Beth's Bonanza of Books

Favorites of 2011

2012-01-10T16:06:00.002-05:00

5. Vanish (Firelight #2) by Sophie Jordan

What a great follow-up to Firelight! I loved reading about Jacinda fighting back against her clan and her growing closer to Cassian! I hope those two end up together (although I doubt it)!

4. Spellweaver (Nine Kingdoms #5) by Lynn Kurland

I just cannot get enough of the Nine Kingdom series! I loved learning more about Ruith and Sarah and being there with them as they discovered more about their pasts and learned more about each other - SO excited for the next one!

3. Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1) by Caragh M. O'Brien
What an intriguing book! I loved the premise of it! Gaia is a great heroine and of course, the lovely Captain Gray!

2. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Clara's story is so fascinating! I enjoyed the whole concept of angels and part angels on Earth, not to mention the battle between good angels and bad angels.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth

What is there to say about this book that I haven't already said - NOT MUCH! Awesome read and I am so excited for the next book in the series to find out about Four and Tris!

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

2012-01-04T16:39:00.002-05:00

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

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

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

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.

I had such a hard time putting this book down! Thankfully I was feeling rather cruddy today and had a good excuse to spend a lot of it reading! I find the whole concept of powerful aliens seeking safety on Earth from another species of alien set on hunting them all down rather fascinating.

I was drawn into Number Four's (aka John Smith) story in the first book, I Am Number Four. In this book we are introduced to more of the "numbers" and I found myself rooting for all of them and hoping they all find each other. A couple of twists in this story and it was super riveting! I hate that I have to wait for another book, though!

Rating: 4/5

Books Read 2011

2012-01-03T10:54:00.001-05:00

DECEMBER
67. My Fair Godmother (My Fair Godmother #1) - Janette Rallison
66. Prince Charming - Julie Garwood (reread)
65. I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1) - Pittacus Lore
NOVEMBER
64. Crossed (Matched #2) - Ally Condie
63. Prized (Birthmarked #2) - Caragh M. O'Brien
62. Inheritance (Inheritance Cycle #4) - Christopher Paolini
61. Spellweaver (Nine Kingdoms #5) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
60. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (reread)
59. A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms #4) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
OCTOBER
58. Princess of the Sword (Nine Kingdoms #3) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
57. The Mage's Daughter (Nine Kingdoms #2) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
56. Star of the Morning (Nine Kingdoms #1) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
55. Unearthly (Unearthly #1) - Cynthia Hand
54. The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) - Rick Riordan
53. The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus #1) - Rick Riordan (reread)
52. Vanish (Firelight #2) - Sophie Jordan
SEPTEMBER
51. The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3) - Cindy Williams Chima
50. Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1) - Caragh M. O'Brien
49. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (reread)
48. The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles #2) - Rick Riordan
AUGUST
47. Poison Study (Study #1) - Maria V. Snyder (reread)
46. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K Rowling (reread)
45. Eona: The Last Dragoneye (Eon #2) - Alison Goodman
44. With Every Breath (MacLeod #11) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
JULY
43. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (reread)
42. Ransom - Julie Garwood (reread)
41. The Secret - Julie Garwood (reread)
40. Outside In (Insider #2) - Maria V. Snyder
39. Inside Out (Insider #1) - Maria V. Snyder
38. Firelight (Firelight #1) - Sophie Jordan
JUNE
37. The Bride - Julie Garwood (reread)
36. Darkest Mercy (Wicked Lovely #5) - Melissa Marr
35. How To Ride A Dragon's Storm (HTTYD #7) - Cressida Cowell
34. Divergent - Veronica Roth
33. A Whisper Of Spring - Lynn Kurland
32. The Tale of Two Swords - Lynn Kurland
31. A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons (HTTYD #6) - Cressida Cowell
MAY
30. Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale - Carolyn Turgeon
29. How To Twist A Dragon's Tale (HTTYD #5) - Cressida Cowell
28. One Magic Moment (de Paiget #13) - Lynn Kurland
27. Eon: Dragoneye Reborn (Eon #1) - Alison Goodman
26. Matched (Matched #1) - Ally Condie
25. Nightshade (Nightshade #1) - Andrea Cremer
APRIL
24. Anna and the French Kiss - Stephanie Perkins
23. How To Cheat A Dragon's Curse (HTTYD #4) - Cressida Cowell
22. Afterlife (Evernight #4) - Claudia Gray
21. Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) - Richelle Mead
20. Drowning Ruth - Christina Schwarz
19. If I Had You (de Piaget #2) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
18. Another Chance to Dream (de Piaget #1) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
17. The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) - Julie Kagawa
16. The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) - Julie Kagawa
15. How To Speak Dragonese (HTTYD #3) - Cressida Cowell
14. Princess of Glass - Jessica Day George
13. The Exiled Queen (Seven Realms #2) - Cindy Williams Chima
MARCH
12. Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) - Rachel Hawkins
11. Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) - Rachel Hawkins
10. Please Ignore Vera Dietz - A.S. King
9. The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) - Rick Riordan
8. How To Be A Pirate (HTTYD #2) - Cressida Cowell
7. The Real George Washington - Jay A. Parry
FEBRUARY
6. How To Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell
5. Beastly - Alex Flinn
JANUARY
4. Spellweaver (Nine Kingdoms #5) - Lynn Kurland
3. A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms #4) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
2. The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) - Julie Kagawa
1. Mini Shopaholic (Shopaholic #6) - Sophie Kinsella

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

2011-06-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war.

Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

The Wicked Lovely series... what can I say? Very confusing and slightly boring. The first book, Wicked Lovely, was interesting. I though it was a promising twist to the whole faery genre. But then the next three books, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, and Radiant Shadows, were very strange. I felt like they really had nothing to do with the whole story line and it just confused me by adding all these new and (in my opinion) unimportant characters.

So... let me break it down for you. There once were four courts in Faery - Summer and Winter (they balanced each other), and High and Dark (they also balanced each other). But in the last book, a new court was created - the Shadow Court. It was created to balance Sorcha, queen of the High Court and all of Faery, because she was losing control and in doing so would have destroyed all of Faery. But in doing so, it left the Dark Court unbalanced.

Each of the courts has at least one ruler: Sorcha (High), Niall (Dark), Keenan and Aislinn (Summer), Donia (Winter), and Devlin (Shadow). So the story starts with the death of the last Dark King, Irial, which leads to a sort of instability in Niall, the current Dark King. It doesn't help that he has no one to balance his "craziness", so things start spiraling out of control. Add to that the Bananach (the embodiment of Chaos and sister to Sorcha) is let loose on the world and trying to bring war to the faery courts in order to destroy everyone.

Basically all the rulers want someone they can't have, but they all have to work together, goodness prevails, and in the end all the rulers end up happy.

To me, it was the best book in the series because I understood who everyone was and what was happening to them. I also felt a connection to their stories and wanted what was best for them. And, it ended, if not a little too quaintly for me, nicely for everyone. Really, I'm just glad the series is over with. It was too much for the story, if you ask me.

Rating: 3/5

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-06-29T09:50:00.000-04:00

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

WARNING! Spoilers!

What an exciting read! It had a bit of a Hunger Games-esque feel, but with a sort of Matched twist. I felt like I was a part of their world. I kept hoping for Tris to succeed, but at the same time I wanted her to stay true to herself. Four was a very exciting character. I figured early on he was a transfer from Abnegation, but I didn't realize he was really Tobias! I love that he was Divergent as well and that they both were able to fight against the Erudite.

It just goes to show that no matter what ways you try to change society, there will always be those out there who want power and personal gain. Don't let yourself be a mindless follower, but think for yourself and do what is right!

I am so excited for the next book in the series!

Rating: 5/5

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

2011-05-10T08:43:00.000-04:00

This is the first time I've actually rated a book one star. A little harsh, perhaps. I have to admit, I kind of didn't want to read this book. But I'm the type of person when once I start a series, 98% I have to finish the series. The Evernight series started out really interesting for me. The whole concept of vampire and vampire hunter falling in love... seemed a little overdone with all the vampire books coming out, but a cute twist on it. The second book in the series was okay as well. But then as the series dragged on... I was dragging on. Bianca hovering between vampire and wraith, Lucas fighting the whole world for Bianca (at the age of 17 or 18, mind you)... it was just becoming too much.

And then the fourth book was released. BLAH! I felt reading this book made me more dumb by the second. I was so annoyed with the whole Bianca/Lucas OBSESSION - I swear, every other paragraph was about how much they just LOVED each other... Then the whole Ms. Bethany and the wraiths storyline... whatever. I can see where the author was going with this, since she introduced the wraiths in the first book, but it didn't make the story any better. It just drove me nuts.

Anyway, I can honestly say I am so glad I'm done with this series! Blah blag blah!

Rating: 1/5

Spellweaver by Lynn Kurland

2011-01-18T12:18:00.000-05:00

Ruith had long managed to ignore the magic in his veins, until aiding Sarah with her ill-fated quest forced him into places where his heritage was impossible to deny. Faced with an ever-increasing number of enemies who covet his power, Ruith must accept his birthright and gather his father's spells together so he can destroy them-or turn away and allow his father's evil to overcome the Nine Kingdoms.

Now, Ruith and Sarah must rely on each other more than ever-for everything they value is at risk: the Nine Kingdoms, their lives...and their hearts.

The second story of Ruith and Sarah was a good read. I had to reread the first book following their story, A Tapestry of Spells, so I could reacquaint myself with their journey. In this book, Ruith and Sarah travel across the Nine Kingdoms, looking for more of Gair's spells. Ruith is afraid someone is trying to collect them and all of Gair's powers with them - which could destroy their world. They encounter more of Ruith's relatives along the way (which made me very happy - I love family reunions in these books), and learn things about Sarah's past that they never expected. As they get closer to their goal, Ruith and Sarah also grow closer to each other, which I figured would happen, but it was still fun to read about. One thing that did bother me was how Sarah was always finding excuses to not be with Ruith... drove me nuts. Quit torturing yourself trying to be all "noble" and just accept what's in front of your face, Sarah! So annoying.

Anyway, it was fun to continue in this series and I hate that I have to wait another whole year for the next book!

Rating: 4/5

Review to come...

2011-01-16T14:22:00.002-05:00

Things are a little crazy around here (with buying a house and moving), but I promise I will review Spellweaver soon!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

2011-01-10T21:38:00.002-05:00

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Very interesting read... it was different than other faery books that I've read, and that's good, because I haven't been too impressed by the others. I enjoyed the whole aspect of the Iron Court and how that came into being.

I REALLY enjoyed me some Ash, though! Definitely crush-worthy.

Rating: 3.75/5

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

2011-01-06T11:03:00.000-05:00

Nothing comes between Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) and her bargains. Neither act of God nor budget crunch can shatter her dreams of wall-to-wall Prada. Every milestone in her well-shopped life (travel, long-lost sister, marriage, pregnancy) inspires new vistas to explore in the name of retail therapy. But now she faces her greatest little challenge yet: Becky’s two-year-old daughter, Minnie.

While motherhood has been everything Becky dreamed it would be—Baby Dior, Little Marc Jacobs, and Dolce & Gabbana for toddlers—adorable Minnie is wreaking havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “MINE!” and her penchant for Balenciaga bags, Chanel sunglasses, and online purchases has no rival under age five.

Becky is at her wits end. On top of this, she and her husband Luke are still living with her parents. Thankfully it appears house buying attempt number four is a go! Until a huge financial crisis causes panic everywhere, and nobody wants to shop—not Becky’s personal shopping clientele, not her friends, nobody. And with Luke in the doldrums, it’s time for Becky to step in—with a party: A surprise birthday party for Luke (on a budget) is the perfect antidote to everyone’s woes. At first.

Will Becky manage to keep the party of the year a surprise? Can she hire jugglers, fire-eaters, and acrobats at a discount? Will enlisting the help of Luke’s unflappable assistant to convince him to have another baby realize her dream of matching pom-poms? Will Minnie find a new outlet for her energetic and spirited nature (perhaps one with sixty percent markdowns)? She is, after all, a chip off the old shopping block. And everyone knows a committed shopper always finds a way.

After waiting two years, it was fun to read about Becky again. She completely drives me insane and I can't stand that she lies all the time and shops way too much, but that's the way she's supposed to be. Sometimes her antics are so ridiculous you can't help but laugh! I thought this book would be more about her daughter than her, but I was wrong. That doesn't make it bad, necessarily, just not what I was expecting. The ending was great and I was glad everything worked out, although I wish Luke knew the WHOLE truth about how everything really worked out.

Rating: 3/5

A Year In Review

2011-01-03T11:55:00.003-05:00

Last year was definitely not my best at reading. There was a lot going on in my life (moving twice, having a baby, husband on deployment), so it was hard for me to find time to read. But, I still was able to find a few books that are noteworthy.

5. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison (Book 5) by Brandon Mull

What a great ending to a fascinating series! The series follows the story of Kendra and Seth Sorenson and their grandparents, the caretakers of a magical refuge called Fablehaven. Hidden dangers lurk at every corner and as the series goes on, the group must battle a society known as the Evening Star that is set on releasing fearsome demons and destroying the Earth.

4. The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) by Cindy Williams Chima

This book follows the journey of ex-thief Han Alister, an impoverished commoner, and Raisa ana'Marianna, the princess heir of the Fells. Brought together by the Demon King, both must work toward saving their families and their land from great evil. Great story, interesting plot, kept me wanting more... can't wait to read the next book in the series, The Exiled Queen.

3. The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) by Rick Riordan

Following the Percy Jackson series, The Lost Hero introduces you to a new character, Jason. Waking up in a new place, not knowing anything about his past and who he is, Jason finds himself heading to Camp Half-Blood and faces challenges he could never imagine. I LOVED the Percy Jackson series, so I loved that characters from those stories were included in this book. A fun read that left me very upset that I have to wait for the next book to come out!

2. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

I was instantly drawn in to the world of Yelena, a convicted murdered reprieved at the last minute to become the food taster for the Commander of Ixia. Strange happenings start occurring in the Commander's household, and with the help of the Commander's head of security, Valek, Yelena discovers more than she thought possible. Such a good book! I really loved the whole series equally (except the last book, Fire Study, started out a little slow for me), but since this was the first and it introduced me to the characters, it is ranked my number two!

1. Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms #4) by Lynn Kurland

I was so excited when I saw there would be a continuation of this series - and it did not disappoint! It follows the story of Ruith, who turned his back on magic after watching his whole family slain by his evil father. He meets Sarah, a girl whose brother is set to destroy the world with his evil magic, and unwillingly is drawn into a world he longs to forget. I cannot wait for the next book (coming out this month) and to see if Ruith finally meets up with a certain someone... WINK, WINK!

So, that's my year in review. Hopefully this year I'll do better than 58!

Books Read in 2010

2011-01-03T11:24:00.004-05:00

DECEMBER
58. Uncharted TerriTORI - Tori Spelling
NOVEMBER
57. For A Queen's Love: The Stories of The Royal Wives of Philip II - Jean Plaidy
56. Princess of the Midnight Ball - Jessica Day George
55. Innocent Traitor - Alison Weir
54. The Lost Hero (The Heroes of Olympus #1) - Rick Riordan
OCTOBER
53. The Demon King (Seven Realms #1) - Cindy Williams Chima
52. The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles #3) - Cindy Williams Chima
51. Mudbound - Hillary Jordan
50. Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5) - Richelle Mead
49. One Second After - William R. Forstchen
48. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart - Beth Patillo
47. The Wizard Heir (The Heir Chronicles #2) - Cindy Williams Chima
46. The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles #1) - Cindy Williams Chima
45. The Overton Window - Glenn Beck
SEPTEMBER
44. The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan
43. Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) - Richelle Mead
42. The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) - Julia Quinn (reread)
41. Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) - Richelle Mead
40. Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) - Richelle Mead
39. Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
38. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast - Robin McKinley
AUGUST
37. Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3) - Suzanne Collins
36. Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) - Suzanne Collins (reread)
35. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (reread)
JULY
34. Legacy - Cayla Kluver
33. Brisingr (Inheritance Cycle #3) - Christopher Paolini (reread)
32. Eldest (Inheritance Cycle #2) - Christopher Paolini (reread)
JUNE
31. Eragon (Inheritance Cycle #1) - Christopher Paolini (reread)
30. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
29. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
28. Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely #4) - Melissa Marr
27. Cleopatra's Daughter - Michelle Moran
26. Fire Study (Study #3) - Maria V. Snyder
25. Magic Study (Study #2) - Maria V. Snyder
MAY
24. Poison Study (Study #1) - Maria V. Snyder
23. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (reread)
22. The Actor and the Housewife - Shannon Hale
21. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison (Book 5) - Brandon Mull
20. The Wives of Henry Oades - Johanna Moran
19. Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Book 4) - Brandon Mull
18. One Enchanted Evening (de Paiget #12) - Lynn Kurland
17. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (Book 3) - Brandon Mull
16. Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star (Book 2) - Brandon Mull
15. Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick
APRIL
14. Hourglass (Evernight #3) - Claudia Gray
13. The Kitchen House - Kathleen Grissom
12. Glenn Beck's Common Sense - Glenn Beck
11. With Every Breath (MacLeod #10) - Lynn Kurland
10. Forest Born (Books of Bayern #4) - Shannon Hale
MARCH
9. Fablehaven - Brandon Mull
8. As Shadows Fade (Gardella Family Chronicles #5) - Colleen Gleason (reread)
7. When Twilight Burns (Gardella Family Chronicles #4) - Colleen Gleason (reread)
FEBRUARY
6. The Bleeding Dusk (Gardella Family Chronicles #3) - Colleen Gleason (reread)
5. Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) - Maggie Stiefvater
JANUARY
4. A Bride in the Bargain - Deeanne Gist
3. A Tapestry of Spells (Nine Kingdoms #4) - Lynn Kurland
2. All Is Well (Work and the Glory #9) Gerald N. Lund (reread)
1. So Great A Cause (Work and the Glory #8) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)

Innocent Traitor

2010-11-16T09:45:00.002-05:00

This is the story of Lady Jane Grey, the nine day queen of England. Great niece to Henry VIII, she grows up in an unloved home with constant pressure to be the smartest, prettiest, best behaved noble woman in the land.

During this time there is great upheaval in England. Henry VIII has broken with the Catholic church and formed the Church of England. His daughter from his first marriage, Mary, is an ardent Catholic and refuses to join the reformed faith. Meanwhile his son and heir, Edward VI, firmly believes the ideas of the reformed faith and during his reign, many throughout the land follow his example. Unfortunately his health fails, and those in high places who belong to the reformed faith fear for what may be in store for them when Mary comes to the crown. They hatch a plan to set up Lady Jane as Edward's successor, knowing she is a strong believer of the Protestant faith and a very intelligent young lady.

Jane does not want any of this. She is very unwilling to accept the crown, but with the pressure from not only the highest nobles of the land, but her own parents, she grudgingly becomes Queen. Quickly following the proclamation of Jane as Queen, Mary rallies her supporters and marches on London, quickly quelling the rebellion and proclaiming herself Queen. And Jane's future is very grim.

This book was very informative. I started reading it without very much knowledge about this era in history, so I learned a lot. What a scary time! There was so much upheaval, everyone wanting power and glory for themselves no matter the cost, and most of the time the cost was their death. I am continually thankful that I live now and not during that time - scary stuff. I felt very sorry for Jane, and impressed that she held firm to her faith. She did the best with what she could.

Rating: 2.5/5

The Demon King

2010-11-02T20:01:00.003-04:00

I have to start with the obvious - this book (or series) is MUCH better than the Heir Chronicles series! The storyline was much more interesting and the characters much better defined.

I enjoyed how the story flipped between the two main characters, Han and Raisa. I really felt invested in them and really wanted everything to work out for them. I felt bad for Han and frustrated for Raisa. They both live on the extremes of life (a poor ex-pick pocket and a princess), but they both have similar frustrations with those extremes.

I had a hard time putting this book down, and spent most of Halloween reading it while I was sick in bed. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, The Exiled Queen, but I have to because it's not available to me at my library right now. Drat!

AND... I totally knew that would be the ending of the book (a certain character's past). But still good!

Rating: 4/5

Spirit Bound

2010-10-18T20:34:00.003-04:00

I have to confess... this book started out kind of boring with Rose's Guardian exam. Blah, blah, blah. Thankfully things picked up.

I love the planning that went into breaking Victor out of prison. Lissa and Rose make quite a team. However the whole "saving Dimitri" thing was resolved rather quickly and I was left wondering what the rest of the book could possibly be about (BTW - I enjoyed how everything turned out there).

After that, things REALLY started to pick up. I enjoyed all the court intrigues and how everything was evolving with the whole Guardian only vs. Moroi help in battling the Strigoi. And then the ending - WOW! I did not see that coming (of course I did figure the whole "other Dragomir" thing). What an ending! I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!

Rating: 4/5

One Second After

2010-10-18T10:41:00.002-04:00

This story is set in a small town in North Carolina and how they deal with the effects of an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse - nuclear warheads being set off above the atmosphere, knocking out all electricity and anything that has any sort of electronic device in it).

WOW! This book both intrigued me and freaked me out. Going through possible scenarios following something like this (which could very well happen) really got my mind going. First off, our society is so dependent on electricity. For me, it would truly be difficult to function without electricity. Food would be hard to come by, medicine as well, staying clean would be much less of a priority. Diseases long thought of cured would come back, skills that helped people survive hundreds of years ago are dwindling and so many wouldn't know how to survive.

All of those are scary thoughts... but for me, the scariest part was when groups of vigilantes/crazies/murderers got together and started plundering their way through the countryside. Totally freaked me out! You might have all your food storage and other supplies, but how do you stand against a large group of people intent on killing you (and then eating you). So disturbing!

This book made me really think about what I need to do for my family to be better prepared (and hopefully nothing like this ever happens).

Rating: 3.5/5

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart

2010-10-14T10:47:00.002-04:00

This isn't going to be a long post because I don't feel good. Literally, all I did yesterday was read this book because I felt so horrible!

I wasn't that impressed with it. The characters weren't well developed, the story was not at all what I was expecting, and I was rather disappointed.

I'm a big fan of Pride and Prejudice, so I was really excited to read this. But I was let down. It was more about the main character, Claire, finding herself and blah, blah, blah. I was hoping for a quick, fun, romantic read, and this was not it.

But it was okay. So, I gave it 2/5 stars.

The Wizard Heir by Cindy Williams Chima

2010-10-12T10:14:00.002-04:00

This is the sequel to The Warrior Heir. It follows Joseph McCauley (called Seph), an untrained wizard who cannot control his powers, which leads him into all kinds of trouble. He is sent to a reform school led by a mysterious Gregory Leicester, and at this school all sorts of strange happenings occur. He later meets up with characters from the previous story as they battle to uphold the decisions made by the council in the last novel. I'm not going to tell you what else happens, so you'll have to read the book.

First off, I HATE that the kid goes by Seph! What kind of name is that!?!? It was horrible and it bothered me everytime I had to read it, which unfortunately was a lot since he was the main character.

Secondly, the beginning of this novel was VERY hard to get into. I almost considered not finishing the book, but I really wanted to know how everything would turn out, so I plunged ahead. Thankfully only the first quarter to third of the book was difficult to read. After that, it picked up pace really quickly and I was so excited to read about what would happen next.

I loved the ending a lot (better than the first one), but because the beginning was so horrible, I can't justify giving it a 4 (otherwise I would).

Rating: 3.75/5

The Warrior Heir by Cindy Williams Chima

2010-10-09T11:03:00.002-04:00

The plot of the story was interesting... Jack, born a wizard but lacking a wizard stone, is transplanted with a warrior stone, the rarest of the five guilds. Warriors are a dying breed due to the Game, a competition between warring wizard factions over control of all the guilds. In the Game, warriors are sent to fight for a side (White or Red Rose) to preserve the lives of wizards.

Jack grew up protected from the magical world, told that the scar over his heart is from a heart surgery, but when he turns sixteen and stops taking the medicine prescribed to help his heart (but it really suppress his powers) and things start happening that he can't explain...

A very interesting concept for a story, kind of Hunger Games like, but not as good. The beginning did sort of drag out, but the ending was better. Some of the characters were easy to connect with, but others were very boring and I wasn't sure why they were even a part of the story.

Overall, an enjoyable read, just not as great as I was hoping.

But I'm still going to read the rest of the series.

Rating: 3.5/5

I will...

2010-10-08T09:40:00.000-04:00

... post about The Warrior Heir when I have more time later!

Rethinking my list...

2010-10-03T12:17:00.002-04:00

Okay, I have been having serious doubts about the quality of my list. I think I was a little too spontaneous when I made it, being under pressure from my sisters to get it done (take that, girls!). Anyway, after taking the time to think about it, I've decided I want to change it up a little.

1) Edward Cullen, The Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
2) Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
3) Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdom series by Lynn Kurland
4) Valek, The Study series by Maria V. Snyder
5) Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6) Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
7) Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
8) Rhys de Piaget, The de Piaget series by Lynn Kurland
9) Prince Brigan, Fire by Kristin Cashore
10) Dmitri Belikov, The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

Edward, of course, is the ultimate "love interest". He is absolute perfection, except for the whole vampire thing.

Peeta is just so sweet and pure, always thinking of Katniss before himself. Everything he did was out of love for her - swoon!

Aragorn is THE man! He lead all the forces of Men against ultimate evil, even though he didn't want to. He did it because it needed to be done - men like that are hard to find.

Prince Brigan, I decided, is better than Prince Po. Po's eyes are great and everything, but I like Brigan's strength of character better.

I do feel bad that Po isn't on here, but I had to put Dmitri on here because he fought against evil with everything he was, even losing his life to it, putting the rest of his life on hold to do what was right.

Anyway, this is my OFFICIAL list... disregard the previous one.

Honorable Mention

2010-10-01T23:06:00.002-04:00

Here are some honorable mentions of my literary crush list (I just couldn't fit them all!):

Harry Potter (yes, I like 'em young!), Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Aragorn, The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Prince Brigan, Fire by Kristin Cashore
Adrian Ivashkov, Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

Literary Crushes Vol. 2

2010-10-01T22:06:00.004-04:00

At the encouragement of my sisters, I have revised my literary crushes list. The last time I did this was in Sept. 2009. This is what my list looked like:

1) Edward Cullen, Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
2) Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
3) Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
4) Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
5) Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
6) Rhys de Piaget, the de Piaget series by Lynn Kurland
7) Prince Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore
8) Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
9) D'Artagnan, The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
10) Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery

Here is my revised list:

1) Edward Cullen, Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
2) Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
3) Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
4) Valek, Study series by Maria V. Snyder
5) Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6) Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
7) Rhys de Piaget, the de Piaget series by Lynn Kurland
8) Dmitri Belikov, Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead
9) Prince Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore
10) Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
(sorry, but I have to have this one on here, too)
11) D'Artagnan, The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Blood Promise

2010-09-22T10:16:00.002-04:00

So... I was wrong about Dimitri... BUT, I think Rose and Lissa are going to figure out a way to "save" him. I'm a little bummed for Adrian because he finally had his opening and he genuinely cares for Rose.

This book seemed a little drawn out for me, though. Especially in the beginning... ugh! After reading the family book club book I hope to get back to this series, although book number five isn't at the library here... what to do?

Oh, and I totally new Abe was Ibrahim. Duh.

Vampire Academy

2010-09-18T18:54:00.002-04:00

So I find myself being drawn into this series. I enjoy the main character, Rose. I like her sass and no-nonsense attitude. Her sarcasm is pretty funny, too. The whole falling for her teacher/mentor Dimitri... yeah, the way he is written makes his all desirable and whatever, but really... she was 17 when they met. What is he doing falling for a 17 year-old? I know he's only 7 years older... but when you're dealing with a teenager, that's just nasty. Of course, I'm rooting for them, and I was devastated that he was lost at the end of book 3 (my guess is... he's still alive, being used as bait against Rose and Lissa by the white haired Strigoi).

I also enjoy Adrian, though not as much as Dimitri. I'm sad he loves Rose but doesn't stand a chance. I hope he can figure out his whole Spirit powers like Lissa uses them. As for Lissa and Christian... they are a cute couple, and I enjoy that Christian looks out for her so much. I also loved that Christian and Rose worked together to kill so many Strigoi at the end of book 3 - awesome!

