer, 2008) 2/9, 21/81

The Devouring by Simon Holt 1/81

2009-08-20T14:09:00.003-04:00

Hi all! My first book review for the site! Woo Hoo! I hope I did this right. =D Please enjoy!

When Reggie finds an old journal and reads about the Vours, supernatural creatures who feast on fear and attack on the eve of the winter solstice, she assumes they are just the musings of some lunatic author. But soon, they become a terrifying reality when she begins to suspect that her timid younger brother might be one of their victims.

Risking her life and her sanity, Reggie enters a living nightmare to save the people she loves. Can she devour own her fears before they devour her?

Bone-chilling, terrifying, thrilling...what are you waiting for?

The Devouring by Simon Holt is book one of an ongoing series. It is about the Vours, demonic beings who inhabit the bodies of children who are wracked with fear on Sorry Night or the eve of the Winter Solstice, the only night of the year where they can come from their plain of existence into ours where they then will live out the rest of their lives of the human they inhabit.

This book was totally AWESOME! I literally picked it up and didn’t put it down until the last page.

The main character Reggie is a horror enthusiast with her best friend Aaron, and comes across a journal that is just the right kind of creepy they like. She reads it to her little brother, Henry, as a bedtime story, but he scares easily. The journal, which she assumed was just a story, scares Henry badly. What she does not realize that reading that to her little brother starts her (with help from her friend Aaron) on a journey of self-discovery as well as helps her see that things are not as they appear.

Simon Holt brings to the plate the different themes of abandonment throughout the story, as well as the love a sister has for a brother and betrayal.

This book is highly recommended and if we’re rating books, then I’d give this a 5. It is for pure enjoyment of some damn fine story telling, getting a tad bit scared and rooting for Reggie as she does what she needs to do to get the job done!

The Dragon's Village, 81/81, 2nd round, LAST BOOK!

2009-08-19T00:44:00.001-04:00

The Dragon's Village by Yuan-Tsun Chen, global reading category

Ling Ling lives a life of privilege in China. She lives with her aunt and uncle, who throw parties for the wealthy and powerful set. All around them, they hear that the good life is coming to an end for people like them, that Communism is sweeping the country, and that things will never be the same.

Ling Ling gets swept up into the excitement. When a friend from school asks if she can hide from the police for the night, she says yes, and suddenly she's questioning her upbringing and beliefs. Her aunt flees to Hong Kong, but her uncle tries to stay put a little longer. Soon he must leave too, and Ling Ling decides to stay and see what will become of this new nation.

She joins a group of land reform workers, whose job is to go out into the country, examine the land deeds of the landlords, and redistribute the land. Landlords will lose their wealth and status, and the peasants will be empowered.

Except that things aren't quite that simple. Reading this book, I have the benefit of hindsight. I could tell how naive Ling Ling is, how little she really knows of farming or of poverty, how little she understands human nature. All too soon, she finds that things are much more complicated than she imagines. There are tragedies along with occasional triumphs. Ling Ling learns more about herself than she imagined, and finds that she is capable of being independent.

I really enjoyed this book. I was anticipating a tragic end, but I was pleased to see that that wasn't the case, at least not completely. I found myself wanting to read more, to see what happens to the villagers Ling Ling meets and befriends. The title calls this an 'autobiographical novel', and I would love to know more about the author. The only notes in my edition say that the author was also a land reform worker, and I really want to know how much of her experiences are reflected in the book. I would recommend this to anyone who could find a copy. I found it very enlightening and a good story besides.

Ironside by Holly Black (62/81)

2009-08-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

"In the realm of Faerie, the time has come for Roiben’s coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure only of one thing--her love for Roiben. But when Kaye, drunk on faerie wine, declares herself to him, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest. Now Kaye can’t see or speak with Roiben unless she can find the one thing she knows doesn’t exist: a faerie who can tell a lie.

Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth—that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother’s shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben’s throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?

This is the second part of the Holly Black Series 'A Modern Faerie Tale' .......... There is way less language in this book than in the first which is good ........ But be warned there is some quite graphic violence scenes ....

I have to say I enjoyed this book better than the first ... Kaye has figured out that she is a Pixie and is trying to figure out her place in Fairyland ... And her boyfriend is now getting crowned King of Unseelie Court ....... Things seem to be looking up ....... But not for long ........

The Queen of the Seelie Court is out for blood and Kaye seems to find herself stuck in the middle again .....

Again like the first novel Tithe I would say this book is for the older Teen as a few parts of it is quite Dark .......

If you are looking for a more edgy Faeire Tale with lots of gore and where the Faeires are more likely to kill you then grand you wishes then this series is for you !!!

I rate this book 3 1/2 ***

P.S .... Valient is the also part of this series but is set before this book ........... He tells the story of the brothers Luis and Dave who are introduced in this novel .... My advise read Tithe, Ironside then Valiant ..

Tithe by Holly Black (61/81)

2009-08-14T04:32:00.000-04:00

Do you believe in faeries? Not the soft, gentle kind, but the sinister, feral kind - the ones that wreak havoc on everything in their path... As a small child Kaye used to talk to faeries. Now at sixteen she is fierce and independent, travelling from city to city with her mother's rock band, until an ominous attack forces them to return to her childhood home and friends. Once there, Kaye discovers that her childhood memories were real and she is drawn into a secret faerie world by an attraction that she is unable to fight. Finding herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms, Kaye agrees to go along with a plan to disrupt the human sacrifice that binds her faerie friends to their unkind masters. But not everyone has been telling her the truth and she is soon in grave danger...

I think this cover that I have is the UK version which is pretty ........ I have had this series sitting on my book shelf for a while now and finally getting around to reading them ... Holly Black is better known for writing the Spiderwick Chroncles but this is her 3 part series on Faeries ..

OK let me start by saying the beginning of the story is not really what I was expecting ... I have been reading alot of teen books recently but I would class this book as more like an adult book then a teen book ... Mainly because of the language ......... Gosh there is alot of bad language in the first 60 pages to which I was actually going to give up reading the rest of the book ....... But it does calm down and then the real story begins ......

It is an interesting concept of Faeries being not so the nice Faeries that we have been led to believe ... I feel that this book really is more so setting up the characters for the rest of the series ...

Who can Kaye trust? ......... It meant just surprise you !!! ........

I rate this book 3 ***

WARNING: I would have rated it higher expect for the language there was way to much of it that alot of people would not continue reading the novel which is a shame .... There is some violence also in the book which at some cases can be graphic ..... Definitely an older adult read not a young teen which it is marketed for ......

Evermore by Alyson Noel ( 60/81)

2009-08-11T20:55:00.001-04:00

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, Ever can see auras, hear people's thoughts, and know a person's entire life story by touch. Going out of her way to avoid human contact and suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen.

Damen Auguste is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head—wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can see straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. She has no idea just who he really is—or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

Ok ... what is with series at the moment .... Not that I am not lovin it ... But it does kind of suck if you find one you really like and you have to wait for the rest of the series .... Luckily for me the second installment is due this month 'Blue Moon' ........ Hurray not that long to wait ...

Well like I said this is the first book in the series of 'The Immortals' and I loved it ... It is an easy read and finished in a couple of days ..... Mainly because I spend most the night reading it ...... lol ...

The main Character of Ever is great ....... After the tragic accident of her parents and little sister dying ... Ever moves in with her Aunt and tries to fit into a school ....... The only difference is that after the accident Ever is not the same ........ She can see Dead people and read thoughts .... But then a drop dead gorgeous guy enters the scene who she cannot read .........

This book is a Teen book probably 14 upwards ...... There is maybe 1 swear word in the whole book ....

But I have to say I have been reading alot of fantasy books of late and this is a new twist to those !!!! ......... Reminded me abit of Highlander ........

I love this book and itching for the next one .......

I rate this book 41/2 ****

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (59/81)

2009-08-11T03:50:00.000-04:00

It's a novel set in the post-war years in England, specifically the England of the formerly powerful Big House gentry.

Sarah Waters tells the story of the Ayreses, Mrs Ayres and two of her grown children, brother Rod and sister Caroline. Into their lives walks Dr Faraday to attend to the sick maid. It's a mystery story about the difficulties of working out whether people have really seen ghosts in the old house, or is it just that they are all going mad?

Look at the differences with the covers .... One is a lovely cover with the Big House namely 'Hundreds' and the other one which I have is the awful one with the big writing and red background. It looks like it is a throwback from the 70's .... Come on people you know which one I would buy off the shelf if I had the choice ....

Firstly I would say that I really like the way Sarah Waters writes ... It is an easy book to read and she describes the surroundings beautifully ..... You honestly do feel that you are there in the house .... I did feel sad reading about the house and its decline ... With living next to a stately home for years and visiting it often it is very sad to see something of great beauty crumble away ..... Although the name of this book is 'The Little Stranger' I felt that it was more based on the house namely 'Hundreds' ...

I was abit disappointed with the ending of the book and felt that it really didn't resolve what was actually happening in the home ... But it will make a good book club discussion to see what other people think was going on ...

I would be interested in reading some more of Sarah Waters books and watching some of the BBC productions ... and I feel that this novel would make a good movie ... I am rating this 3 1/2 stars mainly because I quite enjoyed it and the writing was lovely but there was nothing in the story line that really grapped me ...

I rate this book 3 1/2 ***

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison (58/81)

2009-08-11T03:48:00.001-04:00

In the kingdom of Kendel, anyone caught talking with the animals or practicing animal magic is put to death, so Prince George learns early on to deny that part of his identity. He does everything for the sake of the kingdom, even if it means agreeing to an arranged marriage with Princess Beatrice from the neighboring kingdom of Sarrey. But Beatrice has a striking and unusual relationship with her hound, Marit, and George finds himself drawn to the pair, and to that part of himself that he has ignored for too long. He is faced with many decisions, including how to help his dying father, and how to free Beatrice and her hound.

This is a beautiful cover and a book that I had to order from the States because it is not widely available here. I had decided to expand my reading material to cover some LDS writers which write fiction.

The opening chapter is absorbing and I was really looking forward to reading a lovely fairy tale. But I have to say that I found it sometimes confusing and jumping around a little bit ... The characters are good and the story line is also intriguing but it is just missing something ...

This novel is suitable for a younger reader but it just wasn't the fairy tale story that I was hoping for ... but the message from this tale is good " Love can overcome all"

I rate this novel 3 ***

The Companion, 74/81 2nd Round

2009-08-04T20:06:00.001-04:00

The Companion by Ann Granger, historical fiction category

Lizzie Martin arrives in London for the first time. As her cabdriver takes her to her new address, they pass a body covered with a shroud. The body turns out to belong to Madeline Hexham, whom Lizzie is replacing as paid companion. Lizzie can't help wondering about Madeline and who could have wanted her dead.

I enjoyed this one. There was some great background about coal mining and life among the working class. Lizzie and the police inspector, Ben Ross, were strong characters.

I have learned that this is the first in a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.

Heart of Darkness, 73/81 2nd Round

2009-08-04T20:04:00.001-04:00

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, reread category

Well, I hate to do it, but I'm taking the rating down to 4 out of 5 stars. I'm not sure why, but this time around, Joseph Conrad did not manage to induce the same level of fascination as he did the first couple of times I read this book. Maybe because the last time I read it was for a class, where we got to discuss it so much.

It's the story of Marlow, the classic man of the sea, and his trip down the river Congo to find Kurtz, the company man said to have native. But instead of being drawn into the story, this time I felt like Conrad was deliberately keeping the reader at arms' length. Marlow is telling the story, and an unnamed male listener is telling the reader what Marlow says. Then Marlow tells the listener who tells us what Marlow says somebody else says. Still with me?

