Aradia's Reading

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Old:
The Trouble With Magic (Bewitching Mysteries, No. 1) by Madelyn Alt

Where There's a Witch (Bewitching Mysteries, No. 5) by Madelyn Alt (Paperback - Jul 7, 2009)

Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom (Paperback - Nov 1, 2008)

Brimstone Kiss (Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator) by Carole Nelson Douglas (Paperback - Oct 29, 2008)

Vampire Sunrise: Delilah Street: Paranormal Investigator (Delilah Street; Paranormal Investigator) by Carole Nelson Douglas (Mass Market Paperback - Nov. 24, 2009)

In Shade and Shadow: A Novel of The Noble Dead by Barb Hendee and J.C. Hendee (Hardcover - Jan 6, 2009)

Through Stone and Sea: A Novel of the Noble Dead by Barb Hendee and J.C. Hendee (Hardcover - Jan 5, 2010)

Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel: A Novel (Mortalis) by Boris Akunin and Andrew Bromfield (Paperback - Aug 11, 2009)

Firespell (Dark Elite, Book 1) by Chloe Neill (Mass Market Paperback - Jan 5, 2010)

Angelic by Kelley Armstrong (Hardcover - Jan 8, 2010)

Here Comes the Vampire: A Dead-End Dating Novel (Dead-End Dating Novels) by Kimberly Raye (Mass Market Paperback - Jul 27, 2010)

Veil of Lies: A Medieval Noir - Paperback - Bargain Price (Oct. 13, 2009) by Jeri Westerson

Read:

Stealing Fire by Jo Graham (Paperback - May 25, 2010)

Pies & Prejudice (Mother Daughter Book Club) by Heather Vogel Frederick (Hardcover - Sept. 14, 2010)

Mad About the Duke by Elizabeth Boyle (Mass Market Paperback - Sept. 28, 2010)

Venom: An Elemental Assassin Book by Jennifer Estep (Mass Market Paperback - Sept. 28, 2010)

Masques by Patricia Briggs (Paperback - Sept. 28, 2010)

Memories of Envy: A Vampire Memories Novel by Barb Hendee (Paperback - Oct. 5, 2010)

Play of Passion (Psy/Changeling) by Nalini Singh (Paperback - Nov. 2, 2010)

Counterfeit Magic (Women of the Otherworld) by Kelley Armstrong and Maurizio Manzieri (Hardcover - Nov 30, 2010)

Demon Underground by Susan Wright (Paperback - Dec 7, 2010)

Shadowfever: The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning (Hardcover - Dec. 7, 2010)

Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6) by Richelle Mead (Paperback - Dec. 7, 2010)

The Soul Mirror: A Novel of the Collegia Magica by Carol Berg (Paperback - Jan 4, 2011)

The Orchid Affair (Pink Carnation) by Lauren Willig (Hardcover - Jan. 20, 2011)

River Marked (Mercy Thompson, Book 6) by Patricia Briggs (Hardcover - Jan. 25, 2011)

Shot Through Velvet: A Crime of Fashion Mystery by Ellen Byerrum (Paperback - Feb 1, 2011)

Blackveil (Green Rider) by Kristen Britain (Hardcover - Feb. 2011)

Absolutely, Positively: A Lucy Valentine Novel by Heather Webber (Mass Market Paperback - Feb 1, 2011)

Iron Crowned - Paperback (Feb. 22, 2011) by Richelle Mead

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison (Hardcover - Feb. 22, 2011)

A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Mystery by Alan Bradley (Hardcover - Feb. 8, 2011)

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing by Jasper Fforde (Hardcover - Mar. 2011)

Bless the Bride (Molly Murphy Mysteries) by Rhys Bowen (Hardcover - Mar. 1, 2011)

Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin, Book 4) by Jennifer Estep (Mass Market Paperback - Apr. 26, 2011)

The Gathering (Darkness Rising, Book 1) by Kelley Armstrong (Hardcover - Apr 12, 2011)

Death in Seville by David Hewson (Paperback - May 1, 2011)

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 11) by Charlaine Harris (Hardcover - May 3, 2011)

Lord Langley Is Back in Town by Elizabeth Boyle (Mass Market Paperback - May 31, 2011)

Kiss of Snow (Psy/Changeling) by Nalini Singh (Hardcover - May 31, 2011)

Hunt the Moon: A Cassie Palmer Novel by Karen Chance (Paperback - Jun 7, 2011)

Kitty's Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn (Mass Market Paperback - Jun 28, 2011)

Hexes and Hemlines: A Witchcraft Mystery by Juliet Blackwell (Paperback - Jun 7, 2011)

Heartless (The Parasol Protectorate) by Gail Carriger (Jun 28, 2011)

Ghost Story (Dresden Files, No. 13) by Jim Butcher (Jul 26, 2011)

Spell Bound (Otherworld) by Kelley Armstrong (Hardcover - Jul 26, 2011)
The Tale of Castle Cottage by Susan Wittig Albert (September, 2011)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Be Bought:
- Here Comes the Vampire: A Dead-End Dating Novel (Dead-End Dating Novels) by Kimberly Raye (Mass Market Paperback - Jul 27, 2010)

Latest Sookie Book

Ooh, I forgot! I finished the “Dead in the Family” by Charlaine Harris. Book 10 of Sookie Stakehouse series is as adventured filled as ever. Sookie’s kidnapping and tortures has changed her worldview and now all she wants is living in peace with her family and loved ones. But this peace and quite is threatened when an unknown fairy is spying on her, Eric’s maker and his new “Child” come for a visit and the new delegate of Louisiana is making problems for Sookie and Eric and their undead friends. There is also the problem with new governmental restrictions against the Two Natured. This book is fast paced, action packed and full of breath-holding moments. Read it before it’s too late!

On another note:
I have a big problem. Finding a new home for my laptop, now; I have to work with this old desktop where all my files and documents are stored. I have to literally dig into this computer to find my everyday files. It is a torture! The book related part is that I’d lost my “Book Waiting list”, a list I make and update weekly on the books I like to read, the new books in series I’m following, of whatever is interesting to me and is going to get published and released in near future (six months to a year). So I lost the old list. I made a new one this week and now I finally found the old one. So confusing! I’m starting to think the best way is uploading the list into my weblog and updating it regularly. But that would make the sidbar too busy. Ahh, the challenges of being a bloger!

Back to my books

Hello, I’m back! After a month of absenting from books and a whole week struggling with jetlag, I finally celebrated my return to normal life by a reading frenzy. Five books in three days and I’m vary very happy!
Books four and five from “Broken Heart” series by Michele Bardsley. “Wait till your vampire gets home” and “Over my dead body” are about two more of those single parents that were attacked and turned vampire, one cold night in Broken Heart, Oklahoma. In the first one, Debby; a paranormal investigator is spying on a handsome guy in cemetery at night when two fighting dragons crash nearby. Debby and the cute guy with superpowers go for help and…
In second one, Broken Heart’s only auto-mechanic the beautiful Simone has to face her past and the nightmare she escaped from. But there is that new guy from PNI team Brady who insist on helping her every step of the way.
Now, had I said before I don’t like this series? Well, I don’t! I can only blame my checking out these books on my long absenting from books!
Then “Nice Girls don’t live forever” by Molly Harper. It is the third book of the series and Jane the librarian is breaking up with Gabriel, her boyfriend; in a hotel room in Brussels and coming home to work on a new empowered version of herself and reopens her bookstore.
I liked it. The story is funny, straight forward and amusing. No extra characters, no complicated plots, just good old fashion paranormal romance.
What I had waited long for: “Succubus Shadows” by Richelle Mead (Georgina Kincaid series, Book 5). Our favorite succubus has to help her friend pick wedding gowns, come to term with the fact that her ex is marrying her friend and fight a strange and dreamlike siren song. She is busy and she is down. Well, downer than usual. But she has some wonderful friends who love her and are more than ready to search heaven and earth to help her.
So good, so little; so short!
And “Tales of other Word” by Kelley Armstrong is a collection of her online novellas plus a new story: How Clyton and Elena met! Go read it quick! It’s so good!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

“Flirt”, “Hell” and “Boneshaker”

Ahh, I did it again! I had promised myself (and you guys) that I’m not going to read any more of L.K. Hamilton. But there was almost nothing else in the Library New Books and I was desperate! Anyhow I took “Flirt” home and went through it in a couple of hours and I am not happy. Despite not having much going on for it, it was a good little book. Anita had sex with just one stranger and ended up taking him home. It is a record really!
But it could have been a much shorter story. The mystery wasn’t big or thought provoking. Mostly the book was about Flirting!
Do you know how to flirt without being sexual?