Book 4 is in at the library, so I have to wait until Monday to get it - bummer! I checked and I cannot reserve a copy of book 5 at the library (they have some crazy rules about reserving books), so I don't know what I'm going to do... do I break down and buy it, or wait until it becomes available to check-out?

3. A Tapestry of Spells - Lynn Kurland

2010-01-11T14:27:00.002-05:00

Holy smokes! I was so excited to get this book in the mail! I loved the first three books about the Nine Kingdoms and was very glad to see this book is tied into the first three books. I won't tell you how, you'll have to read it yourself. I had a hard time putting this down and was bummed when I finished, knowing there was more to the story that I have to wait to find out in the next book. A good read!

Rating: 4/5

Books I've Read 2009

2010-01-05T17:18:00.001-05:00

DECEMBER
93. No Unhallowed Hand (The Work and The Glory Vol. 7) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
92. Praise To The Man (The Work and The Glory Vol. 6) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
91. A Season Of Joy (The Work and The Glory Vol. 5) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
90. The Gold To Refine (The Work and The Glory Vol. 4) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
89. Truth Will Prevail (The Work and The Glory Vol. 3) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
88. Like A Fire Is Burning (The Work and The Glory Vol. 2) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
87. Pillar of Light (The Work and The Glory Vol. 1) - Gerald N. Lund (reread)
86. Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
85. The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
84. Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1) - Lynn Kurland (reread)
NOVEMBER
83. Fire - Kristin Cashore
82. Mommywood - Tori Spelling
OCTOBER
81. The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5) - Rick Riordan
80. Much Ado In The Moonlight (MacLeod #9) - Lynn Kurland
79. Till There Was You (de Piaget #11) - Lynn Kurland
78. Forever In Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
77. A Garden In The Rain (MacLeod #8) - Lynn Kurland
76. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) - Rick Riordan
75. The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) - Rick Riordan
SEPTEMBER
74. My Heart Stood Still (MacLeod #7) - Lynn Kurland
73. Stardust of Yesterday (de Piaget #10) - Lynn Kurland
72. Girls In Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
71. The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer
70. The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #2) - Rick Riordan
69. The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) - Rick Riordan
68. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
67. The Second Summer of the Sisterhood - Ann Brashares
66. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants #1) - Ann Brashares
65. The Very Thought Of You (MacLeod #2) - Lynn Kurland
64. Homecoming - Cynthia Voigt
63. To Kiss In The Shadows (de Piaget #9) - Lynn Kurland
62. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
61. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins (reread)
60. From This Moment On (de Piaget #8) - Lynn Kurland
59. The Gift of Christmas Past (de Piaget #5) - Lynn Kurland
58. Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah
AUGUST
57. On The Way To The Wedding (Bridgertons #8) - Julia Quinn
56. A Dance Through Time (MacLeod #1) - Lynn Kurland
55. 1984 - George Orwell
54. It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons #7) - Julia Quinn
53. When He Was Wicked (Bridgertons #6) - Julia Quinn
52. The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown (reread)
51. To Sir Phillip, With Love (Bridgertons #5) - Julia Quinn
50. When I Fall In Love (De Piaget #4) - Lynn Kurland
49. Dreams of Stardust (De Piaget #3) - Lynn Kurland
48. Romancing Mr. Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4) - Julia Quinn
47. As Shadows Fade - Colleen Gleason (reread)
46. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
JULY
45. An Offer From A Gentleman (Bridgertons #3) - Julia Quinn
44. Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2) - Melissa Marr
43. The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) - Julia Quinn
42. If I Had You (De Piaget #2) - Lynn Kurland
41. Another Chance To Dream (De Piaget #1) - Lynn Kurland
40. The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) - Julia Quinn
39. A Bride Most Begrudging - Deeanne Gist
38. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (reread)
37. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (reread)
36. Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely #3) - Melissa Marr
35. This Is All I Ask (De Piaget #6) - Lynn Kurland
JUNE
34. The More I See You (De Piaget #7) - Lynn Kurland
33. Mistress Shakespeare - Karen Harper
32. People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks
31. The Ordinary Princess - M.M. Kaye
30. The Star of Lancaster - Jean Plaidy
29. The Secret - Julie Garwood (reread)
MAY
28. Katherine - Anya Seton
27. The Princess of Celle - Jean Plaidy
26. Stargazer (Evernight #2) - Claudia Gray
25. Evernight - Claudia Gray
APRIL
24. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley
23. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (reread)
MARCH
22. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
21. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
20. sTori Telling - Tori Spelling
19. Princess of the Sword (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 3) - Lynn Kurland
18. The Mage's Daughter (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 2) - Lynn Kurland
17. Star of the Morning (The Nine Kingdoms, Book 1) - Lynn Kurland
16. Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
15. As Shadows Fade - Colleen Gleason
14. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason (reread)
FEBRUARY
13. The Bleeding Dusk - Colleen Gleason (reread)
12. Rises The Night - Colleen Gleason (reread)
11. The Rest Falls Away - Colleen Gleason (reread)
10. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
9. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell
8. The Queen's Devotion: The Story of Queen Mary II - Jean Plaidy
7. To Hold The Crown: The Story of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York - Jean Plaidy
6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
JANUARY
5. Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets - Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson
4. Shopaholic & Baby - Sophie Kinsella
3. Shopaholic & Sister - Sophie Kinsella
2. Shopaholic Ties The Knot - Sophie Kinsella
1. Clear As The Moon - Chris Stewart

I HEART the Steeds

2009-12-21T14:55:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading book 3 in The Work and The Glory series where Joshua reunites with his family. I LOVE that part of the story. It always makes me cry. I'm also enjoying rereading about the Steed family. They're pretty cool and they remind me a lot of my family. I also love reading about the early years of the church. How cool and at the same time hard that must have been to be a member during those years!

79. Till There Was You - Lynn Kurland

2009-10-12T10:03:00.003-04:00

Zachary Smith is finished with high-maintenance women, impossible clients, and paranormal adventures. He wants an ordinary life and a happily-ever-after with a fresh-faced girl next door. But when he walks through a doorway into a different century, he knows his life isn't going to turn out quite the way he planned. Mary de Piaget is passionate about two things: training her father's horses and avoiding wedded bliss. But when she finds herself facing marriage to the most perfect knight in En gland, she fears for more than her freedom, because only she can see the malice behind the perfection. And then a chance encounter with a strangely dressed traveler kindles her hope for different fate. But to change Mary's life is to change Zachary's future— with disastrous results. Yet how can either of them face the alternative...

What I had read in earlier stories from the de Piaget series led me to believe that this book would never happen. This is actually a combination of both the de Piaget and the MacLeod series, so I really enjoyed that.

I loved the characters... especially all of Mary's cousins! There are a few I would love to read more about (hint, hint Lynn Kurland). I enjoyed the story line and was eager to see what would happen to Zachary and Mary. Not to mention the meeting of someone that wasn't expected...

A very good read for those of you who love these series!

Rating: 4.5/5

71. The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer

2009-09-22T13:44:00.002-04:00

Nola Devlin has a secret identity. By day she is an overweight, frumpy and overlooked editor of Sass! (the "celebrity magazine with an edge!"), but by night she slips behind her keyboard and into her alter-ego: Belinda Apple. Belinda is thin, gorgeous, British and the author of a trendy advice column - she is, in effect, the latest Carrie Bradshaw. Not even her two best friends or her self-absorbed sister (who worships Belinda as the "sister she never had") know her secret.

The book started out a little slow and I didn't think it would be that interesting. But after the first couple of chapters things started to pick up and I ended up really enjoying this book. I liked Nola's character a lot and was eager to read what would happen to her and her best friends. Very cute.

Rating: 4/5

Just Can't Get Enough

2009-09-18T12:59:00.001-04:00

I have been wanting to reread Twilight for a while now... and once I finished up my library books I finally pulled it off the bookshelf and indulged in a little Edward Cullen daydreaming... ahh... good times. What a great story!

66. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares

2009-09-16T11:37:00.003-04:00

I have wanted to read this book ever since the movie came out a couple years ago. I saw it at the library the other week and picked it up since none of the books I had on hold were in.

I really enjoyed reading this. It started out slow, but once it explained all the characters and their little quirks and personalities, it was a fun read. It was different than the movie and I enjoyed reading how the author originally thought things should happen. What a great group of friends!

Rating: 3.75/5

Literary Crushes

2009-09-09T10:04:00.003-04:00

My sister and I think my only reader, Lisa, requested I make a Top Ten Literary Cruses List. So to honor her for being my loyal follower, here goes.

1. Edward Cullen, the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyers
2. Peeta Mellark, The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
3. Miach of Neroche, The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland
4. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
5. Max Pesaro, The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
6. Rhys de Piaget, the de Piaget series by Lynn Kurland
7. Prince Po, Graceling by Kristin Cashore
8. Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
9. D'Artagnan, The Three Musketeers series by Alexandre Dumas
10. Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery

58. Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah

2009-09-02T10:47:00.005-04:00

... made me cry... boo hoo. Honestly, it was fun to read. There was quite a bit of profanity and some parts of the story were a little slow, but the ending was great. I felt like I really knew the characters and was right there with them. It made me think of my love and appreciation for my family, and the love I have for my best friends. We don't live close to each other, in fact we haven't lived close to each other in a LONG time, and we don't talk as often as we used to, but I love them today just as much as I did in high school.

It Is Done

2009-08-28T08:24:00.002-04:00

I have finished reading the entire Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn. I'm glad that I've read all the stories about the Bridgerton children, but at the same time I'm sad it's done. I had a lot of fun reading about their family. It made me giggle and laugh out loud reading about all their family antics because it reminded me of my family.

The Duke and I - 4/5
The Viscount Who Loved Me - 4/5
An Offer From A Gentleman - 4/5
Romancing Mister Bridgerton - 3/5
To Sir Phillip, With Love - 2/5
When He Was Wicked - 3/5
It's In His Kiss - 4/5
On The Way To The Wedding - 4/5

Another One Bites The Dust

2009-08-25T08:06:00.002-04:00

Bye-bye 1984...

It was difficult to get into this book, but after the fist 20 pages I really wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. Poor Winston! Towards the end of the book, when Winston is reading The Book for the Brotherhood, that was a little boring. I really wanted to skip those pages - sometimes there was just TOO MUCH information. And the ending... what an ending. Not sure how I felt about that. Overall, I'm glad I read it.

And I get to cross it off my 100 Greatest Novels List.

Change of mind...

2009-08-04T14:33:00.002-04:00

I've decided The Red Tent is not 3 star quality, so I change my rating to 2.5/5.

46. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

2009-08-03T14:20:00.002-04:00

The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery.
"Like any sisters who live together and share a husband, my mother and aunties spun a sticky web of loyalties and grudges," Anita Diamant writes in the voice of Dinah. "They traded secrets like bracelets, and these were handed down to me the only surviving girl. They told me things I was too young to hear. They held my face between their hands and made me swear to remember." Remembering women's earthy stories and passionate history is indeed the theme of this magnificent book. In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons. --Gail Hudson

I've been wanting to read this book for a while now, and since the library is still waiting on the next books in the two series I'm in the middle of (Bridgertons and De Piagets), I figured I'd pull this one off my bookshelf and read it. It was interesting to "see" things from Dinah's (pronounced Dee-nah) perspective. I found Diamant's descriptions of the wives of Jacob interesting, and wondered how I would feel if I was in that position of sharing a husband with my sisters. Weird. I was not too pleased with Diamant's descriptions of Jacob, Joseph, etc. - she made them seem like common men who sinned very frequently and didn't really esteem God. The end was a little tough to get through. It focused on Dinah's life after her "rape" and her time in Egypt. It wasn't as intriguing as the rest of the story.

Rating:

3/5

Oh, Lisa...

2009-07-31T11:15:00.001-04:00

... I'm catching up to you! Not really, but one day I hope to read more books than you in a year. I doubt that will ever happen, but just you watch out!

Anyway, I am really enjoying the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn and even though you rated Eloise's story only 2 stars, I think I might just have to read it because I love their family!

34. The More I See You - Lynn Kurland

2009-06-25T14:24:00.003-04:00

I was really excited to read one of Lynn Kurland's other books. She wrote the Nine Kingdom series that I LOVED, so I was stoked when I found out she has written romance novels.

I know, romance novels, right... a little scandalous. But this one wasn't. It was so refreshing to read a nice love story without any smut. And it was a cute story line. Definitely a fun read.

Rating: 4.5/5

Recent Reads

2009-06-20T16:39:00.002-04:00

The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye

A cute story. More of a young adult book, but very enjoyable. Also a quick read, so that was nice.

Rating: 4.25/5

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

The story overall was enjoyable... but some of the flashbacks were hard to get through.

Rating: 3.5/5

30. The Star of Lancaster - Jean Plaidy

2009-06-06T09:03:00.003-04:00

There was just so much going on in this book that I thought I would post someone else's review...

( ) = my corrections

Harry, then Henry. A powerful force.
August 10, 2008
By mayflower "mo" (BFE North, Ca. United States)

Once again, Jean Plaidy captures a magnificent world of cruelty and strife in such a way that the reader quickly surrenders. Here she does it with The Star of Lancaster, the story of Henry IV and his conquering son, Harry of Monmouth, AKA Henry V.

The story begins with Henry IV's story. With the help of his ambitious father John of Gaunt, Henry meets and falls in love with Mary de Bohun. They marry when she is just eleven and she soon bears him a still-born child. From then on, she struggles with every child she bears- (seven) in all-and dies early in her life. Harry, the eldest son of Henry and Mary, is a head strong child, never knowing any fear, which develops into a pattern throughout his life.

Meanwhile, (Henry of Lancaster), after his exile in France, deposes Richard II of his crown and placed it upon his own head-with the vote of the people. The rest of his life he bears the burden of Richard's 'mysterious' death on his shoulders, believing that it is the reason why he is plagued with a disfiguring disease, (from which he dies). Upon his death, Harry of Monmouth becomes the new King of England-Henry V. Henry V spends the rest of his life fighting for his right to the French crown-his through his great grandfather, Edward III. He marries the French King's youngest daughter Katherine of Valois, and with this marriage has been named Regent of France in the event of the present King's death. He has accomplished his goals...almost. Katherine bears him a son, Henry VI. But Henry V is suspicious, believing in a prophesy which predicts a disastrous rule through his son. But there is nothing Henry can do to stop it as he soon dies, leaving England in the charge of his nine month old son. The Star of Lancaster is a beautifully written novel that continues the magnificent rule of the Plantagenets and leaves the reader looking forward to the next.