Maybe the point of all those layers was to make the reader question the story a little more, to ask one's self how much you really know about someone else if all you know is what they say.

Anyway, it was good to read it again, but not as great as I remembered. I'm not sure why, but it must be a change inside me, because I *LOVED* this book back in college.

Duchess by Night by Eloisa James (57/81)

2009-07-31T00:04:00.000-04:00

Disguise is a dangerous game . . . After a lifetime as a wallflower, Harriet, the Duchess of Berrow, is finally seeking a little pleasure of her own. And where better to begin than at the house of one of the most disreputable men in the country, Lord Strange? However, the high-stakes games of lust and chance that rule Strange's household mean that to cross the threshold could entirely ruin her reputation. So Harriet swaps her hoops and corsets for a pair of breeches and transforms herself into a young male relative of the Duke of Villiers. Before she knows it she's writing bawdy missives on behalf of a young actress, not to mention winning card games played by the most powerful men in England. But when she starts attracting male attention, Harriet must decide whether to stay in her disguise - or to reveal that she's really a duchess by night . . .

The third book in the Duchess series and I have to say this is my favourite one so far ....

It has everything in a Romance that you could ask for ... Beautiful houses, dashing men, Mystery and of course your gorgeous leading ladies !!! ........

The story is set around Harriet who is a the Duchess of Berrow and how she can find not only adventure but also love in the 'Strangest' place ...........

There are moments that will have you laughing and glad that you are a woman in the 21st century and not back then ........ I cannot even imagine spending 2 hours doing my hair each morning !!! .........

I loved this book and the Duke of Villiers is growing on me .... lol ........

I rate this book 4 ****

P.S ..... I little note to my mom .... This book is dedicated to your favourite author Georgette Heyer !!

An Affair before Christmas by Eloisa James (56/81)

2009-07-31T00:02:00.001-04:00

One spectacular Christmas, Miss Perdita Poppy Selby met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was everything the convent-educated girl wished for in a suitor and their wedding day was perfect. Unfortunately, no one had quite prepared Poppy for what would happen next. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of High Society but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out. Fortunately, Poppy has a friend in Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont. Jemma, who is toying with another man herself, reveals to Poppy a world of strategy and desire that will change Poppy s whole outlook on love forever.

Well are we not lovin the covers of these books ...... This is the second in the series of the Duchess and although I did enjoy it is not as good as the first one ...

I love how there are certain characters which are popping up in the books .... And you are getting to know them better .... And I have to say that I love the character of Jemma .... and really hope that we will be able to find out more of her story ...

This book focus mostly on 'Poppy' or better known as Mrs Peridita Selby and how as a little girl all she ever wanted was to be married to a Duke. Now that she has her wish and it is 4 years later is she really happy???? .........

These books are light hearted and very girlie ......... So if you are looking for something that you can sit in front of the fire and just get lost in for a few hours ..... You will love this series ....

I rate this book 3 ***

The Embers by Hyatt Bass, 20/81

2009-07-24T02:21:00.003-04:00

Some dysfunctional families draw readers in, and make them engaged in the story. Then there are the literary dysfunctional families who are simply annoying. The Aschers, the focus of Bass's novel, are decidedly in the latter category. Throughout the book I was struck by what a bunch of miserable, negative, self-absorbed people the Aschers seemed to be. Basically, this is a book about self-centered, neurotic people who experience tragedy, which in turn makes them more self-centered and miserable. A big part of the problem is that this book is longer than it needs to be. One simply gets sick of the Aschers' navel-gazing. The book seemed repetitive, with the same sentiments repeated. If the book had been cut down by a third, it would likely have been stronger. This is not a book based upon plot, rather, it is meant to be an investigation of the interior life of a family. The problem is, it's very difficult to pull that off with characters such as these, and in the absence of plot, the reader is left with little else.

Hyatt Bass, The Embers (Henry Holt, 2009) ISBN: 0805089942

Category: Published in 2009 2/9, 20/81

James and the Giant Peach

2009-07-22T16:49:00.002-04:00

James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl, author
Quentin Blake, illustrator

This edition -
publisher: Puffin Books
release date: August 16, 2007
format: paperback
pages: 160

I'll admit that this is not what I thought I'd be reading this year but I needed a banned or challenged book and James and the Giant Peach is short ;-) The book may have been banned from school and/or public libraries across the USA but as of July 18, Amazon.com's sales rank is 2,268. It is #1 when looking for Roald Dahl and #52 in humorous children's books. How can this be? When books are removed from libraries parents must buy them.

James and the Giant Peach starts by telling us how wonderful James’ life was by the sea. He "lived peacefully with his mother and father in a beautiful house beside the sea. There were always plenty of other children for him to play with...It was the perfect life for a small boy."

When he was four, his parents went shopping in London were they were “eaten by an enormous angry rhinoceros which had escaped from the London Zoo”. Eaten mind you, not just killed. Leaving him to be sent to live with his aunts. So James becomes the drudge. Two aunts, many chores, no children to play with, very little play time, no toys, no leaving the garden, sometimes no food. And he meets a man with magic. And the songs?

A Gnu and a Gnocerous surely you'll see
And that gnormous and gnorrible Gnat
Whose sting when it stings you goes in at the knee
and comes out through the top of your hat.

Yes, I can see where people would complain, it sounds just like a Disney movie. (by the way, that was sarcasm)

Mr. Dahl's first stories were written for his own children. Can you see him in a comfortable chair with his children and maybe a neighbor or two sitting on the floor in front of him? I'm sure he slapped his hands on the chair and bounced, just a bit, when the peach ran over James' aunts leaving them "ironned out upon the grass as flat and thin and lifeless as a couple of paper dolls cut out of a picture book."

Mr. Dahl died in 1990. The edition that I have was published in 2007. That is the extent of his popularity. May it live on forever.

My post also has a bit of a rant on censorship and a list of Puffin Books by Roald Dahl. I'm sure you'll see some favorites.

He also wrote adult novels, the only one I own is My Uncle Oswald, picked up because of the cover (legs!) and purchased because I thought it would be funny - "Uncle Oswald makes Casanova look like Winnie the Pooh"

Are You There God? It's Me, Mrgaret.

2009-07-22T16:46:00.001-04:00

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Judy Blume

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
copyright: 1970
format: hardcover
pages: 149

I needed a banned or challenged book, but running out of time, choose I "short" one that I didn't think I'd ever be rereading but still enjoyed. My library copy had this same girl but it wasn't '3 books in 1'

Margaret moved on the Tuesday before Labor Day. She came home from camp and found out that their New York apartment had been rented to another family and they now owned a house in New Jersey. She had been left out of the decision completely. Her father commutes to Manhattan, Margaret now goes to public school and her mother has a yard.

"I think we left the city because of my grandmother" Oh yeah, when grandma finally shows up she brings food because New Jersey may have deli, etc. but it's "not like what you get in New York" and leaves with a "just because I can't drop in everyday" Everyday? Yikes! I'd move too.

I laughed and I cried and I remembered.

We've all read the book. Do you remember what it felt like to find out you weren't the only one? Read it again as an adult. What a difference!

As for the challenging: Margaret talks to God but doesn't go to church. She and her friends opening talk about their periods (or lack thereof), their changing bodies, find out what a boy looks like naked, and check out a Playboy together. I think the biggest problem some may have is that Margaret and her mother TALK about these things. Margaret may be embarrassed but she still knows her mom with calmly answer her questions.

When I was her age, this wasn't something you talked about. I didn't make that mistake with my daughter.

Judy Blume has written for the pre-teen, young adult and adult. She's still a name that makes my mom cringe but I think it was Forever that she's thinking off....

Desperate Duchesses by Elosia James (55/81)

2009-07-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

It is Spring 1783 . . . Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont, has just returned from Paris and is planning to shock all of London High Society - not to mention horrify her husband - with scandalous soirees and a debauched Grand Ball.But irritating her husband comes naturally, and she needs a challenge. When her country cousin Lady Roberta St. Giles asks for help seducing the Duke of Villiers into marriage, Jemma jumps at the chance. She transforms Roberta into the most delicious and desirable woman in town. Then she lures Villiers to the house, ostensibly to play chess.But the plan backfires. Villiers responds enthusiastically to Jemma's challenge and, ignoring Roberta or indeed Jemma's husband.

This is the first in the Duchess Series ........ ( You can read the other novels as stand alone works but there are common characters throughout the series and is better to read them in order ) Thanks to Legs for me know :) .......... And lending me the first couple books .........

Isn't the cover gorgeous ......... I really enjoyed this novel and it is an easy read ......... There is romance, big houses and even bigger dresses ........ Beautiful woman and dashing men ....... With a really good story to boot ...... There is a couple of sexy scenes in it ..... But all in all a really good story that you can curl up in front of the fire and just read ......... Will Roberta get her Duke? and will the Duchess Jemma mend her ways and become a respectable lady? You are going to have to read the book to find out !!!

I rate this book 4****

Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Lauren Myracle (54/81)

2009-07-20T20:20:00.001-04:00

In this exciting collection, bestselling authors Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Kim Harrison (A Fistful of Charms), Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), and Lauren Myracle (ttyl) take bad prom nights to a whole new level—a paranormally bad level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a creepy take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, scary fun.

This is an easy read with five short stories by some of the most popular young authors at the moment !!! Not only is this a fun book but also a portion of the proceeds goes to a good cause ... The First Book organization which gives families with low incomes the opportunity to own there own books ...... Which I love .....

My favourite stories in the book where The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot .... A funny story that I would have liked to have read more about !!! .......And Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison which was again funny and wished there was more !!!

This is a great wee book that you would read in an afternoon ........ And that Teens that like Fantasy will eat up .....

I rate this book 4 ****

A Secret Alchemy by Emma Darwin (53/81)

2009-07-20T20:18:00.002-04:00

Cruel betrayals, royal secrets and an ancient murder. Two murdered princes; a powerful queen betrayed; a nobleman riding towards his certain death... Everyone thinks they know about the Princes in the Tower: one of the most fascinating, and most brutal, murder mysteries in British history. But the real story of the suspicious deaths of the young Edward V and his brother, and the involvement of the man who would become Richard III, remains unknown, over five hundred years since the boys were taken from their mother, Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV. Now, in a brilliant feat of historical daring, Emma Darwin has recreated their world and their terrible, exhilarating story: the power struggles and passion that lay behind their birth; the danger into which they fell; the profoundly moving days before their imprisonment; and the betrayal of innocence.

Well loving the cover and with reading the back of the book we as a book club where totally intrigued ....... And I have to say that I was abit disappointed with it ...... With the books description I was looking forward to the story of the two princes and what happened to them ...... But that story is barely touched on during the whole book ........ The book itself is two stories one in Modern times with Uma and Mark ( Which to be honest you could have done without) and the story of Elizabeth and Edward ( Which I could have had more of ) ...... If the book had been described as the story of Elizabeth and Edward I think that I would have been satisfied by that but it wasn't .........

There is a historical history at the back of the book which I was advised to read by one of the book girls first ...... Which I am glad that I did but I felt that unless you know a little about the monarchy of that era you will be completely lost ....... Which sorry to say I was for the first 150 pages of the book ... I do realize that the book goes back into time to cover the two periods but there is no clear way that this novel does it ... One minute you are reading about Queen Elizabeth and then in the next sentence you are deported to modern times ..... Very confusing .....