“Hell” by Robert Olen Butler was truly an award winning piece of literature and therefore a little boring and long. But it had a neat and unique plot. Also the narrative was ingenious; you would feel all the torture and frustration of Hell. A news anchor is dead and hell and trying to find a way out. I loved the cast of characters, Beatrice, Virgil, Bogart, Ann Boleyn, … and a few of US presidents! Just lovely!

“Boneshaker” by Cherie Priest was a steam-punk post-apocalyptic epic. In mid 1880’s a new invention goes wary and causes poison gas to start covering Seattle. A wall is build around the polluted areas and the rest of people are living outside. A teenage boy is looking for answers to his family mystery and his mom has to go after him and save his neck. I loved it! The timeline was different, imagining clockworks and machines in 1880’s was a little hard for me but the great plot more than made up for it.

And I will be taking a little trip and not posting for a month or so.
These are a few books that I look forward to coming back to:
“Silver Borne” (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs
“Succubus Shadows” (Georgina Kincaid, Book 5) by Richelle Mead
“Changes” (Dresden Files, Book 12) by Jim Butcher
"The Desert Spear" by Peter V. Brett
"A Murderous Procession" (Mistress of the Art of Death) by Ariana Franklin
"Dead in the Family" A Sookie Stackhouse Novel by Charlaine Harris
"Spirit Bound" (Vampire Academy, Book 5) by Richelle Mead

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Back on the bookshelf

Another week already? Sheesh, time flies when you are not writing!
I had waited so long for the newest Molly Murphy Mysteries. “The Last Illusion” by Rhys Bowen was a little too familiar. It didn’t have the energy and high pace of previous books. The mystery was a little tame and the ending easy to guess.
Molly is hired to play bodyguard to the famous illusionist Harry Houdini. There are dangers, lots of suspects and international spies. This last part was where I had the most problem with. Also Daniel is becoming overprotective and keeps belittling Molly’s career and asking her to give up everything and marry him. I find that pretty offensive actually. That Daniel doesn’t respect Molly’s independent and personal goals. Maybe that was the culture back in 1903 but…
Anyhow these didn’t add up to an enjoyable read.

“Dark Slayer” by Christine Feehan is book nth of the Carpathian series which once again I started mid-series! There was this difference between Carpathians and vampires, shifters and Mages, some strangeness about the culture and a total lack of timeline which had me confused almost to the end of the book. Some might find this book well written. I certainly liked the plot but the characters were ultra sentimental and overly romantic in my opinion. No warrior stops planning battles to compliment and flirt with his pregnant wife. No warrior stops and tells his sweetheart right before entering a villain’s lair that he appreciates her! Come on! We (women the romantic creature that we are) might wish for sentimental and romantic lovers but it is not real and making up a guy’s character as overly romantic will come out as false and artificial. So all in all, I didn’t like the book. I say it had potential, the definition of characters were great and the plot was entertaining but the writing was lengthy and the scenes overly emotional. I was feeling suffocated with all the sugary language.

“Love ya Bunches” by Lauren Myracle was an elementary school story written for elementary schoolers but very sweet and cute. It was so relaxing! Four little girls looking for friendship find good friends and a cute personalized chat-room.

“My Husband's Sweethearts” by Bridget Asher was a different type of story. Lucy has left her husband after finding out he has been cheating on her with three women. Than she get a call that Artie is dieing and she better come back to say goodbye. She decides not to go through all the grief and heartbreak alone and calls up her husband's numerous girlfriend and affairs to come and take their shift at his bedside. Then she starts liking some of them and learning things. This is a story about grief, forgiveness, dealing with heartbreak and growing up and finally moving on.
I am not usually for deep emotional stories but this one has a black sense of humor allthrough the sadness and heartbreak that you keep reading to the end.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

A Procrastinator’s Review

It is easy to write a couple of paragraphs when you finish each book. But if you let the books build up and still not in the mood to write, you are in trouble. That’s why this nice Easter Sunday, I am forcing myself to write. Here it goes:
“Obsidian Prey” (Ghost Hunters, Book 6) by Jayne Castle was one of my recent favorites. Lyra an amber tuner and Cruz an amber miner had their problems in the past including a failed law suit. But when Cruz comes asking for help, Lyra has to help him, if only to save innocent lives.
I love Ms. Castle’s writing style. Her plots are uncomplicated but smooth and absorbing. It also helps that all her books have happy-endings. So good for the soul!
“Covet” (Fallen Angels, Book 1) by J. R. Ward was another of her artificially slanged stories. Although the plot and story was solid and attractive, the foul artificial language may bore a person out of her frigging mind!
Jim Heron has a near-death experience and becomes a fallen angel, a soldier in battle of Good and Evil. His first assignment is to help Vin a money-hungry realstate mogul make the right choice. The other characters are a gold-hearted hooker, four angels in the sky playing golf in crisp white linen pants, two tough pierced field agents and a beautiful seductive woman. If Ms. Ward had stopped her crazy lingo, this book was one to recommend!
“Truly, Madly” by Heather Webber was a cute mystery romance with a hint of paranormal. Lucy’s family are matchmakers who use auras to match people. The only exception is Lucy who has developed other talents. When a client reveals his past, Lucy decides to make things better for him with the help of her family and a cute private investigator.
A trilogy by Mindy Klasky, “Girl's Guide To Witchcraft”, “Sorcery And The Single Girl” and “Magic And The Modern Girl” are about Jane a librarian who rent a cottage and finds a stack of magic books, a Familiar and a cute Warder. The first book is about Jane learning self respect and worth. The second one is about how she looks for acceptance and approval and the third is about her relationship with others and lessons in being responsible. Aside from these life lessons, the books are nice, simple and well written if a little lacking in entertainment value.
And finally, the best for the last: “Imager's Challenge” The Second Book of the Imager Portfolio by L. E. Modesitt Jr.
I loved it, adored it, and savored it! OK, too much gushing! But it was goooood!
Rhenn is starting to patrol the city and his enemies are trying to trap and destroy him. The Imager’s Collegium can not publicly help him. His Family is in danger. His only allies are the family of his girlfriend and his powers and what new friends he can make.
It is a complicated, sometimes detailed; story but you get to enjoy every word.

Friday, March 26, 2010

“Babes-on- Brooms” and “Spider Bite”

It is a wonder I got to finish a couple of new books this week being duped up on painkillers, doing a last minute spring cleaning, our Persian New Year celebrations and having friends over. For a little peace and quite, I took refuge in “The Hallows” with Rachel Morgan, rereading all eight books.
My new reads are two cheesy romances and a great discovery.
“Blonde With a Wand” and “Chick with a Charm” by Vicki Lewis Thompson are from "Babes-on- Brooms" series. In the first book Anica, a cute blond witch; gets into an argument with her date and turns him into a cat. They have to find a way to reverse the spell and fall in love in the meantime.
In “Chick with a Charm” Lily, Anica’s sister; is giving a cute lawyer a love potion. Then again they have to find a way to cancel the consequences, figure out if they love each other without the potion and find their happily-ever-after.
In terms of story and plot lines these were really simple. The characters are tired and nothing exciting is really happening in the story. I liked the first book better. I liked Jasper’s outlook on life when he becomes a cat, very philosophical! But a few chapters into the second book I was bored. I kept reading only to see how it all ends.