Now it's my turn - I disagree with this writers opinion quite a bit. I thought the story jumped around A LOT and was filled with unimportant information when it skipped out on a lot of vital information. The story starts from Mary de Bohun's point of view, skips to Henry of Lancaster's, then to Richard II's, then back to Henry of Lancasters, then Joanna (Henry's second wife), then to Harry of Monmouth (aka Henry V). It was getting pretty ridiculous with all the jumping around.

I was rather disappointed with this book. I was really excited to read it because I had just finished Katherine and fell in love with John of Gaunt's family. Finding a book by Jean Plaidy (one of my favorite authors) about John's son was so exciting for me. It started out really good with Mary and Henry courtship and love story, but after she died it definitely lost pace. What a disappointment! I slowly trudged through this book, though, in case there was something better towards the end... but there wasn't. I am still fascinated by John of Gaunt's family and maybe will find a better book about them in the future.

Rating: 2.5/5

28. Katherine - Anya Seton

2009-05-28T14:27:00.003-04:00

This classic romance novel tells the true story of the love affair that changed history—that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in the vibrant 14th century of Chaucer and the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty, and the magnificent Plantagenets—Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II—who ruled despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance, John of Gaunt, the king’s son, falls passionately in love with the already married Katherine. Their well-documented affair and love persist through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption. This epic novel of conflict, cruelty, and untamable love has become a classic since its first publication in 1954.

Oh. My. Word. I LOVED this story! It's probably one of the best love stories I've ever read. Who knew that royalty could fall in love so strongly back in the 14th century? The story of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford was so touching - all they went through and they still loved each other so much. Now, I am no fan of adultery, but their love was truly amazing. And I enjoyed that they loved their children so much. It was a great read and I am so glad my sister Lisa highly recommended it!

Rating: 5/5

?

2009-05-21T11:44:00.002-04:00

I don't know if I'll be able to read Sarah's Key for book club this month. Apparently the library here has some problems with their online accounts. I reserved the book shortly after moving here, but still haven't gotten any sort of email or verification that it's reserved. I don't know when I'll get around to it, but I will definitely read this book this year!

27. The Princess of Celle by Jean Plaidy

2009-05-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

This story by Jean Plaidy follows the life of Sophia Dorothea, Princess of Celle. Her father, George William, was the destined heir to the principality of Hanover. When faced with the prospect of marriage to Sophia of Bohemia, George William denies his birthright in favor of his best loved younger brother, Ernest Augustus. George William promises to never marry as part of his contract with his brother, the new Prince of Hanover.

However, he meets Eleanore d'Olbreuse, a French aristocrat. They fall madly in love and George William begs to be allowed to marry. They marry and have a daughter, Sophia Dorothea. Meanwhile, Ernest Augustus and Sophia's family grows with the births of many sons, the oldest being George Louis - an uncouth, crude, ugly man.

Sophia Dorothea grows up happily, loved by her parents, expected to marry the heir of Wolfenbuttel, who she knows and loves, then suddenly on her 16th birthday her father declares she will marry George Lewis of Hanover. This shocking news almost destroys Sophia Dorothea and she enters into an unhappy marriage with George Lewis. She is hated at the court of Hanover by many because of her gentle manners and beauty. In the midst of her unhappy life in Hanover, a man from her childhood appears, Philip Konigsmark, and they begin an affair. But they are discovered and Sophia Dorothea is banished to a prison by her husband for the rest of her life.

This story was okay. I felt so bad for Sophia Dorothea, whose life was so happy and good and then suddenly became a nightmare. I always have the hardest time imagining being in that situation - having no choice in who you are going to marry and ending up in a loveless marriage. Those poor princesses! I do not envy them at all.

Rating: 3.75/5

Evernight series

2009-05-14T14:56:00.003-04:00

I recently read Evernight and Stargazer by Claudia Gray. They were pretty good. The beginning of the first book, Evernight, was pretty slow. Also, I was a little disappointed because it seemed like it was trying too hard to be like Twilight and I don't like when authors try to copy other books ideas. Then half way through the book - WOW! I was completely thrown for a loop! I have to say - not at all what I expected! I really enjoyed the twist and it made the book so much better after that!

Stargazer, the sequel, was also enjoyable. There was a new nemesis introduced and can I just say - I love Balthazar! He is such a great character - no buts. The ending of this book was so gripping and I am bummed I have to wait until next year for the next book in the series!

Evernight
Rating: 3.75/5

Stargazer
Rating: 4/5

24. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

2009-04-29T09:55:00.003-04:00

The Arthurian legend is well-known by many, but in The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley approaches it in an entirely new way: from the perspective of the women involved in the story. We hear of Arthur's conception and birth from his mother, the courageous Igraine, and there are several scenes told from Guinevere's point of view, but the most intriguing and dominant character in the book is Morgaine, Igraine's first child, whose destiny lies not with the Christian future of England but on the enchanted isle of Avalon.

This hauntingly beautiful book spins a legend of the closing days of Avalon's rule, as paganism and worship of the Goddess give way to Christianity and its male God. Morgaine's tales of a life lived between the worlds of faerie and humanity, as she watches all the things she loves fade away into the mists, is tragic and moving, and will stay with the reader long after the tale closes.

The Mists of Avalon was almost 900 pages long! It took me a week and a half to read. It tells about the legendary Camelot - how it came to be and how it came to fall. It tells of Arthur's rise, Avalon's fall, and the many stories of Arthur's knights or "Companions" of the round table.

It was an interesting read. There was so much going on in this book. There were literally dozens of characters that played a vital part in this book, and sometimes it was hard to keep track of who was who. Basically it tells of the growing contention of Avalon and the Goddess and the new and upcoming power of Christianity and God. It all centers around Arthur, born of Avalon but raised Christian. What will he do as High King of Britain - will he honor his bloodline of Avalon or will he crush them with his new faith in God? Most of the story is told from the view of Morgaine, Arthur's half sister. They have a very unique relationship and the story revolves around them.

I am always interested in reading about Arthur and his Knights, so I was really excited to read this. It went into a lot of detail and showed me a different view of Arthur and Camelot. The ending was a little rough to get through, but for the most part, a good book.

Rating: 3.75/5

Marathon

2009-04-08T09:36:00.003-04:00

I am currently reading this month's family book club choice, The Mists of Avalon... it is almost 900 pages long and very tiny print. I feel like I have been reading it forever, and I'm not even half way done! Not that the book is boring, it's just sooooo long! This is definitely something that is going to take me a very long time to finish...

I Know, I Know

2009-03-30T09:13:00.002-04:00

I probably shouldn't have skipped reading New Moon, but I just didn't want to read about Edward leaving Bella and how depressed she became over it. I just didn't feel up to it. I'm not saying it's a bad book, but I couldn't talk myself into reading it. So I just skipped it and went to Eclipse. Good times. I absolutely love these books. Great job, Stephenie Meyer!

Twilight again...

2009-03-26T15:30:00.002-04:00

I just had to read Twilight again after watching the movie this weekend. I had fun watching the movie in the theater because I went with two of my sisters to the midnight showing on opening night. But the movie itself wasn't that great. So after watching it again after my sister bought it, I just had to reread it! I LOVE the book so much! I was so disappointed that the movie cut out their whole getting to know each other scenes during school and the meadow scene - what a disappointment! It was great rereading how Bella and Edward fell in love and man, I wish I had me some Edward Cullen!

20. sTORI Telling - Tori Spelling

2009-03-23T22:35:00.002-04:00

She was television's most famous virgin -- and, as Aaron Spelling's daughter, arguably its most famous case of nepotism. Portraying Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210, Tori Spelling became one of the most recognizable young actresses of her generation, with a not-so-private personal life every bit as fascinating as her character's exploits. Yet years later the name Tori Spelling too often closed -- and sometimes slammed -- the same doors it had opened.
sTORI telling is Tori's chance to finally tell her side of the tabloid-worthy life she's led, and she talks about it all: her decadent childhood birthday parties, her nose job, her fairy-tale wedding to the wrong man, her so-called feud with her mother. Tori has already revealed her flair for brilliant, self-effacing satire on her VH1 show So NoTORIous and Oxygen's Tori & Dean: Inn Love, but her memoir goes deeper, into the real life behind the rumors: her complicated relationship with her parents; her struggles as an actress after 90210; her accident-prone love life; and, ultimately, her quest to define herself on her own terms.
From her over-the-top first wedding to finding new love to her much-publicized -- and misunderstood -- "disinheritance," sTORI telling is a juicy, eye-opening, enthralling look at what it really means to be Tori Spelling.

This book was a total spur of the moment thing. My sister Camille checked it out from the library, and one day while she was over it was just sitting there and I picked it up and started to read it. I found it rather interesting. I have to admit, I've never really cared much about Tori Spelling's life, but once I started reading it I wanted to know what it was like to grow up like she did.

All I can say is - what a life! It would have been so weird to grow up with all that money and having such a stuffy family. I am so thankful for the way I was raised and the love and example my parents showed me. And I'm happy I married a good guy the first time! It was a quick and easy read and now I know more about Tori Spelling than I ever wanted to.

Rating: 3.25/5

Wow!

2009-03-21T23:26:00.000-04:00

That's a lot of 4.5s and 5s I just gave!

I Know...

2009-03-21T23:11:00.002-04:00

... I've been pretty bad at updating my book blog lately. Sorry to all those that read it (all one of you)!

So, here comes a quick summary of the books I recently read...

As Shadows Fade - Colleen Gleason

This was the final installment of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book... and when I still hadn't received it the day after it came out, I went to my local (but not so local) Barnes & Noble and picked one up. Lo and behold, the next morning my pre-ordered book came through the mail. Thankfully my sister, Kira, decided to buy all the books in the series and bought my extra copy from me.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the demons were great villains and portrayed really well. And let me just clarify my choice of a suitor for Victoria - after reading the first chapter, I quickly changed from wanting Sebastian for her to wanting Max for her. It seemed that Sebastian's character became rather weak and completely different in the last book than the calm, cool and suave Sebastian I have always loved. That was one reason why I could not give this book a 5. Also, his "memories" throughout the book were slightly annoying. But overall, a great read!

Rating: 4.5/5

Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry

This was the book chosen by my sister Lisa for our family book club this month. I checked it out of the library before my week long excursion to Georgia for something to do while I was up there (trapped inside a one bedroom apartment with no vehicle and two little rambunctious girls). I read about 3/4 of the book that week and quickly finished it two days after I got back to Florida. All I can say is - WOW! It was such a fascinating story! I loved McMurtry's development of the characters, although there were so many of them it took me a while before I could keep straight who was who. There were so many unexpected happenings in this book and it always kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next! Yes, it was quite long (over 800 pages), but I really enjoyed it!

Rating: 4.5/5

The Nine Kingdoms Books - Lynn Kurland

Thanks to my sister Lisa, I also wanted to read these three books about the plight of Morgan of Melksham, an ordinary shieldmaiden from the kingdom of Neroche. It follows her journey of self discovery as she travels the Nine Kingdoms aiding the quest of the king and archmage of Neroche as they try to quell the evil that threatens their land. I absolutely loved the characters of Morgan and Miach! They were so cute together, although I do have a difficult time believing that somebody could be as patient and caring and loving as Miach - hello! He has a way stressful life and I love my husband dearly, but I don't know any man who is that perfect! But still, I loved pretending there was someone like that. The second book (The Mage's Daughter) was my favorite of the series, with the third book (Princess of the Sword) as my least favorite. It just seemed very anti-climatical (is that the right word there?) after all the build up to the great battle for the kingdom of Neroche. And then the ending - could it be any more quaint and sappy? However, I still really enjoyed reading the series.

Ratings:
Star of the Morning: 4.5/5
The Mage's Daughter: 5/5
Princess of the Sword: 4/5

Can't Wait!

2009-03-01T22:45:00.002-05:00

I can't wait for the next Gardella Vampire Chronicles book to come out! I just finished the fourth book and I am so ready to read the last book and find out how it all ends! Hurry, Amazon, and send me my book as quick as you can!

By the way, after having reread When Twilight Burns, I have to say I'm rooting for Sebastian.

One down, three to go

2009-02-25T16:55:00.002-05:00

I've just finished rereading The Rest Falls Away, the first book in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. I am trying to read them all before I get my hands on book five, As Shadows Fade, which comes out March 3. According to Amazon, I should be getting the book a few days after the third, so we'll see if I'm able to finish the first four before then. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. I'd just like a little refresher before I read the final book of the series.

10. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

2009-02-23T08:18:00.003-05:00

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat's sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Wow! This book was absolutely amazing! Every time I read books like this I am constantly amazed by how the writers come up with these things - what an imagination! And the characters in this book were so real! Reading about all the hazards and dangers each "tribute" (a participant in the Hunger Games) had to endure, I know that I would never stand a chance. What a crazy, scary thing to have to go through - I certainly hope nothing like this happens in our future!

I was constantly surprised by Katniss's strength and her determination. And I absolutely loved Peeta! He is definitely up there on my literary crushes list! They were great characters and I cannot wait to read the second book (although I have to because it doesn't come out till September)!

Rating: 5/5

9. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell

2009-02-20T15:40:00.000-05:00

In the middle of tending to the everyday business at her vintage clothing shop and sidestepping her married boyfriend's attempts at commitment, Iris Lockhart receives a stunning phone call: Her great-aunt Esme, whom she never knew existed, is being released from Cauldstone Hospital, where she has been locked away for over sixty years. Iris' grandmother Kitty always claimed to be an only child. But Esme's papers prove she is Kitty's sister, and Iris can see the shadow of her dead father in Esme' face. Esme has been labeled harmless; sane enough to coexist with the rest of the world. But Esme is still basically a stranger, a family member never mentioned by the family, and one who is sure to bring life-altering secrets with her when she leaves the ward. If Iris takes her in, what dangerous truths might she inherit? Maggie O'Farrell's intricate tale of family secrets, lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth will haunt readers long past its final page.