The best pieces of this novel are definitely with Elizabeth her brother Anthony and her husband the King Edward ...... I just wished that there was more ........... I was waiting and waiting for the story of the two princes and was left abit flat as this story was never really mentioned ... It did make me curious to actually search out more books about Elizabeth and Edward to compare stories ......

Sad to say that is an average read for me ....... Could have been alot better and had so much potential ........

I rate this book 3 ***

Hunted by P.C and Kristin Cast (52/81)

2009-07-20T20:18:00.001-04:00

The good news: Zoey's friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren't Neferet's secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose - that and various other nasties (whose faces aren't so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let's face it - Zoey's whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth?

This is book 5 of the House of Night Series and I thought it was OK ............ There was less of the rituals in this book and more story which I thought was good ........ But I have to say that the Character of Zoey is really easily swayed when it comes to Boys ......... Which to be honest frustrates me at times ......... First she is madly in love with her Vampire boyfriend and then two seconds later she is cuddling up to her human boyfriend .......

The character that I enjoy the most would have to be Aphrodite she is witty and tells it how it is ... The way that is left in the book there definitely could be more in this series .....

As Vampire books go it is an OK series but not one that I would rave about ...... I prefer Vampire Academy or the Sooky Stackhouse series ..... This is classed as a teen series but would definitely make sure that it was the older end of the market because of the language and some of the subject matter ......

I rate this book 3 ***

Under Western Eyes, 69/81, 2nd round

2009-07-15T20:00:00.001-04:00

Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad, reread category

Razumov is a loner, studying at the university and working hard. He is interrupted one day by another student, Victor Haldin, who confesses to the assassination of a government official just that day. Razumov realizes he must help Haldin, but he doesn't care about politics, only about the consequences if his involvement gets out.

Despite setting out to help Haldin, when things get complicated Razumov informs on him. Haldin is arrested and executed. (This may sound like a spoiler, but it takes place early in the book and is described on the back cover.)

When I started reading this book, I couldn't remember the story at all. I know I read it in college, but nothing that I was reading stood out to me. I think it's because I was confusing it with The Secret Agent, which is also about anarchists and the coming revolution.

Conrad uses this story to talk a lot about Russians and their psychology and how Westerners can never understand them. He also skips around in the story, going back several months, then jumping back ahead. It's confusing, and I don't think it works.

The story is told as if taken from Razumov's diary. The person telling the story is an English teacher he meets much later in the book.

I'm not sure I would recommend this one. Like I said, the timeline is rather confused. I felt like Conrad had an agenda in writing this book, and it got in the way of the story. I don't think I will read this one again.

The Castle of Otranto 68/81, 2nd Round

2009-07-15T19:57:00.001-04:00

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, reread category

What an entertaining mess!

This book was written in 1764, and started the whole Gothic craze that was so popular in the 19th century. But honestly, for a modern reader, scenes that were designed to cause fear and shock now wind up sounding really funny! I mean, take the opening. A father is planning the wedding on his only son. But before the ceremony can take place, a giant helmet falls out of the sky and squishes the groom to death. Who can take that seriously? And that's only the beginning, although really, it's the most ridiculous part.

If you want some entertainment, this is pretty fun. But I'm sure it's not entertaining the way the author meant it to be. It's just so dated. But it's still good for a laugh.

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 66/81, 2nd round

2009-07-10T19:47:00.001-04:00

A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, by Frederick Douglass, historical category

This is the short biography of Frederick Douglass. He writes about his life as a slave, how his mother died, how he learned to read, how he was beaten and starved, and how he decided to escape. He enlarged on this story later, but in this version of the story, he doesn't give any details of his flight to freedom. But you certainly get a vivid and horrible picture of slavery. I thought his words about the religious hypocrisy of his former masters was especially illuminating.

After reading this, I was surprised really that more slaves did not make the attempt to escape. He says that he never had any idea of escape until after he learned to read and realized what else was out there in the world. That may have been one reason. Douglass himself says that he almost changed his mind when he realized that his escape would mean the loss of contact with all his friends. I'm sure that such ties to friends and family was another reason that most slaves stayed put.

After reading this, I was motivated to read more about Douglass and what happened to him after he wrote this book. He was a very eloquent, even passionate man fighting for the cause of freedom and equal rights for both women and for slaves. This is a great story for young people to read, as it would help them understand how brutal slavery really was. Also important today, when there are still horrible acts of violence and injustice all around the world.

Lamb: the Gospel According to Biff, Jesus' Childhood Pal (30/81)

2009-07-10T02:53:00.001-04:00

In The Last Temptation of Christ, Judas finds himself in a terrible situation. Jesus has told him that it will be necessary for Judas to betray him in order for mankind to be saved. As Christ acknowledges, God gave Judas the really hard task, that of betraying someone who he holds very dear. By comparison, all Christ has to do is die.

Though it's never acknowledged, the narrator of this book finds himself in a similar bind. As the lifelong friend of Joshua (aka Yeshua aka Jesus) and under the dictum that "dying is easy; comedy is hard," he has been left the harder path. All Joshua has to do is die. Biff has to make it funny.

Biff has been brought back to life by God so that he can write the definitive gospel since he was there from nearly the beginning. In order to ensure his cooperation, God has an angel chaperon Biff. Though it makes up very little of the story, the scenes of Biff and the angel in the hotel room are some of the funniest of the novel, especially in the angel's befuddlement at modern life.

Biff first met Joshua when they were both kids, and Joshua was bringing lizards back to life for the benefit of his younger, lizard-killing brother. From there they strike a lifelong friendship not impeded by the fact that Joshua knows he will one day be the Messiah. Biff is your quintessential underachiever, and his philosophical outlook, which has been derived from the teachings of Cynic, makes for a nice foil for Joshua's earnest desire to fulfill the task that has been set before him. When Joshua decides he will never learn how to be the Messiah if he does not seek out his origins, it is Biff who accompanies him on his travels.

They go in search of the Three Wise Men in order to learn the truth of Joshua's birthright. In their travels, this Hebraic Hope and Crosby encounter bandits, Taoist magicians, herbalist concubines, a hungry demon, a Buddhist monastery, the Tibetan Man of the Mountains, martial artists, a Kali ceremony, Tantra, untouchables and the Kama Sutra. After their travels, Joshua comes to learn what he has to do to become the Messiah, so they return to Palestine for the more familiar part of the story.

Christopher Moore here has a fine line to tread in attempting to make the story of Christ funny and believable yet keeping Joshua as the earnest Messiah figure we can all look up to. (No Last Temptation-style dream sequences of Christ experiencing the temptation of giving it all up here.) Having the story told by the underachieving and very sardonic Biff is a great way to thread that needle.

Moore makes the most of the sections where the gospels are silent, which give him a lot to work with. It yields great comic touches, like the time Joshua, Biff and Maggie decide to "circumcise" a well-endowed Greek statue, or the origins of the Jewish custom of Chinese food on Christmas. Though not every joke works, the passages overall maintain a high level of humor without robbing Joshua's quest of meaning.

The humor does begin to lost its impact near the end. Once Joshua and Biff return to Nazareth and Christ begins his ministry, Moore has less leeway with which to play. Once the ministry and the inevitable path to Golgotha have begun, the humor becomes more forced. As Joshua himself once said (though not in this book), a man cannot serve to masters, for he will honor one and neglect the other. The book has to choose between the earnestness of Joshua and the cynicism of Biff. It opts for the latter, for which one cannot entirely blame Moore. To have gone with the latter would have been to write a different, much edgier book. That Moore manages to make both elements work for as long as he does is testament to his talent and his great sense of humor.

Untamed by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast (51/81)

2009-07-07T21:44:00.000-04:00

Life sucks when your friends are mad at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

This is the 4th book in the House of Night Series and I am finding as they go on they are getting better ....... I did notice a label at the back of the book which reads 'not suitable for younger readers' which I have to say I am quite glad about ..... As this series is targeted towards the teen reader !!! ....... I have found that the more you get into the series the less the language and sex talk there is !!

I would have to say I enjoyed this one and looking forward to reading the next one as it left you on tender hooks as to what will happen next !! You do feel sorry for Zoey it isn't easy for her with everyone looking at you to be the next big thing ........ But some how she always ends up getting misunderstood and not in a good way !!!!!!!!! ......... Will she be able to band her wee group together in time to save the day !!!!!!!!

If you love Vampire books then you will enjoy this series but it is definitely one for the older teen .............

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Lucky Girl by Mei-Ling Hopgood, 19/81

2009-07-06T01:13:00.003-04:00

Mei-Ling Hopgood was adopted from Taiwan as a baby- this is her memoir of reconnecting with her birth family two decades later. Unlike many adoptees Hopgood never really wanted to know more about her birth family. She happily embraced the culture of the American Midwest, her adoptive parents, and her two brothers. As a young adult Hopgood discovered that her Chinese family had been looking for her. Unsure of what she was getting into, Hopgood dug deeper, and discovered she had a large family in Taiwan- birth parents, sisters, nieces, nephews, and a brother. And so she met her birth family. After an exciting honeymoon period, Hopgood was confronted with a whole host of uncomfortable questions she had never anticipated. Her birth mother's submissiveness, her birth father's clear preference for sons over daughters. Coming to terms with these things is the substance of Hopgood's memoir. A written record of nearly ten years spent working out the complicated relationship with her Chinese family, Hopgood has written an engaging tale. There are many good memoirs concerning adoption and immigration issues. I'm not certain that Hopgood's offers much above and beyond the others, but is certainly a strong choice for those who wish to read such a memoir. Both well-written and compelling.

Mei-Ling Hopgood, Lucky Girl (Algonquin, 2009) ISBN: 1565126009

Category: Memoirs 2/9, 19/81

The Name of the Rose, 64/81, 2nd Round

2009-07-06T00:05:00.001-04:00

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, historical fiction category

Brother Adso and Brother William travel to a remote convent in Italy. Brother William is there to work for a reconciliation between the Emperor's faction and the Pope's faction within the Catholic church. But his arrival also causes the abbot to investigate the recent death of a brother of their order. More deaths follow soon, and everything points toward an insider being behind it all. William is determined to find out what's behind all of this, even if it means discovering every secret the abbey possesses.

I read one review that describes this as The Da Vinci Code with brains. Possibly. But that doesn't necessarily make it an easy read. All the long, long, paragraphs, the highly technical religious controversies, and all the passages of Latin (With no footnotes! Why not?).

I almost feel like this was two books in one, one that I enjoyed - the mystery, the relationships, the setting - and then the long, pretentious stuff that's rather boring. I got to where I started skipping the boring stuff so I could get to the action. This edition had an afterword by the author, where he longwindedly defends his style and his writing. Maybe. But I disagreed with him. The stuff he defends as crucial to the book are the things I found myself skipping.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (50/81)

2009-07-04T23:28:00.000-04:00

The first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy - a brand new series by bestselling author Kelley Armstrong. All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager - the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be normal again. Soon ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she's admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients - charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori; and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire - Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn't your usual 'problem kid' behaviour. And they're about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either ...

I love the cover to this series and I have to say that I will be going out to get the second book of the series .......

When Chloe starts to see Ghosts everywhere people begin to think she is crazy (including herself) so she is send to a group home for troubled kids ........ But things are not what they seem ...... Are the doctors really trying to help the patients there or do they have other motives! ....... Who can Chloe trust? .......... She is confused about her gift and how to use it ....... If she is to get out of the home she is going to have to act 'normal' ..............