“Spider's Bite: An Elemental Assassin Book” by Jennifer Estep was a master piece. Gin is an assassin with a mysterious and tragic past. When a contract goes wrong and her mentor and handler is killed, she looks for a few ally to find the killers and teach a lesson to her double-crossing clients.
The book is an urban fantasy/mystery happening in an alternative world where there are five races: Humans, vampires, Dwarves, Giants and Elementals (magic users). The timeline is our present day.
I love how the story starts: “My name is Gin and I kill people”
I’m waiting for May and the second book of the series to come out.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle

As always, I started this series with the second book, “The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle” - by Catherine Webb. The series is a Victorian mystery/fantasy written for Young Adults but the language, characters and plotlines are so lovely that any reader can enjoy the books. In this one, Lyle and his two sidekicks are developing a flying machine when Lord Lincoln asks them to investigate a few murders that has been happening in docksides of London. Stones of the city are murmuring a warning but no one is listening. With help of some hard facts, powers of deductions and quite some big explosion, Lyle, Thomas and Tess save the day (or night, whatever the case).
The first book is “The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle” and introduces the readers and characters together. It is the story of how Lyle, Thomas and Tess met and solved a mysterious theft. A priceless stone bowl has been stolen form Bank of England and queen’s special vault. A few corpses are found and some strange people of amazing beauty and unusual green eyes are looking for mayhem. Some persistence buglers keep breaking into Lyle’s house and magnetic fields and lightening are opening the door to a better future for humans.

I am looking for the third book "The Doomsday Machine".

Elizabeth Boyle’s latest

“How I Met My Countess” by Elizabeth Boyle is he latest in Bachelor Chronicles series. It is the story of Earl of Clifton, another one of English spies and how he comes back to England after years of service abroad. It is also part of Langley sisters’ story. Felicity wants to be rid of three widowed ladies in her husband’s family so she gives them an ultimatum and leaves her infamous Bachelor Chronicles with them. The first to take the pledge is Lucy the youngest Lady Stanton.
I love Ms. Boyle’s romances. All of them have solid believable plots and lots of funny secondary and tertiary characters. You fell in love with almost all her characters.

Friday, March 12, 2010

“Imager” and “Spirit Lens”

I don’t like epic fantasy (sword and sorcery or daggers and dragons) books. They usually have the same theme: a young hero, evil lords, strange creatures and magic, a taxing quest, a few crazy and odd companions, usually a beautiful girl in trouble… you know the type! They all aspire to be the next “Lord of the Rings” without any success.
So for the last four years I have been avoiding this subgenre until I read the “Warded Man” a few weeks ago. Then last week in the library I told myself “what the heck!” and picked two books of this genre randomly. I was in luck. Both turn out to be better than good and renewed my faith in Sword and sorcery books.
“Imager” Book One of the Imager Portfolio by L. E. Modesitt Jr. is happening in an alternative universe where magic is real and used in place of man-power. The timeline is around Victorian era when science is advancing, there is railroad and guns but people still ride horses and have carriages. There is a special college for mages who can create almost anything just by imagining and visualization.
Rhennthyl spends years as a portraitist apprentice learning and working hard. Although his work is better than most masters, his master doesn’t pay and support him. When the master is killed in a fire, Rhenn starts thinking about his little adjustments to the portraits and the accident. He looks for a new master but no one wants him. He has no choice but to apply to the college of Imagers. He advances rather rapidly but there are truths that no normal person knows about Imagers.
The book is lengthy and has too much detail but is so well written that you willingly suffer through Rhenn’s classes with him. Instead of strange and useless quests, the plot revolves around a mystery: the murder of young Imagers. There is also some flavor of romance but it remains a flavor, just a touch. Just enough!
My only problem with the book is that the second book of the series is not in the library database. Where am I supposed to find it?!
“The Spirit Lens” by Carol Berg is another epic fantasy/sorcery which has a mystery as its core. Portier, a failed sorcerer and librarian of a magical school; is summoned by the King to find and nullify assassins whom targeted the King. Portier starts his work with making a team, inviting Chevalier Ilario and sorcerer Dante. Dante is an angry unconventional sorcerer and Ilario is a fop, more concern about parties and fashion than matters of life and death. The Queen is the main suspect and there are rumors of nefarious practices. What our trio discover is bigger than few murder and assassination attempts. The natural order of the universe could be in danger!
This book was published two months ago and I can’t find any info on the release date of the second book. More is the pity!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

“Black Magic Sanction”

Am I the first to review this long awaited book?
Well, “Black Magic Sanction” the 8th book of Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison had a great story as always but was so short! I was just getting the hang of this new improved cool Rachel when the book ended.
The most important aspect of this story is Rachel’s acceptance of her demon-kin status. She doesn’t hyperventilate anymore at the mention of black curses and uses a few herself. She is comfortable visiting the Ever-after and has a good working relationship with Big Al. The book’s plot and action was breathtaking. Rachel has dealt with and survived all the major races, vampires, werewolves, demons,… but she never had been at the opposite end of a witch’s spells. However, now; with her shunning and black-witch status she has attracted the attention of witches’ council of moral standards and they are not very moral in their wants and dealings. That slimy bastard Nick is appearing and disappearing. Trent also is pressuring her.
I am going to re-read the whole series in a little while and think about all the changes Rachel has gone through.
Eight books into the series and this series is getting better and better. Can I say it one more time? Kim Harrison is a genius!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Three Salem witches, a Fixer Upper and a Dune Road

… and no they don’t go into a bar!
A young adult series including “The Salem Witch Tryouts”, “Competition's a Witch” and “She's a Witch Girl” by Kelly McClymer was funny if a little to wordy!
A teenage girl with a witch mother and mortal father has to move to Salem for LA and adjust to the magic world. It is a cute story! Very fluffy, stress-free and at times funny. But because I have never been a cheerleader I didn’t get what all the fuss was about! Huh!

“The Fixer Upper” by Mary Kay Andrews was great story. Dempsey a naïve lobbyist is fired and is blamed for her boss’s fraud. She moves to a small town in South to renovate an old mansion her father is inherited. If everything was that easy! FBI is pressuring Dempsey to help arrest her former boss, her old family house has an unwanted un-paying occupant, her hippy mom comes to town, town’s lawyers have a few proposition and uhhh… she has no money, no job, no perspective.
The characters are lively and the plot is simple but enchanting.

“Dune Road” by Jane Green is like her other books. Some picturesque scenes and scenery, a simple plot and a happy ending! Her books are very relaxing to read, the tension is low and plot line is so out there and unrealistic that you can not get anxious over it! My only objection is: How many bad thing and bad people can come into a story in a given time? A bad sister, an abusive ex, a bad babysitter and loss of job and money, all in one book?! I think this book was a little cramped with villains!

Friday, February 26, 2010

The warded Man, Lost enchantress, Bone Magic and accidentally demonic

Let’s wrap my list of books before February ends!
“The Warded Man” by Peter V. Brett is a post-acopolyptic fantasy, happening some few hundred years after the “age of science” or our present day. The civilization is gone and people are back to limited life of farming and trading like middle ages. All is due to nightly attacks of elemental demons. Humans have to hide behind the shelter of magically warded houses to stay. If the house wards fade or wears down, humans are brutally murdered and the house is aflame. In this atmosphere, the only connection between cities are Messengers, postmen, taxmen and traveling traders, they brave the wild roads and unsheltered nights to deliver medicine and letters and all the necessities between cities. In first few chapters , we get to know three important characters: Arlen, a farmer boy who loses his mother to demos and runs away to a city to learn warding and become massager; Eleesha, a beautiful girl who is abused and finds solace in the work of a healer and Roger, a handicapped boy who becomes a bard and magical musician.
The book is the first one in a series, is long and lengthy but well worth the time. I wait breathlessly for the second book to come out in May.
“The Lost Enchantress” by Patricia Coughlin is a modern day fantasy. Magic runs in a family but the young teenager blames herself for a tragedy that rips her family apart. All grown up she becomes a cynic reporter dealing in facts. But when in an action she purchases a necklace, the strange world of magic comes knocking on her door.
The plot was simple, good verses evil, “concur you past demons, so you can concur you present ones”, sacrifices, true love,… OK, let’s be honest and call it cliché! I guess it was the nice flow of the story that held me captive and convinced me to finish the book and not get bored with it.
Talking about getting bored, how do you like the newest book in Sisters of the Moon series? I thought “Bone Magic” (Book 7) by Yasmine Galenorn was the most boring one in the series ever. I put the book halfway down and I am not going to continue reading this series. Never, ever, ever!
We knew Camille is a nympho but do we have to suffer through sex scene after sex scene even when they are in danger, a jaded fiancé and an angry father-in-law are next door and her sisters are plotting their next move?!
And hey, what is it with these girls; one, two, even three guys are not enough for them?!
Yasmine Galenorn is becoming a worse sex-crazed author than L.K. Hamilton!
“Accidentally Demonic” (An Accidental Series) by Dakota Cassidy is cheesy, full of angry outbursts, cussing and lust for a hot cheater. I honestly thought the Accidental series was a triology and was not disappointed to see it finished. So it was plain curiosity that made me start this book and become totally frustrated. Call it: Cat, curiosity, intellectual suicide! Wanda’s sister has become a demon. How? A vampire spilled demon blood on her! Oh, gush! I know we are dealing with magic here, but you can not even get Aides through your healthy skin! Your skin is not a sponge that can absorb any junk!
‘nough said!
So the score is 1-3 and junkbooks win!