I really didn't have any desire to read this book. It was this month's choice for book club, and I wasn't really feeling the urge to start this book. But then both my sister and my mom read it and rated it really high, so I figured I'd better give it a chance, too. And I'm glad I did! It was very different from any book I've ever read - Maggie O'Farrell has a unique writing style. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow (mostly the beginning), but once you got used to the style the book made more sense. The characters and their life stories were really fascinating. I had a hard time putting this down! My only complaint is the ending - it was very abrupt and I did not expect that at all. Otherwise, it was a great read!

Rating: 4/5

8. The Queen's Devotion - Jean Plaidy

2009-02-13T08:29:00.002-05:00

A daughter’s love. A monarch’s duty.

On the road to greatness, one young woman must make an unthinkable choice.

For Princess Mary, life has never been simple, but through it all the love of her father, the Duke of York, has been a constant and reliable comfort. Despite his own loyalty to the Catholic Church, the Duke and his brother, King Charles II, raised Mary as a Protestant to protect her in a time of religious and political upheaval. In order to cement this safety and to ensure the stability of the family line, at age fifteen, Mary is married to her Protestant first cousin William, Prince of Orange.

However, in post-Restoration England, matters are rarely so simply settled. When Mary’s uncle, King Charles II, dies suddenly and without an heir, her beloved father is crowned James II. But a Catholic king is not the will of the people, and even Mary’s own husband is crying out for change. Can Mary take part in actions that will ultimately remove her own father from the throne and endanger his life? With family loyalty and the will of a nation at odds, what choice can a young princess make?

With emotional clarity and vivid historical detail, beloved author Jean Plaidy brings us into the court and behind the scenes as history unfolds—and the young princess and her groom become William and Mary—the legendary monarchs, and the only co-regents in the history of a nation.

This Jean Plaidy novel wasn't as interesting as her other ones. I found myself sometimes only reading this book just to get it done. It was rather disappointing for me, because I usually love Jean Plaidy's novels. The story of Mary II was sad - to be married to someone you don't love and leave everything you've ever known for some strange new land. Political marriages just kill me - I am SO thankful I did not live during that time. While is was sad that she was in a loveless marriage and had betrayed her father for the crown, I found the actual character of Mary rather dull and pathetic. She never stood up for herself and just went along with the flow. I guess she probably didn't have much of a choice otherwise, but still... it would have been nice to read that she put up a good fight at least once.

Rating: 2.5/5

7. To Hold The Crown - The Story of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

2009-02-08T22:06:00.002-05:00

Henry Tudor was not born to the throne of England. Having come of age in a time of political turmoil and danger, the man who would become Henry VII spent fourteen years in exile in Brittany before returning triumphantly to the Dorset coast with a small army and decisively winning the Battle of Bosworth Field—ending the War of the Roses once and for all and launching the infamous Tudor dynasty.

As Henry’s claim to the throne was tenuous, his marriage to Elizabeth of York, daughter and direct heir of King Edward IV, not only served to unify the warring houses, it also helped Henry secure the throne for himself and for generations to come. And though their union was born from political necessity, it became a wonderful love story that led to seven children and twenty happy years together. Sweeping and dramatic, To Hold the Crown brings readers inside the genesis of the great Tudor empire: through Henry and Elizabeth’s troubled ascensions to the throne, their marriage and rule, the heartbreak caused by the death of their son Arthur, and, ultimately, to the crowning of their younger son, King Henry VIII.

English history really interests me, especially anything to do with their royalty. Jean Plaidy's books are so informative and entertaining. I love to read them. This one was on the low end of the scale, but it was still pretty good. I have a hard time imagining what it must have been like to be a Princess during that time period - your wants and desires are completely neglected and you are used as a token, married to which ever kingdom had the most to offer. Thank goodness I was born when I was - times were so tough back then. I enjoyed reading about Henry VIII when he was a child, knowing the man he would become - yikes. An interesting read.

Rating: 3/5

6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore

2009-02-08T21:59:00.003-05:00

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight; she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace--or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away. . .a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

I absolutely LOVED this book! I read it in two days, and I have to admit that I really would have loved to read it in one day, but I figured I should probably feed and take care of my children! The characters Katsa and Po were great! Po is one of the best characters I've ever read about - love him! The whole plot behind the story was really interesting and I enjoyed how it turned out.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

However, I was rather disappointed in two points - 1) Katsa refusing to marry Po because she felt it would take away her freedom, but then being willing to be his mistress and 2) Po's behavior at the end of the book. It was so unlike his character and it bothered me that he was all pouty and didn't want Katsa around him because he lost his eye sight. But other than that it was an awesome book!

Rating: 4.75/5

5. Multiple Blessing: Surviving to Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets - Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson

2009-02-08T21:47:00.003-05:00

In Multiple Blessings, Kate Gosselin shares the gripping details of her rollercoaster ride of emotional highs and lows when she discovered she and her husband, Jon, would be expecting sextuplets while still basking in the light of their twin girls' toddlerhood. Strongly encouraged to consider selective reduction for the sake of both mother and babies, she and Jon instead decided to accept the extreme challenge God had handed them. After suffering the long and winding road of infertility, the young couple felt stressed but blessed as they fought valiantly to help their babies survive the fight for their lives. Kate reveals excerpts from her private journal as she describes the daily struggle to carry the babies for thirty weeks. In addition to their uphill medical battle, the family suffered many emotional setbacks such as the loss of Jon's job, forcing the pair to look to God as their sole provider and sustainer of life.

After the miraculous birth, the couple coped with months of neonatal intensive care for their newborns as well as Kate's physical recovery from such complete and prolonged bed rest. Later as the entire family of ten finally arrived home reeling with exhaustion, they still managed to feed, bathe, clothe, and monitor the health of their fragile infants as a steady parade of necessary and helpful volunteers turned their home and family life into a public arena.

The young family lived moment to moment at first, not knowing what each new day would bring and how they would survive on such depleted sleep, money, and emotional reserves. However, as the months progressed, they grew into the next stage of development, proudly letting go of yesterday and looking forward to a brighter and ever-changing tomorrow. Their small home was soon filled to capacity with six cribs, six bouncy seats, several changing tables, never-ending piles of laundry, tubs of colorful toys, stacks of diapers, cartons of formula, rows and rows of bottles, bibs and pacifiers, two triplet strollers, six car seats, and so on. Yes, life was hectic and cramped, but with each major milestone Jon and Kate rejoiced at the miracles that unfolded around them. The crew of six growing babies along with their proud big sisters, Madelyn and Cara, did their part to fill those rooms with squawking, squealing, laughing, and of course, a healthy dose of crying. Kate and Jon eventually came out of the fog of the first precarious two years feeling eternally grateful for the love and support of family, friends, community, and indeed a nation. More important, they felt the ever present hand of a faithful God upholding them and giving them just enough strength and courage to take one day at a time.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I love watching their show, Jon and Kate Plus 8 on TLC. I find their story so interesting and I cannot begin to imagine what it's like to raise twins and sextuplets. It was fascinating to me to read about everything their family went through from conception to birth to toddler years with their sextuplets. And I love that God plays such an important role in their lives. It's a nice reminder that we all should be thankful for our many blessing and trust in our Heavenly Father that he knows what's best for us.

Rating: 4/5

Shopaholic Series

2009-01-17T16:47:00.003-05:00

If you've ever paid off one credit card with another, thrown out a bill before opening it, or convinced yourself that buying at a two-for-one sale is like making money, then this silly, appealing novel is for you. In the opening pages of Confessions of a Shopaholic, recent college graduate Rebecca Bloomwood is offered a hefty line of credit by a London bank. Within a few months, Sophie Kinsella's heroine has exceeded the limits of this generous offer, and begins furtively to scan her credit-card bills at work, certain that she couldn't have spent the reported sums.

In theory anyway, the world of finance shouldn't be a mystery to Rebecca, since she writes for a magazine called Successful Saving. Struggling with her spendthrift impulses, she tries to heed the advice of an expert and appreciate life's cheaper pleasures: parks, museums, and so forth. Yet her first Saturday at the Victoria and Albert Museum strikes her as a waste. Why? There's not a price tag in sight.

It kind of takes the fun out of it, doesn't it? You wander round, just looking at things, and it all gets a bit boring after a while. Whereas if they put price tags on, you'd be far more interested. In fact, I think all museums should put prices on their exhibits. You'd look at a silver chalice or a marble statue or the Mona Lisa or whatever, and admire it for its beauty and historical importance and everything--and then you'd reach for the price tag and gasp, "Hey, look how much this one is!" It would really liven things up.

Eventually, Rebecca's uncontrollable shopping and her "imaginative" solutions to her debt attract the attention not only of her bank manager but of handsome Luke Brandon--a multimillionaire PR representative for a finance group frequently covered in Successful Saving. Unlike her opposite number in Bridget Jones's Diary, however, Rebecca actually seems too scattered and spacey to reel in such a successful man. Maybe it's her Denny and George scarf. In any case, Kinsella's debut makes excellent fantasy reading for the long stretches between white sales and appliance specials

Rating: 3.5/5

"This expensive, glossy world is where I've been headed all along. Limos and flowers; waxed eyebrows and designer clothes from Barneys. These are my people; this is where I'm meant to be." --- Becky Bloomwood

Universally beloved by readers, Sophie Kinsella's national bestseller, Confessions of a Shopaholic, introduced the irrepressible one-woman shopping phenomenon, Becky Bloomwood. Now, in this hilarious follow-up, Becky and her credit cards are headed across the Atlantic....

With her shopping excesses (somewhat) in check and her career as a TV financial guru thriving, Becky's biggest problem seems to be tearing her entrepreneur boyfriend, Luke, away from work for a romantic country weekend. And worse, figuring out how to "pack light." But packing takes on a whole new meaning when Luke announces he's moving to New York for business -- and he asks Becky to go with him!

Before you can say "Prada sample sale," Becky has landed in the Big Apple, home of Park Avenue penthouses and luxury department stores. Surely it's only a matter of time until she becomes an American TV celebrity, and she and Luke are the toast of Gotham society. Nothing can stand in their way, especially with Becky's bills miles away in London. But then an unexpected disaster threatens her career prospects, her relationship with Luke, and her available credit line! Shopaholic Takes Manhattan -- but will she have to return it?

Rating: 4/5

There's never been a better excuse to buy a new dress...or two.

The irresistible heroine of Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan is back in a hilarious tale of mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, and one blushing bride who just can't say no to saying "I do."

Life has been good for Becky Bloomwood: She's become the best personal shopper at Barneys, she and her successful entrepreneurial boyfriend, Luke, are living happily in Manhattan's West Village, and her new next door neighbor is a fashion designer! But with her best friend, Suze, engaged, how can Becky fail to notice that her own ring finger is bare? Not that she's been thinking of marriage (or diamonds) or anything...

Then Luke proposes! Bridal registries dance in Becky's head. Problem is, two other people are planning her wedding: Becky's overjoyed mother has been waiting forever to host a backyard wedding, with the bride resplendent in Mum's frilly old gown. While Luke's high-society mother is insisting on a glamorous, all-expenses-paid affair at the Plaza. Both weddings for the same day. And Becky can't seem to turn down either one. Can everyone's favorite shopaholic tie the knot before everything unravels?

Rating: 3.75/5

Sophie Kinsella has conquered the hearts of millions with her New York Times bestselling Shopaholic novels, which feature the irresistible one-woman shopping phenomenon Becky Bloomwood. Now Becky's back in a hilarious, heartwarming tale of married life, best friends, and long-lost sisters (and the perils of simply having to own an Angel handbag!).

What's a round-the-world honeymoon if you can't buy the odd souvenir to ship back home? Like the Chinese urns and twenty silk dressing gowns Becky found in Hong Kong - the five kilim rugs from Turkey - the splendid hand-carved dining table (and ten chairs) from Sri Lanka - the, um, huge wooden giraffes from Malawi (that her husband Luke expressly forbade her to buy)...

Only now Becky and Luke have returned home to London and Luke is furious. Two truckloads of those souvenirs have cluttered up their usually immaculate loft, and the bills for them are outrageous. Becky's even maxed out on her second secret credit card, and she doesn't have a new job yet!

Luke insists she go on a budget. And worse: her beloved best friend Suze has found a new best friend while Becky was away. Becky's feeling rather blue - when her parents deliver some incredible news. She has a long-lost sister! Becky is thrilled! She's convinced her sister will be a true soulmate. They'll go shopping together, drink cappuccinos together, have manicures together, and watch their favorite videos together.

Until she meets Jessica for the first time and gets the shock of her life. Surely Becky Bloomwood's sister can't hate shopping?

Rating: 3.25/5

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is pregnant! She couldn't be more overjoyed - especially since discovering that shopping cures morning sickness. Everything has got to be perfect for her baby: from the designer nursery ... to the latest, coolest pram ... to the celebrity, must-have obstetrician.

But when the celebrity obstetrician turns out to be her husband Luke's glamorous, intellectual ex-girlfriend, Becky's perfect world starts to crumble. She's shopping for two ... but are there three in her marriage?

Rating: 4/5

1. Clear As The Moon - Chris Stewart

2009-01-15T16:30:00.002-05:00

The nuclear explosion over Washington D.C. and the subsequent EMP attack have left a decapitated government and 300 million helpless citizens. In the ensuing chaos, a dark and powerful cartel steps forward to claim power. The Constitution of the United States hangs in the balance as the eternal struggle between good and evil spreads through the government. After Sara Brighton agrees to help a shadow government rise to power, Sara and Bono are sent on the most dangerous military mission of their lives. Azadeh agrees to guide them through the mountains of Iran as they seek for the key that could save the world. Struggling against overwhelming odds, they realize the most important lesson of their time: Faith is the only thing that matters as the final day draws near.

I was so excited to read the sixth and final installment of The Great and The Terrible series! I have loved reading about all the characters, especially the Brighton family. However, I was a little disappointed with this book. It was a little too happy of an ending, especially about it being total chaos on earth. I was expecting a little more to happen in this book - it was all finished off rather quickly with all the loose ends tied up just like that. And the ending... hmm. It just seemed a little off. But, all in all, I enjoyed the book.