I actually liked the character of Chloe and the book just flows well ....... It is an easy read and at the end of it you are are just hanging out for what happens next .......

As a new series go's I liked this one and will definitely be going out and buying the next one !!

I rate this book 4****

All's Well That Ends Well, 63/81, 2nd Round

2009-07-03T23:49:00.001-04:00

All's Well that Ends Well, by William Shakespeare, play category

Well, it does end with Helena and Bertram married and living together, but he's a big jerk so I'm not sure why she wants him.

Helena is the daughter of a gifted physician, recently deceased. Bertram is a Count, newly become ward of the King of France. She heals the king and asks for Bertram as her husband for her reward. He (Bertram) is disgusted by her low rank and runs off to fight a war in Italy. For some totally unknown reason, she thinks it's her fault and sets off on a pilgrimage. Which just happens to take her to Italy.

I read the preface in this edition, which suggests that Shakespeare was adapting earlier stories, so the lame plot may not be entirely his fault.

I also hated the "clown" parts in this which just weren't funny at all. Then there are all these completely extraneous scenes and dialogues that just slow the action down and make my eyes gloss over. In the theater, that would be the time to run to the restroom.

There are a few good lines in here though. Most of them are at the beginning, so you could just stop there. Shakespeare seems to give the best lines to Helena and the King. He must have been playing favorites.

Absolutely not his best. I know that seeing the play is always better, but it just couldn't save this play. Don't bother!

Q's Legacy (76/81)

2009-07-03T17:46:00.001-04:00

Q's Legacy by Helene Hanff
Category: Books about Books (Category Complete!)

The third in a set of memoirs by Helene Hanff begins before the others, when she had to drop out of college during the Depression. Visiting the library, she found a set of books - the lectures of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch - to teach herself about writing and English literature. With the success of her memoirs, 84 Charing Cross Road and The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Helene had no idea how far-reaching indeed his influence would turn out to be.

I love these books for Helene's sense of humor and quick wit. She has excellent timing for both comedy and poignancy. Her delightful descriptions of Q's lectures made me want to read them, too. Though 84 Charing Cross Road is forever my favorite of her three memoirs, Q's Legacy is a lovely capstone of her memories of both books and her tribute to the man who taught her to write through his published lectures. 4.5 stars.

Cross-posted at Born Reader.

A Short History of Nearly Everything (75/81)

2009-07-03T14:44:00.001-04:00

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Category: Nonfiction (Category Complete!)

Have you ever wondered about the origins of the universe or the workings of a cell? This introduction to many different branches of science gives you a taste of the history of how we know what we know (and what we think we know) about the world and how it works.

Giving a brief overview of such diverse scientific disciplines as physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, and lots more, you may find yourself frustrated by only being given a taste of one subject before Bryson moves on to another. But the extensive notes and bibliography at the end will show you where to go next for those subjects that most interest you, and Bryson's characteristically witty narration will keep you reading even during those explorations you may not have found compelling in school. I was most fascinated to discover the reasons behind current scientific thought, and how much we really don't know about the earth and our universe. 4.5 stars.

Alice in Wonderland (74/81)

2009-07-03T10:42:00.002-04:00

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Category: Lost Book Club

Many are familiar with this classic tale, so I won't repeat a plot synopsis here. Since it's fantasy, children's, and classic, I feel like I should like it more than I do. I first read it as a child, and what stood out for me (and got annoying, to be plain) was Alice's continual size changes. It's a very strange, meandering story that got exciting but ended in what seemed to me to be a bit of a cop out. On rereading it, I still didn't love it and found it rather difficult to follow on audio as well. An alright story, but not one of my favorites. 4 stars.

All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West, 18/81

2009-07-01T02:40:00.003-04:00

Lady Slane spent her entire life as a politician's wife, raising six children. In the wake of her husband's death she finally has time and space to attend to her own desires. At age eighty-eight Lady Slane chooses to move to her own home, and surround herself with persons of her own choosing. And what Lady Slane chooses to do is to reminisce about her life, from her marriage in 1860 to the present day. Lady Slane's children presume that their mother has descended into madness, but she holds her ground, refusing to become the doddering widow her children expect. In this novel we learn Lady Slane's history: her thwarted dreams of becoming an artist, her love for her husband, and the restrictions incumbent on Victorian political wives. The book culminates as Lady Slane faces an awakening of unexpected passion. This is a dark and contemplative novel, though there are elements of comedy as well. The Slane children all fit into comic stereotypes, and perform their allotted roles to the point of ridiculousness. These comic elements are necessary, they allow Lady Slane to be sensible, rather than cruel, in cutting herself off from her children at the end of her life. Lady Slane's long life spans the Victorian and Edwardian periods, and if the hallmark of the Victorian era was change, than Lady Slane is certainly a good model thereof. She lived through modernization, the growth of empire, and in her reflections we see the long span of her life.

Vita Sackville-West, All Passion Spent (The Dial Press, 1984) ISBN: 0385279760

Category: Virago Modern Classics, 4/9, 18/81

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (49/81)

2009-06-29T21:24:00.001-04:00

When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard? Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him - after all, he is the last remaining member of the family. A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod's life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man?

Loved, Loved, Loved this book .......... And when I did some reading up on Neil Gaiman I found out that I had actually seen alot of his work .......... He worked on Babylon 5 one of my all time favourite shows ....... Wrote the script for Beowulf, had a hand in Princess Mononoke, wrote Stardust and also the up and coming movie Coraline .......... So I am officially calling myself a Neil Gaiman fan and going to seek out the rest of his books and comics to read ..........

Firstly let me say I loved the cover of this book ....... Not only is it Hardback but it is wonderfully Illustrated ..... It was a complete joy to read it ...... While reading it I did have a kind of Tim Burton image in my head which I loved ...... Neil said that he was inspired by The Jungle Book ( which is one of my favourite books ) So instead of animals raising the child it would be Ghosts !!!

The book is about a boy who's family has been murdered and as a baby is adopted by the people in the local graveyard ...... They protect and guide Bod ( Short for Nobody) ......... The characters are wonderful ..... And I can appreciate all the gravestone humour with having spend alot of my time as a child wandering around graveyards ( Not in a morbid way - just with my family doing family History - I have lost count how many childhood pictures of me are sitting by the gravestones ) So for me I got totally absorbed into this world ....... The characters are great .... And when you have a full graveyard of people you can really go anywhere .......

I am excited to hear that this is going to be made into a movie as well ...... So if you haven't read it yet ........ Go out and get a copy ......

This is a pretty cool site which you can listen to each chapter getting read to you by Neil himself ............. http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx Enjoy !!!!!!!!!

I rate this book 5 *****

The Joy Luck Club, 59/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-28T20:48:00.001-04:00

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, reread category

I am the mother of two teenage girls. I am also a daughter. This means that the whole mother-daughter relationship is one that I have given a lot of thought and energy. Being where I am in my life, I read The Joy Luck Club with a very different perspective from the time I first read it.

Jing-Mei Woo learns that her mother had a family before the one she has now, complete with a soldier husband and twin baby girls. With the war in China bringing such danger and uncertainty, her mother takes her babies and flees into the countryside. But her strength begins to fail and she makes the difficult decision to leave the girls, along with everything she owns, and hopes that someone will find them and take care of them.

But life doesn't work the way she expected. She survives. For years, she knows nothing about the fate of her daughters. She remarries and has another baby daughter. Then she learns that her twins have survived. She tries to contact them, she plans a visit. But she dies before she can make that trip.

All of this takes place early in the book. The rest of the book focuses on lives of 8 women, mothers and daughters. The mothers have lives and stories to tell that their daughters have never heard.

I enjoyed this book, if it was not quite so emotional for me as it was the first time I read it. Instead it just reminded me of how complicated this relationship is and how much I need to work on it.

La continuacíon y otras páginas (29/81)

2009-06-27T01:27:00.001-04:00

La continuacion is an anthology of stories and poems from Silvina Ocampo, who was friends with Borges, married to Adolfo Bioy Casares, and sister to Olivia Ocampo. In reading her short stories, I found it tempting to compare her to her contemporaries, Borges and also Julio Cortazar, which isn't entirely fair. Ocampo is certainly drawing from some of the same influences as those authors, but her perspective and style are clearly her own.

Among the themes are the blurring of identity (probably used most effectively in "La casa de azucar"), memories of childhood ("La siesta en el cedro"), and textual games ("Carta bajo la cama" and "El diario de la Porfiria Bernal"). Ocampo usually injects these themes with her own particular approach, as with the air of mystery and sadness that pervades the childhood stories. Of particular note is the sensuality of some of the stories, brining a certain liveliness to those elements. Admittedly, not all of the stories are great. (Of particular note is "El pecado mortal" for its oddly engaging take on the intersection of religion and sex.) Some of the later tales seem to have interesting concepts, though used in ways that struck me as less original.

Overall, a pretty nice collection presenting a sampling from the authors lifelong output.

Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See 17/81

2009-06-26T15:23:00.001-04:00

This novel is a family saga, crossing two continents and nearly thirty years. Pearl Louie and her sister, Mae, were born and raised among the Shanghai elite, but with the arrival of Japanese invasion and the start of WWII, find themselves sold to Chinese-American husbands. They cross the Pacific to begin a new life with unknown relatives in Los Angeles. The novel covers Pearl and Mae's efforts to make new lives for themselves in Los Angeles, and to come to terms with their new family. Pearl discovers a world of contradictions in Los Angeles. She begins to develop an American identity, while living in a country prejudiced against her. Always critical of her mother's old-fashioned superstition, Pearl finds herself drawn to traditional ways as she faces the challenges of raising a family. While there are some triumphs for Pearl, Mae, and the rest of the Louie family, there are also many sorrows. See's ending for this saga shocked me- it was certainly not the ending I was anticipating. Overall, this novel offers a complex and engaging plot, and brought me into the world of Chinese Americans in the middle of the 20th century. Through See's work we go deep into the innermost recesses of the lives and thoughts of the Louie family. See has written a complicated epic- a story of much sorrow, but also of persistence.

Lisa See, Shanghai Girls, (Random House, 2009) ISBN: 1400067111

Category: Published in 2009 2/9, 17/81

Children of My Heart, by Gabrille Roy 16/81

2009-06-26T03:00:00.004-04:00

A novel of a young teacher in the depression-era prairies, Roy tells the stories of children from the desperately poor families of rural Manitoba. The stories are told by the protagonist, a young, unnamed teacher, who teaches at an isolated village school. Roy presents children heavily laden with the burdens of poverty, adult concerns, and adult responsibilities. It quickly becomes clear what a significant role a caring young teacher plays in the lives of these children. In many cases she is the only adult who has the luxury to treat her pupils as children. The protagonist retains youthful enthusiasm in the most trying of circumstances, until she is faced with a new kind of trial: a budding romance with a troubled teenage student. Mederic, the son of a distant father and an absent mother, is desperately in need of attention, and his young teacher is desperately in need of companionship. When she tries to reach Mederic's mind a clear affection develops between them, and this budding relationship offers few good solutions. Roy's novel is rife with sadness, but also with a sense of persistence. The desperate poverty of the 1930s immigrant prairie communities is brought into stark relief by Roy's prose; written in a lyrical style, she paints a dramatic picture.