Monday, February 15, 2010

On demons, vampires, Betsy-Tacy and of Blood Lily

I have been seeing “Every Demon Has His Day” by Cara Lockwood displayed front and center in Barnes and Nobel sci-fi and newly published sections and I had been tempted for such a long time (a month or so!). So I checked it out of library, congratulating myself on my good fortune and then… Such a disappointment!
Here is a story that could have been great, it had such potential and it came out as a rushed commercialized cliché. The characters involve a minor-prophet chef whom her husband is murdered on the day he is supposed to sign the divorce papers , a former love-them-and-leave-them sheriff, an ammo packing cigar chewing priest, a false psychic, a trashy pop princess, a couple of screw up demons and a dog in pink cashmere sweater who is an angel in training.
Ahh, this has so much potential! But somehow it ended up as a religious romance with emphases on the fight between good and evil, praise for Catholic Church and true believes and lots of tiered scenes.
Take these as examples: 1- our non-believer sheriff can not hear the talking dog until he finally believes in god and his army of good. 2- our good guys are in two groups and are sneaking into Satan’s house to rescue that trashy actress/singer when they come face to face with each other in a hall way and both groups shout “freeze!” and start firing at each other.
Can I say grade school comic scene?!
Such a waste of a day of reading for me, ink and paper for the publishing house! But if they can dupe others into reading the book, why not!

“Blood memories” and “Hunting memories” by Barb Hendee were good. I won’t say better than Nobel Dead saga but much better than a lot of other vampire stories out there.
For more than a century, a handful of vampires have lived in America, isolated from each other, trying not to attract the attention of humans, hunting and killing as little as possible. Then one day Edward Claymore a charming rouge is fed up with his dark life and walks into sunrise, exploding in front of his friend Eleisha and a couple of psychic policemen.
This starts Eleisha’s search for shelter, safety and others of her kind. There are secrets to be find, friendships to be made and quite some bodies to bury.
It is an engaging story told in present time and also trough the memories of every new friend Eleisha makes.
My only two objections: Julian’s reasons for going on killing rampage is not completely convincing (even if he is mad!) and two, why Eleisha is becoming such a central figure with everyone depending on her. What is told is not enough to communicate her importance.

The final books of Betsy-Tacy series are “Betsy and the Great World” and “Betsy's Wedding” by Maud Hart Lovelace had such a nice comforting atmosphere. In “Betsy and the Great World” you get to travel to Munich, Venice, Paris and London at the dawn of WWI and see the excited scared atmosphere of the era for yourself. Get to know nice and interesting people who could have been best friends but the coming war will make enemies of them. The book has such a sobering effect and such an insight into human’s emotions. “Betsy’s Wedding” happens as America announces her neutrality in war, the story of how middle class Americans were living before the war and how that neutrality changed.
You can look at these two books as a kind of happy ending to Betsy-Tacy series although I prefer to read these as an anthropological account of middle class Americans in early twentieth century. No wonder this series has such a huge fan club!

Ooh, now the best part:
Finally got my long awaited favorite, latest from Lauren Willig, “The Betrayal of the Blood Lily” the sixth book of Pink Carnation series. This is the story of Penelope the third of Purple Gentian’s sister’s trio of friends. Confused? Henrietta, Charlotte and Penelope are childhood friends and after Henrietta dilly dallying with her brother’s friends and getting in trouble, each one are having their own tales told. And frankly I liked Penelope’s story more than Henrietta and Charlotte’s.
When Charlotte and her duke are trying to deal with the Hell club’s spying activities (in "The Temptation of the Night Jasmine"), Penelope, out of boredom; is seducing one of the club members, Lord Fredrick; to disasterous results. Their affair is discovered, Penelope is announced ruined and is forced to marry the irresponsible Freddy and the couple are sent to India. There is dashing Captain, a French spy nicknamed Marigold, a devious Indian prime minister and a few dancing girls. On the other hand, in present time London; Eloise is discovering unsavory facts about her boyfriend’s family.
I enjoyed the historical part of the story, all those adventures in India, but the affairs of Colin’s family were uninspired. I know, Eloise and Colin are happily in love and Eloise research is going great but couldn’t Ms. Willig think of more exciting plots for Eloise than a valentine’s day party and Serena’s boyfriend problems?
I thought it rather tame!

p.s. at 10:30 pm: Just remembered to add the “A princess of Landover” by Terry Brooks to this post.
This one is a sequel to Magic Kingdom of Landover series, happening some 5 years after the last book. Mistaya the daughter of Ben Holiday the High lord of Landover is fifteen years old. Her father is confused how to treat her like many fathers with teenagers. She is expelled from her boarding school, and then runs away from home and gets into a lot of trouble with the help of a magical cat.
Now, I loved the original “Magic Kingdome of Landover” series. I enjoyed the humorous adventures of Ben Holiday, his funny logic in the face of all his misfortunes, the banter between inept court wizard and the doggy steward and the stubbornness of Willow. But this sequel is not only not in the league with previous books but way way below them. The narrator is short tempered and rushed, there is no humor and what little dialogue between wizard and steward is forced. It looks like the author was forcing himself to write. Like a story teller who is bored with his story but obligates out of duty to continue with his tale. I wish Mr. Brooks hadn’t written this book. It is such a disappointment.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

A quick review

I finished “Kitty’s house of horrors” and “Shades of Grey” last week. Kitty is offered to participate in a reality TV show with some of other famous supernaturals but then after a few days the whole game changes and becomes a matter of life and death.
Now Ms. Vaughn, I loved the book but that casual killing of very lovable characters was not nice. A phrase from the book is still ringing in my ears: when Anastasia tells Kitty “You pack animals are always taking care of others”. And at the end when Kitty says their pack of three is back. Really loved it.
“Shades of Grey” was unusual. It usually takes a couple of chapter to get the atmosphere and language of Fforde’s books. His stories always happening in different universes with different values and even vocabulary. In this book civilization as we know has collapsed and what has remained of humanity has a totally different and limited perspective (literaly). They can not see all the colors and their vision is so weak they can not see the star lights. Anyhow two characters start to question the system and try to break free. Now these post-acopolyptic stories are usually full of disgusting stuff. All I can say is that Fforde’s latest doesn’t disappoint! Aside from that total annihilation of humanity, the book is great and the story mesmerizing.
“What French Women Know: About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind” by Debra Ollivier was interesting! I used it as bedtime story to great effect. Four pages and I was fast asleep!
On the other hand, “The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman” by Karen Karbo was such an interesting look on Coco Chanel’s life. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I had always admired Mms. Chanel but reading about her life and what she did in each stage, how everything related to her business and designs was so eye-opening. My greatest ambition has become owning a Chanel handbag or classic Chanel jacket, something made by her hands.
“The Belly Dancer” by DeAnna Cameron is a good novel. Happening at the turn of the century, a new bride (read: timid, shy, unsure, with great enthusiasm to impress) has to organize belly dancer’s program at a fair. Imagine the delicate sensibility of American Puritanism and how people were receiving half naked women moving provocatively when even kitchen maids and factory girls were wearing three layer of petticoat and corsets at the time.
Unfortunately I am not in mood for cultural clashes and gossip and great endurances and nasty comments right now, else I would have enjoyed this book much more.
A great collection of novellas, “Unbound” had stories by Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Jocelynn Drake and Vicki Pettersson. My favorites were “Lay Line Drifter” by Kim Harrison, about a mystery Jenks and Bis try to solve; “Reckoning” by Jeaniene Frost was about how Bone is looking for serial killers in New Orleans, “The Dead, the Damned and the forgotten” by Jocelynn Drake was about Mira’s problems and “Two Lines” by Melissa Marr was good if a little long.