Rating: 3.25/5

Favorite Books 2008

2009-01-15T16:22:00.002-05:00

These are in no particular order:

1. Helen of Troy - Margaret George
2. The Three Musketeers series - Alexandre Dumas
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
4. The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent
5. The Great and The Terrible series - Chris Stewart

Books I've Read in 2008

2009-01-02T09:47:00.001-05:00

DECEMBER
63. Shopaholic Takes Manhattan - Sophie Kinsella
62. Confessions of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella
61. The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella
60. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
59. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
58. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
NOVEMBER
57. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
56. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
55. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling (reread)
54. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling (reread)
53. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling (reread)
OCTOBER
52. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling (reread)
51. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling (reread)
50. The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent
49. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling (reread)
48. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling (reread)
47. The Merry Monarch's Wife: Catherine of Braganza, Wife of Charles II - Jean Plaidy
46. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason
45. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini
SEPTEMBER
44. Eldest - Christopher Paolini (reread)
43. Eragon - Christopher Paolini (reread)
42. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr
41. Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
AUGUST
40. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
39. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
38. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
37. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
JULY
36. Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
35. New Moon - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
34. Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (reread)
JUNE
33. Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs - Elissa Wall
32. The Man in the Iron Mask - Alexandre Dumas
31. Testing Miss Toogood - Stella Cameron
30. From the End of Heaven - Chris Stewart
29. Fury & Light - Chris Stewart
28. The Second Sun - Chris Stewart
MAY
27. Where Angels Fall - Chris Stewart
26. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë
25. The Brothers - Chris Stewart
APRIL
24. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
23. Louise de la Vallière - Alexandre Dumas
22. The Vicomte de Bragelonne - Alexandre Dumas
21. The Bleeding Dusk - Colleen Gleason
MARCH
20. Rises the Night - Colleen Gleason
19. The Rest Falls Away - Colleen Gleason
18. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
17. The Silver Chair - C.S. Lewis
16. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis
15. Prince Caspian - C.S. Lewis
14. The Horse and His Boy - C.S. Lewis
13. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis
12. The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis
11. The Kings & Queens of Scotland - Richard Oram
10. Twenty Years After - Alexandre Dumas
9. Helen of Troy - Margaret George
FEBRUARY
8. Loyal In Love: Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I - Jean Plaidy
7. Shadow Music - Julie Garwood
6. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
JANUARY
5. Shadow Dance - Julie Garwood
4. The Widow of the South - Robert Hicks
3. The Queen's Secret: Katherine of Valois, Mother of the Tudor Dynasty - Jean Plaidy
2. Book of A Thousand Days - Shannon Hale
1. I Am Legend - Richard Matheson

2008-12-18T15:36:00.002-05:00

Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up, in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer; and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope - and finds love - is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does - will she want it back?

Cute, cute, cute! This was definitely an easy read. I don't understand too much about the legal world, so when all the lawyer stuff was going on I didn't understand what it all meant, but when Samantha became a housekeeper I had such a laugh reading about all her mistakes! I have a hard time believing that Samantha doesn't know ANYTHING about cooking or cleaning... but it was funny to read all about her mishaps. I enjoyed Nathaniel the gardener and of course was pleased with the ending. There was some pretty foul language in this book, though, and I didn't like that at all. Samantha Sweeting has a cute last name, but that is definitely the way she speaks! Anyway, I love funny romance novels like this so it was right up my alley.

I am excited to read the rest of Sophie Kinsella's book (my sister Lisa first introduced me to her books). Confessions of a Shopaholic is waiting for me at the library right now...

Rating: 4/5

60. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

2008-12-14T15:10:00.003-05:00

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb.

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society--born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island--boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society's members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

I LOVED this book. I had a really hard time putting it down! It was the book selection for last month's family book club and I am sad to say that I just started reading it a few days ago. It's just been a really crazy month and I've had so much to do. I knew that if I started reading a book I wouldn't stop until I was finished reading, then I wouldn't get any of my Christmas stuff done in time, so I had to put this book on hold till then.

I absolutely loved the characters! Juliet, Dawsey, Isola, Elizabeth, Kit... what a wonderful group of people! I wish they were real, they were so fascinating! I am always amazed how people survived World War II, so this was a great read for me. The strength the people on the Island of Guernsey had, and the quick wit of Elizabeth McKenna! I have to say I am absolutely happy with the way the book ended! I only wish there was more of it to read!

Rating: 5/5

Rereads

2008-12-04T16:40:00.002-05:00

After having just reread the Twilight series, these are my thoughts...

1. I liked New Moon more this time around than I ever have before. I am getting pretty excited about it being made into a movie, although it won't be as good as Twilight because Edward will hardly be in it!

2. I also enjoyed Breaking Dawn more this time... although it still is my least favorite book. I absolutely hate that Stephenie Meyer starts giving her characters nicknames that she never used before... like Jazz for Jasper and Em for Emmett. Grr! But, I found myself enjoying it more, I even enjoyed the non-battle battle at the end.

That's about all I have to say about that.

Back to Earth

2008-11-11T10:28:00.003-05:00

I have been in a sort of Harry Potter phase of mind. I have just finished reading the whole series and it seems like I can function again like a normal human being. I don't know what it is, but now that I've stopped reading Harry Potter I seem to have come back to the real world. I am blogging again and I am paying more attention to the things I need to get done in the house. I guess you could call me pathetic.

I just love the Harry Potter series so much, and it was great being able to read it start to finish (with only one interruption, The Heretic's Daughter). I've only read the 7th book once before this, so it felt like I was reading it for the first time again because I didn't remember everything that happens. It's such a great book! I love the ending so much - good job J.K. Rowling!

Now, back to my life...

50. The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent

2008-10-21T15:32:00.002-04:00

Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.

I LOVED this book! Being a history buff, I have read a lot of books about the Salem witch trials. Yet this book was so different from the others. It was a completely different angle to the happenings in Salem than all of the other books that I've read.

I really enjoyed the Carrier family. It was amazing all that they endured in such a short amount of time! Their strength and courage was fascinating. Every time I read about that time period, I am in complete disbelief of what happened - how a whole town (and neighboring towns) became caught up in the lies of a group of teenage girls and killed and imprisoned so many innocent people. It's incredible what greed and anger will lead to...

I would highly recommend this book, to history buffs and everyone. For this being Kathleen Kent's first novel, she did an amazing job!

Rating: 5/5

Oops!

2008-10-11T17:54:00.001-04:00

I reread Eragon and Eldest last month and although I didn't write reviews about them (they're great books by the way...) I wanted to let you all (all one of you) know how I rated them.

Eragon
Rating: 5/5

Eldest
Rating: 4/5

47. The Merry Monarch's Wife: Catherine of Braganza, Wife of Charles II

2008-10-10T12:47:00.002-04:00

Charles II is restored to the English throne, and his court is lively and even scandalous. The country is eager for succession to be clear and certain: The next king will be the son of Charles II and his queen, Catherine of Braganza. Yet Catherine, daughter of the king of Portugal and a Catholic, has never been popular with the English people. She is also having great difficulty conceiving an heir, even as many of Charles’s well-known mistresses are bearing his children with ease. Catherine is aware that courtiers close to Charles are asking him to divorce her and take another wife—yet she is determined to hold her title in the face of all odds.

I really enjoyed this book! I felt so sorry for Catherine! All the things that she went through in her life... and how she handled them! I'm sure I could not have done a better job than her! It was fascinating to read about Catherine of Braganza, especially since I knew very little about her. This might be one of my favorites of Jean Plaidy's books.

Rating: 4.5/5

46. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason

2008-10-03T12:22:00.003-04:00

After narrowly escaping Rome with her mortality, vampire hunter Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacey returns to London—where not even sunrise can stop a vampire’s carnage. Not only is Victoria unable to detect the vampire with her heightened senses, but she’s being framed as the prime suspect behind the killings. Meanwhile, the legacy of a vampire’s touch has left his blood boiling in her veins and forces her to fight evil on two fronts—against the new breed of undead threatening London and the darkness within herself….

Victoria is back in London fighting the undead in this fourth installment of The Gardella Vampire Chronicles. By her side is fellow Venator Sebastian Vioget, one of the two men who play an active force in Victoria's life. The other is Maximilian Pesaro, a former Venator who gave up his powers to release himself from the thrall of Lilith, Queen of the vampires. In this book the Venators have a new enemy - daylight vampires. They prove to be lethal enemies that the Venators cannot detect. Victoria must also fight again the pull of the vampire blood she was infused with during her encounter with Beauregard.

It was a fun, quick read. I just recently started reading this series so the first three books were fresh in my memory. In this book Victoria chooses between Sebastian and Max - while I am pleased with her decision, I am also devastated for the one she does not choose. I loved all the action and the romance and can't wait until next years for the next and final book of the series!

Rating: 4.25/5

45. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini

2008-10-02T10:30:00.002-04:00

OATHS SWORN . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide.

Following the colossal battle against the Empire’s warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon’s oath to his cousin Roran: to help rescue Roran’s beloved, Katrina, from King Galbatorix’s clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength—as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices— choices that take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once-simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

I have been waiting to read this book for a year and a half. I became a fan of the Inheritance Trilogy last year when I read Eragon and Eldest. I was fascinated by the world of Alagaesia and the hero of the story, Eragon. It felt like such a long wait before this book came out. Then my book finally came in the mail. I was so excited! I open it only to find that instead of this being the final installment of the Inheritance Trilogy, Paolini decided to add another book to the series and change it to the Inheritance Cycle. GRR!!!! I was so eager to find out what happens to Eragon, Saphira and the Varden and now I have to wait who knows how long for him to finish writing the next book. And who knows, he might decide then that he wants to add another book to the series!

Paolini claims that he extended the series by another book because he wanted to "explore and develop the characters' personalities and relationships at a more natural pace." In my opinion, I think he just wants more money. This book was 748 pages long - plenty long enough to develop all the characters' personalities as well as finish the story. This book just seemed to drag on and was filled with numerous unnecessary descriptions and story lines - blah! It wasn't until the last quarter of the book that it started feeling like the Inheritance books I would expect. And it seems like I'm not the only one who feels this way. I've read quite a few reviews where people agree that he made the story a lot longer than he needed to.

Another aspect of the book that irritated me was Paolini's injection of religion into the story. Here is what another reader thought:

I also found Paolini's waxing on religion and philosophy through his main
character annoying - it's as if he is trying to make this series more
poignant than it is should be - because after all, it is just a good fantasy
tale at its core and I feel like he should just stick to those roots.

I couldn't agree more. He should have just kept it a good fantasy story and left out all the different religious aspects of the various races of Alagaesia. Just too much was put into this book.

Rating: 2.75/5

42. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

2008-09-23T15:59:00.002-04:00

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty-especially if they learn of her Sight-and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.

But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. His is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost-regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.

Wicked Lovely was an interesting read. What drew me to it was the summary on the book cover (above). It sounded similar to the Twilight series that I hold near and dear to my heart, so I thought I would give this book a try. It was okay. It probably would have helped me enjoy it more if I knew a little more faery lore, so whenever faeries were talked about, I would find myself a little confused as to what exactly they were supposed to be, look like, and what they could do. I think that made it a little difficult for me to get into the story. Then the ending... what can I say? Everything worked out a little too quaintly - I like stories that have little twists at the end, like you know someone is going to be hurt because of what happens, but it seems more real that way. Still, I enjoyed the story of Aislinn, one who has the Sight. Apparently there is a sequel to this titled Ink Exchange, but I'm not sure if I'll read it or not.

Rating: 3/5

41. Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe

2008-09-17T21:20:00.002-04:00

Let me just start by saying... hallelujah, I finished! I had a difficult time reading this book... It took me three weeks to read it - that's a long time for me! Especially considering that it was only 250 pages long!

Robinson Crusoe is born into middle class society. His parents continue to tell him he is fortunate, yet Robinson is unhappy with his "mediocre" life. He informs his parents he wants to sail the seas and his father warns him against this, saying that only misfortune can come of his plans. Headstrong and stubborn, Robinson sets off from England and within sight of the shore, the boat sinks. Still Robinson does not learn. On another of his journeys his ship is overran by pirates and he is taken captive. After a few years of slavery he escapes and makes his way to Brazil. Here he creates a prosperous plantation for himself - and still he is not content. One of his colleagues suggests the purchase of slaves for the betterment of their plantations, an idea to which Robinson jumps. He sets off on another voyage and this time his ship is caught in a huge storm and wrecked. All of his shipmates are drowned and Robinson is marooned on an uninhabited island. The majority of the story follows his life on the island and the adventures he experiences.

I had a lot of high expectations when I started reading this book. I was let down. The beginning was incredibly boring. I was so tired of hearing Robinson complain about his station in life and all the travels he undertook before his being stranded on the island. Then there were a lot of parts while he was on the island where he complained about his situation... I understand that that would be a fairly horrible experience, but I can imagine that myself... I don't need to read page after page about how Robinson felt. Then there was the ending. It was so odd. I felt that it didn't tie in with the rest of the book at all. It was just too convenient how he got off the island, then was rich, and then they spent the last chunk of the book on his trekking across the Pyrenees mountains... it was weird. I think it would have been a better book if they left that part out.

I loved Friday. What a great character. So sweet, so innocent, so trusting... I loved how he was so true to Robinson and would do anything for him. I'm glad he found his father again, but thought it was strange that he would just leave him behind after being reunited. I really enjoyed reading about all the ways Robinson survived: his planting crops with the left over seed, sun drying grapes into raisins, domesticating the wild goats on the island... what a smart man. I honestly don't think I would survive as well as he did - hopefully I never get shipwrecked!

Rating: 3.25/5

...

2008-09-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

... still struggling with Robinson Crusoe. Maybe one of these days I'll finish it... even though it's due back at the library tomorrow. I guess I'll have to renew it.

40. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

2008-08-29T13:47:00.003-04:00

Set in the mythical town of Macondo, One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the Buendia family. Over the period of one hundred years, the Buendia family (whose predecessor is Jose Arcadio) experiences the rise and fall of their beloved home town. Jose Arcadio and his wife Ursula are the leaders of an expedition that travels to the unpopulated swamps far beyond the reach of any civilization to create the town of Macondo. The story continues through their children, their children's children and so on through six generations of the Buendia family.