Gabrielle Roy, Children of My Heart (McClelland and Stewart, 1979) ISBN: 0771075987

Category: Canadian Fiction, 5/9, 16/81

In Defense of Food (28/81)

2009-06-25T01:44:00.000-04:00

In Defense of Food is the latest from Michael Pollan, whose previous The Omnivore's Dilemma examined the environmental impact of modern food production. In Defense, Pollan sets his sights on the modern Western diet, including some of the thinking that has gone into producing and justifying it. As Pollan lays it out, the modern diet has been shaped too much by the profit motives of large food producers and too little by the needs of human beings. While traditional diets were a product of a culture's trials and errors over centuries, the attempt to apply scientific methods to modern food production has resulted in food that is less healthy.

Pollan has a name for the allegedly scientific framework which has come to dominate the way that we think about food: nutritionism. Nutritionism, as distinct from nutrition, is a quasi-scientific set of ideologies about food which reflect little about the real impact of diet on health. Nutritionsim creates the illusion of being a scientific perspective on eating. And though it would seem that the scientific method, powerful as it is, should be able to determine what foods are or aren't healthy, it has failed for several reasons. In part, this is due to the sheer complexity of any diet, which renders it nearly impossible to look at x nutrient or y food item in isolation.

Additionally, the nutritionist impulse to view foods as collections of nutrients instead of whole units can result in bad conclusions. If a study finds that a diet high in red meat and low in fruit lead to higher rates of cancer and heart disease, what would be the logical conclusion? Through the nutritionist lens, that means that the goal should be to cut saturated fats (and cholesterol) and increase fiber (or antioxidant) intake. But switching to leaner meat and ramping up on oat muffins (and antioxidant supplements) does not appear to yield the same benefits as the high-fruit diet.

What then is the solution to the complicated thicket of competing health claims that present themselves in the marketplace? Pollan's recommendations are elegant in their simplicity: Eat food (as opposed to food-like stuffs). Not too much. Mostly plants. He also recommends a return to more traditional forms of eating, especially preparing food from scratch and eating with people instead of in isolation (and on the run).

It seems there is a growing number of people questioning the effect of the modern diet, a trend that Pollan has both helped fuel and benefited from. I would recommend the book to anyone considering a new look at the way we eat now and how much harm it might be doing. Pollan's non-dogmatic approach to the subject makes it an enjoyable read. His thesis about nutritionism may be stark, but his presentation and advice are not.

Persuasion, 54/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-23T21:44:00.002-04:00

Persuasion by Jane Austen, historical fiction category

Persuasion to me has seemed a little bit like the country cousin out of the Austen novels. Pride and Prejudice is the popular one, with all the movie adaptations and the novelizations and the good press. Emma is sort of a runner-up. It also has some good movie versions and a lot of humor and lighthearted fun. Sense and Sensibility is also popular.

But before last year, I knew nothing at all about Persuasion. I wasn't sure what the plot was; I never saw it on the big screen; I couldn't even tell you the main character's name. Then I saw the BBC version, the one with Sally Hawkins as Anne Elliot. I was mesmerized.

In case you don't know the story either, Anne is the middle daughter in a very proud, very vain family. Anne has always been overlooked. She fell in love with a young navy officer when she was young. She was 'persuaded' to end the engagement, hence the title. They were both young, neither had any income, and her family was opposed to the match.

Eight years pass. She has not forgotten him, but has convinced herself that he has forgotten her. Then events conspire to bring them together again. Will she get a second chance?

I really loved the story. I only gave it 4 stars, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because the ending was a little weak. Austen didn't seem to find the right way to wrap things up and just sort of tacked on the last chapter. Then I have to admit that I preferred the more romantic ending in the TV version too. But it was really well done and I loved it.

The Wizard Heir, 53/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima, myth/fantasy category

Seph, short for Joseph, is used to being sent from school to school. Ever since his first guardian died, he has been having a hard time settling in. And he can't get any straight answers about his family either.

So after another tragedy, Seph is sent to a new boys' school in rural Maine. At first, he's hoping this will be the help he's been looking for, someone to train him in magic and teach him how to be a wizard. But it becomes clear very early that this school is more like a prison, and he's going to have to be very lucky to escape with his life.

This was a great followup to the exciting first book, The Warrior Heir. I liked Seph, even though he was a bit cocky, and loved his courage and resourcefulness. This is a darker type of magic, in some ways, and certainly violent. There's no question that these are some nasty folks Seph is facing. I still can't decide whether to trust some of the folks in here. Unlike most teen fantasies, I really can't tell what to expect next or how this will all turn out. I can't wait to read the next one in this series.

Confessions of a Little Black Gown by Elizabeth Boyle (48/81)

2009-06-22T02:36:00.000-04:00

When Thalia Langley spies a dark and handsome stranger in the shadows of her brother-in-law's study, she knows in an instant that she's found the dangerous, rakish sort of man she's always dreamt of. But the man she thinks she's seen and the complete stranger who comes into the light are two very different men. Tally suspects there is more to this man than meets the eye, and she has the perfect weapon to help tempt the truth from him: a little black gown she's found in a trunk. Lord Larken, posing as the duke's cousin, is searching for the notorious Captain Dashwell. His deception runs into trouble, however, when the duke's tempting sister-in-law starts to chip away at his reverent disguise and his icy, forgotten heart.

Don't you just love the cover ...... Well this is number 2 of my Romance Challenge ........ Thanks to Legs for lending me the book ........ And I totally devarded it in the space of a few hours ....... I really liked ......

You have your historical romance with the handsome Stranger and then you have the lovely female lead who is not afraid of abit of danger ...... I really enjoyed the story line and it was a very easy read ........ And I agree with Legs that every girl should have a wee Black Gown .....

So if you are looking for a really nice sweeping romance .... Look know further ....... There are a couple of sexy scenes in the novel but apart from that it is a nice wee story to be sweep away with ........

I rate this book 31/2***

Chosen by P. C. Cast & Kristin Cast ( 47/81)

2009-06-21T19:45:00.001-04:00

Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird's adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this "highly addictive series" (Romantic Times), in which Zoey's mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn't have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn't get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey's horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth...

Well this is the third book in the series 'A House of Night' and as the books go on I am enjoying them more ......... At the end of the 2nd book you find that you cannot always trust everyone around you and Zoey finds herself in keeping alot of secrets ........ Even not telling her trusted Boyfriend and friends ......... You know that will not end well .......... Her love life is anything but smooth sailing ...... Try complicated ...... She has a human boyfriend and of course her hunky vampire boyfriend and then in walks a totally hot older Vampire Teacher ........ Will she make the right decisions ?????????

In the middle of all that she is trying to save her best friend ........ And be the leader of the Dark Daughters as well ...... Life is never dull !!!

I did enjoy this book and it ended in a way that I will have to go out and get the next one to see what happens ..........

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Betrayed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (46/81)

2009-06-21T19:26:00.001-04:00

Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night. She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters. Best of all, Zoey finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two. Then the unthinkable happens: Human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night. While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves. Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night, and Zoey must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world.

This is book 2 of the A House Of Night Series and I feel that it is getting a little bit better ....... There is not that much bad language in this one as there was in the first ....... So that is a good sign ......... The characters are now starting to come together which is good ...... Even though the main character of Zoey sometimes I just want to slap her at times when it comes to the boys in her life ........ She just is all over the place .....

I love the Character of Stevie Rae she is warm, funny and bubbly ..... As the title of the novel suggests Betrayed - You know something is going to happen :)

It has took me a couple of books to get into this series but if you do like your Vampire Books you will enjoy this series as well ... But for the more adult Teen than the younger end because of some of the content .....

I rate this book 31/2 ***

As You Like It

2009-06-21T00:11:00.000-04:00

As You Like It by William Shakespeare, play category

I'm not going to go into the complicated plot on this one, but it's the one with Rosalind and Orlando, where Rosalind, for her own mysterious reasons, pretends to be a boy and flirts with Orlando, who is extremely dense, and never figures out that she is a girl.

Forget about whether this is believable or not. (It's not.) In fact, the whole plot is pretty darn farfetched. It is, however, funny in some places and thoughtful in other places. Like all Shakespeare, it's much better on stage than on paper, but it was still a fun read.

What I really enjoyed about the edition I read is that it had photos from the Royal Shakespeare Academy and others of the play, including a very young Alan Rickman as Jaques and a ludicrously costumed Kenneth Branagh as Touchstone. Very funny!

And this puts me at reading 17/37 Shakespeare plays so far.

The Wizard Heir, 53/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-21T00:05:00.001-04:00

Marked by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (45/81)

2009-06-20T00:55:00.001-04:00

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed. In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change. Not all of those who are chosen do. It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling. She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx. But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers. When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

Well recently I have been on a Vampire kick ....... Reading lots of Vampire books both adult and Teen ....... This book is a teen book but I was disappointed with the swearing and also some sexual references which kind of spoiled it for me abit ........ The story line is good and the characters are solid but just some of the language :( ............. This is the 1st book from a Series ( what is with series at the moment !!! ) called A House of Night.

I was in two minds on reading the next book in the series because of the language ... Which is a shame !!! ..... The main character of Zoey is a young 16 year old looking to find her place in life when she gets Marked by the Tracker to become a Vampire ......... She is then send to attend A special Vampire School which trains the new found Vampires on their new lifes :) ............. You have the usual crowd ...... The nerdy kids and the In Group ......... And of course no novel would be complete without the hunky men ( Eric )

If you love Vampire books then you are going to love this series ( A house of Night ) ......... I probably would have rated it higher if not for the use of language ........

I rate this book 3 ***

Among the Mad

2009-06-19T21:03:00.001-04:00

I picked up Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear from the library. I love all the Maisie Dobbs mysteries and own 3 of them. When this one goes on the discount rack at B&N I’ll pick it up too.

This one continues the story of Maisie’s life and her independent career. I love the period authenticity of the book. And the time of the depression and recovery from WWI in England was such a tough time. This book spoke to the general issues with people experiencing shell-shock and other issues of the mind, which weren’t visible and weren’t understood. One man in particular, with very extensive knowledge of chemistry, begins a campaign to get the government to pay attention to and help those with no hope, the ones with no pension because they were discharged and considered not wounded or at least able to get a job (but they weren’t) and with no family to return to (or family that wouldn’t take them back when they came back from the war damaged).

Again – very well written, very informative about the time in history, and a good story.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck (72/81)

2009-06-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Category: Lost Book Club

From page one, the reader is clearly told that this is a fable in which "there are only good and bad things and black and white things and good and evil things and no in-between anywhere." In this parable, Kino lives with his wife Juana and son, Coyotito, living simply as a pearl diver. Coyotito is stung by a scorpion, and since Kino is poor he cannot pay for the doctor to help his boy. Then, he finds the Pearl of the World and plans on changing his life for the better, forever.

Steinbeck has a knack for describing things briefly but powerfully and memorably, an aspect of this story that I definitely enjoyed. The story is short and simple and, like any parable, has a moral to it. My recurring difficulty with Steinbeck seems to be that I am simply unhappy with what the story is, and wish he told a different one (this strikes me as a bit unfair, but it's how I react as a reader, perhaps because I find some of his writing depressing). In this case, I also had some trouble connecting with the characters. While not the story for me, I could definitely appreciate the description and would recommend it to others. 3 stars.

Duchess of Bloomsbury Street (71/81)

2009-06-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

Duchess of Bloomsbury Street by Helene Hanff
Category: Books about Books

After writing 84, Charing Cross Road, at long last Helene Hanff's dream of going to London is going to be realized! This is her diary of that trip, in which she meets Frank Doel's wife and daughter, friends old and new, and gets to see the sights she's always wanted to see.