A new series I just discovered: A Vampire Memories by Barb Hendee including “Blood Memories” and “Hunting Memories”. I’m lovin’ it!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Reading much?

Yep! A lot! And mostly Young Adult books. Here is the list:
As always starting mid-series with Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. I read “Heaven to Betsy” and “Betsy in Spite of Herself”, “Betsy Was a Junior” and “Betsy and Joe" which are the books five, six, seven and eight in the series.
Betsy and all the other characters are delightful. The series is an educational look on how people were living a hundred years ago (exactly!), their life styles, concerns, morals and how they were interacting. I am hunting for the last two books of the series in the library.
Then the Mother Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick including: “The mother daughter book club”, “Much ado about Anne” and “Dear pen Pal”. A group of mismatched middle schooler in a New England small town start a book club with their mothers. In these three books, they go through “Little Women”, “Anne of Green Gables” and “Daddy Long Legs” and each book changes them and effects their personality.
A fun peaceful series.
And one not-such-a-great series by Liz Kessler: Emily Windsnap. “The tail of Emily Windsnap”, “Emily Windsnap and the monster form the Deep” and “Emily Windsnap and the castle in the mist”. Now this series is very simplistic and not only the plot is not well formed but the characters lack conviction and are very weak. I know the book is written for preteens but so are the other two series I mention before. And this one is a weak mishmash of mermaid fantasies without any attraction.
The grown up part of my brain is busy with “Kitty’s house of horror” (Kitty Norville, Book 7) by Carrie Vaughn.
Also parallel reading “Shades of Grey” by Jasper Fforde.
Wow, from YA to Urban Fantasy to Fforde? Something is wrong with me!

You're gonna laugh but another book I am leafing through is "Spanish for Dummies"!!!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, An Adventure

It has been very hard for me, sitting down and starting to write about my Discworld adventures. And like any other hard task, I have been procrastinating. I finished sixteen of Discworld books the first two weeks or so of the January and am officially done with my Terry Pratchett 2010 Challenge with the honor ob becoming a “Death's Apprentice”.
But writing about them is a whole other kettle of fish and I was not comfortable. What should I write? Introduce the important characters? You can all read about them in his website, under Discworld: “The Gangs are all here”. Neither am I comfortable telling you the stories. I love these books more than anything and giving you the high points is not going to do justice about the stories. I can keep gushing about Pratchett’s genius and his great sense of humor. But hey, you already know that, right?
What I can say is a little about structure of the series. The twenty something books of the series are divided into miniseries about Nightwatch and Capitan Wimes, about strange invention, Discworld in general and city of Ankh-Morpork life, about Witches of Ramtop, about Death and his family affairs and finally about Rincewind the wizzard and Unseen university.

- Nightwatch and Capitan Wimes: these books start with “Guards, Guards!” when city watch has meager personnel of three and some strange crimes happening in the city. Also a shiny bugling with muscle young man (named Carrot) enters the city of Ankh-Morpork. And Sam Wimes meets Lady Sibyl. At “Men at arms” Sam Wimes is deciding to marry Lady Sibyl and retiring form the Watch. “Feet of Clay” is looking at murders and the start of racial diversity in the Watch. In “Jingo” Captain Wimes is becoming a diplomat and solving the biggest crime of all time: the War. “The Fifth Elephant” tells us about further diplomatic activities of Wimes and the Watch. “Night Watch” is a historical remembrance and tells the start of Night Watch and of governess of Lord Vetinari. In “Thud!”, Watch solves a thousand years old historical feud.

- Strange invention, Discworld in general and city of Ankh-Morpork life: this miniseries includes “Pyramids”, “Moving Pictures”, “Small Gods”, “The Truth”, “Monstrous Regiment”, “Going Postal” and “Making Money” so far. If the stories happen in the city of ankh-Morpork, Lord Vetinari, City Watch and Unseen University people make appearances and push the story along but in some books like “Pyramids” and “Small Gods” the characters are completely new.
"Going Postal" and "Making Money" can be the start of a new miniseries featuring Moist Van Lipwig, his fiance and his gang of post office employees.

- Witches of Ramtop: “Wyrd Sisters”, “Witches Abroad”, “”Lords and Ladies”, “Maskerade”, “Carpe Jugulum” are exclusively about a coven of four witches in little Kingdome of Lancre and how they deal with (and certainly not dabble in) their local politics and problems. Ramtop is a highly magical place and Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Magrat (recently upgraded to: Queen Magrat) and Agnes (with help from her inner thin girl) have their hand full.
“Equal Rites” introduces Granny Weatherwax but continues to Unseen University territory.

- Death and his family affairs: Although Death makes at least one appearance in every book and sometimes walks with certain characters, the following books are especially about hem. He is one of my very favorite characters.
Death of Discworld is an old fashion character. I’m not talking about his black robe and his white horse (named Binky by the way) or his scythe but about his work ethic. He is taking pride in his good work, pays special attention to his customers and is always on-time. He is the perfect picture of a decent older guy in middle management position doing a boring job. He adopted a little girl once upon a time and then hired an apprentice and the girl and boy fell in love against his wishes and went out and got married (all happening in “Mort”), had a baby girl named Susan and unfortunately died in an accident.
At “Reaper Man” death is depressed, retired and looking for a new life. In “Soul music” Susan his granddaughter is forced to take the mantel because Death is trying to forget. “Hogfather” and Hogwatch (like Christmas) are threatened and Susan is called into action again. In “Thief of time”, the same enemies are threatening the very existence of life on Discworld and again Death and his granddaughter are the only forces who can do anything to save the life and order of their world.

Oooh and finally,
- Rincewind the wizzard and Unseen university people: the very first book of the whole series and the introduction of the Discworld, starts with “The Color of Magic” and continues with “The Light Fantastic”, when the most inept wizard of Discworld Rincewind meets Discworld’s first tourist Twoflower (a happy simple and optimistic guy; out to see the world and learn new things) and becomes his guide. In “Sourcery” the power of unseen university people and again the fate of the world are in balance and Rincewind happens to be in vicinity of the culprit. “Eric” is a Faust wannabe who summons a demon and ends up with… yeah, Rincewind! In “Interesting Times” Rincewind is forced to travel to counterbalance continent, the home of his old friend Twoflower and play a significant historical role. “Last Continent” is shown on maps by XXXX and usually is called “Four Ex” because the whole continent is still shaping. There Rincewind and UU people meet some very interesting characters and adventures. Hint: There is a mischievous Kangaroo involved.
The latest book of Discworld also involves UU people; “Unseen Academicals” is about starting the first Discworld College football team.

Every time I read the Discworld books, I find a new favorite character, a new favorite phrase and a new outlook. This time I fell in love with the attitude of rich and influential dragon-breeder ladies. That whole they are so rich, they don’t need to dress up and pretend. The whole everything in the attic is going to be used one day. Really loved it.
I had seen people who always want to show they have new shiny stuff, pretending to that “just bought it” feeling. I don’t say wear dirty damaged clothes. But what is wrong with tweed or some other vintage looking finish on clothes or leather? Not everything should be shiny and new looking.
Really, that “Oh, it’s new! How do you like it?” has always sounded like very Nouveau rich and pretentious to me.
My very favorite characters are Lord Vetinari, Death and Susan, Commander Sam Wimes and Lady Sibyl, Granny Weatherwax, Mustrum Ridcully, Moist Van Lipwig, and the Librarian.
This time I read:
The Light Fantastic, Interesting Times, Soul music, Hogfather, Thief of Time, Wyrd sisters, Carpe Jugulum, The Truth, Monstrous Regiment, Going Postal, Making Money, Guards Gaurds!, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The fifthe Elephant, and Thud!