This is the September book club selection for my family, so I don't want to give too much away. I really enjoyed this book. There were so many fanciful and unbelievable stories and experiences that the Buendia family members went through - you know they can't be true but you find yourself wanting to believe them because they help bring the lovable characters of the Buendia family to life. Garcia Marquez did a wonderful job weaving fantasy with real life. When asked how he came up with the writing style for One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia Marquez wrote:

The tone that I eventually used in One Hundred Years of Solitude was
based on the way my grandmother used to tell stories. She told things that
sounded supernatural and fantastic, but she told them with complete naturalness
. . . What was most important was the expression she had on her face. She
did not change her expressions at all when telling her stories . . . In previous
attempts to write, I tried to tell the story without believing in it. I
discovered that what I had to do was believe in them myself and write them with
the same expression with which my grandmother told them: with a brick face."

I had a hard time putting this book down. I kept wondering what would happen to each member of the Buendia family. Garcia Marquez really pulled me in with his writing style and I really enjoyed this book.

Rating: 4/5

39. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

2008-08-23T11:05:00.003-04:00

Because of its sexual frankness and indictment of Victorian hypocrisy, Hardy's novel was considered shocking when it was published in 1891. It is the tale of Tess Durbeyfield, a young country girl whose rape by Alec D'Urberville, a distant aristocratic relative, leads to pregnancy. Tess's baby dies, and she finds work as a dairymaid at a farm where no one knows her story. From that point, her life, which includes marriage with a man, Angel Clare, who fails to realize her worth, enters a downward spiral, culminating in the sensational tragedy that is at the heart of the book. The cynical and sophisticated Alec's seduction of a country girl, and the self-righteous Angel's destructive idealization of her, can be seen as symbols of the city's ruthless exploitation of the English countryside--a common theme in Hardy's fiction. His compassionate portrait of a young countrywoman was also characteristic of his writing, which never failed to champion the cause of rural lives and values against those of the corrupting city.

This book was a little hard to get into. The language Hardy used was so different than modern day and I had a hard time understanding some parts of the book for that reason. Does anyone know what is a "vlee"? It took me 150 pages to get into the book (about halfway through). After Angel and Tess confess their love for each other I was hooked. I was so eager to learn what their future would be. Of course, that doesn't quite make up for the first 150 pages of so-so.

Rating: 3.5/5

Another List

2008-08-13T16:05:00.003-04:00

(I found this on my sister Lisa's blog)

According to The Big Read, the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books on this list.

The instructions:
Look at the list and:
Bold those you have read
Italicize those you intend to read.
Underline the books you LOVE.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible (I've read most of it, but not the complete book)
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. 1984 - George Orwell (on "the list")
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy (this one is for the family book club this month)
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller (on "the list")
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (most, but not all)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell (I've read the sequel, Scarlet, but not this one for some reason)
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald (on"the list")
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (on "the list)
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (on "the list")
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy (on "the list")
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens (on "the list")
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (it's funny that this one is listed separately, since the entire Chronicles of Narnia was just listed above at #33)
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (on "the list")
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins (on "the list")
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding (on "the list")
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan (on "the list")
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen (I promise I will read this one soon!)
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley (on "the list")
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov (this one is on "the list" but I don't plan to read it because of the icky subject matter)
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac (on "the list")
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy (on "the list")
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (on "the list")
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce (on "the list")
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray (on "the list")
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert (on "the list")
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92.The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare (again, why is this one separate? Shakespeare's Complete Works is #14)
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I've read 19 out of the 100 - not that great of a number, but much better than 6!

38. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen

2008-08-13T11:27:00.003-04:00

The heroine of Mansfield Park, Fanny Price, is taken away from home at the tender age of 10 to be raised by her wealthy relations, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram. Fanny arrives and is confronted with the prejudices and injustices of class and social rank. Her new family thinks that she is below them and treats her more like a servant than a relation. Only her cousin, Edmund, sees past their social differences and becomes friends with Fanny. Their friendship blossoms through the years and is tested by the arrival of Henry and Mary Crawford. The Crawfords are the "creme" of London society and bring with them their slack morals and unkind social views. Fanny silently witnesses the changes the Crawford's wreak on her extended family, sending them down a path of personal and public mahem.

This book was just okay for me. I had a hard time liking Fanny. Yes, she was sweet and kind and everything that is good, but sometimes to me she seemed too perfect. I just once wanted to see her say something to put someone in their place, but it never happened. I also thought that she was too submissive. I understand her background and upbringing, believing that she really was of lesser value than her cousins, but I was always surprised that she took everything in silence and never complained about her situation. She just let everyone walk all over her. It kind of irritated me.

Other than that, I enjoyed the story. It was nice that Fanny always had a friend in Edmund, and that towards the end of the book her family really started to appreciate and even love her. I enjoyed witnessing all the character's happenings through the eyes of Fanny. The last chapter was a little corny for me - how everything quaintly worked itself out. Overall, a decent read, but not my favorite Austen novel.

Rating: 3/5

37. Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer

2008-08-05T21:53:00.002-04:00

The final installment of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn finishes the story of Edward the vampire, Jacob the werewolf, and Bella the human. I have been waiting a year for this book and couldn't wait to read it. I read all 750 plus pages in a little over a day... and I have to say it wasn't worth it. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the book, but it definitely wasn't the best of the series.

There were a lot of disappointments for me. My sister, Lisa, summed these up pretty well.

WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(from Lisa's blog)

From the very first page Breaking Dawn was different, and had a different tone to it. Having separate "books" -- one even from Jacob's point of view -- was unlike any of the other books.
A lot of the time, Edward didn't act like the Edward I know and love. That bothered me. In fact, Bella didn't really act like herself either. They weren't the Bella and Edward that everyone got to know in the first three books. Bella seemed much older and much more mature than her 18 years.
Renesmee is the most awful name for a child I've ever come across! I understand that Bella wanted to honor Renee and Esme with the name, but it's just plain awful. (And "Edward Jacob" had the baby been a boy -- I think the middle name would have been a bit cruel to Edward. When she was pregnant, she depended on Jacob way too much and I hated that she lit up so much whenever he was around. Sure, sure, I get that he's her best friend, but their relationship was a bit too friendly. Edward was going crazy with worry over Bella -- would the baby kill her? -- and Bella is fantasizing about a little boy named Edward Jacob. Cruel, just cruel.)
The 'big fight' against the Volturi at the end was totally anti-climatic. I was a bit disappointed on one hand, but happy that no one was hurt. That everyone got their 'happily ever after' was also unexpected, but I'm okay with it. I just wish something more had happened.

I'd like to add on to the last comment - I absolutely hated the fight scene! I loved that Bella's power was able to save all of her family, but I hated that there wasn't really a fight. They had been building up to this situation for a good chunk of the book, then nothing really happened. The Volturi just walked away - what is up with that? Very upsetting.

However, there were also a lot of good parts. Bella and Edward's wedding was one, as well as the fact that they were able to have a baby together (besides HATING her name). I enjoyed that Jacob was finally able to get over Bella (even if that meant imprinting on her newborn daughter) and that Edward and Bella had their happy little vampire family. There were a few scenes that were a good laugh (like the one where Bella freaks out on Jacob for calling her daughter "Nessie" after the Loch Ness monster).

SPOILERS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm glad that I read this book. I am glad to be able to say I read the whole series. I love the idea of a good vampire falling in love with a regular human. This book just didn't end like I thought it would. To me, it was so different than any of the other Twilight books Stephenie Meyer has written. After all that suspense, I'm glad it's all done. Thanks for the fun reads, Stephenie!

Rating: 3.25/5

Done for now...

2008-07-26T16:25:00.002-04:00

I finished reading Eclipse almost a week ago, but haven't taken the time to post about it. I absolutely LOVE the book! It's my second favorite in the series (behind Twilight) - the action is great and for that reason it would be my favorite, but Bella kind of drives me nuts in this book. She is so selfish in this one that I just can't name it my favorite. Plus, I always love reading about how Edward and Bella meet and fall in love. Although one of my favorite scenes in Eclipse is when Edward and Jacob have their "truce" and talk about their personal relationships with Bella - so fun! I cannot wait for Breaking Dawn to come out next weekend!!!!!

On to the next....

2008-07-18T08:18:00.002-04:00

finished New Moon last night. It was pretty enjoyable! Now I'm on to Eclipse!

OBSESSED!

2008-07-17T11:53:00.003-04:00

I absolutely LOVE this book! I just had to reread it with the new book, Breaking Dawn coming out in a few weeks. It's been a year since I've read the first three books in the series and while I remember most of the story, it's just so much fun to read them again to get into the mood for the new book! I am completely OBSESSED with Edward - he is by far my favorite character in a book ever! I cannot get enough of him! I'm so glad I reread this book - now I'm on to the sequel New Moon. I'm still excited to read the next book, but a little disappointed because Edward is not in it nearly enough!

BORING!!!!

2008-07-02T21:38:00.002-04:00

I am a huge history buff - HUGE. I love reading about English royalty and so this book sounded really interesting to me. But I had the hardest time trying to get into this book. I found it so redundant and full of useless information. It seemed to me the author was just trying to fit all possible information about each king, most of it being speculation, into this book and it was so unneccesary. I read over 60 pages and it has taken me two weeks to get that far. Granted, things have been a little chaotic here, but I have never taken that long to read any book. It was such a disappointment. For now, I am putting it back on the shelf and maybe some day will try reading it again... but probably not.

33. Stolen Innocence - Elissa Wall

2008-07-02T21:31:00.002-04:00

In September 2007, a packed courtroom in St. George, Utah, sat hushed as Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age fourteen. This harrowing and vivid account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths to which Jeffs went in order to control the sect's women.
Now, in this courageous memoir, Elissa Wall tells the incredible and inspirational story of how she emerged from the confines of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and helped bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice. Offering a child's perspective on life in the FLDS, Wall discusses her tumultuous youth, explaining how her family's turbulent past intersected with her strong will and identified her as a girl who needed to be controlled through marriage. Detailing how Warren Jeffs's influence over the church twisted its already rigid beliefs in dangerous new directions, Wall portrays the inescapable mind-set and unrelenting pressure that forced her to wed despite her repeated protests that she was too young.
Once she was married, Wall's childhood shattered as she was obligated to follow Jeffs's directives and submit to her husband in "mind, body, and soul." With little money and no knowledge of the outside world, she was trapped and forced to endure the pain and abuse of her loveless relationship, which eventually pushed her to spend nights sleeping in her truck rather than face the tormentor in her bed.
Yet even in those bleak times, she retained a sliver of hope that one day she would find a way out, and one snowy night that came in the form of a rugged stranger named Lamont Barlow. Their chance encounter set in motion a friendship and eventual romance that gave her the strength she needed to break free from her past and sever the chains of the church.
But though she was out of the FLDS, Wall would still have to face Jeffs—this time in court. In Stolen Innocence, she delves into the difficult months on the outside that led her to come forward against him, working with prosecutors on one of the biggest criminal cases in Utah's history, so that other girls still inside the church might be spared her cruel fate.
More than a tale of survival and freedom, Stolen Innocence is the story of one heroic woman who stood up for what was right and reclaimed her life.

I was glued to this book. I had the hardest time putting it down. It was our family book club choice for June, and since it was a pretty hectic month for us, I didn't think I would get around to reading it. However, my mom picked it up from the library a few days ago and lent it to me to read first.

I found all the details about the FLDS and their lifestyle so interesting. It was hard to believe how easily they went along with some of the things they were told, but that was all they knew. To rebel was considered the ultimate sin and so they truly went along without any second thoughts. I felt so sad for Elissa and her story. I can understand how much she loved her family and I hope to never have to go through what she did. It would be so hard to have to give up your family and have to lose all contact with them. I was impressed by her bravery and courage and hope that her case really will help many young women stuck in the FLDS.

Rating: 4.25/5

32. The Man in the Iron Mask - Alexandre Dumas

2008-06-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

In the Musketeers' final adventure, D'Artagnan remains in the service of the corrupt King Louis XIV after the Three Musketeers have retired and gone their separate ways. Meanwhile, a mysterious prisoner in an iron mask wastes away deep inside the Bastille. When the destinies of king and prisoner converge, the Three Musketeers and D'Artagnan find themselves caught between conflicting loyalties.

In their mid to late 60's, the three Musketeers return again in this final installment of the series. D'Artagnan is still the captain of the King's Musketeers and stumbles into a plot to place another on the throne of Louis XIV. Always loyal, D'Artagnan grudgingly follows orders to return the imposter to prison. Knowing that the imposter is truly a better man the Louis XIV and that the conspiracy was lead by his fellow Musketeer and good friend, Aramis, General of the Jesuits, D'Artagnan begins to feel a sway in allegiance and although not going against the King's orders, he tries his hardest to save his friends from the wrath of the King. As Aramis and Porthos (who unknowingly helped commit treason out of love and loyalty to his friend) run from the King and his soldiers (including D'Artagnan), Raoul, son of Athos, decides to join the army in their expedition to Africa. After having his heart broken and wrench from his chest by his former fiance Louis de la Valliere, he knows this venture to Africa will kill him. So does his father, Athos, and he unwillingly allows his son to leave, fearing he'll never come back.

This books is full of twists and turns, happy moments and sad moments, and was a good conclusion to The Three Musketeers series. A little bit shorter than the previous two novels, The Man in the Iron Mask was definitely a page turner. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. I was so glad to have the focus back on the four friends and Musketeers, unlike the previous two novels. They are such great characters!

I was naturally a little disappointed with the ending, not only because it was the end of the series but because it was a little sad. I read a lot of reviews where people gave it a low rating because they didn't like the way it was written and had a hard time keeping track of the characters. I think that if they had read the whole series, they would have had an easier time with that and enjoyed the books more. Yeah, it's a lot of reading, but the story is so great, it's worth it! I held off reading this book for a long time because I didn't want the tale to end, but now that's it's finished, I'm glad to have read them. A bittersweet ending!

Rating: 4.5/5

31. Testing Miss Toogood - Stella Cameron

2008-06-14T14:47:00.006-04:00

Fleur Toogood is the daughter of a poor country Pastor and his wife. When a friend of her mother, the Dowager Marchioness of Granville, takes Fleur under her wing to introduce her to London's elite, Fleur feels its her duty to agree and find a suitable match to better her family. Under the protection of the Dowager Marchioness' son, Lord Dominic Elliot, Fleur makes a list of requirements for potential suitors. With Dominic's help, she sets about finding the perfect husband. At first gruding the task of being Fleurs escort, Dominic sets out to introduce Fleur to all eligible bachelors of London society. However, Dominic ends up feeling like more than a chaperone and can't stand the thought of Fleur with anyone else. Fleur reads Dominic her list and he answers all her questions perfectly... unfortunalty Dominic has a few requirements of his own and doesn't feel worthy of Fleur. The two try their hardest to fight their feelings for each other, feeling that what they're doing is for the benefit of the other person, but in the end love conquers all.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, this is one of the predictable romances. I told myself I wouldn't read any more books like this, but I can't help it! I love romance novels (not for all the smutty details, which thankfully this one didn't have too many of, but for the love story). Call me a sucker. Like I said, it was predictable, but still enjoyable.