Her descriptions of London and the people she meets made me want to come along for the trip. She knew delightful details about literary London, places I never would have heard of otherwise but now wish I could see too. Even her disappointments are humorously, wittily expressed in this charming account. 4.5 stars.

Girl, Interrupted (70/81)

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-04:00

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
Category: Recommended Reads

In 1967, Susanna Kaysen was diagnosed with "borderline personality disorder" and sent to McLean's in Cambridge at the age of eighteen. She stayed there for nearly two years, and in short, non-chronological vignettes describes her life there and shortly after being released.

My sister, a psych major, recommended this book to me awhile back when I asked various members of my family for book recommendations. Kaysen brings up questions of sanity that sometimes reminded me of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - how do we know where the "border" is between sane and insane, especially when those definitions change over time? The disjointed narrative suited her account, but made it kind of hard for me to follow what was going on. 4 stars.

Heroes of the Valley (69/81)

2009-06-18T23:46:00.000-04:00

Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
Category: YA/Children's (Category Completed 6/9/09)

Halli who is dark and short is unlike his family, the descendants of the hero Svein, as it is possible to be. The second son of the Arbiter is not expected to do much besides farm a bit of land while his older brother, Lief, will someday become Arbiter and his sister Gudny will make a good marriage. Halli longs for adventures like those of the twelve heroes, but all he seems to do is get in trouble.

A fun, well-told fantasy by the author of the Bartimaeus Trilogy (which I loved). I liked the characters, especially Aud and Halli. The book seems to be a standalone, but I wouldn't say no to a sequel. :-) 4.5 stars.

Everything That Rises Must Converge (67/81)

2009-06-18T20:38:00.001-04:00

Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor
Category: Lost Book Club

This is a collection of nine short stories, seven of which had been previously published, that was published posthumously. Each is well-crafted, packs an emotional punch, and develops realistic characters in approximately 20 pages. Probably my favorites were "The Enduring Chill" and "Revelation."

I hadn't read any of Flannery O'Connor's writing before this story collection. This was the one that Jacob was reading when Locke fell out of the window, and I can't help but think that (*spoiler warning*) it was a bit of foreshadowing, as most of the stories involve someone's death in the end. I'm interested in reading more of her works. 4 stars.

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (44/81)

2009-06-18T18:24:00.001-04:00

A tale of love, candy and magic to bewitch even the most skeptical reader... Twenty-seven-year-old Josey is sure of three things: winter in her North Carolina hometown is her favorite season, shes a sorry excuse for a Southern belle, and sweets are best eaten in the privacy of her hidden closet. For while Josey has settled into an uneventful life in her mothers house, her one consolation is the stockpile of sugary treats and paperback romances she escapes to each night Until she finds it harboring none other than local waitress Della Lee Baker, a tough-talking, tenderhearted woman who is one part nemesis and two parts fairy godmother. Fleeing a life of bad luck and big mistakes, Della Lee has decided Josey's clandestine closet is the safest place to crash. In return shes going to change Josey's life because, clearly, it is not the closet of a happy woman. With Della Lee's tough love, Josey is soon forgoing pecan rolls and caramels, tapping into her startlingly keen feminine instincts, and finding her narrow existence quickly expanding. But her life is changing faster than she knows...

Well the picture of the cover really doesn't do this book justice ....... It is soooooooo pretty .... And sparkly .......

I read this book in two sitting ....... It is a really easy read ........ And really funny in parts ..... The mean character of Josey is a rich girl who is not what people would call pretty so she is stuck in this life looking after her older mother ....... which to be honest the mother (Margaret) is a real cow !!! .......... The only thing in her life that she enjoys is watching and seeing Adam the mailman every day ........ But her life starts to change after the appearance of Della Lee who for some strange reason is living in her Closet !!! ......... The character of Chloe I loved as well and the special relationship she has with books did make me smile ........ As you read the novel it does focus alot of Relationships ....... Not only the romantic kind but also Friendships and Family .......

I found this book a very easy read and if you love your Chick Lit books you will like this one ... I am rating it 4 **** mainly because in the world of Chick Lit books it is up there .... Light, funny and a no brainer ...... which sometimes it is great to escape to that world for a while ...... It would actually really make a good wee movie ......(Hint Hint - to any production company) ... There are a few swear words in the book but that is mostly to the end of the novel other from that it is just a cute wee read ......

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Blue Moon by Scott Westerfeld (43/81)

2009-06-18T17:57:00.000-04:00

"Bixby High's late bell shrieked in the distance, like something wounded and ready to be cut from the herd..." (from the first line)This third book of Westerfield's acclaimed series is a tale of pulse-pounding danger, electrifying power, and a race against time that may require the ultimate sacrifice.

When the dangerous, magical blue time that only happens just after midnight makes an appearance during a 9 a.m. pep rally at school, the five midnighters know that something is seriously amiss in Bixby. Born exactly at midnight, Rex, Melissa, Dess, Jonathan, and Jessica, are the only ones who know the freedom and terror that happens when the rest of the town is frozen for one hour. In the third book in the bestselling Midnighters series, the teens discover what is going on before it's too late.

The third book of this series ........ I am not a huge fan of the cover of this book at the front but what you don't see is the clock face on the spine of the book ........... When you put the three books together it makes up a clock face ........ Every cool !!! ........ Anyway I digress back to the story ...

You know things have to get a whole lot worse before they get better !!! So the Midnight hour is now starting to seep through into the daylight hours ....... Which is not good at all because it means if you are normal mortal you could just be standing in the wrong spot and get sucked into their world ........ Which take it from me ........ Not good !!!

So during the book our 5 Midnighters must find a way to stop this from happening ........ I have to say I really enjoyed this series ........ And it is a perfect read for a Young Teen ........ Scott Westerfeld wrote the Uglies Series and you all know I loved that ... well this is just the same ..... It will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning ......

I rate this book 4****

The Magician by Michael Scott (66/81)

2009-06-18T16:37:00.001-04:00

The Magician: The Immortal Secrets of Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Category: YA/Children's

If you haven't read the first book, The Alchemyst, this is a *spoiler alert* for that title.

After going through the ley gate, Nicholas, Sophie and Josh find themselves in Paris. Sophie is Awakened; Josh is not. This puts them somewhat in conflict with each other, even as they find out more about their powers and find themselves up against Machiavelli (yep, he's immortal too).

Well-paced and a fun read. Small things bugged me in this one, like the first, but I'll keep reading because I want to know what happens. 4 stars.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (65/81)

2009-06-18T13:35:00.000-04:00

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Category: Recommended Reads

Lia's former best friend Cassie has died of unknown causes. Though the girls haven't spoken in months, Cassie called 33 times before she died - and Lia didn't pick up. But Lia can cope. She's strong. After all, she's managed to control her calorie intake and her weight for a really long time now.

Welcome to the world of an anorexic, as eighteen-year-old Lia tells you exactly what's going on in her head. "Enjoy" is definitely the wrong word for this book, but it's powerful and heart-wrenching and I couldn't put it down. Lia's first-person narration makes her story all the more immediate; as a reader, I felt for her while still being able to see her emotional and psychological downward spiral. Highly recommended. 5 stars.

Speaker for the Dead (63/81)

2009-06-18T08:20:00.000-04:00

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
Category: Audiobooks (CATEGORY COMPLETE 5/25/09)

If you haven't read the first book in this series, Ender's Game, this is a **spoiler alert** for that story.

Three thousand years after Ender defeated the Buggers, another alien group is in danger of being eradicated due to a similar misunderstanding. On Lusitania, the "piggies" are kept separate from people, except those few privileged to study their way of life while never giving away anything about human culture or technology. The peace on Lusitania is threatened, however, when one of these humans is brutally killed by the piggies. No one exactly knows why, but one of his apprentices, Novenha, knows it has something to do with information she learned. She calls for a Speaker of the Dead and Ender (who has been traveling a lot at near-light-speed and has only aged to about 29 due to the relativity of time) answers the call.

Perhaps this was not the best book to choose as an audiobook to listen to as I fell asleep, and this certainly had an impact on my enjoyment of the story. First, the particular audio version I listened to had 3 narrators, who switched off based on the point of view the narrative was coming from (it was always third person, but we see events from several different perspectives). So I had to get used to about 3 different interpretations of different people's voices. Secondly, it's a complicated story that took me about three weeks to listen to, long enough that I didn't always remember exactly what happened and didn't have the ability to flip back a few chapters and refresh my memory. Still, I would recommend it to those who had enjoyed Ender's Game and didn't mind something a little meatier. Speaker for the Dead raises ethical questions about leaving different cultures alone to preserve them, and has a lot to say about the power of speaking the truth. 4 stars.

3 Graphic Novels and the completion of a category

2009-06-17T22:14:00.000-04:00

I've gotten a little behind on my reviews. I finished the graphic novels category this morning, and thought I'd quickly review the others in one post:

1. Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale

This hair-lassoing girl doesn't need a prince to do any rescuing for her. Once she finds out that Mother Gothel isn't her mother at all and her real mother is forced to work in the mines, Rapunzel plans her way out of the tree in which she is imprisoned. She then plots revenge on Gothel and the rescue of her mother. Along the way, other fairy tales and well-known characters emerge, re-imagined in this funny, quick read. 4 stars.

2. Three Shadows by Cyril Pedrosa

A young child's idyllic life is threatened by the sudden appearance of three "shadows" on horseback. His parents want to help, but don't know what to do to keep their boy safe. On a recent "Book Lust" (Nancy Pearl) podcast, her guest recommended five graphic novels to read, and this was one of them. The artwork, seemingly simple with its lines and shading, manages to convey emotion, sound, fear - and becomes an important element of the story of Joachim and his parents. 4.5 stars.

3. Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor and Liz Cavalier, illustrated by Ben Templeton

If you read The Looking Glass Wars and wondered what happened to Hatter Madigan was while Alyss was in England, look no furhter than this graphic novel series. In volume 1, Hatter Madigan finds himself separated from Alyss in a strange world where Imagination is not often found. He absolutely must find Princess Alyss! Ostensibly the findings of a society, complete with historical artifacts in the back, the story is an excellent companion to the Looking Glass Wars series. The art work is well done, with blurred action sequences and dark cities during Hatter Madigan's wanderings. I look forward to reading more of his adventures. 4.5 stars.

People of the Book (61/81)

2009-06-17T20:12:00.001-04:00

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Category: Recommended Reads

When the Sarajevo Haggadah is discovered, saved in a bank vault by the museum curator, Hanna Heath has the opportunity of a lifetime to conserve this beautiful book. The haggadah has survived against the odds, and Hanna's research gives her tantalizing glimpses of where the book has been while readers learn even more about the book's true history and the "people of the book" who impacted (and were impacted by) the amazing artifact.

This well-crafted story is the imagined history of a true artifact, a Jewish haggadah from medieval times with lovely illuminations. In an afterward, Brooks quickly writes about what is and isn't known about its history, and it's a fascinating exploration of what might have been. I love that the book itself is essentially a character and the details about conservation work. 4.5 stars.

Touching Darkness by Scott Westerfeld (42/81)

2009-06-16T20:12:00.001-04:00

The Midnighters of Bixby, Oklahoma, know that their town is full of secrets - especially since they keep the biggest secret of all: knowledge of the secret hour, the mysterious time at midnight when the world freezes, except for them and the creatures that inhabit the darkness. What they don't know is why earlier generations of Midnighters all disappeared, or why they are now the only Midnighters in town. As they learn more about the secret hour's twists and turns, they uncover terrifying mysteries woven into the very fabric of Bixby's history, and a conspiracy that touches both the midnight hour and the world of daylight. At the same time, the Midnighters' own secrets start to emerge, including some that were never meant to come to light, changing the fragile dynamics among the five. This time Jessica Day is not the only Midnighter in mortal danger. If the group can't find a way to overcome their differences, they could lose one of their own - forever.