Wow, what a long post! No wonder I didn’t want to start it!
OK, done now! Go be happy!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

A quick update on LK Hamilton’s latest

Long time, no post! Although it doesn’t mean I wasn’t reading. I was super busy with reading 16 of Terry Pratchett books and taking a virtual vacation in Discworld.
I also managed to finish the latest book in Meredith Gentry (Book 8) by Laurell K. Hamilton, the “Divine Misdemeanors”. It was seriously lacking in plot and adventure. I think if it wasn’t for Merry’s lengthy lovemakings and her guards and boyfriends constant arguments the book would have ended up as a short novella. Were these scenes really necessary: Merry sending the Coach to save soldiers, all the arguments with that old sea god, love making and the whole jealousy thing with Brie and the other guy and that screaming and scared female guards incident, the whole Julian character, the Fear-Dreage thing asking for favors and…?
The story included so many unnecessary and extra characters (like that Fear-dreage creature) that you were forced to count words along with the author and breath a sigh of relief when she meeted her quota! If we factor out all the extra scenes and characters and useless arguments, I think we end up with a pretty good short mystery about a bitter and jealous character stealing magic and life out of others.
Also been reading “Death's Mistress” (Dorina Basarab, Book 2) by Karen Chance but gave up on the whole series one quart into the book. I really liked the first book but this one starts very confusing and there are just so many strange things happening, all those time change and elemental fae and trolls in the basement and that monkey baby Dorian is raising and Clair’s coming… Sheesh! Count me out! I am fed up!

Now I know I have to start writing a long post on my Terry Pratchett challenge and a good review of all my Discworld adventures but hey, I am lazy and not in the mood! So taa daa till later!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Long awaited Chocolate

It has been a very long time that I posted about chocolate. Now this close to New Year, I think it is a good time to talk some sweet nonsense and round up the year with chocolate.
I have been very devoted to Trader Joe’s these past few months (they opened a new branch close to our house), specially their wonderful French Truffles which I adore! Three of these per day and you have your fix of chocolate for day.
Another chocolate bought from Trader Joe’s was “Simply Light” chocolate bars. They come in three flavors, Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate and Almond Dark chocolate and are supposed to be low calorie. They are very sweet (probably from artificial sweeteners) and oily. Also there is some special type formulated for Carb-Watchers and is gluten free but again too sweet and oily for my taste.
Have been adoring Lindt’s Lindor Truffles White Chocolate. They are creamy and comforting and melt in you mouth goodness. My only problem was not getting enough cocoa from these truffles. They were more like cookies for me and I had to have a piece of dark chocolate afterward to get my cocoa fix.
My recent discovery is Godiva’s small chocolate bars. You can get these treats in supermarket for $3.00 and enjoy a quick fix! I’m currently enjoying the Milk chocolate flavor which has all the goodness of Godiva truffles. Each bar can be broken into four not-so-little squares and enjoyed separately.

Monday, December 28, 2009

A journey to Discworld

Have been rereading Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan series due to having no better book available! How? The library was closed when I went to check out “Discworld” series and I had to keep busy over the weekend!
Anyhow, I finally got to check out: “The Light Fantastic”, “The Thief of time”, “Jingo”, “Feet of Clay” and “Monstrous Regiment”.
I admit “The Light Fantastic”, “Jingo” and “Feet of Clay” are not my favorites but it was these or waiting for a couple of weeks for my on holds to get to our branch.
So now starts my fantastic long anticipated journey to Discworld.
Annnnd to make things more official I am going to sign up with Marg form “Reading Adventures” in her Terry Pratchett 2010 challenge. It is the first challenge I’ve ever taken and I’m excited. Sheesh! I am a Challenge Virgin!

As I am a very fast reader I can finish the whole series in a couple of months, the challenge part for me is choosing the books that I love and buying them! I have been looking for box sets of mini series but found nothing. So I’m going to pick the individual books I love and start collecting them!
Good luck to me!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

One book, two book, three…

I was thinking of checking out all of Terry Pratchett’s books from the library on Thursday and having “Discworld” orgy over the holidays but I totally forgot! Sheesh!
What I did check out were:
“50 Ways to Hex Your Lover” by Linda Wisdom, the first book of the series about that expelled witch class. This is the love story of Jazz and Nick. A nice action packed (!!) story but I liked Stasi’s tale better.
The seventh book of Psy-Changelings series “Blaze of Memory” by Nalini Singh was great. A Forgotten director finds a beaten and broken Psy on his door step and cares for her despite all the suspicions. The Psy –network is becoming unstable and I have two new guess on the identity of “Ghost”: Aden or Vasil. Am I clever or what?!

Have started a new book: “Working for the Devil” (Dante Valentine, Book 1) by Lilith Saintcrow. One quart into the book, I haven’t made my mind if I want to finish this book or not. Let’s give it a couple of more chapters!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Read a book and relax!

I am still reading to calm my nerves, so I did a lot of re-read:
The first 5 books of Sookie Stackehouse series, “Soulless”, and “The Host” were my rereads.
I also finished “Tempest Rising” (Jane True series) by Nicole Peeler. The book is from the same publisher as “Soulless” and has the same editor, but that’s where similarities end. “Tempest Rising” is a modern supernatural romance mystery, featuring a half selkie half human girl named Jane who is a misfit in her small fishing town up north in Main.
Let me tell you first that I didn’t like the book and I think the character was weak. The story was somehow illogical, very rushed and full of unnecessary characters. Also Jane was supposed to be a college graduate but she was talking like a trailer trash girl. And she easily went with that vampire boy and let him wine and dine and romance her and had this whole Cinderella experience with gorgeous clothes and balls and spa and all but all that time she was thinking negatively about the guy. She was behaving like a paid mistress, (very déclassé) and has the guts to get upset with the guy when she thought he is using her! Can I say it again? Very white trash!
And, how in god’s green earth this half cooked book has won some kind of praise?
My current read is “Confessions of a Demon” by S.L. Wright. It is an urban fantasy full of demons, mayhem, a little romance a lot of confusion! Love Allay, she is kind and loving and strong…

Can't wait for the Wednsday to pass and my exam, then I go get a whole bunch of good books and become totaly lazy for the holidays!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

one not down, still one to go

I got to read “Unseen Academicals” the latest book of Terry Pratchett. The Unseen University has to put out a team for the game of Foot-the-Ball but can you imagine all those lazy wizards running after a ball?! The cast of characters in addition to the usual suspects (Lord Vetinari, Archchancellor Ridcully, Night Watch, Rincewind, Ponder Stibbons, Librarian,…) includes a street-smart tin-can-kicking young man, a couple of kitchen maids and a so-called goblin who is looking for selfworth and everyone is treating with confusion.
It was a great and funny story as usual but oh so short! And I keep wishing Mr. Pratchett writes a full book on the Librarian. I think it is high time for him to have his own book.
Else? Yeah, “Frostbitten” by Kelley Armstrong was Elena’s account of their Alaskan adventure. Elena had some close calls in this story but somehow she had to deal with issues of her distance past before becoming an Alpha. Oops, did I let the cat (the werewolf?) out of the bag?