Rating: 3.25/5

The Great and Terrible Series

2008-06-14T14:47:00.002-04:00

Okay, I have read all five books in this series. I've posted about the first two, but since I've read the last three almost a week ago and have been without power since then, I am not going to post about them. There was just too much going on for me to describe them in detail and do them justice. They are GREAT books and I recommend them to everyone!

My ratings:
The Great and the Terrible: The Second Sun: 4/5
The Great and the Terrible: Fury & Light: 4.75/5
The Great and the Terrible: From the End of Heaven: 4.25/5

27. Where Angels Fall - Chris Stewart

2008-05-28T15:17:00.002-04:00

The war that began before we entered mortality is escalating into the final battle for freedom, liberty, and the hearts and souls of all men. Into this world filled with turmoil, our Father will send some of his most valiant servants. A child is born who may have the power to change the course of history. But will Elizabeth remember the covenants she made in the premortal world? Will she and her brothers have the strength to withstand the terrible forces of evil that reign in the Last Days? Against the backdrop of Middle Eastern conflict, the story of war and intrigue will have you riveted!

They were right! I was completely riveted with this sequel to The Brothers! I loved reading about how Sam, Luke, Ammon and Elizabeth came down to Earth and what kind of lives they were leading, being noble and great ones in the premortal existence. These books are so fantastic - I love how they reminded me that I followed Christ's plan and choose to come down to Earth and gain a body and return again to my Heavenly Father. Of course, it is a little disturbing to read about Lucifer and his followers and how they spend every second trying to thwart us from returning to our Heavenly Father, but it's the truth! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series, although I know it's going to be awhile because I am leaving Florida in a couple of days and I cannot take the books with me!

Rating: 4/5

26. Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë

2008-05-23T17:19:00.005-04:00

After the death of his loving guardian, Heathcliff is left to the care of his guardian's son, Hindley. Jealous of the attentions given to Heathcliff by his father, Hindley mistreats Heathcliff and the two become bitter enemies. Hindley's sister and Heathcliff's playmate, Catherine, is the only one to come to Heathcliff's defense. A strange form of love bonds the two for life, but through unforeseen events they are separated and Heathcliff disappears. Many years pass before Heathcliff returns, and many changes have occurred as well. More vindictive and malevolent then ever, Heathcliff starts down a path of destruction, vowing to repay those who have mistreated him.

Wuthering Heights is considered to be "an unpolished and devastating epic of childhood playmates who grow into soul mates, widely regarded as the most original tale of thwarted desire and heartbreak in the English language. (Goodreads.com)" I believe that description hits the nail right on the head. It was an eerily disturbing tale of scorned love and how far a man will go to take revenge on those who have wronged him. It was hard to imagine that somebody would go to those lengths for "love" - pretty crazy if you asked me! It was very disturbing at times, but I found that those times were the hardest times to put the book down! I could not wait to find out what happened to the Earnshaws, Lintons and Heathcliffs and really enjoyed the ending.

Rating: 4/5

25. The Brothers - Chris Stewart

2008-05-07T11:16:00.004-04:00

In the time before Creation, before so many of the children of God turned away from their Father and walked knowingly into the dark, there was a choosing, a sifting, a contest of ideas and a battle for souls. In that great premortal war, each of us learned the first lessons of life: The great ones may fall. The wicked can change. The weak and the foolish can become the strongest of all. And the battle between good and evil is the same regardless of the time or place.

The Brothers is the first novel in a new series by national bestselling author Chris Stewart. The Great and Terrible takes us from the beginning of time to the final hours of the last days, revealing the greatest secret of all: The children of God can defeat the adversary, for we have fought him before.

For those of you who don't know, this is a book by an LDS author. I absolutely loved it! It really made me think about all that my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, have done for not only me, but for all of us. It was great to read about the premortal existence and try to imagine what it was really like. It was a great read and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

Rating: 4.5/5

24. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

2008-05-05T17:41:00.002-04:00

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are only valued if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the days before, when she lived and made love with her husband Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now.... Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid's Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

This book follows the life of Offred (of Fred), a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead (formerly the United States). It portrays the breakdown of our current society and how easy it was for a group of radicals to take over control. It was a little disturbing in that aspect, but it was interesting to read how it happened and how people were so easily to go along with what they were told. This was the family book club choice and I'm glad that I read it, but I don't think I'll be reading it again. The story jumped around a lot from the past to the present and the future, and sometimes it was hard to follow along. I did try to imagine myself in Offred's place, and although it was disappointing that she went along with what society expected, I can't say I blame her for doing so. I hope to never be in a situation like that.

Rating: 2.75/5

23. Louise de la Vallière - Alexandre Dumas

2008-04-25T08:40:00.004-04:00

In the court of Louis XIV of France, youth and opulence is widely seen. Since Mazarin's death, Louis has spent money lavishly and flouted normal laws of etiquette. It's rumored that he is in love with his sister-in-law, the Duchess d'Orleans. But then new rumors begin that his eye has been caught by Louise de la Vallière. Sent away as an amabassador to England, these rumors reach Raoul, son of Athos, who is eager to learn the truth. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan seeks to unravel the mystery of Aramis and his aquiantance with the governor of the Bastille. What is Aramis planning and where has Porthos disappeared to?

Originally Alexandre Dumas wrote three books for the Three Musketeers series. The last book, due to it's incredible length, was split into three books: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Vallière, and The Man in the Iron Mask. The middle of the three focuses the least on the four Musketeers (d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis). Most of the book is focused on the King and his quest for Louise. It was a little disappointing that hundreds of pages were read and nothing was seen of d'Artagnan or his fellow Musketeers. There were a few chapters where d'Artagnan is following Aramis' trail and trying to discover what his comrade is working on and thosed were very enjoyable. I love reading how d'Artagnan's mind works and how he's able to solve all the mysteries he's dealt. Unfortunately there was hardly any mention of Athos, my second favorite charcter in the series. However, this book was able to keep my attention by developing the new characters well. Reading more about the King, Louise and the Duchess d'Orleans was interesting and learning about the intrigues of the court. Overall, I'm glad this book is finished, because it was a little drawn out sometimes, and cannot wait to finish the series with The Man in the Iron Mask.

Rating: 3/5

22. The Vicomte de Bragelonne - Alexandre Dumas

2008-04-12T13:32:00.003-04:00

The third installment of The Three Musketeers, The Vicomte de Bragelonne opens in 1660, the time of Cardinal Mazarin. In failing health, Mazarin knows the end is near and Louis XIV is eager to truly being his reign. D'Artagnan, still loyal to the king of France, feels a little dejected by his lack of fame and fortune after all the years of service (he's been a Musketeer for over 35 years). After witnessing an encounter between Louis XIV and Charles II of England, D'Artagnan turns in his resignation and begins a journey that will lead to the fame and fortune he has always sought. Along the way he encounters Athos (aka the Count de la Fère), Aramis (now Bishop of Vannes) and Porthos (now Baron du Vallon de Bracieux de Pierrefonds) as they are on quests of their own. After accomplishing amazing feats, stories of D'Artagnan's heroics meet the ears of Louis XIV, who promises D'Artagnan the position of Captain of the Musketeers and a large pension if he would continue to serve the king and give him his loyalty. Raoul, the Vicomte de Bragelonne and son of Athos, at the same time earns the king's respect for an act he performed, and Raoul is sent as an ambassador of France to receive Princess Henrietta of England on her arrival in France for her marriage to Philip, Duke of Orleans and brother of King Louis XIV. He returns and finds his lady love, Louise de la Vallière, has been promoted to a maid of honor for Henrietta. Due to a childhood injury, Louise has a slight limp, and afraid for her well-being in a court as malicious and debase as the one of France, he seeks to marry her and protect her. Athos is against the union, but love of his son finally causes him to relent. The story ends with the departure of Athos and Raoul to Paris to ask the king's permission for the marriage.

It was quite an abrupt ending, but this book, as well as the next two in the series (Louise de la Vallière and The Man in the Iron Mask) were originally written as one. I really enjoyed this book. Dumas has a way of always keeping me interested and wanting more. I love D'Artagnan! He has no faults (even his short-temper is considered a strength for him) and sometimes seems super-human with his cunning and strength - which I find kind of funny in this book because he is over 50 years old! But, he's still the same D'Artagnan. Per the title, this book is introducing us more intimately with Raoul. His character is loveable, but not as much as his father, Athos. I am a big history fan and reading about the events of that time are pretty exciting. I can't wait to read the next two books and see how it all ends!

Rating: 3.75/5

Busy

2008-04-08T13:39:00.001-04:00

I have been trying to read The Vicomte de Bragelonne by Alexandre Dumas for the past week almost. I am a little over halfway done. I'm not taking a long time reading it because it's boring - it's pretty enjoyable (it's the third book in The Three Musketeers series - which I love!). I have just been really busy! This past weekend my husband was gone and now that he's working again, my reading time has quickly diminished! But hopefully soon I will be finished and blog about it.

21. The Bleeding Dusk - Colleen Gleason

2008-04-03T11:56:00.001-04:00

To gain access to the secrets of a legendary alchemist, Rome's vampires have allied themselves with creatures as evil and bloodthirsty as they are. The new leader of the city's vampire hunters-Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy-reluctantly turns to the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget for help, just as Maximilian Pesaro arrives to aid his fellow slayers, no matter what the sacrifice. Desire puts her at the mercy of Sebastian, while loyalty binds her to Max, but she does not know if she can trust either. Especially when a seductive vampire begins luring her into the shadows...

This is the best book of the whole series! It was so fast paced and exciting I could barely put it down! At the same time, I didn't want to read it too quickly because I knew it's the last book of the series and I would have to wait until August for the next book to come out. I loved all the twists in this book and I couldn't wait to read what would happen next. And the ending... fantastic! I don't think I've ever read a more gripping ending... so cool. Who knew I'd be such a vampire book fan?

I almost forgot to mention... I am now rooting for Sebastian. His character was awesome in this book and if he were a real person, I would gobble him up! Of course, there is a small part of me that is still rooting for Max. He just needs to admit his true feelings...

Rating: 4.75/5

20. Rises The Night - Colleen Gleason

2008-04-03T11:26:00.002-04:00

It's been a little over a year since Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy first knew she was a Venator, a hunter of vampires. She learns that a powerful vampire in Italy is close to controlling the souls of the dead, and if he succeeds, the Venators will be facing the toughest challenge ever. As she travels to Italy, she is accompanied by Sebastian Vioget, a man Victoria can't quite trust, a man who splits his time between humans and vampires. As she works her way through the ranks of the Tutela, the protectors of vampires, she is betrayed by those she once considered friends and works alone to destroy the rising power of her mortal enemies.

As sequels go, this wasn't as great as the first. The author has to spend a lot of time leaving questions unanswered to leave room for more sequels. Yet, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. I love that the main character is a woman who is an incredibly strong individual. I enjoyed the book being set in Rome. It was great reading and trying to figure out what will happen next and seeing Victoria becoming more involved with Sebastian. As of now, I'm still a Max fan, but I am leaning a little more towards Sebastian.

Rating: 4.25/5

19. The Rest Falls Away - Colleen Gleason

2008-03-28T12:27:00.001-04:00

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy of vampire slaying, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her enigmatic ally, Sebastian Vioget. And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make the choice between duty and love.

It seems lately I have become a vampire romance obsessee. I don't know why, I'm not a big vampire fan, but ever since I've read the Twilight series, I can't seem to get enough. This was quite a bit different than Twilight, the vampires in this book are like the vampires you've always read about, thirsting for human blood. I liked how they have an organization whose sole purpose is to kill vampires and the history behind the organization. And although Victoria's life doesn't really make room for love, the men in her life certainly challenge that! As of now, I'm rooting for Max, although he hasn't really shown any interest in Victoria that way. I am way excited to read the next book in the series!

Rating: 4.25/5

Beth's Bonanza of Books

Favorites of 2011

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

Books Read 2011

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Afterlife by Claudia Gray

Spellweaver by Lynn Kurland

Review to come...

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

A Year In Review

Books Read in 2010

Innocent Traitor

The Demon King

Spirit Bound

One Second After

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart

The Wizard Heir by Cindy Williams Chima

The Warrior Heir by Cindy Williams Chima

I will...

Rethinking my list...

Honorable Mention

Literary Crushes Vol. 2

Blood Promise

Vampire Academy

3. A Tapestry of Spells - Lynn Kurland

Books I've Read 2009

I *HEART* the Steeds

79. Till There Was You - Lynn Kurland

71. The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer

Just Can't Get Enough

66. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares

Literary Crushes

58. Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah

It Is Done

Another One Bites The Dust

Change of mind...

46. The Red Tent - Anita Diamant

Oh, Lisa...

34. The More I See You - Lynn Kurland

Recent Reads

30. The Star of Lancaster - Jean Plaidy

28. Katherine - Anya Seton

?

27. The Princess of Celle by Jean Plaidy

Evernight series

24. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marathon

I Know, I Know

Twilight again...

20. sTORI Telling - Tori Spelling

Wow!

I Know...

Can't Wait!

One down, three to go

10. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

9. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell

8. The Queen's Devotion - Jean Plaidy

7. To Hold The Crown - The Story of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore

5. Multiple Blessing: Surviving to Thriving With Twins and Sextuplets - Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson

Shopaholic Series

1. Clear As The Moon - Chris Stewart

Favorite Books 2008

Books I've Read in 2008

60. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Rereads

Back to Earth

50. The Heretic's Daughter - Kathleen Kent

Oops!

47. The Merry Monarch's Wife: Catherine of Braganza, Wife of Charles II

46. When Twilight Burns - Colleen Gleason

45. Brisingr - Christopher Paolini

42. Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

41. Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe

...

40. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

39. Tess of the d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

Another List

I HEART the Steeds