Well the second installment of the Midnighters Series and this one is just as good as the first one only better :) .........

Jessica as discovered that she has a powerful gift that the Darklings do not like but she has found she can handle herself in the Blue Hour just fine ........ But now they have discovered that it is not just the Secret Hour that they need to be on their toes but also the other 24 hours as well .... Which is not good because your powers don't work in daylight hours :( .......

In this book you find out what happened to the other Midnighters and how come there is only the 5 of them left ........ Are they the only ones left after all ??????

This is a great wee series for Teens and I have to say although not a teen myself I am enjoying it ....... And I am anxious now what will happen in the last book ..........

I rate this book 4 ****

Long Day's Journey Into Night, 49/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-16T14:35:00.001-04:00

Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Eugene O'Neill, play category

The Tyrones - mother, father, and two sons - spend a day more or less together in the country. Within the course of that day, we see all sorts of nasty little secrets that were only suggested in the first act.

This is the first O'Neill play I have read, and I have to say that I found it excellent. Not much fun, but really well done. The theme, to me, was that of excuses, excuses. The entire family has someone - someone else, that is - to blame for being the way they are. Mary blames her husband, her dead son, Edmund, life in general, not having her own house, her circumstances. Tyrone senior blames his difficult childhood, his lost chances. Both sons blame their parents. But in the end, every character admits the truth of why they are the way they are.

Every character except Mary. Despite many chances to admit the truth - she is a drug addict - she denies to the very end. And it is the difference between the men in the play, with their ultimate honesty, and Mary's self-deception that makes me angry with her and feel empathy for the others.

There is a chance, a small one, but still a chance, that Edmund will get well, that Tyrone will stop drinking, that Jamie will branch out on his own. But Mary is stuck where she is, dreaming and lying through her life.

Like I said, this wasn't exactly a fun play, but it was extremely realistic. Very well done and highly recommended.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjama's by John Doyle (41/81)

2009-06-16T06:10:00.000-04:00

The cautionary tale is about two boys, one the son of a commandant in Hitler’s army and the other a Jew, who come face-to-face at a barbed wire fence that separates, and eventually intertwines their lives.

Set during the Holocaust, Bruno is only nine-years-old when his father, a commandant in Hitler’s army, is transferred from Berlin to Auschwitz. The house at “Out-With,” as Bruno calls it, is small, dark, and strange. He spends long days gazing out the window of his new bedroom, where he notices people dressed in striped pajamas and rows of barracks surrounded by a barbed wire fence. Bored and lonely, and not really understanding the circumstance of his new existence, Bruno sets out to explore the area and discovers Shmuel, a very thin Jewish boy who lives on the other side of the fence. An unlikely friendship develops between the two boys, but when Bruno learns that his mother plans to take her children back to Berlin, he makes a last effort to explore the forbidden territory where the boy in the striped pajamas lives.

This is as a book club that we all decided to read ...... And I thought it was a good read ... It is definitely a Young Adult book as it is told from a nine years old perspective ....

It is a very easy read ....... And you could easily finish it in one sitting as it is also large print .... I loved the concept of the story being told from a child's view .... Very clever ... The way that he calls the place "Out-With" and also the name he calls the leader "Fury".

It did me reflect on how Innocent Bruno is ......... And how much responsible that we have as parents to teach our children correct principles because what we say and teach them is how they view the world ......

There is just enough of sadness in the book to reflect the awful circumstances that surround the two boys ....... My only complaint with the book is that if the reader doesn't have a knowledge of what happened in these camps you cannot really grasp what is occurring in the story .... I think this may be one of the rare occasions that a visual movie would capture the story better ...... And probably in my case cry the whole way through the movie ........

I enjoyed the book and like I said before it would be good for a young reader .... But you would have to have a good discussion about the book and the context to make sure that they understood what was happening ... But felt that The Book Thief was more sensitive to the victims of the Holocaust and War times ...... As it gives a more graphic and realistic description of what actually happens at war times ....

I rate this book 4****

Tide, Feather, Snow by Miranda Weiss, 15/81

2009-06-15T22:55:00.002-04:00

In the late 1990s Miranda Weiss moved from the continental US to Homer, Alaska. This memoir chronicles Weiss's first two years in Alaska, her relationship to the land, her boyfriend, and the difficult decision of whether to stay in Alaska. Weiss had always been fascinated with Alaska, and she had worked in the wilderness before, in remote areas of national parks. But none of this prepared her for the realities of Alaska. In this memoir Weiss weaves together discussion of the natural wonders and dangers of Alaska along with her own experiences of her new life. The dramatic tides, salmon migrations, and persistent dark of winter all make for more interesting writing than one might expect of a memoir that is heavily focused on climate and weather conditions. For those of us in the lower forty-eight, some of the conditions in Alaska are likely shocking. Weiss knew more than a few people who lived without running water and indoor toilets by choice. Weiss had to ski a half-mile to and from her car in the dead of winter, donning a headlamp. Most of us can't imagine this sort of life- I surely could not. Weiss also discusses the attitudes and assumptions of Alaskans- putting high premiums on time resided in the state. Alaska has always had a reputation as the last frontier, and Weiss's memoir proves that it is just as susceptible to the sort of mythology that has characterized other American frontiers. Perhaps significant is the myth of self-sufficiency. Weiss notes that a desire for simpler lives and self-sufficiency has drawn many to Alaska, but Alaska also has more federal government involvement than just about any other state, likewise, the resettlement of Americans from other states in Alaska means that record amounts of supplies have to be flown in to the state. The contradictions are interesting, and Weiss is clearly attuned to them. It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but it ultimately drew me in. I knew very little of Alaska and I found Weiss's descriptions engaging. She does an excellent job of conveying the extremes and dangers that shape everyday life in Alaska.

Miranda Weiss, Tide, Feather, Snow: A Life in Alaska (Harper, 2009) ISBN: 0061710253

Category: Memoirs 1/9, 15/81

Prague in Black and Gold: Scenes From the Life of a European City by Peter Demetz

2009-06-15T04:03:00.002-04:00

4/81

Category: Around the World

Very informative book. I like how the author divided and explained these "scenes" from the long life of a city. Some of my favorite bits dealt with the origin myth and how it has effected Prague by starting out with a ruling class of women, or gynocracy with the three daughters of Krok. The three sisters were very impressive with their gifts and the youngest, Libussa, with her way of dealing out justice with compassion rather than an iron will, even if one dissatisfied man decided to shout "long hair short minds" throughout the hills. The maidens war was another example of the earlier gender conflicts that showed women as fierce and wanting respect.
The latter chapters dealing with important emperors, noblemen, artists, and intellectuals is filled with research and clearly written by a man who as his heart and soul tied into his hometown.Prague has proven time and again throughout history to be ever-changing in it's tolerance and forever being strongly influenced many religions including Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism, and Moor traditions, let alone ethnic and political influences. It is no doubt a town of magic and strength. Some of my favorite chapters were "Mozart in Prague" and "Prague in the Carolinium Era" My excitement to visit this city has only grown through reading this book. I also appreciate the author's helpful hints for pronouncing the complicated Czech language even though I am still at a loss for pronouncing many of the person and place names.

One more favorite tidbit: I learned the origin of the Czech tongue twister that contains no vowels....
the line translates as "stick your finger through your throat" written in Czech as "Strc prst skrz krk." As explained in the book this twister comes from a novel entitled "The Witch of Prague" and was actually used by a woman flirting and showing of her bewitching language skills to a foreigner who indeed becomes enamored with her.

The Tree of Man, 47/81, 2nd Round.

2009-06-14T22:47:00.003-04:00

The Tree of Man by Patrick White, global reading category

Wow, what a chunk of a book! 499 pages. And I don't know why that feels so big, as I have read some for the challenge that were even bigger, but it just felt like a really big book.

The book is all about an Australian couple, Stan and Amy Parker. It is sort of an epic, a great Australian novel, as it were. They build a home, work on their farm, raise cows, have a couple of kids, survive a flood and a fire, meet the neighbors. Stan goes off to war. Their son turns out to be a weak criminal type; their daughter a social climber. They both get old. Stan dies.

And believe it or not, that is really the whole book. Why did it take 499 pages? I'm not entirely sure. It's certainly not because of the dialogue. Both Stan and Amy are taciturn by nature.

Perhaps this is White's way of portraying the basic honest type of person who is always at the heart of a thriving nation. The Parkers are not every anyone special. But their lives are still important.

I didn't really love this book, but I did enjoy the style. I'm not sure if it's the writer or because he was Australian, but there are just small differences in the way the story is told. I had to read it a little more carefully, because he says so much without saying it straight out. So much of the story is implied in just a few words, which means the reader has to extrapolate and decipher the littlest clue.

I don't know if I will read more by this author or not, but this was certainly a change from what I normally read.

The Blue Notebook by James Levine, 14/81

2009-06-14T21:49:00.002-04:00

This is a deeply sad book, and an engrossing book too. The story of a child prostitute in Mumbai, Bartuk was sold into slavery by her father, and taken from her family's countryside home to Mumbai's red light district. On the 'Common Street' that becomes Bartuk's home, the children are kept in cages barely large enough for movement. They are given barely enough food to sustain life. Most horrifically, they are expected to have sex with a dozen or so men every night. It is difficult to overstate the horrors of the Common Street, and Bartuk escapes the horrors of her life by writing in her diary, a blue notebook she must keep hidden. It would be easy to become engrossed in this book merely because of the shock value. Certainly the conditions are horrific, more so because Bartuk and her friends are composite characters based on children Levine met during travels in Mumbai. But there is more literary merit to this novel than just shock, and Levine has produced a compelling protagonist and engaging plot. Bartuk's writing and quick mind sometimes disguise her youth, but the reader is constantly reminded of her age by the series of euphemisms she has developed to refer to anatomy and sexual activity. The reader is intimately aware of the precariousness of Bartuk's situation, and one in which the reader is given no definitive ending. This seems appropriate, as Bartuk's life is so precarious, so too is her fate. This novel is not just a work of literature, it is also a call to action. Bartuk is only one of many, and the author makes clear his intention to donate proceeds to children's charities. Levine has crafted a moving and unforgettable character; her story is one that will not easily be forgotten.

James Levine, The Blue Notebook (Spiegel & Grau, 2009) ISBN: 038552871X

Category: Published in 2009, 1/9, 14/81

American Gospel, 44/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-13T22:45:00.001-04:00

American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of the Nation, by John Mecham, non-fiction category

I went to a discussion group last year where we talked about the Constitution, the Founding Fathers, and religion. I wish I had read this book before going, because I would have been more able to defend my case. This book examines the true religious principles that guided the writing of the Constitution.

The basic idea of the book is that religious freedom has always been important in the history of America. The Founding Fathers did not want to eliminate God, or Providence as they often referred to him, completely from public life, but that they felt it best to leave the matter as open as possible, so that each person could define that Providence however they wished. They also designed the Constitution and the Republic to make it more difficult for minorities to control the whole, but also so that they would also be protected.

Meacham does a great job in this book. I found it extremely readable, and certainly relevant. The book is not very long, but it has over 100 pages of appendix, including source notes, bibliography, and selected documents that he quotes in the book. The only thing it lacked was an index, which I would have appreciated.