And by the way, these books are read for medicinal purposes, to calm my nerves and stuff. I am so devoted to studying for my exam! I deny any charge of slacking and procrastinating and stuff!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Panic readings

You may have heard I have an important exam in a couple of weeks. Studying? Not much! Reading my favorite SciFi-Fantacies? Not much! Why? Because I’m worrying like heck and having panic attacks!
Aside from that, I finally got around to read “Made to Be Broken” (Nadia Stafford, Book 2) by my all time favorite author Kelley Armstrong. An employee of Nadia is lost and she starts to investigate. All her hurt and rage over her past comes creeping back and she is in for a wild bloody ride. But not to worry, Jack has her back and Quinn is the to help her.
Nadia is a strange character. I’m neither a sporty type, nor the type to like violence and guns and tough talking but if Nadia was real; I would love to have her as my friend. She is strong and loyal and has a strong sense of justice. I love the fact that she takes matter into her own hands.
Also finished “Wicked by Any Other Name” by Linda Wisdom. This is the third story in a series that tells the going ons of that seven hundred years old class of witches. This one is about Stasi, the nice romantic witch who owns a lingerie shop. There is a law suit and a cute lawyer and hate and mayhem in town, right before Halloween.
I had read half of the first book of the series but for some weird reason have left the book unfinished and forgotten. Now am starting to read the series again. Currently leafing through the fourth and newest one “Hex in High Heels”.
Am also parallel reading the second book of Chicagoland Vampires series “Friday Night Bites” by Chloe Neill. Merit is adjusting to her duties and responsibilities and fighting her attraction to her master Ethan. That creepy murderess is on the loose and for political reasons it is back to the family for Merit.
Love it!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

New books wanted

Strange isn’t it? I have been reading less and less these days.
Finished “Soulless” and loved it! Can’t wait for the second book.
Reread “The host” by Stephenie Meyer and was amazed again. How can she write so great a story and then messes up “Twilight” series?!
Also read the first story “Fairy Dust” in “A Touch of Dead” by Charlaine Harris. I’d read the other stories when they were published.
Am starting a series about a class of witches whom got expelled from “Witch Academy” seven hundred years ago and are living among humans. Can’t remember the name of the author or the books! Will check and report later!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Read slow, party fast!

I am reading very slowly and have been busy with a bit of traveling, a lot of school and a little autumnal laziness!
Last week I finished “Dreamfever” by Karen Marie Moning while cruising to Ensenada, Mexico.
Loved the story! Mac has gone through so much in her battle with Unseelie princes but it is not time to be safe and happy. Her parents are in danger and there is a mystery concerning the fourth prince. The book ends as she is lost between dimensions and is fighting a monster, leaving us in suspend to the identity of that last kill.
I can not wait a whole year or two for the next book. I offer my first born for a chance to read the next book right now! Anyone?!!
Am reading “Soulless” by Gail Carriger. It is the first book of The Parasol Protectorate series and I am hooked! I love it! In an alternative reality, in Victorian England, the supernaturals have been out of closet for centuries. There is a certain young (not so young in that time standards) spinster lady who has certain supernatural or preternatural abilities. Ooh, and there is this gorgeous gruff alpha werewolf and this flamboyant frilly vampire and…
Ah, no, I am not going to tell you more! At least not until I have finished the book and reread it!
Go check the author’s website and this interactive game of dressing the main character. For anyone with any love for fashion, vintage, supernaturals and history; this series is a must!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Long time….

OK, it has been a boring week book-wise and most of it was my own fault! I knew I wasn’t in the mood for more Susan Witting Albert’s mysteries. But I had them on hold in the library so I had to check them out! “Nightshade” and “Spanish Dagger” were from China Bayles series and “Death on the Lizard” was an Edwardian mystery.
All seemed very tame and slow! I guess I wasn’t in the mood for conversations dragging on and on and everything being quite and nice!
Another mistake of mine was “Ice Song” by Kirsten Imani Kasai. A fantasy adventure in a strange land, the plot was confusing, the time line mixed and the characters weird. A very mixed up messed up story in my opinion!
This week’s good reads:
“How to Dazzle a Duke” by Claudia Dain was the fourth book of The Courtesan Series. Still am in love with the characters, Lady Sophia is just amazing and I love the way she manipulates everyone toward her own goals. So lucky I found the book in the library by chance!
My favorite Spanish captain was back in the latest book of Arturo Perez-Reverte: “The Cavalier in the Yellow Doublet”. Captain Alatriste is involve with an actress, all his friends are disappointed in him and he may have entered into a plot against the king.
Arturo Perez-Reverte is god and I worship his writing!
Finally got seduced -or had nothing better to read and was forced- to read “Skin Trade” (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 17) by Laurell K. Hamilton. OK, OK, I admit it: it was much better than the last couple of books of the series! It had a plot and didn’t (much) involve Anita having sex with random guys! But admit it, that whole Vittorio character was weak!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Book report

Have to return a bunch of books to the library and check out another bunch so a written report is necessary!
Read three books of China Bayles series by Susan Witting Albert: “A Dilly of a Death”, “Bleeding Hearts” and “Wormwood”. China is a former lawyer who now lives in a small town in Texas and growing and selling herbs and seasonings. She gets tangled up in murder mysteries and solving them with the help of her family and friends. The stories are slow, calm and the bad guys usually get stricken by lightening or fall into the river or something so the stories are not very violent. Let’s say I will revisit this series in 40 years and will enjoy it properly then!
Another book by Susan Witting Albert and her husband Bill Albert -writing under the name Robin Paige- was “Death at Blenheim Palace”. A lord and lady Sheridan are famous for solving mysteries in this Victorian/Edwardian mysteries series. This couple are guests at Blenheim Palace and get involve in solving the mysteries of stolen jewelries, a lost housemaid and a very brash straightforward mistress.
Again a slow series but had great descriptions of art and architecture and landscape.
My problem is putting hold on more of these two series in the library and now they are ready and I’m not very interested in reading them!
“Blood Promise” by Richelle Mead was the Vampire Academy series, Book 4. Rose has gone to Russia searching for Dimitri and she meets his family, sees his village and finally finds him. She still can not believe the change he has gone through and needs to be rescued. AT the St. Vladimir’s academy Adrian and Lissa have found a new friend named Avery but is she what she claims to be? It was a great story full of adventure and heartbreak and action, no wonder I adore every single one of Ms. Mead’s works!
Finally gave up and read “Lover Avenged” (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 7) by J.R. Ward. I’m so glad I did, it renewed my faith in JR Ward’s writing! The book was much better than the last two previous ones; definitely beat the Vishous and Phury’s stories. I always liked Rehvenge, somehow like when you like an old crazy dog in the neighborhood! In this story I admired him and become to love him as a long suffering silent hero. I’m glad I overcame my aversion to the series and return to following it! It is getting good! However I still can’t stand the rap/gang/black lingo thing Ms. Ward has going on!

Need new books and need them fast!

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Books on the shelf!

Finally got and finished “Armed and Glamorous” by Ellen Byerrum. It is the sixth book of Crimes of fashion series and featuring Lacy Smithsonian a reporter from DC.
The story was a little repetitive and boring as every one was asking Lacy about Fashion Clues. But the fashion columns were better than other stories!
“As Shadows Fade” The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason was not a historical supernatural romance, more like a Sci Fi! OK, if you took out their gowns and carriages and put in normal twenty first century clothing the story can make sense! I mean these characters are not behaving like a 17 or18 century people, their dynamic is too modern! And so with a lot of disappointment I put the book down half way through chapter four! This was the first book I was reading of this author and from this series and am not going to read the book or follow the series!
Three little books about supernaturals during the World War II: “Bloody Good”, “Bloody Awful” and “Bloody Right” by Georgia Evans was fun. The series is not very exciting or action packed, even the fight scenes are kind of mellow. But I liked it! It was so peaceful! I know, it was supposed to be about war! A bunch of supernaturals in a sleepy country village of England find out that Germany has sent some vampire spies. As they try to discover the identity of the spies and neutralize them, they learn more about their supernatural friends, fall in love and survive bombings.
Am reading “Fool” by Christopher Moore, “Martyr” by Rory Clements and “The Tale of Applebeck Orchard” (The Cottage Tales of Beatrix P) by Susan Wittig Albert. Love love love this last one! The Cottage Tale series is funny, peaceful and full of amazing characters. I’m thinking of buying the whole series!
I am checking Ms. Wittig Albert’s website for her other series and putting hold on them in the library! I adore her simple humor and description of beautiful scenery. So good, so relaxing!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Ranting, nagging, and generally being unhappy!

Be warned, this post is not book related! You are not interested in me feeling crappy, don’t read it!