Still, such a great book. Here is my favorite quote:

"Democracy is easy; republicanism is hard. Democracy is fueled by passion; republicanism is founded on moderation. Democracy is loud, raucous, disorderly; republicanism is quiet, cool, judicious--and that we still live in its light is the Founders' most wondrous deed."

Lysistrata 45/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-13T22:38:00.001-04:00

Lysistrata by Aristophanes, play category

The basic plot behind this book is pretty well known. The Greek women get tired of war and decide force a peace treaty. Their weapon of choice is sex - they will withhold intimacy from their men until the men agree to call off the war.

As might be expected, the dialogue is pretty full of innuendo and at time explicit reference to sex. There are lots of jokes about it. I'm not sure how this would be staged in today's world.

I was fine with that. What bothered me was the translation. For instance, apparently the Spartans had an accent that marked them out from the Athenians. The translator chose to interpret that as a country hick accent. Then there was the attempt to make the dialogue modern and hip, which is of course, at least 20 years out of date.

Not a bad play, although the whole idea shouldn't have taken as long as it did to stage. One act would have been enough. But if you want to read it, find a different translation. This one was done by William Arrowsmith and it is really jarring to read.

Still Life, 41/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-10T23:08:00.001-04:00

Still Life by Louise Penny, global reading category

Inspector Gamache of the Surete de Quebec arrives in a small town to investigate the death of a well-liked old lady. She has been found shot with an arrow. Was it accident or murder? There don't seem to be many suspects, but as he digs a little deeper, he uncovers lots of secrets in the little town.

I haven't read much in Canadian mysteries, so I was happy to hear about this one. I enjoyed the look at the little town, at Quebec life, at the language, and at the police force. Gamache is saddled with a rookie who just can't seem to learn from her mistakes. I found that little dynamic pretty funny. And I loved the characters.

This one was really well done. I thought I knew where the story was heading, but I was wrong. I just found out that there are 2 more in the series, and I am looking forward to reading them as well.

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (40/81)

2009-06-10T20:57:00.001-04:00

Strange things happen at midnight in the town of Bixby, Oklahoma. Time freezes. Nobody moves. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. Only a small group of people know about the secret hour - only they are free to move about the midnight time. These people call themselves Midnighters. Each one has a different power that is strongest at midnight: Seer, Mindcaster, Acrobat, Polymath. For years the Midnighters and the dark creatures have shared the secret hour, uneasily avoiding one another. All that changes when the new girl with an unmistakable midnight aura appears at Bixby High School.Jessica Day is not an outsider like the other Midnighters. She acts perfectly normal in every way. But it soon becomes clear that the dark creatures sense a hidden power in Jessica . . . and they're determined to stop her before she can use it.

Well I enjoyed the Uglies Series so much that I thought I would give this Trilogy a whirl .... This is book one of the Midnighters Series ....

What would you do if you managed to have an extra hour in the day ....... You are among a special group of people that can walk around in this hour while everyone else is frozen in the moment ........ Sounds great until you find out that there are creatures that come alive in this special hour at midnight that are trying to Kill you .... It sort of takes the buzz away !!!

I enjoyed this first novel ... And it stopped in a way that I am just itching to pick up the next book .... This would be classed as a Young Teen Read with really like able characters in Dess, Rex,Mel, Jonathan and Jessica the new girl in town ......

Can Jessica find out why the Darklings want her so much ........ And why is the small town of Bixby so strange !! A great new Fantasy Novel .....

A rate this book 4 ****

The Book of Lies

2009-06-09T04:32:00.001-04:00

The Book of Lies
Brad Meltzer
fiction
Grand Central Publishing
mmp June 2009
432 pages

from the back: "In chapter four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. It is the world's most famous murder. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used to kill his brother. That weapon is still lost to history.

In 1932, Mitchell Seagel was killed by gunshots. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproff man and created Superman. The gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now. Today in fort Lauderdale, a young man named Cal Harper encounters his long-missing father--who has been shot with the same gun that kidded Siegel. But soon after their reunion, Cal and his dad are attacked by a killer tattooed with the ancient markings of Cain. What does Cain, history's greatest villain, have to do with Superman, the world's greatest hero? And what do two murder, committed thousands of years apart, have in common?"

This is my first Brad Meltzer book. Picked up for the cover, purchased because it sounded interesting but it would have gone on my library list if I didn't need a "New to You Author" book. I wasn't sure how quick I could get it at the library or if I'd feel like reading it when it came....

Normally, I can get into a book and finish quickly, even with other stuff going on. This one was different. Not because it was bad, but because it has that so-scary-it-could-be-real feel to it. All the characters were alive to me and I needed to take breaks to get them out of my head. Surprises and twists kept me guessing and I'm extremely glad I kept reading, the ending was fantastic and not rushed, leaving us just enough unanswered questions to wonder about. I inhaled the last third, without even potty breaks :)

5 stars

Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (39/81)

2009-06-07T02:28:00.001-04:00

A new Sookie Stackhouse book is always a treat! Sookie is a sexy, sassy cocktail waitress who works at Merlotte's Bar in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She's just a regular gal, with all the normal hopes and fears, about dating, boys and life in general - oh, and she's telepathic. And her boyfriends have included Vampire Bill, her first love and the were-tiger Quinn. And Bon Temps is a pretty normal rural town, where murders are mercifully rare. Well, maybe not that rare, as Sookie keeps finding out in this award-winning, New York Times bestselling series!

This is book 9 in the Sookie Stackhouse series and I don't know what I am going to do because it is the last one for the present :( ............ I loved this book especially the relationship between Sookie and Eric really funny at times ... Now that the vampires have come out to the world it is time for the rest of the supernatural crowd to come out .... But is the world ready to handle that .......... Sookie has clocked up alot of favours over the past while and it is now time to call them in as someone is out to get her again !!!

The usual crowd are all in the book ... Werewolves, Vampires, Werepanthers,Witches, Shape shifters, Demons and of course Fairies .......... I really loved this series and one that I will be reading again soon :) ......... It is an easy read with lots of dangers and funny moments .... So if you love your fantasy you will love this series ........

I rate this book 41/2 ****

The Worst Hard Time, 35/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-06T23:08:00.002-04:00

The Worst Hard Time, by Timothy Egan, non-fiction category

Having lived in Oklahoma during my high school years and traveled across the state often on my way to visit grandparents, I have seen a lot of the country covered in this heartbreaking story of the Dust Bowl. That may be one of the reasons why I picked up this book. The other reason, of course, is that so many other LT people were reading it and recommending it.

I had learned a little bit of the history of this time in school, including learning about Roosevelt's New Deal economics and how it affected farmers. But I have to admit that I didn't really understand what caused the terrible storms until I read this. Living in a dry country myself, I can see how hard it would be to try and get a living from the soil without rain. But here I have the mountains to break up the wind. Out on the prairies, there's nothing for miles and miles, and the wind just goes on and on. Without that grass to hold onto the dirt, it will just fly away. And the pressures on the farmers to plow more and more land left them with no understanding of why soil conservation is critical to keeping a nation from going hungry.

The stories told and the writing were indeed remarkable. I really got the feeling of how desperate a time it must have been. And those black and white photos of the storms and the dust they left behind were amazing.

But I didn't really enjoy this book. Maybe that was BECAUSE it was so well written, that I found it extremely depressing. Great, another story of how the dust killed off the cattle, the children, the land itself. It was a little more than I could imagine at times.

I think this might have been a case of right book, wrong time. I have so much going on in my life right now that I'm just not up to major drama and heartbreak in my book too.

Watership Down, 36/81, 2nd Round

2009-06-06T23:06:00.001-04:00

Watership Down, by Richard Adams, reread category

Hazel, his brother Fiver, and some other rabbits set off to find a new place to live. Along the way, they encounter challenges they never expected and prove to be resourceful and brave.

For many folks, they have to wonder how good a book about rabbits could really be. But to paraphrase Lance Armstrong, it's not about the bunny. This is about a quest to find a safe place to call home.

From the preface, it seems that Adams was a little tired of being pressed to explain "what it all means." It started out as a children's story about rabbits. But whether he intended it that way or not, it became much more.

This is still one of my favorite stories. I love Hazel, the leader in spite of himself, who inspires his group by his compassion and common sense. I love Bigwig, tough and brave, but willing to learn something new. I love Dandelion and Blackberry, and they way the help their friends and never give up.

This time around, I especially loved the ending, when Hazel goes on to his reward. Just a great book. And if all you see in it is a story about some bunnies, that's okay with me. But to me it means a lot more.

From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (38/81)

2009-06-06T07:13:00.001-04:00

The supernatural community in Bon Temps, Louisiana is reeling from two hard blows: the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina, and the manmade horror of the explosion at the vampire summit in the up-north city of Rhodes. Sookie Stackhouse is safe but dazed, and she's yearning for things to get back to normal. But that's just not happening. Too many vampires - some friends, some not - were killed or injured, and her were-tiger boyfriend Quinn is among the missing. It's clear that things are changing, whether the weres and vamps like it or not. And Sookie, Friend to the Pack, blood-bonded to the leader of the local vampire community, is caught up in those changes. She's about to find herself facing danger and death and, not for the first time, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood has stopped flowing, Sookie's world will be forever altered ...

Book 8 in the Sookie Stackhouse Series and everyone is trying to recover from the Vampire Conference ...... Who managed to stay alive ........ Where has Quinn gone and will Sookie wait for him?? ....... I have to say I loved this book another one of my favourites :) ....... Sookie learns that she is not alone in the world but she does have family after all just not your typical human family :) ........

Some strange new Vampires make an appearance which doesn't go down to well ...... What do they want !!! And will Amelia be able to change Bob back ???? ( Yes Mormons do get a mention !!!)

I read this book in a few hours just had to know what was going to happen and I am excited to read the next installment !!! So if you love your Fantasy books you definitely have to read this series !!!

I rate this book 4 1/2 ****

All together Dead by Charlaine Harris (37/81)

2009-06-06T06:56:00.002-04:00

Sookie's beginning to get used to being surrounded by all varieties of undead, changeling, shapeshifting and other supernatural beings - but even she has her limits. She'd really like to take a while to get over being betrayed by Bill, her long-time vampire lover, and get used to her new relationship with the sexy shapeshifter Quinn - but instead, she finds herself attending the long-planned vampire summit, the destination of choice for every undead power player around, as a sort-of human 'Geiger counter' for Sophie-Anne Leclerq, vampire queen of Louisiana. But the job is fraught with difficulties. Sophie-Anne's power base has been severely weakened by Hurricane Katrina, and she's about to be put on trial during the event for murdering her king. Sookie knows the queen is innocent, but she's hardly prepared for other shocking murders: it looks like there are some vamps who would like to finish what nature started. With secret alliances and backroom deals the order of the day - and night - Sookie must decide which side she'll stand with, and quickly, for her choice may mean the difference between survival and all-out catastrophe.

This is book 7 in the Sookie Stackhouse Series and we find Sookie attending a Vampire Conference ..... She also finds herself getting closer to Eric the Viking Vampire .... She has been assigned to help the Queen Sophie-Anne with up and coming trial .... But as always it is dangerous being a human so close to a world of Vampires !!!

You have to feel sorry for Sookie because she always finds herself in situations that really aren't her fault ...... But I enjoyed this book it was fast paced and kept me guessing on who was trying to out play who !!!

As always you can read this book without reading the rest but it makes more sense if you start from the beginning ....

I rate this book 4 ****