I’m bored, I’m unhappy, I am lonely! I seriously am fed up with myself!
I have a proposal for a research grant to write and am not in the mood to start it! This whole week I just kept looking at the requirement and format booklet and didn’t even read it!
I spent a whole wad of money on yarn and beads and crotchet needles supposedly to start some craft projects and have not done anything with them.
Dear hubby has been out traveling for a week and will be gone for another two and half week! I am lonely, darn it! I hate the house all empty and quite!
I have been shopping like some possessed woman and probably will do more damage to my bank account this coming week too! And you know what my Fortune Cookie was this afternoon? “Be careful not to overspend” How is that for irony?!
One side of my bed has been covered in winter clothing for a week now and I haven’t been in the mood to put them away! There are handbags and purses on the floor of my bedroom and I can’t enter my walk in closet because the cloths are covering the floor! I have become a total slob! I hate myself for it but am doing nothing to make it better!
Even my cats are fed up with me and won’t let me pet them!
I just keep lecturing myself and beating myself over all the things I have to do and make myself miserable! I guess I like feeling miserable!
Gush! What is so wrong with me?!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Fast reading before school

I finally got to read some long awaited books and thank goodness all of them were great!
“Hunting Ground” by Patricia Briggs was much better than “Cry Wolf”! Anna and Charles have gone to Seattle to attend and chair some international summon of werewolves and a few of the guests are causing trouble. Anna is trusting Charles and vice versa and they are more powerful together. Also Anna is learning to use her powers and is becoming more confident. I can’t wait for the third book!
“Look Again” by Lisa Scottoline was a bit of a surprise. I had thought it is another story related to that all women law firm. It is a journalist who adopts a baby and one day sees a flyer of a kidnapped baby looking exactly like her son. What she goes through, her struggles, her conflicts and her search for truth are mesmerizing and heartwarming. You feel so close to Ellen, you can laugh with her, worry with her and get angry on her behalf. Ms. Scottoline is an incredible writer.
And my lovely “Thorn Queen” (Dark Swan, Book 2) by Richelle Mead was so good and oh-so short! I mean come on; I finished the book in three hours! Eugenie is slowly learning about her new kingdom and some happenings cause her more involvement in the affair of her state and welfare of her subjects. What she found out at the end both romantically and personality wise, the decisions she had to take all are making her some new person. Also her powers are strange and their effects are unknown.
Wish the next book was out already!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

No Nobel prize yet, books aplenty!

That little book, I had forgotten the title of; was “Grave apparel” by Ellen Byerrum. I left the book unfinished a century ago. Should find the latest one “Armed and Glamorous” or put the hold on in the library!
Reading “Bought” by Anna David when in South Bend, IN. the book was boring, a perfect read for long flights and long train rides! A journalist is doing research on modern courtesans of Los Angeles. The book would have been amazing if there was any truth behind the concept!
“The corner Booth chronicles” by Mimi Thebo was about a small Midwest town (Eudora) and an amazing bunch of characters. People go into a reading frenzy about a new book, tornado alarms are not working and lots of people have conflicting marriages. A gay couple come to town and some people want to grow pot!
My recent trip to South Bend triggered my imagination about the life in Eudora. It was a great peaceful funny book!
Have a new book on Ayurvedic medicine to read! Sounds like fun!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Books were read before ending up in a land far far away!

I have been neglecting this weblog recently so it is time to report on my latest reading:
“Dark Blood” is the sequel to “Bone Song” by John Meaney. Laura is dead but her heart is beating inside her boyfriend’s and he is hell bend on taking revenge on those who killed her, to the point of scarifying himself.
I’d said I would read this book because of its morbid atmosphere and all the skeletons and other death-related things but couldn’t stop myself. The story is too powerful and morbidly fascinating and Mr. story telling truly mesmerizing.
“Lord of Bones” by Justine Musk was the sequel to “Bloodangle”. It was as good as the first book with a little more emphasis on the love life of Jess. She has become the central role and Kai is doing everything to keep her to himself. What I couldn’t understand was why she has to fall in love with Max too! Anyway amazing reading for a day spent in airports and airplanes. The scary stuff doesn’t seem that scary when there are so many people around!
Read another little paperback I can’t remember the name of right now!
Also am reading “Larceny and Lace” (A Vintage Magic Mystery) by Annette Blair which is much better than her Salem witches series but doesn’t make much sense! If I hadn’t read “Secondhand spirit” this book would sound good but Ms. Blackwell had such a great style and her Lily Ivory was so real that this Madeira character sounds like a spoil brat in comparison. Even her fashion related talk and descriptions are unprofessional like a 15-year-old is talking vintage!
Anyway I’m away on a research trip and supposed to be writing Nobel worthy scientific papers not surfing the web and weblogging! Hah! Like that’s gonna happen, ever!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Depressed and Reading!

I am so in the mood for old English mansions and stuffy manners and biting conversations! Yeah, been reading a lot of Victorian and Regency era English novels! Just finished “The Private Diary of Mr. Darcy” by Maya Slater. Loved it although at the end cool Mr. Darcy ends up love sick. But this different view on my beloved “Pride and Prejudice” was delicious, witty and amazing.
“The Moon Opera” by Bi Feiyu was a sad little story. I’m not in the mood for sad and I didn’t enjoy it. But it is a well written story.
My so awaited “Branded by Fire” (Psy-Changelings, Book 6) by Nalini Singh was great. The story has so many twists and so many groups are competing for power that the love stories are losing the spotlight!
My best read this week: “Secondhand Spirits” by Juliet Blackwell was lovely, low key and entertaining. As I’m discovering the joys of vintage cloths and accessories, this book was the best thing I could read! A witch and the owner of vintage clothing store Lily Ivory is new in San Francisco and is trying to establish herself by finding new friends and her business by matching the right vintage to her customers’ aura. There is a demon loose and a child goes missing and a male witch is asking a lot for a little… loved the story! Only thing bad about the book was that the second one is coming out next year… I mean a whole year from now! Who can wait that long?!!
Visit Ms. Blackwell’s website and her weblog.

I have two psychology books but am not in the mood to finish them. Also a presentation for Friday which have to prepare power point for! And yes, I had two weeks to do it and still…
It’s summer for Christ's sake, who cares about presentations?!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Best authors ever

Remember how I loved “Hand of Isis”? Well, Jo Graham’s first novel, “Black Ships” is as good as her second or maybe even better (had a happy ending!). Gull is a slave-born girl in ancient Greece and she becomes Pythia or Oracle of Persephone the Lady of Death. It is twenty years after the fall of Troy and the remaining Trojans are looking for their enslaved kin, revenge and a new land to live. The story is enchanting, the characters strong, believable and lovable, and the plot is based on Aeneid by Virgil.
The second author I very much admired last week is Jude Morgan and I read her other three books as well. I wasn’t in the mood for sad and unhappy stories so I couldn’t enjoy “Symphony”(the story of an Irish actress in Paris) or “Passion” (three famous poet, four strong women, lots of heartbreaks). But “Indiscretion” was very much to my liking! England of Regency era, Caroline Fortune is a Captain daughter whom his father has bankrupted them by his gambling and bad investments. She seeks an employment as a companion to a very unpleasant lady and her adventures begin.
“With or without you” by Carole Matthews was a humorous novel of self-discovery. But the whole time reading the book I had a feeling that the story is very familiar to me!
“Playing James” by Sarah Mason was funny and happy and light, exactly suitable for a hot summer afternoon. A lady reporter is assigned to shadow a sour police detective and write a diary about day-to-day happenings of police life. The detective is to be married in six weeks and the reporter has a star athlete boyfriend but when photos of their assignments are published beside the diary people start to have much more different opinions about their relationship!
“The Modern Girl’s Guide to Life” and “The Modern Girl’s Guide to Motherhood” by Jane Buckingham were a waste of time. I had read much better guide books!
Am reading “The Last Standing Vampire” by Nancy Haddock. The previous book was “La Vida Vampire”. Francesca the vampire princess is living her life, enjoying her new house and her time with her boyfriend when a new vampire come into town and asks for help. Also Triton her childhood friend is somewhere in the neighborhood but is being very secretive and there is a slight chance that another childhood character is going to show up! What Cesca can do is keep herself from being shot at or staked.

I have to start looking for more books for the rest of summer. These days I can do nothing except find somewhere cool and read!

About Me

My other weblogs

Blog Archive

Good to see:

Book Waiting List

Favorite Authors (in no particular order):

Challenges:

Saturday, May 29, 2010